The UK's dominant services sector weakened in February, registering its slowest rate of growth for nearly three years, a survey has indicated.

Article: The Scud flew about 450km (280 miles) before landing in Japanese waters, prompting Japan to lodge a protest.
Pyongyang has repeatedly defied a UN resolution banning all nuclear and missile activity, and has ramped up the pace of its tests in recent months.
Seoul and Tokyo condemned the launch. US President Donald Trump said the North had disrespected its ally China.
"North Korea has shown great disrespect for their neighbor, China, by shooting off yet another ballistic missile...but China is trying hard!" he tweeted.
Japan's leader said Pyongyang's provocations would not be tolerated.
"As we agreed at the recent G7, the issue of North Korea is a top priority for the international community," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. "Working with the United States, we will take specific action to deter North Korea."
In South Korea, President Moon Jae-in, who took office earlier this month, summoned the national security council to discuss the launch.
The US Pacific Command said the missile was launched from Wonsan in North Korea and flew for about six minutes before landing.
Japan's top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the missile landed in an area between Japan's Sado and Oki islands, in the country's exclusive economic zone.
A spokesman for South Korea's military said the missile reached an altitude of 120km. "An analysis is under way on the specific number" of missiles fired, the spokesman said, indicating that more than one could have been launched.
North Korea has a large stockpile of short-range Scud missiles developed by the Soviet Union. Modified versions of the Scud missiles can have a range of 1,000km.
The other two recent launches were of medium to long-range missiles, both of which the North claimed as "successful" tests.
The first of those launches was hailed by Pyongyang as a new type of rocket capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. It said it was a demonstration of the North's longest-range nuclear-capable weapon yet.
Pyongyang has been testing its missiles at an unprecedented...

Summary: North Korea has fired a short-range ballistic missile, its third missile test in as many weeks.
###
Article: His nomination to head Nato commander in Europe had been put on hold amid reports the emails were inappropriate.
Gen Allen is due to relinquish command of his Afghanistan post in February.
Harassment complaints by Mrs Kelley led the FBI to unmask an affair between CIA chief David Petraeus and his biographer. He later resigned.
A spokesman for Gen Allen said the general was "obviously pleased" to be cleared of the charges he had violated the prohibition against conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
"From the outset, the general placed his faith in - and fully supported - the investigative process," Maj David Nevers said.
Defence officials told the Associated Press that the White House had not decided whether to go forward with Gen Allen's nomination to Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.
Pentagon spokesman George Little said the defence department "was pleased to learn that allegations of professional misconduct were not substantiated", adding that Defence Secretary Leon Panetta had "complete confidence in the continued leadership" of Gen Allen.
The emails first came to light as part of a wider investigation into email harassment against Mrs Kelley, who knew both Gen Allen and Mr Petraeus, a former general, through social contacts on the Florida military base where US Central Command is headquartered.
When the FBI investigated, it traced the emails to Petraeus biographer Paula Broadwell, bringing to light her affair with the CIA chief.
Earlier reports suggested Gen Allen had exchanged thousands of emails, some described as inappropriate and flirtatious, with Mrs Kelley.
The Afghanistan commander had also written a letter to a judge in support of Mrs Kelley's twin sister in a messy child custody dispute.
After being contacted by the FBI, Mr Panetta announced the inquiry into Gen Allen and put the commander's nomination on hold.
Defence officials told the Washington Post that the full investigation had shown that there were in fact only several hundred emails exchanged between Gen Allen and Mrs Kelley,...

Summary: The top US general in Afghanistan, General John Allen, has been cleared of misconduct by the Pentagon for emails sent to Florida socialite Jill Kelley.
###
Article: An average 1.9m viewers watched Sunday night's episode of the motoring show - 8.6% of the available audience.
ITV attracted the biggest audience of the night, as an average 6.6 million viewers tuned in to see France's 5-2 win over Iceland in Euro 2016.
BBC One's Antiques Roadshow, which also overlapped with Top Gear, was watched by an average of 3.9 million.
The overnight figures measure how many viewers tuned in to the live broadcast - and do not take into account those who have watched the show on catch-up services such as iPlayer.
Audience data suggests viewers tend to watch live events such as sports matches as they are being broadcast, whereas entertainment programmes can often pick up extra viewers via on-demand services.
Top Gear: Do overnight TV ratings matter?
Sunday evening's Top Gear was about 800,000 down on last week's average of 2.7m - and just over half the number that watched the series launch.
The episode received lukewarm reviews, but some critics said the show had improved over the course of the series.
Digital Spy said: "Instead of an episode which was about 10% enjoyable like the premiere, they're now up to about 60%."
"When the right people - Matt LeBlanc, Rory Reid, Chris Harris and Sabine Schmitz - are front and centre, there are moments where Top Gear feels like it has found its feet."
The new series was the first since the departure of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
The trio exited the programme after Jeremy Clarkson punched a producer. Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc were later signed up to front the show.
Writing in The Telegraph, Amy Blumson said: "The presenting team need time to bond, and those new to the studio were just warming up as the series came to a close."
"The new Top Gear series has shown glimmers of promise, but like the nippy Porsche 911 R in the final episode, they often disappeared over the horizon as soon as Chris Evans starts shouting."
The Guardian's Stuart Heritage said: "Despite the personnel changes, Top Gear remains a beautiful television...

Summary: Top Gear has concluded with the lowest audience of its current series, as viewers flocked to watch Euro 2016.
###
Article: Stephen Starkey, 61, died five days after Wayne Muirhead broke into his home in Reney Crescent, in Sheffield.
South Yorkshire Police said he died from "paracetamol toxicity" after taking painkillers following the attack. The force said his liver was already damaged by alcohol dependency.
Muirhead, 41, of Batemoor Road, Sheffield, will be sentenced next year.
Sheffield Crown Court heard Muirhead forced his way into Mr Starkey's home on 25 December last year and stole Â£1,500 in cash, a mobile phone and a PlayStation.
He was arrested after the phone was recovered and a number of calls and text messages were linked to Muirhead.
A jury found him guilty of manslaughter and robbery. He was also convicted of a second robbery at Mr Starkey's home, when he stole Â£280.
Det Insp Richard Partridge said: "Mr Starkey was alcohol dependent and his liver was damaged, which when combined with painkillers for his injuries, resulted in paracetamol toxicity that tragically caused his death.
"Had Muirhead not viciously attacked Mr Starkey in his own home, there is no doubt in my mind he would still be alive now and celebrating Christmas with his family."

Summary: A robber who "viciously" assaulted a man in his home on Christmas Day has been found guilty of manslaughter.
###
Article: The latest Markit/CIPS services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 52.7 last month, down from January's reading of 55.6.
Any figure above 50 means expansion, but the rise in service sector activity was the weakest since March 2013.
The service sector accounts for more than three-quarters of the UK economy.
Surveys from Markit/CIPS earlier in the week put the manufacturing sector's PMI at 50.8 and construction at 54.2.
"The weaker increase in services activity mainly reflected a slower expansion in the volume of incoming new business," the survey said.
Markit chief economist Chris Williamson added: "Survey responses reveal that firms are worried about signs of faltering demand, but boardrooms have also become unsettled by concerns regarding the increased risk of 'Brexit', financial market volatility and weak economic growth at home and abroad."
He added that the extent of the slowdown would come as a "shock" to policymakers and would put an end to talk of a possible interest rate rise.
Mr Williamson described February's three PMI readings as "a triple whammy of disappointing survey news".
Last week, official figures confirmed that the UK economy grew 0.5% in the final three months of 2015, with the services sector highlighted as the key factor driving growth.
The Office for National Statistics said the "buoyancy" of services had offset the "relative sluggishness" of the rest of the UK economy.
Signs of weakening growth in the UK economy have pushed back estimates of when the Bank of England might begin to raise interest rates.
Commenting on the latest PMI survey, Jeremy Cook, chief economist at World First, said: "The May Bank of England meeting had previously been seen as a possible time for a rate hike. The volatility of global markets and the self-inflicted wound of the EU referendum put paid to that months ago.
"We still believe, however, that some measures that foresee the Bank of England holding rates at 0.5% until 2020 are little short of absurd."
Martin Beck, senior economic adviser to the EY...

Summary:


Police are investigating a complaint about a mural at an Edinburgh primary school which features a golliwog.

Article: It sounds like a Christmas cracker joke, or the start of a Hollywood film pitch.
But the man who knows the answer is Les Carlisle, project manager of the conservation group Rhinos Without Borders.
Under his guidance, 12 white rhinos have just left their native South Africa for a new life in a nearby country, as part of an anti-poaching project.
The beasts spent 15 hours in a truck, plane, and helicopter to get from a game park in KwaZulu Natal, on South Africa's east coast, to their new location [which the BBC won't name for their protection].
"We send them an email with a boarding pass and a seat number, and then we run like hell," Mr Carlisle chuckles.
But in some ways, the truth is stranger still.
"A massive translocation like this involves having the right equipment and the right people in place to be able to manage these very big animals," the project manager says.
"The animals are caught and put into a steel crate that's specially designed to contain them, and designed to fit in the aircraft."
Mr Carlisle says it's not a matter of simply knocking them out.
"You have to immobilise them - make them go to sleep completely, and then blindfold them. And then you put earplugs in their ears.
"And then, you slowly give them a little bit of [sedative] reversal. Enough so they can stand up. They're uncoordinated at that stage - so then you put a rope round their heads and you pull them slowly into the crate.
"They have to walk on their own feet because they're very heavy. You can't move a tonne of sleeping meat!"
The rhinos need to be awake throughout the flight so they can move their legs and regulate their own breathing.
"The problem with a flight that long and an animal this big, is that if it lies for too long that restricts circulation to the leg. And they get pins and needles - and then occasionally the animal could lose the use of that leg," the conservationist says.
Then comes the heavy lifting. With the rhinos safely in their transport crates, a crane lifts them onto the back of a truck bound for the...

Summary: How do you get a 1.5-tonne rhino on an aeroplane?
###
Article: Taffy Mark Evans, 56, formerly of Old Shoreham Road, Lancing, carried out the attacks in Surrey, Sussex and south Wales during the 1980s and 1990s.
Following a trial at Lewes Crown Court, he was found guilty of 19 historic sex offences, and seven counts of making indecent photographs of children.
Evans was a scout leader in Reigate, Surrey, during the 1990s.
He also worked as a train guard on the Redhill to Littlehampton route.
The offences were committed in Charlwood and Redhill in Surrey, Brighton, Burgess Hill and Crawley in Sussex, and Swansea, in south Wales.
After the hearing, Sussex Police said Evans, now of The Crescent, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hampshire, had systematically groomed and sexually assaulted the boys.
Det Con Heidi McCall said: "He first gained their confidence as a helpful family friend who took them out on trips, including train journeys, swimming and fishing, bought them presents and treats, but then gradually began to abuse each of them."
She said the case showed all reports would be taken seriously no matter how long ago the events occurred.

Summary: A former scout leader has been jailed for 26 years for historical sex offences against boys under 14.
###
Article: Wada announced in September that it was adding the heart disease medicine to its banned list from 1 January.
Since the start of the year, there have been more than 120 positive tests.
But numerous athletes have claimed they stopped taking the drug last year, prompting many to question how long the drug can stay in an athlete's system.
"There is currently a lack of clear scientific information on excretion times," the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) said in new guidance distributed on Monday.
"For this reason, a hearing panel might justifiably find (unless there is specific evidence to the contrary) that an athlete who has established on the balance of probabilities that he or she ingested meldonium before 1 January could not reasonably have known or suspected that the meldonium would still be present in his or her body on or after 1 January.
"In these circumstances, Wada considers that there may be grounds for no fault or negligence on the part of the athlete."
This apparent climbdown has already been celebrated by media outlets in Russia, which has borne the brunt of the scandal so far.
Tennis player Maria Sharapova was the first high-profile athlete to test positive for the Latvian-made drug - in a test taken at the end of January - but since then leading Russian athletes from boxing, skating, swimming and winter sports have all failed tests for meldonium.
In a statement, issued via the official news agency Tass, the Russian Sports Ministry said it "supports and welcomes the decision made by Wada because it has showed a willingness to understand the situation, rather than stick to the rulebook."
This follows recent comments from sports minister Vitaly Mutko that the meldonium crisis would soon be "settled".
Last week, the International Biathlon Union said it would not be ruling on any cases until more was known about excretion rates for meldonium.
Wada's new guidance acknowledges that trace elements of meldonium can remain in the body "for a few months" if somebody has been taking the drug for a sustained...

Summary: Athletes caught using meldonium could avoid a ban after anti-doping chiefs said it was not clear how long it takes the drug to leave the body.
###
Article: The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided - significantly by a 8-1 majority rather than unanimously - that a little bit of patience is necessary to see how the economy performs over the next few weeks.
The markets' judgement that Mark Carney had clearly signalled a July rate cut two weeks ago when he said "some monetary policy easing will likely be required over the summer" has proved erroneous.
Some might mutter about the governor showing flashes of the "unreliable boyfriend" he has been accused of before when he has guided the market.
However, the governor's words do not contradict today's decision. "Over the summer" is not one month.
And monetary easing can mean more than just a cut in interest rates.
The MPC is dealing with two competing forces.
First, a slowdown in economic growth following the referendum vote which many economists believe could tip the economy into recession.
Second, a possible increase in inflation sparked by the fall in the value of sterling.
At the moment the data on the former is limited.
The MPC did point to some "preliminary signs" that household and business confidence has been affected by the referendum result.
It said there have been some "sharp falls" in sentiment measures.
"Taken together, these indicators suggest economic activity is likely to weaken in the near term," the minutes say.
But, against that, the financial markets have continued to function which has "dampened rather than amplified" the effects of the 23 June vote.
And economic activity is described as "solid" in the run-up to the referendum.
The Bank also made it clear that "most" members of the MPC "expect monetary policy to be loosened in August" when the Inflation Report is published.
That does not necessarily mean an interest rate cut at that point.
It could mean more stimulus via the purchasing of government bonds, or quantitative easing.
Or more action to boost lending via direct support to banks.
On inflation, any upward pressure is still slight.
Inflation is at 0.3%, well below the 2% target.
The...

Summary: So, the interest rate cut is off, for now.
###
Article: The scene from Alice in Wonderland in Wardie Primary's assembly hall dates back to 1936 and was recently restored with a Heritage Lottery Fund.
A mother has lodged a complaint about the image describing it as racist.
Edinburgh City Council said it understands the offensiveness of the image but said it does not reflect the attitudes of the school.
An Edinburgh City Council spokesman said: "The Alice in Wonderland mural at Wardie Primary School was painted in 1936 and is of both historical and artistic importance as evidenced by the fact it recently received full Heritage Lottery Funding support to restore the work.
"While we understand the offensiveness of the image, it is in no way indicative of the attitudes of either the school or the council.
"Our equalities policies and approaches are robustly multi-cultural and anti-racist, promoting diversity and good relationships among pupils."
A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Police in Edinburgh have received a complaint in relation to a mural at a primary school in the Trinity area.
"Officers are now liaising with Edinburgh City Council education department with regards to this matter.
"Police Scotland treats all reports relating to hate incidents extremely seriously and will thoroughly investigate whenever a report of this nature is made."

Summary:

Article: {{document}}

Summary: ||| {{target}}


The death of a man in the UK was reported in the UK.

The death of a man in the UK was reported in the UK.

The death of a man in the UK was reported in the UK.

The death of a man in the UK was reported in the UK.

Tributes have been paid to a former Glamorgan cricketer who was found dead at his Swansea flat on Friday.

Article: The President-elect is likely to push forward plans for fracking and drilling for oil and gas on federal lands.
Campaigners say that this is likely to be opposed in the courts, in Congress and lead to protests.
President Obama is trying to limit the impact of the next administration by extending existing protections.
While much attention since Mr Trump's election has focused on the President-elect's threats to withdraw the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, there is growing concern among green groups about the impact of other aspects of the Trump environmental plan.
One key element is the expansion of oil and gas production on publicly owned lands. At present there is a moratorium on energy recovery in federal areas, and the Trump team has promised to lift this, and encourage fracking and drilling.
President-elect Trump has also been vocal in his support for projects such as the XL oil pipeline, which President Obama rejected.
Attempts to open up public lands for oil and gas, and to push through pipelines will likely attract significant public resistance, say observers.
"I think there'll be a lot of people who were very willing to get in the streets and you know, protest with civil disobedience and we're likely to see some real confrontations there," said Dean Baker, an economist with the Centre for Economic and Policy Research.
Environmental campaigners also take the view that opening up federal lands for resource extraction would be foolish and would help unify the opposition.
"I think they will try to expand fracking and mining and drilling on public lands," said Michael Brune from the Sierra Club.
"But that will be pretty fiercely resisted by people who live near those communities, both progressive and conservatives alike."
Even if the Trump administration succeeds in overturning the current moratorium, there may not be a rush from oil and gas companies to exploit these reserves.
"Most of these shale gas (and tight oil) resources are on private lands, according to the Congressional Research Service, so...

Summary: Proposals by the Trump administration to roll back US environmental regulations are likely to foment opposition, say analysts.
###
Article: The baby was infected in the womb while the mother was travelling in Latin America, though state officials have not identified where.
The defect causes abnormally small heads and other developmental damage.
Florida Governor Rick Scott also announced four more people had contracted the Zika virus, bringing the state's total to 21 cases.
Harris County, where the baby was born, now has two reported cases of babies born with microcephaly.
The case is the first Zika-related death reported in Texas.
The Zika virus, frequently transmitted by mosquitoes, often causes no symptoms, but is particularly dangerous for pregnant women.
In a statement, the Texas Department of Health Services said there was no risk of locally contracted Zika in Texas. There are 97 cases of the virus in Texas.
The Florida Department of Health said officials believe the active transmissions are likely only taking place within the Wynwood neighbourhood in Miami-Dade County.
Governor Scott urged Congress and President Obama to take action.
"This is not only an issue affecting us here in Florida," the governor said in a statement. "This is a national issue."
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton echoed the governor's plea while on the campaign trail, calling on congress to hold a special session to pass a Zika funding bill.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said nationwide there are 15 cases of Zika-related birth defects and six pregnancies losses associated with infection.
The baby's death comes a day after Florida health officials identified a man in West Palm Beach who had contracted the virus.
Florida is the only state in the US to have local cases of Zika.

Summary: A baby born in Texas with the Zika-linked birth defect microcephaly has died, health officials say.
###
Article: The scheme would be based on the first-time buyer ISAs announced by George Osborne which sees the government top up money people save towards a deposit to buy their first house.
Labour says it would invest the money in new housing developments.
The Conservatives said the scheme was "ill thought-through".
Mr Miliband set out further details of his housing policy at a rally with party activists in Warrington.
In other general election campaign news:
Housing is a key election issue, and the parties have made pledges to boost the supply of homes across the country and make home ownership more achievable.
The Conservatives have pledged 200,000 homes will be made available to first-time buyers in England by 2020 if they win the election. The Lib Dems have pledged to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder through a "rent-to-own homes" scheme.
But Mr Miliband attacked the government's record on house building, which he said had fallen to its lowest level in almost 100 years and made it harder for people to own homes.
"A Labour government will get Britain building again," he said.
This election issue includes house building, home ownership and social housing.
Policy guide: Where the parties stand
In his last Budget, Chancellor George Osborne unveiled the first-time buyers' ISA which is designed to help people get a foot on the housing ladder.
It allows the government to top up by £50 every £200 a first-time buyer saves for a deposit.
Labour supports the policy but says further action is needed to address the "under supply" of homes.
Under its plan, any bank or building society that offered such an ISA would be required to invest the money in housing.
This would unlock £5bn to invest in a Future Homes Investment Fund to build 125,000 new homes between 2015 and 2020, according to Mr Miliband, and a Labour government would underwrite the investment.
The party has already committed to building 200,000 new homes every year by the end of the next Parliament but this scheme is aimed at getting the policy...

Summary: Banks would be encouraged to fund 125,000 new homes for first-time buyers in England under a Labour government, Ed Miliband has said.
###
Article: A broken-down trawler with six fishermen onboard was towed to Lochinver in Sutherland by Lochinver RNLI on Wednesday night.
Earlier on Wednesday, Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI went to the aid of a man stuck on his small boat in rough conditions in Glenelg Bay.
A Met Office warning of high winds is in place until 13:00 on Thursday.
Forecasters warn that winds could gust to 75mph across the Hebrides, Sutherland, Caithness and Orkney.
Gusts of 50-60 mph are likely in many areas of Scotland during that period of the warning, which started from 01:00 on Thursday.
High winds have already been affecting large parts of Scotland west coast and the Highlands.
Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne said poor weather conditions has been causing disruption on many of its routes.
Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI's call-out on Wednesday afternoon saw the crew help a man get to shore from where his small boat was tied up in Glenelg Bay.
The man was safely dropped off at the ferry slipway at Glenelg.

Summary: RNLI lifeboat crews have been involved in a number of call-outs in stormy conditions off Scotland's west coast.
###
Article: Jamie Bishop, who was 44, was a left-handed batsman who also represented Wales at minor county level.
Glamorgan cricket club chief executive Hugh Morris described him as "a hugely talented cricketer" who had an outstanding record for Pontarddulais cricket club.
South Wales Police is not treating the death as suspicious.
Tributes were also paid on social media, from sporting figures including Steve James, Edward Bevan, Sean Holley, John Devereux and Rick O'Shea.

Summary:


Parents are taking legal action against a council following its decision to cut free school transport in a rural area.

Article: As changes to make core GCSE subjects harder begin to bite, heads warn grades are becoming unreliable and incomparable year on year.
So much so that many pupils predicted to get grade C in core subjects may not now achieve it, they say.
Exams regulator Ofqual says "standards will be maintained" despite changes.
Pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be receiving their GCSE results on Thursday.
The Ofqual exam watchdog in England has already warned that GCSE English, maths and all science results are likely to "look different" with grades possibly dropping this year because of changes to the exams and the patterns of entry.
The Association of School and College Leaders, which represents thousands of secondary school heads, said it was expecting "significant turbulence" in this year's results.
Its general secretary Brian Lightman said that the exam system was in a very "serious state" and he called for "some stability".
It was no longer possible to assume that children taking the same subject years apart would get the same grade for the same standard of work, he said. And those who had achieved similar standards may be graded differently, he added.
The organisation's vice-president Ian Bauckham, who is also a head teacher in Kent, said there was a significant level of anxiety over the changes in the core subjects this year.
"It is likely that some pupils whose teacher thought they were on track to get a grade C in these core subjects may well find they have fallen below the new boundary where grade boundaries have been changed."
Many schools focus efforts on C-D borderline pupils because obtaining a C grade in English and maths is the key academic requirement for pupils to continue in education, whether it be studying A-levels or a more vocational course. These grades are also the key measure of accountability for schools.
General secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers Russell Hobby said: "The exam system is so massively complicated now, I actually think it is beyond any...

Summary: Head teachers say thousands of pupils could miss out on expected GCSE grades because of "significant turbulence" in this year's results.
###
Article: Baroness Altmann, who left her post in Theresa May's reshuffle, said the policy had "outlived its purpose".
Since 2010, the "triple-lock" policy has meant that pensions rise by the inflation rate, average earnings or 2.5%, whichever is highest.
The government has said there are no plans to review the policy.
In an interview with The Observer, Lady Altmann said the cost of the triple lock would become "enormous" after 2020 and that dropping it would ensure billions of pounds could be spent on better causes.
"The triple lock is a political construct, a totemic policy that is easy for politicians to trumpet, but from a pure policy perspective keeping it forever doesn't make sense," she said, arguing instead for a "double lock" whereby the state pension increases in line with either prices or earnings.
Lady Altmann told the paper she had lobbied the former Prime Minister David Cameron last year to alter the policy, but he had blocked the change for political reasons.
In their 2015 election manifesto, the Conservatives promised to extend the triple lock until 2020.
Last month, in the run-up to the EU referendum, Mr Cameron said that pensioner benefits, which cost Â£90bn every year, were a "policy priority" but might have to be re-examined in a post-Brexit climate.
She said: "Absolutely we must protect pensioner incomes, but the 2.5% bit doesn't make sense.
"If, for example, we went into a period of deflation where everything, both earnings and prices, was falling then putting pensions up 2.5% is a bit out of all proportion.
"Politically nobody had the courage to stand up and say we have done what we needed to do," she added.
"The cost of the triple lock on the public finances from 2020 onwards is enormous. And if you reduce it to a double lock you save billions of pounds."
The triple lock had "fulfilled it purpose" and pensioner households were now "no more likely to be poor than other age groups", she said.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions said Lady Altmann had no bearing on policy and "we...

Summary: A guarantee that pensions should rise by at least 2.5% should be dropped from 2020, a former pensions minister has said.
###
Article: It's not that she's taken months to figure out what to do for her birthday, but it's because she has two - a real one and an official one.
Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21 April 1926 but has an official birthday usually celebrated on the second Saturday of June.
So why two birthdays for the Queen and how does she celebrate them?
Official celebrations to mark a King or Queen's birthday in the UK have often been held on a day that isn't their actual birthday.
Usually the official birthday happens in summer because there is a better chance of good weather in the UK during the summer months.
The two birthday tradition was started more than 250 years ago by King George II in 1748.
How does she mark her birthdays?
The Queen usually spends her actual birthday privately, but the day is marked publicly by gun salutes in central London.
On her official birthday, Her Majesty is joined by other members of the Royal Family at the Trooping the Colour parade.
Hundreds of officers, horses and musicians take part in the event in London.
The parade starts at the Queen's official residence, Buckingham Palace, along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, near to Downing Street, and back again.

Summary: The Queen is officially celebrating her 91st birthday today - even though she was actually born in April...
###
Article: But what are they, why do people wear them, and why have they been banned?
Here's Newsround's guide to what's going on.
A burkini is a type of swimming costume that some Muslim women wear, which covers the arms, legs and hair.
To some Muslims, wearing clothes that cover these parts of the body is seen as a sign of modesty and of faith.
There are lots of different types of headscarves that Muslim women wear and some don't wear any.
A burkini is a version of these that can be used when swimming or on the beach.
It's called a burkini because it's a mix of the words 'burqa' - which is a type of Islamic clothing - and 'bikini'.
Some towns in France have banned women from wearing a burkini on public beaches or in the sea.
If they break the ban and wear one, they will have to pay a fine.
This is because in France religion is supposed to be completely separate from other parts of life in public.
This means that symbols of religion are banned in some public places.
Some politicians have now argued this should include the burkini.
Tensions have been high in France since a number of attacks by Islamist extremists and many people are arguing about the best way to respond as a country to what has happened.
Many people in France and in other countries think that it is not right to tell women what clothes they can and can't wear.
They say that it should be a choice whether to wear a burkini or not.
But others think that it is right for the burkini to be banned, as they say that it goes against the values and laws of France.
Some people also think that the burkini is a symbol of women's inequality to men in the Islamic religion.

Summary: Burkinis have been in the news because they have been banned on some French beaches.
###
Article: A judicial review has been launched after free taxis for pupils living 12 miles (19km) from Ysgol Brynhyfryd, Denbighshire, were stopped.
Parents claim their children's route to the bus stop is too dangerous to walk.
But a Denbighshire council spokeswoman said the policy was agreed after "extensive consultation" and through a "democratic process".
Glenda Coleman, who lives in Bryneglwys, said: "We've relied heavily on the free taxi because our children cannot walk to the bus pick up point as it is extremely dangerous.
"The council made a decision to cut this service without providing any alternatives or considering the repercussions of removing it."
Ms Coleman said it was "impossible" to drive down a nearby hill when it has snowed or there is ice on the road, meaning parents would not be able to transport their children to the bus stop, two-and-a-half-miles away.
She added: "We feel we are being punished by the council for living in a rural area as we have been provided with no alternative options for transport and it is unacceptable."
A spokeswoman for the council said: "Denbighshire's school transport policy has recently changed.
"We are aware that a small number of parents have raised concerns regarding these changes and their perceived impact.
"The policy was agreed after extensive consultation and it has gone through a democratic process.
"We have investigated complaints thoroughly and it is the right of individuals to consider taking the matter to judicial review, for which we would respond accordingly."

Summary:


US presidential hopeful Donald Trump and UK Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn are demonstrating that whether you come from the left or the right, authenticity can win support.

Article: Nicola Yates has been in charge for the past three years and leaves just two months after the authority came under Labour-led control.
She said it had been an "absolute privilege" to serve Bristol and she was leaving with "a huge sense of pride".
The council said it would make "interim arrangements" while it looks for a permanent replacement.
Ms Yates said: "During my tenure, the council has faced an immensely challenging financial position but I have been dedicated to maintaining frontline services and developing new ways of generating income and expanding our growth sectors for the future."
She was also in charge of organising the city's year as European Green Capital in 2015.
"I am also enormously proud of the contribution I was able to make to Bristol's successful year as European Green Capital, in my role as chief executive of Bristol 2015 Ltd," Ms Yates said.
Nicola Yates is the local authority's highest paid officer and had faced criticism for seeing her pay rise to Â£172,000 while presiding over cuts in council services.
Marvin Rees, who was elected as the city's mayor in May, said: "I am grateful for Nicola's contributions to Bristol and wish her well for the future.
"She has brought the council a long way in a relatively short time, leaving it with strong governance and a high profile at home and abroad."

Summary: The director of Bristol City Council is to leave her job at the end of the month.
###
Article: Bailey Gwynne died after being stabbed in the heart at Cults Academy last October.
The 16-year old accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies murder at the High Court in Aberdeen.
Judge Lady Stacey told the jury the question was whether the accused was guilty of murder or culpable homicide.
Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC, prosecuting, told the jury during his closing speech at the High Court in Aberdeen: "Bailey Gwynne had no chance."
He said: "This was a lethal wound inflicted by a lethal weapon."
He said it was a "silly trivial fight between two schoolboys".
Mr Prentice started by asking the jury: "Why do you think a young man would carry a knife and a knuckleduster?"
He added: "You would have to have hearts of stone not to be moved by the emotion of this trial, but you must put emotion aside."
Mr Prentice asked the jury to convict the accused of murder, but added they could convict of the lesser charge of culpable homicide.
He also asked for guilty verdicts on the two charges of having knives and knuckledusters in school.
Mr Prentice said: "There was a stab wound to the heart inflicted by a lethal weapon that was routinely carried.
"It may be everyone in this room wishes they had the power to turn back time.
"If we could do that, what would we do? We would say 'get rid of the knife, school is no place for a knife'.
"This case demonstrates the dangers of carrying a knife. If you have a knife you have the ability to use it."
Mr Prentice said he did not suggest the accused set off intending to kill Bailey Gwynne.
But he added: "If he had not been carrying a knife the outcome of the conflict would have been a few bruises and perhaps a fat lip."
Defence counsel Ian Duguid QC said the jury was dealing with a "spontaneous event" which lasted about 30 seconds.
Mr Duguid said the accused had shown "extraordinary stupidity" but suggested Bailey Gwynne had shown "recklessness" in assaulting a fellow pupil.
To convict of murder, he added, the jury had to decide the accused had the state of mind to...

Summary: The jury in the trial of a teenager accused of murder by stabbing a 16-year-old to death in an Aberdeen school has retired to consider a verdict.
###
Article: Lord Browne told the BBC business was losing the trust of ordinary people.
His latest book sets out how businesses fail to engage with environmental, social and political issues, a failure he thinks could destroy them.
And he said labelling these issues as "corporate social responsibility", or CSR, had allowed companies to push them into a "side-pocket".
Describing the failure of Enron in 2001 he writes that its CSR "masked a deeply rotten core".
"Mistreating any constituent of society eventually leads to collapse," he added.
In his book Connect, to be published on Thursday, he describes the rift between society and big business.
"Future global development will be constrained... if business is hamstrung by the hate it generates so self-destructively."
Talking to BBC business editor Kamal Ahmed, he said: "It is more and more dangerous."
Lord Browne added: "A lot of my colleagues in business say: 'Well, it's cycles, they come and they go - bankers are hated and then they are loved, people in social media are loved today, they will be hated tomorrow, life goes on.'
"But life goes on at a far faster rate than it used to, companies can disappear when their reservoir of trust is depleted, companies can be wounded many, many times over.
"Getting it right is more important now, because the information moves very quickly around the world," he added.
"One of the props that people have relied upon is corporate social responsibility, and that's allowed a lot of companies to detach the activity of communicating and being involved with stakeholders almost into a side-pocket,"
In his book, he interviews leading figures such as Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg, Goldman Sachs' Lloyd Blankfein, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web.
But he is optimistic that the problems can be solved. He writes: "There has never been a better time to challenge the cycles of anti-business sentiment that have spanned the length of history."
He outlines four tenets of what he calls "connected...

Summary: The former head of BP has said that the relationship between business and society is becoming "dangerous".
###
Article: The limit per transaction for the wave and pay cards, which do not require a PIN or a signature to authorise payment, was previously £20.
The move follows a huge rise in the number of people using contactless cards in the UK.
Transactions for the first half of this year totalled £2.5bn, already higher than the £2.32bn spent in 2014.
The UK Cards Association, the trade body for the card payments industry, said the increase meant that the average supermarket spend of £25 would now be covered.
"The growth in contactless payments shows people want to use contactless cards, and increasing the limit gives customers even more opportunities to pay in this way," said chief executive Graham Peacop.
In July, consumer group Which? warned that data from contactless cards could be easily stolen by determined fraudsters.
But the trade body said fraud via the cards was "extremely low", at less than one penny for every £100 spent.
The increase also comes after technology giant Apple allowed users of its latest devices to make contactless payments.
Kevin Jenkins, managing director UK and Ireland at Visa Europe, said contactless payments were becoming the "new normal".
"We've seen unprecedented growth in this area, with the number of Visa contactless transactions more than trebling in the past year in the UK," he added.
The increase was first announced in February.

Summary: Shoppers in the UK will now be able to spend up to £30 using contactless cards after the limit was increased.
###
Article: But are there limits to how far authenticity can take a politician?
During the course of his campaign Donald Trump has made statements that mainstream politicians would consider disastrous gaffes, alienating important parts of the electorate.
"When Mexico sends its people," Trump told an audience in Arizona, "they're not sending their best. They're sending people that have lots of problems. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists..."
It was a remark bound to alienate Hispanic voters. But others liked Trump for saying what he thinks.
One recent poll shows him having 24% support for the Republican nomination - well ahead of second-placed Jeb Bush's 11%.
One of Trump's key messages is that he is so rich that no one can buy him.
Jeremy Corbyn, who has a record as one of the Labour Party's most rebellious MPs, argues that while many of his colleagues duck and weave, he is an honourable man committed to core principles on which he will not compromise.
His ability to pack halls with huge crowds suggest it's a message that has great resonance.
In Europe - especially in southern countries hit hard by the financial crisis - some insurgent politicians have broken through.
Historically most European populist parties - which generally pit the people against a self-serving elite - have been on the right.
But in recent years the left too has produced Spain's Podemas and in Greece, Syriza, which went from a protest party to forming the government, taking on the bureaucrats in Brussels.
In the last UK general election Nigel Farage's UKIP won support by arguing that it was prepared to confront issues that the Westminster politicians were trying to dodge.
And in Scotland the SNP swept to power, partly by running against what the party portrayed as a privileged and remote political establishment in London.
There are a number of explanations for the increasing number of people who resent mainstream politicians.
As well as a long-term fall in the levels of deference, sceptics point to spin doctors, focus...

Summary:


Fracking for shale gas in Wales should still be opposed despite plans to fast-track such schemes in England, the Welsh government has said.

Article: DJI introduced geo-fencing in 2013 - a technology that uses GPS location signals to stop its machines flying close to airports, professional sports events and other restricted zones.
The opt-out allows operators to disable the ban in many, but not all, cases.
The Chinese firm says it will keep a record of those who use the feature.
It suggests the move will make it easier for authorised personnel to carry out inspections and other sanctioned activities in controlled areas.
But one expert questioned the wisdom of the move.
DJI's Geo app is used to control its Phantom and Inspire drones.
If the pilot sends one of the aircraft into a flagged zone, a prompt appears asking them to verify their account and acknowledge what they are doing.
In the past, the only way to achieve this was to request an override from the company or hack the drones' firmware.
"We don't have the ability to verify if someone has authorisation," Brendan Schulman, DJI's legal affairs chief told the BBC.
"Essentially, the principle here is operator responsibility and accountability.
"Just like driving a car, it is up to the operator to be licensed, to have the car registered and insured - the manufacturer of an automobile doesn't decide who gets to drive or not.
"Similarly, we have provided a mechanism for operators to take responsibility and verify their accounts and then go ahead and fly in most of these locations, which [takes into account] the balance between safety and innovation."
To make use of the override, a user must have given DJI their credit card details or a mobile number to act as an ID.
This means the firm can help the authorities track down those who misuse it.
"Our policy is to provide information about our customers only in response to a valid legal request," Mr Schulman said.
"So, in the US it would be a subpoena or a warrant or a court order."
It remains impossible to use the app to avoid geo-fencing over the US capital, Washington DC. DJI has also added new areas that cannot be unlocked including prisons, nuclear power...

Summary: The bestselling drone-maker has updated its app to let owners bypass a feature that stops its aircraft flying into or taking off in sensitive locations.
###
Article: The technology was designed by Philips and has been installed at a Carrefour supermarket in Lille.
It transmits codes via light waves, which are undetectable to the eye but can be picked up by a phone camera.
The innovation offers an alternative to Bluetooth-based "beacons", which are being installed by many retailers.
"We are always on the lookout for innovations to facilitate customers' navigation," explained Carrefour executive Celine Martin.
"Thanks to this new application, which uses Philips technology, we are now able to provide our customers at the EuraLille Carrefour with a new service, enabling them to quickly search and locate their preferred promotions or detect all the promotions around them."
Philips said that an added benefit was that its system required 50% less electricity than the old lights it had replaced.
Philips is not the only organisation to have researched ways to transmit data via specialised LED bulbs.
Engineers at the University of Edinburgh are working on a "li-fi" system capable of transmitting data at up to 10 gigabits per second, which they suggest could offer an alternative to radio waves.
The Philips scheme is more limited in its scope, but has the benefit of being ready for market.
It works by making each of the fitted LEDs transmit a distinct location code.
If users open a compatible app and let their smartphone camera look upwards, this can be used to determine their location - accurate to up to 1m - and the direction they are facing.
It functions in a similar way to GPS-based maps used outdoors, and compares favourably to wi-fi based location systems, which are typically accurate to only 3-5m.
Many retailers, however, are investing instead in beacons - small Bluetooth 4 transmitters that allow compatible apps to work out how far away a user is standing, but not their precise position.
Beacons have the benefit of being cheaper and potentially easier to try out than replacing a store's complete lighting system.
However, one expert saw the merits of Philips's...

Summary: French shoppers have become the first to experience a new LED lighting system that sends special offers and location data to their smartphones.
###
Article: Under the wide-ranging telecoms reforms, the cost of making a call or downloading internet data in another EU country will be the same as at home.
The change is due to take effect from 15 December next year. It still requires approval from EU governments.
Some consumers have faced bills for thousands of pounds after falling foul of current high roaming charges.
In recent years the EU has legislated to lower the costs, so telecoms operators have been forced to cap their fees.
A European Commission survey in February suggested that 94% of Europeans limit their use of the web when travelling in Europe because of the cost of mobile roaming.
The package was adopted by 534 votes to 25.
Last year the cap for internet browsing was lowered to 45 cents (39 pence) per MB, from 70 euro cents (60 pence) per MB in 2012.
The EU Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, has said "consumers are fed up with being ripped off".
The new rules come at a time when users are consuming ever more data on mobiles and tablet devices. As 4G networks offer even faster download speeds, data consumption is expected to rise exponentially.

Summary: The European Parliament has voted to scrap the roaming fees charged for using a mobile phone while abroad.
###
Article: The group says about 100 Syrians have been sent back to their war-torn country every day since mid-January in breach of international law.
Amnesty says its report exposes the flaws in a recent deal between the EU and Turkey aimed at stemming the flow of refugees arriving in Greece.
Turkey has denied sending back any refugees against their will.
The Amnesty report comes just days before Turkey is expected to receive the first migrants returned from Greece under the deal with the EU. On Friday the UN called for safeguards before any migrants were returned.
The group says its research in southern Turkey suggested that authorities had been rounding up and expelling groups of about 100 Syrian men, women and children almost daily since the middle of January.
Under the "non-refoulement" principle of international humanitarian law, a state is prohibited from deporting individuals to a war zone.
Amnesty said one case involved three young children forced back into Syria without their parents, while another saw the forced return of an eight-months' pregnant woman.
It said many of those returned appeared to be unregistered refugees but it had also documented cases of registered Syrian refugees being sent back while not carrying their papers.
"The inhumanity and scale of the returns is truly shocking; Turkey should stop them immediately," said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty's director for Europe and Central Asia.
Under the EU-Turkey deal, migrants arriving illegally in Greece are expected to be sent back to Turkey from 4 April if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected.
In return, Turkey will receive aid and political concessions.
But critics of the deal say it hinges on Turkey being a safe country of asylum, which Amnesty says is clearly not the case.
"In their desperation to seal their borders, EU leaders have wilfully ignored the simplest of facts: Turkey is not a safe country for Syrian refugees and is getting less safe by the day," said Mr Dalhuisen.
"The large-scale returns of Syrian refugees we have...

Summary: Turkey has illegally forced thousands of refugees to return to Syria, a report by Amnesty International says.
###
Article: The UK government has announced measures to speed up development.
Natural Resources Minister Carl Sargeant has written to councils reminding them of the temporary ban on fracking in Wales.
He said fracking technology was "unproven", saying Welsh ministers preferred to look at renewable energy.
Fracking is a process of using high pressure water to break up rocks deep underground to release gas and pipe it to the surface.
It is a major industry in the United States, but there are concerns about safety, the environment and underground water.
There have been protests against applications for test drilling for gas in both the Vale of Glamorgan and Wrexham, as well as sites in England.
Energy Secretary Amber Rudd has stressed the UK government's support for fracking, and frustration at delays in its development.
She has told councils in England to make decisions on applications within 16 weeks, to stop the process being "dragged out for months".
In his letter to Welsh councils, Mr Sargeant said the new guidance only applied to England and that the moratorium in Wales remained in place.
"The UK government's general support for oil and gas applications is contrary to the approach of the Welsh Government of promoting renewable and low carbon forms of energy through the planning system and other measures," he said.
"We still see renewable energy as a key element in ensuring that Wales achieves sustainable development for the benefit of future generations.
"Local planning authorities must ensure that planning applications for renewable energy projects are determined within statutory timescales."
Plans to devolve control over fracking were confirmed in the Queen's Speech in June following the Conservatives' general election victory.

Summary:


The US government's new government is expected to be able to "reduce" the deal, with the new government being able to "reduce" the deal.
The new government is expected to be able to "reduce" the deal, with the new government being able to "reduce" the deal.

A new marketing body is to be set up to promote Northern Ireland's food and drinks industry, in a bid to grow the agri-food sector and create more jobs.

Article: Nisbet the eland was born at Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling to parents Limba and Bud on 6 August.
It is the first time in 25 years that an eland, the largest species of antelope, has been born at the safari park.
She has been named after Scottish international high jumper Jayne Nisbet on account of the eland's jumping skills.
Park manager Gary Gilmour said: "She is very lively, especially in the mornings.
"She was a bit of a handful when we first let her out in the main reserve, as she seems to have no fear of other antelope or even the rhinos, but mum and dad have been keeping a close eye on her and have been keeping her out of trouble.
"Although she may be a bit small just now, she still has a bit of growing to do and will grow up to 5ft (1.52) at her shoulder and can weigh up to 500kg (1102 lbs)."
While their weight makes them one of the slowest animals, elands are able to jump over an 8ft (2.43m) fence from a standstill.
The animals were once widespread across southern, central and east Africa but are now extinct in many areas.

Summary: A rare three-week-old baby antelope has made its first public appearance.
###
Article: The committee has been examining the Criminal Verdicts Bill, which would scrap not proven and increase the majority needed for jury trial convictions from eight to ten.
Most committee members backed the removal of the not proven verdict.
But they did not support increasing the jury trial conviction requirement.
The committee concluded this should be considered alongside other reforms recommended by former High Court judge Lord Bonomy.
Lord Bonomy led an expert group considering what safeguards would need to be put in place if plans to abolish the corroboration requirement in Scotland's criminal justice system went ahead.
The committee said it could not therefore back the general principles of the members' bill, which was introduced by Labour MSP Michael McMahon.
The justice committee heard evidence that there was no legal difference between a not guilty and not proven verdict.
But it was told that not proven could carry a stigma for an accused person as well as fail to provide the necessary closure for victims.
The committee also concluded that the verdict is not always well understood and can cause confusion for both jurors and the public.
Its report said: "We note views that this confusion can lead to the effective defamation of the accused where the public believes the not proven verdict implies a degree of culpability; that the accused, in colloquial terms, "got away with it".
"The committee acknowledges that a not proven verdict may have social and indeed employment consequences that a not guilty verdict does not."
Committee convener Christine Grahame said the bill had "shone a light on the ambiguities of the not proven verdict and raised serious questions as to whether the verdict serves any useful purpose."
She added: "Not proven is often deeply unsatisfactory for victims and no better for those acquitted on it.
"Like most members of the committee, I believe the not proven verdict is on borrowed time.
"But changes to majority verdict requirement raise complex questions that should be considered...

Summary: Scotland's not proven verdict is on "borrowed time" and may not serve any useful purpose, Holyrood's justice committee has concluded.
###
Article: Twelve of the 27 committee chairmen have already been elected unopposed.
But MPs standing for the remaining positions faced a secret ballot of colleagues on Wednesday, with the outcome to be announced on the floor of the Commons at 10:30 BST.
The roles have been divided up between the political parties based on the results of the general election.
Chairmen are elected using an "alternative vote" system, under which MPs rank their favourites in order of preference, with the first to get more than 50% of votes going through.
Some, like Public Accounts and Backbench Business, are reserved to the Opposition, but the rest are parcelled out in proportion to the parties' strength.
With the Conservatives now running a majority government, they take on the chairmanship of the Justice Committee, previously held by Lib Dem veteran Sir Alan Beith.
Meanwhile, the SNP - which is now the third largest party in the Commons - has been handed the Scottish Affairs and Energy and Climate Change.
Committee chairmen receive extra pay on top of their MP's salaries for doing the job.
Here is the list of the committee chairmen who have been re-elected unopposed:

Summary: Results of the elections for House of Commons select committee chairmen are to be announced shortly.
###
Article: Democrats are said to have offered to extend tax cuts on couples earning up to $450,000 (£277,000). But divisions remain over spending cuts.
At a news conference, President Barack Obama said a deal was "within sight" but not yet done.
Failure to reach agreement by 1 January could push the US back into recession.
Any deal needs to pass the 100-member Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, before heading to the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold the majority.
By Mark MardellNorth America editor
Mitch McConnell, leader of the the Senate's Republican minority, and Vice-President Joe Biden held "good" talks late into Sunday evening, a spokesman for Mr McConnell said.
Agreeing to a $450,000 threshold ($400,000 for couples) would be a notable compromise by Democrats, analysts say.
The party previously only wanted tax rate extensions for earnings under $200,000 (£123,000) for individuals and $250,000 (£154,000) for couples.
But after weeks of increasingly desperate horse trading and public pronouncements, the "contours" of a deal were said to be emerging just hours before the midnight deadline.
Inheritance tax rates and the continuation of unemployment benefits were also part of the deal-making, reports said, but disagreements remained over how to deal with the automatic spending cuts due to kick in on 1 January.
The two parties have been fighting for months over how to deal with the combination of automatic spending cuts and the expiration of Bush-era tax reductions at the new year.
Without an agreement, higher taxes will rise for virtually every working American and across-the-board cuts in government spending will kick in from Tuesday.
What if the US goes over the cliff?
Will the fiscal cliff affect you?
Q&A: The US fiscal cliff
Why is it called a 'fiscal cliff'?
Analysts say this could significantly reduce consumer spending, leading the US economy to fall off the "fiscal cliff".
If no agreement is reached on Monday, senators are expected to be given the chance to vote on a fallback plan proposed...

Summary: US politicians seeking a deal to avoid steep tax rises and spending cuts known as the "fiscal cliff" are edging towards agreement, reports say.
###
Article: The move was announced by Stormont's Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) Minister Arlene Foster.
She said Northern Ireland's agri-food industry was "hugely important", with almost 100,000 jobs including farming, fishing, retail and distribution.
The marketing body will be developed by the Agri-Food Strategy Board (AFSB).
Ms Foster said: "The establishment of a new industry-led agri-food marketing body, which would be similar to the already successful Scotland Food and Drink, will provide a significant and exciting opportunity for the Northern Ireland agri-food industry to work together for the benefit of the entire sector.
"This body will play a pivotal role in providing strategic leadership and direction for the marketing activities of both government and private sector organisations."
Stormont's Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill welcomed the announcement.
"Agri-food is one of the key sectors in delivering export-led economic growth for the north," she said.
She said industry representatives had made it clear that there was "a need for better coordination of current marketing activities" in Northern Ireland.
However, Ms O'Neill added that while the new body was "clearly a positive step", the plans could have "implications for the work of other organisations", including her own department.
She said she looked forward to discussing the plans with AFSB.

Summary:


The launch of Channel 5's latest series of Celebrity Big Brother was watched by an average 2.3 million viewers.

Article: The ban came in a notice issued by the People's Bank of China, financial watchdogs and the nation's IT ministry.
Bitcoins were a "virtual good", had no legal status and should not be used as a currency, it said.
The decision comes after bitcoins' rapid rise in value was called a "bubble" by Alan Greenspan, former US Federal Reserve chairman.
Bitcoin is often referred to as a new kind of currency.
But it may be best to think of its units being virtual tokens rather than physical coins or notes.
However, like all currencies its value is determined by how much people are willing to exchange it for.
To process Bitcoin transactions, a procedure called "mining" must take place, which involves a computer solving a difficult mathematical problem with a 64-digit solution.
For each problem solved, one block of bitcoins is processed. In addition the miner is rewarded with new bitcoins.
This provides an incentive for people to provide computer processing power to solve the problems.
To compensate for the growing power of computer chips, the difficulty of the puzzles is adjusted to ensure a steady stream of about 3,600 new bitcoins a day.
There are currently about 11 million bitcoins in existence.
To receive a bitcoin a user must have a Bitcoin address - a string of 27-34 letters and numbers - which acts as a kind of virtual postbox to and from which the bitcoins are sent.
Since there is no registry of these addresses, people can use them to protect their anonymity when making a transaction.
These addresses are in turn stored in Bitcoin wallets which are used to manage savings.
They operate like privately run bank accounts - with the proviso that if the data is lost, so are the bitcoins owned.
The ban was imposed because bitcoins were not backed by any nation or central authority, said the notice.
It added that it was planning to step up its efforts to curb the use of bitcoins to launder cash.
Individuals were still free to trade in bitcoins but should be aware of the risks involved, said the People's Bank of China...

Summary: China has banned its banks from handling transactions involving the Bitcoin virtual currency.
###
Article: The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has extended the period in which athletes who test positive may not be punished.
Those found to have low levels of meldonium in tests before 30 September can now be cleared.
Studies have shown the drug takes longer to be cleared from the system than previously thought.
Athletes who test positive in the new period will be cleared via a "no-fault finding" if less than one microgram per millilitre is detected.
Meldonium was added to Wada's list of banned substances in January 2016.
A study in March said up to 490 athletes may have taken meldonium at the 2015 European Games in Baku.
The new guidelines do not apply to Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova, who is appealing against a two-year suspension after admitting taking the drug after 1 January.
Meldonium increases blood flow and is typically used to treat heart conditions.

Summary: Athletes who test positive for banned substance meldonium after next month's Olympic Games in Rio may not face sanctions, under new guidelines.
###
Article: The cost of energy on the wholesale market tumbled to Â£36.76 per megawatt hour on the Power Index, compiled by market information provider ICIS.
The causes were a mild winter and lower global commodity prices, ICIS said.
Pressure is mounting on the UK's big six energy suppliers to cut their prices in line with falling costs.
Amber Rudd, who took over as energy secretary after last year's general election, wrote to the big six soon afterwards to question them about whether their prices were reflecting the wholesale market.
But the energy firms have said they are operating in a highly competitive environment.
British Gas cut its gas prices by 5% in August, but the other five big firms did not follow suit.
Northern Ireland's second-largest electricity supplier, SSE Airtricity, announced last week that it was cutting prices by 1.3%.
Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: "It's extremely disappointing millions of us are still paying way over the odds for our energy. Consumers will rightly ask why their bills haven't been cut dramatically when wholesale costs have dropped.
"The government needs to protect vulnerable customers from being ripped off and make people feel confident about switching supplier."
The research by ICIS said that as well as milder winter temperatures, an oversupply of gas in the wholesale market was also pushing prices lower.
"More gas from around the world in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is expected to come to the UK, as more production capacity comes on-stream in 2016," the firm said.
Zoe Double, head of power at ICIS, added: "Current market prices for delivery two to three years ahead show that participants expect UK wholesale energy prices to remain low."
However, she said electricity prices had fallen less than gas because there was "less spare supply capacity".
The wholesale price for gas fell by 34% over 2015, while the price for electricity fell by 23%.
ICIS said the continuing pressure on wholesale prices gave firms little incentive to invest in further infrastructure.

Summary: Wholesale gas and electricity prices in the UK hit a five-year low at the end of 2015, according to latest research by energy market analysts.
###
Article: The years-long debt crisis has restricted Argentina's access to international credit markets and made doing business in the country difficult.
Argentina defaulted on a $100bn (Â£71bn) loan in 2001.
The deal is with creditors in New York.
The repayment package was finally approved by the Senate after a 12-hour debate on Wednesday.
President Macri had warned lawmakers that a "no" vote would condemn Argentina to remain a "financial pariah" shunned by global credit markets. Argentina now only has until 14 April to pay the holdouts.
Argentina's neighbours are able to borrow with interest rates of about 5%. However, Argentina has been forced to pay at least double, leaving it short of much-needed financial help.
Wednesday's "yes" vote is a victory for President Macri, who struck the debt deal after his election win in November. The debt crisis was a central part of his presidential campaign.
Analysis; Daniel Gallas, South America business correspondent
Mauricio Macri did his "homework" as promised and got Congress to meet one of the conditions for Argentina to clear its name internationally and get back to issuing bond.
Now comes the expensive part: paying out its debt.
Macri has promised the country will start paying it on 14 April, despite some reports that Argentina might want to delay the beginning of payment.
The country is not issuing bonds yet, so it is in a weak financial position.
The government is in a hurry to raise $12bn, so it can stop printing money to pay off its internal debts and stop inflation from inflicting even more pain on the economy.
However, some in the country were against the repayment package and groups protested while the deal was being deliberated.
The previous government of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner refused to negotiate with the holdouts, whom it called "vulture funds".
Sen Anabel Fernandez, a member of a youth movement called La Campora, said: "They want to sell us a crisis so we buy an expensive debt on bad terms."
"This is taking us straight to hell," the senator...

Summary: Argentina's President Mauricio Macri has won approval for a repayment deal which should put an end to the country's 15-year battle with holdout creditors.
###
Article: That was half a million fewer than the audience for the launch of the previous series in January this year.
Yet the ratings were up on the launch of last summer's show, which debuted in August 2015 with a 2.2 million average.
Christopher Biggins, former glamour model Sam Fox and ex-EastEnders actor Ricky Norwood are among the latest edition's 15 celebrity housemates.
Others include reality show personalities Saira Khan, Marnie Simpson and Katie Waissel, from The Apprentice, Geordie Shore and The X Factor respectively.
Celebrity Big Brother was beaten in its 21:00 BST timeslot on Thursday by both Hugh's War on Waste on BBC One and The Investigator: A British Crime Story on ITV.
The former attracted an average audience of 3.6 million, while the latter drew an average viewership of 2.5 million.
Celebrity Big Brother's peak audience came around the 22:00 mark, when 2.5 million viewers were watching the show.
The ratings are only provisional overnight figures - final numbers including viewers who recorded programmes and watched them later will be released in seven days.
All figures mentioned include +1 timeshift viewing.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary:


Whole brain radiotherapy is of no benefit to people with lung cancer which has spread to the brain, says research in the Lancet.

Article: Those with the genes were 13 times more likely to have a history of repeated violent behaviour.
The authors of the study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, said at least 5-10% of all violent crime in Finland could be attributed to individuals with these genotypes.
But they stressed the genes could not be used to screen criminals.
Many more genes may be involved in violent behaviour and environmental factors are also known to have a fundamental role.
Even if an individual has a "high-risk combination" of these genes the majority will never commit a crime, the lead author of the work Jari Tiihonen of the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden said.
"Committing a severe, violent crime is extremely rare in the general population. So even though the relative risk would be increased, the absolute risk is very low," he told the BBC.
The study, which involved analysis of almost 900 criminals, is the first to have looked at the genetic make-up of so many violent criminals in this way.
Each criminal was given a profile based on their offences, categorising them into violent or non-violent. The association between genes and previous behaviour was strongest for the 78 who fitted the "extremely violent offender" profile.
This group had committed a total of 1,154 murders, manslaughters, attempted homicides or batteries. A replication group of 114 criminals had all committed at least one murder.
These all carried a low-activity version of the MAOA gene, which previous research has dubbed the "warrior gene" because of its link to aggressive behaviour.
A deficiency of the enzyme this controls could result in "dopamine hyperactivity" especially when an individual drinks alcohol or takes drugs such as amphetamines, said Prof Tiihonen. The majority of all individuals who commit severe violent crime in Finland do so under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
For now, a person's genetic information should not have any influence on conviction outcomes in criminal courts, Prof Tiihonen added.
"There are many things which can...

Summary: A genetic analysis of almost 900 offenders in Finland has revealed two genes associated with violent crime.
###
Article: The company will raise standard tariff electricity prices by 10.8% from 31 March, while gas prices will increase by 4.7%.
It means a typical dual fuel annual bill will rise by an average of 7.8%, or Â£86.
Scottish Power said in a statement that about a third of its customers - or about 1.1 million homes - would be affected by the increases.
It attributed the move in part to rises in energy wholesale markets and compulsory non-energy costs, including the upgrade to smart meters.
Scottish Power's announcement came as British Gas said it would extend a price freeze for its customers on its standard energy tariff until August.
Last month, Npower faced a backlash after it said it would raise standard tariff electricity prices by 15% from 16 March, and gas prices by 4.8%.
Scottish Power's UK retail director, Colin McNeill, said: "This increase will apply to one in three of our customers, and we continue to work hard to move even more customers to our fixed price deals.
"We will be writing to all those affected, outlining the changes and encouraging more loyal customers to move to a deal that best suits them.
"This price change follows months of cost increases that have already led to significant rises in fixed price products that now unfortunately have to be reflected in standard prices."

Summary: Scottish Power has announced a sharp increase in energy prices.
###
Article: They include the names of Scots crewmen of the Titanic, such as Dalbeattie-born First Officer William M Murdoch.
The records also list those who lost their lives in war-time on HMS Hood, SS Athenia and RMS Lancastria.
More than 14,000 records have been made available by National Records of Scotland (NRS) through the ScotlandsPeople website.
Returns of Deaths at Sea for the years 1902-1905 have also been released, adding to records going back to 1855.
These records list Scottish seamen, including many fishermen who drowned in Scottish waters, emigrants who did not reach their hoped-for destination and those who served in the Royal Navy.
The documents contain hundreds of entries for Scottish sailors, engineers and other crewmen who died in every corner of the world, whether at sea, or in foreign ports or hospitals.
Culture and External Affairs Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, has welcomed the new resource.
She said: "Scotland is a maritime nation with fascinating stories and an important seafaring history and these new online registers will provide wider access to this heritage."
Tim Ellis, registrar general and keeper of the Records of Scotland, said: "The Returns of Deaths of Seamen and Deaths at Sea open a window into the lives of Scots seafarers in the first half of the 20th Century.
"They reveal the dangers experienced by seamen and passengers alike, and provide useful information for anyone wishing to discover more about their ancestors."

Summary: Recorded deaths of Scottish seafarers from the late Victorian times up to 1974 have been made available online.
###
Article: Mothers treated with valproate for epilepsy were up to four times likelier to give birth to a malformed child, the preliminary study found.
Introduced in France in 1967, valproate is prescribed widely worldwide.
Doctors in France are now advised not to give it to girls, women of childbearing age and pregnant women.
The drug's manufacturer, Sanofi, responded in a statement that it had been "totally transparent with health authorities".
"We are aware of the painful situation confronting the families of children showing difficulties that may have a link with the anti-epileptic treatment of their mother during pregnancy," it said.
Some of those affected say France and the company were too slow to warn of side-effects.
The risk of birth defects associated with valproate, marketed as Epilim, Depakine, Depakote and Stavzor among other names, has been known since the 1980s, especially for spina bifida.
In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) issued an alert earlier this month saying valproate should only be given to girls and women of childbearing age under specialist supervision and only when other medications had been found not to work.
Valproate - prescribed in France, the UK and many other countries - now carries a clear warning : serious risk of birth defects.
In France, it turns out that it took far too long for this danger to become apparent. The drug was first introduced here in 1967. By the early 1980s, there were fears that the drug might be a factor in birth defects, including spina bifida, but prescription rules were only finally tightened in 2014.
France is now working out the damage caused during this long period. Families of children with birth defects want to know why it took so long for this country's authorities to identify the serious risks associated with taking the drug during pregnancy.
According to the new report (in French) by France's National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM), between 2,150 and 4,100 children suffered severe malformations linked to the drug.
"The study confirms...

Summary: A drug given to pregnant women for epilepsy and bipolar disorder caused "serious malformations" in up to 4,100 children, a French study suggests.
###
Article: A trial of more than 500 patients found that it did not prolong or improve their quality of life any more than other forms of treatment.
More than 45,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year in the UK.
In a third of cases, the cancer will spread to the brain.
Secondary brain tumours are usually treated with whole brain radiotherapy along with steroids and other treatments to reduce the side-effects of cancer therapies.
But it can have serious side-effects, such as nausea and extreme tiredness, and cause damage to the nervous system.
This study, involving doctors, researchers and patients from hospitals right across the UK, found that there was no improvement in the quality of life of patients after one week of whole brain radiotherapy.
These patients tend to already have a poor prognosis.
Dr Paula Mulvenna, consultant clinical oncologist with Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said whole brain radiotherapy was used because it was thought to control tumours.
"But in our lung cancer clinics, we were not seeing the improvements we had hoped for in our patients.
"Survival times are poor and have hardly changed since the 1980s.
"What's more, the technique's toxicity can be substantial and it can damage cognitive function."
According to Prof Ruth Langley, from the Medical Research Council clinical trials unit at University College London, radiosurgery - a very precise form of radiotherapy - is a favoured alternative technique, which has minimal side-effects.
But some scientists say there may still be a place for whole brain radiotherapy.
Writing in a linked comment in the Lancet, Dr Cecile le Pechoux from Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus in France said: "We believe that optimised whole brain radiotherapy, given at the right time to appropriate patients, could lead to more individualised strategies."
They said all treatments should be discussed with patients, taking into account the result of this trial.

Summary:


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has opened a Holocaust exhibition at the Auschwitz Nazi death camp site in southern Poland.

Article: The party argues that a charge could lead to two billion fewer cups being used every year.
The Lib Dems have pointed to the impact of a 5p charge on plastic bags, which has led to a big reduction in use.
And they announced that delegates at the party's annual conference will pay a 5p charge on disposable cups.
"Throwaway cups are a threat to wildlife and the environment and it's high time the government stepped in to reduce the amount of waste created each year," said Lib Dem leader Tim Farron.
"I want to see a culture shift towards bringing your own cup for a refill, rather than buying cups which are often non-recyclable and then throwing them away."
Since October 2015, shoppers in England have been charged 5p for every new plastic bag they use at large stores.
The charge applies only to shops or chains with 250 or more full-time employees, with the proceeds donated to charities and other causes.
In July 2016 the government estimated the charge would result in six billion fewer plastic bags being used during the year and Â£29m had been raised.
Wales introduced a levy in 2011, followed by Northern Ireland in 2013 and Scotland in 2014. They saw reductions in bag use of 76%, 71% and 80%, respectively, in the first year after the fee was established.
The Lib Dems said 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups were used each day and fewer than one in 400 were recycled.
The party has not said whether its proposed charge would apply just to larger businesses, in line with the carrier bag charge, or to all businesses, but it is not waiting for a change in the law to impose a 5p charge on disposable cups used at its annual conference in September.

Summary: The Liberal Democrats have called for the introduction of a 5p charge on disposable coffee cups to cut usage across the UK.
###
Article: North Devon has the longest average distances between public charging points, according to Department for Transport statistics.
The RAC said there was "some way to go" before users would be cured of "range anxiety".
The average distance between charging points in England was 3.8 miles (6km).
It compares with an average distance between petrol and diesel filling stations of one mile.
In North Devon, the average distance between public charging points can be between 18 and 47 miles. Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria has average distances of up to 37 miles (60km).
The RAC says the furthest distance between petrol stations in the UK is 19 miles, for drivers in Applecross, West Scotland.
However, electric car drivers in Southwark, London, will find a public charging point every 97m (106 yds). There are parts of Manchester and Newcastle-upon-Tyne where the average distance to a charge point is only 193m (211 yds).
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 17,000 hybrid and electric cars left UK showrooms in March 2016, compared with 1,354 in the same month in 2006.
Go Ultra Low, the joint government and car industry campaign to get drivers to switch to electric vehicles, said year-on-year sales were up 23%, with more than 115 electric cars registered every day in the first quarter of 2016, equivalent to one every 13 minutes.
3,904
UK public charging point locations
8,500
UK filling stations
1 mile  average distance between filling stations
3.8 miles average distance between charging points
106.41p Price per litre for unleaded petrol
96p Typical cost of charging an electric car
RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: "It should be remembered that one of the big benefits of electric vehicles is the ability for motorists to charge up before they leave home.
"But once they've left, they currently rely on charging points on major roads and in city centres as it is along these roads where the greatest investment in charging infrastructure has so far taken place.
"Coverage away from major roads is still patchy,...

Summary: Wide variations remain in the average distance between electric car charge points, with some drivers facing distances of up to 47 miles (76km).
###
Article: Annual revenue at the luxury carmaker, which is owned by India's Tata Motors, rose 12.8% to £21.87bn.
Jaguar Land Rover had a tough start to the year, which was offset by the previous nine months.
While its sales were up 8.9% in the first three months of 2015, pre-tax profit dropped 31.3% as foreign currency costs weighed on its margins.
Jaguar Land Rover sold 470,523 vehicles to wholesale buyers and made 462,209 retail vehicle sales.
"Jaguar Land Rover has delivered five years of solid financial results, enabling us to invest in our long-term future," said Jaguar Land Rover's chief executive Ralf Speth.
It spent £3.15bn over the year on capital expenditure and research and development.
Rising annual profits at Jaguar Land Rover scaled back losses in other parts of its parent company, Tata Motors.
Pre-tax losses at Tata's standalone unit, which mostly comprises its Indian business, widened to 39.7bn rupees in the year to the end of March from 10bn rupees the year before.
Tata Motors reported a 15% rise in pre-tax profit for the year to the end of March. It made 217bn rupees (£2.2bn), compared with 188.7bn rupees in the previous year.
A 76bn-rupee tax charge eroded Tata Motors' net annual profit by 0.3% to 140bn rupees.

Summary: Jaguar Land Rover has posted a pre-tax profit of £2.61bn, up 4.5% on the previous year.
###
Article: A typical budget washing machine is weighted by 25kg of concrete to stop it moving while on a spin cycle.
The new invention is a sealable plastic container that is filled with water - but only once the machine is in place.
The team at Nottingham Trent University says the change makes machines easier - and cheaper - to transport.
By replacing the concrete with empty containers, the weight of the machine is cut by a third.
If the change became standard, it would cut the weight of trucks carrying the machines which would in turn cut emissions.
The research suggests that with around 3.5 million washing machines sold annually in the UK, the new device could save around 44,625 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
The idea was devised by product design company Tochi Tech Ltd, which works with the university to find innovative solutions to manufacturing common appliances.
It was tested by an undergraduate on a project, Dylan Knight, 22.
He told BBC News: "Everyone thinks the idea must have been thought of before. No one can really believe it. But I promise you it definitely works."
Mr Knight said the average cheaper washing machine has two concrete blocks - one under the drum at the front and one on top.
For the test, he replaced the one on top with a water-filled container as proof of concept.
As concrete is denser than water, the containers need to be bigger than the blocks, to make up the weight difference.
The firm is in discussions with manufacturers, who will want to ensure there is no downside to this ingenious re-think of a familiar product - and maybe to ask why no-one thought of it before.
Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning

Summary: A simple device to cut the weight of washing machines could save fuel, cut carbon emissions, and reduce back injuries, according to researchers.
###
Article: The display in Block 27 places the former camp in the broader context of Nazi Germany's systematic attempt to wipe out Europe's Jewish population.
It is being overseen by Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust institute.
Earlier in Warsaw, Mr Netanyahu accused Iran, one of Israel's strongest foes, of planning a new Holocaust.
By Adam EastonBBC News, Warsaw
The new permanent Shoah exhibition has replaced the dilapidated one that was installed in 1960s communist-era Poland.
It is an impressive, powerful exhibition. Upon entering a darkened room a prayer can be heard. The next room displays a panorama of slides and video of pre-war Jewish life in Europe. One room is devoted to Nazi ideology, showing video of speeches by Hitler and Goebbels. A map points out the numerous Jewish extermination sites across Europe. One of the most moving displays highlights the 1.5 million Jewish children murdered by the Nazis. An art installation reproduces their pencil drawings made during the Holocaust on stark white walls.
There is also a Book of Names, running to 58 volumes, which aims to list all the names of the six million Holocaust victims. Finally, there is a room for visitors to sit and reflect upon the horrors they have just seen.
On Thursday, he was taken around the exhibition at the former camp before making a speech at the opening ceremony, Yad Vashem reported on its Twitter account.
The original Jewish exhibition at Auschwitz dated back to the 1960s and had fallen into neglect, prompting the Israeli government to decide recently on a revamp.
An estimated one million Jews, together with some 100,000 people of other ethnicities and backgrounds, died in Auschwitz and the adjacent Birkenau camp, in gas chambers or from starvation, disease and forced labour.
The new display features:
Mr Netanyahu used a visit to the Polish capital on Wednesday to warn that Iran was now a major threat to the Jews.
Iranians are going to the polls on Friday to elect a new president, with the hard-line incumbent, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, not eligible for...

Summary: