Some might see  the claim by care home operators that there could be a "catastrophic collapse"  because of the higher costs associated with the National Living Wage in such a light. The residential care providers might be accused in some quarters of crying wolf after their warnings that homes might close if ministers don't agree to fund increases in the bills paid by local authorities. They have written to the Chancellor George Osborne just weeks after a similarly worded missive from the UK Homecare Association, which represents providers of social care to people in their homes. And yet... There is a sense that the latest warning letter is reflecting deeper problems in the world of social care. Care home operators have complained for some time that their finances have been severely squeezed because of cuts in real terms in the fees paid by local authorities on behalf of elderly residents. Staff wages account for about 60% of their total costs, so any pay hike will have a significant impact on each business. Increases in costs, such as higher wages, can be passed on in the shape of higher fees to residents who pay for some or all of their care. But that's not possible for places wholly funded by local authorities - which account for nearly 40% of the total at the five care home companies which wrote the letter. The BBC has launched an online guide to the care system for the over-65s. The "care calculator" covers both residential care and the support provided in people's own homes, for tasks such as washing and dressing. Users can submit their postcode and find out how much each service costs where they live in the UK. There is also a dedicated BBC Cost of Care website with news stories, analysis and video. That has led to the operators' demand that central government should provide ring-fenced funding for councils to raise their fees. The backdrop to this argument is the ageing population and the changing role of residential care homes. A few decades ago they fulfilled the role of "retirement homes" with mostly healthy residents. Now with the prevalence of dementia and people living longer, often with multiple conditions, care homes have a more challenging role in society. How they are resourced is an important policy issue.  The division between health, funded by central government, and social services run by local councils is widely regarded as out-dated and inappropriate for the 21st century. While NHS funding was a dominant issue in the election campaign, little was heard from national politicians about the state of social care. Labour criticised the coalition for cuts in social care funding in England over the last parliament but the argument did not seem to resonate in the same way as the repeated spats over "billions more for the NHS" pledges. Since polling day, a commitment to introduce reforms proposed by the commission headed by the economist Andrew Dilnot has been shelved until 2020. These included a lifetime cap on care costs, limiting an individual's liability and reducing the need to sell a family home to pay the bills. A widely praised reform plan was seen to have been postponed because of the immediate problems with social care funding. This is, of course, ultimately about the quality of life of the elderly. About 400,000 of them in England are looked after in care homes. The residential home operators are warning of closures and - even if that proves to be exaggerated - it's hard to see where the funding for improved or better quality care will come from. The response from the government to the letter has been muted. Apart from noting that the National Living Wage will benefit tens of thousands of workers in social care, a spokesperson said the funding issue would be considered in the Chancellor's spending review later this year. At a time of continued spending restraint, its difficult to identify where significant extra investment in social care will come from. As Chris Ham of the King's Fund think-tank put it on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "Unless there's a sea change between now and the spending review, the prospects for adult social care, publically funded, for the most vulnerable in society,  are pretty bleak."

Question: It is easy to be cynical about companies who do business with the public @placeholder warning of dire consequences if their income is not increased .


Darren Downes said he believes "a lost dog" would have got better treatment than his missing 16-year-old son Ellis. The teenager disappeared while playing in the River Thames at Culham, Oxfordshire, and private divers found his body nearby two days later. A police watchdog will now investigate Thames Valley Police over the case. Updates on this story and more from Oxfordshire Speaking to BBC Radio Oxford, Mr Downes said on the evening his son went missing his family sat for "hours and hours" without any contact from the police. He eventually discovered no divers had been used to search the river and his daughter Alex had to ring round private companies. Thames Valley Police axed its specialist search and recovery team, which carried out underwater operations, as a result of budget cuts in 2014. Mr Downes said: "We just felt totally left out and shocked, we really thought everything was being done. "The way everything was handled from start to finish… was horrendous, absolutely horrendous. I think a lost dog would probably get better treatment." Ellis disappeared on Saturday evening and private dive company Specialist Group International discovered his body at 23:00 BST on Monday, after answering a Facebook appeal. But Mr Downes said the dive team was initially barred from entering the water, which delayed the search by several hours. Police relented when he threatened to "go down and jump in myself". He said: "They [Specialist Group International] work all over the world and the police wouldn't let them go in the Thames in Abingdon. "The police never really helped whatsoever... they were more concerned about where people were parking." Dive team chief executive Peter Faulding has branded the police's obstruction of his team "disgusting" and said the operation was the worst he had seen in his career. Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Anthony Stansfeld also said he has concerns about the search and has asked the chief constable for an explanation. Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Ross said the force was "aware of the family and community concerns around our actions following this tragic incident". A spokeswoman said the force has referred itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission over its handling of the case, so it would be "inappropriate" to comment further.

Question: A @placeholder teenager 's family say they were forced to hire a boat and find private divers to recover his body when they were left without police help .


Mr Violier, 44, ran the Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville in Crissier, near the city of Lausanne. It earned three Michelin stars and came top in France's La Liste ranking of the world's 1,000 best eateries. Swiss police said Mr Violier, who was born in France, is believed to have killed himself. The Swiss news website 24 Heures said (in French) that Mr Violier had been due to attend the launch of the new Michelin guide in Paris on Monday. His death comes some six months after that of Philippe Rochat, his mentor and predecessor at the Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville. Having worked at the restaurant since 1996, Mr Violier took it over along with his wife Brigitte in 2012, before obtaining Swiss nationality. A keen hunter, he was known for signature dishes including game and produced a weighty book on game meat last year. Accepting the French award, given by France's foreign ministry as an alternative to the World's Best 50 Restaurants prize, he said it was an "exceptional" honour. Swiss chef Fredy Girardet, who also received three Michelin stars, told 24 Heures that he was "dumbfounded" by the news. "He was a brilliant man," he said. "Such talent, and an amazing capacity for work. He was so kind, with so many qualities. He gave the impression of being perfect." French chef Pierre Gagnaire tweeted: "My thoughts go out to Benoit Violier's family. Very sad news about an extremely talented chef."

Question: Chef Benoit Violier , whose Swiss restaurant was @placeholder the best in the world in December , has been found dead at his home .


Mr Byrne was shot dead in the Regency Hotel during a boxing weigh-in in the north of the city in February. This is the second search to be carried out in a week. RTÉ has reported that searches are being carried out on ten houses and flats in Dublin's south inner city. The operation began at around 06:30 local time on Friday morning. It is understood that over 80 armed gardaí are involved in the investigation, as well as the Emergency Response Unit, the Drugs and Organised Crime unit and the Criminal Asset Bureau. On Wednesday, Irish authorities seized over 1m euros (£770,000) worth of luxury cars, cash and other valuables.

Question: Irish police have begun another series of raids on @placeholder linked to members of a criminal gang connected to shooting victim David Byrne in Dublin .


Julie Higgins, 54, claimed to be an oncologist at London's Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. She also falsely claimed she had located transplant organs for a terminally ill woman she befriended. The judge said he wanted to jail her but his hands were tied by the law, and he gave her a 12-month community order. Higgins, of Spruce Close, Poole, Dorset, previously admitted pretending to be a medical practitioner and fraud by false representation. She was also given 20 rehab activity requirement (RAR) days, 200 hours of unpaid work, a criminal Asbo and ordered to pay a Â£140 victim surcharge. Bournemouth Crown Court heard that Higgins, who has been diagnosed with a personality disorder, had met Angela Murray, from Swanage, through a beauty salon. She had told her to go nil-by-mouth in preparation for a life-saving heart and lung transplant, claiming she had located suitable organs in Germany. Mrs Murray, who had been told she had five years to live without the operation, was devastated when the deception was uncovered and died three weeks later in October last year. Higgins said she had her head shaved to make her young patients feel less self-conscious. She also sent texts claiming she was on an aid mission to Syria and promised Mrs Murray her own organs if she did not make it back alive, the court was told. Judge Donald Tait told Higgins: "You created false hope in someone who was seriously ill. "You are a manipulative individual and you gained, for some reason, pleasure from pretending to be a medically qualified person when you weren't." The judge said that due to the constraints of the Medical Act 1983, he was unable to jail Higgins. "When I first read these papers I had every intention of sentencing her to prison for what she did to you but my hands are tied."

Question: A woman who pretended to be a doctor and gave a woman with a terminal illness " false hope " has @placeholder a jail sentence .


The consumer group said almost a third (28%) of more than 1,000 UK 18- and 19-year-olds university applicants surveyed said they wished they had chosen different subjects. And 41% wished they had considered which subjects would be of most use. The Russell Group of selective universities said clear information on subject choice was crucial. The research, carried out by Youth Sight, in January, also found only about half of the university applicants felt well enough informed at school about how the subjects they had studied could affect their choice of degree and university. Some degrees require specific A-levels of equivalents and some universities do not consider certain subjects challenging enough, warns Which? However, only 41% of the teenagers surveyed were aware of this. And 30% complained the advice they had received had failed to warn them of the impact choices made at 16 could have on their future prospects. Russell Group director general Wendy Piatt said it was "really important for all young people, especially those whose parents didn't go to university, to have clear information about how the subjects that they choose to study in the sixth form or at college can affect their options at university and their chances in life". In 2011, the group published its Informed Choices guide to the most useful school subjects for students aiming at one of its 24 universities. The guide suggests 16-year-olds should study two of the following "facilitating" subjects to keep a wide range of options open: Which? University has also launched an Explorer tool to help 16-year-olds and their teachers to explore their options. "While certain A-levels might suggest a particular degree path, our tool shows there are usually alternative options students can take," said Which? campaigns director Alex Neill. And student Dan French, who is applying to Salford University, said he wished it had been available when he had been 16.

Question: Too many university applicants realise too late they @placeholder the wrong school subjects at 16 , says Which ?


Penni Hall's daughter, Alycia Mckee, died last year aged 18. Ms Hall had wanted to place the "princess" gravestone at St Margaret and St Andrews Church in Exmouth. But a spokesman for the Diocese of Exeter said it "fell outside the standard headstone" regulations. Ms Hall accused church officials of being set in their ways and "not very Christian" in their approach to the memorial. She also accused the diocese of "making money out of people's grief" after she was told she could appeal the decision at a cost of £249. "I have this doubt in my mind that they won't sway, they will be stubborn," she said. "Just because it is the rules set centuries ago, it is time things moved on and I hope they will see their decision is wrong and be more lenient." Ms Hall has launched a petition calling on the diocese to change their mind. The diocese spokesman said regulations were in place to keep churchyards as places of peace and beauty for everyone to enjoy. He said: "A memorial that might be suitable for an urban, civic cemetery may look out place near an historic church building. "The diocese has a responsibility to make sure that the churchyard remains an appropriate setting for a parish church for the next several hundred years." Alycia, who had Down's syndrome and suffered from heart problems, died from multiple organ failure.

Question: A mother has been refused permission to place a fairytale castle headstone on her daughter 's grave because it was n't in keeping with a parish church 's " historic " @placeholder .


Judge Anaur González said that the suspect should be freed because he had shown "no carnal intent" when he penetrated a 17-year-old girl with his fingers. A judicial panel said it would start an investigation into his conduct. The suspect, Diego Cruz, is expected to be kept in custody pending an appeal by prosecutors. Mr Cruz is one of four young men suspected of forcing the 17-year-old girl into a car after a New Year's Eve party on 1 January 2015 in the port city of Veracruz. Judge González said that while Mr Cruz had touched the girl's breasts and "introduced his fingers in her vagina" he did not have a "lascivious" intent nor the intention to "copulate". The judge ruled that Mr Cruz was therefore not guilty of sexual abuse but of "incidental touching and rubbing" and should not be jailed. His ruling triggered widespread anger among Mexicans who denounced it on social media and questioned whether he had taken the decision because the family of the suspect was wealthy and influential. The case, which has been dubbed "Porkys" in reference to a 1981 film featuring a group of high-school students out to lose their virginity, had already received much media coverage after the girl and her father denounced the fact that for months no arrests had been made. After Judge González's ruling was made public, the hashtag #JuezPorky (#JudgePorky) began trending in Mexico. The decision by the judicial panel to review all of Judge González's decisions was welcomed by many on social media who published links to the news with the words "justice".

Question: A Mexican judge has been @placeholder after his ruling in a sexual assault case caused outrage .


One such town, Port Hedland in Western Australia's remote Pilbara district, has seen hardship before but this time round it will be tough, according to Port Hedland Chamber of Commerce managing secretary Arnold Carter. "Everyone is worried," the 87-year-old former deputy mayor told the BBC. "Fear of the unknown is the biggest handicap. Miners won't spend when they can't see past the end of next week," he said. On Friday, mid-tier iron ore miner Atlas Iron announced it would mothball its operations in the remote town, 1,660 km (1,030 miles) north of Perth. Atlas employs about 500 people across its production assets and another 75 people in its Perth office. But it is more than direct jobs that are at stake, Mr Carter said. "It goes all the way down the line to the subcontractors and where they spend their money, such as the shops in the town," he said. "Those hurting the most are the small suppliers. Atlas has an army of subcontractors that supply fuel, trucks, tools, and even accommodation for the fly-in, fly-out workers. "Thankfully, Atlas is only one of a number of projects in Port Hedland. We're hoping it doesn't get any worse." But by Monday, trucking group McAleese had asked the Australian Stock Exchange to suspend trading in its shares, while it considered the implications of losing its biggest customer, Atlas, and half its earnings. It had employed 400 workers and provided 100 trucks to Atlas. "Drivers are just one set of workers who will see their cash dry up within weeks," said Mr Carter. "Even people who make the meals and beds [in town] will now be sitting around without an income." At US$47 a tonne the price of iron ore is less than half its level year ago. It is a long way from the days when you had to pay A$2,500 (US$1,894) a week to rent a house in Port Hedland - more than some Australians earn in a month. Shareholders and owners are seeing value evaporate, too. One of the most high profile is Australian businessman and politician Clive Palmer. His prized asset, the Sino Iron project in the Pilbara, has been written down by A$2.3bn (Â£1.9bn; $1.7bn). Citigroup is forecasting iron ore to slide to below US$40 a tonne during the year and remain below that level for the next three years, potentially wiping out the profitability of almost every Australian iron ore miner other than the big two, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. Australian Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has gone further, factoring in a fall to US$35 a tonne. That price would reduce budget revenue forecasts by A$25bn (Â£13bn; $19bn) over the next four years. It is not just Western Australia and iron ore that is feeling the downturn. The price of coal has fallen to just above US$60 per metric ton, down from US$140 four years ago and leading to the closure of mines on Australia's east coast. The fall in the price of iron and coal are linked, according to Janu Chan, Senior Economist at St George Bank. "A downturn in the Chinese property sector means less coal for energy and iron for building are needed, adding to a glut of commodities." China's coal imports fell by nearly half in the first quarter of the year. ANZ Bank has forecast growth in China to fall to 7%, its slowest since 2009. "Last year, Australia exported over A$40bn of coal, much of it to China," said Ms Chan. "This year, there isn't nearly as much." Mr Carter has lived in Port Hedland for over half a century. He has seen some rough times in what can be a tough environment but this commodity downturn is shaking the mining industry. "Previously, we had short-term slowdowns, and even in 2008 it was just a question of suspending construction for a while but mines carried on operating," he said. "We quickly bounced back, and the boom times rolled again. "This is the fourth downturn I've suffered but this one is different. This is the sharpest decline in ore prices I've ever seen. It's nasty and no-one is immune."

Question: Australia 's treasurer has revealed that a plunge in the price of the @placeholder 's biggest export , iron ore , has blown a huge hole in the national budget . With coal mining communities already struggling , iron ore towns are now feeling the first wave of shocks that will ripple through Australia 's economy .


The Canadian departs after two trophyless seasons with the Giants second in the league this year. As the coach he posted 85 wins, 38 losses and one tie in 134 games. "I know how challenging it can be and Derrick should be proud of his achievements," said Steve Thornton, Head of Hockey Operations. He added: "I would like to thank Derrick for his hard work as Head Coach over the previous two seasons. We will endeavour to fill the position of Head Coach as soon as possible." "Player recruitment is already underway for the 2017/18 season where competing for all Elite League trophies will be our main aim." It was Walser's first taste of coaching and his time with the Giants ended with the loss against the Sheffield Steelers in last Saturday's play-offs semi-final. Walser amassed 18 goals and 76 assists, good for 94 points and 32nd place in the Giants all-time player list. "The Giants organisation would like to thank Derrick Walser as well as recognise the passion and dedication he brought to the Player/Coach role," said the SSE Arena side. "We wish Derrick and the Walser family well for the future."

Question: Derrick Walser is no longer Belfast Giants player - coach after the Elite League team announced that his contract is not being @placeholder .


Research for the British Polling Council followed the widespread failure to predict May's majority Tory win. Surveys did not accurately sample the UK population, and over-represented Labour voters, it says. The BPC has recommended a series of changes, saying pollsters may wish to randomly select participants in future. It says "probability sampling" may be a more accurate way of gauging voters' intentions than the current practice of recruiting people in advance to take part on the basis of their likely voting habits. The majority of polls taken during the five-week general election campaign indicated the Conservatives and Labour, led by David Cameron and Ed Miliband respectively, were neck-and-neck. This led to speculation that Labour could be the largest party in a hung parliament and could potentially have to rely on SNP support to govern. However the Conservatives secured an overall majority for the first time since 1992, winning 99 more seats than Labour, their 6.5% margin of victory taking nearly all commentators by surprise. The BPC, which represents the major survey bodies and issued an interim report into the findings in January, says the Tory win was not foreseen due to "systemic" errors. The inquiry said unrepresentative sampling was the primary cause for the polling failures. It cited the over-representation of Labour voters and under-representation of Tories, with Conservative voters apparently being harder to reach. There was, it added, an over-reliance on more willing survey respondents and said that too few elderly people being polled could have also played a part. It also said an inaccurate expectation of a hung parliament may have influenced the result of the election itself. The report makes 12 recommendations to the way polls are conducted in future. These include a call for measures to be taken to make sure samples are more representative, and a review into the way in which "don't know" voters are allocated in the results. It says BPC members should state clearly which variables were used to weight data and detail the adjustments made in between polls. BPC president John Curtice said the organisation will look to implement the report's recommendations on transparency but cannot compel members to comply with following a specific type of methodology. But he said the BPC will issue a report ahead of the general election in 2020 detailing how companies have changed their sampling and weighting procedures. "The BPC recognises that simply saying 'well okay, it's all fine, everybody go off and do their own thing' may not be thought of as an adequate response to what happened in 2015," Prof Curtice said. Southampton University professor of research methodology Patrick Sturgis, who chaired the research for the BPC, said the report should not be used to "bash the polls". He said "we still think that the polls are really the only show in town for forecasting election results".

Question: Opinion polls before the 2015 election were among the most inaccurate since surveying @placeholder more than 70 years ago , an industry - wide review has suggested .


However, the mass adoption of broadband in the developed world at the start of the last decade soon destroyed what was a very cosy - and highly profitable - business model. A generation has grown up illegally downloading music - and many music fans are content to use advertising-funded websites such as YouTube to hear almost any track you can think of. In 1999 the global recorded music industry raked in $26.6bn - buoyed mostly by sales of highly profitable CDs. But as pirating took off the total slipped to less than $20bn in 2007 and last year was down to just under $15bn, according to industry body IFPI. The arrival of Apple's iTunes music download store in 2003 made it much easier to legally buy music online, but its growth has stalled as more music fans switch to streaming services such as Spotify. The transition is similar to the way that many consumers now rent movies online or through subscription services such as Sky or Netflix rather than buying a DVD. Spotify's jukebox-like service lets users play millions of songs for free with ads in between, or pay £4.99/$4.99 a month without those annoying interruptions. Since starting in 2006, the Swedish company now has 20 million paying subscribers and another 55 million using its free service. Aware of which way the wind is blowing, Apple this week joins the streaming bandwagon with the launch of Apple Music. It will offer users a three-month free trial, after which it will cost the same as market leader Spotify, but with no free tier. Apple Music will have a crucial advantage over the likes of competitors such as Spotify: it will be pre-loaded on the hundreds of millions of iPhones and iPads being used globally via a software update. That saves Apple from having to do much marketing to promote the service, says Andrew Sheehy, lead analyst at Generator Research. Rather than aiming to make a profit from music, he says Apple's main aim is to give iPhone users another reason to keep buying its highly profitable devices. However, the company will use its might in the music business to persuade some big artists to offer some exclusive content - with Pharrell Williams being the first. His latest song, Freedom, will only be available on Apple Music. Similarly, Taylor Swift will make her music available on the service after pulling it from Spotify last year. There is no question that Apple's move into streaming will make life much harder for the likes of Spotify. Mr Sheehy predicts that up to 25% of Apple users will pay for Apple Music after the trial ends. "The competitive dynamics are very lopsided - it's not a level playing field, but that's not to say that Spotify cannot be a success," he says. Tim Ingham, editor of website Music Business Worldwide, says Apple is aiming to have at least 100 million subscribers after the three-month free trial ends. He argues Apple Music should be welcomed because it will "help remind people how exciting and integral to their lives music is", adding: "Apple's potential is far, far greater than what Spotify has achieved so far. Hopefully it will bring the glory days back to music." Mark Savage, Entertainment reporter, BBC News The new Music app has that recognisable Apple sheen - bright, colourful and slick, with much less reliance on text than its predecessor. If you've used iTunes before, it trawls your purchase history to suggest your favourite genres or artists, which swarm onto the screen in a cloud of "bubbles". You simply tap one to highlight a favourite, or hold it down to "burst" it. Those decisions power the new "for you" tab - which suggests music and curated playlists from iTunes' vast library (the playlists we saw ranged from "chilling out" to "breaking up"). Subscribers can stream the songs and videos they like, or download them for offline use. Elsewhere, you can browse new releases and top 10 charts, listen to Zane Lowe's new radio show, or even stream the BBC World Service. What the service lacks is a coherent social element. At launch, there are no collaborative playlists - one of Spotify's most popular features - and the "connect" feature, which provides status updates from your favourite artists, is no match for Tumblr, Twitter or Facebook. Apple users will enjoy the seamless integration with their current iTunes library - but with the UK pricing now confirmed to be the same as Spotify others will need more persuasion to switch than the availability of Taylor Swift's album 1989. Given the enormous marketing power Apple can deploy to promote the new service - perhaps using some of its near-$200bn cash pile to do so - will this be the end for Spotify? Not necessarily. Mr Ingham believes Spotify can be a "very comfortable number two" after Apple. Some investors appear to agree. Despite the imminent arrival of Apple Music, Spotify said in June that it had raised $526m (£334m) in new funding and was now valued at $8.5bn (£5.4bn). That's more than household names such as Sainsbury and Royal Mail are worth. Unsurprisingly, Spotify also thinks it can survive the Apple onslaught. Mark Williamson, its head of artist services, says the company has only just "scratched the surface" after getting people to pay for music again. (To be fair, Apple probably deserves some of that credit for its iTunes store.) While admitting that streaming "is not an easy business to be in", Mr Williamson adds: "We don't think it's going to be easy, but we're confident we can continue to innovate." The big challenge for Spotify is continuing to grow if it has any hope of becoming profitable. The company reported a net loss of €162m (£117m) last year - largely because its agreement with record companies and publishers requires it to pay 70% of revenues to performers and writers. Streaming is a pretty good deal for music fans - given that a monthly subscription costs little more than buying one album. Many artists, such as Ms Swift, are less certain - mainly because they get paid far less for having a song played on a streaming service than for selling a CD or an album on iTunes. Some, like her friend Ed Sheeran, are quite happy to be on Spotify because they believe the exposure helps increase sales of concert tickets. Live music is worth more than sales of recorded music in the UK. Streaming generated revenue of about $2.2bn last year, or 14.7% of the total, according to analysis of industry figures by MBW. That compares with a 46% share for physical music (that means CDs, with a tiny bit of vinyl on top) worth $6.9bn. The rest of the pie is accounted for by sales on download sites such as iTunes and royalties generated by the use of music in advertising, films and television. As Mr Ingham says, streaming is yet to capture the attention of most consumers, who might like music but will only buy a couple of CDs a year. Given that many so people - especially millennials - seem quite happy to get their music fix from YouTube, Apple might face a bigger battle to get fans paying for music than it anticipates.

Question: If record companies had their way , the internet would never have been @placeholder . For much of the second half of the 20th Century , music fans who wanted to listen to the latest release from their favourite artist had to make a trip to their local record store to buy an album or single on vinyl , cassette or CD .


Now imagine the same landlord throws in a bowl of chips for free - because you are a regular at the pub three nights a week. Then the pub closes for a couple of weeks for refurbishment. So, you go to another pub - The Red Lion - a few hundred yards further down the road. A little surprisingly, the landlord at that pub knows your favourite pint too, even though you have never been in before. You find out that the Dog and Duck landlord has sold on information about your tastes to the landlord at The Red Lion. How do you feel? A bit concerned, perhaps. But worse is to come. You subsequently find out that - knowing what you are going to order - the landlord at The Red Lion has charged you 10p more than he has charged another customer. You don't even get a free bowl of chips! This might seem like a very far-fetched example. However, shift this whole buying process online - and it sums up a big issue for internet shoppers. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) wants to know more about personalised pricing. This occurs if a retailer offers different prices depending on information they have collected about that customer. This is done primarily in two ways. Firstly, retailers can collect details of a customer's previous purchases made on the website. Secondly, they can buy information about the customer's purchases or internet searches from a third party. The OFT wants to know if consumers are aware that all this data is being collected about their shopping and searching preferences, as well as if this puts consumers off buying on the internet. The regulator says that there is no evidence, but a lot of concern, that this information allows retailers to charge a higher price to certain customers - just like the hypothetical landlord at The Red Lion. "It is important we understand what control shoppers have over their profile and whether firms are using shoppers' profiles to charge different prices for goods or services," says Clive Maxwell, chief executive of the OFT. Concerns have been raised about flights or hotel rates. It is alleged that in some cases, when a potential customer has looked once, then taken a few minutes to compare the cost elsewhere, they return to find the price may have risen. However, there has been no firm proof of this. Other suggestions have included different prices for people using different brands of computers, or living in different areas, as they give an indication of their wealth. Of course, such a scenario could work in a consumer's favour. A regular customer, or one the retailer would like to keep, may be offered a discount, just like the free bowl of chips in our earlier example. "This is the transfer online of something that has been happening offline for a very long time," says Vanessa Barnett, partner and online marketing expert at law firm Charles Russell. The essential difference, she says, is that receiving a discount in person is much more obvious than when it is done online. She adds that consumers always have the power to withdraw their custom from the scurrilous retailer, online or offline. Technology commentator Tom Cheesewright agrees. Consumers do not like being unfairly treated because of what online retailers know about them, but they do like the discounts and better treatment that might come from the same information. So, where does this information come from anyway? Clearly, retailers can track the purchases a customer makes at their online store. In addition, websites can record information in text files called cookies. Cookies are widely used to record what repeat visitors view on a site and by advertisers to track users online. They are also used to recognise customers, make suggestions, or store their details to make the process quicker. There has been particular concern about tracking cookies, used by advertisers, which keep tabs on the various websites that you browse, so they can target you with "relevant" advertisements. Official statistics show that online sales were 11% higher in October than the same month a year earlier. So, this information can be very valuable indeed. Concerns about cookies have already prompted action under European law which came into force on 26 May. It requires websites to explain what cookies are and to get users' permission before using them. So, a permission request will be popping up relatively regularly at the moment for internet users. In the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) recently said that it would launch a crackdown on those not complying, although there are suggestions that many websites are failing to do so. They could face fines of up to Â£500,000 each. In the US, regulators are urging internet companies to have a "do not track" system in place that gives consumers more control over their personal data online. In a separate development in the UK, the Department for Business has a "midata" programme, which encourages various banks and energy companies to release data about a customer's consumption if it is requested. Unlike online tracking, this simply keeps a note of their consumption habits of, for example, their gas and electricity. In these fields, it may allow people access to details that would help them get the most appropriate tariff. It remains to be seen whether the government will eventually legislate to encourage supermarkets to release similar data. This data is gathered on loyalty cards, which hold information about families' eating habits, when they shop, and how much they spend. At this point, the gap between data gathered by an online shopper and somebody who visits a store narrows significantly. As a result, such trends have attracted the attention of the government and the regulator. The OFT, which is working with international counterparts during its enquiries, will report in spring 2013 on whether an investigation is needed into personalised pricing. In the meantime, customers will have to rely on internet retailers acting like the landlord at the Dog and Duck.

Question: Imagine going into your local pub - the Dog and Duck - and being greeted by the landlord who already knows your favourite tipple and @placeholder to pour it before you even reach the bar .


Peter Rippington, 59, who taught at Alvechurch School in Worcestershire, died in the crash in February 2012. The company, Interski, had previously denied responsibility, saying the driver of the bus had not been at fault. However, Derek Thompson was found guilty of manslaughter in March. The 50-year-old, of Atherstone, Warwickshire, was given a six-month suspended sentence in March by a court in Chalons-en-Champagne, north-east France. An Interski spokesperson confirmed the firm had admitted liability. Many of those passengers injured in the crash are now planning to sue. Cheryl Palmer-Hughes, of Irwin Mitchell, said: "Many of our clients have been left with serious and life-changing injuries as a result of the coach crash back in 2012. "We can now focus on continuing to ensure that the victims get the compensation and support they need and deserve to help them overcome their injuries." The firm said the passengers would seek "six-figure sums".

Question: A tour operator whose coach @placeholder in France , killing a teacher and injuring more than 20 pupils , has admitted liability over the crash .


Soni Sori said men on a motorcycle had thrown liquid on her face on Saturday night. Doctors said it was not acid. Ms Sori is a member of Delhi's governing Aam Aadmi Party. She is a critic of police violence towards tribespeople in Chhattisgarh, which is facing a Maoist insurgency. Ms Sori told the BBC that men on a motorcycle had stopped her car, forced her to get out and thrown liquid on her face. She told reporters on Sunday that she was worried about her children's security and the attack was an attempt to intimidate her further. "There is a danger to me and my children. I got a [telephone] call on Saturday evening and was told that some people may attack me," she was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. "But I never thought that something like this would actually happen". The police said an investigation had been launched into the incident. "But you cannot call it an attack - her face has been blackened by some grease," a senior police official said. Ms Sori was arrested in 2011 on charges of being a courier for the Maoists and has alleged she was tortured and sexually assaulted by Chhattisgarh police during her imprisonment. More recently she has alleged harassment by government officials in the area.

Question: A prominent Indian tribal rights activist who was attacked with a chemical @placeholder in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh has been moved to Delhi for treatment .


United Kingdom The numbers In the year to December 2015, an estimated total of 630,000 immigrants arrived in the UK to stay for more than a year, including 83,000 British citizens and 270,000 from other parts of the EU. An estimated 297,000 emigrated from the UK, including 123,000 British citizens and 65,000 citizens of other EU countries. The Office for National Statistics does not release a bulletin setting out the country of origin of immigrants, only the region they came from. Separate figures for National Insurance numbers issued to foreign nationals for the year ending March 2016 show how many people registered to work in the UK. The top five countries were: The top five countries for entry visas issued to non-EU nationals in the same year were: The UK's points-based system In February 2008, the Labour government introduced the UK's first points-based immigration system heralded by ministers as being based on the Australian system. It replaced a labyrinthine scheme which saw 80 different types of visa granted. The system contains a lengthy list of sub-tiers of migrant, but broadly they are classed as one of four 'tiers'. Tier 3 was intended to be a pathway for unskilled immigrants, but after the system began operating the British government decided there was no need for further unskilled immigration from outside the EU. Under the coalition, it has been removed and others tweaked so now the tiers are: Each tier offers its own allocation of points for specific 'attributes'. For each of the groups in tier 1, a person earns points according to different criteria: The admission of migrants who possess "exceptional talent"- that is, who are acknowledged to be world leaders in their fields - is capped at 1,000 per year, although few have taken advantage of this route so far. You must have a specific job offer in order to apply for entry under tier 2, and reach a total of 70 points. By far the easiest means of meeting that target is by having a job on the 'Shortage Occupation List', such as chief executive officer of a major company, biochemist, engineer or medical practitioner. Such an occupation earns a person 50 points, to be topped up by other factors including age and experience. Beyond the points Because the UK is a member of the European Union the points-based system only applies to people who are moving to the UK from outside the European Union. There is freedom of movement across the EU and, barring temporary restrictions for some new member states, freedom to work as well. Migrant health Paragraph 36 of the immigration rules provides that anyone planning to stay in the UK longer than six months should be referred for a medical examination, the cost of which is borne by the applicant. This is designed to ensure that no-one is admitted to the UK who might: UK Visas and Immigration currently runs a tuberculosis-testing programme for aspiring immigrants in "high-incident countries" and their applications are paused, pending treatment, if they test positive. Education Immigrants from outside the EU wishing to pursue higher education in the UK must satisfy several criteria. They must: Australia The numbers Australia operates two immigration schemes: the Migration Programme, which caters for economic immigrants, and the Humanitarian Programme for refugees and displaced persons. For the year 2013-14 Australia capped non-humanitarian immigrants at 190,000 - including the dependants of skilled workers. In that period Australia also welcomed approximately 20,000 people under its Humanitarian programme. The latest figures for people leaving Australia - for 2012-13 - was 91,000. The top 5 countries of origin for immigrants to Australia were: The points-based system The Australian Labor government elected in 1972 decided migrants would be granted a visa based on their personal attributes and ability to contribute to Australian society - most obviously, through their occupational status. The previous policy, which selected migrants largely on a racial and ethnic basis, was discarded. The points system - formalised in 1989 - has gone through several versions, and was most recently updated in July 2011. The Migration Programme divides available visas into two broad classes: skilled worker and employer-sponsored. Skilled-worker visas are points-tested, and to be eligible for one a person must meet a 65-point minimum. Skilled workers include professional and manual workers, with accountants and mechanics alike earning 60 points for their occupation. Those on the lower end of the scale, at 40 points, include youth workers and interior decorators. For people in a job on the skilled-worker list, points are awarded for factors including age, recognised qualifications, and previous experience working abroad. Those on employee-sponsored visas are not points-tested. Migrant health: Australia also has a health requirement for immigrants, designed to: Everyone applying for a permanent visa needs to complete a medical check, a chest x-ray (if older than 11) and HIV test (if older than 15). Only tuberculosis specifically precludes an applicant from meeting the health requirement, though even then they may resume their application after treatment. Those with other conditions are assessed by visa officers on the cost and impact of their treatment in Australian society, before a decision is made. Character test Australia has a mandatory "character test" for immigrants, designed to exclude anyone with a "substantial criminal record" or who is deemed to be a risk to the community. If someone is thought at risk of the following then they are excluded: Canada The numbers In 2013, Canada welcomed 258,619 immigrants, including economic migrants and refugees The latest figures indicate that in the same period, approximately 65,000 people left Canada. The top 5 countries of origin for immigrants to Canada were: Points-based system Canada was the first country to introduce a points-based system, in 1967. According to a report by the think-tank CentreForum, the Canadian system's distinguishing feature is that it "prioritises broadly desirable human capital, rather than a specific job offer". Like other countries, Canada distinguishes between skilled workers and other kinds of immigrant. Those applying for a federal skilled worker visa without a job offer are capped at 25,500, plus 1,000 each for a number of professional and technical professions. Some migrants can receive greater weighting for going to a particular territory, such as Nova Scotia. To qualify for Canadian immigration, a person has to meet a minimum of 67 points, with the maximum for each area as follows: 25 points from their educational background, 24 points from proficiency in the English and French languages, 21 points for previous work experience, 10 points for being in the prime age of employment, and up to 10 if one has an offer of employment. Financial background is also taken into consideration. Migrant health Immigrants to Canada must undergo medical examination by one of a list of physicians in their country of origin approved by the Canadian government. There are no diseases whose possession would immediately halt an application to immigrate - all cases are assessed individually. Medical inadmissibility is likely to be declared for applicants whose condition: Education Canada offers a student visa to any applicant who has:

Question: The campaign to get Britain out of the EU has called for an Australian - @placeholder , points - based immigration system to be applied to all migrant workers - not just those from outside the EU . So how does the UK 's system - also based on points - differ from those of other countries ?


20 February 2017 Last updated at 17:14 GMT At 120 metres long, it's a pretty big ship for a pretty huge mission. The Polarstern will sail to the North Pole and will be left to get stuck in the sea ice and drift across the top of the world. The 1,550 mile trip will begin in 2019 and will research a place where the Earth's climate is changing quickly. It's likely to take a year to complete.

Question: Meet the Polarstern , a German research ship that 's going on the biggest , single Arctic research expedition ever @placeholder !


Ten years later, in 1985, the NASL imploded, and the game limped on in indoor arenas before the founding of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1993. Most football fans are aware of the MLS, helped by the importation of ageing stars such as Steven Gerrard, Didier Drogba and David Beckham, but many will be unaware that the NASL brand name has also returned. According to the US Soccer Federation (USSF), the NASL sits below the MLS as the official Division 2, but as NASL commissioner Bill Peterson tells the BBC website, "we certainly don't see ourselves as a second-status league". Indeed, the NASL has major club expansion and commercial plans in the pipeline. Founded in 2009, the league is a totally different business from its predecessor, although it has taken responsibility for sustaining the memory of the NASL's "Golden Era" from 1975 to 1984. "There is a big opportunity right now for football here in the US," says ex-NFL Europe and AEG executive Mr Peterson. "There have been major changes over the past decade. "Going into the 1980s you had millions of kids who played the sport, but there was not a chance for them to connect with clubs. Now they can connect to clubs, albeit often through TV, and often to overseas teams." The broadcasting of overseas football, including England's Premier League, had created a new, soccer-savvy US supporter, he says. "Our task now is not about teaching them, it is about getting them to follow our teams." Familiar names in the league are the re-founded New York Cosmos, Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Tampa Bay Rowdies, which all take their names from famous 1970s NASL clubs. The NASL plans to expand from its current 11 teams (9 in the US and 2 in Canada) to 13 in 2016 - with clubs in Miami and Puerto Rico joining - and then to 15 or 17 in 2017. The Miami franchise has been secured by former AC Milan and Italy star Paolo Maldini. Other big names participating in the league include ex-Brazil World Cup winner Ronaldo - a minority owner at Fort Lauderdale Strikers - while one time Real Madrid and Spain star Raul is playing for New York Cosmos. So although it seems the NASL is also looking to ageing stars, Mr Peterson says that "our teams have focused on finding world-class experience at both the ownership and player level", and big names who "understand what it takes to be successful". The NASL is de-centralised, with each individual investor owning their club, and free to determine its own budget, player roster, wages and stadium provision. Mr Peterson says that on national TV deals, sponsorship, and licensing deals, NASL clubs will work together, "so that the whole is much more than the sum of the parts". He also says the cost of joining the NASL is less expensive than MLS membership. For example, Manchester City and the New York Yankees reportedly paid $100m (Â£64m) for an MLS New York franchise, whereas entry to the NASL involves a seven-figure sum. "Our entry price is different for each club," says Mr Peterson.  "Our philosophy is not to try and take money at the front end from potential owners. "We have an admission fee, in single-digit dollar millions." He says potential owners have to be "trustworthy people with a sufficient net worth", and able to deal with any financial challenges that may emerge. Owners are also expected to take the initiative in forging connections with local government, businesses, and the wider community in their home cities. Meanwhile, clubs should "not spend more money than they make". In the past, the NASL has stepped in to help those in financial difficulty, such as the Atlanta Silverbacks, but Mr Peterson says they do not envisage doing so again. The expansion programme has also given the league what Mr Peterson says is enough critical mass to look towards securing a main presenting sponsor, and other NASL sponsor partnerships. "With expansion to 13 clubs we felt the time was right to look for a number of sponsor deals that will benefit the whole league." In March the NASL announced an expansion of its relationship with ESPN for the current 2015 season, with a minimum of 120 league matches streamed live via ESPN3 in 75 different countries. Despite a spike in football interest after the Fifa men's and women's World Cups in 2014 and 2015, there is still massive room for growth in football TV viewing in the US. "This is our fifth year, and our clubs are performing at a high level," he says. "In addition, we have invested in TV production, so we are in a position to have legitimate conversations with broadcasters now." At present six of the 11 current NASL club grounds only hold 10,000 or less fans, while many are not soccer-specific arenas. But Mr Peterson says the days when US civic authorities and taxpayers could be cajoled into funding new $1bn (Â£640m) sports stadiums have gone. "That is one of the reasons why we don't require clubs to build new stadiums," he says. "Most of our clubs however are in conversations about either building a new one, or revamping existing ones, such as in Tampa Bay and Fort Lauderdale. "It takes a lot of work to build new stadiums. We would like stadiums in urban areas rather in the suburbs, but land is expensive and not easy to find in the urban areas." On the playing side he advocates that European-style promotion and relegation to and from the MLS should be introduced. This does not exist at present, with movement between the leagues being determined by other factors. For example Minnesota United FC is transferring from the NASL to the MLS in 2018, after the latter identified the club as a good fit for its own expansion plans. "We would be all for promotion and relegation, and this is something I want to talk to the USSF about," says Mr Peterson. "Every amateur team needs to have the dream of going up the football pyramid." Another challenge is establishing a competitive structure across such a large geographical area. "That is why we have gone for four teams in Florida, which has a population bigger than some countries," says Mr Peterson, "we will do something similar on the West Coast, and then look to fill in [in between]." Meanwhile, Mr Peterson is aware of the the "Golden Era" history his league is following. "We feel we are the custodians of that time now," he says. "We have taken it upon ourselves to tell the stories, of who was involved. It is an important part of US soccer history."

Question: Forty years ago this summer Brazilian football star Pele made his debut for the North American Soccer League ( NASL ) team , the New York Cosmos , as the US looked to embrace the global @placeholder of football .


Kim Jong-un, the country's leader, asked scientists and engineers to make preparations for a satellite launch as soon as possible, KCNA reported. It is the latest in a series of missile-related tests this year. Meanwhile, the US and China have agreed to step up co-operation at the UN to address the North's fifth nuclear test. The underground nuclear test, conducted earlier this month, is thought to be the country's most powerful yet. North Korea regularly makes claims about the progress of its nuclear and missile programmes, but analysts say most of them are impossible to independently verify. US and Chinese officials have started discussions on a possible UN sanctions resolution as a response, unnamed diplomats were quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying. But Beijing has not said directly whether it will support tougher steps against Pyongyang, the agency added. China is North Korea's main ally and trading partner, but has grown increasingly intolerant of its military actions and Kim Jong-un's aggressive rhetoric. Its support for toughened sanctions is crucial if they are to have any impact, but Beijing has repeatedly said that such steps are not the ultimate answer for the issue. Kim Jong-un supervised the test at the country's Sohae satellite-launching site, KCNA reported. That is where the country launched a rocket in February, reportedly carrying a satellite. The engine tested would give the country "sufficient carrier capability for launching various kinds of satellites, including Earth observation satellite at a world level", the report added. Mr Kim, KCNA said, called for more rocket launches to turn the country into a "possessor of geostationary satellites in a couple of years to come." This was seen by observers as an indication that Pyongyang might soon launch another long-range rocket. The North insists its space programme is purely scientific in nature but the US, South Korea and even China say the rocket launches are aimed at developing inter-continental ballistic missiles. UN Security Council resolutions ban the state from carrying out any nuclear or ballistic missile tests.

Question: North Korea has carried out a " successful " @placeholder test of a new rocket engine to launch satellites , state media says .


Emergency services were called to St Andrews Drive at about 20:45 on Sunday after the alarm was raised. Crews from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, using hoses and breathing apparatus, extinguished the blaze. The Scottish Ambulance Service said two men were treated at the scene. The fire is not being treated as suspicious.

Question: Residents escaped serious injury after a blaze broke out in a Fraserburgh @placeholder .


A man with a handgun ordered staff at Barclays Bank in Shifnal to hand over money at about 15:30 GMT on Friday. Shortly afterwards, a woman was forced out of a silver Vauxhall Vectra, and later staff at One Stop in Market Drayton were held at gunpoint. Police have released CCTV images of a suspect in the linked attacks. He is described as white, clean shaven and aged in his late 20s or early 30s. He was dressed in black and carrying a black holdall. Det Sgt Mat Crisp, of West Mercia Police, said: "A man has committed a series of very serious offences in quick succession and we're keen to identify him quickly to prevent him from doing it again. "We're sure someone will recognise this man and we'd urge anyone with information to contact us as soon possible."

Question: A bank robber threatened staff with a gun before car - jacking a woman and driving her @placeholder to a second armed raid on a shop in Shropshire .


New Jockey Club regulations at the four-day event will restrict race-goers to four alcoholic drinks at a time and see water handed out. Last year, two footballers apologised after being photographed apparently urinating into a glass at the festival. More than 260,000 people are expected to attend over four days. The event is estimated to bring in Â£100m to the wider Gloucestershire economy and preparation has been many months in the making for its numerous vendors. Latest on the Cheltenham Festival and other news from around the West In the Hunt: Festival lines up to earn millions Cheltenham: Talking points, tips and tipples Caroline Smiley, who runs Moloh, a Tetbury clothes boutique which has a stall at the event, began ordering stock for festival shoppers a year ago. She said: "The atmosphere is fantastic, everybody's in a holiday mood and it's great to be part of it." Patrick Daly's deli van - a favourite with jockeys and the estimated 8,000 Irish race fans who attend every year - has been a feature at the festival for 30 years. Mr Daly said: "It's marvellous, you see lots of Irish people and we know many of them well now. "They like that there's an Irish connection at the festival." Cheltenham Festival schedule and BBC coverage Speaking previously about the alcohol restrictions, festival chief executive Ian Renton said: "It's to ensure that drinking is not the rationale for people coming racing. "We want them to come to racing and enjoy the sport and not have those people coming who will be a nuisance to other race-goers." Following Cheltenham, drinking restrictions will be in place at Epsom, which stages the Derby, and Aintree for the Grand National. The Cheltenham Festival is hosting 28 championship races with some of the top horses and jockeys from Britain and Ireland. The feature race takes place each day at 15:30 GMT, with the festival's showpiece, the Gold Cup, held on Friday. A total of Â£4.3m in prize money is on offer, the most of any jump festival in the world. There will be coverage across BBC Radio 5 live throughout the four days and live text commentary on the Gold Cup on the BBC Sport website.

Question: Thousands of horse racing fans are descending on the Cheltenham Festival as measures come into force designed to shake off images of rowdy @placeholder .


There was a fourfold increase in the diagnosis of potentially curable cancers in the Manchester pilot, Macmillan Cancer Support said. Early diagnosis of lung cancer in "stages one or two" is seen as crucial for a patient's survival. Consultant Dr Phil Barber said: "We believe we have saved lives." Dr Barber, from University Hospital South Manchester NHS Trust (UHSM), said: "If we hadn't picked them up [the patients] with this targeted method they might have come to us either one year or two years later and they would have been incurable." More than 2,500 people with a history of smoking took part in the month-long Manchester Lung Health Checks which saw CT scanners set up in shopping centre car parks from June 2016. Smokers and ex-smokers aged between 55 and 74 in three deprived areas - Harpurhey, Gorton and Wythenshawe - were offered a free health check followed by an on-the-spot scan. Data provided by UHSM found that:

Question: Thousands of lives across the UK could be saved after a @placeholder in which smokers received CT scans in shopping centres , a cancer charity says .


Where could the Liberal Democrats make a resurgence? Where might Labour and the Conservatives lock horns? Where is Plaid Cymru in play, and what kind of role will independent councillors have in this election? Here are some of the authorities where these questions will come to the fore as the results roll in on 5 May. Can Labour hold on to the largest authority by population served in Wales? Can Jeremy Corbyn's leadership prove to be an asset rather than a liability in Wales' metropolitan capital? The risk for the party is that it is hit on three sides by the opposition groups - with the Liberal Democrats stronger in the centre of the city, the Tories stronger in the north and Plaid in the west. Can Labour fend that off and retain control, or will they lose out to rival parties on 4 May? It regained control of the capital at the last elections in 2012 from a Lib Dem-Plaid Cymru coalition. Since then the Labour group has been hit by internal rows - largely based along personality lines - and there has been a change in leader since the last election. By-elections and quitting councillors have also contributed to its majority being shaved from 17 to six over the course of the term. There are currently 39 Labour councillors, with 17 Lib Dems, 9 Conservatives, 5 Plaid Cymru and two independents. There are 75 Labour candidates, 75 from the Liberal Democrats, 59 in Plaid Cymru, 75 Conservatives, 14 Greens, 12 UKIP candidates, 5 independents and 17 others. This west Wales council has historically been a good example of a Labour/Plaid Cymru tussle with a significant independent presence. At the last election Plaid lost two seats overall, while Labour gained 12. Labour led a coalition with independents until 2015 when a coalition of Plaid Cymru and independent councillors took control. The authority has been in the news in recent years, with controversy over the pay of chief executive Mark James, and a libel case also involving the senior officer. Plaid Cymru, which is fielding the most number of candidates at 66, will want to boost its numbers and retain leadership of the authority. Labour will, naturally, want it back. And how will independent numbers affect who eventually takes the helm? The authority currently has 29 Plaid Cymru councillors, 22 Labour and 20 classed as independent, two classed as independent unaffiliated and one classed as People First. Plaid Cymru has 66 candidates, while Labour has 54. There are 52 independents running, as well as 21 Conservatives, 12 UKIP candidates, six Lib Dems, one Green and two others. Four seats, where the numbers of candidates nominated mean there is no competition in the wards concerned, will be uncontested. Independents play a big role in local government in Wales. There have a large presence in many of Wales' authorities, including Wrexham, where they are in control. That only happened after Labour lost control of the authority, however, with ten Labour councillors quitting the party group in 2014. With a highly-charged general election campaign taking place at the same time, can independents in Wales make their voices heard? Can the Conservatives, who are tipped in the north east for general election gains and have a role within the ruling administration, make gains in Wrexham? And can Labour recover lost ground or Plaid make any headway? Wrexham currently has 20 independents, 12 Labour, five Conservatives, five Liberal Democrats, eight in the Wrexham Independent group and two Plaid Cymru councillors. For the election there are 62 independents standing, 39 Labour candidates, 20 Conservatives, 15 Plaid Cymru, 13 Liberal Democrats, three UKIP, two Greens and two others. Three seats will be uncontested. Swansea was one of the authorities Labour won control of at the 2012 council elections. But could it be an authority that serves as an opinion poll ahead of the general election the month later? This time Labour's 72 candidates will be facing 70 from the Conservatives, in an election that comes two years after the latter party's shock general election victory in Gower. Can Swansea county Tories solidify that gain by winning seats in the area, despite the fact that the party has few councillors currently? Labour won the authority from a Liberal Democrat-led coalition, when the Lib Dems lost 10 seats. Can the party make a re-bound? At present Labour has 47 councillors, versus 11 Liberal Democrats, four independents, three Conservatives, three in the Independents@Swansea group, two non-aligned and two others. Labour are fielding 72 candidates in Swansea, versus 70 from the Tories, 25 from the Lib Dems, 17 from Plaid Cymru, 11 independents, eight Greens, seven UKIP and 17 others. If the council elections are going to be any kind of indication of how the parties might do ahead of the snap election in May, it will be authorities like Bridgend that we will be keeping an eye on. It is here, at Brackla Community Centre, where the prime minister took her general election campaign to Wales. Theresa May was parking her Tory tanks on Labour's lawn, in the backyard of First Minister Carwyn Jones, and the Tories have been eyeing the seat for some time. The irony is that the Conservatives are only fielding 36 candidates, although that is more than any other party except Labour. If the Tories fail to get many councillors elected, will that be any indication of how the party may do in June - and will Mrs May's visit begin to look overly optimistic? Or will Labour voters stick with the party for the locals, and go elsewhere for Westminster? Labour currently has 31 Labour councillors, with 16 independents, three Liberal Democrats, one Conservative and one Plaid Cymru member. Labour is standing 54 candidates, against 52 independents, 36 from the Conservatives, 18 Plaid Cymru, six from the Liberal Democrats, four in the Greens, one UKIP and two others. Most but not all councils count overnight. Nine out of the 22 will not start full counts until the next day. Overnight counts: Friday counts: Although the results should be known by Friday evening, unless a party wins an overall majority of seats on a council, it may be days or even weeks before the political make-up of the administration or cabinet to run the authority is agreed.

Question: With the general election happening just over a month later there will be more @placeholder than usual in this year 's council elections , taking place on 4 May .


The body, which represents 1,000 county officers, has placed adverts on buses and in local papers warning traditional policing could be abandoned. Wiltshire Police has lost 153 officers since 2010, the federation said. Chief Constable Mike Veale said he "recognised the impact" of cuts but it remained "committed to local policing". The federation's Cuts Have Consequences campaign claims the Wiltshire force "already has the lowest number of officers per member of the public" in the UK. It warns, with the workforce slashed by 16%, there are not enough response officers to "rush to help", communities are being left unsafe at night and drink-drivers are "getting away with offences". The federation says the force has had to slash £17m from its budget and there are "at least" £10m in cuts "to come". Federation chairman Mike White said: "In reality, 80% of our policing budget is down to staff and staff wages. Yes, you can do things better and, yes, you can increase efficiencies but there comes a point when you can't do that any more. "And officers are telling us that they are finding it increasingly hard to carry on giving the level of service they want to give." But Mr Veale said he "fully recognises" the impact the budget cuts are having on the force's officers and staff. "We estimate that we will have to save a further £3m per year over the next three years," he said. "But Wiltshire is one of the safest counties in the country and I know that the talent and relentless public service commitment from our dedicated workforce will make sure the force responds to the challenges in a high quality and professional way."

Question: A £ 13,000 advertising campaign claiming Wiltshire Police is so " over - @placeholder " it is " creaking " under budget cuts , has been launched by the police federation .


Debbie Masters, who was 37, died in hospital after the crash in Battle, East Sussex, on 19 March. Naomi Oxley, 34, of Beachy Head View, St Leonards will face a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. She will also be charged with seriously injuring Mrs Master's husband, Ian Masters, when she appears next month. She is due to appear at Hastings Magistrate's Court on 16 August.

Question: A woman will appear in court charged with killing a mother of three who died after a car ploughed into her as she @placeholder with her family .


Ventnor Town Council had hoped to secure funding for Undercliff Drive similar to the £2m business case being drawn up for Eastbourne Pier. Undercliff Drive was destroyed in February's severe weather. Penny Mordaunt, Conservative MP for Portsmouth North, said it was the council's responsibility to maintain highways. In 2012 the council was awarded up to £477m Private Finance Initiative funding by the government to carry out vital improvements and maintenance to the island's roads over a 25-year period. Councillors agreed in September to fund £500,000 into research to look at different options for repairing the road. The road remains closed between Niton and St Lawrence with a four-mile detour in place.

Question: A request for government cash to help fix a @placeholder road on the Isle of Wight has been refused .


Paul Moffat, of Hopeman, Moray, began abusing the girl when she was just four years old. The judge told him "no child should have to undergo" the ordeal she went through. The 30-year-old denied the charges but was found guilty after a trial of raping and sexually abusing the child between January 2014 and May 2015. The crimes happened at an address in Kinloss, Moray. Lord Matthews told Moffat the victim had been "an innocent wee girl". He said: "No child should have to undergo not only the abuse, but also the confusing emotions that sort of conduct engenders." Moffat will be supervised for two years on his release. He will also be on the sex offenders list indefinitely.

Question: A rapist @placeholder after his young victim told nursery staff she had been abused has been jailed for eight years .


Media playback is not supported on this device In a moment of heartache at Vicarage Road, where their hopes of winning promotion were dramatically ended by Watford last term, the Foxes' path had already well and truly been set. Eleven players who lined up against the Hornets last May were on hand to help finish the job 10 months later as Leicester beat Sheffield Wednesday - a victory that ultimately proved enough to secure their top-flight status with six matches remaining. Pearson and his team gave BBC Late Kick Off Midlands an all-access pass for an exclusive insight into the side's evolution from the nearly-men of 2013, to head of the class in 2014. "If everyone improves by a couple of percent, it very quickly adds ups. That is really what it's about," said Pearson. In a term made famous by Great Britain's incredibly successful Olympic track cycling team at London 2012, 'marginal gains' has become the mantra adopted at City's Belvoir Drive training ground. The results are the riches of the Premier League and a 21-game unbeaten run that has taken them there. But it all starts with the team behind the team - from Pearson's management staff, scouts, match analysts, sports scientists, strength and conditioning coaches, physiotherapists and nutritionist. "We are all trying to work towards the same thing," said Pearson. "The margins of error are very, very small and it's becoming even more of a fine line between success and failure. "We have experienced the highs and lows in the last 13 months - it is difficult to quantify the work you do, but ultimately we are trying to improve on every level we can. "I am fortunate and very privileged to work with a lot of people who are experts in their own field, and their attention to details in contributing to results is valued by myself and the players." For all the tactics mapped out in Pearson's office, weights lifted in the gym, drills run on training ground and match footage edited this season, the whole plan was masterminded in a Shropshire pub last May. City's head physiotherapist Dave Rennie, who has been with the club for 15 years and worked under 20 different managers, said a pint of beer seemed like the logical place to start after getting to within two wins of promotion. "We are British and went to the pub, so we had two days at Nigel's father in-laws pub in Shropshire which was fabulous from what I can remember," said Rennie. Seconds after Leicester City's Anthony Knockaert had a penalty saved at one end, Troy Deeney sealed Watford's aggregate win in an extraordinary finish to their play-off semi-final in May. "It proved a non-threatening environment for us to talk as a group of people. It was at that point that we went away as staff and de-briefed the positives from the season and discussed where we really needed to go in terms of changing the philosophy a little bit more. "We were almost at a level where we thought things were right, but there were little areas we thought we could improve." With match analysis software uploaded to tablet computers, development has been hardwired into the Foxes. No moment or yard is unaccounted with players plugged in the instant they arrive at Belvoir Drive, as every player studies their previous performance before being hooked up to a GPS system and heart monitor. "I'm preparing for training whilst watching my game at the weekend, so it gives me the opportunity to watch while I keep working," midfielder Matty James said. "Attention to detail has played a key part throughout this season." In a season where Leicester saw no reason to fix what was not broken, shrewd transfer dealing has still proven crucial. Assistant manager and head of recruitment Steve Walsh - who had an 18-year association with Chelsea as a scout and worked with Jose Mourinho before leaving in 2006 - saw reason to sign 33-year-old Poland international Marcin Wasilewski, despite the player having suffered a horrendous broken leg while playing in Belgium in 2009. "He had a difficult time, had that double leg break, but we did some research on how he had got back," said Walsh. "We asked him if he could come in so we could have a look at him on trial. Media playback is not supported on this device "This is a player with 60 caps for Poland and once we brought him in we could see that. He fit the bill and has been an excellent purchase." A lot can be said for the amount of faith invested at Leicester City this season, with Pearson the longest serving manager on duty in the Championship. Rennie had already seen Pearson come and go, guiding City to promotion from League One in 2008-09 then to the Championship play-offs the following campaign in a successful first spell. Two managerial appointments later, including the big-spending reign of Sven-Goran Eriksson, and Pearson was back at the King Power Stadium. "We have seen lots of different management styles, we have to roll with a few and duck a few others," said Rennie. "That is football and can be very unsettling - Nigel has provided us with a good period of stability. "He is very very innovative, what he is clever at doing is utilising the other member of staff. He gets us behind him then drives us forward."

Question: Refinement over reinvention - that has been Nigel Pearson 's approach to ending Leicester City 's 10 - year Premier League @placeholder .


It expanded at an annualised rate of 3.9% between July and September, up from the 3.5% first estimated by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The rise, which follows a strong second quarter, means the US has seen its strongest two consecutive quarters of growth for a decade. Consumer spending was the biggest driver of the raised estimate. It grew by 2.2% according to the latest estimate, which was higher than the initial calculation of 1.8%. Consumer spending is closely watched as it accounts for 70% of US gross domestic product (GDP). The data suggests the US has shrugged off the slow start to the year when heavy snow saw the economy shrink. "The question of whether the economy is accelerating or will accelerate is no longer a question; we can say somewhat definitively that the economy has already accelerated," said Dan Greenhaus, chief strategist at BTIG. Meanwhile, a separate survey, showed US house prices rose by more than expected in September. The closely-watched S&P/Case Shiller index jumped 4.9% year-on-year. The index, which measures single-family home prices in 20 cities, showed that prices were up 0.3% month-on-month on a seasonally adjusted basis. "With the economy looking better than a year ago, the housing outlook for 2015 is stable to slightly better," said David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. Capital Economics economist Paul Dales said the strong GDP upgrade underlined his expectation that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates as soon as March next year. "Most people were expecting a downward revision so this was a real surprise," he added. At the end of October, the US Federal Reserve said it would not raise interest rates for a "considerable time". It also ended its quantitative easing (QE) stimulus programme of buying financial assets and creating new money to pay for them, aimed at stimulating the economy. However, it said it was confident the US economic recovery would continue, despite a global economic slowdown.

Question: The US economy grew much faster in the third quarter than first @placeholder , official figures have shown .


Director David Cronenberg attempted to revive the franchise in 2011, but 20th Century Fox passed on the project. An earlier sequel starring Eric Stoltz was critically panned in 1989, but Goldblum said he would like to see a new version created by Cronenberg. He told the BBC "new technology" would allow the director to "do whatever he wants to with some other Fly story". "It was kind of primitive back in '86/'87 - I'd be interested in seeing it." Goldblum starred as scientist Seth Brundle in The Fly, who turns into a giant insect after one of his experiments goes terribly wrong. The 1989 sequel saw Stoltz as Brundle's son searching for a cure to his mutated genes. 'Budget problem' Cronenberg, who was not part of the second film, first talked about writing a new version of the film back in 2009 and confirmed in 2011 he had written a script. Shortly after, he revealed 20th Century Fox was not interested and later explained it was "a budget problem". Goldblum said he was keen to team up with Cronenberg again, as he "was satisfied with the very nourishing collaboration we had, but it would be dreamy to work with him". "I'd like to see anything he did really," he said. The actor is currently starring in another sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence, which picks up 20 years after the blockbuster hit. It sees Goldblum reprise his role as David Levinson, who is now in charge of Earth's space defences following the alien invasion of the first film. Liam Hemsworth also stars in the movie, with many of the original's cast returning including Bill Pullman, Vivica Fox and Brent Spiner. Independence Day took more than $800m (Â£545.6m) globally when it was released in 1996, but Goldblum said the new film was not an attempt to cash in on that success. "All the creators were highly respectful of the audience that enjoyed the first one so much and shelled out their hard-earned money," he said. "I don't think they wanted to do something just to exploit that interest and make them buy another ticket - I think they really wanted to satisfy them and felt a responsibility. "I know [director] Roland [Emmerich] was not particularly excited about sequels in general. "The first one was meant to be a stand-alone movie and he brought himself around to be passionate about it for its own reason - but not because it's a sequel. "He tried to be as creative and original as he could." Independence Day: Resurgence is released in UK cinemas on 23 June.

Question: Film star Jeff Goldblum has said he would be interested in another sequel to his hit 1986 @placeholder movie The Fly .


BBC Business journalist Ian Pollock was on hand to investigate. Katharine Rosentiel asks: "Will there be more money for the NHS?" The chancellor tried to address the widespread concerns about the squeeze on social care for the elderly, which is provided by local authorities, and the current pressure on the NHS. He said that over the next three years (2017-20) the government would allocate extra money for social care. The Treasury's Red Book, which spells out the changes, says this will cost an extra £3.4bn in that time. Meanwhile there will be an extra £120m, in this coming financial year only, to pay for some GPs to work in A&E departments to sort out supposedly "inappropriate" attenders. Joanna Henley asks: "How much is going to be spent on mental health care? Is that amount an increase or decrease or the same?" The government did not make any specific mention of psychiatric care. But it pledged to spend an extra £425 million on the NHS in England in the next three years. Most will go to bolster the so-called Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs). The government says these plans, being drawn up by hospitals and the various health authorities, will improve local services, though critics say they are turning out to be a cloak to disguise current and forthcoming cutbacks. NHS Transformation plans: Cuts or change for better? Meanwhile £120 million will be spent as a one-off sum to help A&E departments in 2017-18 to deal with their heavy workloads. Among the ideas is to employ GPs on-site to deal with people who don't really need A&E care. Laura asks: "I am a single mum of two children under 10 only earning £19.5K - is this budget going to have drastic financial implications for me?" There were very few new decisions about personal tax and family finances in this Budget. But a decision made in January - and confirmed today - might affect families. As announced by the previous Chancellor George Osborne, child tax credit and universal credit will not be available to any third or subsequent child born after the start of the new tax year. But Chancellor Hammond said there would be exemptions to this if the family was in "particular circumstances", for instance with the birth of twins or triplets. Valerie asks: "What are the increases in car tax, petrol, and beer, spirits etc?" For owners of heavy goods vehicles, vehicle excise duty and the road user levy will be frozen for the next five years. And as announced in last year's Autumn Statement, fuel duty will be frozen for the next five years. Also, a new set of bands for vehicle excise duty (still known colloquially as road tax) will start this April but for new cars only. This will eventually raise well over a billion pounds extra for the Treasury. And drinkers of sugary drinks will still have to pay for the soft drinks industry levy, due to start in April 2018. Meanwhile the government's Red Book lists these other changes: Doug asks: "How much will the reduction in corporation tax cost this country from 2010 to 2020?" What a good question. Some economists argue that low tax rates in fact lead to higher tax revenues, as tax payers become less inclined to dodge the tax in the first place. All that is a bit hard to prove, if only because the government's tax-take fluctuates naturally with the growth or decline of the economy from year to year, making the effects of lower or higher tax rates a bit hard to disentangle. But, for what it's worth, the Treasury Red Book tells us that cutting corporation tax rates will cost the government a lot of money. Starting in 2019-20 the new, low 17% rate is expected to "give away" £510m, then £2.6bn the next year, and then £2.6bn the year after. But that's not all. The Budget of summer 2015 cut corporation tax to 19% from 2017-18 and to 18% in 2020-21. Those changes "gave away" even larger sums: £2.3bn in 2017-18, then £2.2bn, £3.1bn, £4.9bn and £5.3bn in the subsequent years. That is lot of potential income. Nearly £24bn in fact. Terence O'Neil asks: "What use is 2% growth if the currency is devalued by 15%?" A touchy subject, you might think. But it is in fact addressed in the Budget document called  "Impact on Households". The devaluation of the pound since the Brexit vote is widely forecast to push up inflation by raising the cost of imported goods. And the government - citing calculations from the Office for Budget Responsibility - says real household disposable income, per person, will drop by 0.7% this year. Why? "The recent sterling depreciation raises inflation while nominal earnings growth increases slightly" it explains. In other words, rising prices will squeeze real incomes. But that effect is predicted to be only temporary. "Real household disposable income per head is expected to return to growth in 2018 and be 2.0% higher in 2021 than 2016," it adds. Paul McCabe asks: "How does the rise in NIC for the self-employed bring parity when the employed have access to paid holiday and sickness pay?" In reality there will never be full "parity" between the status of the employed and the self-employed, who don't get unemployment benefit, let alone sick pay or paid holidays. However the chancellor did say that he would stage a consultation this coming summer about  improving state-provided parental benefits for the self-employed.

Question: As Chancellor Philip Hammond unveiled the Budget 2017 , BBC @placeholder got in touch to ask questions about the meaning of the government 's economic plans .


The Rams have picked up just two points during a six-game winless run and are 11th in the table, 10 points adrift of the Championship play-off places. Derby, who were fifth after beating QPR on 14 December, have not scored in their past three matches. "We have two home games and we need a reaction," McClaren told BBC Radio Derby after defeat at Blackburn Rovers. "We have challenged the players to give us a reaction." McClaren's side face Barnsley at Pride Park on Saturday and Preston North End on Tuesday, 7 March. The former England boss wants a return to the form which saw them climb from fifth from bottom when he took over following the 1-1 draw with Reading on 1 October. The 3-0 away win over struggling Ipswich Town on 31 January, four days after drawing with Leicester in the FA Cup, was their last victory. "These are home games that we have to win," McClaren said. "We are not performing individually and collectively the way that we did up until the Leicester replay. Has that taken too much out of us? I don't know. "We are not getting the rub of the green and we were doing that before. We are not scoring the first goal and we are not scoring goals. We have to start again on Saturday." Blackburn's 1-0 victory on Tuesday was just their eighth in the league this season, but they remain in the relegation zone. "It's another frustrating game we shouldn't have lost," McClaren added. "We've had 18 attempts on goal and only two on target. We should be coming here and keeping a clean sheet. "When we play teams we should be beating, we have to beat them."

Question: Manager Steve McClaren says Derby County 's @placeholder have dropped and he has demanded an immediate response .


When men use a public urinal they are cruelly left in full view, with nothing to do as they answer nature's call. Until now. British company Captive Media thinks it has developed a product that fills a gap in the market - a urinal mounted, urine-controlled games console for men. It calls it the first "hands-free" video gaming console of its kind. The sturdy device sits above the normal oval ceramic urinal bowl, opening up a whole new world of entertainment. The user is presented with three generous targets to aim for in the urinal: stickers in the unit that read "Start", "Left" and "Right". The console is able to detect where the urine is falling by means of an infra-red device. And so a rudimentary "joystick" is set up. Bog Standard Games on offer include a skiing challenge, and a multiple choice pub quiz. Once they have finished their business, customers can use their mobile phones to post their scores to Twitter and a live leader board. The console unit has a 12 inch LCD screen, and sits behind toughened glass. So it can withstand collateral damage and be easily cleaned. The sensor unit is contactless and does not use a camera, another important design consideration. Windows 7 embedded, it is powered by one of Intel's Atom dual core microprocessors. Urethra Moment A similar product has already been launched by Sega in Japan. However, the co-developer of the UK device says his product has some compelling design features. The equipment has multiple sensors, allowing for a more sophisticated input device. It uses infrared, rather than microwave sensors, and they are fitted to the external console, rather than added to the urinal bowl itself. As a result, Captive Media say that 90% of bowls in the UK are "retrofittable". "You don't have to touch the plumbing," Gordon MacSween assures. Time Gentlemen Trade paper Adweek calculates that on average men are rooted to the spot for 55 seconds while they relieve themselves - nine months over the course of their lifetimes. In the UK this means a billion minutes a year - an ideal opportunity to hit users with targeted advertising in order to relieve them of cash later on. Bars can use the consoles to push drinks promotions in the venue. When they buy the product, they are given one quarter of the advertising slots that are available on it and a veto on the external ones that will be sold to third parties. "It's notoriously difficult for brands to engage a young male audience whilst they're out socialising," argues MacSween, and "Captive Media offers a long 'dwell time'." "It is allowing brands to really engage in a fun and memorable way," his co-developer Mark Melford adds. One organisation that has already signed up is Drinkaware, a charity that promotes responsible drinking. However, it remains to be seen whether other brands will come on board in significant numbers, or will instead be put off at the idea of being associated with the act of urination, however long the dwell time. This will have an impact on the business model, as advertising forms part of Captive Media's revenue stream. "In-restroom advertising up until now has usually garnered more attention than it has revenue," says Philip Buxton, an independent digital media consultant. "To be successful any new medium needs to lure advertising from existing channels and brands are still unwilling to switch their spend away from more serious channels such as TV and online." Hitting Targets The machines are already up and running at The Exhibit bar in Balham, south London. They will help the pub "differentiate" itself from the local competition, owner Drew Weatherhead says. Customers' experience there will be monitored closely, as Captive Media hopes to roll out its product to more venues. A pub in Cambridge hosted a "pre-trial launch" for free earlier this year, and generated some interesting findings. Polling suggests some competitive gamers worked out that by stopping and starting their streams, they could improve their scores. Another noted side effect was that the toilets became markedly cleaner, as a new premium was set on accuracy. More good news for women is that Captive Media also want to roll out units for the ladies' toilets. There are "good anatomical reasons" that women can't use the original device, Mr MacSween says. But units with quiz games will be placed in similar locations to hand-dryers, in a bit to alleviate boredom during notoriously long queues.

Question: There is not much choice : stare blankly at the wall tiles , focus on shoes with face set in a grimace , or maybe @placeholder .