His son, Emperor Akihito, has overseen the transformation of the imperial household into a friendlier, more engaged symbol of the "unity of the people", as the role is defined in the constitution. As he gives his strongest indication yet that he wants to stand down from ceremonial role, here are 10 things you may not have known about Emperor Akihito's life and reign. Born 23 December 1933, he is the 125th emperor of a line which is traced back more than 2,600 years, according to official genealogies. That would make it the world's oldest continuing hereditary monarchy. In keeping with ultra-formal royal tradition, he was raised apart from his parents in an imperial nursery from the age of two. The then Crown Prince Akihito married a commoner in 1959, ending a 1,500-year-old tradition. Their love story was dubbed the "tennis court romance" as they met over the nets. Together he and Empress Michiko have three children and four grandchildren. High-ranking Japanese families traditionally have a family emblem - in the case of the emperor's ancestors it was the chrysanthemum. Akihito took over the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989 after his father, Hirohito, died. The formal enthronement ceremonies were not completed until nearly two years later, and involved rituals at Ise Shrine - dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, from which emperors were traditionally said to be descended. Hirohito publically renounced his divinity at the end of World War Two, as part of Japan's surrender. The imperial household maintains he the "symbol of the state", as described in Japan's constitution, which was written by the Allies. Emperor Akihito used the term conspicuously in his latest speech. But there are still a small number of Japanese people who insist he is a god, or at least should be treated as such. The emperor has travelled to more places and met with far more world leaders than any of his predecessors. In 1998 he met Queen Elizabeth, despite protests by former British prisoners of war once held by Japan. He also played tennis twice against US President George Bush Sr. He beat him both times, though shortly after their game in Tokyo in 1992 President Bush fell violently ill at a state dinner, vomiting on Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. The emperor had surgery for prostate cancer in 2003 and a heart bypass operation in 2012. Akihito has adopted a more informal, modern style, making efforts to draw the imperial family closer to the people by travelling around the country far more than his predecessors and interacting with the public face-to-face. The imperial couple also did not appear to mind when a schoolgirl took a picture of them and posted it to her Twitter account when they visited her prefecture - an action that divided opinion amongst the general public. Older generations saw it as hugely disrespectful, to many younger people it was just normal. His first-ever televised address was after the 2011 earthquake and disaster, which left about 20,000 people dead or missing and displaced tens of thousands. As with the latest speech, he spoke in polite but modern Japanese, rather than the courtly language unfamiliar to most of the public. "I hope from the bottom of my heart that the people will, hand in hand, treat each other with compassion and overcome these difficult times," he said. With the understatement his office is known for, he said of the unfolding nuclear crisis at Fukushima: "I hope things will take a turn for the better." He and his wife visited the disaster zone a month after the quake and were seen crouching down with evacuees, a move seen as hugely symbolic of their sympathy for the public. While World War Two was fought and lost in the name of his father, Akihito has moved Japan through an era of peace and non-confrontation. He said last year: "Looking back at the past, together with deep remorse over the war, I pray that this tragedy of war will not be repeated and together with the people express my deep condolences for those who fell in battle and in the ravages of war." 10. He has a fish named after him The emperor's particular passion is marine biology and he is an expert on the goby fish, one of which is even named after him - the Exyrias Akihito. He has written several times for the Japanese Journal of Ichthyology, among others. He reportedly keeps part of the palace grounds in Tokyo wild and keeps note of the creatures he spots there.

Question: Japan 's monarchy was once so removed from the public that in 1945 , people were shocked to even hear Emperor Hirohito 's @placeholder when he announced the country 's surrender in World War Two .


The 26-year-old England World Cup player quit rugby union to return to his former club in rugby league. The deal was confirmed on 5 November but the Rabbitohs must release players in order to register Burgess, who helped them win the NRL title in 2014. "The Rabbitohs look forward to the confirmation of Sam's contract in the coming weeks," said a club spokesman. Hooker Isaac Luke has already left Sydney to join New Zealand Warriors and Glenn Stewart has joined Super League side Catalans Dragons. On Thursday Souths also confirmed they were releasing Australia international Dylan Walker. The 21-year-old requested an exit after ending up in hospital after taking an overdose of painkillers. Walker and winger Aaron Gray were fined by Souths. Media playback is not supported on this device Former Bradford Bulls prop Burgess left Australia in November 2014 to switch codes and join Premiership side Bath on a three-year deal. He made his England debut only nine months later and was included in Stuart Lancaster's squad for the World Cup ahead of more experienced back Luther Burrell. Burgess had been used as a flanker for his club, but was played as a centre by Lancaster - a move that drew criticism as England failed to get out of the group stage. The player asked to leave Bath after the tournament, citing family reasons, and rejoined the Rabbitohs, where he will link up again with his brothers, twins Tom and George. South Sydney's first game of 2016 season is at Allianz Stadium on 6 March against Sydney Roosters, whose assistant coach is England rugby league boss Steve McNamara.

Question: Sam Burgess ' move back to South Sydney Rabbitohs has @placeholder as it will take the club over the NRL 's salary cap .


Brad Webster, a teacher in Unalakleet village, was out walking with a friend at a nearby Bible camp when he spotted moose antlers poking out of the ice. He said the discovery in western Alaska earlier this month was "an interesting experience". Autumn is moose rutting season and the animals were likely fighting over a female moose. Mr Webster speculated that one of the animals was wounded while the two were fighting. He said their antlers probably became locked together, dragging both to their death. Mr Webster shared his find with Jeff Erickson, a student activities director who took photos of the animals. Mr Erickson has hunted in the area for 50 years but told the Associated Press he has never seen anything "frozen in time". "It was such a surreal sight - so serene and quiet, but a stark vision of how brutally harsh life can be." Mr Webster and Mr Erickson removed the moose bodies from the ice to use the meat for dog food and trapping bait. The two also removed the moose heads, now located in Mr Webster's yard. They plan to clean them and mount their bleached skulls at the Bible camp.

Question: Two moose have been found encased in ice in a @placeholder while battling each other in a remote Alaskan village .


Ibrar Ali, from Selby, North Yorkshire, was injured by a road-side bomb in Iraq and lost his lower right arm, but re-trained and returned to active service. He was part of the Walking with the Wounded trip which trekked to the South Pole with Prince Harry in 2013. The seven-day challenge starts on 23 January in Antarctica. Mr Ali, originally from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, is attempting the challenge alongside RAF veteran Luke Wigman, who he met while competing at the Invictus Games. The challenge will involve 295km of running and 59 hours of flight time. Marathon locations Mr Ali, who has been awarded the Military Cross, said: "I'm certainly feeling like I can achieve it, but I'm incredibly nervous. "I think this will be my most difficult challenge, just from the amount of travel involved and the wear and tear our bodies will go through." Money raised through the challenge will help fund the Defence & National Rehabilitation Centre, which is being built near Loughborough and will open in 2018. Mr Ali, who left the Army in 2013, said: "Even though it's their summer at the moment, the temperatures in Antarctica will still be from -20C to -30C. "As we travel around the globe and finish in Sydney, the temperatures will be around 30C, so that's seven days with 60C degrees of temperature change."

Question: A former army captain is @placeholder to run a marathon on every continent in a week to raise funds for an armed forces rehabilitation centre .


Six people were stabbed in a fight involving "50 or 60" people in Faces bar and NU Bar on Bridge Street. No arrests were made during the incident at 04:00 GMT on Friday. Northampton Borough Council has suspended the licences of the two bars for seven days. Eight people were injured, with three being treated at University Hospital Coventry and the remaining five at Northampton Hospital. An urgent meeting of the council's licensing sub-committee on Friday suspended the bars licenses pending a full review. Northamptonshire Police's licensing officer, Sergeant Martin O'Connell, told the committee attempted murder was among the charges being considered. He said that weapons including metal bars, knives and bottles had been used during the fight. The trouble involved a number of people who had come to Northampton from London for a pre-arranged evening out, police said.

Question: Police are looking to pursue charges including attempted murder , public @placeholder and wounding with intent following a mass brawl in Northampton .


The group, known as Iffley Open House, had previously occupied a former car showroom on Iffley Road, owned by Wadham College, on New Year's Eve. They were asked to leave and then moved into the disused Osney Mill site in February. The university said the former power station was unsafe won a  court order to evict the group. Creative Solutions It added that the building was due to be redeveloped by the Said Business School. Some of the squatters said they were offered sleeping space at a local church, but most will now be back on the streets, the group said. Volunteer Miranda Shaw said: "One good thing is that it has created enough of a stir that there are big conversations happening. "We will be coming together in the coming weeks to meet churches, councils, the university, service providers and police.  There is the intention to find creative solutions." Oxford University has always maintained that it is sympathetic to plight of the homeless and has been working towards resolving the situation.

Question: Squatters who had taken over a disused power station owned by Oxford University have @placeholder the building .


The assembly is due to return next Monday after the summer recess. First Minister Peter Robinson said after allegations of an IRA role in the murder of Kevin McGuigan Sr, it "cannot be business as usual". Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said he took strong exception to anyone who questioned his commitment to peace. The DUP's attempt to stall assembly meetings was overruled by other parties. Mr Robinson is meeting Prime Minister David Cameron and will ask him to intervene in an attempt to solve the crisis at Stormont. Their discussions will centre on the political fall-out from Mr McGuigan Sr's killing and the subsequent decision by the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) to leave the executive. Mr McGuigan, a former IRA man, was shot dead in east Belfast last month. The police believe IRA members were involved. In the wake of the shooting, the head of Northern Ireland's police service said that the IRA still exists. But the chief constable added that there was no evidence that the murder had been sanctioned at a senior level in the organisation. Speaking ahead of the meeting, Mr Robinson said: "These issues will not be resolved unless there is a talks process, but to allow that talks process I think we have to recognise that we can't simply do business as usual in the assembly, nor will we. "Our view is that the prime minister and the government should suspend the assembly to allow the talks to take place." Mr McGuinness said his party had a strong record of condemning violence and said those who went armed with a gun were "no friend of Sinn F¨¦in". He described the killers of Jock Davison and Kevin McGuigan as "criminals" and "violent dissidents". He also criticised the UUP's withdrawal from the executive and said Mr Nesbitt's party were "playing fast and loose with the peace process". He said the UUP action was "all about the election" and said if the DUP followed suite and left the executive it would show a "massive failure of leadership" which would leave a "vacuum" of a "very real prospect of an increase in violence on our streets". The DUP's proposal for an assembly adjournment was brought before Stormont's business committee on Tuesday. Stormont's power-sharing government returned in 2007, headed by then Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley as first minister and Sinn F¨¦in's Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister. The two men had been bitter enemies for many years, but the decommissioning of IRA weapons in 2005 and Sinn F¨¦in's endorsement of policing in Northern Ireland paved the way for Stormont's return. In the last assessment by the Independent Monitoring Commission, an official body that monitored paramilitary activity that was wound down in 2010, it said it believed the Provisional IRA had "maintained its political course" and "would continue to do so". With Northern Ireland's chief constable now saying the Provisional IRA still exists and some of its members were involved in the murder of Kevin McGuigan, renewed focus has been placed on the stability of the institutions at Stormont. Q&A: UUP withdrawal But it was opposed by the UUP, Sinn F¨¦in and the SDLP. UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said his party did not support it as "other parties need to get on with governing". DUP MLA Peter Weir said the UUP opposition was hypocritical. "On the one hand, Mike claims to have withdrawn [from the executive] because of Sinn F¨¦in denials on the IRA while on the other he is happy to vote with them to continue a normal business approach," Mr Weir said. The UUP's sole minister Danny Kennedy submitted his resignation from the executive on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers met the Irish foreign and justice ministers in Dublin to discuss the crisis. She said it was important that political parties in Northern Ireland had "real dialogue" and worked together to resolve the future of the executive. She added that it was "well worth considering" bringing back a body similar to the International Monitoring Commission to monitor paramilitary activity. She also said it was important to bring paramilitarism to an end. After the two-hour meeting, Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said "no best interest was served" in allowing Northern Ireland's political institutions to collapse. He said "a number of options" were on the table over how to rebuild trust among the parties, and added that there was a need for them to re-commit to "the spirit and the letter of the Good Friday Agreement".

Question: The Democratic Unionist Party ( DUP ) has been @placeholder in an attempt to adjourn the assembly for four weeks to try to resolve the current political crisis .


Cameroon are in the final despite West Brom's Nyom and Liverpool's Matip being among eight players to refuse call-ups. "I don't understand people turning down their country," former Senegal striker Diouf told BBC World Service. "And like the legend Bob Marley always said 'if you don't know where you come from, you don't know where to go'." Cameroon beat Ghana 2-0 in Thursday's semi-final in Gabon to book a final meeting with Egypt on Sunday. Diouf, who played for seven British clubs including Liverpool, Bolton and Blackburn, featured in the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations final for Senegal, as well as the World Cup later that year. He added: "Definitely they'll regret not playing in the Cup of Nations. After your career, what are you going to do? Stay living in Europe? To do what? "It's always tough to be African, because you can be the best African coach but they'll never give you PSG, Barcelona, Liverpool or Manchester United. "That's why I say to all the boys: don't turn down your country because the future of this world is in Africa." As well as defenders Matip and Nyom, other Cameroon players refusing call-ups were Andre Onana (Ajax), Guy N'dy Assembe (Nancy), Maxime Poundje (Bordeaux), Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Marseille), Ibrahim Amadou (Lille), and Eric Maxim Choupo Moting (Schalke) who pulled out after the initial seven.

Question: Cameroon pair Joel Matip and Allan Nyom will regret missing the Africa Cup of Nations and should have @placeholder to Bob Marley , according to El Hadji Diouf .


Director Mark Andrews admits to feeling a little frustrated since the release of Brave. His colleagues have stopped asking him questions about one of his favourite subjects: Scotland. Andrews was Disney-Pixar's go-to man for all things Scottish, during the making of the film. Of Brave's US team of writers and animators, he had the most knowledge of Scotland's landscape, history and legends. His ancestors on his mother's side of the family came from Torridon, an area of towering mountains and dark sea lochs in Wester Ross. Since boyhood he's been interested in Scotland's long ago past, and in 1998 he and his wife spent their honeymoon in the Highlands. The film-maker revelled in the research trips he and other members of Brave's creative team made to Scotland, and he would turn up for meetings in the US wearing a kilt. Later, he helped to promote the film at events in Edinburgh and Inverness. Andrews said: "I have learned all these new things about Scotland, but no-one is asking me questions any more. "It's a bummer I can't share that knowledge." Andrews talks fondly of the Five Sisters, a range of peaks in Kintail, the landscape of Highland Perthshire and also what he calls the "rainbow bridge", the arching road crossing to the Isle of Skye. But his main fascination with Scotland lies in its misty past. "I love the folklore and Celtic mythology of Scotland and also the time in history when the Romans were invading and building walls," he said. "On our research trips to Scotland we took a ferry from Ullapool to the Western Isles and we could imagine how the landscape had changed little since the time of the Vikings." Andrews will return to Scotland next spring when he will teach storytelling through animation at Glasgow School of Art for two weeks. He said: "My wife and our kids had a blast when they came with me to Edinburgh. I am really looking forward to taking them to Loch Lomond and running around Stirling." For producer Katherine Sarafian there have been feelings of great satisfaction, and also surprise, since the release of Brave. She said: "There have been wonderful responses to the film and I was very happy people embraced Merida." But - spoiler alert - Sarafian was taken aback by other feedback to the movie's lead female character. The producer said: "I was surprised by how many people asked why she didn't run off with her prince charming in the end. "I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised as it has been the model we have been used for so long. There is nothing wrong with that and they are wonderful Disney films." Other Disney stories of princesses had set up this expectation of Merida - Snow White is found by her Prince Charming, Aurora rescued by Prince Philip, Tiana falls for the frog Naveen and Rapunzel sacrifices her magical hair for Eugene. Sarafian said: "That people were surprised Merida did not find her prince charming shows Pixar did its job shaking things up a bit and telling something new." She added: "But Brave is still a love story. It's about a girl falling in love with her family, and it's about a mother-daughter relationship." When the dust settles on Brave, the thoughts and attention of Andrews and Sarafian will turn fully to new projects. Sarafian said lessons learned from overcoming technological challenges in bringing Scotland to life in an animated film would help to guide the making of future Disney-Pixar features. For Andrews, he hopes some of his future work might lie in a galaxy far, far away, following Disney's acquisition of George Lucas'. A fan of the films since he was a boy, Andrews has written for the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated TV series, with one his stories helping its makers win an Emmy in 2004. Andrews said: "George created this incredible universe and the way has been opened to continue telling Star Wars stories, and exploring some of the many other characters. "Hopefully, I might be able to be part of that." Brave will be released on DVD on 26 November.

Question: Ahead of the release of Disney - Pixar 's Brave on DVD , the director and producer of the animated film set in ancient Scotland about Merida , a flame - haired princess , @placeholder on life since the movie hit cinemas this summer .


Omaree Lindsay, 19, of Cecil Road, Croydon, rode into Co-Op in Streatham Road, Mitcham, on 6 September. He appeared at Croydon Magistrates' Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to a number of offences. He was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work for offences including theft, failing to comply with a court order and driving a vehicle on the pavement. District Judge Adrian Turned also ordered Lindsay to pay ?¡ê150 in costs. The court order Lindsay had failed to comply with was an order to complete unpaid for work in the community issued on 28 of August for a driving offence.

Question: A teenager who @placeholder a " hoverboard " to enter a supermarket and steal a crate of Lucozade , has been spared jail .


Consumer group Which? found that 49% of last year's deals that it tracked were not the cheapest on the day. This year Black Friday falls on 25 November - a day after Thanksgiving. Which? found that just 90 out of the 178 deals were cheapest on Black Friday. The group looked at 20 popular gadgets and appliances on Amazon, AO.com, Argos, Currys and John Lewis. It said it believed AO.com and Currys may have broken advertising rules in relation to "numerous" examples of offers that appeared to inflate the "was" price to make savings appear higher than they were. Rules require the previous price should be what the item was sold at for at least 28 consecutive days. In one example, Which? said Currys  reduced the Samsung UE40JU6740 TV by just ¡ê1 on Black Friday, even though the retailer reportedly claimed a saving of ¡ê101. The consumer group said the TV had cost ¡ê749 since 30 October 2015, before it was reduced to ¡ê748 on 24 November 2015. It said for 18 days in late August and early September customers could have bought it for ¡ê699. Currys disputed the investigation's findings: "We fundamentally disagree with the approach taken by Which? in this report and comply fully with the government's pricing practices guidance, displaying a clear date from when the 'was' price was taken, allowing customers to make a fully informed decision." Which? said AO claimed there was a ¡ê200 saving on a Vax Air Classic Pet vacuum cleaner, which was advertised for ¡ê99 on Black Friday. It said the same model was ¡ê96.50 in the three months leading up to Black Friday in 2015 and had been sold for ¡ê69 the day before. AO said: "We are always focused on offering the best price match promise all year and especially around Black Friday." Peter Morrey, Which? head of campaigns said: "Shoppers might be surprised to learn that only half of Black Friday deals are actually cheapest on Black Friday. "If you're thinking about starting your Christmas shopping around Black Friday, do your research as some 'deals' may not be all they're cracked up to be." Black Friday began as a 24-hour sale after Thanksgiving, but like the Christmas sales period some retailers are spreading it over a longer period. Amazon has started to offer discounts in mid-November. The online retailer said: "Six of the eight products that Which? reviewed on Amazon.co.uk last year had our lowest price on Black Friday and, in response to customer feedback, we spread out great deals over several days." John Lewis said because of its never knowingly undersold commitment it matched its competitors' deals, while Argos said it worked hard to comply with regulations on pricing and had never knowingly misled customers.

Question: Black Friday bargain hunters have been warned to do their research after an investigation found many of last year 's deals were cheaper in the months before and after the @placeholder .


The leaders will play eight Premiership games before the turn of the year, with a final Champions League group fixture against Manchester City next Tuesday. "You are playing every two to three days but we have a good squad here and they will all be needed," said Rodgers. "It is a brilliant opportunity for us to accumulate a lot more points. That is the focus." Celtic, unbeaten domestically this season, are eight points in front of nearest challengers Hearts and Rangers, who have both played three more matches. Rodgers picked up his first silverware as a manager last weekend, with Aberdeen brushed aside 3-0 in the League Cup final. Gary Mackay-Steven was on the bench at Hampden after recovering from an ankle operation at the end of last season and the winger's return is an exciting prospect for Rodgers. "I have a number of boys here who have been absolutely brilliant in training every day," he said. "Gary Mackay-Steven is really up to speed in terms of his fitness and I am actually looking forward to seeing Gary play. "It has been very difficult for him because he missed out over the course of pre-season and by the time he was coming back the team was up and running. James Forrest, Scott Sinclair, Patrick Roberts, these guys were really playing well so it was difficult for him to get a chance. "The likes of him, Ryan Christie, Liam Henderson, Cristian Gamboa, Dedryck Boyata, these are boys who have been on the outside, working very hard but haven't had a lot of game time. "But they are so important to what we are doing here as a squad because for us to be at our best, the players who aren't playing need to be at their best every day and that's what improves you as a player. "So they will be critical for us in this period and I am sure they will get some game time. "Every manager will say that it is a tough ask to play that many games in that period of time but if it is what is presented to you, you have to deal with it. "We won't moan, we will get on with it and it will provide us with the opportunity to work our squad."

Question: Manager Brendan Rodgers insists his @placeholder players will be " critical " as Celtic prepare for a busy December .


In November, Webb, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, three of wire fraud conspiracy and three of money laundering conspiracy. The former president of Concacaf, who is from the Cayman Islands, was one of seven people arrested in Zurich in May last year before Fifa's annual congress. "The final report was transmitted to the [ethics committee] adjudicatory chamber on 26 April 2016, with a recommended sanction of a lifelong ban from all football-related activities," Fifa's ethics committee said in a statement on Wednesday. Webb will now be invited to submit his version of the case to chief ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, whose chamber will decide on sanctions.

Question: Former Fifa vice - president Jeffrey Webb is facing a lifetime ban from football after Fifa 's ethics committee @placeholder proceedings against him .


Ospreys beat Treviso 47-10 in the latest round of games while Ulster won 46-17 at Zebre. Treviso are bottom of the table with Zebre one place higher, but guaranteed a European top-flight spot in 2016-17. "I don't think at the moment that they offer anything to the Pro12," Davies told Scrum V. "I don't think it's good for any of the sides in there and I don't think it's good for the Italian sides." Treviso have won twice in the Pro12 this season with Zebre having four wins - the same number as third-from-bottom Welsh team Newport Gwent Dragons in the 12-team competition. Two Italian teams - Treviso and Aironi - joined the competition in 2010. Aironi were replaced by Zebre in 2012. Davies added: "You imagine being a Zebre player or Treviso player and getting walloped every week. It doesn't do your confidence any good, your attitude, and I just feel that it's not right for anyone." Ex-union and league star Davies says Italy's two professional teams would be better served playing in a French competition rather than facing Welsh, Irish and Scottish opponents. "It's difficult for everyone else involved because of the Italians and I think they should look at somewhere where maybe they can develop the players and be competitive, and maybe that's in one of the French leagues." Davies also believes the rules that allow the highest-placed Italian Pro12 team to enter the European Champions Cup should be revised. He says both should play in the second-tier European Challenge Cup. "They're not good enough - they should go straight into the Challenge Cup," said Davies.

Question: Italian teams Treviso and Zebre should be dropped from Pro12 , according to Wales legend and BBC dual - @placeholder pundit Jonathan Davies .


The report, for the Children's Play Policy Forum, found play improved children's physical and mental health, as well as their emotional well-being. It also found playtime in the school playground could enhance academic skills and attitudes and behaviour. Wednesday's report is published to coincide with the UK Playday. Now in its 27th year, the aim of Playday is to give children, parents and communities  an opportunity to highlight the positive impact of play. The report - the Play Return - reviews a wide range of research into the importance of play in supporting children develop essential skills and knowledge as they grow up. Source: NHS Choices Parents associated playing in playgrounds with family well-being and those who lived near playgrounds and visited them often reported higher levels of family happiness. The study also said play and youth facilities in public spaces had led to reductions in levels of anti-social behaviour and vandalism. The report also found families and communities benefited from play initiatives and wanted action to improve them. It said play initiatives often generated high levels of volunteering support and a sense of community spirit. The study found school playgrounds were one of the best ways of increasing children's levels of physical activity. They were also linked to a range of improvements in academic skills, attitudes and behaviour, and to improved social skills, improved social relations between different ethnic groups, and better adjustment to school life. "There is good evidence that making changes to school playgrounds leads to an increase in children's levels of physical activity," the report said. "Various forms of intervention have been shown to give this outcome, including changes to marking, the addition of play equipment, making available games equipment (such as balls and bats) and the introduction of loose materials such as scrap and recycled office equipment." Some studies suggested that children could be more physically active during free play than during sport or PE lessons, the report said. "Physical activity programmes in schools can have positive influences on cognitive performance, with demonstrable positive results in academic attainment, concentration, memory and classroom behaviour." Report author Tim Gill said: "At the core of the report is the message that not only does outdoor play impact significantly on the lives of children and young people, it also -  in many cases - can provide a basis for the transformation of wider communities. "From the perspective of politicians and policy makers, the report highlights that investing in play can and does lead to multiple benefits including improved educational attainment, a healthier society and increased levels of tolerance within and between communities." To mark Playday 2014, thousands of  children and young people from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will take part in community events all over the UK.

Question: Play helps boost children 's @placeholder development , problem solving , risk management and independent learning skills , a study reaffirms .


Accompanying the Russian tweet was a picture of the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimea War - one of the great disasters of 19th Century British military history. It was, though, a curious choice of subject. Maybe the Russian embassy should brush up on their own history, for whilst the charge itself was a glorious failure, Britain and France  - who had gone to war with Russia ostensibly over an arcane dispute involving the Ottoman Empire and access to holy sites - did in fact win and Moscow had to back down. But there is another more important lesson from the Charge of the Light Brigade that is relevant to today's diplomatic crisis. The flower of Britain's Light Cavalry charged down the wrong valley directly into the mouth of the Russian guns because the message ordering them into action was not clear. The US struck at the Syrian airfield from where the Americans say the recent chemical attack was launched with impunity. They did so to reinforce a red line - drawn by the previous Obama administration - but one never acted upon. Of course the thing about red lines is that they need to be crystal clear. In the immediate aftermath of the strike this seemed to be the case. The message was: use nerve gas again and consequences will follow. But on Monday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer muddied the waters. Asked if air attacks with conventional weapons might also draw US punitive action, he said: "If you gas a baby, if you put a barrel bomb into innocent people, you will see a response from this president." Barrel bombs, though, tend to be large canisters filled with explosives and shrapnel that are typically dropped by Syrian government forces from helicopters. In other words they are conventional rather than chemical munitions. So was Mr Spicer broadening the red line? Belatedly the White House had to issue a clarification noting that what he really was saying was that barrel bombs containing chemical weapons would draw a US response. This lack of clarity would not matter quite so much if it was not characteristic of the Trump administration's whole approach to foreign policy. And the stakes could not be higher. One crisis in US-Russia relations is already upon us. Another involving the unpredictable North Korean regime is fast building. These are the Trump team's first big foreign policy tests and so far they are gaining a very mixed report card. In the wake of the US strike on the Syrian air base, Trump administration officials - ranging from the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and US National Security Adviser General H R McMaster, to the White House spokesman Sean Spicer - have suggested a variety of US policy approaches that extend from the relative isolationism of "America First" to a more strident interventionism. On key questions there seems to be little agreement. Is the US eager to remove the Assad regime? Does its priority remain the fight against so-called Islamic State? How does the strike against Syria that has enraged not just Russia but also Iran square with US interests in Iraq, where, unlike in Syria, Washington and Tehran find themselves on the "same side" in that they are both giving military backing to the Iraqi Government? The lack of clarity in the message is hampering America's allies as well. The British Prime Minister Theresa May has spoken of a "window of opportunity" to separate Russia from Syria's President Assad. But Tuesday's G7 group of nations meeting has pointedly failed to agree on the need for additional economic sanctions against Russia. Mr Tillerson is arriving in Moscow without the strong backing from America's key allies that he had hoped for. Yes, they all agree that Mr Assad cannot be part of the solution. They all agree Russia must exercise its responsibilities in Syria. But in terms of what to do, they are as much at sea as the Trump administration itself. What is still needed is a broad statement of US policy goals and the instruments that will be used to achieve them. Without that the growing militarisation of US foreign policy - stepped up strikes in Yemen; more troops to Syria and Iraq; and the punitive cruise missile attack in Syria - may worry both friends and potential enemies alike. There seems to be no central guiding brain behind the evolution of the Trump team's foreign policy. The US president himself has failed to articulate any clear approach. With regard to Syria that may be unsettling. With regard to North Korea, it could be potentially catastrophic.

Question: Just a few days ago the Russian embassy in London responded on its Twitter feed to the British Foreign Secretary 's announcement that he was cancelling his @placeholder visit to Moscow .


The fourth and fifth nuclear tests this year generated a swirl of fearsome rhetoric - both Seoul and Pyongyang said they would turn the other into a heap of ashes. But can we see clearly what the actual scientific situation is? Stripping away the chest-thumping, what could Kim Jong-un's military actually do? And when might it be able to do do it? There are different components to a nuclear arsenal: it needs a warhead small enough to go on a missile, and to remain intact until it hits the target. And, of course, the missiles themselves, ideally small and mobile enough to avoid being destroyed pre-emptively if preparations for launch are spotted - hence the importance of submarines. Prof Siegfried S Hecker of Stanford University in California is a former head of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the US and has visited North Korea's nuclear facilities frequently. He says, following the fifth nuclear test on Friday: "With the two successful nuclear tests this year, we must assume that the DPRK [North Korea] has designed and demonstrated nuclear warheads that can be mounted on some of its short-range and perhaps medium-range missiles. "Its ability to field an ICBM (inter-continental ballistic missile) fitted with a nuclear warhead capable of reaching the United States is still a long way off - perhaps five to 10 years, but likely doable if the programme is unconstrained." This means that there is already a real danger in his view. Miscalculations in the region become much more likely as South Korea, Japan and the United States fear that nuclear attack in the region is possible - pre-emptive strikes become much more likely. Prof Hecker also worries that North Korea's technological ability increases the likelihood of the spread of nuclear weapons [technology and material] to "non-state actors" - or "terrorists" to you and me. He said: "Much more troubling for now is that its recent nuclear and missile successes may give Pyongyang a false sense of confidence and dramatically change regional security dynamics. The likely ability of the DPRK to put nuclear weapons on target anywhere in South Korea and Japan and even on some US assets in the Pacific greatly complicates the regional military picture." He continues that we can't "rule out that a financially desperate leadership may risk the sale of fissile materials or other nuclear assets, perhaps to non-state actors". Prof Hecker visited the Yongbyon centrifuge facility (where material is produced) in November, 2010. Based on the equipment he saw and his assessment of stocks of uranium and plutonium, he thinks it plausible that North Korea has "a stockpile of sufficient fissile material for approximately 20 bombs by the end of this year and a capacity of adding approximately seven per year". One of the essential components of an effective nuclear arsenal is the ability to hide the missiles so they can't be destroyed before launch. Accordingly, the testing of submarine-launched missiles has particularly worried North Korea's enemies. According to the aerospace engineer John Schilling, who specialises in missile technology: "The success of North Korea's latest submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) test suggests the programme may be progressing faster than originally expected. "However, this does not mean it will be ready next week, next month, or even next year. Rather, the pace and method of the North's SLBM testing would suggest possible deployment in an initial operational capability by the second half of 2018 at the earliest." North Korea is also making progress on missiles fired from land. Testing has been frequent this year and distances have been increased. In June, for example, it fired a missile that reached an altitude of 1,000km (620 miles). It probably fired high rather than long to avoid Japan (an action which would have been too provocative) but the distance travelled impressed Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California. "That suggests the missile worked perfectly. Had it been fired at its normal angle, it would have flown to its full range," he said. There are other bits of the jigsaw, like being able to make heat-tolerant materials for warheads which would allow them to re-enter the atmosphere on the tops of missiles and explode on target. North Korea claims to have done this. The upshot of the most convincing scientific analysis is that North Korea may have the ability to launch nuclear attacks in the region at the moment but not to strike targets further afield, like the United States. But it's getting there and may have that ability from 2020, perhaps a few years later, although the scientists reckon it's no longer a remote prospect. Prof Hecker, widely viewed as the most authoritative expert, also has views on the politics of it all. "The latest nuclear test demonstrates conclusively that attempting to sanction the DPRK into submission and waiting for China to exert leverage over Pyongyang's nuclear programme do not work," he said. "Increasing sanctions and adding missile defences in South Korea to that mix will also not suffice and make China even less likely to co-operate. "What's missing is diplomacy, as much as Washington may find it repugnant to deal with the Kim regime."

Question: Amid all the bluster and sabre - rattling , how do scientists assess North Korea 's ability to launch a nuclear attack on its @placeholder or on the mainland of the United States ?


Thirty Conservative and nine Liberal Democrat MPs voted against the government's motion. Here are the reactions of Ed Miliband and David Cameron to the vote, followed by some of the key contributions from the House of Commons and the House of Lords earlier. Ed Miliband said: "Can the prime minister confirm to the House that he will not use the Royal Prerogative to order the UK to be part of military action, given the will of the House that has been expressed tonight, before there has been another vote in this House of Commons?" David Cameron replied: "I can give that assurance. Let me say the House has not voted for either motion tonight. I strongly believe in the need for a tough response to the use of chemical weapons but I also believe in respecting the will of this House of Commons." He added: "It is clear to me that the British Parliament, reflecting the views of the British people, does not want to see British military action. I get that and the government will act accordingly." "Interfering in another country's affairs should not be undertaken except in the most exceptional circumstances. It must be a humanitarian catastrophe and it must be a last resort. "But by any standards, this is a humanitarian catastrophe, and if there are no consequences for it, there is nothing to stop [President Bashar al-] Assad and other dictators from using these weapons again and again. "Doing nothing is a choice.  It's a choice with consequences. And these consequences in my view would not just be about President Assad and his future use of chemical weapons." "There will be some in this House who say Britain should not contemplate action, even when it is limited, because we do not know precisely the consequences that will follow. "I'm not with those who rule out action - the horrific events unfolding in Syria do ask us to consider the options available. "But we owe it to the Syrian people, to our own country and to the future security of our world to scrutinise any plans on the basis of the consequences they have." "The sole aim is to, is to relieve humanitarian suffering by deterring and disrupting the further use of chemical weapons. "Nothing more, nothing less. Not invasion. Not regime change. Not about entering Syrian, into the Syrian conflict. "Not about arming the rebels. If I may, if I may just make little bit of progress. Not boots on the ground. President Obama's intentions are highly limited and so are ours." "We cannot ignore the lessons of the calamitous Iraq war. We need safeguards to ensure that all is done to provide evidence about chemical weapons and support the United Nations and international law. "We need a coherent and comprehensive strategy which fully takes in the consequences of intervention. What is currently a calamity for the people of Syria could worsen and become a conflagration across the Middle East." "If they get away with what they have done, if there is no significant international response of any kind, then we can be absolutely certain that the forces within Damascus will be successful in saying we must continue to use these whenever there is a military rationale for doing so. "There is no guarantee that a military strike against military targets will work, but there is every certainty that if we don't make that effort to punish and deter, then these actions will indeed continue." "[The prime minister] sought to draw a distinction in his speech between 'our response to war crimes and taking sides in the conflict', I say however much he struggles to make that distinction, if we take an active part in military action, which I do not rule out... then let us be clear that we shall be taking sides, there's no escape from that and we shall be joining with the rebels, with all the consequences that arise from that, and not maintaining a position of neutrality." "It seems to me that this matter turns on a single question: Do you take more risk, danger through acting or do you run a greater risk through lack of action?... "The aim is to act as a bulwark to international law and above all to protect one of the few pillars of international law that has been in existence for 100 years or more - that against the use of chemical weapons and against gas." "If we take action that diminishes the chances of peace and reconciliation, when inevitably a political solution has to be found whether in the near term or long term future, then we will have contributed to more killing and this war will be deeply unjust. "In consequence, I feel that any interventions must be effective in terms of preventing any further use of chemical weapons. I have not yet heard that has been adequately demonstrated as likely." "There is no compelling evidence, to use the leader of the opposition's words, that the Assad regime is responsible for this crime, yet. "Not that they are not bad enough to do it - everybody knows they are bad enough to do it - the question is are they mad enough to do it? "To launch a chemical weapons attack in Damascus on the very day that a United Nations chemical weapons inspection team arrives in Damascus must be a new definition of madness." "I remain concerned about the impact of flouting international law. "To intervene without the due resolution sends a message to everyone else that international law can be ignored when it's inconvenient and as the law of the jungle takes hold it will be increasingly difficult to condemn similar actions by others. " "In effect, it [the opinion that action is legal without a UN resolution]means the United Nations is now redundant and the humanitarian doctrine has legs of its own. "It can be interpreted virtually any way the parties wish and I hope when the dust has settled from this affair, this House and the United Nations revisit the responsibility to protect because I believe at present it is not working the way it was intended." "We have to ask, through the government, how many soldiers and managers of soldiers and officers would you need to kill in order to guarantee that Assad will not do it again? "I fear when you have someone as mad and bad as Assad, the answer might be very high. The question is would we want to do that much, are we sure it will work?" "We do not want to be conned into a war in effect by actions designed just to do that. "There are plenty of facts around, or at least reported facts, reported that the UN representative for human rights in Syria thought there was concrete evidence of rebels having sarin gas. "Reports that the Turkish authorities arrested 12 al-Nusra fighters with two kgs of sarin gas. "Other reports that Hezbollah fighters are in Beirut hospitals suffering from the effects of sarin gas. "Now I think a number of people have said we must have clear evidence to show this House that if there is a casus belli (justification for war), it's real, not confected, not constructed, and that means perhaps a more aggressive disclosure of intelligence than we would normally have." "We should be calling in the Russian ambassador and actually saying we are going to expel you from this country if you don't do something and change the attitude of Russia. "Military action is a very, very last option and I do not believe it is something we should go down the line." "I do support action but not a military solution. "I want to make it clear that, unless we act with a wide international coalition with full and transparent internationally agreed law, I would not support a vote to take military action in the future."

Question: The government 's motion calling for a " strong humanitarian response " with possible military action in Syria , following an alleged chemical attack near Damascus last week , has been @placeholder 285-272 in the House of Commons .


More than once he tried to escape out of a first-floor window, convinced his teacher was criticising him. He is not alone - research among 700 children aged 10 and 11 for the mental-health charity Place2Be suggests almost two-thirds worry "all the time". Concerns about family and friends and fear of failing at school are the top causes of anxiety, says the charity. The school referred Tom and his mother for counselling sessions, run by the charity at the school. Tom felt he could not learn and his mother could not get a job as she was so worried about what would happen if he ran home from school and found her gone. Tom was taught breathing exercises to control his anger and reduce his anxiety - techniques he used for the rest of his school career. "It helped me get through," he said. Eight years on he applied for a place on a performing arts course and says he owes his progress to the counselling sessions. Place2Be surveyed children in the top primary year at 20 schools across England, Scotland and Wales at the end of 2016. The entire year group in each school took part. Their top concerns were: In addition: There was a gender divide, with 36% of girls worrying about being bullied, compared with 22% of boys. More girls (28%) worried about their looks than boys (18%). But boys (24%) were more likely to worry about being angry than girls (16%). The most common coping strategies were talking to family members (72%) or to friends (65%), while 65% of boys calmed themselves by playing computer games compared with 39% of girls. Join the conversation - find us on Facebook More than 80% of the children surveyed said the best way for adults to help was to listen sympathetically and pupils said it was important to be kind to anxious classmates. . "I give them a hug and tell them not to worry and everything is OK," said one 10-year-old. The charity's chief executive, Catherine Roche, said primary school was often characterised as innocent and happy. "But in reality we know that young children can worry about a lot of things, whether it's something going on at home, with their friends, or even about bad things happening in the world. "It's perfectly normal to worry from time to time, but if these worries become more serious or persistent, it's important that children know where they can turn for help. "Schools and families play a crucial role in ensuring that children learn to look out for each other and know how to get help if they need it." Some names have been changed.

Question: At nine , Tom was so worried about not being able to do his @placeholder work that he kept running out of the school gates .


According to the Family and Childcare Trust, the cost of holiday childcare has increased by 4% since 2016 to an average of ?¡ê125 per week. The BBC has called on you, the experts, to send us your best advice for managing childcare costs in the summer downtime. Melanie Stevens from Cheltenham, Gloucester, suggests: "In the summer holidays, I ask young students back from university to be our holiday nanny. "My two boys are 11 and 12. I've got two lovely girls helping this summer, sometimes chilling at home and sometimes trips to the Lido, park and cafes. "This works out cheaper than sending the boys to sporty holiday clubs and I have the luxury of not having to rush them out of the house. "It does cost my entire salary for those weeks. I save ?¡ê100 per month towards this." However, Christine Castle from Reading, Berkshire, says paying for a club may be worth it: "I can use up my holidays looking after my grandson but that would mean me losing time to spend with my husband as we both still work full time. "I have paid for all the school holiday - less two weeks when my daughter is off work - for my grandson to go to a local summer club. "He is educated and has fun whilst doing it so for me it is money well spent." Followers of Mumsnet's Facebook page have also provided these pearls of wisdom: Alison Cunningham suggests: "I got a weekend job so, yes, we don't get a full weekend as a family but hubby gets quality time with our little girl and we don't have the worry of relying on family for childcare. We are fortunate that hubby's job allows me to only work a few hours at the weekend, though I know this isn't a possibility for everyone." Amanda Hobbs went back to the classroom for her solution: "I got a job in teaching! Has its drawbacks because everywhere is so damn busy and I get no 'me time.' However, we don't have to worry about childcare." The conversation developed on @BBCBusiness as parents offered further advice. Continuing the family theme Bakehouse Cottage recommends: Startup Mums suggested self-employment might be the key, although it's not an easy option: "A lot of mums start their own business because they want increased flexibility, makes holidays a little easier, but it is still a juggle!" For Traynorbird, it all comes down to money: Meanwhile, Julie reminded us a friend in need is a friend indeed: And Karl Woolley offered a father's perspective: Tmckinnin has a solution: "I quit and take time off." By Bernadette McCague, UGC and Social News team

Question: Keeping your children @placeholder during a long summer holiday is never easy , especially when you 're on a tight budget .


It was recorded less than two weeks before the first great earthquake struck and shows Nepali New Year celebrations in Barpak, a Himalayan hill town to the north-west of Kathmandu. There is traditional dancing for the adults, the younger people enjoy a huge open air disco. There is cheering and shouting, images of happy faces. Barpak has now been reduced to rubble. It was right at the epicentre of the earthquake that hit Nepal. And it remains completely cut off. Ten miles from Barpak and the road ends, the only way into the village is to hike. Yet a constant stream of helicopters have been ferrying out the injured, bringing food and shelter to the survivors. You will read many reports of the shortcomings of the aid effort but most of what I have seen has been positive. Two days after the quake hit I was flown by the Indian air force into one of the worst-hit and most remote Himalayan settlements. Tato Pani, to the far north of Kathmandu, is more than 100km (62 miles) from Barpak and right on the border with China. They evacuated people with some appalling injuries. One elderly man whose legs were hideously cut and grazed, was brought in a wheelbarrow. Another man sat in silence staring at the floor as we flew to the military hospital in Kathmandu. He had a blood soaked bandage on his head and trickle of blood from his nose. There is terrible devastation here, hillsides where every house has been levelled. One woman told us that there were still dead people in the wreckage of some of the homes. But Tato Pani, like Barpak, is cut off from the road.  How could rescuers be expected to get heavy digging equipment in here? The important thing is that no-one we spoke to had to go hungry. That is a huge achievement. Nepal is a mountain nation and access to remote areas is very difficult. They may not yet have cleared the road all the way to Barpak but when I drove up there yesterday the huge landslide that had closed the valley had already been cleared.  We passed diggers working to level other parts of the road. In Gorkha, the regional capital, we were shown a warehouse stacked with food.  Trucks and tractors were being loaded to take the food out to the villages. One local government official told us that there were about 30 small communities they still hadn't managed to reach, there may well be more. Some communities in the region where the quake hit say the official aid effort has passed them by, the only relief they have received has been from charities. And, because there has been so much destruction, many people are now completely dependent on hand-outs. But the most consistent complaint isn't about food, it is about shelter. The rainy season has started and nights are cold and grim. The Nepalese government says it has procured thousands of tents and tens of thousands of tarpaulins but clearly it is not enough. Even if their homes haven't been destroyed, many people choose to sleep out for fear another quake will bring down their already damaged homes. That's why you see vast tent cities. But, despite the horror and hardship, what has surprised me most is that many Nepalese people I've spoken to say they believe they have been lucky. They've grown up knowing that a big quake was inevitable. Seismologists say the pressure has been building in the tectonic fault that runs across this country for almost a century. The week before the tragedy struck earthquake experts at a conference in Kathmandu were discussing scenarios in which hundreds of thousands of people died. But the quake struck in daytime on a Saturday. Schools were closed, many people were not in their homes. And Nepal's shoddy buildings stood up to the tremors better than anyone expected. But as I wrote this, another aftershock rocked the hotel I'm staying in. The guests poured out into the cold mountain air. This tragedy is far from over.  The work of rescue and recovery continues. The people of Nepal may believe they have been lucky, but fear remains. They cannot know is whether this was the big one they'd dreaded - or is another great earthquake on the way?

Question: Yesterday I was given an extraordinarily poignant @placeholder .


They asked the High Court to authorise the changes at Wickford in Essex, saying taking action would have "a devastating impact" on 12 children. Basildon Council argued the five, all from the same extended traveller family, carried out illegal development in breach of an injunction. They were found in contempt of court and will be sentenced on 5 May. The site is two miles away from Dale Farm, which was Europe's largest traveller site until the council spent more than ?¡ê4m in a legal battle to evict 80 families from illegally-built homes. Thomas Anderson, Eileen Anderson, Winnie Anderson, Margaret Anderson and Arran Jones developed the land at Silva Lodge Kennels on Hovefields Avenue in Wickford, near Basildon. Their barrister Paul Clark said: "The European Court of Human Rights recognises that the lives and culture of travelling people are under threat." They apologised for breaching the injunction and did not realise they were doing anything wrong, he added in court. During the two-day hearing, Mr Justice Kerr told the two men and three women it was "a serious matter" and upheld the original injunction granted to the council on 14 October preventing development. Phil Turner, leader of Basildon Council, said: "We are pleased the High Court has stood by its previous judgement and reinforced the validity of the injunction."

Question: Five people who replaced @placeholder caravans with static mobile homes have been told to dismantle them by a judge .


The royal couple were among the guests invited to attend the global financial firm ICAP's 23rd annual charity day. Traders in London taught them how to close deals at the Central European interest rates desk. ICAP gives away one day's revenue and commissions every year, which enables them to fund philanthropic projects and research around the world. The event raises millions each year for charities that the duke and duchess are patrons of such as SkillForce, Place2Be and Sports Aid. Since ICAP's fundraising day was started in 1993, nearly ?¡ê120m has been raised for charity. The duchess danced in celebration after the couple closed deals worth millions of euros over the phone. The duke later joked about the "dodgy" outfits worn by some of the staff, which ranged from gangsters and molls to belly dancers and comic book characters such as Batman and Iron Man. He was guided through the trade by broker Dan Lebeau, who was wearing three-inch heels. Mr Lebeau said: "He was saying to me, basically 'where did you get them from?' "It was very difficult to find size 10 high heels in a normal shop." Also at the event were the prime minister's wife, Samantha Cameron, actor Jeremy Irons and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman.

Question: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have @placeholder City brokers in fancy dress on the trading floor at a charity event .


He had been due to appear on 24 April in his first BBC appearance since being dropped as a co-presenter of Top Gear, following an attacked on a producer. Clarkson has hosted the satirical news quiz on numerous occasions. Jimmy Mulville, managing director of show producers Hat Trick Productions, said he expected Clarkson to be available for a show later in the year. Mr Mulville said: ""On reflection, Jeremy Clarkson has decided not to host Have I Got News For You. We fully expect him to resume his hosting duties later in the year." Clarkson was suspended by the BBC on 10 March following what was described at the time as a "fracas" with Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon in a hotel in North Yorkshire. An internal investigation found Mr Tymon took himself to hospital after he was subject to an "unprovoked physical and verbal attack" that resulted in swelling and bleeding to his lip. Following the investigation, on 25 March the BBC announced Clarkson's contract on Top Gear would not be renewed. More than a million fans signed a petition to reinstate the presenter, but BBC director general Tony Hall said "a line has been crossed" and "there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another". The BBC has said Top Gear will continue without Clarkson, however it is unclear whether co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond will remain. The new series of Have I Got News For You begins on Friday with actor Daniel Radcliffe as the guest host.

Question: Jeremy Clarkson has pulled out of his @placeholder appearance as guest host of the BBC show Have I Got News For You .


That could hurt many here, for whom a supermarket trip is not complete without stocking up on their beloved garish fizzy liquid. But University of Johannesburg third-year students Nomzamo and Precious tell me they are not about to give up their sugary treats. "I  buy fizzy drinks because I love the taste," says 21-year-old Nomzamo as she surveys her options in a packed supermarket fridge. "It's also convenient and I don't have to worry about preparing something to drink if I have people coming over." Precious, whose hand seems to be drawn to the bright orange Fanta, says the extra tax planned for next year will not put her off. "We'll still buy them when the prices increase - we might buy less though but I don't see us stopping," she says. "I think as long as you don't overdo it, there is nothing wrong with any one type of food." At an average of less than $0.50c (?¡ê0.36) for a 330ml can, sweetened drinks are affordable for the vast majority, and have become a regular feature of the weekly diet. And that is part of the problem. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan introduced the tax on everything from carbonated soft drinks to flavoured water in February's budget speech, partly as a way to tackle the country's bulging budget deficit, but also to deal with people's bulging waistlines. South Africa has not been spared as obesity levels have soared around the world in the past couple of decades. According to a 2014 World Health Organization (WHO) estimate, one in four South Africans are obese. A 2013 study by the Human Sciences Research Council in Johannesburg pointed the finger at sugar as being one of the possible culprits, saying that one in five South Africans consume an excessive amount of sugar. The average South African, according to the results from a survey of 25,000 people, now have 17 teaspoons of sugar a day. And although not the sole culprit, high sugar consumption has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, which all put a strain on the publicly-funded health system. South Africa's sugar intake may not be as high as Mexico, 35 teaspoons a day, or the US, 40 teaspoons a day, but it is a cause for concern as the WHO recommends no more than 10 teaspoons be eaten in a day. Despite the aim for this new "sin tax", some are sceptical about whether it is the right way to tackle the problem. "I think it should be up to each person to regulate their sugar intake. I personally know not to drink sweetened juice every day if I want to stay healthy," says Lindi, from the south of Johannesburg. "The government shouldn't take away people's rights to choose. They should instead look at making healthy food cheaper and not punish people for their choice," her husband adds. That is a line of attack chosen by the opposition Democratic Alliance. Perhaps more significantly, drinks manufacturers are likely to mount a campaign against the tax. The Beverage Association of South Africa (BevSA) has questioned why the government is targeting just drinks rather than the entire processed food industry. It argues that one food item cannot be blamed for the country's obesity issues. But tax expert Kyle Mandy from the accounting firm PwC says that the lesson from Mexico - which has also gone down the sugar tax route - is that corporate opposition can be faced down. Average daily sugar intake by teaspoons On the key question of whether the tax actually works, Mr Mandy says that in Mexico it "has been relatively effective in reducing the consumption of sugary beverages". Some argue that the tax could be a blow to poor South Africans who cannot afford better quality goods. but the tax expert says the health benefits need to be weighed against the costs. "It does work, provided it is done well. South Africa will now need to determine the level at which they introduce the tax, it cannot be too low or too high," Mr Mandy says. He warns though that the country would need to adopt a comprehensive approach beyond just taxing sugary drinks. "It needs be a package of measures looking at educational campaigns about adopting a healthy lifestyle, access to healthy options for the average South African and regulations on better food labelling," he tells me. Policy makers will need to carefully navigate some tricky water before the tax comes into effect in April 2017, one of which is to be sure that the tax will not affect the industry to such an extent that it needs to shed jobs. The South African Sugar Association says that one million people depend on the sugar industry for a living and it directly employs 79,000 people in the country. But it seems many agree in principle that the sugar tax is a good place to start to tackle some of the country's health problems. Water anyone?

Question: South Africa has joined the battle against sugar , becoming the first African country to plan a tax on drinks @placeholder with the sweet stuff .


Essentra's IP5 cartons plant, based at Imperial Park in Coedkernew, mainly makes gift boxes for the retail industry. The company has previously received more than ?¡ê500,000 from the Welsh Government to help expand its operations in the city. The Welsh Government said it was "deeply disappointed" at the news. Essentra said the site had an operating loss of ?¡ê3.4m from January to June and profitability was not set to improve. A consultation has begun on plans to stop production at the factory and, if agreed, work would cease by the end of the year. The proposal does not impact the firm's other Newport factory, IP4, which makes labels. The company said it understood the announcement would "cause a great deal of uncertainty" for staff and it would "provide as much support as possible as matters progress through the consultation process". Chief executive Paul Forman said: "It is clearly with regret that we are entering into consultation on this proposal, and I and the project management team are committed to undertaking this process in an open, honest and respectful way. "The possible closure of the IP5 site in Newport is in no way a reflection on the quality or commitment of our employees." One worker leaving the IP5 plant on Thursday said staff were still "going through meetings with management". "The mood is very low," added another worker. "I think everyone is the same, nobody wants to lose their jobs." Another employee added: "It's quite bad. It's a job at the end of the day - we'll just have to get new jobs." Mohammad Asghar, Conservative AM for South Wales East, said the news was disappointing. "The Essentra cartons plant has received substantial investment from the Welsh Labour Government to help expand its operations in the city," he said. "This has clearly not succeeded - and down the line there will be some serious questions for ministers to answer. Jayne Bryant, Labour AM for Newport West, said she was "concerned" and has had discussions with Essentra's management and Economy Secretary Ken Skates. "The business has been financially supported by Welsh Government and I have been advised that Welsh Government is now in touch with the company so they can discuss the implications of this announcement," she said. Steffan Lewis, Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales East, called the announcement "troubling". A Welsh Government spokesman said: "This will be a worrying time for workers and their families and we will be working closely with the company and others to ensure employees are fully supported throughout this difficult period." Newport council leader Debbie Wilcox said it was "extremely sad news for the city and especially for the employees and their families".

Question: About 150 jobs could be at risk under plans to close a @placeholder factory in Newport .


Her children, three-year-old Zach and seven-year-old Emily, were already asleep. That night someone cut phone lines, then poured petrol through the letterbox and started a fire which roared through the house. It killed her daughter and left Mrs Salvini and her son with burns and traumatised. The severed phone lines delayed rescue by the emergency services. Now 23, her son Zach Salvini says his experience of the fire is his earliest memory. He said: "I remember my mum frantically swung the door open, it was like a wall of something hit her, a wall of white. "I remember my mum screaming 'Emily' over and over again." Mrs Salvini said the fire "blew, pounced into the room". She could not even see flames, but instead "hot sheets of pale yellow, sheets of white". She managed to climb out of the window of her home and protect her son, as roof tiles dropped off the building. Emily, who was sleeping in another room in the house, was already dead from breathing in smoke and from carbon monoxide poisoning. Police have never found the person responsible for the blaze. In the weeks leading up to the attack in Reading, Mrs Salvini's father, who babysat his grandchildren on Thursdays, had his tyres slashed. Ten days before the arson attack, Mrs Salvini's phone lines were cut, and had to be replaced. But she had lived happily as a single mother in the Caversham area of the town with Zach and Emily. Now she is hoping a fresh appeal to the public will solve the 20-year-old mystery of who started the fire. "I think it's really important for my whole family, it's important for Zach, it's important for them to know, but most of all it's important for Emily," she said. "She was my beautiful little princess." Mrs Salvini spoke of her love for her first born child. She had her when she was "young, newly-wed and straight out of uni". "I was living in Italy with Marco, Emily and Zach's dad," she said. "I couldn't speak a word of Italian, and there I was aged 23 up a mountain on Lake Garda, with this wonderful baby girl and I fell in love with her straight away." Appealing once again for information, she said: "I hope this will spark someone's memory. "It could be the thing that could result in us finding out who did this, who did this horrific thing?"

Question: Twenty years ago , mother - of - two Katie Salvini went to bed after staying up late to watch TV news @placeholder of Tony Blair 's landslide general election victory .


Charnley, who will join Sale from Wigan at the end of the current Super League season, has made seven appearances for England's rugby league side. "His ambition is to play at the highest level and his first obstacle is to get picked here," he told BBC Sport. "If he does that and consistently plays well, then I'm sure the new England set-up will look at players like him." Diamond continued: "We're getting an established international finisher. His strike rate is one try a game over 150 games, which is unbelievable. "He'll fit in well. If he doesn't make it after a year or two, then he could always go back and be a top-class rugby league player." Jason Robinson made a successful transition when he crossed codes to play for Sale in 2000, after making 302 appearances for Wigan in rugby league. Robinson played for England in their loss to Australia in the rugby league World Cup final in 1995, but later won the rugby union World Cup with England against Australia in 2003. He earned 51 England caps in rugby union, as well as featuring five times for the British & Irish Lions, while at club level he captained the Sharks to a Premiership title in 2006. "Nobody can compare anybody to Jason, but Josh comes with a fantastic try-scoring record and he's an unbelievable goal-kicker," said Diamond. "He comes with the things we are looking for. We haven't had to break the bank, the money is the right money. It's all about ambition. "He's got to get that switch in his brain, but we've done it with rugby league players before and we did it with Jason." Following Sam Burgess' short-lived and unsuccessful switch from league to union, Diamond is planning to play Charnley at full-back and on the wing - both positions that the 24-year-old has filled in rugby league with Wigan. "He's got a bit of work to do on the conversion to playing rugby union," Diamond added. "If he can work hard and make the transition, then we've got a gem on our hands. "He's got a full skill set, we know he kicks goals but we'll not go down the path that other rugby union teams have done and try to play them in different positions. "What happened with Sam was nothing short of a disgrace. He was played in one position by England and another by his club, you just can't do that."

Question: Cross - code @placeholder Josh Charnley can play rugby union for England , says Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond .


Indeed, instead of punching up the applause lines, Theresa May looked slightly surprised when the audience clapped. A little like a modest but eager archaeology lecturer, testing a new theory about Pictish finds. There were other surprising cameo elements too. She listed the proclaimed characteristics of the United Kingdom. Those being "solidarity, unity, family." Did that formulation sound just a tiny bit, well, Socialist? Or even Jacobin? Behave yourself. Mrs May was simply intent on arguing that there was more to the Union than purely an economic or trading arrangement. Not for the UK "the transient and shifting benefits of international alliance." Which particular alliance do you think she had in mind? No, rather it was about "the fundamental strength of being one people". Now, this was more familiar ground. One or two of Mrs May's predecessors in Downing Street have had a bash at defining Britishness or British values. Not with universal success. One thinks of cycling and evensong. But Theresa May's attempt appeared to be more broadly grounded and thus more interesting. She spoke again of family, of shared endeavour, of common interests. Admittedly, some of her examples were less than utterly convincing. She talked of the Harry Potter books being written in an Edinburgh cafe by a Gloucestershire author. Thus, apparently, stressing the benefits of Union. Well, maybe. But George Frederick Handel composed many of his masterpieces in London. That did not mean that Britain and his native Germany were bound by musical or other ties. Still, it was a thoughtful speech, giving the impression of much more than a stock oration culled from party archives. She seemed to mean it, too. In essence, she was arguing for more Union. (No, not the European Union, do try to keep up.) More Union in the UK. A more intense, more active Union.  She deplored, for example, what she reckoned was a tendency in Whitehall to devolve power and then forget Scotland. On her watch, the UK government would be active participants in the concerns of the people of Scotland. Mrs May argued, further, that this was even more essential as we head towards Brexit (never forget that we have yet to leave.) Only a cynic would note at this point that this critical moment, apparently requiring redress, was created ultimately by a Conservative initiative. Two more thoughts. She signalled pretty plainly that the repatriation of powers over, for example, agriculture and fisheries will not, if she has her way, go directly to Scotland even though those sectors are already devolved. It was important to do things properly. To work out arrangements with the devolved administrations. To avoid "unintended consequences" for the UK. In short, it sounded like the creation of common agricultural and fisheries structures for the UK. Nationalists say that is a betrayal and a power grab.  Tories say it's practical Unionism. The view here at the Conservative conference, confirmed by Ruth Davidson on the wireless, is that ag and fish (and presumably other EU powers) return first to London, the seat of the departing member state - prior to apportionment thereafter. Again, Scottish ministers complain this is contrary to assurances given during the referendum. UK Ministers, like the Scottish Secretary David Mundell, say no powers will be withdrawn from Holyrood and some powers will be added. Then there is indyref2. Mrs May declines to say what she will/would do if and when Nicola Sturgeon demands a further Section 30 transfer of powers to Holyrood in order to hold a legitimate referendum. Indeed, the PM has become notably adept at sidestepping that particular question. But there is no shortage of advice from representatives here in Glasgow. Some say: veto indyref2. Some say: allow it on the lines of "come and have a go if you think you're hard enough". Some say set terms on timing and the question. Some are unsure. One option might be to say yes to the referendum - but to insist that it is not hold until the Brexit negotiations are complete. That is, presumably, 2019 or thereafter. We shall see.

Question: It was a very different Prime Ministerial speech . Gone , mostly , were the seven - word sentences to which we became accustomed in the past . Gone too the @placeholder of soundbites , each demanding an ecstatic ovation .


Vice-President Joe Biden briefed Senate Democrats behind closed doors after Republicans and the White House agreed a plan. The Senate is expected to vote in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with the House to consider a bill later. Tuesday is a public holiday in the US, so no immediate effects will be felt. Analysts say if the effects of the fiscal cliff are allowed to take hold, they could spark a new US recession. But if a bill passes both the Senate and the House over the new year holiday, the impact is likely to be minimal. By Mark MardellNorth America editor The bad news is that America is going to go over the fiscal cliff. The good news is that it probably won't hit the bottom - and no one will feel the impact. We expect a deal to be done on Monday night and the Senate to vote on it. But the House has already gone home and will not say yea or nay to an agreement. That's why America will go over the cliff, at least technically. But New Year's Day is a public holiday. Markets are closed around the world. The US government is also shut. Likewise, tax rises won't be felt until people get their January pay cheques. If it is clear that the politicians are going to do a deal pretty soon, then no one will panic. At the moment, a deal seems to be close enough to touch. If it moves out of reach, then the ground will rush up to meet us soon enough. After a long day of negotiation on Capitol Hill, signs of a deal emerged hours after the House of Representatives was dismissed for the night. Earlier, President Barack Obama said a deal to avoid the steep tax rises and spending cuts was "within sight". Tax cuts passed during the presidency of George W Bush formally expired at midnight (05:00 GMT). But the proposed eventual deal appeared to extend tax cuts for Americans earning under $400,000 (¡ê246,000) - up from the $250,000 level Democrats had originally sought. A huge spending cut known as the sequester - that would see $1.2tn cut from the federal budget over 10 years - would be deferred for two months, reports said, allowing Congress and the White House to reopen negotiations on a wider deal. Earlier, Mr Obama said he would had preferred to resolve the fiscal cliff through a "grand bargain" that dealt with both long-term spending and tax issues. "But with this Congress, that was obviously a little too much to hope for at this time," he said at the White House. What if the US goes over the cliff? Will the fiscal cliff affect you? Q&A: The US fiscal cliff Why is it called a 'fiscal cliff'? Amid some Republican disquiet over the president's barbed remarks, the party's Senate leader Mitch McConnell quickly calmed proceedings in the afternoon. He backed the president's assessment and said a deal should be done quickly. "Let's pass the tax relief portion now," said Mr McConnell, who spent Sunday evening and Monday negotiating with Vice-President Joe Biden. "Let's take what's been agreed to and get moving. We'll continue to work on finding smarter ways to cut spending." As well as the income tax rates and spending cuts, the deal under discussion includes: ?       Tax rates to rise on estate inheritances from 35% to 40% after the first $5m for an individual and $10m for a couple ?       Capital gains taxes - affecting certain income from investments - would rise from 15% to 20%, but less than the 39.6% it would rise under after 1 January. ?       Unemployment benefits would be extended for year, affecting an estimated two million people ?       Extending tax credits that help poorer and middle-class families for five years Any deal needs to pass the 100-member Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, before heading to the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold the majority. But no votes have yet been scheduled in either chamber. Also on Monday, the US Treasury said the federal government had hit its self-imposed borrowing limit, the debt ceiling Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner sent a letter to lawmakers informing them that some pension and health benefits would be suspended in order to free up borrowing authority until the end of February. Mr Obama had asked for an extension of debt ceiling as part of the fiscal cliff negotiations, and correspondents say the issue is the next hurdle between Congress and the president.

Question: The US has formally missed a @placeholder to avert spending cuts and tax rises - the " fiscal cliff " - despite a last - ditch tentative deal in the Senate .


A survey carried out by the States' Youth Service found 97% of respondents were happy with activities on offer at the island's youth schemes. However, the service said there was a number of responses calling for better IT hardware and more outdoor space. Mark Capern, principal youth officer, said it was important to use the survey to help improve future services. Jersey's Youth Service was used by 46,000 young people in 2012. The States offers 19 youth projects in locations around Jersey, as well as three island-wide schemes. Mr Capern said by offering a survey, young people were being given a say in the services that they use.

Question: Better internet access and @placeholder opening hours for youth clubs are to be offered by the States of Jersey .


The young star is 4,200 light-years from Earth and appears to be surrounded by a doughnut-shaped cloud of dust. That cloud slows down the hot, ionised wind that the star blasts into space, causing it to form an elongated column perpendicular to the dusty ring. The new results represent "before and after" glimpses of that column forming. They were captured by the Very Large Array, a battery of 27 antennae in the New Mexico desert, and are published in the journal Science. "The comparison is remarkable," said first author Carlos Carrasco-Gonzalez, from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The compact, rounded wind indicated by data from 1996 transforms - just 18 years later in 2014 - into a "distinctly elongated outflow". The infant star is about 300 times brighter than the Sun and goes by the catchy name of W75N(B)-VLA2. Being able to observe its dramatic growing pains in real time is unique, according to Prof Huib van Langevelde from Leiden University in the Netherlands, another of the study's authors. "This object is providing us an exciting opportunity to watch the developments over the next few years, as this very young star develops the characteristic bipolar outflow morphology," said Prof van Langevelde, who also works at the Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE). VLBI - very long baseline interferometry - is the method of comparing signals between widely-spaced antennae, effectively simulating one massive telescope. One of the major findings that has already emerged from studying W75N(B)-VLA2 relates to earlier work led by JIVE scientists, who in 2009 traced the large-scale magnetic field in that region of space and reported that the field surrounding the young star was neatly aligned with it. Now, it seems the elongated outflow that has burst forth in just 18 years is also aligned with that magnetic field - suggesting that magnetism is playing a crucial role in the star's formation. The team hopes to watch and learn more as the "protostar" continues its turbulent development. "Our understanding of how massive young stars develop is much less complete than our understanding of how Sun-like stars develop," said Dr Gabriele Surcis, another co-author from JIVE. "It's going to be really great to be able to watch one as it changes."

Question: Astronomers have witnessed a key stage in the birth of a very heavy star , using two radio telescope views of the process @placeholder 18 years apart .


Andrea Leadsom's accidental reference to Austen as "one of our greatest living authors" has sparked a barrage of social media merriment. The Conservative MP was speaking in parliament to welcome a new plastic ?¡ê10 note featuring Austen's portrait, days after the bicentenary of the author's 1817 death. As always, the internet reaction has been as merciless as it has been swift. Ms Leadsom's name has been mentioned in more than 17,000 tweets, and has featured among the top UK trends ever since her slip of the tongue. "We are currently moving all our Jane Austen stock from Classics into Greatest Living Authors," japed booksellers Waterstones in a tweet shared thousands of times. "Thanks Andrea Leadsom for the heads up," they added. Other social media users spotted an opportunity for political point scoring. "Now Andrea Leadsom has established that Jane Austen is our greatest 'living' author at the age of 242, Tories declare her fit for work," joked 'Scoop Alley'. 'Scoop Alley' was having  a lovely time. They had already used the slip-up to poke fun at Ms Leadsom's Conservative colleague Jacob Rees-Mogg. For some Leadsom's blunder was a eureka moment, an epiphany allowing them to finally understand government policy (though the BBC can confirm that Archimedes, whose bath in about 250 BC gave rise to the entire concept of a eureka moment, is still indeed dead). "Andrea Leadsom thinking that Jane Austen is still alive explains why Tory policies seem like they're from the 1700s," one social media user tweeted. Others were in a more forgiving mood. By now, though, author Jonathon Coe was fed up with the whole thing. "What Andrea Leadsom said about Jane Austen was a simple slip of the tongue," he tweeted, "like when she said leaving the EU wouldn't affect sterling". Times Literary Supplement editor Stig Abell chose not to get involved at all. However Ms Leadsom, fortunately, appears to have taken it all in her stride (and proves that BBC journalists are not the only people who can furiously google Jane Austen quotes). By Chris Bell, UGC and Social News team

Question: ' For what do we live , but to make sport for our @placeholder and laugh at them on Twitter ? ' novelist Jane Austen ( almost ) wrote in Pride and Prejudice .


Mr Rosales, who stood against Hugo Chavez in 2006, was arrested over corruption charges in October 2015 after returning from exile in Peru. The activists were arrested in 2014, during protests calling for the removal of President Nicolas Maduro from power. Opposition leaders say about 100 opposition activists remain in prison. What is behind the crisis in Venezuela? Opposition groups named the released activists as Skarlyn Duarte, Yeimi Varela, Nixon Leal, Angel Contreras and Gerardo Carrero, the AFP news agency reported. Mr Carrero led a group of anti-government protesters who camped for weeks outside the UN offices in Caracas, Venezuela's capital. Mr Rosales, of the small Nuevo Tiempo party, announced his release from house arrest on his Twitter account: "I inform you the people of Venezuela, that I have been released along with other political prisoners," he posted in Spanish. "We continue in the struggle for the release of all political prisoners and the return of the exiles," he added. Mr Rosales, a former governor of the state of Zulia, fled to Peru in 2009 amid corruption allegations, which he said were politically motivated. He was moved from prison to house arrest in October. Venezuela is struggling with a serious economic crisis, which the opposition blames on failed socialist policies of Mr Chavez and his successor, Mr Maduro. Dissident leaders had demanded the release of Mr Rosales, and freedom for other opposition leaders, during negotiations with the government.

Question: The authorities in Venezuela have freed the former presidential candidate Manuel Rosales , along with five student activists @placeholder since 2014 .


Maybe that was because the fourth was a robot. Nobody batted an eyelid, as other people came and took a screwdriver to the humanoid device, but then this was Innorobo, Europe's largest robotics event, and here you get a flavour of a future where robots live amongst us. To anyone who's roamed the vast halls of tech events like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas or Barcelona's Mobile World Congress this will seem a tiny, almost parochial, event. You can walk from one end of Innorobo to the other in five minutes - but in that time you will see more innovation packed into a small space than you will ever find in those gigantic shows. The show's focus has in the past been on industrial robotics, and there are plenty of advances on this front. I spotted a robotic arm delicately picking up individual chocolates and placing them in a box, air-quality robots that can wander a factory reporting back on pollution levels, and cupboards on castors picking a route through a crowd to deliver tools to workers at the other end of the hall. But the star of the show was undoubtedly Pepper, the most advanced domestic robot to go on sale to the general public. When this French-made humanoid robot companion was offered to Japanese consumers last month for quite a hefty price, it sold out within a minute. Meeting Pepper, I was not quite sure why. He or she - it seems you decide the gender - does not undertake any practical tasks, but is designed to engage with you on an emotional level. "Pepper won't do the dishes" explains Magali Cubier of Aldebaran Robotics, "but if Pepper can see you are sad, then Pepper will propose a game to cheer you up." How does the robot know I'm sad? It is packed with sensors which can for instance detect a sad face or intonation in your voice, so this internet-connected device may decide now is not the moment to read out the news headlines. This robot is solely devoted to being your companion, sensitive to your every mood - it can even dance with you, though I'm not sure my moves impressed Pepper. Aldebaran's owners Softbank chose Japan as the launch market. knowing the idea of a relationship with a robot was more likely to fly in a country where technology is readily accepted in homes. Elsewhere, there may be less enthusiasm. Across the show floor I found the veteran British robot engineer Will Jackson was sceptical about devices like Pepper invading the home any time soon. He thinks the cost and dubious utility of a one-to-one robot will be a barrier. But he does see a growing role in the commercial world for products like his Robothespian and Socibot, robots that can entertain and interact on some level with humans, taking over some roles in service industries. "Walk into a supermarket in a few years time, and a robot will know who you are, your complete shopping history, and may try to help you or to sell you stuff." It is facial recognition technology that will enable robots to recognise us - and that's just one of the controversial issues hanging over this fast growing industry.  As well as privacy, there are concerns about safety, with the tragic news of the death of a worker crushed by a robot at a Volkswagen factory.  Until recently, all industrial robots were locked behind cages to prevent this kind of accident because they were not smart enough to detect a human in their path. Now they are getting more sensitive, but releasing them from their cages may bring added risks. And then there's the question of jobs. One firm here is showing off an autonomous forklift truck, effortlessly shifting pallets without the aid of a driver. The driver is the most expensive element of a forklift, so the product pays for itself within a year, according to Fabien Bardinet of Balyo, the company behind the autonomous driving technology. But I put it to him that we should worry about the threat to the workforce. "Forget about it, - they are going to help us, make jobs simpler," is his response. His thesis is that by making companies more competitive, adopting robots will create jobs rather than destroy them. And he points out that Germany, which employs far more industrial robots than France, has a lower level of unemployment. Let's not exaggerate the threat from the robots - they are still very bad at things we find easy, like climbing stairs or telling jokes. But over the next few years we could see them gradually filling more human roles, from sales assistants to child minders to taxi drivers. And we - the humans - will have to decide how far  this robot revolution should go. Read about more robots destined for the home

Question: Sitting eating a hot dog outside Lyon 's @placeholder centre , I could n't help noticing the group at the next table . Three young men were chatting while a fourth sat completely immobile , not saying a word .