The US-led coalition has been trying to secure the US-led coalition air strikes in Syria, but the US-led coalition has been unable to secure the US-led coalition air strikes in Syria.

Steve Smith will become Australia's Test captain after the Ashes following Michael Clarke's decision to retire at the end of the series.

Article: The ministry said an air strike may have killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and up to 330 other fighters on 28 May.
It said the raid had targeted a meeting of the IS military council in the group's de-facto capital of Raqqa, in northern Syria.
There have been a number of previous reports of Baghdadi's death.
This is the first time, however, that Russia has said it may have killed the IS leader. Other media reports have previously claimed he had been killed or critically injured by US-led coalition air strikes.
A statement by Russia's defence ministry published by the state-funded Sputnik news agency said 30 IS commanders and up to 300 soldiers were at the Raqqa meeting.
"According to information that is checked through various channels, IS leader Ibrahim Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed as a result of the strike, was also present at the meeting," it added.
Colonel John Dorrian, a spokesman for the US-led coalition, said the US could not confirm whether Baghdadi had been killed.
There has been no official comment from Syria's government.
Islamic State group: The full story
Life under IS: A Raqqa diary
Baghdadi's whereabouts have been unknown for some time, although he was believed to be in Mosul in Iraq before a US-led coalition began an effort to reclaim the city in October 2016.
Reuters reported that he was recently believed to have been "hiding in thousands of square miles of desert" rather than living in either Mosul or Raqqa.
His only public appearance since IS declared the creation of a caliphate in June 2014 was in a video days later, showing him delivering a sermon in Mosul after IS took control of the city.
Since then, the group has lost considerable amounts of territory and has been under pressure from air strikes by Russian-led forces and by the US and its allies.
In March, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that "nearly all" of Baghdadi's deputies had been killed.
"It is only a matter of time before Baghdadi himself meets this same fate," he added.
Baghdadi - thought to be a nom de guerre rather...

Summary: Russia's defence ministry is investigating whether one of its air strikes in Syria killed the leader of the Islamic State militant group (IS).
###
Article: In January, their fighters grabbed world attention when they drove IS out of Kobane, another border town further east.
Now, the YPG, working with some Free Syrian Army-aligned rebels, and backed by US-led coalition air strikes, have taken control of Tal Abyad, with its ethnically mixed population, that had been held by IS since last year.
The YPG's victory in Kobane was symbolically significant, but Tal Abyad offers far more strategic value.
Long-term control of Tal Abyad would further the YPG's goal of connecting the non-contiguous zones of territory it holds across northern Syria, which it organises into three "cantons": Afrin (north-west of Aleppo); Kobane (west of Tal Abyad); and al-Jazira (north-east Hasakeh province).
If the YPG is able to hold Tal Abyad and use it to connect Kobane to al-Jazira, it will increase its strategic value to the US-led anti-IS coalition and will empower its self-governance structures in predominately Kurdish north-eastern Syria.
Tal Abyad is important to the anti-IS coalition because the town has long served as a key IS supply route, and a crossing point for foreign fighters seeking to join IS in Raqqa, the group's de facto capital.
There are few organised, trained and willing forces in Syria that the anti-IS coalition can rely on as a ground partner in its campaign in Syria.
Moreover, Turkey has been reluctant to fully co-operate with the coalition, instead tolerating a porous border with Syria that has, in the words of one US official, created a "permissive environment" for jihadists.
While Tal Abyad has been under firm IS control, for instance, Turkey has continued to allow some supplies to cross in from the Turkish border town of Akcakale, including sacks of fertiliser that contain ammonium nitrate used by IS to build explosives.
Turkey's vacillation stems in part from its prioritisation of toppling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over fighting IS, and in part from its fear of the YPG. It views the latter as equivalent to the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), which it...

Summary: The capture of the strategic northern border town of Tal Abyad from Islamic State (IS) is the latest in a string of gains by the dominant Kurdish militia in Syria, the YPG, and its political branch, the PYD, across the north of the country since 2011.
###
Article: Smith, 26, already leads the one-day side and will also captain the Twenty20 team in the absence of the injured Aaron Finch.
Fellow batsman David Warner, 28, has been named as Smith's vice-captain.
"At 26, Steve is a fine young man with extraordinary talent," said national selector Rod Marsh.
"He is highly regarded by the selectors and we congratulate him on being appointed to the role on an ongoing basis. He should be incredibly proud."
Clarke, 34, confirmed his decision to retire after his side surrendered the Ashes with a heavy defeat by England at Trent Bridge, which gave the hosts a 3-1 lead.
Smith had already captained the side in three Tests against India last summer, when Clarke was recovering from hamstring surgery and back issues.
The New South Welshman has played in 32 Tests for his country, scoring 2,952 runs at an average of 54.66.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"When Michael made his decision to retire last week it was a very straightforward decision for us to nominate Steve as his successor," added Marsh.
"He has big shoes to fill but everything about him suggests he is the right man for the job."
Warner has earned the vice-captain's role despite a history of disciplinary problems, and Marsh said of the opener: "David has matured and developed into an important senior figure in the Australian team. He has come a long way.
"We believe that he will respond well to the added responsibility of leadership."
Smith and Warner will lead Australia in the limited-overs matches that follow the final Ashes Test at the Oval, which starts on 20 August.

Summary:


The UK's largest pollster has been in the UK since the early 1990s.
The pollster said it was aware of incidents, but no offences had been reported.
The pollster said it was aware of incidents, but no offences had been reported.
The pollster said it was aware of incidents,

Sightings of "creepy clowns" have been reported across Wales, with police warning people they could be arrested for scaring others.

Article: He stays in charge of the second largest party in the UK Parliament, after he won almost 62% of the vote to beat rival Owen Smith.
Mr Corbyn became Labour leader in September 2015 but faced a challenge this year from many of his own Labour Members of Parliament.
They didn't think he was doing a good enough job.
But 313,209 members of the Labour party disagreed with those MPs, and decided that Jeremy Corbyn should carry on as leader.
Jeremy Corbyn's been MP for Islington North in London since 1983.
He's a vegetarian, makes his own jam and has won parliamentary beard of the year five times.
Mr Corbyn argued for the UK to stay in the a club of countries called the European Union, but was criticised by many but was criticised by many MPs in the Labour Party.
They said he was not enthusiastic enough about the EU during the referendum vote.
He wants to spend money to boost the UK's economy and get people working.
Jeremy would aim to build one million new homes over five years and said he wants to create two million new skilled jobs.

Summary: Jeremy Corbyn has been re-elected as the leader of the Labour Party.
###
Article: UK researchers say more trees and other vegetation at street level would clean air in areas that are normally exposed to higher pollution levels.
Plants in towns and cities have been shown to remove nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM), both of which are harmful to human health.
The findings
          appear in the journal Environmental Science and Technology
.
"Up until now, every initiative around reducing pollution has taken a top-down approach, [such as] scrapping old cars, adding catalytic converters, bringing in the congestion charge - some of which have not had the desired effect," said co-author Rob MacKenzie from the University of Birmingham.
"The benefit of green walls is that they clean up the air coming into and staying in the street canyon," Prof MacKenzie observed.
"Planting more [green walls] in a strategic way could be a relatively easy way to take control of our local pollution problems."
Street canyons refer to the effect created by high buildings lining a street, preventing much of the pollution escaping.
Previous studies have shown that greening urban spaces can cut pollution, but only by about 5%. This study suggests that strategic placement of vegetation in street canyons can cut air pollution by up to 30%.
Green walls, consisting of climbing plants such as ivy, built on billboard-like structures could act as air pollution filters, the team said.
Nicola Cheetham, head of environment (surface transport) for Transport for London (TfL), welcomed the findings.
"Our own research, conducted by Imperial College London, shows the ability of different plants to trap particulate matter," she said.
Ms Cheetham added that TfL had just installed its second green wall in the capital to help mitigate the pollution associated with heavy flows of urban traffic.
The team reached their findings about the effectiveness of green walls by using a computer model that showed the effect of street canyons trapping air at street level and the accumulation of pollution.
The model also showed that...

Summary: The creation of "green walls" in urban areas could cut pollution by up to 30%, scientists have suggested.
###
Article: Complaints have been made across the UK about the fad, which sees people dress up in order to frighten passers-by.
Dyfed-Powys Police received about 30 reports over the weekend and North Wales Police said it was aware of incidents.
Gwent Police had 18 reports, including clowns "peering through windows".
South Wales Police put out a warning at the weekend after receiving complaints about people dressed as clowns "frightening others intentionally".
Chf Insp Paul Staniforth of Gwent Police said: "Some of the reports have included, clowns running through gardens and peering through windows, lurking around shopping centres, parks and schools and jumping from trees.
"Fortunately, to date, we've had no reports of anyone being harmed during these reports."
He said people could be arrested for a public order offence - causing harassment, alarm or distress.
The culprits are said to be following a trend that started in the US.
Sgt Rhys Williams of Dyfed-Powys Police said while dressing up was not a criminal offence, "deliberately scaring someone, causing harassment, alarm or distress could lead to arrest".
Officers were looking into some of the reports, but no arrests have been made.
Sgt Williams added: "Please be mindful that what seems like a bit of fun to you, could not be seen the same way by those on the receiving end of this prank.
"There is also the possibility that you could attempt to scare the wrong person and they could retaliate.
"Anyone who commits a criminal offence should be aware that dressing as a clown does not make them exempt from being investigated and dealt with through the Criminal Justice System."
North Wales Police said officers were aware of incidents, but no offences had been reported.

Summary:

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The government has been trying to reduce the number of people living in the UK from 1,000 to 1,000 in the last year.
The government has also been trying to reduce the number of people living in the UK from 1,000 to 1,000 in the last year.
The government has also been

Water experts are calling on ministers to show greater leadership on flooding.

Article: It comes after community group Energise Galashiels claimed the move would have "significant advantages".
Scottish Borders Council had initially selected the Tweedbank terminus of the Borders Railway but an alternative site in Galashiels has since emerged.
Mr Kerr, an SNP MP, said the newer option could have a greater impact.
"It's clear that the presence of such a remarkable attraction in the heart of Galashiels could be transformative for the town centre, which is still struggling to recover from long term economic challenges in the retail sector," he said.
"Although the greenfield site at Tweedbank may appear to be the more straight-forward option, I don't think it offers comparable economic benefits.
"On the other hand, a site in the heart of Galashiels could kick off a new phase of town centre regeneration."
The MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk has written to Scotland's Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, to express his support for the move.
Energise Galashiels said it could provide a "major boost" for the town but also offer "greater benefits" to the region as a whole.
It said the potential visitor market on both sites was exactly the same.
The group said Galashiels had a wide choice of retail offerings and was the "prime hub" for transport in the region.
It added that putting the tapestry in the town would help its overall commercial viability.
"In the absence of a major intervention, it is doubtful that 'retail trading' will ever resolve the current level of vacancies," it said.
"Having the Great Tapestry of Scotland's home in Galashiels town centre will be an investment which will provide a massive boost to the existing efforts being made to regenerate the 'old town centre'."
The organisation said there were already a number of other projects ongoing in the town which could also boost visitor numbers to the tapestry.
"Energise Galashiels believe that securing the Great Tapestry of Scotland in a town centre location will act as a catalyst for other projects and initiatives which offer the...

Summary: Borders MP Calum Kerr has given his backing to Galashiels as the best place for a permanent home for the Great Tapestry of Scotland.
###
Article: All chickens at the wholesale market where the positive test took place were to be destroyed, the government said.
The government has also banned the import of live chickens from the mainland for three weeks.
H7N9 made the jump from infecting domestic chickens and ducks to infecting people in early 2013.
In mainland China, where most of the recent cases have been, state media said live poultry trading had been halted in three cities in Zhejiang province, where 12 people have died from H7N9 this month.
Shanghai would also halt live poultry trading from 31 January for three months, state media said.
The measures come as China prepares to celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday, with hundreds of millions of people travelling across the country to spend time with relatives.
Sales of live chickens traditionally rise ahead of the holiday period.
According to the World Health Organisation, cases of human H7N9 infection have been reported so far in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The virus emerged in humans in early 2013. To date there have been more than 200 cases, with more than 50 deaths.
Most of those infected reported contact with live poultry, and information so far did not support sustained human-to-human transmission, the WHO said.
Hong Kong's Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man said in a statement that Cheung Sha Wan market - the territory's only wholesale poultry market - would be closed for 21 days for disinfection.
Local farms would also suspend sending chickens to the wholesale market.
Officials would "inspect all the local chicken farms and collect more samples for testing to ensure that local farms are not affected by H7 avian influenza", he said.
Television footage showed officials in protective suits putting chickens into bins pumped with carbon dioxide to cull them.
The operation was expected to take around 10 hours, and the dead chicken would be taken to a landfill, a spokesman from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department told AFP news agency.
This is Hong Kong's first mass cull of...

Summary: Hong Kong has begun culling 20,000 chickens after the H7N9 bird flu virus was found in poultry imported from mainland China.
###
Article: They say the government is failing to promote back-to-nature schemes which protect lowland homes by deliberately creating floods in the hills.
The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) say upland schemes to slow river flow cost a fraction of conventional flood walls – and should be spread round the UK.
Ministers back the principle but say the details need to be worked out.
The idea of creating floods upstream to prevent floods downstream was a key message from the Pitt Review into the 2007 floods.
A handful of pilot projects have pioneered cheap small-scale measures like felling trees into streams to slow down the flow, and building earth banks to catch run-off water and allow it to soak away.
One low-tech scheme in the hills above Belford in Northumberland cost about £300,000. It was put in place after a study suggested the cost of conventional flood defences would cost £4m.
But progress nationally has been slow, with funding a major problem.
Katherine Pygott, from CIWEM, told the BBC: “Flooding is getting worse with changing weather patterns, but these schemes are taking a very long time and a lot of energy.
“Projects working with nature to reduce flood risk are needed right across the country but it is complicated with many different organisations involved and it will need political leadership from the highest level to make it happen. So far we haven’t seen that leadership.”
The upland schemes are designed to reduce the regularity of flooding, not remove risk completely. Conventional flood defences will still be needed but CIWEM estimates that re-wilding rivers will save ten of millions by reducing the peak flow and lowering the specification for flood walls. The projects should also benefit wildlife.
Phil Welton, from the Environment Agency, says the UK should aspire to have "a pond in every field in the areas where flood prevention is needed.
"We have got to give incentives to farmers to persuade them to capture water on their land," he argues. "Farmers will lose a bit of...

Summary:


The Hong Kong Stock Connect is a new investment platform for Hong Kong investors.
The Hong Kong Stock Connect is a new investment platform for Hong Kong investors.
The Hong Kong Stock Connect is a new investment platform for Hong Kong investors.
The Hong Kong Stock Connect is a new investment platform for Hong Kong investors.

An MP facing deselection after being criticised over his role in a loan to a football club will not stand for re-election.

Article: Built for a G8 summit in 2014 that was called off because of the Ukraine crisis, and still weeks away from this winter's ski season, the resort had the look of an extravagant white elephant.
But for the Russian government it is a useful backdrop for occasions like the annual Valdai meeting where President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials can showcase their views in exchanges with foreign scholars.
This year the conversation was dominated by Syria and Russia's intentions there.
First and foremost, President Putin and other top Kremlin officials insisted that military victory in Syria was not Russia's real objective.
There had to be a parallel diplomatic track to push for a grand settlement, involving global players like Russia and the US, neighbours like Iran and Saudi Arabia, and  - as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov put it - "a full spectrum of the opposition".
And that is where the first puzzle in Russia's Syria policy lies.
Exactly which opposition movements does Russia want to crush militarily and which does it want to include in talks?
President Putin told us that Russia's aim was to "liberate Syria from terrorists" and stop jihadists from the Islamic State group (IS) from taking over Damascus and then the entire country.
IS extremists and al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra fighters, then, were the main enemy - but also "all other terrorist groups".
In his Valdai speech President Putin at first seemed to dismiss all opposition forces hostile to the government of President Bashar-al-Assad.
He said there was no difference between "moderate" and "non-moderate" terrorists, and accused the US and its allies of playing a dangerous double game, bombing some groups and arming others.
Yet when it comes to US-backed fighters in the Free Syrian Army (FSA), Russia's position does seem to be shifting.
"Let me raise the curtain on my talks with President Assad," said Mr Putin, revealing that he had asked for and got (who knows how grudgingly?) acceptance from the Syrian leader to explore the idea of helping...

Summary: In the mountains above Sochi in southern Russia, the marble halls and panoramic terraces of the Krasnaya Polyana hotel were almost empty.
###
Article: The Hang Seng index closed up 2.7% at 26,944.39, its highest closing level since January 2008.
The surge in interest was triggered by Beijing's move last month to let mutual funds invest in Hong Kong through the connect plan.
The Shanghai Composite ended down 0.9%.
The mainland index closed at 3,957.53 as investors rushed to buy relatively cheaper Hong Kong shares.
Chinese investors had used the entire 10.5bn yuan ($1.69bn) daily investment quota for buying Hong Kong stocks under the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect scheme for a second day.
Shares in the rest of Asia were mixed despite a rise in US markets on Wednesday.
Investor sentiment remained cautious following the latest committee minutes from the Federal Reserve, which showed the central bank was split over when to raise interest rates.
Japan's Nikkei 225 closed up 0.75% at 19,937.72, edging closer to the key threshold of 20,000 which was last seen in 2000.
Analysts said the psychologically important level was likely to be hit soon.
Shares in Asia's biggest clothing retailer, Japan's Fast Retailing, closed up nearly 2% after it raised its annual profit forecast by 20% on Thursday.
The owner of Uniqlo, which has been expanding aggressively overseas, said its net income would be 120bn yen ($998m) for the year ending in August, up from its previous forecast of 100bn yen.
The company's profits were boosted by sales outside Japan.
In Australia, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed down 0.48% at 5,932.20 as a result of falling oil prices, which analysts said would affect the energy sector.
US-based oil and gas giant, Apache, said it was selling its Australian operations for $2.1bn (Â£1.4bn) as it shifts its focus back to North America.
"Following the sale of our Australian assets, about 70% of Apache's production will come from North America onshore," said the firm's chief executive, John Christmann.
South Korea's benchmark Kospi index closed down 0.02% at 2,058.87.
After a surprise cut in March, South Korea's central bank said on Thursday it would hold...

Summary: Hong Kong shares surged to seven-year highs on Thursday as mainland Chinese investors poured money into the market via the new stock connect trading link.
###
Article: David Mackintosh, Conservative MP for Northampton South, announced his decision ahead of a local party meeting where his candidacy was expected to be opposed.
The BBC reported millions of pounds of public money loaned to Northampton Town FC appeared to have vanished.
The MP has denied any wrongdoing.
Mr Mackintosh was criticised over the loan to Northampton Town Football Club from the borough council - when he was leader - to rebuild Sixfields stadium and develop nearby land.
About £10.25m of that money is now missing and the loan is subject to a police investigation into "alleged financial irregularities".
The football stand remains half built.
When contacted by the BBC last week, a majority of his party's local executive council said they would vote to deselect him.
Mr Mackintosh had previously said he intended to stand for re-election.
But in a statement, he said: "It has been a huge honour to be the member of Parliament since 2015, but I now feel it is the right time for my constituents to have a new representative."

Summary:


The government has been trying to recruit and retain teachers in England and Wales, but it has not been able to recruit and retain them.
The government has been trying to recruit and retain teachers in England and Wales, but it has not been able to recruit and retain them.
The government has been trying to recruit and

A head teacher has defended his decision to offer staff at a Lincolnshire school a "duvet day".

Article: Gayle Newland was jailed for eight years on 12 November after being convicted of three sexual assaults.
The 25-year-old, of Willaston, Cheshire, demanded her victim wear a blindfold when they met and used a prosthetic penis during the assaults.
Newland previously applied for leave to appeal against her conviction.
That appeal will be heard before judges at London's Court of Appeal and, if successful will make her sentence appeal redundant.
However, if the second appeal is heard it could result in her jail term being raised or lowered.
During Newland's four-day trial, Chester Crown Court heard she and her victim spent more than 100 hours with each other, in hotels and the victim's flat.
The deception was only uncovered when the victim ripped off her blindfold to see Newland.
Newland had fooled her victim by posing as a man called Kye Fortune, using a bogus Facebook account, wearing an elaborate disguise and insisting the blindfold was worn throughout meetings.
In mitigation, Newland told the court her accuser was fully aware she was a woman and that they both struggled with their sexuality.
She maintained the pair were engaged in consensual "role play" and "fantasy".

Summary: A woman who was jailed after posing as a man to dupe a friend into having sex with her has lodged an appeal against her sentence.
###
Article: It comes as the Home Office is set to decide whether to allow an upgraded Taser model to be issued to police.
About 20,000 police officers in England and Wales - one in six - are currently allowed to use Tasers.
The federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, argues they should be available to all who want one.
They are "vital" in dealing with violence and the threat from terrorism, it says.
Its Ipsos MORI poll of 2,004 people suggests 71% of people think it is acceptable for officers on patrol to carry the weapon.
Of those surveyed, four out of five people said that if an officer was carrying a Taser, it would make no difference to their likelihood of approaching them for assistance.
However, nearly one in five people (17%) said they did not believe all police officers should be given the option of being equipped with a Taser.
Tasers were introduced by UK police forces in 2003, following trials in some force areas.
Since 2004, at least 19 people in England and Wales have died after police deployed the weapon.
In September, the Home Affairs Select Committee criticised police forces for a "complete lack on consistency" over whether officers armed with Tasers were also deployed with body cameras.
Of the people surveyed, 89% said police forces should be allowed to train and equip officers if their use of Taser was automatically recorded by a body camera.
Steve White, chairman of the Police Federation, said: "We know officers support the use of Taser and Body Worn Video, and now we have the evidence that shows the public do as well."
The Federation has written to all chief constables and commissioners across England and Wales to urge them to support a wider rollout of Tasers.

Summary: The majority of the public support the wider rollout of Tasers to police officers in England and Wales, a Police Federation survey suggests.
###
Article: Bill Lord sets aside Â£3,500 from his annual budget to pay for the extra holiday for everyone at Long Sutton Primary School in Spalding.
He said it was about both recruiting and keeping "fantastic teachers in front of children".
A 'duvet day' is an absence which can be approved by the employer with no reason given.
Read more about this story and others from across Lincolnshire
Mr Lord said all staff - including himself and the cleaner - were offered one additional day a year, but had to give notice and could not take the first or last day of term off.
He said the scheme cost less to implement than the Â£4,000 process of hiring new staff and it was difficult to hire staff in rural schools.
"Often young teachers coming out of university want to be near the bright lights so they will head to [big cities].
"Each year we get to July panicking as to whether we are going to be able to have the fantastic staff that our kids deserve."
The head teacher added it was essential to offer incentives to recruit and retain employees and one member of staff used her day to attend events at her children's school.
"She said the time was far more valuable to her than a pay enhancement."
Kevin Courtney, from the National Union of Teachers, said it was "no surprise" some head teachers were offering additional benefits.
"The teacher recruitment and retention crisis that is blighting schools is brought about by the unacceptable levels of workload expected of teachers - which are unusually high in our country."
The Education Select Committee warned the government in February about a shortage of teachers in England.
At the time the Department for Education said there were record numbers of teachers and it was investing Â£1.3bn in recruitment.

Summary:


The company's chief executive, Dr Pimple Popper, said: "We are very pleased to see the company's chief executive, Dr Pimple Popper, and his team are working hard to make sure that we are doing the right thing."
He said: "We are very pleased to see the

The Co-operative Group has said increased investment means profits this year will be lower than in 2014.

Article: Primary debates, where political parties choose their presidential candidates, regularly feature seven or more participants. As the discussion heats up it becomes increasingly important for the moderator to give equal time to each, but does this end up being the case?
Research into the 2012 Republican presidential candidate debates by Dr. Eric Ostermeier from the University of Minnesota shows that it's not. He painstakingly monitored how much time each participant was allowed to speak for in each debate.
Answers in the debate are generally limited to one minute each, with rebuttals limited to 30 seconds.  However, one seven-way Republican debate in 2011 saw Mitt Romney speaking for a total of 17 minutes 22 seconds. Newt Gingrich on the other hand spoke for only 8 minutes 23 seconds. That's around twice the amount of time to promote policy and engage with viewers.
Some in the US believe that the media deliberately favours the frontrunners. Indeed, Romney spoke for the longest amount of time in six of the nine monitored debates and went on to win the nomination. While there's no proven link between the two, it certainly doesn't look like a level playing field.
What's the truth behind the politicians' claims on the campaign trail? Our experts investigate the facts, and wider stories, behind the soundbites.
Read latest updates or follow us on Twitter @BBCRealityCheck

Summary: A seven-way TV debate may be unprecedented in the UK, but Americans have got used to the idea.
###
Article: I have to admit I'm responsible for some of the 36 million views of HUGE CYST EXTRACTION (capitals not mine).
It's a gruesome experience reminiscent of a never-ending tube of toothpaste or watching an ice-cream seller slowly fill a cone.
And it's not alone, there's the allure of Woman's 20-Year-Old Cyst Finally Gets Popped or the disgustingly named The Pus Cannon.
Dermatologist Dr Pimple Popper, whose real name is Sandra Lee, gleefully tells her million-plus subscribers: "I know you guys love them."
On the BBC World Service's Health Check programme, we subjected one innocent volunteer, Matt, to his first cyst-burst viewing.
"Oh gosh, she's using scissors to cut it off, it's gross, argh," he squealed, but he stuck with it. "Aw, look at that, it's amazing what's in there."
So why do they have such an, albeit nauseating, appeal?
The answer is all down to "disgust", says Daniel Kelly, an associate professor in the department of philosophy at Purdue University and author of the book Yuck!.
Disgust is an emotional response that protects us from things that are poisonous or likely to spread infectious disease, whether it's rats or spoilt food.
Prof Kelly tells the BBC: "One of the really salient things that disgust keeps an eye out for are abnormal bodily fluids - so that is the key to these videos I think.
"What disgust does is when it detects one of these things, it keeps our attention trained on it, so it sort of generates this fascination."
And he argues such videos are a safe way to experience the "thrill" of disgust.
He says: "I think of it as analogous to the thrill people get riding a rollercoaster, or bungee jumping, where you get the 'voltage' of an emotional experience, without actually being at risk.
"Watching these kinds of videos, you get the thrill of an interesting emotional experience of feeling disgust, but you're not at risk of catching anything."
Dr Nisith Sheth, a consultant dermatologist for the British Skin Foundation, says: "I'm fascinated by the way people are really drawn in and people have...

Summary: This image of a cyst growing on the back of the head is gross enough, but a video of one being burst?
###
Article: This is despite the company reporting a pre-tax profit of Â£36m in the first half of 2015, compared with a loss of Â£9m a year earlier.
The group said the turnaround was due to "robust trading" in its food and funeral businesses.
These are the first results since radical changes to the business were brought in at the end of last year.
Following a review of the business by Lord Myners, the number of board members was cut drastically, while directors had to have qualifications suited to running the business. Members were also given one vote each.
The business recorded a deficit of Â£2.5bn in 2013 following massive losses at the Co-operative Bank. Following changes in the ownership structure of the bank, the Co-op Group now holds just a 20% stake in the bank.
"We've made a good start on the three year journey to rebuild the Co-operative Group," said chief executive Richard Pennycook of the half-year results.
"These early days are about fixing the basics - putting in place new leadership teams and providing the investment to deliver the strategies for our businesses. Our customers and members are beginning to see the difference.
The food business saw like-for-like sales at its main convenience stores increase by 3.3%, as well as 35 new store openings.
The funeral business saw volumes rise by almost 12%, "principally due to a high death rate".
Despite the improvement in the business seen in the first half of the year, the company warned that "we expect full-year profitability to reduce year on year, given the planned and increased levels of investment we are making in the second half of the year".
It also said that, again due to greater investment, it was unlikely to declare any dividends before 2018.

Summary:


A public spending watchdog has cleared Scotland's culture secretary of any wrongdoing over a government grant to the organiser of T in the Park.

Article: Media playback is not supported on this device
In addition to 200 hours of network TV coverage, brought to you by presenters Clare Balding, Hazel Irvine and Jonathan Edwards, there will also be more than 650 hours of live action via six HD streams.
BBC Sport will also bring all the analysis, insight, news and highlights from Sochi 2014 to audiences wherever they are, on whichever device they want, across all 17 days of the Games.
Building on the BBC's digital success at London 2012 and other major sporting events in 2013, an innovative new approach to delivering world-class live coverage across PC, tablet and mobile has been developed for Sochi 2014. This will power the BBC's digital offering of a live event for the first time ever throughout the Winter Olympic Games.
The action in Sochi starts on 6 February, with the opening ceremony on 7 February.
2010 gold medallist Amy Williams and former Olympians Graham Bell, Colin Bryce, Emma Carrick-Anderson, Robin Cousins, Jackie Lockhart and Wilf O'Reilly form BBC Sport's world-class team of winter sports experts. Each will draw on their Winter Olympic experience to bring the most unique and insightful analysis to viewers.
All of Team GB's medal moments will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 live throughout the event with Chris Mitchell, Eleanor Oldroyd and Will Perry presenting all the main events and races live across 5 live's daytime schedules.
BBC Two will bring you live coverage every day from early in the morning and will have an hour-long daily highlights programme in the evening.
The 11th Winter Paralympic Games, which are being held from 7-16 March, will be broadcast on BBC Radio 5 live and online.
Guidance on BBC Red Button services for the Winter Olympics
The new Winter Olympic Games live page, available from www.bbc.co.uk/sport, provides the best of the BBC's live action in one place, allowing audiences to follow the event how and where they like. Whether it's getting the latest news via a smartphone, watching favourite events on the office PC, using...

Summary: The 22nd Winter Olympics get under way in Russia on 7 February and BBC Sport will deliver the most complete digital coverage of a Winter Games to date.
###
Article: The next two years of negotiations will have far-reaching implications for British businesses and their staff.
The three main areas companies will be watching in the Brexit talks are: migration, customs, and tariffs.
But different firms - often within the same industry - will rank them in different orders of importance.
With so many competing interests, what message is business sending to the government about the Brexit talks?
In many cases, British trade groups said they wanted to hold on to the best possible access to the EU, the UK's biggest trading partner. How far this is possible, though, will be at the crux of the talks.
The prime minister made it clear in January that her plan was for the UK to leave the EU single market and potentially the customs union.
Unless a new trade deal is put in its place, UK companies face tariffs on imports and exports with the EU, tighter customs checks and more controls on EU workers.
Firms need to know as soon as possible about the new trading relationship, says Steven Altmann-Richer, head of EU policy at business lobby group CBI.
If a trade deal isn't possible in the next two years, interim arrangements are essential, he adds.
What are Brexit Britain's trade options?
Firms are not shy of making their views heard by ministers. More than 80% of big businesses are lobbying the government on the Brexit talks, according to a report by law firm Eversheds Sutherland.
But rather than putting some firms ahead of others, ministers must "prioritise what's best for UK business across the board", says Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce.
Worth £19bn to the UK economy; employs 800,000 workers
The car industry, though, says it has already been identified as a "priority sector" by the government ahead of the talks.
It points out that Theresa May gave two examples in January of industries she hoped could still enjoy some access to the EU single market after Brexit. They were the export of cars and lorries, and the financial services sector.
Ministers...

Summary: Prime Minister Theresa May has triggered Article 50, formally starting the process of the UK leaving the European Union.
###
Article: Fiona Hyslop had been accused of "cronyism" after Â£150,000 of public funds were given to DF Concerts.
It emerged that former SNP aide had set up a meeting between Ms Hyslop and the festival organisers.
But Audit Scotland has now concluded there was a "clear rationale for the grant".
It said clear conditions had been attached to the money.
The grant was made to help DF Concerts with operational costs related to the change of venue for the annual music festival.
In a letter to an unnamed MSP, the watchdog said the Scottish government had the legal authority to make the grant.
And it said the decision to award the grant to DF Concerts had been a "legitimate policy decision" for Ms Hyslop, and was consistent with advice she received from Scottish government officials.
There was also budget provision for the grant within the Culture and European Affairs budget for major events and themed years, the letter stated.
It added: "There is evidence that the DF Concerts consultants' costs associated with gaining planning consent incurred in 2014 and 2015 for the 2015 event, together with the increase in venue costs, exceeded the grant Scottish government provided.
"There is also evidence that Scottish government has taken steps to confirm that the money was spent in line with the grant conditions through its review of the final report provided by DF Concerts and related invoices."
But Audit Scotland also said there was a need for "enhanced internal clarity and evidence to support decision-making" when similar decisions were made in the future.
It concluded: "We understand that Scottish government requires flexibility to react promptly to circumstances as they arise, but in our view this needs to be balanced with enhanced internal clarity and evidence to support decision-making.
"The Scottish government has work ongoing in this area."
Opposition politicians had questioned why money was given to the festival, which they said brought in huge profits for its organiser.
They also questioned the involvement of Jennifer...

Summary:


Tributes have been paid to a "gentle giant" who died while swimming near a waterfall in a north Wales village.

Article: The National Cyber Security Centre - part of intelligence agency GCHQ - started work in October as part of a Â£1.9bn five-year strategy.
Staff in Victoria, central London, will be joined by experts from the private sector to help identify threats.
NCSC chief Ciaran Martin said: "We want to make the UK the hardest target".
The secondments to the centre by 100 private sector employees will be funded by their own companies.
Announcing the initiative, Chancellor Philip Hammond said the "best and the brightest in industry" will help "test and to challenge the government's thinking" in cyber security.
He added: "Government cannot protect business and the general public from the risks of cyber-attack on its own. It has to be a team effort. It is only in this way that we can stay one step ahead of the scale and pace of the threat that we face."
There were 188 cyber attacks classed by the NCSC as Category Two or Three during the last three months.
And even though the UK has not experienced a Category One attack - the highest level, an example of which would have been the theft of confidential details of millions of Americans from the Office of Personnel Management - there is no air of complacency at the NCSC's new headquarters.
Ciaran Martin, the centre's chief executive, told the BBC: "We have had significant losses of personal data, significant intrusions by hostile state actors, significant reconnaissance against critical national infrastructure - and our job is to make sure we deal with it in the most effective way possible."
As well as protecting against and responding to high-end attacks on government and business, the NCSC also aims to protect the economy and wider society.
The UK is one of the most digitally dependent economies, with the digital sector estimated to be worth over Â£118bn per year - which means the country has much to lose.
It is not just a crippling cyber-attack on infrastructure that could turn out the lights which worries officials, but also a loss of confidence in the digital economy from...

Summary: The Queen was shown how hackers could target the UK's electricity supply as she opened a centre to protect the nation from cyber attacks.
###
Article: The birds, also known as sea eagles, were absent from the UK for nearly 60 years until a re-introduction programme began in 1975.
The first young white-tailed eagles from Norway were released on Rum.
A total of 82 young eagles were released over 10 years on the island, with the first wild chick fledging on Mull in 1985.
The re-introduction programme was run by RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), formerly the Natural Conservancy Council.
More young eagles were released under the programme in Wester Ross between 1993 and 1998 while further releases took place in Fife from 2007 to 2012, through a partnership with Forestry Commission Scotland, including in the National Forest Estate.
The 100th breeding pair nested on Hoy in Orkney, the first white-tailed eagles to nest in Orkney for 142 years, it was revealed on Thursday evening's edition of BBC Springwatch.
RSPB Scotland director Stuart Housden said: "The 100th breeding pair marks a huge milestone for the re-introduction of white-tailed eagles, and to reach it in this important anniversary year for the programme makes it even more special.
"The success of bringing white-tailed eagles back to Scotland over the last 40 years owes a great deal to the partners involved, as well as the support of Police Scotland, landowners, farmers, local community groups and organisations, and to Norway, who gifted the young eagles.
"It's fantastic to see how these magnificent birds have captured the public's imagination and that the sight of a white-tailed eagle soaring in the Scottish sky is no longer a thing of the past."
White-tailed eagles became extinct in the UK due to widespread persecution.
They bred in England and the Isle of Man, and across Scotland and Ireland, but by 1900 only a handful of eyries remained, all in Scotland.
The last known nesting attempt was on Skye in 1916 and in 1918 the last British white-tailed eagle was shot in Shetland.
The white-tailed eagles on Hoy have been seen in the area every spring and summer since 2013, and are both thought...

Summary: The number of white-tailed eagles in Scotland has reached 100 breeding pairs, according to conservationists.
###
Article: Steffan Roberts Vernon, 33, from Caernarfon, died at the Llanberis beauty spot in Gwynedd, on Sunday alongside Alexander Hadley, 21, from nearby Dinorwig.
Two others, aged 27 and 25, were treated in hospital and later released.
Police believe the men got into difficulty while swimming in the "extremely cold" water.
Friends have been posting tributes on a Facebook page called 'Steffan Vernon and why we all love him'.
Debbie Ann Williams wrote: "So sad such a lovely smiley soul the gentle giant who always had a big hug 4 everyone rip steff xxxx"
Eve Maria posted: "Xxx always ready for an adventure full of smiles and a beautiful crazy laugh xxx"
Emma O'Neill said: "Some souls leave the world a far better place than when they arrived....just by being a part of it."
The coroner for north west Wales has launched an investigation into their deaths and an inquest will be opened at a later date.

Summary:


Schmidt has been banned for two games and handed a 15,000 euros (£13,373) fine.

Bayer Leverkusen head coach Roger Schmidt has been banned and fined for calling an opposing manager "a nutcase" during a Bundesliga game.

Article: Michael Maguire is taking the PSNI to court in an attempt to force it to hand over sensitive intelligence material.
A judge has delayed the legal hearing for two weeks to allow both parties to come to an agreement.
The High Court heard that investigators for the ombudsman were turned away from PSNI buildings.
It was also claimed that requests for information on the cases had been turned down on more than 100 occasions.
The action centres on investigations into recent and historic cases involving allegations of police criminality and misconduct by failing to properly probe murders.
Claims of collusion between some police officers and the killers feature in many.
One of the cases in which the PSNI stands accused of obstructing Police Ombudsman Michael Maguire's staff is the loyalist murders of six people in Loughinisland, County Down.
The men were shot dead as they watched the 1994 World Cup in the Heights bar.
The High Court also heard that access to material is being sought in up to 19 ongoing investigations.
Barrister Stephen McQuitty, for the ombudsman, told Mr Justice Treacy proceedings had not been issued lightly.
Arguing that the PSNI was under an obligation to hand over information, he claimed: "The refusal to provide that material is irrational."
It was contended that the police reasoning was misconceived and mistaken.
"There's been an unjustified departure from a memorandum of understanding that exists between the police and the ombudsman," he said.
Although the document came into operation last September, the court heard that the breakdown in relationships was confirmed in April.
Referring to an affidavit from Adrian McAllister, chief executive in the police ombudsman's office, Mr McQuitty claimed the PSNI began to express concerns about sharing information.
"It was not raised formally but manifested itself in police ombudsman staff being turned away from PSNI buildings when they had arranged to view sensitive material," he said.
"It became apparent to the police ombudsman that a different approach...

Summary: The police ombudsman has been granted leave for a judicial review of the chief constable's decision to withhold information about 60 murders.
###
Article: When browsing the internet, certificates are designed to ensure the communication between a computer and web server is secure.
Google said it would no longer accept certificates issued by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) following a security lapse.
The CNNIC said Google's decision was "unacceptable and unintelligible".
The CNNIC is responsible for providing certificates for websites with .cn domain names, as well as Chinese-language domains - including banks and government sites.
It means users of Google's Chrome browser will see a warning notice when trying to access sites with CNNIC certificates.
It will state that the website the user is attempting to access may be unsecure.
Google discovered last month that unauthorised security certificates were issued to several of its own domains.
After an investigation, conducted with the help of the CNNIC, it became clear that there was a problem with MCS Holdings, a Cairo-based firm contracted by the CNNIC to provide certificates.
Google said domains with security certificates issued by MCS Holdings were vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks - a method of hacking that involves intercepting communications between, for example, a person's computer and a web server.
MCS Holdings has said the problem was an accident and was due to human error.
While Google welcomed the CNNIC's help with the investigation, it said the regulator had "delegated their substantial authority to an organisation that was not fit to hold it".
As a result, Google has decided to no longer trust domains with certificates issued by, or on behalf of, the CNNIC.
Users will be presented with a warning screen before being asked if they want to proceed to the "unsecure" site.
However, there will be some exceptions.
Google has offered a grace period to some major CNNIC-approved sites - such as banks - so they can obtain certificates from a different issuing authority.
The search giant said the CNNIC was welcome to reapply for trusted status "once suitable technical and procedural...

Summary: A Chinese internet regulator has hit out at Google for no longer accepting its security certificates.
###
Article: Schmidt was sent off by the referee for insulting Hoffenheim's Julian Nagelsmann in Saturday's 3-0 home loss.
"That was nothing, what sort of a nutcase are you? Just shut your mouth," Schmidt shouted after going 2-0 down.
The 49-year-old has been banned for two games and handed a 15,000 euros (£13,373) fine.
The German was sanctioned after triggering a suspended sentence from February this year.
He had been banned for three games, with a further two in the event of a repeat offence before June 2017, for refusing a referee's order to leave the sidelines during a 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Schmidt will be unable to have any contact with the team for half an hour before, during and after Tuesday's German Cup second-round match against Lotte and Saturday's league match against Wolfsburg.
Leverkusen's director of sport Rudi Voller has sought a meeting with the head of the disciplinary committee.

Summary:


A footballer accused of threatening fans with a corkscrew has admitted possession of an offensive weapon.

Article: Despite a lot of news coming out of Disney's D23 last week, the studio still saved some the big guns for San Diego.
Fans were sent into meltdown as they were bombarded with announcements and sneak peeks during the 90-minute session, as stars across the Marvel universe attended to support their films.
Here's everything that was revealed.
More from Comic-Con
After fans at D23 were given the chance to see the first footage from the highly anticipated film which sees every Marvel superhero unite on screen, 6,000 Comic-Con fans were given the same luxury.
Unfortunately Marvel are still keeping it a closely guarded secret so it hasn't been put online anywhere yet - much to the annoyance of fans not in San Diego. But the reaction from the crowd suggests something close to Beatlemania.
It's likely we'll have to wait until November when Thor: Ragnarok is released before the rest of the world will see it.
More from Comic-Con
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: The Marvel panel at Comic-Con is traditionally one of the biggest events of the convention and this year was no exception.
###
Article: Those are the words of County Armagh man Vance McElhinney, also known as Nguyen Van Tan, who was airlifted out of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War 40 years ago.
Mr McElhinney does not know his birthday, his birthplace or even whether his biological family is still alive.
His name - Nguyen Van Tan - was only established because it was written on the only known photograph of him as a child in Vietnam.
Now, for the first time since being one of 100 orphan children included in what is known as Operation Babylift, he is returning to the country.
A BBC One documentary followed his journey back to Vietnam, as he attempted to find his biological parents and met the newspaper editor who saved his life.
Mr McElhinney also visited the orphanage in Quy Nhon, a town where he believes he was born.
It was an emotional experience for the Lurgan man, who was adopted by local couple Cyril and Liz  McElhinney after being airlifted out of Vietnam.
Sinead Ingoldsby, producer of the True North documentary, said the mystery about his origins was what drove him to go back to the country.
"Getting to know Vance and realising that he didn't know the things we take for granted; when he was born, what age he is, what his birthday was. It made me realise how lucky I am to know all those things," Ms Ingoldsby said.
"It doesn't really matter how stable or how wonderful a life you have, if you don't know the answer to those questions you're always going to feel a bit rootless."
Operation Babylift was organised by the Daily Mail, but the newspaper's decision to charter children out of Vietnam in 1975 was widely criticised as a publicity stunt.
The Daily Telegraph, the Sunday Times and the Guardian wrote editorials criticising the decision, suggesting that the orphans would be better off in the country, and accused the Daily Mail of "baby snatching".
Brian Freemantle, the Daily Mail's foreign editor at the time, does not deny the the publicity stunt allegations.
"If a stunt is attracting attention to your newspaper, then yes it was a...

Summary: "I've got ghosts I need to lay to rest - I've got to at least figure out if I've got any relatives out there."
###
Article: A court heard Aidan Chaves, 26, reacted angrily to taunts from fans and was spat on during a home game for Sawbridgeworth Town FC on 25 March.
But he denied screaming threats at Clacton supporters on the touchline at the Hertfordshire club.
Stevenage Magistrates Court adjourned the case for a later hearing to decide if he had made threatening comments.
The three magistrates were told that Chaves faced derogatory remarks from the fans of the opposing team, including songs about his skill as a player, his tattoos and his mother.
One fan is said to have spat on him as he prepared for a throw in.
The court heard Chaves ran from to the changing room and emerged carrying a broken corkscrew.
Prosecutor Prosecutor Rufia Khatun said that, holding it aloft and running towards the Clapton fans, he allegedly screamed "Come here. I'm going to cut your throat."
Chaves - who gave his address as Mount Mellick Road, Portlaoise in the Irish Republic - pleaded guilty to a charge of having an offensive weapon in a public place.
The court was told he entered the plea on the basis that he had not uttered the threats that had been referred to by the prosecution.
In a statement he said he had grabbed the corkscrew to "ward the fans off".
Magistrates adjourned the case so that another hearing can take place on 10 August to decide if he had made the threats as claimed by the prosecution.
Chaves was granted unconditional bail.

Summary:


The number of women who are treated for the disease in the last 20 years was estimated to be around 1.5% in 2015.
The number of women who are treated for the disease in the last 20 years was estimated to be around 1.5% in 2015.
The number of women who are treated for

New figures from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry show there has been a dramatic rise in the numbers of women being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Article: In 2014 prices rose by 9.8%, according to ONS figures.
Prices increased fastest in England, at 7.3%, and slowest in Scotland, where they fell 0.2% during 2015.
The value of houses and flats rose by just 1% in Wales, and by 1.5% in Northern Ireland.
The average price at the end of December was Â£288,000.
The ONS figure is in the middle of a range of estimates produced by other organisations.
Halifax, the UK's largest mortgage lender, said prices rose by as much as 9.5% in 2015, while the Nationwide Building Society put the increase at just 4.5%.
The Land Registry of England and Wales said the annual inflation rate was 6.4%.
Separate figures show that the number of new mortgages taken out in 2015 was roughly the same as in 2014.
But the Council of Mortgage Lenders said the amount being borrowed had risen from Â£112bn in 2014 to Â£118bn in 2015 - an increase of 5.3%.

Summary: House prices in the UK rose by 6.7% in 2015, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - a considerable slowdown on the previous year.
###
Article: Anthony O'Sullivan and two other Caerphilly council officers were suspended on full pay in 2013.
It was claimed they agreed to give themselves 20% pay rises when most council staff faced pay freezes.
A criminal case was dropped in 2015 which the council said led to the change in Mr O'Sullivan's status.
He is not back at work because the authority is still carrying out its own internal investigation into the pay rises.
But because the misconduct in public office criminal charges were thrown out of court, Mr O'Sullivan's solicitor highlighted to the council the suspension was both "unlawful" and "unconstitutional".
The change to special paid leave was made in March but it was not made public.
In a statement, the council said: "The council was grateful to Mr O'Sullivan for accepting this change of status but requested that he did not publicise this fact.
"Mr O'Sullivan behaved honourably, as ever, in observing this request."
The revelation came out because Mr O'Sullivan's solicitor David Lewis, of Richards and Lewis, wrote to the council in November requesting the change be made public because of continued media reports referring to him as suspended.
Mr O'Sullivan, along with deputy Nigel Barnett and head of legal services Daniel Perkins were suspended in 2013 after the Wales Audit Office declared their pay rises unlawful.
Caerphilly council has been asked about the status of the other two men.

Summary: A council chief executive at the centre of a probe into pay rises given to senior staff is no longer suspended but instead on "special paid leave".
###
Article: They show that there has been an overall increase of 53% in the number of women being treated for the disease in the last 20 years.
The rise was described as dramatic by Royal Victoria Hospital statisticians.
Dr Anna Gavin, who led the research, said the health system needs to prepare itself as the figures are set to climb.
"I think the services need to gear themselves up because we have done some work looking at past trends," Dr Gavin said.
"We see that, in total, the cancer number is expected to increase by two thirds again, about 65% in 20 years.
"The service needs to be aware of that. We need to be thinking of ways to cope because it is largely driven by the aging population."
Meanwhile, one woman who is living with the disease is calling for greater awareness of inflammatory breast cancer.
Lynette McHendry, from County Antrim, is due to have both breasts removed next week.
The 37-year-old patient said she believed some inflammatory breast cancer cases are being misdiagnosed.
The mother of two is appealing to clinicians to become more aware of the symptoms surrounding this aggressive disease, after her cancer went undetected for over a month.
"The symptoms I had were a pain in my left breast - it was hard, tender and heavy," Mrs McHendry said.
"It started to swell up and ended up twice the size. It also became red, inflamed and the skin became dimply. And there was no lump."
She is in the unusual position of having invasive or regular cancer in one breast and inflammatory cancer in the other.
The latter went undetected because, in cases of inflammatory breast cancer, a lump does not appear in the mammogram.
Mrs McHendry is one of the almost 2,800 women who were referred last year to the Belfast Cancer centre.
Ninety-three percent of those cases were not malignant - but hers was.
Mrs McHendry said that although women are better educated about breast cancer, there is little or no public information about inflammatory breast cancer.
"I had to join a support group online based in England," she said.
"By...

Summary:


The US is spending $20m (Â£12.3m; 14.8m euros) a week on Ukrainian opposition groups, supplying "rebels" with arms among other things.
Accusing the US of ignoring the Memorandum on Security Assurances, he suggested Moscow could also intervene.
The American

A senior adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the US of meddling in Ukraine, in breach of a 1994 agreement over non-intervention.

Article: The maximum this year was 14.5 million sq km, said the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
This is the lowest since 1979, when satellite records began.
A recent study found that Arctic sea ice had thinned by 65% between 1975 and 2012.
Bob Ward of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics said: "The gradual disappearance of ice at the poles is having profound consequences for people, animals and plants in the polar regions, as well as around the world, through sea level rise."
The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) said the maximum level of sea ice for winter was reached this year on 25 February and the ice was now beginning to melt as the Arctic moved into spring.
The amount measured at the end of February is 130,000 sq km below the previous record winter low, measured in 2011.
An unusually warm February in parts of Alaska and Russia may have contributed to the dwindling sea ice, scientists believe.
Researchers will provide the monthly average data for March in early April, which is viewed as a better indicator of climate effects.
Nasa scientist Walt Meier said:  "The amount of ice at the maximum is a function of not only the state of the climate but also ephemeral and often local weather conditions.
"The monthly value smoothes out these weather effects and so is a better reflection of climate effects."
Analysis by David Shukman, Science editor, BBC News
The Arctic Ocean freezes every winter and much of the sea-ice then thaws every summer, and that process will continue whatever happens with climate change. Even if the Arctic continues to be one of the fastest-warming regions of the world, it will always be plunged into bitterly cold polar dark every winter. And year-by-year, for all kinds of natural reasons, there's huge variety of the state of the ice.
So what does this new record for the lowest level of winter ice actually mean?
For a start, it does not automatically follow that a record amount of...

Summary: Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has fallen to the lowest recorded level for the winter season, according to US scientists.
###
Article: Those who fail to meet the deadline for online returns risk incurring a £100 fine.
A record 11 million people are required by their tax arrangements to submit a return.
Most now do so online and as that can be done from a computer at home, many leave it until the last moment.
Last year 700,000 missed the deadline, though Revenue and Customs accepted some excuses - such as a death in the family, serious illness or flooding.
On deadline day last year, 557,000 people rushed to file in time.
Recent analysis by HMRC suggested that women were more likely to submit their tax returns on time than men.
For every 10,000 tax returns received last year from men, 394 were after the relevant deadlines, compared with 358 late returns from every 10,000 submitted by women.
Interest is charged on any tax paid late and those who still have not submitted the form by May face additional penalties fines of £10 a day.
It is already too late to send in paper tax returns for the 2013-14 tax year as that deadline passed on 31 October.
Those who have failed to register for online submissions have also missed the boat.
Help on filing a tax return is available from the gov.uk website or from the self-assessment helpline on 0300 200 3310. Customers with general queries can also tweet the @HMRCcustomers Twitter feed.

Summary: A million taxpayers who need to submit a self-assessment tax return must do so by midnight on Saturday.
###
Article: Sergei Glazyev said the US was spending $20m (Â£12.3m; 14.8m euros) a week on Ukrainian opposition groups, supplying "rebels" with arms among other things.
Accusing the US of ignoring the Memorandum on Security Assurances, he suggested Moscow could also intervene.
The American embassy in Kiev declined to comment on his accusations.
21 November 2013: Ukraine announces it will not sign a deal aimed at strengthening ties with the EU, sparking protests
17 December: Russia agrees to buy $15bn of Ukrainian government bonds and slash the price of gas it sells to the country
16 January 2014: Parliament passes law restricting the right to protest
22 January: Two protesters die from bullet wounds during clashes with police in Kiev; protests spread across many cities
25 January: President Yanukovych offers senior jobs to the opposition, including that of prime minister, but these are rejected
28 January: Parliament votes to annul protest law and President Yanukovych accepts resignation of PM and cabinet
29 January: Parliament passes amnesty law for detained protesters, under the condition occupied buildings are vacated
Ukraine's protest leaders
Q&A: Stand-off in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych is due to meet Mr Putin on Friday in Sochi, on the opening day of the Winter Olympic Games there.
He held talks in Kiev with US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland on Thursday, at which he said he favoured dialogue and compromise with the opposition.
Meanwhile, an audio recording has been posted online, which is purported to be a hacked phone conversation between Ms Nuland and US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, in which the female speaker dismisses EU efforts to resolve the crisis, using an expletive.
The two speakers also discuss frankly the merits of the three main Ukrainian opposition leaders in the conversation. The US embassy declined to comment on the tape.
Thousands of Ukrainian opposition activists, some carrying shields and baseball bats, marched from their camp on Independence Square in the capital Kiev...

Summary:


The hospital's new hospital is expected to be built in the next few months.

The amount of traffic using Wales' biggest hospital as a "rat run" and causing gridlock has dropped by 7% after changes were made to the roads.

Article: President Emmanuel Macron is hoping to obtain a strong mandate in parliament to help him pursue his reform plans.
His La République en Marche (Republic on the Move or LREM) with its MoDem allies is expected to win most seats.
Traditional parties are urging voters to back Mr Macron's rivals to stop a monopolisation of power.
President Macron formed his party just over a year ago, and half of its candidates have little or no political experience.
They include a retired bullfighter, a Rwandan refugee and a mathematician.
A party needs 289 seats to control the 577-seat National Assembly. LREM is predicted to win more than 400.
In the first round Mr Macron's LREM and MoDem won 32.3% of the vote.
The centre-right Republicans had 21.5%, while the far-right National Front (FN) had 13.2%, followed by the far-left La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) on just over 11%.
The Socialists, previously France's ruling party, and their allies won just 9.5%.
However, the turnout was low, despite claims that President Macron had re-energised the voting public.
Analysts said it reflected a sense of resignation among his opponents.
Only four seats were settled in the first round.
The second round will see the two top-placed contenders for each seat facing each other, along with any other candidate who won the support of at least 12.5% of registered voters in the district.
Here are some of the key battles to look out for:
Is Macron the anti-Trump?
Can Macron's new party win majority he needs?
Mr Macron, 39, defeated Marine Le Pen in the presidential run-off in May.
He needs a majority to push through the changes that he promised in his campaign, which include:
Macron's economic plans

Summary: France votes in the second round of parliamentary elections on Sunday, in run-off votes for the top candidates from last Sunday's first round.
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Article: FRP Advisory were appointed as administrators after the European Development Company (EDC) ran into financial difficulties.
Two of the hotels for sale are in the Aberdeen area - a Holiday Inn Express on Chapel Street and a Holiday Inn in Westhill.
The third is a Holiday Inn Express in Picardy Place, Edinburgh.
FRP said they would trade as normal during the marketing process.
They added that there were no immediate plans for redundancies.
Nearly 120 of the 136 staff affected are based at the Aberdeen hotels.
In a statement, FRP Advisory said occupancy levels at the hotels had been high, but EDC had suffered "severe cash flow problems" as a result of the downturn in the oil and gas sector.
They also cited intense price competition from new build hotels in the Aberdeen market.
Joint administrator Iain Fraser said: "The administration presents a rare opportunity to acquire quality hotels with an established trade and reputation in their local markets.
"The hotels could appeal to an existing hotel operator looking to expand their business, or an entrepreneur keen to enter the hospitality market by acquiring quality properties in prime locations.
"I am pleased to say that we are in advanced discussions for the sale of the Edinburgh hotel, and would urge interested parties to contact us as soon as possible with respect to the Aberdeen properties."

Summary: Three Scottish Holiday Inn hotels have been put up for sale after the collapse of their Aberdeen-based owners.
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Article: Hospital bosses made changes last August in a bid to help ambulances reach the emergency unit more quickly at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff.
Barriers were installed and traffic is not allowed to drive past the unit.
The gridlock also led to people being late for appointments.
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is now planning to introduce a direct weekday park and ride service for patients, visitors and staff in a further bid to keep traffic off site.
It will start on 2 May and operate from Cardiff East park and ride at Pentwyn from 06:30 to 19:15, running every 20 minutes, which should also free up car parking by 12%.
There are also plans to introduce bus and cycle hubs at UHW.
Geoff Walsh, director of capital, estates and facilities at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said: "The traffic management system was implemented to allow clear access for emergency vehicles onto the site which has been successful.
"It has also improved the bus access with Cardiff Bus reinstating two services following the improvement of site accessibility."
He added: "We are still looking at ways to stop people using the site as a thoroughfare."

Summary:


Scientists from Dundee University have recreated the face of a young man who lived more than 4,000 years ago.

Article: The Scottish government bill will require councils to plan how they will support adult and young carers, and the definition of "carer" will be changed to include more people.
Local authorities will also have to set up advice services.
Scotland is believed to have about 745,000 adult carers and 44,000 young carers.
Together, they are estimated to provide care worth about Â£10bn every year.
The Carers Bill aims to help carers balance their caring responsibilities with other things they want to achieve in their lives and helping them to be healthier and happier.
Opposition MSPs broadly backed the proposals, although concerns had been expressed about the cost of implementation.
The Scottish government introduced the legislation, saying it would provide an important opportunity "to extend and enhance the rights of both adult and young carers".
Health boards and local authorities will also be required to create local carer strategies.
And Scottish ministers will be required to prepare a Carers' Charter.
Speaking during the final debate on the proposals at Holyrood, Health Improvement Minister Jamie Hepburn thanked politicians from all parties for the respect they had shown for the country's carers.
And he said the bill had been improved by the input from MSPs on all sides.

Summary: Legislation that promises to improve the lives of Scotland's carers has been passed by MSPs.
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Article: The 50m (150ft) part of the wall was first discovered in 1998 but was kept undercover to protect it.
Now Segedunum Roman Fort in Wallsend is putting the section of wall on display, along with artefacts and a bath house recently excavated at the site.
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums manager, Geoff Woodward, said it was "really exciting" visitors could now see it.
Hadrian's Wall on Tyneside is a culmination of three-year project WallQuest - a community archaeology scheme which saw hundreds of volunteers taking part in urban digs over 30-miles of Hadrian's Wall between South Shields and Hexham.
Mr Woodward said: "We've uncovered another important part of our history at Segedunum and I can't wait for people to come and see it.
"Following conservation, visitors will now be able to see the new section of the wall, which is really exciting.
"Before the WallQuest project we knew very little about the civilian settlement outside the fort. Thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers, who have spent months working with the museum and conservation experts, we now know more about this unique landmark."
The original bath house, which was first discovered in 1814, was long forgotten until it was unearthed in 2014.
The 73-mile (117km) Hadrian's Wall stretches between Wallsend in North Tyneside and Bowness on Solway in Cumbria.
Hadrian's Wall on Tyneside is on display at Segedunum Roman Fort until 30 October.

Summary: An unearthed part of Hadrian's Wall is going on display for the first time in North Tyneside.
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Article: The skeleton of "Thankerton Man" was found in a stone cist - a type of burial chamber - at Boatbridge Quarry, Thankerton, South Lanarkshire, in 1970.
It was radiocarbon-dated to between 2460BC and 2140BC and thought to have been that of a man aged 18 to 25.
The reconstructed image will go on show at the Biggar and Upper Clydesdale Museum, which opens on Tuesday.
The reconstruction was produced by specialists from Dundee University's Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID) who worked from detailed analysis of the skull.
Caroline Erolin, lecturer in forensic and medical art at CAHID, said: "Given its age, the skeleton of Thankerton Man was in excellent condition, which allowed us to get a strong impression of how he may have looked.
"Once we built the basic shape of his face we then looked at historical data to get a better idea of how a man would have looked at that time. For instance, we know they had the ability to shave."
The estimated height of the man was around 1.8 metres (5ft 11ins), which is regarded as tall in Copper Age terms.
The cist contained a finely-decorated beaker which had held food or drink for the deceased's journey into the afterlife.
The pot and skeleton are curated by National Museums Scotland.
Dr Alison Sheridan, principal curator of early prehistory at National Museums Scotland, who provided archaeological advice, praised the reconstruction.
She said: "This is a magnificent piece of work that really brings the past to light. It has spurred us on to arrange the DNA analysis of this man's remains."

Summary:


The UK Government has been trying to get a deal with the EU to get a deal with the EU, but the UK has not agreed to a deal with the EU.
The UK Government has been trying to get a deal with the EU to get a deal with the EU, but the UK has not agreed to a

A man who admitted the "vile murder" of an 82-year-old woman in her Norwich home has been jailed for life, with an order to serve 25 years and six months.

Article: Mao, one of the founders of the Chinese Communist Party, was one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th Century, but his legacy continues to divide opinions.
After he launched the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), millions of people were forced into manual labour and tens of thousands were executed as counter-revolutionaries.
The mainland Chinese media have mostly been playing down news of various activities that were staged in some cities over the weekend to commemorate the birth anniversary.
But over in Hong Kong, the Apple Daily says "Mao fans" staged rallies in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, as well as smaller cities further inland such as Nanchang and Taiyuan.
On Saturday, students and teachers from the Taiyuan University of Science and Technology carried portraits of Mao and shouted "Swear allegiance to Mao Zedong", "Mao Zedong is our only centre" and "the Cultural Revolution is back", the paper says.
Students also reportedly recited poetry in homage to Mao, while others danced and sang: "China has Mao Zedong, he is the people's great saviour!"
Mao impersonator Zhang Ruiqi even mimicked the late helmsman's voice to deliver a speech during the rally.
However, one local dissident suspects that the rally was staged deliberately by certain groups for political ends.
"Some of them are Mao leftists and some are the black hand of the authorities fanning the flames behind the scenes and exploiting the ignorance of young people to achieve their political goals," Deng Taiqing tells the Apple Daily.
The Apple Daily also voices dismay at the revival of Mao fever and accuses Ai Yuejin, a "leftist" professor at Tianjin's Nankai University, of "whitewashing" the Cultural Revolution.
"During the Cultural Revolution, there was a satellite space launch, a successful missile test and a nuclear submarine launch. During the Cultural Revolution, we defeated Soviet revisionism, entered the United Nations and established diplomatic relations with more than 60 countries," Prof Ai said in a lecture at the Taiyuan...

Summary: The controversial legacy of Mao Zedong is back in the public eye ahead of his 120th birth anniversary on Thursday.
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Article: But it has been more than 40 years since the UK last got around the negotiating table and it could be a little rusty. Here are four key requirements to getting a good deal.
When it comes to trade deals, the devil is in the detail. Trade deals have grown incredibly complex - the recently concluded deal between the EU and Canada runs to almost 1,600 pages and covers everything from fisheries to  financial services.
Successful negotiations require a skilled - and large - team, but the UK has not negotiated a trade deal since 1973. The EU has 596 trade negotiators and the UK urgently needs a similarly sized team to craft new deals with major trade partners.
A first step will be to bring back the handful of experienced and expert UK nationals in the European Commission. They will know what to expect when facing European negotiators across the table.
Successful negotiation involves clearly identifying your own trade interests and not simply reacting to the other side's. The UK Government must know what it wants from any deal, what it wishes to keep off the negotiating table and the concessions it is willing to make.
This is not easy. A well-prepared government will have consulted extensively with businesses, small and large, as well as consumer groups and trade unions. UK-based banks need to be able to operate across the EU single market.
Communities in the North need manufacturing industries which serve that market, potentially creating thousands of jobs. But access probably comes at the price of accepting freedom of movement for EU citizens and paying contributions to the EU budget.
Getting a good deal requires strong leadership which galvanizes the whole of the government's machinery, across ministries and non-governmental stakeholders.
Positions taken in the trade negotiations should be backed up by communication between national leaders where necessary. Any sign of disunity is likely to be exploited by opponents in a negotiation.
As a rule of thumb, 80% of a trade negotiation is preparation, 20% execution....

Summary: Having voted to leave the EU, the UK will now need to negotiate a new set of trade deals with the bloc, and other foreign nations as soon as possible.
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Article: Pauline King, described by police as a "reclusive hermit", was found at The Avenues on 22 February.
Alexander Kerry, 23, of Kinghorn Road, Norwich, was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court after he entered a guilty plea.
He denied a charge of sexual assault and the prosecution chose not to proceed on that count.
Ms King died as a result of a sustained assault with a knife and hammer during a burglary at her home, the court was told.
She lived alone in what police described as a "dilapidated" detached house and neighbours said she was a pleasant but reclusive woman.
Kerry was found later the same day wandering nearby streets covered in blood.
Det Sup Paul Durham described it as a "vile murder" which "sent a shudder of fear" through the community.
Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said Kerry, desperate for money after drinking in a Norwich city centre pub, had broken into the home and beat Ms King to death.
He then tried to set fire to the house to destroy the evidence, he said.
The court heard he was left deeply damaged after his father murdered his mother as he and his brother slept at their home in 2002.
Mr Justice Stuart-Smith said he acted with "animal brutality" to murder Miss King and sexually abuse her dying body in an "act of desecration".
He said: "Nothing begins to explain what you did to Pauline King. She must have suffered terribly."
Kerry had a criminal record including violence and disorderly behaviour dating back to his teens, he said.
Jonathan Goodman, mitigating, said his client had "self-medicated" through alcohol and drugs following the almost "unimaginable" events of his childhood.

Summary:


The Dunlin Alpha platform will be used by the Scottish universities to build a new, more efficient, and more efficient, pipeline system.
The Dunlin Alpha platform will be used by the Scottish universities to build a new, more efficient, and more efficient, pipeline system.
The Dunlin Alpha platform will be used

Lecturers at colleges in Glasgow will not take part in two planned national strikes next week.

Article: Soldier Bradley Manning has been held for three weeks without formal charge.
The US is investigating claims that he passed confidential information to Wikileaks.
Site editor Julian Assange told BBC News that, so far, the US authorities have not yet been in touch with him.
He said that lawyers representing Wikileaks have been in touch with the US administration but that neither the Department of State nor the Department of Defense had made any attempt to approach the site.
In spite of the silence from the US, Mr Assange said he felt it was "important to have a channel open in these matters".
No conversations could take place which might reveal the identity of any source, he added.
Mr Manning was identified as an alleged Wikileaks source after former hacker Adrian Lamo, in whom he had confided, contacted the authorities.
During a series of conversations conducted online, Mr Lamo claims that Mr Manning revealed he had passed 260,000 US diplomatic cables and two confidential military videos to Wikileaks.
US state department spokesperson PJ Crowley has said that the Bureau of Diplomatic Security was examining one or more hard drives used by Mr Manning in Iraq.
Wikileaks said it did not know whether Mr Manning, who had served in Iraq as an army intelligence analyst, was the source of the leak as the website does not keep personal records of the people who approach it.
One of the videos he allegedly leaked was released by Wikileaks in April.
It contained footage from a 2007 attack by US forces in Baghdad in which 12 people died including two Reuters employees.
In the immediate aftermath of Mr Manning's exposure as the alleged source, reports appeared online claiming that the Pentagon was actively seeking Julian Assange.
On Monday he appeared as a panelist at a seminar on free speech held in the European Parliament and organised by the Alliance of Liberals And Democrats for Europe.
At a press conference ahead of the seminar Mr Assange spoke about the risk of action against Wikileaks by the US.
"The signals from the...

Summary: Whistleblower website Wikileaks has made contact with the US government over claims that an American serviceman is one of its sources.
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Article: Production from all Dunlin cluster fields will shut down in mid-June ahead of the decommissioning process.
Dunlin Alpha will remain "fully manned and operational", exporting third-party oil into the Brent system pipeline in the meantime.
Fairfield cited the depressed oil price and "challenging operational conditions" as reasons for the move.
The decommissioning process, which requires regulatory approvals, is expected to cost about Â£400m.
The Dunlin field started production in August 1978, with production peaking at about 120,000 barrels per day in 1979.
The oil field is situated 300 miles north-east of Aberdeen in the East Shetland basin, just a few miles from the Norway boundary line.
It was originally operated by Shell but Fairfield acquired the Dunlin, Dunlin SW, Merlin and Osprey fields in 2008.
Earlier this year, Royal Dutch Shell began consulting on its plan to remove the first of the iconic Brent platforms in what will be the biggest North Sea decommissioning project to date.
Like the Dunfield field, it was originally projected to last 25 years but produced oil for 37.
The decommissioning of oil and gas installations in the UK sector of the North Sea could cost Â£40bn over the next 35 years.
According to industry body Oil and Gas UK, there are 113 oil platforms and 189 gas platforms in the UK Continental Shelf.
Fairfield said its subsidiaries Fairfield Betula and Fairfield Fagus, along with joint venture partner MCX Dunlin, would launch the Dunlin decommissioning programme, subject to regulatory approvals.
The phased process is expected to take a number of years, with "high offshore activity levels maintained throughout".
Fairfield chief executive David Peattie said: "The Dunlin asset has now achieved maximum economic recovery.
"Taking into account the asset's lifecycle, the depressed oil price and challenging operational conditions in the North Sea, starting the decommissioning process is the most appropriate action.
"Our investment programme has prolonged the life of Dunlin leading to a notable...

Summary: Fairfield Energy has announced plans to decommission its Dunlin Alpha platform in the North Sea.
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Article: It follows a decision by the city's three further education colleges to join a national pay bargaining system.
Members of the EIS union at other colleges across Scotland are due to strike on Tuesday and Wednesday in a separate dispute over pay.
The Glasgow lecturers may now be balloted to decide if they join future action in the wider pay dispute.
The Glasgow lecturers had joined a one-day strike on Thursday, prior to the local pay bargaining dispute being settled.
EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said a "U-turn" by the Glasgow colleges marked a "significant early victory in the campaign for fair pay in all Scottish colleges".
He said: "The Glasgow colleges had refused to sign up to the national bargaining process, in the mistaken belief that this would remove them from their obligations on a fair pay offer.
"The strike action by our members has forced a quick change of mind on the part of the Glasgow colleges, and the EIS welcomes this development today."
Mr Flanagan added, "While these Glasgow disputes are now settled the national action in pursuit of a fair national pay offer and pay equality in all colleges will continue.
"Two days of strike action in this campaign are planned for next week, and these will take place in all colleges where lecturers have been balloted as part of the national dispute.
"Lecturers in the three Glasgow colleges, who are not currently part of the national action, will now be re-balloted as soon as possible to allow them to join their colleagues across Scotland in future strike days as part of the national campaign for fair pay."

Summary:


The carriage was built in 1931 and was used during World War Two on evacuation trains before being put into Pullman colours in the 1960s.
The carriage was built in 1931 and was used during World War Two on evacuation trains before being put into Pullman colours in the 1960s.
The carriage was built in 1931

The carriage which carried Sir Winston Churchill's coffin to his final resting place has been restored.

Article: Carl Habrel loves his commute to work.
The 48-year-old paddle boards from his home in Banavie to his work in Fort William.
The operations manager for the School of Adventure Studies at West Highland College UHI takes less than an hour to make the journey on Loch Linnhe.
He says: "I have been a paddle boarder for about two years and try to board into work about twice or three times a week if conditions allow.
"Most days it takes about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the wind and tide.
"I enjoy the peace and tranquillity of connecting with nature before heading to my desk for the day.
"And the wind down after work when heading back home again. It also adds a fitness dimension to the day."
But the outdoor pursuits professional says he is mindful of being safe on the water.
"I take spare clothes and sometimes wear a wetsuit when the water is cold in the winter and spring," he says.
"I also take a waterproof mobile and a VHF. The safety precautions are in the knowledge beforehand of the weather, tides and particularly the wind strength and direction."
He adds: "I tend to board in very calm conditions near to the shoreline where I am very unlikely to fall in."

Summary: All images are copyrighted.
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Article: The body was found at a property on Carlton Road, Bordesley Green, at about 23.30 BST on Friday.
The man is yet to be formally identified but police said he was believed to be a 34-year-old from the Yardley area, reported missing on Thursday.
They said they believed the 11 people arrested were known to the man.
They are: Five men aged 45, 33, 28, 24 and 23, four women aged 50, 41, 25 and 19 and two boys, both aged 15.
A post-mortem examination is yet to take place.
West Midlands Police called on anyone who saw the man's car - a white Toyota Yaris registration FM64 PHU - in and around Carlton Road in the last two days to come forward.
The car was found about a mile away in Adderley Road on Friday.
Det Insp Warren Hines said: "We are currently treating his death as suspicious and we took swift action to arrest 11 people at the scene - who we believe were known to the man - on suspicion of his murder."

Summary: Eleven people have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a man found dead in a Birmingham shed.
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Article: Southern Railway luggage van No 2464 has spent four months being stripped and repainted at Locomotion, the National Railway Museum in Shildon.
The carriage transported Churchill's coffin from London to Oxfordshire in 1965.
Manager Gary Campbell, said the restoration was something a lot of people in the town were "proud of".
The newly restored carriage, which cost about Â£30,000, will now move to the National Railway Museum in York.
It will be joined by the locomotive which pulled it as part of an exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the former Prime Minister's state funeral.
After the funeral in London, his coffin was loaded into the carriage which was then drawn by Battle of Britain locomotive Winston Churchill to Oxfordshire.
Thousands gathered along the route to pay their respects.
Churchill was laid to rest in the parish churchyard of Bladon, close to Blenheim Palace, where he was born 89 years earlier.
The carriage was built in 1931 and was used during World War Two on evacuation trains before being put into Pullman colours in the 1960s.
It was moved to Los Angeles in 1966 but returned to the UK in 2007 where it entered the Swanage Railway Collection.

Summary: