The artist behind the controversial "Dismaland" exhibition has denied it was a hoax.
The exhibition, which opened in Weston-super-Mare on Friday, is a "fantasy" version of the seaside resort, said Banksy's spokeswoman.
The spokeswoman said: "It's not a

Banksy has denied accusations he is "trolling" members of the public - after thousands have struggled to buy tickets for his new show.

Article: It was created by the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program, with additional data from NASA and the US Geological Survey.
The centrepiece is an a click-and-play animation showing every eruption and earthquake for the last 50 years.
It is part of a project to create a record of every volcanic eruption on Earth for the last 10,000 years.
As well as monitoring active volcanoes, a global collaboration of researchers is gathering evidence of ancient eruptions in the geological record.
Elizabeth Cottrell, head of the Smithsonian Institution's program in Washington, DC, told the BBC that the animation was a view of "the living, breathing planet".
"You're watching the Earth respire - you're watching the pulse of the planet," she said.
"And you can see those patterns of where the tectonic plate boundaries are - the Earth's breath and pulse defines those plate boundaries."
The Global Volcanism Program has been running since 1968, with a mission to "document, understand and disseminate information about global volcanic activity".
This global network of scientists is building a database of all known and confirmed eruptions for the last 10,000 years.
Some of these remain as signals of ancient ash or lava left in rocks. But the program also uses scientific literature, eyewitness accounts and even old ship's logs, some of which contain detailed accounts of eruptions.
"Captain Cook provided a lot of information about volcanoes erupting that he saw," remarked Dr Cottrell.
But the last 50 years is a crucial period, because the scientists say they are confident that they have a complete record of every eruption and earthquake over that time.
Making it available to download and in an app, Dr Cottrell said, could be of value to scientists who are looking for patterns that help to improve volcanic eruption forecasting.
Individual volcanic eruptions on a human timescale can seem rare, but volcanic arcs - chains of volcanoes along the same plate boundary - have what Dr Cottrell described as "a sort of pulse".
"When we're looking for...

Summary: Half a century of the planet's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes have been visualised in an animated app.
###
Article: The International Longevity Centre report said more should be done to make retirement housing "aspirational."
A lack of desirable retirement housing meant older people downsizing might end up chasing the same properties as first-time buyers, it added.
But critics said different generations had different housing priorities.
The International Longevity Centre (ILC) study, commissioned by Hanover Housing, criticised "scapegoating" of older people for "hoarding housing" as "ageist and irrelevant".
Rather than simply calling for older people to downsize, "we should be incentivising all generations to refrain from under-occupying properties", urge the authors.
However, they added that purpose-built housing for older people can improve their health and quality of life and "free up family-sized housing".
The report adds that elderly people are "often in denial about the realities of ageing" and struggle on in unsuitable, over-large homes when smaller properties might be more suitable.
"We must all think harder about the sort of housing we are likely to want to live in as we age," said Dylan Kneale of ILC-UK.
"Too many of us deny the impact of ageing and end up in inappropriate housing."
Mr Kneale urged local and central government to support the provision of appropriate housing for all ages.
"Planners and policy-makers must recognise the impact of our ageing society and develop adequate housing".
The report argues that the UK needs to build more homes but adds that a lack of desirable retirement housing means older people who downsize may end up chasing the same properties as first-time buyers.
Retirement housing needs an image overhaul, say the authors, with many people viewing it as "expensive and isolated" and prone to hidden charges.
Currently it is focused on people with the greatest health and social care needs - instead design should be improved to make it "aspirational", they argue.
The study suggests that designers of retirement homes could learn from age-segregated housing for other groups, for example...

Summary: Encouraging older people to downsize to smaller homes could backfire and worsen the housing shortage for first-time buyers, argues a report.
###
Article: They have published the results of a trial involving 600 women from Glasgow in the British Medical Journal.
More than 20% of the women offered vouchers stopped smoking, compared with 9% given normal NHS support alone.
The Royal College of Midwives said incentivising healthy behaviours using money was "not ideal" - and expensive.
Women taking part in the trial had breath tests - as well as providing saliva and urine samples - to check whether they were smoking. Blood samples were monitored too.
In the randomised controlled trial, the researchers assigned the women into two groups of around 300.
All were from the area covered by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which has large pockets of deprivation.
The control group were offered a face-to-face appointment with a smoking cessation adviser, as well as four follow-up phone calls and free nicotine replacement therapy for 10 weeks.
The financial incentive group received that standard support - as well as £50 in their first appointment, £50 if a breath test later suggested they had stopped smoking, and then a further £100 after another 12 weeks.
The final £200 voucher was given if another breath test at 34-38 weeks in pregnancy confirmed there was no carbon monoxide exhaled.
After a year, 15% of women who received the vouchers had managed to stay off cigarettes, compared with 4% in the control group.
The women used the vouchers at High Street stores such as Iceland, Argos and Mothercare.
The researchers from Glasgow and Stirling universities say providing the vouchers is cost-effective for the NHS, because smoking in pregnancy raises the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.
But schemes using financial incentives to promote healthy behaviour have been criticised as "bribery" - and this remains a controversial area of research.
The authors say in the BMJ: "This study provides substantial evidence of a promising and potentially cost-effective new intervention to add to health service support.
"Smoking during pregnancy remains a major health problem, resulting in the...

Summary: Offering shopping vouchers worth a total of £400 to pregnant smokers makes them more likely to quit the habit, say researchers.
###
Article: Online bookings for his "Dismaland" exhibition were suspended last week after the attraction's website crashed.
Many users reported issues when sales resumed earlier - prompting claims the problems were deliberate.
But a spokeswoman for Banksy insisted the rumours were untrue. Tickets have now become available on the website.
She said the attraction's website was "100% real" and had crashed under "huge demand".
Dismaland, housed in a derelict lido on Weston-super-Mare's seafront, is a dark take on theme parks with a nod to Disneyland, featuring work by more than 50 artists including Bristolian Banksy.
Among those tweeting their disappointment was Mark Ã–sten, who wrote: "On Friday, I believed 'technical difficulties'. Now, I'm reluctantly believing #Banksy is trolling those after tickets for #dismaland."
Caroline Harley tweeted: "It's easier to buy tickets to see the Beatles than tickets to go to  #Dismaland"
There were suggestions the site may be fake last week.
But the artist's spokeswoman told the BBC: "It's not true. It's 100% a real website. It crashed under the number of hits it received."
North Somerset Council, which worked with Bansky on the exhibition, has insisted the website is not a hoax.
Seafront manager Darren Fairchild said the website had crashed due to an "unprecented" number of hits, despite "huge amounts of work".
Dismaland has boosted visits to the seaside resort - one tour guide told the BBC he had not seen such crowds since the 1970s.
Among the exhibits are a distorted mermaid, a dilapidated fairy castle and a boat pond where all the boats are filled with models of migrants, as well as paintings and a beach ball hovering above upturned knives.

Summary:


The baculovirus is a virus that is spread by the feeding of infected caterpillars.
The virus is a "zombie" that is spread by the feeding of infected caterpillars.
The virus is a "zombie" that is spread by the feeding of infected caterpillars.

Caterpillars are being killed by a bug which turns them into "exploding zombies", a wildlife expert has said.

Article: A quarter of councils are set to see falls in government funding when the free 30 hours scheme starts in 2017, the Pre-School Learning Alliance says.
It adds that the new rates will then be frozen until 2020, even though the cost of providing places is set to rise.
Ministers say funding was being allocated "more fairly" across England.
All three and four year olds are currently entitled to 15 hours of free childcare a week, but from September 2017, working parents will be entitled to an extra 15 hours a week, in school term-time, for each child.
The DfE has raised the hourly rates it pays to local authorities, who then pass that on to childcare settings, as an average across the country, but not all areas are getting a raise.
Chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance Neil Leitch said: "The government has tried to sell next year's funding changes as a solution to all the concerns about the 30 hours offer, but this simply isn't true.
"With a quarter of all local councils seeing a fall in funding next year, childcare costs in those areas are likely to sky-rocket as childcare providers face a choice between either raising fees or going out of business."
The alliance was quoting figures published by the DfE in its consultation on funding, which states 38 out of 150 local authorities face a fall in rates.
Mr Leitch said: "Of course, even in areas where funding rates are increasing, providers are still facing a fight for survival, as often funding simply doesn't meet the rising cost of delivering places."
Details obtained from a Freedom of Information request revealed that nearly 75% of councils had been given funding levels over the past five years that had failed to keep pace with inflation.
This added to future cost pressures would make it very difficult for the nursery sector.
Mr Leitch said: "Take staff costs, for example, which account for 70-80% of overall costs for providers.
"By 2020, the national living wage will have increased from Â£7.20 to Â£9 an hour, and yet childcare providers are somehow...

Summary: Childcare costs could "sky-rocket" in parts of England as nurseries grapple with less funding for a free government childcare scheme, a charity says.
###
Article: Reports emerged in late summer in the US and South Korea of the phone exploding during or after charging.
On 2 September, Samsung issued a global recall, saying it had been difficult to work out which phones were affected among the 2.5 million Note 7s sold.
Samsung said 90% of those swapping had chosen to replace their device with an updated version of the same model.
Samsung said it had worked with its suppliers to ensure the replacement devices followed the "highest quality manufacturing and quality assurance processes".
The device is due to go back on sale from 28 October, but that date is subject to a full completion of the exchange programme.
Meanwhile, a software update for all existing Note 7 devices has reset the maximum battery charge to 60% as a precaution.
David Lowes, chief marketing officer for Samsung Electronics Europe, said: "Our message of safety first is getting through to Galaxy Note 7 owners, who are doing the right thing by exchanging for a new device quickly and safely.
"We have worked hard to bring replacement Galaxy Note 7 phones to Europe so we can ensure the safety of our customers and minimise their inconvenience."
"For our remaining customers, we urge them to act now, exchange the device and get a brand new Galaxy Note 7 today."

Summary: A global recall of Galaxy Note 7 phones has seen 60% of owners following Samsung's advice and exchanging them.
###
Article: Thousands of migrants - mainly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Afghanistan - have been camping in Calais and trying to get across the Channel.
Meanwhile in Kent, Operation Stack has led to long tailbacks for lorries on sections of the M20 leading up to the Channel Tunnel.
There is also the ongoing possibility of disruption to cross-Channel ferry services as a result of industrial action and migrant activity in and around Calais.
Travellers intending to cross the Channel have been warned to be prepared for delays.
The Department of Transport recommends checking with your travel operator before setting off on your journey. It has also provided advice on the Calais situation and an interactive map with details of alternative routes for returning to the UK from France. Its Twitter feed @transportgovuk carries live updates.
Eurotunnel LeShuttle provides regular updates on passenger services on its website, including delays at both French and UK terminals, and the number of services running per hour each way. On occasion, when there are severe delays, day-return passengers have been advised to reschedule.
Information is also available 24 hours a day on Eurotunnel's recorded information line, which is updated at regular intervals: +44 (0) 8444 63 00 00. Calls cost up to 7p a minute.
The Eurotunnel Twitter feed @LeShuttle posts updates between 09:00 and 17:30 BST. It has also been retweeting passengers' tweets for useful live updates about the best routes to the terminal and delays.
Eurostar also uses the Channel Tunnel, but has largely been less affected by migrant activity and recent ferry-worker strikes in Calais. Passengers can check the Eurostar website for delays before travelling, sign up for travel alerts by SMS, or check the @Eurostar Twitter feed.
Operation Stack is an emergency procedure used by Kent Police to park lorries on the M20 motorway in Kent. It is implemented in various stages when services across the English Channel - including those through the Channel Tunnel or from the Port of Dover - are...

Summary: Migrant incursions have caused severe delays to Eurotunnel train services in recent weeks.
###
Article: Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside Wildlife Trust said the skins of insects have been found on Winmarleigh Moss, near Garstang.
The baculovirus drives caterpillars on a "death march" to the top of plants, then when it dies the bug bursts out to seek other victims.
The trust's Dr Chris Miller said it was "gruesome - like a zombie horror film".
Dr Miller was carrying out a butterfly survey on Winmarleigh Moss when he noticed a caterpillar hanging from the end of a branch of a small bush.
He then saw another one hanging from a tall blade of grass.
"Both were dead but otherwise intact," he said.
Dr Miller also noticed "small scraps of caterpillar skin" on other branches he checked.
He said research is showing that the baculovirus affects the way the "zombie" insects respond to light, "making them climb to higher and more dangerous places and when they get there they die".
"It is really unusual seeing caterpillars high up as they can be eaten by birds.
"This is a caterpillar of the oak eggar moth which eats heather and bilberry so it is normally hidden in the undergrowth, not at the top of plants."
Source: Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside Wildlife Trust

Summary:

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The world's most powerful football body is set to elect a new president for the first time in its history.
The election will be held on Friday, with the first round of voting taking place at 12:00 GMT.
The first round of voting will be followed by a second round of voting on Saturday.

Fifa will get a new president on Friday when 207 delegates from around the world gather in Zurich, Switzerland to vote for a successor to Sepp Blatter.

Article: Standard Bank, FNB, Nedbank and ABSA, which is owned by Barclays, were all downgraded on Tuesday and Moody's warned of more possible ratings cuts.
The move comes a week after South Africa's central bank bailed out the smaller lender African Bank.
The South African Reserve Bank insisted the country's banking sector remained "healthy and robust."
Analysts said the downgrade was in response to what Moody's views as the risks of unsecured lending, or loans not based on collateral.
Chris Hart of Investment Solutions said: "The downgrade is in response to the deteriorating credit quality that we are seeing in unsecured lending space, the collapse of the African Bank is indicative of that."
Moody's reduced its ratings on the four big banks by one notch to Baa1.
Last week the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) announced a rescue plan for African Bank, a smaller lender that specialised in unsecured loans. The SARB bought up around $700m of bad loans from African Bank, but some investors still lost out.
On Monday, another lender, Capitec, saw its shares plunge after seeing its rating downgraded.
The central bank rejected Moody's decision on the big four banks.
"While the SARB respects the independent opinion of rating agencies, we do not agree with the rationale given in taking this step, nor do we agree with the assessment it is based on," it said in a statement.
The South African government has been encouraging banks to lend to low-earning people who lack collateral, in an effort to boost business start-ups and property ownership.
Nonetheless, analyst Chris Hart said that despite the relatively high level of unsecured lending, South Africa's banking system was sound.
"There are no fundamental problems with South African banks in terms of overall management, and overall asset and liquidity."

Summary: Shares in South Africa's largest banks fell on Wednesday, following downgrades from the ratings agency Moody's.
###
Article: Caerwent Post Office in Monmouthshire is facing closure as illness is forcing its current tenants to leave.
Sarah and Simon Woodfield, who took on the post office just over four years ago, said they have made it the "hub" of the rural community.
But they are struggling to find someone to take over the business - and its accompanying house.
They have advertised the property but despite lots of interest, nobody has made an offer, Mrs Woodfield said.
She is now concerned locals - many of them elderly and unable to drive - will end up feeling isolated as all other shops in the rural village have closed down.
Their next nearest post office would be in Rogiet or Caldicot.
"The clock is ticking. We just want someone with the enthusiasm and vigour to take the post office forward," said Mrs Woodfield.
The post office has been the centre of village life since 1932.
After taking it on four years ago, the Woodfields, who are local to Caerwent - revamped it and decided to stock "a little bit of everything" that people would need, from groceries and gifts to coffee and fresh cakes.
But they are being forced to stand down after Mrs Woodfield was diagnosed with fibromylagia - a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body and extreme tiredness - and struggled to run the branch full time.
The Reverend John Waters, parish priest of St Stephen and St Tathan, said the post office was valued in the community.
"For example, people know I'm here on a regular basis so they know that if they can't get hold of me any other way they can leave  a message with Sarah and she will ensure I get it," he said.
"So it's all working together to promote communication and caring about each other and each other's needs."
At that point any potential new operator would submit a business case and undertake the normal Post Office recruitment processes.
The Post Office spokesman said it would work to try to find someone else to run the branch if the Woodfields were not able to find anyone.
He said the number of post office closures in Wales...

Summary: If you have ever wanted to become a post master or mistress, this could be your chance.
###
Article: The anxious process will have seen teenagers visiting university open days and worrying about personal statements on their application forms.
For some of the most competitive courses there are also interviews.
Oxford, keen to demystify its admissions process, has published the type of questions students might face.
"Interviews will be an entirely new experience for most students, and we know many prospective applicants are already worried about being in an unfamiliar place and being questioned by people they have not met," says director of admissions Samina Khan.
In an attempt to make it less intimidating the university has produced a video explaining how the interview works.
And it has published some sample questions - and suggestions for how students might have answered.
This was a question for a French course. Interviewer Helen Swift, from St Hilda's College, said:
"This is the sort of question that could emerge from a student's personal statement, where, in speaking about their engagement with literature and culture of the language they want to study, they state a keen interest in works (such as a novel, play or film) that are "political".
"We might start off by discussing the specific work that they cite (something that isn't included in their A-level syllabus), so they have chance to start off on something concrete and familiar, asking, for instance, "in what ways?", "why?", "why might someone not enjoy it for the same reason?".
"We'd then look to test the extent of their intellectual curiosity and capacities for critical engagement by broadening the questioning out to be more conceptually orientated and invite them to make comparisons between things that they've read/seen (in whatever language).
"So, in posing the overall question, 'What makes this political?' we'd want the candidate to start thinking about what one means in applying the label: what aspects of a work does it evoke? Is it a judgement about content or style? Could it be seen in and of itself a value judgement? How useful is it as a...

Summary: It's the university application season - with the first wave of deadlines, including Oxford and Cambridge, coming this week.
###
Article: Media playback is not supported on this device
In charge of world football's governing body since 1998, Blatter, 79, said last year he was standing down amid a growing corruption crisis.
Five candidates want to replace him.
They are Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, Gianni Infantino, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne.
The election process is expected to begin at 12:00 GMT, but several rounds of voting may be required before a winner is known.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Each candidate has 15 minutes to address the congress before voting starts at approximately 12:00 GMT.
There are 209 Fifa nations but Kuwait and Indonesia are currently barred from taking part, so that makes 207 eligible voters.
To become president after the first round of voting, a candidate needs to secure two-thirds of the available votes. If no candidate achieves that mark, then a simple majority is required in the second round.
If there is still no winner, then a third round will take place, minus the candidate with the fewest votes in round two.
Fifa says a winner must be declared on Friday because an ice hockey rink is due to be installed at the Hallenstadion venue at midnight.
So determined is Fifa to get this election done that it has spent £500,000 converting its headquarters into a back-up venue.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Given everything that has happened to Fifa, this is seen as a pivotal moment for an organisation which has been heavily criticised for its lack of transparency and for failing to clamp down on corruption within it.
A new leader, together with a raft of reform measures, is seen as a chance to start afresh.
Acting president Issa Hayatou said Friday can "signal a new dawn", adding: "This is our opportunity to show we are united in building a stronger Fifa."
Media playback is not supported on this device
There have been widespread allegations of corruption, the arrest of leading officials, the banning of its president and the sight of big-name...

Summary:


The seven men who were found guilty of manslaughter in the L'Aquila earthquake have been cleared of the more serious charge of causing the disaster.
The seven were found guilty of manslaughter in the 2009 earthquake that killed 309 people in the central Italian town.
The seven were found guilty of manslaughter in the 2009 earthquake that

A group of Italian scientists convicted of manslaughter for failing to predict a deadly earthquake have had the verdict quashed.

Article: Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed the measure into law on Monday.
The move makes Utah the only US state to use firing squads as a method of execution.
Some US states are considering alternative execution methods as they struggle to obtain lethal injection drugs amid a nationwide shortage.
Drug inventories dwindled after European manufacturers opposed to capital punishment refused to sell the lethal concoctions.
Civil rights groups have said use of firing squads makes Utah "look backward and backwoods".
Governor Herbert finds the firing squad "a little bit gruesome,'' but said the state needs a back-up execution method.
"We prefer to use our primary method of lethal injection when such a sentence is issued," the governor's spokesman Marty Carpenter told the Associated Press.
"However, when a jury makes the decision and a judge signs a death warrant, enforcing that lawful decision is the obligation of the executive branch."
It will probably be years before Utah's next execution. The head of Utah's prison system has said the state does not have any reserves of lethal injection drugs.
The new Utah law reinstates the use of firing squads more than a decade after the state abandoned the practice.
Because of the intense media attention, Utah lawmakers stopped offering inmates the choice of a death by firing squad several years ago.
But a handful of inmates sentenced to death before 2004 still have the option of going before a firing squad.
Ronnie Lee Gardner, a convicted murderer who shot and killed a lawyer in attempt to escape from prison, was the last inmate executed by a firing squad in 2010.

Summary: Utah will resume the use of firing squads to carry out the death penalty when lethal injections drugs are not available.
###
Article: First, let's look at the vote across the UK. The pollsters got one thing, at least, absolutely correct.
For months they have been suggesting that Scotland was the most pro-Remain part of the UK; that Northern Ireland was also pro-Remain, although somewhat less so; and that things looked much closer in both England and Wales, with Wales tending to be marginally more pro-Remain than England.
And that is exactly how it turned out. These are the figures for voting (and turnout) by nation:
Strikingly, the two nations that voted for Remain - Scotland and Northern Ireland - have both actually become more pro-EU since 1975. Wales and England have travelled a long way in the other direction.
It is also interesting that turnout was lower in the two pro-Remain nations.
This didn't change the result - even if both Scotland and Northern Ireland had had the same turnout rate as England, then Leave would still have won.
It may be simply that the referendum engaged more people in England and Wales.
But there may also have been some element of voter fatigue - and also activist fatigue - in Scotland, in particular, which has had a lot of campaigning and voting over the last three years.
What about the vote in Wales? Understanding exactly how Wales came to vote leave will take plenty of further analysis.
But we can see which areas voted for Remain and Leave.
Here I've listed the 22 Welsh local authorities in order of how they voted, from the most pro-Remain to the most pro-Leave:
One notable feature of the results is how many prominent Welsh politicians found themselves on the wrong side of their own local communities.
Among those who supported Remain:
Meanwhile, on the pro-Leave side, Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies also found himself on the opposite side of the majority of his fellow voters in the Vale of Glamorgan, as did MP David Davies in Monmouthshire. But that was not the case for all politicians.
Former Welsh Secretary David Jones - whose Clwyd West seat straddles the border of Conwy and Denbighshire - would have...

Summary: How did the EU referendum produce the result it did?
###
Article: Official figures show that 300 people came off the register in March, putting the jobless total at 31,500.
The Northern Ireland unemployment rate also fell to 5.2% - the lowest it has been since last 2008 - but still above the UK average (4.7%).
Northern Ireland also trails the rest of the UK in terms of the proportion of its workforce in employment - 69% versus 75%.
However, one economist has said the data includes evidence of "a lost decade."
Dr Esmond Birnie, of the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre, said the Northern Ireland employment figure is "very similar" to 10 years ago.
"In other words over the last decade there has been no improvement," he said.
The figures also show a change in the composition of the labour market in recent times, with more self-employed and part-time workers.

Summary: Unemployment in Northern Ireland has fallen for a twelfth month in a row.
###
Article: The seven men had been given six-year jail sentences after an earthquake devastated the medieval town of L'Aquila in 2009, killing 309 people.
The verdict triggered alarm, with some saying that science itself had been put on trial.
On Monday an appeals court cleared the group of the manslaughter charges.
Judge Fabrizia Ida Francabandera ruled that there was no case to answer.
"The credibility of Italy's entire scientific community has been restored," said Stefano Gresta, the president of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.
The seven men - all leading scientists or disaster experts - had been members of a committee convened in L'Aquila in March 2009 following a series of tremors in the region.
Days after they met, a 6.3 magnitude quake struck the town in the middle of the night.
Many of L'Aquila's medieval buildings were destroyed, and some locals blamed the disaster committee for not providing adequate advice.
Prosecutors in the subsequent trial said the experts had offered falsely reassuring information to residents.
According to Reuters, they noted that one committee member had said there was "no danger" from the tremors.
Following the guilty verdicts, more than 5,000 scientists signed an open letter to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano in support of the experts.
Many argued that the convictions represented a fundamental misunderstanding of earthquake science.
Monday's decision to overturn the verdicts came after a month-long appeal process.
The prosecution can still seek to have the original verdicts reinstated via a higher court.

Summary:


The government has said it will not be rushed into a decision on whether to expand Heathrow.
The government has said it will not be rushed into a decision on whether to expand Heathrow.
The government has said it will not be rushed into a decision on whether to expand Heathrow.
The government has said

The chairman of the Airports Commission has rejected Gatwick's criticism of its report recommending expansion at Heathrow.

Article: Lin Zulian will head the new Communist Party Committee in Wukan and organise elections for a new village committee.
His predecessor is under investigation for alleged corruption.
Anger in Wukan over land seizures by officials resulted in an open revolt against local party leaders in December.
The villagers' key demands - including removing two local officials from their posts - were granted by officials amid considerable public backing for the villagers.
The move was seen as a rare compromise by the Chinese government.
Mr Lin on Sunday replaced the incumbent Wukan chief, a businessman who had headed the village for decades but who local people accused of land grabs.
"This is a decision that everyone in Wukan supports and it is an important move that will help resolve the land and village finance disputes," a villager with the surname of Zhang was quoted by news agency Agence France Presse as saying.
Protests began to simmer in Wukan, in Guangdong province, in September and escalated into deadlock after the death of a village negotiator in police custody.
Villagers said officials sold off their land to developers and failed to compensate them properly.
They also called for an investigation into the death of Xue Jinbo, who died on 11 December while in the hands of local police. Police say he died of a "sudden illness", but his family say he was beaten to death.
In December deputy provincial Communist Party secretary Zhu Mingguo met village representatives and reached an agreement to end the stand-off.
There are thousands of protests over land grabs in China each year, with the Wukan protest becoming a symbol of public outrage at perceived injustices.

Summary: The leader of protests against land grabs in a southern Chinese village has been appointed its new chief.
###
Article: That was the choice one shopper made recently at a Japanese convenience store.
The non-Japanese man was seen openly drinking from a bottle of lemon iced tea which he had taken from the shelf, resulting in an argument with store staff.
"What did I do that was wrong? It's written right there on the label," he apparently questioned angrily.
After an explanation by the cashier, it became evident that it was all lost in translation. Free Tea was the brand name, not an offer of a complimentary drink.
The formerly outraged man sheepishly replied: "The store should change its label."
The heated argument was witnessed by Twitter user Domoboku in Tokyo, real name Akiyama Kojiro, who shared his account with his followers.
He told BBC News he had tried to help translating for the foreigner and the staffer, but there was a "bad atmosphere".
His take on the episode generated more than 34,000 retweets and was liked by more than 18,500 users, with people sharing their own experiences of linguistic confusion.
The confusingly named tea is a product of Japanese beverage giant Pokka Sapporo.
The drink "encourages people to be free from a stress-filled society," read an official description on its site.
Mr Kojiro, noted the "irony" of it drink's name and health properties, because the beverage clearly did the opposite in this case.
"This tea ended up causing a stressful problem for both the traveller who came all the way to Japan and an honest shopkeeper," he mused.
The abundance of freebies in Japan, like free oolong tea at restaurants and pocket tissues distributed on the streets, could have added to the confusion, he said.
"Foreigners may misunderstand what a wonderful and free country Japan is!"
He also said that Japanese people too were often sometimes confused by language.
"There are many examples of odd Japanese translations," he said.
"Everyone make mistakes. And I want to emphasise that using foreign languages, we need to be generous and understand each other."

Summary: Would you help yourself to a beverage labelled Free Tea?
###
Article: Ms Brown, who founded the site in 2008 with Barry Diller, said she would focus on a conference business, in particular her annual Women in the World summit.
She will leave the site when her contract expires at the end of this year.
Her tenure at The Daily Beast was marked by the website's unsuccessful merger with Newsweek in 2010.
Ms Brown and her team struggled to turn around the storied print magazine, and advertising revenue continued to plunge as circulation lagged.
She defended her attempt to revive Newsweek, saying she was proud of "the battle we waged to save it from the overwhelming forces of media change".
Newsweek was sold to IBT Media in August after ceasing publication of its print edition.
Ms Brown's new venture, Tina Brown Live Media, will continue her successful yearly conference, Women in the World, launched in 2010. Luminaries such as Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton have attended in the past.
"I was surprised - she is such an icon to the print medium," Horizon Media's Brad Adgate told the BBC.
"This just goes to show that the internet is a different animal certainly than magazines."
Ms Brown co-founded The Daily Beast in October 2008 with Mr Diller after a successful track record running print magazines in the US and the UK.
At age 25 she was editor-in-chief of UK society magazine Tatler. She then went on to be the first female editor of The New Yorker magazine, and edit Vanity Fair and the short-lived Talk magazine.
Named after the fictional newspaper in Evelyn Waugh's satirical novel Scoop, The Daily Beast aimed to prove that online news could be made profitable.
The site was backed by Mr Diller's IAC/InterActivCorp, which also owns properties such as the dating websites Match.com and OkCupid and other websites such Ask.com and Dictionary.com.
Although the Daily Beast has reported strong web traffic numbers - with an audience of between six million and 16 million monthly visitors - it has had difficulty generating meaningful ad revenue.
The November 2010 merger with Newsweek - which had...

Summary: Tina Brown, former editor of Vanity Fair, is leaving the online news magazine The Daily Beast.
###
Article: Gatwick claims Sir Howard Davies's decision not to back a second runway at the airport in West Sussex was flawed.
Sir Howard has written to the government insisting issues raised by Gatwick were carefully considered before the report was written.
The government is due to decide which airport should expand by Christmas.
The Airports Commission spent three years hearing submissions, including those from Gatwick and Heathrow, about how best to expand airport capacity in the South East.
Its report, on 1 July, said there should be a third runway at Heathrow.
Gatwick had argued strongly that it should be allowed to expand instead.
It has said the economic argument for expanding Heathrow is flawed and Sir Howard was using passenger numbers that were "10 years out".
Sir Howard forecasts Gatwick at 40 million passengers by 2024 but the airport says it will hit that number this year.
In a letter to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, Sir Howard says the Airports Commission believes strongly its work is robust.
"The majority of the points made by Gatwick Airport Ltd were also made to the commission in the course of its work and we considered them carefully before we reached our conclusions," he said.
Crispin Blunt MP for Reigate, who chairs a group of local MPs who oppose expansion at Gatwick hit out at the airport for continuing to campaign for expansion.
"Sir Howard Davies has demolished Gatwick's arguments, which amount to a feeble public relations effort to undermine the credibility of the Airports Commission's work and recommendations," he said.
Gatwick said it stood by its view that Sir Howard's report was flawed.
"If backed by government it will inevitably lead to 'Heathrow Groundhog Day' with nothing happening once again," said chief executive Stewart Wingate.

Summary:


The government has announced a consultation on the future of the right to buy.
The consultation is on the government's proposals to end the right to buy for new tenants.
The consultation is on the government's proposals to end the right to buy for new tenants.
The consultation is on the government's proposals to end

A majority of Scottish councils want the right to buy for council and social housing tenants scrapped, a government report has said.

Article: Critics had claimed that well-documented problems over some of their candidates would continue to plague them.
It's early stages but so far in Wales at least it has followed that script.
Rows over the selection of candidates have continued to bubble away and the entire local branch committee in Brecon and Radnorshire was suspended by UKIP Wales.
And now the national organiser has stepped down just as we head into the campaign. The significance of the timing will be lost on no-one.
UKIP Wales leader Nathan Gill told me there's never a good time for this to happen and in politics you have to cope with the hand that you're dealt. He says that overall the party is light years ahead of where it was five years ago.
John Atkinson had been in the role during last year's successful campaign in the European elections, in which it failed by just 4,000 votes to beat Labour and come top in Wales.
Despite the problems, the party still has plenty to build on.
UKIP has opened shops in Holyhead, Penarth, Shotton, Merthyr and Llanelli. It says it has 22 constituency branches and is fielding candidates in every Welsh constituency.
However, it operates in a radically different way to the other more established parties.
Plaid Cymru, for example, has already launched its campaign and manifesto, while UKIP don't have a date for its manifesto launch which will be the party's one set-piece event in Wales.
And yet UKIP have been higher in the polls than Plaid.
In fact the lack of organisation has been a factor which has worked in its favour as its members portray themselves as the outsiders and natural home of the protest voter.
The question is whether that is going to work in the full glare of a general election campaign.

Summary: Many people have been wondering what kind of election campaign UKIP would be running.
###
Article: They are investigating tiny changes in the length of the collider's 27km-circumference ring, which occur on a daily and a seasonal basis.
The short cycle is explained by normal tidal forces.
But the winter-summer pattern which affects the huge underground facility is not so obvious.
Except researchers think they can now show that winter rain and snow is gravitationally pulling on the ring.
"My hypothesis is that in winter there's a lot more water in the ground, and even snow sitting on the ground. So, basically, this mass pulls on the ring. And when that extra mass melts away and evaporates away in summer - the ring stretches a bit," said Rolf Hut from Delft University of Technology, Netherlands.
If that's true, you could use the LHC to study precipitation and other aspects of hydrology - not just the secrets of the Universe.
"I can make a rain gauge out of anything," said Dr Hut.  He was speaking here at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly.
Changes in the size of the LHC's ring are known from the behaviour of the beam of particles whizzing around inside it at near-light-speed.
The length of the particles' orbit is fixed and controlled by the collider's operators such as to position the beam in the centre of the ring's vacuum chamber.
An alteration in the circumference will force the particles to move inwards or outwards relative to this centre point.
This movement can be measured with micrometre accuracy and is corrected. The adjustments made by the operators therefore represent a very precise measure of the change in the circumference of the LHC.
This issue was first noticed in the LEP accelerator, which occupied the mighty tunnel under the Franco-Swiss border before the LHC.
The daily changes were quickly attributed to the flexure of the surrounding rock by the Moon's tides, but the longer seasonal cycle could have a number of explanations.
One of these is the change in temperature between summer and winter months: the rock could simply be flexing as it warms and cools. Except, temperatures...

Summary: The LHC is not just the world's most powerful particle accelerator, it could also be its biggest rain meter, scientists say.
###
Article: The men are accused of a catalogue of serious sex offences against seven females aged between 13 and 23 at the time of the alleged abuse, police said.
They were held under Operation Doublet, investigating child sexual exploitation of teen girls by older men in Rochdale.
The offences are alleged to have happened between 2005 and 2013.
They include rape, conspiracy to rape, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual activity with a child and sexual assault.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said the investigation was not connected to an ongoing inquiry into historical abuse at Knowl View School.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett said: "This investigation is one of a number of cases which comes under the umbrella of Operation Doublet, which is the continued investigation into child sexual exploitation (CSE) that arose following the 2011 investigation into CSE in Rochdale.
"The operation is an investigation into CSE in Rochdale and across other areas of Greater Manchester.
"So far, 65 people have been arrested as part of Operation Doublet and the investigation continues.
"This is an extremely complex and challenging investigation which started in May 2012. The investigation will continue over the coming months and further arrests are anticipated."
The charges have been welcomed by Rochdale's Labour MP Simon Danczuk, who has called for more action to expose historical sex abuse crimes.
Mr Danczuk said: "There have been some who have urged me not to campaign on grooming, but I believe that this news shows what can be achieved by keeping up pressure and pushing for change."
The men have been charged as follows:
The men have been bailed to appear at either Bury or Tameside Magistrates' Court later this week.

Summary: Ten men have been charged by police investigating child sexual exploitation in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
###
Article: Many tenants and social landlords also want to see an end to the policy, according to a consultation.
The Scottish government has already ended right to buy for new tenants, amid concern over a shortage of rented affordable homes.
Right to buy has also been suspended by a number of local authorities.
Ministers are currently considering proposals to protect and increase the supply of affordable housing.
The government's consultation on the issue got 169 responses in total from registered social landlords, tenant and resident groups, councils, charities and others.
Of the 161 respondents which answered the question on ending right to buy altogether, 83% said the policy - introduced in the early 80s - should go.
In all, 92% of social landlords, 81% of councils and 80% of tenant and resident groups which responses said right to buy should be scrapped.
The policy was introduced by the Thatcher government to make owning a home more affordable and, since its introduction, more than 500,000 homes have been sold in Scotland.
But in recent years councils have been forced to suspend the policy, as their stock of social housing to rent has dwindled.
The Scottish government's 2010 Housing Act brought in several changes, including ending right to buy for new council and social housing tenants, alongside a three-year £1.5bn house-building plan.
Ministers said stopping all new tenants from buying their homes could see up to 18,000 properties retained over 10 years.
The Scottish government said it would respond to the consultation in due course.

Summary:


The government has announced a new national curriculum for English and maths, which will be introduced in September.
The new curriculum will be introduced in England from September, and in Wales from September 2016.
The new curriculum will be based on the best of what is already in place in England, and will be more rigorous and

Every pupil in England will be tested on their times tables before leaving primary school, under government plans.

Article: The spacecraft - model numbers five and six - went up on a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana.
Galileo is now finally moving towards full deployment after years of delay.
The European Space Agency, which is building the system on behalf of the EU, expects to have a 26-satellite constellation in orbit by 2017.
To that end, it has just ordered three big Ariane-5 rockets at a cost of half a billion euros.
Europe's premier launch vehicle can loft four spacecraft at a time, and this should allow for six to eight satellites to be put in space every 12 months from now on.
"Every spacecraft is, after in-orbit commissioning, put into operation, and is broadcasting a navigation signal that is a valid signal for users with a combined Galileo/GPS receiver; and there are already receivers on the market that have this capability. So, you have to see the service as being increased one by one," explained Esa Galileo project manager, Javier Benedicto.
Friday's Soyuz lift-off occurred on schedule at precisely at 09:27:11 local time (13:27 BST; 14:27 CEST).
The "instant launch window" was required to get the satellites into just the right part of the sky demanded by the network's multi-plane configuration.
The latest platforms, dubbed "Doresa" and "Milena" in a public competition, are somewhat different to their four predecessors, which were used to validate the Galileo technology in orbit.
Formally described as the first Full Operational Capability (FOC) satellites, they have been produced by a new manufacturing consortium, comprising the German outfit OHB System and the UK firm SSTL.
This pair have been contracted to supply the next 20 spacecraft as well.
SSTL's role is to integrate all the Galileo system components inside a satellite.
"It's been a high-volume operation," said SSTL director John Paffett, "and we're now turning out a payload every six weeks.  By the middle of next year, all our payloads will have shipped to OHB, and it won't be long after that that all the finished satellites will have been handed over to...

Summary: Europe has launched the next two satellites in the Galileo network - its version of the American Global Positioning System (GPS).
###
Article: The letter, from all political group leaders at East Sussex County Council (ESCC), said the county faced cuts that would significantly reduce the quality of life for many people.
It comes as the council considers raising council tax by 3.99%, which includes the 2% social care precept.
The government said ESCC's spending power was forecast to grow by 1%.
Conservative-run ESCC said it had saved more than £78m since 2010 but faced a further £70m to £90m savings by April 2019, including £40m from its adult social care budget.
The letter said the government's approach to local government did not reflect the "varying needs" of different areas and East Sussex's ageing population made it particularly vulnerable to cuts.
And it said there would be significant savings in adult social care, withdrawal of early help and support to young people, significant reductions in library services, and reductions in the integrated transport offer.
Council leader Keith Glazier said savings being made would place a heavy burden on some residents.
A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said: "This government is providing a long-term funding settlement for the first time allowing local authorities to plan with certainty.
"Councils will have almost £200bn to spend on local services, including a £3.5 billion social care package, over the lifetime of this parliament.
"East Sussex County Council core spending power is forecast to increase by 1% and the county will still have over £1.4bn to spend between now and 2020."

Summary: Politicians in East Sussex have raised "concerns" in a letter to the Prime Minister over government funding cuts.
###
Article: The strike has been organised by Cardiff Hackney Carriage Association due to "frustration" about the way complaints against drivers are dealt with.
It will take place from midnight to 02:00 BST on Saturday and Sunday and the following weekend.
Cardiff council said it advised "all drivers to understand and abide by their licensing conditions".
It follows a council clampdown on taxi drivers over reports they had been refusing short-distance fares.
The council had urged people to take note of the badge number or vehicle registration of drivers who refused fares.
But Mathab Khan, chairman of the association, claimed the council's guidance had "instigated a wave of insult and abuse" against drivers.
"It has been very damaging to the taxi trade," he said.
"We are very upset and can't afford to strike but this is the only way we can voice our anger."
He also raised concerns about the way drivers' licences have been suspended.
"If drivers are committing an offence then they should be prosecuted in the courts and not by the council licensing committee," he said.
A council spokesman said the licensing authority "hasn't been informed by organisers if the strike is going ahead" and advised "interested parties" to contact Mr Khan.
The council had "made it very clear about the grounds for a hackney carriage driver to refuse a fare" and took action to ensure "individual drivers are a fit and proper person to hold a licence", the spokesman said.
"The council maintains that rather than threatening strike action, we would advise all drivers to understand and abide by their licensing conditions, or face enforcement action for breaching the law," he added.

Summary: Taxi drivers in Cardiff are set to go on strike this weekend.
###
Article: Pupils aged 11 will be expected to know their tables up to 12x12, and will be tested using an "on-screen check".
The checks will be piloted to about 3,000 pupils in 80 primary schools this summer, before being rolled out across the country in 2017.
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said maths was a non-negotiable aspect of a good education.
The "on-screen check" examination will involve children completing multiplication challenges against the clock, which will be scored instantly.
The Department for Education says it is the first use of on-screen technology in National Curriculum tests.
Ms Morgan has also said teachers will be judged by the results of the tests: "Since 2010, we've seen record numbers of 11 year olds start secondary school with a good grasp of the three Rs. But some continue to struggle.
"That is why, as part of our commitment to extend opportunity and deliver educational excellence everywhere we are introducing a new check to ensure that all pupils know their times tables by age 11.
"They will help teachers recognise those pupils at risk of falling behind and allow us to target those areas where children aren't being given a fair shot to succeed."
In 2015, 80% of Year 6 pupils achieved Level 4 in maths, reading and writing, up from 78% last year.
But Labour says standards are being threatened by a shortage of teachers, and in the past some teaching unions have warned additional tests can place unwelcome pressure on teachers and pupils.

Summary:


With just 20 days to go until Americans go to the polls, millennials suggest they'd rather die than vote for the two main parties, while Canadians try to keep their neighbours' spirits up.

Article: The 35-year-old is moving to French side Toulon after the tournament having being released early from his dual Munster and Ireland contract.
Iain Henderson, who replaced O'Connell, is likely to start Sunday's quarter-final game with Argentina in Cardiff.
Number eight Jamie Heaslip will lead the team in O'Connell's absence.
"Paul O'Connell suffered a significant hamstring injury and will undergo surgery this week," said an Irish Rugby statement.
"Paul will not play again at Rugby World Cup 2015 and his time out of the game will depend on the outcome of the surgery."
The end of O'Connell's involvement in the campaign follows Peter O'Mahony  while fly-half Johnny Sexton is a doubt for the quarter-final because of a groin injury.
Flanker Sean O'Brien may also be missing for the match against the Pumas after he was cited for an apparent punch on France second row Pascal Pape.
Leinster's Mike McCarthy has been called into the Ireland squad as O'Connell's replacement.
Media playback is not supported on this device
O'Connell began his international career with a try-scoring debut against Wales in 2002 and has been a key member of the Ireland side since.
After playing a leadership role alongside captain Brian O'Driscoll in Ireland's Six Nations Grand Slam in 2009, O'Connell captained the British and Irish Lions in their 2-1 Test series defeat by South Africa later that year.
England 2015 was O'Connell's fourth World Cup campaign with Ireland. He has never been beyond the quarter-finals in the tournament.
He finishes his international career with 108 Ireland caps and another seven for the British and Irish Lions.
Former Ireland team-mate Peter Stringer paid tribute to O'Connell, describing him as an "inspirational leader".
"What a captain he has been. He is the first second row I have played with who has been the complete player," he told BBC Radio 5 live.
"I have never met anybody like him. He demands the highest of standards from everyone within an organisation to make sure the team succeeds.
"It is devastating for...

Summary: Paul O'Connell's international career is over after the Ireland captain tore his hamstring during Sunday's World Cup victory over France.
###
Article: The Yadav family, reported to have 20 members and counting in politics, dominates the Samajwadi Party (SP) at all levels.
Its founder and patriarch, Mulayam Singh Yadav, is the national president of the party.  His elder son Akhilesh Yadav is the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.
Mulayam Singh Yadav's brother Shivpal Yadav is a minister in the state government. All SP members of the lower house of the Indian parliament are from the Yadav family. Other members occupy local and regional offices.
Even though political families now dominate, or are found burrowed within most major political parties in India, no other political family has the sheer numbers and sprawl across political offices at all levels of Indian politics that the Yadav family does.
Is India's politics becoming less dynastic?
But last month, old tensions among the Yadavs broke out into open conflict.
Akhilesh Yadav moved against his uncle Shivpal by sacking ministers and bureaucrats believed to be loyal to him.
Mulayam Singh Yadav backed his brother, removing his son from the position of state president of the Samajwadi Party and appointing Shivpal Yadav to the position instead.
For the past month, son and uncle and their respective factions have been fighting it out, with the patriarch playing mediator.
The drama is still unfolding. As of today, several of Akhilesh Yadav's loyalists, including family members Ram Gopal Yadav and Udaiveer Yadav, have been expelled from the party, while Shivpal Yadav and his loyalists have been sacked from the cabinet.
It is also not clear who the party's chief ministerial candidate is: although the SP had on 17 October named Akhilesh Yadav as its candidate for chief minister, the Shivpal Yadav faction is now proposing Mulayam Singh Yadav's name for the position.
In the meantime, the SP's election campaign has come to a standstill.
The Yadavs are only one of several families in charge of India's regional governments.
According to data I collected after India's most recent round of regional elections this year, the...

Summary: As India's largest state - Uttar Pradesh - prepares to go to the polls early next year, its largest political dynasty - the Yadavs, whose Samajwadi Party heads the state government - is in disarray.
###
Article: The NK603 variety has been planted in seven states. The seed supplier, US firm Pioneer Hi-Bred, called the level of contamination "minute".
It is not clear how the mistake occurred, but it could cost farmers millions of euros, as crops will now have to be destroyed.
The EU is currently reviewing its tight rules on the cultivation of GM crops.
Pioneer Hi-Bred, based in Buxtehude near Hamburg, says NK603 has been planted on "just under 2,000 hectares (4,940 acres)" of land. The environmental group Greenpeace put the area as high as 3,000 hectares.
Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Lower Saxony are among the states where it has been sown.
Supporters of GM crops argue that they deliver higher yields and resistance to pests, requiring less fertiliser and pesticides.
Opponents say more scientific data is needed, arguing that their long-term genetic impact on humans and wildlife could be harmful.
They also say GM crops can enter the food chain inadvertently if they are naturally cross-pollinated with non-GM varieties.
Greenpeace says that officials knew about the contamination in early March, but that because of bureaucratic delays farmers are only now being warned.
"This is the biggest GM crop scandal in Germany to date," said a Greenpeace agriculture expert, Alexander Hissting.
In the affected fields, up to 0.1% of the crop is contaminated with NK603 - equivalent to 100 contaminated plants per hectare, Greenpeace says.
Pioneer Hi-Bred disputes that figure. Company spokesman Mike Hall told the BBC that the level of NK603 detected in the "conventional seed" was 0.03%.
"It's highly unlikely that it's a GM trace. Anything below 0.1% could be a false positive, impossible to quantify scientifically," he said.
"In the past when they found trace amounts we removed the seed from the market. In this case they told us after it had been planted."
Stefanie Becker, spokeswoman for Lower Saxony's Environment Ministry, said that "fields will have to be ploughed up before the maize blooms - it is still possible to halt the...

Summary: A genetically modified (GM) variety of maize banned in the EU has been sown accidentally across Germany.
###
Article: The third and final debate is upon us but Donald Trump has shown little interest in ditching the campaign trail for prep sessions.
Speaking at a rally in Colorado on Tuesday, he told supporters he was "gonna take back the White House" and "deliver real, real change". And, for a real, real change he even mentioned some policy, saying he wanted to end government corruption and "drain the swamp in Washington DC". We've spoken to some transparency advocates about his plan and you can see what they think here.
Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, has disappeared from the public eye to prepare. Once again, her ability to focus will be tested by Mr Trump, who is reported to have invited two interesting guests to the show: President Barack Obama's Kenyan-born, Trump-supporting, half-brother Malik; and Pat Smith, the mother of a US officer who was killed in the Benghazi attack in September 2012.
Polling in recent days has suggested that voters are finding the increasingly fractious campaign a bit of a turnoff, meaning we could see a decline in turnout come 8 November. One group that is particularly exasperated with the candidates appears to be younger voters, with one survey finding that many of them would rather see a giant meteor destroy Earth than vote for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump.
"Obviously we don't think that they're serious," Joshua Dyck, co-director of UMass Lowell's Center for Public Opinion, which conducted the survey, told Reuters. But it "tells you something about the political disaffection that is being shown by American youth," he added.
Perhaps sensing this moment of misery, some cheery folk across the border in Canada have launched a campaign to #TellAmericaItsGreat. Their uplifting video has had nearly a million views in the last couple of days, winning praise from Star Trek star George Takei, who tweeted: "O, Canada! My ears are moist seeing these. Thank you. This election has been exhausting us all." It sure has.
Bruce Springsteen tells the BBC that he thinks Donald Trump is a conman
15
The number of...

Summary:


The UK's largest supermarket chain has announced it will close its last remaining store in the North East.
Tesco has said it will close its last remaining store in the North East, in Northallerton, in the next two years.
The company said it was "not in a position to sustain" the loss

Sports Direct has warned that the extreme swings in the pound overnight will hit its profits.

Article: The Tories said "failings" over local policing and IT systems had not been addressed since the force was created.
And they urged the Scottish government to heed the warnings it had been given by communities and police officers.
The government recently set seven new priority areas for the force, including localism, inclusion and adaptability.
As part of the consultation phase for the new priority framework, Edinburgh City Council submitted feedback saying it was "difficult" for officers to maintain relationships at a local level due to police being moved around different areas within the force.
The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) also listed a range of concerns which included Scottish government funding of the force for tools such as an effective IT system.
Conservative justice spokesman Douglas Ross said these were "very severe warnings that cover a range of areas where Police Scotland is struggling".
He added: "This falls completely at the SNP's door, which created the single force and has overseen its first few years.
"Ministers said local policing wouldn't be hampered, but here we have Scotland's capital city saying otherwise.
"This message is replicated across the country and I hear concerns about local policy everywhere I go."
He added: "Communities and police officers alike are highlighting failings which we were assured by the SNP would not occur.
"The Scottish government has to take heed of this, and make sure the police can deal not only with current challenges, but future ones too."
A Scottish government spokeswoman said the new Strategic Police Priorities would strengthen the community focus of policing, ensuring that national priorities take account of the needs of local communities.
She added: "In terms of funding, the Scottish government is committed to protecting the police revenue budget in real terms for the entirety of this parliament, delivering an additional Â£100m of investment over the next five years, in addition to Â£55m of reform funding in 2016-17.
"It is for the Scottish Police...

Summary: Concerns about the performance of Police Scotland "fall completely at the SNP's door", the Scottish Conservatives have claimed.
###
Article: In a video to sports fans, the FAA warns the stadium is a "no-drone zone".
The restrictions cover anywhere within 32 miles of the Super Bowl stadium in Santa Clara, California, between 14:00 and 23:59 PST on 7 February.
FAA regulations also advise that "deadly force" may be used if a drone is perceived as a security threat.
The Super Bowl is the climax of the football season, and a crowd of 70,000 is expected for this year's game.
"Bring your lucky jersey, bring your facepaint, bring your team spirit," the video announces, "but leave your drone at home."
No-drone zones have become commonplace in the United States at sports and entertainment events at which large crowds gather.
Furthermore, permanent restrictions are in place over sensitive buildings - such as airports and the White House.
FAA regulations state: "The United States government may use deadly force against the airborne aircraft, if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat."

Summary: Drones have been banned from flying within 32 miles of American Football's Super Bowl, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said.
###
Article: The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has agreed a total business flood recovery fund of £5m.
It said grants could include cash to repair or buy new equipment, pay to restore flood-hit premises or help with relocation costs.
The fund will be managed by the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership.
The money will come from the area's regional growth fund allocation from the government for 2016/17.
The city region area covers the 10 local authority areas of Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York.
It is believed around 2,000 businesses were damaged by the flooding in December.
Peter Box, chair of the combined authority, said: "I know how devastating it has been for many small and medium businesses and the knock-on effect for those companies that are suppliers or customers of those flood-hit firms."
Mr Box said he accepted the money would only "scratch the surface" and said the combined authority would continue to press for continuing support for flood prevention measures from the government.
He said the grants, which would range from £5,000 to £100,000, would be in addition to financial support already offered for flood clean-up costs by local authorities.

Summary: Grants of up to £100,000 are to be made available to support business in West Yorkshire hit by flooding over Christmas.
###
Article: In a statement, the company said the move will hit next year's profit by about £15m.
In addition, if the pound averages $1.20 over the financial year, it may lose another £20m.
Overnight on Friday the pound temporarily plunged by 6%, in a flash crash that is thought to have been triggered by automated trading.
Shares in Sports Direct closed down 9% on Friday.
The company had expected to report underlying profit of £300m based on the pound trading at $1.30 against the dollar.
However, the retailer said that "extreme movements overnight" would result "in a negative impact of approximately £15m" on its results for the current financial year.
The swings overnight hit the company's hedging arrangements, which are designed to protect a business against volatile currency prices.
It also sustained a large loss in its last financial year because of currency movements.
In that case, because of a fall in the value of the pound against the euro, it took a £65m hit.
As a result, Sports Direct reported underlying earnings of £381.4m for the year to 24 April against expectations of £420m, resulting in staff missing out on a bonus.
It has been a tumultuous year for Sports Direct which has been criticised for working conditions at its Shirebrook distribution centre. Most recently, its chief executive Dave Forsey stepped down and was replaced by Mike Ashley, the founder and majority shareholder of the retail chain.
The company has an acting finance director after its former financial chief Bob Mellors stepped down in December 2013 after a decade with the business.
Matt Pearson was appointed as interim chief financial officer on 2 June 2015.

Summary:


A judge has ruled that parents can be fined for taking their children on holiday during term time.
The case was brought by the parents of a six-year-old girl who was fined Â£120 for taking her to Florida.
The council said it was "disappointed" with the decision.
A

Isle of Wight Council begins a High Court appeal after the case against a father who took his child on holiday during term-time was thrown out by magistrates.

Article: Specialisterne Northern Ireland plans to link people with high functioning autism with employers.
More than 50 digital content and film production companies will be attending.
Young people and adults on the autistic spectrum from across Northern Ireland and university staff are to take part.
The audience at the Skainos Centre in east Belfast will gain insight into the abilities of people with autism to organise and make systems.
Specialisterne has traditionally helped people with autism get jobs in IT and software development.
The initiative is the final and flagship event of Creativity Month in Northern Ireland.
Autism and Asperger syndrome are part of a range of conditions known as autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). They affect the way the brain processes information.
Since its launch in April 2014, Specialisterne NI has identified 120 people who are on the autistic spectrum and who have the skills and talent for IT and creative roles.

Summary: An initiative aimed at matching the specific skills of people with autism with the creative industries is to be launched later.
###
Article: The education minister has written to councils advising them head teachers should instead exercise discretion.
Pupils are allowed to have up to 10 days away, but schools are judged on absenteeism rates.
Campaign group Parents Want a Say said the advice was a "terrific result".
Nearly 2,000 people signed a petition after hundreds of parents were fined over term-time holidays.
In his letter to councils on Wednesday, Huw Lewis said he was concerned some councils were advising "head teachers should not exercise their discretion and should instead refuse all requests for term-time absence as a matter of course", regardless of the circumstances.
"This is contrary to the regulations which allow a margin of discretion for the school in such matters so that each request can be considered fairly and on its merits," the minister wrote.
A BBC Wales Freedom of Information request in 2015 found wide variations in policy of imposing fines.
While Cardiff council issued 370 fixed penalty notices between January and May, 10 other councils did not issue any.
After receiving the petition in December, petitions committee chairman, William Powell AM, wrote to Mr Lewis saying some parents may have been dealt with unfairly and unlawfully.
He welcomed the minister's response, saying some councils had been "engaging in a cynical game of 'pass the parcel' on this issue".
"It is clear that the minister's intention, contrary to what applies in England, is for the discretion of individual head teachers to be respected," Mr Powell said.
"The Minister's response to the petitioners, in the light of compelling evidence received, is, in my view, a victory for common sense."
Craig Langman, chairman of campaign group Parents Want a Say, said it was a "terrific result" for parents in Wales.
"We hope this will encourage Westminster to reconsider its position on the policy in England," he added.

Summary: Campaigners who petitioned against parents being fined for taking term-time holidays are claiming a victory after it was agreed a blanket ban breached regulations.
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Article: Blackpool, Bradford, Newcastle-Gateshead and Sheffield will vie to host the two-month exhibition in 2018.
A DCMS spokeswoman said the event, which will receive Â£20m in funding, would showcase the "creative, cultural and design sectors of the North".
The winning bid will be announced in the autumn.
Five further towns - Halifax, Harrogate, Scunthorpe, St. Helens and Whitehaven - submitted "strong" bids to the DCMS but were unsuccessful, the spokeswoman said.
She added that the department would work with those locations to "ensure as many people enjoy and benefit from the exhibition as possible".
The winning bidder will receive Â£5m from central government, with a further Â£15m being contributed to a legacy fund to attract further cultural investment in the North.
Digital and Culture Minister Matt Hancock said the event would be "a unique opportunity to celebrate the creativity of northern England" and that he was "thrilled" to have received "so many innovative bids".
"Whichever is successful, this exhibition will leave an important legacy to benefit the whole country," he added.
The Great Exhibition of the North board will now examine the shortlist before a final selection is made by ministers later in the year.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Four towns and cities have been named on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) shortlist to host the Great Exhibition of the North.
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Article: Jon Platt was taken to court after refusing to pay a Â£120 fine for taking his daughter, aged six, to Florida.
He had argued the law only required children to attend school regularly.
The council said it wanted to know why the court decided there was no case to answer.
Mr Platt, a solicitor, took his daughter on holiday with the extended family, despite an absence request being rejected by the school.
At a magistrates' court earlier this month he successfully argued Section 444 of the Education Act required parents ensured their children attended school "regularly", and did not put restrictions on taking them on holidays in term time.
His daughter had a 93.8% attendance rate the previous academic year.
Isle of Wight Council said it has started the formal process of appeal to the High Court for clarification on a matter of law.
Council leader Jonathan Bacon said: "The recent media attention given to this case shows that there is interest, concern and, above all, uncertainty as to what constitutes 'regular attendance' for the purposes of the legislation in question.
"The Isle of Wight Council has received clear advice that the magistrates may have failed to interpret and apply the law correctly in making their decision.
"Where the law created by Parliament is uncertain, the appeal courts have the ability to lay down a binding ruling as to the correct interpretation of the law."

Summary:


The Labour Party has called for a new police and crime commissioner to be elected.
The Conservatives have said they will not be holding a by-election in the Liverpool city region.
The Conservatives have said they will not be holding a by-election in the Liverpool city region.
The Conservatives have said they will not

Voting has begun in local elections across Merseyside.

Article: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it wanted to raise awareness among people who may get a drone as a gift.
Research carried out by the CAA suggests about 39% of owners know about the safe-flying regulations.
The update comes after four near-misses between between drones and civil aircraft were reported in October.
"Drones are an incredible, inspiring technology but it's vital that people are using them safely," said Andrew Sage from air traffic control body NATS in a statement.
"With the number of reported drone incidents on the rise, it's important that people understand their legal obligations and fly safe," he said.
The revised code turns the five main safety tips into a mnemonic, spelling drone, to make it easier to remember.
The CAA has also updated it dronesafe website which collects information about how to operate the unmanned craft safely.
The CAA and NATS are also working with online and high street retailers to ensure that customers are told about their responsibilities when they buy a drone.
CAA research suggests that only 36% of drone buyers get guidance about safe flying at the point of sale.
The UK Airprox Board reported four separate near-miss incidents in October involving drones. One took place near Liverpool Airport and the other three happened on consecutive days at Heathrow.
The Airprox board said 56 near-miss incidents had been recorded so far in 2016 compared to 29 in 2015.
Some European bodies are pushing for drone makers to include "geo-fencing" systems that automatically stop the craft being flown into danger areas such as airfields.

Summary: The UK's drone code has been revised and updated to help pilots of the unmanned craft ensure they fly the gadgets safely.
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Article: The train drivers' union Aslef said its 24-hour action would start at 21:30 BST on Wednesday.
London Underground (LU) had offered four unions a deal aimed at improving work-life balance.
BBC London correspondent Karl Mercer said all four unions had rejected the offer as talks continued.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has also rejected the deal while Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) is yet to make official its response to the offer.
Unite previously said its action "would go ahead". Talks are being held at conciliatory service Acas.
LU said the new offer included an extra £200 per night Tube shift for drivers and a £500 bonus for station staff by next February as well as a further guarantees for a 32-hour, four-day week.
After a short transition period while the service is introduced, drivers will have the choice whether to work nights, said LU, and everyone will be entitled to two days off in seven.
But Aslef said LU should postpone the planned launch of the all-night Tube on 12 September so further negotiations could be held.
It said the new deal was "completely inflexible", leaving it with "no other choice" than to walk out.
Finn Brennan from the union said the main concern was the "complete lack of firm commitments on work life balance for train drivers" and the number of weekend rest days they would get.
The RMT said it had also rejected the "re-packaged" offer, saying its reps were "furious" when they examined details of the proposed deal.
It said: "They are a re-hash of previous plans and would continue along the course of smashing up long-standing agreements and destroying work-life balance."
LU's managing director Nick Brown said he was "hugely disappointed" the unions had rejected the "very fair" offer for "pretty thin" reasons, but that LU remained open to further talks.
Transport for London (TfL) has warned that Tube services will stop running at 18:30 BST on Wednesday, with services "exceptionally busy" from 16:30 BST.
There will be no Tube services all day on...

Summary: A 24-hour Tube strike is set to go ahead in a row over pay and conditions for the new night Tube service for London, a union has said.
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Article: The Care Quality Commission said East Midlands Ambulance Service's emergency and urgent care services were no longer rated as inadequate for safety.
But it confirmed continuing problems with response times and incident investigation.
Overall, the trust continues to be rated as requires improvement.
East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), which serves about 4.8 million people across six counties, has faced financial problems and had some of the worst response times in England.
After an inspection in November 2015, the trust was served with a warning notice to ensure there were enough staff and vehicles available.
The new report notes some issues had been addressed.
CQC's Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards, said:  "Our inspectors found significant improvements had been made, and there were a number of areas of outstanding practice, but we still had some concerns.
"Staff were caring, professional, compassionate and patient-focussed in challenging circumstances.
"However, we were concerned that response times for some identified calls fell short of the national target, which meant patients were not receiving care as quickly as they should."
Areas of outstanding work included a "highly effective" recruitment campaign.
Richard Henderson, chief executive of EMAS, said: "Last year we had 20,000 occasions where it took us over one hour to hand patients over to hospitals.
"Clearly, that has a massive impact on the time it takes to get to patients, but by addressing that and wider system challenges we can clearly improve further."
The service, which covers Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland, has about 2,700 members of staff and receives approximately 2,000 calls a day.

Summary: A troubled ambulance trust has seen some "significant" improvements but still faces challenges, a new report has found.
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Article: Polling stations opened their doors at 07:00 BST and will close at 22:00.
Votes are being cast in council elections in Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. In Liverpool, voters will also elect a city mayor.
Voters across Merseyside will also be asked to choose a police and crime commissioner. In England, elections are taking place for more than 120 councils and the London Assembly.

Summary:


A man has been jailed for life for murdering a man in a pub in Brighton.
The court heard how the victim, who was stabbed in the back, was attacked in the early hours of the morning of 8 April 2011.
He was found by a member of staff in the pub in Gloucester Street, Brighton

A man has been jailed for life for the "motiveless and brutal" murder of a Brighton man in his city centre flat.

Article: Anne McTaggart's Organ Donation (Scotland) Bill has secured cross-party support, and is backed by 22 Labour MSPs, four SNP, two Lib Dems and one each from the Conservatives and Greens.
The Bill proposes to change the current "opt-in" system of organ donation.
It would mean people would have to opt out or their name would be added to the NHS Organ Donation Register.
Ms McTaggart said: "I would encourage those MSPs who have previously indicated that they support a change - including Nicola Sturgeon - to back us and change the lives of those people on organ waiting lists.
"With three people dying every day across the UK, we simply cannot afford to wait any longer on this issue."
She added: "Promoting organ donation is vital but on its own it will not deliver the much-needed increase in organs that we need just now and that's why my Bill is essential.
"It represents a shift to a more positive, proactive approach which will save people's lives."
A Scottish government spokesman said: "This government is committed to continuing to increase donation and transplantation rates in Scotland and continue the success that the Donation and Transplantation Plan for Scotland 2013-2020 is already delivering.
"Thanks to these efforts, the numbers of donors in Scotland have increased significantly and the number of people waiting for a transplant has fallen by 25% in the last seven years.
"Whilst we welcome any debate in relation to the important issues of organ donation and transplant, we do need to examine the evaluation of the impact of opt-out on organ donation on Wales before making a decision on any changes within Scotland.
"This is because there is not, as yet, a consensus amongst experts as to whether opt-out will make a significant difference, and the international evidence is not clear."

Summary: A Labour MSP has called on the first minister to support the introduction of her organ donation bill later.
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Article: Dubbed the "Panini Cheapskates", Alex and Sian Pratchett, from Oxford, created all 639 stickers of the World Cup Panini album in 2014.
Last year, the duo then turned their hands to politics, sketching party leaders ahead of May's election.
They now hope to create 800 stickers for the Euro 2016 album, for charity.
They plan to start their latest challenge on 10 June - the day the tournament starts - and finish when it ends on 10 July.
Raising cash for Cancer Research UK and Macintyre Charities would give the pair "the motivation to keep churning out our dishevelled little men even when our brains and bodies are telling us to stop", Mr Pratchett said.
He admitted the couple, who "have actual jobs and, in many ways, actual lives" had not got any better at drawing since 2014, describing their attempts as "uniformly awful".
As well as creating all 800 players, Mr and Mrs Pratchett have also pledged to sketch personalised pictures of the top 100 donors.

Summary: A couple who completed a World Cup sticker album with their own drawings of players have picked up their pens again to sketch for charity.
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Article: About 150 Communities First projects are being reduced to 50 "cluster" areas while a dozen partnerships will cease.
The action is being taken after reports criticised the effectiveness of the project's spending.
The Welsh government said the changes followed a consultation and community involvement would remain central to it.
Some people are concerned the changes will impact on those it is meant to help most.
The Communities First programme was set up in 2001 to help people living in some of the most deprived areas of Wales.
Over the past 10 years more than £300m has been spent by the partnerships trying to improve the health, education and quality of life of people in concentrated areas such as community wards and housing estates.
Around 20% of the Welsh population are said to live in Communities First areas, but it varies greatly with 24 partnerships in Rhondda Cynon Taf and one each in Monmouthshire and Denbighshire.
Now, the programme is undergoing a major shake-up between October and January following a series of critical reports in 2010 and 2011 which will cut the annual spending by £5m to £40m.
But there are concerns the changes will mean the partnerships will not be able to connect with local communities in the same way if they are based elsewhere and cover a wider area.
"Some of the communities we met were extremely concerned that they wouldn't have a resident worker with them and they felt they would be lucky to get one for one day a week," said Shan Aston.
She is director of a community development programme at Bangor University and has been studying Communities First areas as part of her work.
A total of 13 partnerships will cease as part of the overhaul because they are no longer regarded to be among the most deprived areas. They are:
"In the restructuring process, I think the danger is that they will have lost what is best about Communities First - that element of working from the bottom up and people becoming empowered to make a change in their own lives," she said.
The Welsh government...

Summary: Concerns have been raised about the impact of changes to the Welsh government's flagship anti-poverty scheme.
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Article: David Sole, 33, of no fixed address, had denied murdering Jonathan Ellison but was found guilty at Lewes Crown Court of beating him to death.
Denise Antonia, 33, of Appledore Road, Brighton, was cleared of murder but found guilty of assisting an offender. She was jailed for five years.
Mr Ellison was found dead in his flat in Gloucester Street on 8 April 2011.
Sole and Antonia were arrested in Winchester, Hampshire, on 16 April following an investigation by Sussex Police's major crime branch.
Following the two-week trial, Sole was told he would serve a minimum term of 18 years.
Det Ch Insp Trevor Bowles said: "Jon Ellison was killed by a man who had befriended him and who he trusted.
"His trust led to his death, as the result of a motiveless but brutal drug and drink-fuelled assault, which caused some of the worst injuries any of us have ever seen."
Mr Bowles said Mr Ellison was a "vulnerable man with many health and personal problems" but he was regarded as "a kind and trusted person".
In a statement issued through Sussex Police, Mr Ellison's brothers said: "He did not deserve to be taken in such a brutal way.
"It was completely at odds with his kind and gentle spirit."

Summary:


The search was launched after a kayaker reported to the coastguard that he was in difficulty.
The coastguard received a call from a kayaker who said he was in difficulty.
The coastguard helicopter was scrambled and the kayaker was found to be safe.
The coastguard spokesman said: "The coast

The coastguard has called off a search for a kayaker after it declared the alarm an "elaborate hoax".

Article: The claim: Rail fares have increased at double the rate of wages since 2010.
Reality Check verdict: Rail fares have risen by double the rate of wages since 2010, but the rate of growth has slowed considerably in the second half of that period.
As a result, we know that fares have risen by about 24% since January 2010.
We also know from the ONS that average weekly wages have risen by about 12% over the same period.
So the TUC is correct when it says that average train fares have risen by double the rate of wages since 2010.
But, there has been a change in government policy since 2010, which means that looking at the average since then does not give a fair picture.
After widespread criticism of rising fares, the coalition government, which took office in 2010, decided to act.
In 2013 it cut the cap on regulated fares from RPI inflation plus one percentage point, to July's RPI inflation rate. A year later it further tightened the rules, removing train companies' ability to increase certain fares within the cap.
The new rules meant regulated train fares - which cover about half of all tickets - could rise no faster than RPI inflation in July of the previous year until the end of the Parliament in 2015. That policy looks set to continue until 2020.
It means that the rise in rail fares has slowed considerably.
In fact, since January 2013, wages have risen by 5.7% while train fares have risen by 5.6%.
In 2015, the low rate of inflation meant that fares rose by less than wages.

Summary: Average rail fares are one of the items in the basket of goods that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) uses to measure inflation.
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Article: Film critic Mark Adams will replace Chris Fujiwara, who stepped down from the role this year.
Mr Adams, who writes reviews for the Sunday Mirror and trade magazine Screen International, said he would help the annual festival "develop and grow".
He was head of programming at the National Film Theatre in London and at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.
Next year marks the 69th Edinburgh Film Festival. The celebration of UK and world cinema has seen admissions increase by about a third in recent years.
Mr Adams, who will take up the role in March, said: "I'm thrilled to be helping the Edinburgh International Film Festival develop and grow, and am looking forward to bringing new, challenging, entertaining and exciting cinema to the city.
"This is a great festival that deserves its recognition and can only get better and better."
Ken Hay, EIFF chief executive, said: "We are delighted to have Mark joining the team.
"His passion for film, his fantastic experience as a programmer, journalist and critic, along with his reputation in the UK and internationally, make him the ideal choice to drive the future success of the festival."

Summary: The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has appointed a new artistic director.
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Article: The New Economics Foundation think tank said the number of people employed in this sector had risen from about 38,000 in 2010 to about 65,300 in 2016.
App technology and new business models have led to a rise in "gig" workers undertaking short-term, casual work, spawning firms like Uber and Deliveroo.
The government is currently reviewing what this means for workers' rights.
72%
growth from 2010 and 2016
37,965 people registered in the 'gig' economy in 2010
65,315 people registered in the 'gig' economy in 2016
Typically workers in the "gig" economy use mobile phone apps to identify customers requiring delivery services or small practical jobs.
Stephen Devlin, senior economist from the New Economics Foundation think tank, said the next big growth area in the "gig" economy was expected to be in the cleaning and DIY trades.
The Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy said it believed some five million people were working in the gig economy in the UK.
The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates the government may lose up to Â£3.5bn in tax revenues by 2020-21 as a result of the rise in self-employed "gig" workers.
However this could change depending on the outcome of pending court cases.
An employment tribunal in London ruled in October that Uber drivers should be classed as workers and were not self-employed.
Uber is appealing against the decision and there are further test cases pending, including one for CitySprint delivery firm.
Mr Devlin said the re-classification of workers in the "gig" economy as a result of legal cases, could herald the collapse of the "gig" economy in the UK.

Summary: London's "gig" economy has grown by 72% in the transport and storage sector since 2010, research suggests.
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Article: The search was launched after the coastguard received reports from an individual claiming to be in difficulty off the coast of County Down.
Two RNLI boats and a coastguard helicopter from Scotland were launched to assist in the search.
The kayaker was reported to be near Mew Island, one of the Copeland Islands near Donaghadee.
A coastguard spokesman said it received several calls from a person claiming to be in difficulty.
However, the alarm was declared to be a hoax following a thorough search.

Summary: