The Scottish government's preferred option is to "take the right to vote".

The Scottish government's preferred option is to "take the right to vote".

The Scottish government's preferred option is to "take the right to vote".

The Scottish government's preferred option is to "take the right to

Three Welsh Conservative AMs have been "spoken to" by their leader for arguing about the party's M4 policy on Twitter.

Article: Halfpenny, 27, has an option for another year in France when his deal runs out at the end of the season.
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young says the Wales full-back has turned down on offer to join them, but Cardiff Blues and Scarlets remain hopeful.
"It's a no brainer for him to stay in Toulon," said Byrne.
"He wasn't in a team photo a few weeks ago so people thought he was going to leave Toulon but it looks like he's maybe had a change of heart.
"People have linked him to the Scarlets but they've got Liam Williams there so that probably wouldn't be the right move either."
Young's comments are the clearest indication yet that Halfpenny, who could miss the whole season after having knee ligament surgery in September, feels his immediate future remains in France.
Returning to Wales would benefit national coach Warren Gatland given the limitations imposed on him on the number of foreign-based players he can select in the squad.
But Byrne, who did not play for Wales again after moving to Clermont Auvergne in 2011, believes Halfpenny's importance to the team as one of the world's best place-kickers means his place is safe irrespective of the so-called Gatland's Law.
"It would be great if Leigh came back to Wales but I think his international career is fine if he stays in Toulon," said Byrne, who helped Wales win the 2008 Grand Slam and scored 10-tries in a 46-cap career.
"I'm sure he's had a conversation with the coaches - he's a massive weapon for Wales in terms of his kicking."
Byrne also believes Halfpenny will improve as a player by playing alongside a host of world-class players, including New Zealand great Ma'a Nonu, who joined Toulon after winning the 2015 World Cup.
"The vast majority of the players who leave New Zealand or Australia end up in the Top 14," he said. "Playing with someone like Ma'a Nonu is going to bring his game on.
"So there's not a big rush for him to come back. He's winning trophies, he's playing in front of sell-out crowds week-in-week-out and he's being paid a very good salary."

Summary: Leigh Halfpenny will stay in France with Toulon rather than return to join a Welsh region, according to former Wales full-back Lee Byrne.
###
Article: Byron Davies asked if a message from William Graham supporting the so-called "black route" for a Â£1bn Newport relief road came from a "spoof" account, as party policy was to review the options.
Antoinette Sandbach accused Mr Graham of "not willing to put his vote where his principles allegedly are".
Group leader Andrew RT Davies said the online row would "not be repeated".
Mr Graham backed a Conservative motion in the Senedd in January calling for a review of the possible routes for an M4 relief road.
But following the debate he tweeted: "I am confident that when the public inquiry is held the 'black route' will be chosen", referring to the Welsh government's preferred option.
Some critics have claimed other routes would cause less environmental damage.
It prompted responses from two of Mr Graham's colleagues asking whether he supported or disagreed with Conservative policy to review the alternatives.
Group leader Andrew RT Davies told journalists on Tuesday he had "spoken to" each of the members who were "all signed up to the group position".
"If people want to go on to Twitter to have a tittle-tattle that's neither here nor there," he said.
"The people involved know my views on it and I'm confident it won't be repeated."

Summary:


The report - What are the Chances of Receiving to Age 100?- comes as ministers have pledged to double funding for dementia research in the UK.
In the next decade, the number with the disease - mostly elderly - is expected to top one million.
In the next decade, the number with the disease

A third of babies born in 2012 in the UK are expected to live to 100, according to a new report.

Article: The firm must make it easier for users to find out how their data is collected and what it is used for and submit to a two-year review.
The deal follows an investigation by the regulator. Similar reviews are continuing elsewhere in Europe.
It is understood that Google will seek to strike a similar deal with other European regulators.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) found that Google was "too vague when describing how it uses personal data gathered from its web services and products".
The regulator - along with its continental counterparts - began looking into the Mountain View firm after its controversial privacy policy update in March 2012, which combined 70 existing documents.
It was joined by other data regulators, which form the European Article 29 Data Protection Working Party.
Following the investigation, Google has agreed to ensure that its privacy policy is more accessible and redesign its account settings feature to allow users to find its controls more easily.
It will also provide "unambiguous and comprehensive information regarding data processing, including an exhaustive list of the types of data processed by Google and the purposes for which data is processed".
Among other clarifications, Google will have to include information about who may collect "anonymous identifiers" - which are similar to cookies - and the purposes to which they put that data.
It will also be made to ensure that "passive users are better informed about the processing of their data". The ICO defines passive users as people who use Google, but who are not signed in.
Google has until 30 June 2015 to implement the changes and it is believed it will roll out a single policy across the European Union in order to satisfy each of the regulators that opened investigations.
It has also dropped appeals related to investigations being undertaken by the French and Spanish watchdogs.
"This undertaking marks a significant step forward following a long investigation and extensive dialogue," said Steve Eckersley, the ICO's head...

Summary: Google has agreed to rewrite its privacy policy after pressure from the UK Information Commissioner's Office.
###
Article: The Office for National Statistics experts base their projections on current and future survival trends.
And if their calculations are borne out, more than 95,000 of those who turn 65 this year can expect to celebrate their 100th birthday in 2047.
The number of centenarians has been steadily increasing - from 600 in 1961 to nearly 13,000 in 2010.
In 2012, the figure is expected to hit 14,500, and by 2035 will have breached the 100,000 mark.
And more of these will be women than men.
In 2012 there are 826,000 babies aged under one year. Although more are boys - 423,000 compared to 403,000 girls - the survival odds are greater for females. Women have higher life expectancies than men at every age.
Of those born in 2012, 135,000 men and 156,000 women are expected to still be alive by age 100.
The report -What are the Chances of Surviving to Age 100?- comes as ministers have pledged to double funding for dementia research in the UK.
In the next decade, the number with the disease - mostly elderly - is expected to top one million.

Summary:

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The Scottish Government's (SNC) has been working with the Scottish Government to develop a mathematical model to predict outcomes.
The Scottish Government has been working with the Scottish Government to develop a mathematical model to predict outcomes.
The Scottish Government has been working with the Scottish Government to develop a mathematical model to predict outcomes.

Researchers at Glasgow University have developed a new way to protect farmed salmon from sea lice.

Article: Mortar shells landed in Mezzeh 86, an Alawite district near the presidential palace, and hit the prime minister's offices and Mezzeh military airfield.
Activists said the escalation might herald a concerted rebel campaign.
Meanwhile, Syria's main opposition bloc has elected a new leadership team at a general assembly in Qatar.
However, women delegates staged an angry protest when the Syrian National Council's (SNC) all-male team was announced in Doha, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Earlier, UK Prime Minister David Cameron urged newly re-elected US President Barack Obama to work with him to "do more" to end the conflict.
He said the US and its allies should do more to "shape the opposition, outside Syria and inside Syria, and try to help them achieve their goal - which is our goal - of a Syria without [President Bashar al-] Assad".
Mr Cameron made the plea after hearing "truly horrendous" stories of suffering from refugees at the Zaatari camp in northern Jordan.
In another development on Wednesday, a senior Turkish foreign ministry official told Reuters news agency that Ankara would make an official request to Nato to deploy a Patriot surface-to-air defence missile system along the border with Syria.
In Syria, state media broadcast pictures of the aftermath of the mortar explosions in Mezzeh 86, a western district of Damascus mostly populated by members of the president's Alawite minority sect.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based activist group, reported that three civilians had been killed and 12 injured.
Opposition activists said Mezzeh 86 had not been the target of the mortar fire. Rather, the rebels had targeted the nearby hilltop palace housing President Assad's offices, but made mistakes in calculating the trajectory of the projectiles, the activists added.
"This operation came in response to the massacres committed in our beloved city," the Lions of Islam rebel group said in a statement.
Mortars also fell on Hajar al-Aswad, killing three civilians, and there was...

Summary: Syrian rebels have carried out fresh attacks on government facilities and strongholds in the capital, Damascus.
###
Article: The tiny crustaceans are a naturally-occurring parasite that can cause disease and are responsible for many losses to wild and farmed fish stocks.
With resistance to chemical treatments rising, the Glasgow team has been looking at breeding resistance.
It has now come up with a new protocol to breed resistant fish and developed a mathematical model to predict outcomes.
Sea lice can cause skin lesions and increased susceptibility to infections by suppressing the host's immune system.
The parasite is estimated to cost the worldwide fish farming industry hundreds of millions of pounds a year.
Professor Michael Stear said: "Sea lice infection is a major threat to the health of farmed salmon and to the fish-farming economy.
"Our research has produced a practical tool for quantifying resistance to sea lice and shown that selection could substantially reduce the need for drug treatments.
"Selective breeding for sea lice resistance should reduce the impact of sea lice on fish health and thus greatly improve the sustainability of Atlantic salmon production."
The study outlining the Glasgow University model is published in the Royal Society journal Interface.
WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: "There is no doubt that sea lice are a major problem for Scotland's salmon farming industry and that large amounts of chemicals are currently used to combat the problem.
"If we are to protect the wider environment, then finding ways to reduce the industry's reliance on chemicals is to be welcomed.
"However, as chemical use is only one of a number of environmental impacts from salmon farming, we need to see more farms sign up to the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's "responsible farming" labelling scheme, and pledge to operate more sustainably in all aspects of their operations."

Summary:


The council has a long history of anti-social behaviour and anti-social behaviour.
"The council has a long history of anti-social behaviour and anti-social behaviour.
"The council has a long history of anti-social behaviour and anti-social behaviour.
"The council has a long history of

Glasgow City Council will consider banning future Orange Order marches after footage showed members of the public chanting a sectarian song.

Article: More than 50 cars and 170 lots of automobilia were auctioned on Saturday at Aston Martin Works at Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.
A 1962 DB4 Series IV Vantage Convertible, originally owned by Sir Peter Ustinov, sold for £1,513,500.
Sir Peter was an actor, writer and dramatist who died in 2004.
The highest priced car sold was a 1966 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible in Vantage specification  which made £1,524,700.
Tim Schofield, Bonhams' UK head of motor cars,  said: "The quintessentially British marque of Aston Martin attracts interest from enthusiasts across the world, a fact demonstrated here as we took bids from all corners of the globe.
"This year's sale attracted a larger and more cosmopolitan interest than ever before..."

Summary: Auction house Bonhams' biggest ever Aston Martin sale - which included a 1962 model once owned by Sir Peter Ustinov - has made more than £10m.
###
Article: Footage emerged online of people appearing to sing the anti-Irish "Famine Song" at the weekend, while a band played along.
The council said the right of the Orange Order to march was not "absolute".
And it warned future parades could face greater restrictions or prohibition.
Police are investigating the footage of the song, which is sung to the tune of the Beach Boys' Sloop John B has previously been ruled to be racist by a Scottish court.
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "The European Convention on Human Rights enshrines the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
"However, these rights are not absolute. They must be balanced by the responsibility to ensure the rights of others are not infringed."
He added that the council would have a full debrief with police and the parade organisers, and would take into account any issues of public disorder, anti-social behaviour or damage to property resulting from the procession.
And the spokesman said the council would also "take into consideration any evidenced issues and, if a future procession notification is received from the organiser, the likelihood of any restriction or prohibition may be greater."
The main County Grand Orange Order parade from George Square to Glasgow Green on Saturday saw 4,500 people in 63 bands take part and another 4,000 people spectating.
It was in celebration of Prince William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Eight arrests were made for minor disorder and alcohol-related offences.
Robert McLean, executive officer for the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, said: "At the end of the day, members of the public will sing songs to tunes.
"I have been quite clear - if police investigate we will assist with their inquiries. We look forward to the debrief and looking at any incidents that occurred."
But David Scott, campaign director for anti-sectarian group Nil by Mouth, said: "If the Orange Order are a religious and cultural organisation, what would be the relevance of a Beach Boys...

Summary:


The BBC asked Belfast's Institute for Global Food Security to examine 30 foods after the recent horsemeat scare.
Johnson County District Judge Thomas Kelly Ryan said: "The university has to take this seriously."
Miller said he was motivated to kill Jews before he died because he believes they have too much power.
Miller said

A judge has sentenced a white supremacist to death for the killing of three people at two Jewish centres.

Article: The BBC asked Belfast's Institute for Global Food Security to examine 30 foods after the recent horsemeat scare.
Beef and lamb samples were all found to be clear, but two out of 10 products labelled as cod did not contain any traces of that fish whatsoever.
The institute said cheaper types of fish were being passed off as cod.
The institute is based at Queen's University, Belfast (QUB) and its director, Professor Chris Elliott, described the findings as "fish fraud".
He said while it was not a food safety issue, it was "another example of the integrity of the food chain being shown to be substandard".
Last month, the BBC bought a total of 30 food products at random for testing from supermarkets, shops and butchers in Belfast and elsewhere in Northern Ireland.
Ten products, labelled as beef, were tested by QUB for traces of horsemeat and 10 processed lamb products were tested for cross-contamination with pork.
All samples were found to be as described on the labelling.
Queen's University sent 10 cod products that were purchased at the same time to an institute it works closely with in Scotland for DNA testing.
"Only in eight of the 10 cases they could find cod being present," said Professor Elliott.
"Does it have an impact on safety? Really, it does not. People are buying cod, which is a high value fish, and actually they are getting a low value fish."
The snapshot survey confirms evidence from other studies, some carried out recently.
Biologists at the University of Salford carried out tests in fish and chip shops, supermarkets and restaurants across the UK and discovered that 7% of the fish was not what it was sold as.
Professor Elliott said: "The industry has to take this seriously."
He described the issue as "fish fraud" where a cheaper fish species is passed off as cod.
The Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, which represents many but not all of the big supermarkets, said any labelling issue was of concern.
Its director, AodhÃ¡n Connolly, said: "It alarms me it could be a knock for consumer...

Summary: Food tests commissioned for BBC Northern Ireland have found some products labelled as cod did not contain any cod at all.
###
Article: Frazier Glenn Miller Jr, 74, targeted the sites in Kansas last year and will be put to death by lethal injection.
Johnson County District Judge Thomas Kelly Ryan said: "Your attempt to bring hate to this community, to bring terror to this community, has failed."
Miller responded to the sentence, by shouting "heil Hitler" before he was removed from the courtroom.
He was convicted of one count of capital murder, three counts of attempted murder, and assault and weapons charges.
Miller, also known as Frazier Glenn Cross, represented himself during the trial.
He admitted to killing William Corporon, 69, and his grandson Reat Griffin Underwood, 14, outside the Jewish Community Centre in Overland Park, Kansas.
Terri LaManno, 53, was killed outside a Jewish retirement centre.
Miller told the jurors he "knew" they were going to put him on death row, and he did not care what sentence he would receive.
He said he was motivated to kill Jews before he died because he believes they have too much power.
Before the shooting, Miller founded several white supremacist groups and later ran twice for elected office on a white power platform.

Summary:


The article was written by the FBI and was published in the Washington Post.
The article was written by the FBI and was published in the Washington Post.
The article was written by the FBI and was published in the Washington Post.
The article was written by the FBI and was published in the Washington Post.

An American who helped run a successor to the Silk Road drug marketplace has been sentenced to eight years in jail.

Article: The journalist, who has presented Channel 4 News since 1989, gave the MacTaggart Lecture at the annual Edinburgh TV festival.
He said Facebook's inaction was a "threat to democracy".
Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg says the company is "experimenting" with ways to support the news industry.
In a 50-minute speech, Mr Snow said Facebook had helped Channel 4 News find a wider audience for its reports, but left publishers at the mercy of the social network.
"Facebook's principles are seldom explained in detail and can change overnight at Mr Zuckerberg's whim," said Mr Snow.
He also criticised the company's reputation for allowing false stories to spread unchallenged.
"Facebook enabled the story, 'Pope endorses Trump for President'," he said.
"That engaged more than a million people during the US elections. That same algorithm that prioritised many amazing reports of ours, also prioritised fakery on a massive scale.
"Facebook has a moral duty to prioritise veracity over virality. It is fundamental to our democracy."
Mr Snow also said Facebook had paid news publishers a "nominal rate" for their stories, which was not enough to support truthful, investigative journalism.
"Facebook feasts on our products and pays all but nothing for them. This cannot last," he told the audience.
Channel 4 has posted a transcript of the full lecture.
On Wednesday evening, Mr Zuckerberg said Facebook was exploring new ways to support journalists.
In a post on his Facebook profile, he said: "As more people get more of their news from places like Facebook, we have a responsibility to create an informed community and help build common understanding."
He said the social network was testing a way to make it easier for people to subscribe to publishers they liked, and Facebook would not take a cut of the subscription money.
He also described changes to help people check the authenticity of articles.
"Eventually, our goal is to put a publisher's logo next to every news article on Facebook so everyone can understand more about what they're...

Summary: Facebook should do more to tackle the spread of "cancerous" fake news, and help fund original journalism, newsreader Jon Snow has said.
###
Article: Brian Farrell admitted conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, in March this year.
Silk Road 2.0 was shut down in 2015, following Operation Onymous, raids that targeted almost 400 suspected illicit marketplaces around the world.
At the time, it was generating sales of about $8m (Â£5.5m) a month and had about 150,000 users.
Ross Ulbricht, who set up the original Silk Road, was sentenced in May 2015 to life in prison on several charges including distributing drugs.
Silk Road 2.0 was a copy of the original site and allowed people to use bitcoins to anonymously buy and sell drugs and other illegal goods and services via the Tor dark web network.
Farrell, who operated online using the alias "DoctorClu", had admitted his involvement with the site when prosecutors had been searching his Washington home in 2015, court papers revealed.
Blake Benthall, arrested in 2014, denies creating the Silk Road 2.0 site.

Summary:


The study's findings suggest that older adults who are overweight or obese should be more likely to have less energy and less energy.

"The study's findings suggest that older adults who are overweight or obese should be more likely to have less energy and less energy," said Dr. Shadyab.
"The study

Women who lead a sedentary lifestyle have faster-ageing cells than those who exercise every day, research suggests.

Article: The venue beat five other buildings to win the honour - the Royal Institute of British Architects' highest accolade.
Riba president Stephen Hodder called the Everyman an "exceptional new building".
"It is a ground-breaking example of how to build a daring bold and highly sustainable large public building in a historic city centre," he said.
The Everyman Theatre - famed for launching the careers of actors including Bill Nighy, Julie Walters and Pete Postlethwaite - first opened in 1964 in the shell of a 19th Century chapel on one of Liverpool's main streets.
However over the years it fell into a state of disrepair and architects Haworth Tompkins were tasked with designing a new theatre as part of a nine-year Â£27m rebuilding project, retaining its theme of being a "theatre for the people".
The building's facade features 105 punched aluminium panels portraying life-size images of Liverpool residents. Thousands queued to have their pictures taken, with the successful applicants having digital versions of their pictures etched onto the metal sun shades.
"The success of this exceptional new building lies in the architect's close involvement with the local community throughout the project," Mr Hodder said.
"Haworth Tompkins have struck the perfect balance between continuity and change to win the hearts and minds of the people of Liverpool with the vibrant new Everyman."
The theatre said it was "thrilled" to win the award.
"The Everyman was built with humanity at its heart," artistic director Gemma Bodinetz said.
"Since we reopened, the warmth of feeling from the public to their much-loved Everyman - given a daring and brilliant rebirth - has been almost overwhelming.
"Haworth Tompkins have delivered us a building that is sustainable, technically first rate and with unparalleled levels of accessibility for a theatre."
Steve Tompkins of Haworth Tompkins said: "Winning the Riba Stirling Prize is an enormous honour for our project team and our clients, the reward for an intensive collaboration over almost a decade,...

Summary: Liverpool's newly rebuilt Everyman Theatre has won the Riba Stirling Prize for best new building of the year.
###
Article: Research on 1,500 women aged 64 to 95 found those who spent many hours sitting and exercised for less than 40 minutes a day had cells that were biologically eight years older.
As people age, their cells age, causing DNA protectors to shorten and fray.
But health and lifestyle factors may speed up the process, researchers from California said.
Even in old age, it was important to keep active and avoid sitting for more than 10 hours a day, they said.
During ageing, tiny caps on the ends of DNA strands naturally shorten.
These telomeres - which have been likened to the plastic tips of shoelaces - are there to prevent chromosomes from deteriorating.
Telomere length is one indicator of biological age, which does not always match chronological age.
Shortened telomeres have been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and major cancers.
How much regular exercise people do now also appears to be a factor in their length.
To track the women's movements in the study, they wore wore an accelerometer on their right hip for seven days in a row, during the day and night.
They were also asked to complete questionnaires on their activity.
Dr Aladdin Shadyab, lead study author, from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, said: "We found that women who sat for longer did not have shorter telomere length if they exercised for at least 30 minutes a day.
"Discussions about the benefits of exercise should start when we are young, and physical activity should continue to be part of our daily lives as we get older, even at 80 years old."
The study is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
NHS Choices advises older adults to break up long periods of sitting with light activity because "sedentary behaviour is now considered an independent risk factor for ill health".
It says adults aged 65 or older who are generally fit and mobile should try to do:
Older adults at risk of falls, or with poor balance, should also do exercises to improve balance and co-ordination at least twice a week.

Summary:


A woman accused of stabbing her boyfriend with a kitchen knife has been cleared of his murder after telling jurors she feared he would kill her.
The court heard a row erupted after Miss Hart-Browne came home from a family party.
The court heard a row erupted after Miss Hart-Browne came home from a

Some schools are "gaming" the exam system by entering children early, the Welsh Government director of education has said.

Article: Elizabeth Hart-Browne, 27, broke down in tears as she was cleared of all charges at the Old Bailey.
Miss Hart-Browne cried "I have just killed the man I love" after stabbing Stephen Rayner, 25, on 17 September in Acton, west London.
The mother of two said he had hit her and grabbed her by the throat.
The court heard that with young children sleeping feet away, she picked up a large kitchen knife and stabbed Mr Rayner three times, inflicting a fatal wound to the neck.
Mr Rayner staggered outside and collapsed in a pool of blood as neighbours rushed to help.
Meanwhile, Miss Hart-Browne, who worked as a jewellery designer, said she panicked and went back to clean the knife and clear up blood around the television.
When the police arrived at their home, Miss Hart-Browne was hysterical telling officers: "I didn't mean to do it, I'm so sorry.
"I have just killed the man I love."
The jury in the six-week trial took 15 hours to find Miss Hart-Browne not guilty of murder.
The court heard a row erupted after Miss Hart-Browne came home from a family party.
Miss Hart-Browne told jurors she regretted not just going to bed when she got home that night. She said if she had, Mr Rayner, originally from Bournemouth, would still be alive.
The jury was also told of the couple's volatile six-year relationship, during which Mr Rayner had attacked the defendant many times.
After one incident outside Liquid nightclub in Uxbridge in 2012, Mr Rayner threatened to throw himself into the Thames and went on to plead guilty to battery.
In 2015, Miss Hart-Browne said she had become so fearful she took out life insurance because "I believed I was in danger of him killing me and I didn't want my kids to be left with nothing".
The defendant, who was described as having had a troubled upbringing in Somerset, said her boyfriend would take on the persona of his hero Charles Bronson during his terrifying attacks.
She said: "He had a fascination with Charles Bronson. He liked his aggression.
"There were lots of stories about him attacking...

Summary: A woman accused of stabbing her boyfriend with a kitchen knife has been cleared of his murder after telling jurors she feared he would kill her.
###
Article: Steve Davies told AMs officials were "concerned" about the volume of early entry.
It follows criticism from Education Secretary Kirsty Williams that children were being "banked" at lower qualifications.
Mr Davies said the government wants to take action on the issue in the autumn.
Ms Williams expressed concerns earlier in May that the focus on raising GCSE attainment to C grade has led to "unintended consequences", with some children put in for early entry to bank a lower qualification instead of potentially reaching higher.
The senior civil servant - asked about the issue of "early entry as a way of gaming the system" by Labour AM Lee Waters - said the Welsh Government advice was that decisions around early entry were made "in the interests of an individual child".
He told the assembly's public accounts committee that this year that some schools have conducted early entry "almost to test the system".
But he added: "I do believe... there are also those out there who are gaming."
Mr Davies acknowledged: "Sometimes that's the pressure that the system we have puts on them.
"I'm not in any way justifying it, but I can understand that people will resort to that."
Mr Davies said the government was working with Qualifications Wales (QW) to identify "the scale of the problem" with a report from the body due in September.
He added Ms Williams is "very aware of it" adding that action will be taken in the "early part of the autumn term" following the review.

Summary:


The MoD's decision to leave the MoD is a "firm" of the MoD's decision.
Mr Vaughan said he was "on duty" when he walked into the water to avoid a young family in front of him.
"It is unrealistic to say that you were on duty because you had

A Royal Marine who is suing the Ministry of Defence for up to £8m, has denied that he broke his neck performing a "Baywatch-style" dive.

Article: Nearly 98% of those who took part supported the government's call to reject the EU plan.
But only 40.4% cast valid ballots - short of the required 50% threshold.
A government spokesman said the outcome was binding "politically and legally", but the opposition said the government did not have the support it needed.
Mr Orban urged EU policymakers to take note of the result and said he would change Hungary's constitution to make the decision binding.
The controversial EU plan to relocate 160,000 migrants across the bloc would mean Hungary receiving 1,294 asylum seekers.
Ferenc Gyurcsany, leader of the opposition Democratic Coalition, said the low turnout showed that most people did not support the government.
"According to this result with such low turnout, the people do not support the government. And this is good."
There were 220,000 spoilt ballots. The number rejecting the EU scheme was 3.3 million, while 55,000 backed it.
But a government spokesman said the result could not be regarded as invalid.
"The government initiated the referendum, so both politically and legally the outcome is binding," he said.
"The 50% would have made a difference because parliament could have no alternative but to make a decision. But parliament is behind the government regarding the decision. This is a reinforced mandate for the government."
The referendum result is both a crushing defeat and an emphatic victory for Hungary's prime minister.
On the one hand, Viktor Orban led a prominent, expensive and relentless anti-EU and anti-migrant referendum campaign but failed to persuade most Hungarians to vote.
On the other hand, those who did vote sided with him almost unanimously, allowing him to trumpet that a higher percentage of Hungarians voted against EU migrant quotas than voted for EU membership 13 years ago.
Mr Orban says he is leading what he calls a counter-revolution against EU centralisation, a pushback against Brussels bossiness. He views himself as the man of the moment, speaking for the people of Europe.
He had hoped...

Summary: Hungarian PM Viktor Orban has declared victory in a referendum on mandatory EU migrant quotas, despite a low turnout that rendered it invalid.
###
Article: Spencer Vaughan, 27, of Campbell Road, Plymouth, suffered spinal damage after hitting his head on a sand bar in Gran Canaria while on a training course.
He is seeking damages from the MoD for not warning about the dangers of diving into shallow waters.
Mr Justice Davis will give his ruling at a later date.
Mr Vaughan, who comes from Cwmbran, South Wales, is now an incomplete tetraplegic following the accident in 2009 and gave evidence from his wheelchair at London's High Court.
Mr Vaughan insisted he was "on duty" when he walked into the sea to "cool off", executing a shallow, surface dive as the waters reached waist height.
Malcolm Sheehan QC, for the MoD, suggested to Mr Vaughan that he and his comrades were simply "chilling out" on the beach.
"It is unrealistic to say that you were on duty because you had a free choice about how to spend your time", the barrister said.
The QC referred him to "other accounts" which suggested that he "ran into the water and then carried out a Baywatch-style dive".
Mr Vaughan agreed that he and his fellow marines were "relaxing and chilling out", but said their primary purpose was to exercise and to swim.
Mr Vaughan said he had walked carefully into the water to avoid a young family in front of him.
Mr Sheehan said he had "every sympathy" for Mr Vaughan's plight, but added: "On the facts of this case there is no basis for a finding of negligence on the part of the MoD."
Mr Justice William Davis has now reserved his judgment on the case and will give his ruling at a later date.

Summary:


A dedicated Ebay buyer traveled more than 1,700 miles (2,800km) across Europe to pick up items listed as collection-only.
Wrockwardine Wood and Sutherland academies, also run by the Telford Co-operative Multi-Academy Trust, were put in special measures earlier this

All four schools run by a Telford academy trust have been put in special measures within a week.

Article: Andreas Hongvan drove from Sweden to Worthing to collect a broken solar panel he had successfully bid Â£189 for.
He had just driven from a similar pick-up in Nottingham where he had to climb on to a roof to "collect" his purchase.
Mr Hongvan, who lives "off grid" in Sweden, said: "I couldn't find anything like this at home. So it was worth it."
His wife was the one to first enquire about the Worthing solar panel, which was sold by Mark Cranford.
He said: "I thought they would probably decide they wouldn't bother as it was so far.
"I didn't hear anything for a day or so then his wife called and said he was at the Eurotunnel."
Mr Hongvan turned up in Worthing on Thursday in his trusted Volvo with the two solar panels from Nottingham already secured on top.
He was met by Mr Cranford and his brother Stephen.
Mr Hongvan told Stephen Cranford: "If I could buy this in Sweden I wouldn't drive all the way here, but I did my research and I couldn't find anything like it."
Mark Cranford, who said the outdated solar panel had attracted 26 bids, described his Swedish visitor as "a very nice chap, mad but nice".

Summary: A dedicated Ebay buyer travelled more than 1,700 miles (2,800km) across Europe to pick up items listed as collection-only.
###
Article: Inspectors criticised teaching and leadership at the Phoenix Academy and Lakeside Academy following visits in February, rating both schools inadequate in all areas.
Wrockwardine Wood and Sutherland academies, also run by the Telford Co-operative Multi-Academy Trust, were put in special measures earlier this week.
The trust has not commented.
Ofsted criticised the trust's lack of support to the schools and said each was now considering an alternative sponsor.
Inspectors said pupils' achievement at the Phoenix Academy had dropped since it became an academy in 2013 and their latest report rated it inadequate in all areas.
A report in 2013, before it converted, rated the secondary school as "requiring improvement", while Lakeside was rated "good" in 2012 under its former name the Lord Silkin School.
In the latest report, inspectors said the curriculum at Phoenix Academy was "inadequate", while "weak teaching" meant pupils were not sufficiently challenged and were often "disengaged and disruptive".
There was particular criticism of standards in English and maths which the watchdog said were limiting pupils' achievements in other areas.
Ofsted's report said governors, managers and teachers had developed a "culture of low expectations", while leaders had failed to act decisively to halt the decline in pupils' achievement.
There was, however, some praise for the acting head teacher. Inspectors said he had introduced a number of improvement measures and some were "beginning to have an impact".
A report on Lakeside School highlighted similar concerns, criticising teachers for not sufficiently challenging pupils and for having "over generous" predictions of their achievement.
Inspectors said many pupils, whether high achievers or those with special educational needs, were "not making the progress they should" and achievements at GCSE were well below the national average.
Governors were also criticised for not holding leaders to account, while the report said management had failed to effectively monitor either pupils or...

Summary:


The New York Times reports that the New York Times reports that the New York Times reports that the New York Times reports that the New York Times reports that the New York Times reports that the New York Times reports that the New York Times reports that the New York Times reports that the New York Times reports that the New York Times

A consultation into improvements on the A27 has been dubbed "a sham" by council leaders.

Article: The Rev Gregory Jacobs joined police on Wednesday in his first public comments since her death to urge anyone to come forward with details on what happened.
The 65-year-old judge was found dead in the Hudson River with no signs of foul play or criminality, police say.
But Mr Jacobs dismissed the possibility that she may have taken her own life.
"These reports have frequently included unsubstantiated comments concerning my wife's possible mental and emotional state of mind at the time of her death," Mr Jacobs wrote in a statement to NBC News.
"Those of us who loved Sheila and knew her well do not believe that these unfounded conclusions have any basis in reality."
Ms Abdus-Salaam, the first black woman to serve in New York's highest court, was discovered on 12 April, a day after her husband reported her missing.
Senior New York judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam found dead in Hudson River
Police had reportedly treated the death as a possible suicide, but an initial autopsy last week was inconclusive and the cause of death is still pending, according to Medical Examiner's Office spokeswoman Julie Bolcer.
Police are now treating the case as suspicious.
"Until such a determination is made, the death may be classified as suspicious, in that the circumstances have not been clearly established," the NYPD said in a statement to CNN.
Robert Boyce, chief of detectives for NYPD, told reporters there were no apparent injuries to her body and her death did not appear to be criminal in nature.
Surveillance footage showed the judge walking alone near the river in the Harlem neighbourhood about 12 hours before her body was found in the water, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD).
She was seen dressed in the same clothing she was wearing when her body was found, according to Sergeant Brendan Ryan.
Ms Abdus-Salaam's extended family has also pushed back on what they said are inaccurate reports that her mother and brother had committed suicide.
"Sheila's mother, the matriarch of our family who died at age 92 in 2012, did...

Summary: The husband of US judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam, found dead last week in a New York City river, has called reports of her apparent suicide "unfounded".
###
Article: Highways England plans to "increase capacity and reduce congestion" between Worthing and Lancing.
But Adur and Worthing councils say the Â£69m proposal is not fit for purpose and the government body should launch a fresh consultation with updated plans.
Highways England project manager Tom Beasley said the improvements were the "best achievable option".
Large-scale options were considered by Highways England, including dual carriageway schemes with flyovers.
But the consultation focuses a mix of new traffic signalling and road widening on six junctions between Durrington Hill and the Lancing Manor roundabout.
In a joint statement, the leader of Adur District Council, Neil Parkin, and the leader of Worthing Borough Council, Dan Humphreys, said the "modest" plans are not good enough.
Mr Parkin said: "Highways England say they want to consult with us but we say this is a sham. By not allowing the public to weigh up options and see full costings how are we to make any kind of decision?
"All I do know is the current scheme on the table is barely worth the disruption and certainly not worth spending Â£69m on."
Mr Humphreys added: "Highways England do not seem to be taking us seriously. Our questions were met with an 'experts know best' response."
But Mr Beasley said Highways England think that the proposal "would make a worthwhile improvement to people's journeys and is the best achievable option within the scope and budget available for the project".
"We welcome all views and promise that we will take all responses to the consultation fully into account."
Consultation into the proposal ends on 12 September.

Summary:


SABMiller has rejected an improved offer from Anheuser-Busch InBev that it says "very substantially undervalues" the company.

Article: The cover shows the Prophet holding a sign reading "I am Charlie", below the words "all is forgiven".
The magazine's lawyer Richard Malka told French radio earlier that it was important to show that staff would "cede nothing" to extremists.
Gunmen attacked the magazine's offices on Wednesday, killing 12 people.
Following the attack, the gunmen were heard shouting that they had "avenged the Prophet Muhammad".
The magazine was firebombed in 2011 after publishing Muhammad cartoons.
A total of 17 people were killed in three days of terror attacks in Paris last week.
The slogan "Je suis Charlie" or "I am Charlie" was widely used following Wednesday's attack on the magazine, as people sought to show their support.
Three million copies of Wednesday's edition are being printed. Normally only 60,000 are available each week.
Mr Malka told France Info radio: "We will not give in. The spirit of 'I am Charlie' means the right to blaspheme."
Survivors of the massacre have been working on the magazine from the offices of another French title, Liberation.
Five of Charlie Hebdo's top cartoonists were killed in the attack.
The new edition will be created "only by people from Charlie Hebdo", its financial director, Eric Portheault, told AFP news agency.
Contributions from other cartoonists were declined.

Summary: The cover of the latest edition of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has been published in French media, and depicts the Prophet Muhammad.
###
Article: AB InBev on Wednesday raised its offer for SAB to £42.15 a share, having previously bid £38 and £40.
SABMiller closed up 2.4% at £37.08, having risen sharply since InBev first made its move last month.
Any deal between the two would create the world's biggest brewer, worth more than £180bn.
SABMiller said its board had formally considered the new offer, and had "unanimously rejected the proposal as it still very substantially undervalues SABMiller, its unique and unmatched footprint, and its standalone prospects".
AB InBev brews Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona, while SAB brews Peroni and Grolsch, among others.
If a deal does go through, the merged company would produce one-third of the world's beer.
On Tuesday, SAB reported a 9% fall in revenues for the three months to September, which it blamed on weakening emerging market currencies.
Sales volumes were up 2%.
Shares in AB InBev closed up 0.6% in Brussels at €98.65.

Summary:


The report is forecast to be a "post-crisis low" in the UK, the UK and the UK.
The report is forecast to be a "post-crisis low" in the UK, the UK and the UK.
The report is forecast to be a "post-crisis low"

UKIP's Welsh MEP post may be better left unfilled as a result of Brexit, party AM Caroline Jones has said.

Article: Its Global Economic Prospects report is forecasting 2.7% growth compared with the 2.3% seen last year.
That slight strengthening will be driven mainly by improvements in emerging markets and developing economies, the Bank says.
But there is heightened uncertainty after the US Presidential election, according to the report.
The World Bank's new forecasts suggest we can expect the unconvincing global economic revival following the financial crisis to continue.
Last year's growth figure was described as a "post-crisis low", with "anaemic" levels of investment and a further weakening of global trade.
For emerging market and developing economies, the rise in interest rates in the US and the strengthening dollar also led to a "notable tightening of financing conditions" - which means credit that is either more expensive or harder to get.
But the Bank still expects growth to accelerate in these countries, partly due to higher commodity prices, such as oil and metals, which many of them export.
The Bank's economists also expect the slowdown in two large emerging economies, Brazil and Russia, to come to an end.
For the developed economies the Bank forecasts continued weak growth of around 1.8%.  That would be slightly better than 2016, but still slow compared to the period before the crisis.
Uncertainty about future policies has increased following the British referendum on the European Union and, potentially especially significant for the global economy, Donald Trump's victory in the US Presidential election.
The report includes an analysis of why the US matters so much to the rest of the world in terms of extensive trade and financial links.
It notes that there is a great deal of uncertainty about just what policies Mr Trump's administration will pursue in office.
And it says there is the potential for stronger US growth if Mr Trump implements proposals to cuts personal and business taxes and stimulates infrastructure investment.
The report also looks at the possible impact of more barriers to international trade....

Summary: There will be only a moderate pick up in global economic growth during 2017, the World Bank has predicted.
###
Article: Ms Jones told BBC Radio Wales she did not want to give up being an AM to go to Brussels to replace Nathan Gill, UKIP Wales leader.
Mr Gill has been told by the UKIP assembly group and the UKIP party chairman Steve Crowther to stop "double-jobbing" as an AM and MEP.
Mr Gill said those making such calls were doing it out of "malice".
"We've got Brexit now and I think that, possibly, it may be best to leave that role unfilled," Ms Jones told the Good Morning Wales programme.
"I'm surprised I've not been formally asked what I'd like to do."
Ms Jones, the South Wales West AM, is one of two people who could take up the role of UKIP Wales MEP if Mr Gill made it vacant - the other being South Wales East AM David Rowlands.
She would, in theory, have first refusal over Mr Rowlands as she was third in the 2014 UKIP European Parliament election list and Mr Rowlands was fourth. The number two candidate, James Cole, is no longer in the party.
Asked if she would give up her position as AM to become an MEP, she said: "No I wouldn't. I'm not interested. Since becoming an AM I've thrown myself totally into what I'm elected to do.
"They'd have to ask David Rowlands obviously but neither of us have formally been asked, although David may say 'oh no I'm settling in in his role', and he is actually, he's doing very well.
"Quite frankly I think it's impossible to do two jobs, especially when one is in Brussels and Strasbourg and the other is in the Welsh Assembly. It's a very difficult situation."

Summary:


Mr Abe described the 90-minute meeting in Trump Tower, New York, as "candid", with a "warm atmosphere".
The school's trustees said the two agreed to meet again for deeper talks on a wider range of issues.
The school's trustees said the two agreed to meet again for deeper talks on

Japan's PM Shinzo Abe has said he has "great confidence" in US President-elect Donald Trump and he believes they can build a relationship of trust.

Article: Bolton Wanderers Free School, which opened in 2014 as part of a £100m development near the club's stadium, offers courses to up to 400 students, but only had 95 enrol in 2015.
The school's trustees said the numbers meant it was "not financially viable".
An inspection by Ofsted in September 2016 found the school to be inadequate.
Inspectors said "a culture of low aspirations" at the school resulted in "too many students making poor progress and not meeting their target grades".
The institution offers a range of vocational courses for 16 to 19-year-olds.
Principal Toni Carr said the school was working with other education providers to find alternative courses for its students, adding that existing students in Year 13 would "continue to follow their current courses and complete these in the summer term".
She also said the school would "endeavour to ensure that teaching and learning within the college will continue with present staff... [to] ensure students are prepared for examinations this summer."
Bolton Council said it was "sorry" to hear of the closure and was "supporting the school and working directly with the young people to help them with their transitions to other educational institutions".

Summary: A football club's free school will close at the end of the academic year because of low pupil numbers, its trustees have said.
###
Article: Mr Abe described the 90-minute meeting in Trump Tower, New York, as "candid", with a "warm atmosphere".
Some of Mr Trump's campaign rhetoric cast doubt over long-standing US alliances, including with Japan.
The meeting was Mr Trump's first face-to-face with a world leader since winning the presidential election.
The US and Japan have been key allies since the end of World War Two, when the US helped Japan rebuild its economy.
The president-elect has vowed to scrap the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which Mr Abe strenuously supports as a means of countering China's growing economic strength.
The deal was approved by the Japanese parliament, despite the likelihood that it would be cancelled when Mr Trump takes office.
Mr Trump has also said Japan needs to pay more to maintain US troops on its soil, and has floated the idea that Japan and South Korea should develop their own nuclear weapons to counter the threat from North Korean missiles.
The meeting was reportedly arranged when Mr Abe rang the president-elect to congratulate him, mentioning that he would be passing through New York on the way to an Asia-Pacific trade summit in Peru.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Abe said: "We were able to have a very candid talk over a substantial amount of time. We held it in a very warm atmosphere.
"I do believe that without confidence between the two nations the alliance would never function in the future and as the outcome of today's discussion I am convinced Mr Trump is a leader in whom I can have great confidence."
The Japanese leader gave few details of the meeting but added the two agreed to meet again for deeper talks on a wider range of issues.
Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, who have emerged as key advisers to Mr Trump since his surprise election victory, also met Mr Abe at Trump Tower.
Media speculation over her role has included the possibility of her becoming ambassador to Japan.
In the days since the election, Mr Trump has been speaking to dozens of world leaders as well as...

Summary:


The police have said the victim was targeted by two "despicable individuals" in East Kilbride on Friday night.
The police have said the victim was targeted by two "despicable individuals" in East Kilbride on Friday night.
The police have said the victim was targeted by two "des

A man with learning difficulties has been left "absolutely traumatised" after being punched and robbed at a bus stop.

Article: President Jacob Zuma is already facing an official investigation over the multi-million dollar renovation of his homestead in KwaZulu Natal.
It and a proposed building of a nearby town has been dubbed "Zumaville".
Provincial authorities have said the road development plan preceded Mr Zuma's presidency.
But the Democratic Alliance has questioned why so much emphasis is being placed on this area of South Africa.
The BBC's Pumza Fihlani, in Johannesburg, says many development plans and road upgrades across the country, some of which are urgently needed, never get off the ground often because of lack of finance or corrupt tenders.
On Sunday, it was revealed that South Africa's Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had opened an investigation into the publicly funded construction of Mr Zuma's private residence in the district of Nkandla.
The chalets and state of the art security are said to have cost $27m (£17m).
The unveiling by the KwaZulu Natal government of two new nearby road networks, costing $67m, happened two days later.
The Democratic Alliance's Ian Ollis said that he would request that Ms Madonsela extend her investigation to include the road upgrades leading to Mr Zuma's homestead.
"KwaZulu Natal certainly has enough road and transport infrastructure projects which could have been considered as alternatives to the Nkandla projects," Mr Ollis said.
But KwaZulu Natal's Transport Minister Willies Mchunu said the road project was above board and various villages had been marked for development before Mr Zuma came to power in 2009.
"In fact, former President Thabo Mbeki identified Nkandla and Msinga as priority areas needing development. This has nothing to do with President Zuma," South Africa's Mercury newspaper quoted him as saying.
In recent months, there has also been controversy over proposals for a town to be built about 3km (two miles) from Mr Zuma's Nkandla homestead.
"Public funds should not be spent to service the home and the hometown of the president to the detriment of other projects that are meant...

Summary: The spending of taxpayers' money on the upgrade of roads near the rural home of South Africa's president should be investigated, the opposition says.
###
Article: Police said the vulnerable man was targeted by two "despicable individuals" in East Kilbride on Friday night.
They threatened their 32-year-old victim with a knife before punching him and robbing him.
Det Con Stuart Burnside appealed for help in tracing the men.
He said: "These despicable individuals preyed on a vulnerable man who clearly could not stand up for himself and has been left absolutely traumatised by what happened.
"This type of abhorrent behaviour will not be tolerated and extensive enquiries are underway to find these criminals and hold them to account for their cowardly actions.
"I would appeal to anyone who was in the surrounding area late on Friday night, who may have witnessed the incident or may have seen two men matching the descriptions, to please get in touch."
The men approached their victim at a bus stop near Calderwood Square at about 23:00 on Friday. They were last seen heading towards Maxwellton Road.
Both men were white and in their mid teens or early 20s. The first was about 5ft 6in, and he was wearing a white T-shirt and dark coloured bottoms.
His accomplice was slim and about 5ft 8in. He wore a dark coloured tracksuit.
Their victim was treated at Hairmyres Hospital following the incident.

Summary:


The new Bishop of Hull, 65, would be likely installed by the end of the year, The Diocese of Hereford, 65, would be likely installed by the end of the year, The Diocese of Hereford, 65, would be likely installed by the end of the year, The Diocese of Here

Working grandparents could share unpaid parental leave under plans being launched by the Labour Party.

Article: The current Bishop of Hull, 65, would be hopefully installed by the end of the year, The Diocese of Hereford said.
Bishop Frith, who has four children and four step-children, has worked in a mix of urban and rural areas in his 40 years of ministry, it added.
His predecessor in Hereford, the Right Reverend Anthony Priddis, retired from the role in September.
Bishop Frith said he was "thrilled" to have been chosen.
He said: "The Diocese has a wonderful Christian heritage and I greatly look forward to playing my part in building up the church and serving the wider community."
The grandfather-of-seven has been the Bishop of Hull for 16 years.
The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu said he had brought "his passion and joyful enthusiasm to his mission for the Diocese of York".
From 1991 to 1998, Bishop Frith was Prebendary at Wells Cathedral, including being Archdeacon of Taunton for six of those years.
He was Team Rector at the Keynsham, Bath and Wells diocese from 1983 to 1992.
His new diocese covers Herefordshire, south Shropshire and parts of Worcestershire and Wales.

Summary: The new Bishop of Hereford has been announced as the Right Reverend Richard Frith.
###
Article: The idea forms part of Labour's women's manifesto, which has been released as a separate document to the party's main pledges.
The manifesto also promises to tackle equality in pay and give more support for childcare and paternity leave.
Labour's Harriet Harman said the document was showing women the party was "on their side".
Ms Harman launched the manifesto accompanied by shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, and shadow minister for women and equalities Gloria De Piero at the Stockwell Gardens Nursery in south London.
The trio arrived in the party's woman-to-woman pink mini-bus.
Ms Harman described Labour's new policy on grandparents as "incredibly important".
She said: "For so long until quite recently politics was just a bit of a men-only game so we need to highlight the fact that politicians are there for women and democracy is there for women as well as men.
"I think we are showing women that we are on their side and will stand up for them in government.
"But I think that what we are saying about grandparents and recognising how many families depend on grandparents to help with children while the parents are working, but also that those grandparents are not retired they are working now, they are working longer.
"And therefore this new policy on grandparents I think is going to be incredibly important."
Labour leader Ed Miliband told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour earlier that this was the first time a party had looked at grandparents, and said they were a "crucial part" to help over "summer holidays or when a child is sick".
When asked about whether he was assuming that older women could afford to work for free, Mr Miliband said that this was "about going with the grain of people's lives" and that the modern workplace needed to reflect "the reality of family life".
Currently parents can claim 18 weeks unpaid parental leave, or four weeks in any given year, per child up to their 18th birthday.
Labour's new idea, which would be consulted on should Labour win power on 7 May, would be to allow grandparents to...

Summary:


The report was published in the UK's March-to-June period, which was published in the UK's March-to-June period, which was published in the UK's March-to-June period, which was published in the UK's March-to-June period, which was published in the UK's

The developers of the proposed Swansea Bay tidal lagoon have accused Natural Resources Wales (NRW) of publishing a "grossly misleading" analysis of the project's likely impact on fish.

Article: Consumer spending in the April to June period grew by 0.9% from the previous quarter, the fastest pace since 2014.
A rise in business investment also helped growth, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showed.
The ONS kept its estimate for UK economic growth at 0.6% for the second quarter, unchanged from the  initial reading.
"Our survey returns, which include the period leading up to and immediately following the referendum, show no sign so far of uncertainty having significantly affected investment or GDP," said ONS chief economist Joe Grice.
Business investment increased by a stronger-than-expected 0.5% in the quarter having fallen in the first three months of the year.
However, the UK's widening trade deficit was a drag on growth during the April-to-June period.
Thomas Laskey, from Aberdeen Asset Management, said the ONS figures showed business investment was "fairly resilient" despite the uncertainty in the run-up to the referendum.
"This is the number that many investors are keeping their eye on, given how sensitive it may be to Brexit.
"The Bank of England significantly lowered its forecasts for business investment in the recent Inflation Report and Mark Carney has been pessimistic about the outlook."
Data released since the Brexit vote in 23 June has been mixed. Some business surveys suggested there had been a sharp slowdown in activity in the immediate aftermath of the referendum, but retail sales figures for July, released last week, were stronger than expected.
Many economists have predicted a marked slowdown in the UK economy following the referendum.
Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said that while he still had "serious concerns over the UK growth outlook, we are a little less pessimistic than we were in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote".
However, he added that it was "likely to be some considerable time before the economy again expands anything like 0.6% quarter-on-quarter".
"We suspect that the UK's vote to leave the European Union in...

Summary: Strong growth in spending by consumers helped to drive the UK economy ahead of the Brexit vote, official figures show.
###
Article: Earlier this month, NRW estimated the lagoon would mean 21% of salmon and 25% of sea trout dying each year, as they migrate to and from local rivers.
Tidal Lagoon Power (TLP) said the claims had no "clear scientific basis".
NRW said its figures were based on the "best available evidence" it received.
In a briefing note sent to AMs and seen by BBC Wales, TLP disputed NRW's figures and claimed that the regulator refused to share its methodology for calculating them.
"Without clear scientific basis NRW has recently published figures based in these 'what if' scenarios despite our request to consider the evidence needed to back them up prior to publication," the briefing said.
"These scenarios give unrealistic and grossly misleading impact figures [on fish]," the briefing adds.
TLP said that computer modelling carried out by experts on its behalf estimated a "worst case scenario" of the lagoon killing 2% of all species of fish.
The Â£1.3bn Swansea tidal lagoon project is being viewed by the firm as a test bed for much larger and more cost effective versions around the coast, including Cardiff, Newport and Colwyn Bay.
UK government ministers are considering the findings of a six-month review of the viability of the scheme, which is yet to be published.
Wales' Environment Secretary Lesley Griffiths said the Welsh Government was "very supportive" of the scheme.
But she said both it and the industry needed clarity on the UK government's position in the "very, very near future."
NRW said it strongly disagreed with TLP's criticism, which it was "very surprised and disappointed by".
Gareth O'Shea, an NRW executive director, said: "We have received a vast amount of evidence on this subject from the applicant and have held detailed discussions with the developer for a year-and-a-half where we have shared a huge amount of information, data and our methodology.
"This has been assessed by independent experts and our own technical experts, and we have the utmost confidence that it is the best evidence available to enable us to...

Summary:


The vote to leave the EU is a chance to fix the UK's "broken" immigration system and restore trust in controlled migration, a report says.
The OU has taken steps to ensure that students' privacy is not compromised by the scheme - putting in place an ethics policy, agreed in consultation with a student committee,

Students at the Open University are going to have their progress monitored by a set of algorithms to spot if they need any extra support.

Article: Think tank British Future said the Brexit referendum outcome was a "vote of no confidence" in existing policies.
It said public expectations of curbs on low-skilled migration must be met.
The think tank has also released a survey suggesting almost half of Britons do not believe the government will reach its net migration targets.
Ministers have pledged to reduce net migration to below 100,000 by 2020.
British Future's report is published ahead of the release on Thursday of the latest net migration figures.
Details of the number of people coming to the UK for more than a year from across the EU and the rest of the world will be published at 09:30 BST - covering the year to 31 March.
Net migration - the difference between the estimated number of people settling in the UK and those emigrating - rose to 333,000 in 2015, the second highest figure on record, and has been above 300,000 for the past five quarters.
Prime Minister Theresa May has said she is sticking with her predecessor David Cameron's target of bringing the annual figure down to less than 100,000 - even though he fell well short of this during the last Parliament.
Opposition parties and some Tories have called for the target to be ditched, arguing it is distorting priorities and will be unachievable even outside the EU. But ministers say it is still a valid benchmark for "sustainable" migration levels.
In its report, British Future - which describes itself as a non-partisan body focused on addressing issues of migration, integration and identity - said the target was a "symbolic totem" for many and the failure to meet it had damaged public trust but it was unlikely to be reconsidered until the shape of the UK's Brexit deal became apparent.
"After the referendum, the debate about the future of the headline target will have little practical impact until the contours of future UK immigration policy become clearer," it wrote.
"Nobody in government or outside of it could possibly be in a position to make a sensible long-term judgement about future...

Summary: The vote to leave the EU is a chance to fix the UK's "broken" immigration system and restore trust in controlled migration, a report says.
###
Article: The scheme, developed by the OU, has been designed to observe students' paths through courses and engagement with online learning modules.
The OU's Prof John Domingue told the BBC: "This has been developed as a tool for tutors to help students.
"We are planning to use this data for students studying in 2015-16."
The programme, called OU Analyse, was developed at the university during the 2013-14 academic year.
It uses a variety of data sets held by the OU and assesses the likelihood of a student submitting their next assignment by using information gathered from four different algorithms.
The more algorithms that indicate the student will not send in their work - the higher the chance of that happening.
Prof Domingue added: "We take advantage of the fact that modules are presented many times. One can use the experience of previous students to benefit future students. An interesting fact is that the data of the interactions before the course actually starts, like reading the material available and engaging with forums, is extremely valuable.
"Currently it is deployed on 13 modules, mostly level one modules in order to try to provide timely indicators that students may be struggling.
"The model is tailored to each of the modules and by using this and identifying students, more tailored support may be provided."
The OU has taken steps to ensure that students' privacy is not compromised by the scheme - putting in place an ethics policy, agreed in consultation with a student committee, to protect their data.
Ruth Tudor, president of the Open University's Students' Association, thinks the scheme is a positive one.
"It's a great idea and a great way of providing targeted support to students who may be struggling and need extra help," she told the BBC.
"I would like to think that this would improve the drop-out rate from OU courses. You must remember they take students who have come from no academic background so it is always possible that those people take on more than they think they can manage.
"That's why data...

Summary:


A major road in Leicester could be closed for several days after a water main burst.
The DoJ alleges that Mr Clark was a "high-ranking" operator on the Silk Road and was instrumental in helping Ulbricht run it. He gave advice about ways to improve the technology underpinning the site, boost sales

A man alleged to have helped run the notorious Silk Road drug marketplace has been arrested in Thailand.

Article: The A563 Palmerston Way in West Knighton was flooded after a "trunk" pipe burst early on Friday.
Severn Trent Water apologised after more than 1,000 homes were affected but said water supplies were now back to normal in the city.
The road is closed between A6 Leicester Road and Welford Road and motorists have been told to expect delays.
Overdale Infant and Junior Schools in Eastcourt Road are also closed.
Sarah Jane O'Kane, from Severn Trent Water, said the burst pipe was classed as a "trunk pipe" which meant it held a large amount of water.
"We can only apologise for any traffic problems or any water supply problems that people are going to see."

Summary: A major road in Leicester could be closed for several days after a water main burst.
###
Article: Canadian Roger Thomas Clark is said to have been a key adviser for Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht.
The US Department of Justice alleged that Mr Clark advised Ulbricht about the best way to run the site and how to evade the police.
The Silk Road website was shut down in late 2013 following raids by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
It was a marketplace sited on the dark web through which many people bought illegal drugs. In May this year Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison for creating and running the site.
The DoJ alleges that Mr Clark was a "high-ranking" operator on the Silk Road and was instrumental in helping Ulbricht run it. He gave advice about ways to improve the technology underpinning the site, boost sales and on the best way for Ulbricht to hide his real identity, said US authorities.
Mr Clark was paid "at least hundreds of thousands of dollars" for this advice, said the DoJ in a statement announcing the arrest.
"Clark may have thought residing in Thailand would keep him out of reach of US authorities, but our international partnerships have proven him wrong," said FBI assistant director Diego Rodriguez.
On the site and in other underground forums, Mr Clark is believed to have used several nicknames including "Variety Jones, "VJ", "Cimon" and "Plural of Mongoose".
Extradition proceedings have been started against Mr Clark to transfer him from a jail in Thailand to the US.
He faces charges of narcotics conspiracy and money laundering. If found guilty of both charges he could face 30 years in jail.

Summary:


"Very significant improvements" have been made at a health board following the outbreak of a major infection three years ago.
The chairman and vice-chairman later stood down.
Prof Brian Duerden, an expert in healthcare associated infection and antibiotic resistance, was commissioned to produce the report into the outbreak and was highly

Detectives investigating the murder of a man who they believe was attacked with an axe have renewed their appeal on the first anniversary of his death.

Article: Between January and May 2013, there were 96 cases of Clostridium difficile (C. diff) at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire.
Thirty patients died while suffering with the infection.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board was severely criticised for how it handled the outbreak.
The chairman and vice-chairman later stood down.
Prof Brian Duerden, an expert in healthcare associated infection and antibiotic resistance, was commissioned to produce the report into the outbreak and was highly critical.
In 2014, he reviewed the situation and said much important work had been carried out to tackle the problem.
His latest report, following a review in March 2016, will be considered by the health board on Thursday.
It said there had been "very significant improvements in the management arrangements and practice for infection protection since the earliest report".
It also highlights "continuing gaps where recommendations have not yet been fully implemented and also current threats to the maintenance of a safe and effective service as a result of staff changes and a failure to fill key posts in a timely manner".
One of his main concerns relates to "the seriously depleted state of consultant staffing in medical microbiology".
Since April this year there has been only one consultant at each of the three main hospital sites in Bodelwyddan, Bangor and Wrexham, plus one part-time in Wrexham, and that, he said "is a potentially unsafe clinical service".

Summary: "Very significant improvements" have been made at a health board following the outbreak of a major infection three years ago.
###
Article: Basil McAfee was found dead by his mother at his home in Henderson Avenue, north Belfast, on 20 December 2013.
Police said he "suffered a violent death" and added that they believed his killer used an axe and a large knife.
They said that although it was not a random attack, his killer remains a danger to others in the community.
The police officer leading the murder investigation, Det Ch Insp John McVea, said: "It is a year since Basil died and his death has slipped somewhat from public consciousness.
"But it remains an enduring heartache for his family - his mother, siblings and his grown-up children.
"They are about to face a second Christmas without Basil and without knowing why this happened to him and who is responsible."
Mr McAfee, a father-of-two, was attacked in the living room of his home and police have released a photograph of the murder scene as part of the renewed appeal.
The 50-year-old had been stabbed a number of times and sustained head wounds consistent with being hit with an axe.
The investigating officer described the murder as a "ferocious attack".
"He suffered a violent death at the hands of an assailant who was probably wielding an axe and a long-bladed knife," Mr McVea said.
He confirmed that items, including money, were taken from Mr McAfee's house.
"Although we believe the attack was not random, but focused on Basil, whoever did this is a danger to others in the community while still at large," the detective added.
The last public sighting of Mr McAfee was in an off-licence on the Cavehill Road, close to his home, on the afternoon of Thursday 19 December 2013.
Shortly after the murder, police released CCTV images showing the victim shopping in the off-licence in a bid to get witnesses to come forward.
However, they have now said they believe other people visited Mr McAfee who have not yet contacted detectives.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact police on the non-emergency number 101.
Alternatively, they can speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers...

Summary:


A change in disease status for Northern Ireland's beef industry could be worth £12m a year, it has been claimed.
The decision to grant it rests with the World Organisation for Animal Health - an inter-governmental organization on animal health.
The decision to grant it rests with the World Organisation for Animal Health -

Plans to restrict the role of Welsh MPs should be treated with caution, a former Welsh secretary has warned.

Article: Northern Ireland currently has "controlled risk" status for BSE, a cattle disease.
The Department of Agriculture is consulting on whether to apply for regional "negligible risk" status.
If successful, the industry believes it would mean an "improved global image" that would open up new markets.
The decision to grant it rests with the World Organisation for Animal Health - an inter-governmental organisation on animal health.
Eating BSE-infected meat was linked to an outbreak of brain disease in humans in the 80s.
Since then strict controls have been imposed on parts of the carcass which can be used for food.
Those measures and a ban on animal feeds containing meat and bone-meal have all but eradicated the disease.
The last confirmed case in Northern Ireland was in 2012.
As 11 years have elapsed since that animal's date of birth, the authorities can apply for the enhanced status.
Scotland is in the same position.
A confirmed case in Wales last June means the United Kingdom can not make a country-wide application until 2020.
England is expected to defer its decision until then.
The Republic of Ireland got "negligible risk" status in May last year, but lost it again the following month after a case was detected in County Louth.
It has been returned to "controlled risk" status and can not reapply until 2021.
The consultation document acknowledges that "negligible risk" status brings trade advantages and could save the industry £1.2m a year spent on disposing of material which can not be sent for food.
But it said it could also mean having to re-negotiate current contracts leading to the potential for trade disruption.
It said given the potential for a sporadic BSE case, the resultant loss of "negligible risk" status could generate "considerable public concern and negative publicity".
It could also mean the requirement to recall some products, and the loss of some markets opened up by the new status.
The consultation closes in mid June.

Summary: A change in disease status for Northern Ireland's beef industry could be worth £12m a year, it has been claimed.
###
Article: Clwyd West Tory MP David Jones said he backed proposals for "English votes for English laws" but it was important to define clearly what those issues were.
He said many of his constituents used public services in England and many voters there relied on Welsh hospitals.
The UK government said it was bringing about constitutional reform to serve people living in all parts of the UK.
The House of Commons rule changes would also limit some votes to English and Welsh MPs only.
Speaking during a Commons debate on the Queen's Speech, Mr Jones said of the policy: "I strongly approve of that commitment, since it will restore fairness that has been eroded in the wake of the 1999 bout of devolution.
"However...I say that we should treat that proposal with caution and what is most important is that defining what are English or English and Welsh issues is of paramount importance."
Mr Jones said many of his constituents used hospitals in the north west of England.
"The people of north Wales have an absolute right to expect that that their representatives in this place should be able to speak in this House on those issues that concern them."
He added: "I would say to my right honourable friends on the front bench that this is extremely important if the fairness that we seek to achieve by creating by English and Welsh votes for English and Welsh laws, or English votes for English laws, is not to be brought into disrepute."
Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: "As a one nation government we will revise the rules to make the law-making process fair - bringing about constitutional reform that serves people living in all parts of the United Kingdom.
"The introduction of English votes for English laws will do just that for England."
He was challenged by Delyn Labour MP David Hanson, who said he represented a part of Wales that uses English hospital services, transport, employment and airports.
"I want to know from you, why I can't speak or vote on those issues," he said.

Summary:


A teacher who was arrested for allegedly sexually explicit comments was arrested for allegedly sexually explicit comments.
The school worker was arrested for allegedly sexually explicit comments.
The school worker was arrested for allegedly sexually explicit comments.
The school worker was arrested for allegedly sexually explicit comments.
The school worker was arrested for allegedly sexually explicit

More teachers are facing abuse on social media, warns a teachers' union.

Article: A photograph of the gargoyle at Paisley Abbey, which looks like one from the 1980s movie, has gone viral on Facebook and Twitter.
The Reverend Alan Birss said most of the gargoyles were replaced during a refurbishment in the early 1990s.
He thinks that one of the stonemasons must have been having a bit of fun.
Mr Birss, minister at the abbey, said that 12 medieval gargoyles which had been on the abbey for hundreds of years had to be taken down in 1991 because they had "crumbled and were in a very bad state".
The purpose of the grotesque figures was to take rain water away from the roof in the days before down pipes.
Just one of the original gargoyles was left outside the abbey to show how they would have looked, although there are medieval grotesques inside the building.
Mr Birss said a stonemason from an Edinburgh firm was contracted to create the new gargoyles.
"I think it was a stonemason having a bit of fun," he said.
"Perhaps the film was fairly new when they were carving this and if he was thinking of an alien perhaps the alien from the film was his idea of an alien.
"I'm sure he wasn't deliberately copying the alien in the film. It was just a concept of an alien."
Mr Birss said an internet search showed that someone had pointed out the similarity as far back as 1997.
"But it obviously did not pick up and take off then like it has now," he said.
Church officer Matthew McIntosh said: "It is a beautiful building. Paisley gets a bad press but the abbey is the jewel in the crown.
"People will be surprised and delighted by everything they see outside and inside."

Summary: A gargoyle on a historic 13th Century abbey has caused a social media sensation with its resemblance to the monster from the Alien films.
###
Article: Sexist, racist and homophobic remarks were being used by pupils against school staff, as well as offensive comments about appearance, the NASUWT said.
There were also examples of parents being abusive on social media, it added.
About 60% of 1,500 teachers questioned in a poll said they had faced abuse, compared with 21% last year.
In one case, a photograph of a teacher was posted online with an insulting word underneath.
In another, pupils used the name of a heavily pregnant school worker to post insults, the teachers' union said.
Of those who had been subjected to insults, nearly half (48%) said these remarks were posted by pupils, 40% said they were put up by parents, and 12% said both parents and pupils were responsible.
Almost two-thirds (62%) said pupils had posted insulting comments, while just over a third (34%) said students had taken photos or videos without consent.
A third (33%) received remarks about their performance as a teacher, 9% had faced allegations from pupils about inappropriate behaviour and 8% had been subjected to threatening behaviour.
More than half (57%) of pupils responsible were aged between 14 and 16, and 38% were 11 to 14, the teachers' poll found, with a fifth aged 16 to 19 and 5% were seven to 11.
Among the examples published by NASUWT was the case of a student uploading a teacher's photo and then, along with classmates, writing insults underneath.
One teacher had been harassed for nine months by students who sent sexually explicit messages and set up a fake social media account in the teacher's name.
The union said it had been told of a teacher receiving the comment "I hope she gets cancer", while the heavily pregnant worker had faced abusive remarks.
Another school worker faced comments from a pupil's family member about how they looked and that they were ugly.
Chris Keates, the union's general secretary, said: "It is deeply worrying to see that the abuse of teachers has risen by such a huge margin this year.
"Equally concerning is that it appears that more parents are the...

Summary:


A group of religious groups, including the White House, has been arrested for violating the law, and has been charged with violating the law.
The White House has been charged with violating the law, and has been charged with violating the law.
The White House has been charged with violating the law, and has been

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to ease a ban on political endorsements by churches and religious groups.

Article: Huw Aled Jones, 44, of Rhydtalog, near Mold, Flintshire, was found to have dead and dying animals on his land.
He admitted causing unnecessary suffering to animals, failing to identify them, failing to report animal deaths and not disposing of carcasses.
He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for two years at Flintshire Magistrates Court.
The court heard Jones had always worked on the family farm but had been unable to cope after his father died.
His marriage broke down, the farm was no longer sustainable and he worked 12-hour days at a dairy in Shropshire, which led to his failure to care for the sheep and cows.
The court heard he had ignored advice from council officers, failed to get veterinary attention for the animals, and did not properly feed them, resulting in their long-term neglect.
Several dead, injured and dying animals were discovered on the farm following a tip-off, including calves and lambs.
Probation officer Pamela Roberts said Jones did try to care for the animals and had shown great remorse for his actions.

Summary: A farmer who failed to properly care for his livestock has been banned from owning animals for six years.
###
Article: The order loosens a provision of the tax code which prohibits religious organisations from directly supporting or opposing political candidates.
Mr Trump often complained about the rule as a candidate. Repealing it would require action in Congress.
LGBT groups and several human-rights groups oppose the order.
The order was signed by Mr Trump as he hosts conservative religious leaders at the White House for the National Day of Prayer.
"We will not allow people of faith to be targeted, bullied or silenced ever again," Mr Trump told the audience.
The Executive Order on Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty directs the IRS to provide "regulatory relief" to faith-based organisations that are tax-exempt, a White House spokesman said on Wednesday night.
A current provision in the US federal tax code, known as the Johnson Amendment, says that churches can be investigated and lose their tax-exempt status if they directly support or oppose any political candidate.
Since he cannot repeal the law without congressional legislation, Mr Trump is directing the IRS to "exercise maximum enforcement discretion to alleviate the burden of the Johnson Amendment".
Few religious groups are known to have lost their tax status for violating the law, despite many churches openly advocating for political causes and hosting candidates during their campaigns.
"A crippling financial punishment," Mr Trump said ahead of his signing, adding "very, very unfair. But no longer".
The order also directs federal agencies to exempt some religious groups from providing birth control to employees and staff, as required under President Obama's Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
The American Civil Rights Union sent out an "action alert" on Wednesday, calling upon supporters to flood lawmakers' inboxes in opposition to the measure, and threatening to sue the White House administration.
The White House says the order is necessary to protect religious groups that had been "persecuted by the Obama administration" such as the Little Sisters...

Summary:


The drone was launched in July, and the company has been working on a new project to help the company.
The company has been working on a new project to help the company.
The company has been working on a new project to help the company.
The company has been working on a new project to help

Google has confirmed it has closed its internet drone project Titan, three years after it bought the business.

Article: A 40-seat "Bio-Bus", which runs on biomethane gas generated from sewage and food waste, has been running a full service since March.
Operator First West of England now wants to run 110 gas-powered double-decker buses in Bristol.
It has submitted a proposal to the government to run the expanded service.
First West of England's Jenny MacLeod said: "If we are successful we will be leading the way in creating a fully sustainable public transport network that can really make a difference to people in and around Bristol."
Rival operator Wessex Bus and partners GENeco have also applied for a government grant to run 20 bio-buses in the city by 2019.
The two companies have submitted a joint bid to the OLEV (The Office for Low Emission Vehicles) Low Emission Bus Scheme for a grant of Â£2.5 million to support the project.
The biomethane gas for the buses is generated at Bristol sewage treatment works in Avonmouth run by GENeco, and the company hopes to build a permanent refuelling station at the site.
Antony Goozee of Wessex Bus said: "This is a great opportunity to increase the number of gas-powered buses on the streets of Bristol and surrounding area, which will significantly improve air quality.
"We believe this would be the most sustainably fuelled fleet in the UK, as it will be the only fleet where the buses are actually powered by treatment of sewage and inedible food waste from the local community."

Summary: Fleets of buses powered entirely by human and food waste could be rolled out in Bristol after the success of a pilot service.
###
Article: The drones were designed to bring the internet to remote rural areas, complementing its Loon project - a similar initiative using hot air balloons.
However, the solar-powered vehicles have faced technical difficulties and funding challenges.
On Wednesday, blog 9to5 Google revealed Titan had actually shut in early 2016.
A statement from X, the Google division responsible for Titan, confirmed the news.
"Titan was brought into X in late 2015. We ended our exploration of high altitude unmanned aerial vehicles for internet access shortly after," it said.
"By comparison, at this stage the economics and technical feasibility of Project Loon present a much more promising way to connect rural and remote parts of the world."
Google acquired Titan Aerospace in 2014, reportedly fending off a bid from Facebook, which has also been trialling internet-providing drones.
At the time Google said it was "early days", but that "atmospheric satellites could help bring internet access to millions of people, and help solve other problems, including disaster relief and environmental damage like deforestation".
However, after test flights began in 2015, reports alleged that Titan was facing technical difficulties and was running out of money.
In mid-2015, the Titan team also experienced a crash in the Arizona desert which was later linked to a wing fault.
The statement added that "many" Titan staff had been reassigned to different parts of the business, including Project Loon and Wing, a division dedicated to providing drone-based deliveries.
Facebook's internet drones have also faced problems.
The firm's Aquila drone crashed during a test flight in June, prompting an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, and an explosion destroyed one of its satellites earlier in 2016.

Summary:


The number of plastic bags handed out by shops in Wales fell by 71% since charges were introduced in 2011.
The number of plastic bags handed out by shops in Wales fell by 71% since charges were introduced in 2011.
The number of plastic bags handed out by shops in Wales fell by 71% since charges were

The introduction of a 5p charge for plastic bags in England has been blamed for a packaging firm going into administration.

Article: But the findings, published in The Lancet, suggested mesh does not lead to more complications than other types of surgery for treating incontinence.
The study, the first of its kind, looked at treatment and hospital readmission over the past 20 years.
Its conclusions are expected to influence the Scottish government policy on the use of mesh transplants.
In June 2014, the then Health Secretary Alex Neil called for health boards to suspend their use pending investigations into their safety. And he set up an independent review of mesh.
This latest study forms part of that review.
It is one of two complimentary mesh studies to being published. Both found that using mesh to treat pelvic prolapse leads to a higher level of complications than other surgery.
But - contrary to expectations - the study found that hospital readmission rates were similar to those for other types of incontinence surgery not involving mesh.
It found that more than one in ten of the women treated for incontinence with mesh implants were readmitted to hospital because of complications.
Within five years more than 2,000 women were readmitted. But the proportion of those readmitted to hospital after other surgery for incontinence is similar at around 11%.
The study has been published just days after BBC Scotland revealed that more than 400 women have received mesh implants since the Scottish government called for their use to be suspended in 2014 because of safety concerns.
The research was led by Dr Rachael Wood, a consultant in public health medicine at the Information Services Division.
She said: "It's important to consider the results for prolapse and incontinence separately. With prolapse the study found that mesh is less effective and more likely to lead to complication.
"Mesh for prolapse should not be recommended as a first line treatment. But for incontinence the study supports the use of mesh.
"Stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse are common conditions affecting many women and substantially reducing their quality of...

Summary: Using mesh implants to treat pelvic prolapse brings unnecessary risks, according to new research.
###
Article: Forty workers have been made redundant at Nelson Packaging's factory in Lancashire.
Managing director Michael Flynn said it was mainly due to "the English bag legislation and corresponding impact on customer and retailer demand".
He also blamed "aggressive overseas competition".
The 5p charge for bags was introduced in England in October and followed the introduction of charges in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
One worker told BBC Radio Lancashire they believed the legislation had a "slight but not a massive impact" on the business, which has been operating since 1975 and was taken over by Cheshire-based packaging firm Intelipac three years ago.
7.6 billion
Number of plastic bags issued by supermarkets in England in 2014
140
Equivalent per person
40 bags on average in every home
Â£780m expected economic benefit over 10 years because of the charge
Â£60m savings in litter clean up costs by 2025
80% expected reduction in bags
Union representative Robert Copeland, who had been with the firm since 1986, said staff were told last Wednesday that they were being made redundant and were told to leave the factory immediately.
"It's daunting as I have no interview skills. I'm 49 years old and I've got to now go into a new working environment and start again. It is scary.
"I was 19 when I started andâ€¦ you were seeing the children of people you have been working with for 30 years starting to come through so you had parents and children [at the factory]."
Campaigners argue that plastic bags blight streets, spoil the countryside and damage wildlife, seas and coastline.
Wales was the first UK nation to introduce the bag charges, followed by Northern Ireland and then Scotland.
A report in 2015 found the number of single-use carrier bags handed out by shops in Wales fell by 71% since charges were introduced in 2011.
Scotland and Northern Ireland introduced their charges in 2014 and 2013 respectively and also saw significant drops in usage.
The number of plastic bags handed out in Scottish stores was slashed by 80% -...

Summary: