Julie Sharp, who was manager of the North Somercotes playgroup, took the cash over a two year period. She also used some of it to pay for shoes, handbags and clothes. Sharp, 49, of East Row, South Somercotes, admitted a charge of furnishing false information between April 2014 and March 2016. Lincoln Crown Court heard she had paid herself wages she was not entitled to and paid herself at a higher rate than agreed. Joey Kwong, prosecuting, told the court Sharp, who was responsible for paying staff wages, also overpaid her daughter when she worked for the group. He said staff noticed her lifestyle becoming luxurious, with her collecting "rare editions of Disney figures", clothing, shoes and handbags. The court heard Sharp justified her spending by saying she had sold gold and received PPI payments. Mr Kwong said the matter came to light after staff complained to the group's new chair. She later handed in her notice. Hannah Walker, for Sharp, said the defendant got into financial difficulties after taking out pay day loans to pay off her son's drug debts. The court also heard the loss of money had led to financial difficulties for the playgroup. Judge Simon Hirst adjourned sentencing for a hearing to determine a disputed prosecution claim that the effect of Sharp taking the money was that a child with autism did not receive council funded one-to-one assistance. Sharp was bailed until the hearing which is due to take place in July.

Question: The manager of a playgroup took ? ¡ê 35,000 from the organisation to help fund her @placeholder of rare edition Disney figures , a court has heard .


The McGill's 904 service went up in flames just outside Largs on the A760 Kilbirnie Road at about 13:35 on Saturday. Emergency services attended but the driver and passengers were uninjured. A woman whose partially-sighted mother was on board later thanked the driver for keeping everyone safe. Kathleen McKenna told the BBC: "The bus started filling up with smoke. "The driver told everyone to get off as quickly as possible. He then made sure everyone was as far away as possible. "The bus was popping and banging as the fire took hold. The driver did really, really well. "The police arrived and asked if anyone needed to go to hospital but they were all fine. They just needed a cup of tea." Police Scotland said the road was closed for a time but later re-opened. The burnt-out bus has been removed.

Question: A bus driver whose vehicle caught fire in North Ayrshire has been praised after all the passengers were safely @placeholder .


The three-times champions slumped to bottom of their pool last season, winning just the one match. But O'Driscoll says he has been impressed by the impact of Lancaster, who joined Leinster at the start of September as a senior coach. "He's been a great signing," O'Driscoll told BBC 5 live. "I can see a big shift in defence, there is an appetite and a hunger again. "I just see a greater intensity and aggression level when they don't have the ball. "I also see greater organisation - I'm sure Leo Cullen is tying it all together brilliantly - and it definitely gives a little bit of optimism that Leinster will be a lot more competitive than they were last year." Leinster open their Champions Cup campaign with a home game against Castres on Saturday with Northampton and Montpellier also in their pool. During O'Driscoll's career, Munster and Leinster regularly dominated the European landscape, with Munster winning the Heineken Cup in 2006 and 2008, before Leinster's success in 2009, 2011 and 2012. But last season no Irish province reached the knockout stages, and O'Driscoll says the money on offer in England and France has had an impact. "I think we are struggling to attract the really top class players, and it does come down to a money issue," said the former Lions and Ireland captain. "The fall of sterling has a positive effect for Irish capabilities in the future, but players seem to be choosing going to the Premiership or to France because there seems to be that extra 50 or 100 grand above what the provinces and the union are willing to supplement for our overseas projects. "That is a concern, I don't see the Ma'a Nonus of the world coming over and playing in Ireland in the last couple of seasons. "I also think success obviously attracts players, and we had that a few years ago." O'Driscoll has backed the Irish Rugby Union's controversial decision to block Ulster's South African scrum-half Ruan Pienaar from signing a new contract in Belfast. O'Driscoll feels up-and-coming Irish number 9s now need to be given more exposure at the top level. "Ulster fans won't love me saying it, but he's been contracted twice and [the IRFU] don't want to set precedents by giving overseas players a third contract which in a way sends the wrong signals. "Ruan has plugged himself into the system, and really enjoyed it, but at the same time Ireland have struggled in the scrum-half position for years. "You look beyond Conor Murray and I think there is a huge gulf in class down to the next player. "Ruan provided that exposure on a daily basis to scrum-halves coming in and seeing him at close quarters but after six years they still haven't developed a scrum-half to come through and fill his boots. "I think now they have to change a different tack, and give these young guys experience whether they are ready or not." Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Question: Brian O'Driscoll believes the @placeholder of ex-England coach Stuart Lancaster will result in a marked improvement in Leinster 's European form this season .


The 25-year-old boxer suffered a bleed on the skull and was placed in an induced coma after losing his British middleweight title to Eubank Jr. Eubank Jr, 26, who said he had not heard from Blackwell, tweeted: "Hope there's no hard feelings." Blackwell responded: "We were both doing a job and it was unfortunate." It came following an initial post by Blackwell in which he said he was on the mend and had been "very lucky". Blackwell spent more than a week in an induced coma after he was taken to hospital following the fight, which referee Victor Loughlin stopped on the advice of the ringside doctor in the 10th round. The boxer said last week he was getting "better by the day". Eubank Jr said he would like to visit Blackwell in hospital, adding: "I've tried reaching out since you woke."

Question: Nick Blackwell says he holds " no hard feelings " towards Chris Eubank Jr as he @placeholder his recovery following their fight in London last month .


Christopher Collier, 53, admitted the manslaughter of his wife Julie at their flat in Charter Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire in September 2015. Bristol Crown Court heard both were "long-term alcoholics" and drinking had damaged Mrs Collier's health to the extent she had to use a wheelchair . Collier was sentenced to four years but is likely to serve two. On the night of Mrs Collier's death, the court heard, something happened which caused Collier to lose his temper and strike his "frail" 7-stone wife, who would have "posed no real threat" to him. Collier told police his wife had hit him and threatened him with a screwdriver. He had punched her and they had fallen to the floor but she was still conscious when he left the flat to buy more drink. When he returned, he thought she was asleep. But when he could not wake her the next morning he called 999. She had died from a subdural haemorrhage. Sentencing, Mr Justice Teare told Collier: "This was not a case of a fight involving just one punch. There was a struggle in which you punched her more than once, you ended up on the floor and she banged her head on the floor." But, he said, there was "no intent to cause her really serious bodily harm". Collier had shown "enormous promise" as a young man, Adrian Waterman QC, defending said. He was "educated at one of the country's leading schools" - Downside - and had gone on to study at Oxford University. He had expressed concerns before that he might lose his temper one day "in the face of what he described as Julie's vile attitude" when drunk, Mr Waterman QC said. "She had been violent before and he knew that he might snap and obviously, that night, he did." In a letter read out in court, Collier said his actions were "unforgiveable". "I have caused the death of the person I loved," he wrote. Mrs Collier's family said in a statement they were "completely devastated to have lost a loving mum, daughter, sister and friend in such a sudden and tragic way".

Question: A man has been jailed for killing his @placeholder wife when he " snapped " during a row after an night of drinking .


She will represent the Queen during a visit to the Mediterranean island on 20 and 21 September. The trip has been planned to mark 50 years of Maltese independence. The duchess will only spend one night away from home and Prince George, who will be one year old on Tuesday, will not go with her. Earlier this year the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Australia and New Zealand with Prince George. After the announcement of the duchess's solo trip, the official British Monarchy Twitter account tweeted: "The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh lived in Malta when they were just married, while the duke was on naval service."

Question: The Duchess of Cambridge will visit Malta later this year in her first official overseas trip without Prince William , Kensington Palace has @placeholder .


Media playback is not supported on this device That figure fell well short of the record ¡ê225m spent in 2011. Crystal Palace were the busiest top-flight club on deadline day, signing four players including Wilfried Zaha. Hull announced the latest transfer, with Lokomotiv Moscow striker Dame N'Doye's move confirmed at 00:10 GMT. There were 13 Premier League signings on deadline day, and 35 across the window. A record summer of spending saw an outlay of ¡ê835m, which topped the ¡ê760m spent across the whole of last season. This window's spending takes the total for 2014-15 to ¡ê965m. Dan Jones, partner in the sports business group at Deloitte, said: "Given the record level of spending seen in the summer, it is not entirely surprising that we haven't seen a new record for the January window. "However, with all Premier League clubs recording record revenues, we might have expected one or two more major deals." Some of the key findings from Deloitte's analysis of the January 2015 transfer window include: The most surprising transfer of deadline day saw Manchester United sign 21-year-old Bolton defender Andy Kellett on loan. There were five inter-Premier League transfers with Darren Fletcher moving from Manchester United to West Brom on a free transfer, Chelsea selling Ryan Bertrand to Southampton, Tottenham loaning Aaron Lennon to Everton, Robert Huth going from Stoke to Leicester on loan and Manchester United selling Zaha to Palace. The Eagles also signed Bolton midfielder Lee Chung-yong and teenagers Andreas Breimyr and Keshi Anderson. Tottenham signed MK Dons midfielder Dele Alli for a fee in the region of ¡ê5m and loaned him back to the League One club. Despite being the biggest spenders, Chelsea made a profit on the day, selling Andre Schurrle to Wolfsburg for ¡ê22m and Bertrand for an undisclosed fee, as well as loaning Mohamed Salah to Fiorentina as part of the deal to sign Cuadrado. Midfielder Filip Djuricic joined Bertrand at Southampton, moving to the club on loan from Benfica. Manchester City had already done their recruitment, with striker Wilfried Bony joining from Swansea for a fee that could reach ¡ê28m. Arsenal did likewise in signing Villarreal defender Gabriel Paulista for ¡ê11m. Leicester broke their club record earlier in the window to sign Croatia striker Andrej Kramaric for more than ¡ê9m. In Scotland, Celtic spent more than ¡ê2m on Dundee United midfielders Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven while Rangers signed five players on loan from Newcastle. It was a quiet day across Europe - Schurrle's move apart - with Spain's transfer window having closed on Friday.

Question: Chelsea 's ¡ê 23.3 m signing of winger Juan Cuadrado was the biggest deal completed on transfer deadline day as Premier League spending in the January window @placeholder last year 's ¡ê 130 m .


The Family Library had said it would cease to exist beyond 31 July if ¡ê250,000 was not raised. The government has now pledged ¡ê100,000 which, combined with ¡ê25,000 of donations and a match-funding donor, will mean it has the money needed. The charity runs services on the island which Tynwald previously funded. It took control of the services in 2012, when government funding ceased, and has been funded by online gambling firm PokerStars and that company's co-founders, the Sheinberg family. The Family Library provides lending services, resources to the Isle of Man's primary schools and a mobile service in rural parts of the island. Explaining the government donation, Treasury Minister Alf Cannan told the House of Keys: "Having given full consideration to the social value of the Family Library and mobile library, the Council of Ministers and Treasury have agreed a payment of ¡ê100,000 to enable the service to continue for the next 12 months." Librarian Mary Cousins said the charity was "overwhelmed" by the news, which had come "out of the blue". She said it was "more than we every hoped or expected". "It's not just the funding, but the confirmation that all our services are valued in the community - it means a great deal to us and exactly why we do the work we do. "We'd just like to thank everyone who supported us."

Question: The Isle of Man government has agreed to help secure the future of a charity which @placeholder a " lifeline " book delivery service on the island .


The Mourne men are set for relegation from Division One after a fifth straight league defeat as Dublin moved closer to a league semi-final. Down took a surprise 1-2 to 0-1 lead after eight minutes thanks to a rare goalkeeping mistake by Stephen Cluxton. However, Dublin responded with an unanswered 1-7 with Cormac Costello netting for the All-Ireland champions. Down hit the woodwork twice in the last few minutes, but Dublin were always able to raise their game any time the Mournemen threatened to push them close. Cluxton's blunder as he allowed a Donal O'Hare attempt at a point to slip through his fingers gave Down a shock early boost. However, Down suffered a blow seconds later when Kevin McKernan picked up a harsh black card for a pull-down, though his replacement Joe Murphy kicked a point with his first touch to stretch Down's lead to four. However, Costello's 18th-minute goal put the Dubs 1-4 to 1-2 ahead, after Kevin McManamon's initial shot had been blocked. As Dublin began to run at will through the Down defence, the home side were held scoreless for 27 minutes before Donal O'Hare's 35th-minute free left them trailing by 1-8 to 1-3 at the break. Dublin hit three of the first four points after the break to stretch their lead out to seven after 43 minutes, McManamon chipping over a point after Down 'keeper Michael Cunningham saved his near-post shot. The Dubs took their foot off the gas for a spell, and Down took advantage with three points in a row with Kilcoo pair Darragh O'Hanlon and Paul Devlin scoring from play. However, a Dean Rock 45 and Jonny Cooper and Paddy Andrews points killed off any hopes of a Down comeback. Paul Devlin wasted a glorious late goal chance and Gerard McGovern hit the woodwork late on as Down kept battling but the game was already beyond them by that stage. Down manager Eamonn Burns praised his team's display after the game and confirmed recent reports that Benny Coulter, Dan Gordon and Martin Clarke are unlikely to return to the squad this year.

Question: Down produced an @placeholder display but still fell to an eight - point defeat to All - Ireland champions Dublin in Newry .


Kathleen Thompson's husband Pat was one of the 96 people who died following overcrowding at the FA Cup semi-final in April 1989. Mrs Thompson was one of the first of the victims' relatives to give a background statement to the court. The remaining families will give their "pen portraits" later. Coroner Lord Justice Goldring has called the disaster "the worst-ever at a British sports stadium". It unfolded on 15 April 1989 during Liverpool's match against Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday's ground. The inquests, set to last a year, were ordered after new evidence revealed by the Hillsborough Independent Panel led to the original inquest verdicts being quashed. Profiles of all those who died The background statements are the first time the court has heard how the disaster impacted on individual families. Weeping as she spoke, Mrs Thompson said her husband, a 35-year-old railway guard, "was not a hooligan, but a hard-working family man". She said he had been "a loving and generous man who treated me with love and respect, a larger-than-life character... and a smashing dad" to five children aged under six. Opening proceedings, 41-year-old victim Arthur Horrocks' son Jon read out a statement from his mother Susan, in which she said Mr Horrocks had been "a wonderful husband and best friend... devoted and much loved". The hearing was told Mr Horrocks loved music and had regularly visited the Cavern Club in Liverpool. He had attended every Liverpool home match. Stephen Jones, whose wife Christine was one of seven women who died, said she had been an avid fan who organised coach trips to away matches and loved the atmosphere of the games. He said the senior radiographer and Sunday school teacher had been "an amazing wife", who "dominated a room". "She was effervescent, candid and lively," he said. Wilf Whelan told the hearing about his son Ian, who was nicknamed "Ronnie" after his football hero, Liverpool midfielder Ronnie Whelan. He said the 19-year-old "wasn't a football hooligan" but a music lover, who had left two red roses on the doorstep of his girlfriend on the day of the semi-final. "Our family feel they've had to defend his good name for 25 years," he said. Paying tribute to her brother, Roy Pemberton, Shirley Riley said the family had been left thinking about what he would have achieved, "a successful career, a family and many more dreams... we will never know". She said her parents "never truly got over the loss" of their son, who had been "extremely precious and the apple of their eye". Paula Ann Smith's brother Walter said they both attended Liverpool games, but as they only had one ticket for the semi-final he let his sister have it. "I often think if I had been there with her, she would still be alive today," he said. Christine McEvoy cried as she told the jury about her daughter, Basildon factory worker Marian McCabe. She said the 21-year-old had been a "good and generous" woman who worked overtime to pay for tickets and who missed Mrs McEvoy's wedding to go to a game as "her greatest love was Liverpool Football Club". The day's final two statements came from the families of partners Tracey Cox and Rick Jones. Stephanie Conning, who survived the disaster, described her brother's 23-year-old girlfriend as "the sister I never had". She said Tracey Cox's death had "permanently affected all our lives for the worst". Doreen Jones, Rick's mother, cried as she told the hearing of her family's lives "changed forever that awful day". "I could not imagine a life without Rick and I did not want to. It was a very dark place for us all," she said. "My pain is centred on what Rick and Tracey missed and what their lives would have been like. "After all, they only went to watch a football game." Adjourning the proceedings until Monday, coroner Lord Justice Goldring told the jury the statements were "as emotional as I said they would be". "They underline the individual tragedies," he said.

Question: The widow of one of the Hillsborough disaster victims has told an inquest jury in Warrington it " @placeholder " her five children of their father .


The 47-year-old former Leeds, Wigan and Brentford manager replaced Steven Pressley as Fleetwood boss on Saturday. Rosler took Brentford to a League One play-off final and left shortly before they reached the Championship in 2014. "When I joined Brentford they were a mid-table team and look where they are today," he told BBC Radio Lancashire. "I played a major role in that and I think with having the owner so ambitious and committed to the club, we can do similar things here. "We have to create a top-six mentality and over time when you have that mentality that will give top-six results, and that is ultimately where we want to be in my time here." The former Manchester City striker and East Germany international also said his side will deploy a direct and forward-thinking style. "My team will always be high energy with a lot of transitions," he added. "We will try to be direct but not with long balls; being direct with quick, forward passes and a lot of runs forward and players committed into the box. "It can be a very attractive way [to play] but the most important thing is that you finish off the good work."

Question: New Fleetwood Town manager Uwe Rosler says he will urge his League One side to have a top - six mentality and play @placeholder football .


The five horses - the largest of which is about 0.8m (2ft 8in) in height - and three foals were taken on 13 July from a field near March, Cambridgeshire. Two were found in Christchurch on Tuesday and five in a field near Beck Row travellers' site in Suffolk on Wednesday, police said. However, a palomino mare, Barbie, is still missing. No-one has been arrested in connection with the thefts and inquiries are continuing, Cambridgeshire Police said. More news from Cambridgeshire Thieves cut through a 12,000-volt fence at the house in Stonea to take the animals, which owners Daniel and Jo Everett had bred for showing. The couple were involved in rescuing some of the animals with police on Tuesday. "We got a phone call from the police that they had eyes on our horses and to be on stand by," Mrs Everett said. When they got to the field, she said the "mares were tied with seatbelts around their necks and two had no access to water". The animals were rounded up and taken back to the stables. Seven of the eight horses and foals are now home, but all are "thin, dehydrated and confused", she said. One also has a leg wound which is being treated with antibiotics. The couple have appealed for the return of mare Barbie, but praised officers involved in the investigation. "There was a huge police presence. They were amazing and two had come in on their own holiday time," Mrs Everett said.

Question: Seven of the eight miniature horses and foals @placeholder when thieves cut through an electric fence have been found .


Leslie Barrett died instantly when 28-year-old Faisal Ali crashed into his car on the A171 near Tranmire, North Yorkshire, on 8 September 2013. Ali, who denied causing death by dangerous driving, was found guilty at York Crown Court on 19 February. He was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court, where he was also banned from driving for four years. North Yorkshire Police said Ali, of Oxford Road, Middlesbrough, had been driving his white Mercedes car at speed when he overtook a vehicle on double white lines. The businessman smashed into Mr Barrett's Vauxhall Vectra, which was travelling in the opposite direction. Mr Barrett, from Sleights, near Whitby, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. His daughter, Claire Sinclair, read a statement out in court. In it she said Ali had shown "no acceptance of his flagrant disregard for the road or its users". "Because of his refusal to face up to and accept his guilt, our family has had to endure an agonising 18 months wait and have the harrowing nature of a full trial before a right and just verdict was reached."

Question: A driver who killed a 65 - year - old man while overtaking on a @placeholder road in Whitby has been jailed for four years .


The Victorian-built structure was severely damaged in a storm on New Year's Eve and was close to collapse. Engineers worked round-the-clock to stabilise the structure, with the repairs completed two weeks early. The closure had affected passengers travelling between Carlisle and Glasgow since the beginning of January. Phil Verster, managing director of the ScotRail Alliance, said: "I am delighted our engineers have been able to complete this vital job earlier than scheduled and get passengers back onto the West Coast Mainline. "We appreciate the understanding customers have shown throughout the recovery operation. "I am very proud of the hard work and commitment of our engineers who have had to contend with extremely challenging conditions at Lamington - battling against the elements and clock to save this important structure from collapse." The ScotRail Alliance said part of the Lamington viaduct was left "on the brink of failure" by flood damage caused by Storm Frank. It said floodwater scoured out much of the foundations of the second pier. The seven-week engineering project to fix it involved diverting the Clyde and stabilising the viaduct. Virgin Trains put on shuttle services which followed a local line through Dumfries - but it added extra time to each journey. Claire Perry, UK government Rail Minister, said: "When I visited the Lamington Viaduct in January I saw first-hand the scale of the engineering challenge and the dedicated Network Rail team working round-the-clock to resolve the damage. "In difficult conditions, they have managed to re-open ahead of schedule, and I'm grateful for the patience of customers who were disrupted and to the staff who adapted remarkably." The Scottish government's Transport Minister, Derek Mackay, said he was "pleased" to see the "resumption of the vital passenger and freight services that rely on the West Coast Mainline". "I would particularly like to praise the efforts of all those people who have worked on securing and rebuilding the structure, especially amid the challenging weather conditions that we have experienced this winter," he said. Last month, it emerged a train was allowed to cross the viaduct at high speed, after it suffered damage but before the closure decision. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is investigating the incident.

Question: Train services on the West Coast Mainline have @placeholder after the completion of major repairs to the Lamington Viaduct .


It uses data from Credit Suisse from October for the report, which urges leaders meeting in Davos this week to take action on inequality. Oxfam also calculated that the richest 62 people in the world had as much wealth as the poorest half of the global population. It criticised the work of lobbyists and the amount of money kept in tax havens. Oxfam predicted that the 1% would overtake the rest of the world this time last year. It takes cash and assets worth $68,800 (?¡ê48,300) to get into the top 10%, and $760,000 (?¡ê533,000) to be in the 1%. That means that if you own an average house in London without a mortgage, you are probably in the 1%. The figures carry various caveats, for example, information about the wealth of the super-rich is hard to come by, which Credit Suisse says means its estimates of the proportion of wealth held by the 10% and the 1% is "likely to err on the low side". As a global report, the figures also necessarily include some estimates of levels of wealth in countries from which accurate statistics are not available. Oxfam said that the 62 richest people having as much wealth as the poorest 50% of the population is a remarkable concentration of wealth, given that it would have taken 388 individuals to have the same wealth as the bottom 50% in 2010. "Instead of an economy that works for the prosperity of all, for future generations, and for the planet, we have instead created an economy for the 1%," Oxfam's report says. The trend over the period that Credit Suisse has been carrying out this research has been that the proportion of wealth held by the top 1% fell gradually from 2000 to 2009 and has risen every year since then. In fact, it is only in the 2015 figures that the proportion held by the top 1% overtakes the share taken by them in the first report in 2000. Oxfam calls on governments to take action to reverse this trend. It wants workers paid a living wage and the gap with executive rewards to be narrowed. It calls for an end to the gender pay gap, compensation for unpaid care and the promotion of equal land and inheritance rights for women. And it wants governments to take action on lobbying, reducing the price of medicines, taxing wealth rather than consumption and using progressive public spending to tackle inequality.

Question: The richest 1 % now has as much wealth as the rest of the world @placeholder , according to Oxfam .


The Jersey hoard was found in a field by metal detectorists Richard Miles and Reg Meade in 2012. The leather purse is about the size of an average palm and is described as an important find by senior conservator Neil Mahrer. He said they have so far removed some 40,000 coins and this was the first bag they had come across. Mr Mahrer said: "It is made of leather, it looks like it is either made of one sheet or bootlace strands. "It is about 8cm across and 4cm deep. It is joined at one side to two rings that could have been for fixing it to a belt." The team from Jersey Heritage have been working for the past 18 months on removing the coins one at a time. There are an estimated 70,000 coins in the hoard. Mr Mahrer said: "The really important thing that might change our ideas is when we get to look at the coins themselves as we don't know the significance of the purse to the people who buried the hoard." He said they would be removing all the coins surrounding the purse so they could then remove it with the earth in a single block. The previous major find from the hoard was a selection of gold jewellery. Mr Mahrer said: "Since removing the gold torques we thought we were in a coin-rich areas but seeing this it looks like we're in a rich seem of surprises again. "Finding a purse where the whole thing is intact with the coins inside is pretty rare."

Question: A rare purse has been found in the @placeholder of one of the world 's largest hoards of celtic coins .


Restaurateurs and hoteliers can now look forwards to a two year bulge in tourism numbers, with the 2011 wedding to be followed by the 2012 Olympics. Meanwhile media companies can expect exceptional viewing figures. And some economists think that a feel-good event could help lift broader consumer spending out of the doldrums. "Extraneous events can increase feelings of economic and other wellbeing," says Professor Stephen Lea of Exeter University, who specialises in economic psychology. While many consumers have been directly affected by the recession, or fear they will be, he says there is also a large group of people who are merely affected by the atmosphere of doom and gloom. These people - who may have experienced better circumstances this year and anticipate better circumstances next year - still tend to rein in their spending with others during the recession. But if the wedding sparks a feel-good factor, he thinks many in this group may choose to increase their discretionary spending on electronics goods, home improvements and other things that might otherwise be postponed. "The great advantage is that generally these people are not borrowing, but spending out of savings or increased income," he adds. A more tangible benefit to the UK economy could come from tourism. According to recent research by tourism board Visit Britain, the attraction of royalty already accounts for ¡ê500m in tourist spending each year in normal times. "Our culture and heritage reputation is very strong around the world," says Visit Britain spokesman Paul Eastham. "At the heart of that lies the monarchy." He notes that in 1981, Charles and Diana's wedding was cited as the reason tourists were most likely to visit the UK. International viewing figures for the television broadcast of Charles and Diana's wedding were estimated at over 750 million. "People like to be on the spot when historic events happen," he adds, saying the coming wedding is "likely to produce a very positive additional premium on what we normally see". He also brushes off any concern that the 2011 wedding may sap tourist numbers for the 2012 Olympics. "From our point of view it's almost ideal," he says, claiming there would be a "halo effect" for the UK of showcasing its two tourism strengths: pomp and circumstance followed by a hi-tech sporting event. The timing of the announcement is good news for retailers specialising in Royal commemorative items, who expect to have a range of products available in time for Christmas. The UK Gift Company, which specialises in Royal items anticipates an upturn in business of about 30% to 40%. Plates and mugs still lead demand, according to managing director Stephen Church, although he also expects stiff trade in hand painted boxes for trinkets. He said the leading china houses would produce items ranging in price from more than ¡ê1,000 for limited editions to less than ¡ê5. Mr Church added that he was amazed that so many people of different age groups bought such items. The older generation tended to be most keen, but young men would still be attracted to items such as cufflinks to mark the occasion, he said. Some William and Kate items have already been produced. Four years ago, Woolworths was so confident that the couple were to be engaged that it produced a commemorative mug and plate. The relationship has survived since then, but Woolworths on the High Street has not - with the final stores closing in January 2009. The longevity of memorabilia is also obvious from the items still on sale on internet auction sites from previous Royal weddings. A quick glance at what is on offer from Prince William's parents' marriage sees glass bowls on sale for ¡ê19.50. Other items include glasses, a bell, newspaper cuttings from the day, coins, spoons and even a bottle of "wedding ale".

Question: Next year 's royal wedding is set to give the UK economy a boost , with tourism , merchandising and broadcasting among the best placed @placeholder .


El Diario de Juarez has become known for its strong reporting from the deadly streets of Ciudad Juarez. But the killing of a 21-year-old photographer last week prompted the newspaper to run a front-page editorial asking: "What do you want from us?" Rights groups say journalists are regularly being targeted by drug gangs. The Committee to Protect Journalists, a US-based advocacy group, says more than 30 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2006. Many of those killed were reporting on crime or corruption, the group says, adding that the climate of fear has led to a widespread culture of self-censorship among fearful media workers. El Diario's editorial, published on its front page on Sunday, was its second since Luis Carlos Santiago, 21, was shot in Ciudad Juarez on 17 September. He later died of his injuries, although an intern who was also shot, Carlos Sanchez, survived the attack. "The loss of two reporters from this publishing house in less than two years represents an irreparable sorrow for all of us who work here, and, in particular, for their families," the newspaper said. Describing the drug lords as the "de facto authorities" within Ciudad Juarez, the newspaper asked the cartels: "We ask you to explain what you want from us, what we should try to publish or not publish, so we know what to expect." It highlighted the lack of progress in the investigation into the 2008 death of Armando Rodriguez, shot dead outside his home in view of his family. But the editorial insisted it was not "a surrender", saying instead that it had simply become "impossible to do our job in these conditions". Speaking to BBC World Service an editor at El Diario, Gerardo Rodriguez, said there was a war going on in Mexico that the journalists did not ask for. He expressed anger at the lack of progress in the official investigation into Mr Rodriguez's death and criticised the government as well as the cartels. "We are looking for a peace agreement. No story is worth the life of anyone anymore." The newspaper had not decided to stop publishing stories on the drug war, Mr Rodriguez said, but would consider doing so if the answer that came from the cartels indicated that was their wish. Describing El Diario as a "very aggressive" organisation that "searches for the truth", he conceded that the paper might have to scale back its work if the violence did not stop. "We may consider stopping in exchange for the lives of our reporters." Carlos Lauria, of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said El Diario's decision was a cause for regret. "Even in one of the places where violence is worst... El Diario was still doing a lot of good reporting on crime," he told the Associated Press, describing the paper's move as "an indication that the situation is out of control". Ciudad Juarez is one of the deadliest flashpoints in Mexico's drug battles, which have seen violence rise sharply in the country's north in recent weeks. Opposition groups say a government crackdown on cartels, which began three-and-a-half years ago, has done nothing to stop the flow of drugs to the US. More than 28,000 people have died in drug-related violence since President Felipe Calderon deployed the army against the cartels in 2006. The violence has spilled over into Central America. However, the president has defended his policy, saying that the rise in violence is a sign that the cartels are becoming more desperate.

Question: A Mexican newspaper in the heartland of the country 's drug war has asked cartels for @placeholder on whether it should publish stories on the conflict .


In workplaces around the world a bit of humour can go a long way towards making it a more enjoyable place to spend eight or so hours a day. But for every genuinely funny employee or boss, there are others whose unfunny or inappropriate jokes make colleagues wince. So treading carefully, how exactly does humour help both improve a workplace and the standing of the person who is good at it? When Steve Carlisle, president of General Motors of Canada, walks around the firm's Ontario headquarters he shares jokes, and uses humour to bond with his staff. "I believe having a sense of humour is part of the leadership package," Mr Carlisle says. "It can help people feel more relaxed, more comfortable and thus be more effective at what they do." What Mr Carlisle brings to his role at the car giant is exactly what a business professor called Maurice Schweitzer cautiously recommends. Prof Schweitzer recently co-authored a study entitled Risky Business: When Humour Increases and Decreases Status. It found that a worker or boss who successfully use humour is seen as both confident and competent, which in turn increases his or her status. "In the workplace context, people look up to those who are confident," says Prof Schweitzer, who works at the University of Philadelphia's Wharton School. "Being funny is taking a risk, and being risky shows confidence." But do workers think that a humorous colleague is more competent at his or her job? Prof Schweitzer says that telling a good joke requires both intellect and empathy, which makes colleagues believe that the person has a greater level of competency across the board. "Being funny requires us to take into consideration other people's points of view, and what they may find funny," he explains. "And being funny means you understand effective timing, and how to straddle a fine line between what is humorous and what's offensive." Prof Schweitzer adds that if a person tells inappropriate jokes, be they insulting or unfunny, they are still regarded as more confident, but - perhaps unsurprisingly - also incompetent. The study says: "Telling inappropriate jokes signals low competence, and the combined effect of high confidence and low competence harms status." Essentially, you don't want to be like David Brent, the cringeworthy fictional boss from The Office, the TV comedy series that was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. "Humour creates a flattening of relationships in a hierarchal company," says Jennifer Moss, co-founder of Toronto's Plasticity Labs, which conducts research on emotional intelligence and happiness for businesses. "To create stronger engagement with your staff, it helps to be humorous." One example Prof Schweitzer cites of a good use of humour is a tweet sent out back in 2009 by former Twitter chief operating officer Dick Costolo. Mr Costolo tweeted: "First full day as Twitter COO tomorrow. Step one, undermine CEO, consolidate power." As it happened, Mr Costolo did actually go on to become Twitter's chief executive a year later, holding the role for five years before ultimately leaving the company. Prof Schweitzer says: "Mr Costolo's not a seasoned veteran when it comes to comedy, he's not a comedian but he endeared himself to the company." In fact, having some fun in the office can combat negative side effects of intense jobs. In a 2006 study published in The Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management, researchers found that for healthcare workers, emotional exhaustion was significantly lower among those who experienced greater levels of fun at work. Also, research out of Vrije University Amsterdam concluded that teams that share more jokes gave more supportive and constructive statements to each other, such as "that's a great idea" or "we could solve this problem by doing X". When it comes to the type of humour you might want to try out on your workmates, Prof Schweitzer says that self-deprecation "can be effective" because it humanises the joke-teller. Sarcasm can also be effectively used, according to Prof Adam Galinsky of Columbia Business School, but he urges a cautious approach. He says sarcastic humour works best when trust and playfulness has been established between parties, otherwise a wrongly-placed sarcastic comment can appear flippant or cruel. "Sarcasm requires a cognitive capacity to understand flexibility of thinking and how words can be interpreted," says Prof Galinsky. "It is a particular type of social intelligence that not everyone uses or grasps." More stories from the BBC's Business Brain series looking at quirky or unusual business topics from around the world: Putting the fun back into dance classes Can you be taught to be more charismatic? Does selling up mean selling out? 'I turned my dad's erotic novel into a hit podcast' Would you carry something abroad for a stranger? Barbara Plester, senior lecturer at the University of Auckland Business, says it is simply vital for jokes to not cause offence. The author of The Complexity of Workplace Humour: Laughter, Jokers and the Dark Side of Humour, also cautions about high-ranking managers bringing comedy to the office. "While some managers do retain and use their sense of humour, the potential for causing distress is even greater when you add a power differential," she says. "Therefore, a manager joking with a subordinate risks not only offending the worker if the humour is taken poorly, but may come in for other accusations, such as sexual harassment, if the humour backfires." Ms Plester also warns that senior staff sharing jokes "can never be sure if they are really funny, or if others laugh because the manager has power and so subordinates laugh strategically to please the boss." Connecticut resident Tim Washer never shied away from being the "funny guy at work", thanks to growing up appreciating comedians and even trying some stand-up. Now a comedy writer and consultant, Mr Washer says the right wisecrack will ease tension and help bonding. He says: "If I tell a joke and you laugh, then we've shared a moment and we have something in common." Follow Business Brain series editor Will Smale on Twitter @WillSmale1

Question: Have you heard the joke about the humourless office worker who went for a @placeholder ? He did n't get it .


The Family and Parenting Institute says intense scrutiny of parents has led to claims they are responsible for a deterioration in adolescent behaviour. But its chief executive Dr Katherine Rake says there is no evidence of a decline in parenting standards. If anything, parents are becoming more "professional", she says. In an article to mark the start of Parenting Week, Dr Rake says parenting has become "one of the most charged political and cultural subjects of our age". "The scrutiny of parenting has led to the idea of a parenting 'deficit', and the view that there are growing number of parents who are incapable," she adds. "Yet, this focus of parenting skills is not matched by conclusive evidence about a decline in our standards of parenting." The article is published after the government announced it was planning to try out free parenting classes in three areas of England. Dr Rake continues: "There is a risk that the current debate on problem families unhelpfully adds another stereotype to a modern mythology of parenting. "Alongside the 'pushy parent'; who helicopters around their child and elbows others out of the way in pursuit of their child's interests, we have the deficit model of a feckless parent, who is need of corrective state intervention." She adds: "Much of the evidence available suggests that far from becoming a nation of apathetic, laissez-faire parents, many of us are spending more time with our children and having higher expectations of them." She continues: "Working mothers now spend more time with their children than non-working mothers did in 1981." She also quotes research that suggests that more parents in 2006 expected their children to be polite and do their homework than did so 20 years earlier. Dr Rake adds: "One of the explanations for the criminal behaviour of some young looters over the course of the riots was the poor parenting they had received." She adds that "while it would be impossible to ascertain conclusively whether the 'quality' of parenting has improved or declined over time", a recent study suggested there was no evidence for declining standards of parenting over all. At the same time parenting has been subject to the forces of "professionalisation" and "marketisation", she says which has "in turn led to increased scrutiny of our private, domestic lives". She adds: "While the debate on parenting has been genuinely important in improving the quality of parenting that some children receive, it also inevitable leaves others feeling judged and under pressure to deliver to a set of fixed, and inevitable elusive standards." On problem families, Dr Rake said greater credence had been given to the idea that the government should intervene in what she described as "cases of market failure". But there was an important distinction between so-called "problem families" who drive criminal activity and families who experience multiple problems, she said. If the two were confused, the policies tackling the issue would fail, she suggested. Helping such families turn things around, as was promised the wake of the summer riots, was likely to be a challenge and very costly, she warned. Family Intervention Projects which have been seen as one of the main methods of doing this would require an investment of between ?¡ê1.5bn and ?¡ê2bn, she said.

Question: Parents are stereotyped as either " feckless " or " pushy " in a @placeholder that puts huge pressures on families , experts say .


The England players, mouths dry with fear, looked for escape routes - or even potential weapons - in case the mob fell on them. Bowler Harold Larwood, the focus of the fury, turned to team-mate Les Ames. "If they come," he said, "you can take the leg stump for protection - I'll take the middle." Never before or since that moment, 80 years ago to the day, on 16 January 1933, had cricket - and arguably any other sport - seen a contest which fired such anger, which reached so far and echoed for so long, as the Bodyline tour. "In Australia to this day, the word Bodyline carries the stench of underhand or unsportsmanlike behaviour; with the series regarded as Australian cricket's most controversial," said David Studham from the Australian National Sports Museum. The view of the MCC, which organised the tour, is slightly different. The curator of its museum, Adam Chadwick, said: "Was Bodyline unsportsmanlike? By the standards of the day, yes. By the standards of now, it was a stroke of genius." At the beginning of the 1930s, the MCC - Marylebone Cricket Club - still ruled the cricketing world from its seat at Lord's in London. But it had a problem, in the shape of batting phenomenon Don Bradman. During their 1930 tour of England, Australia - the arch rivals - had dominated the home bowlers, with Bradman averaging a staggering 139.14. The MCC looked to austere amateur player Douglas Jardine for an answer, making him England captain. Jardine believed Bradman struggled against balls which bounced into his chest and formed a tactic to exploit this. But the plan needed the right bowler, and that bowler was former Nottinghamshire miner Harold Larwood. Duncan Hamilton, Larwood's biographer, said: "He had two things. Firstly he was incredibly accurate, he claimed never to have bowled a wide in his career, and accuracy was essential to Bodyline. "Secondly he was devastatingly fast. All his contemporaries said he was the quickest they had faced. At certain times during that series he must have got close to, if not passed, the 100mph (160km/h) mark. "Every fast bowler who sees that old footage says, 'Wow, that's quick!'." Jardine's plan was to use what was known in England as leg theory. Bowling fast, high-bouncing deliveries on the line of the leg stump of the wicket - where a batsman would usually stand. The batsman had three choices: to move but risk exposing his wicket, to play the ball with his bat and face being caught by a ring of close fielders, or try to duck and risk painful blows. The tour began in earnest at Sydney in December 1932, ironically without Bradman playing. Bodyline brought England victory. By Jonathan AgnewBBC cricket correspondent Bodyline introduced a previously unspoken element into Test cricket - namely the physical intimidation of the batsman. The placement of fielders, deliberately positioned to catch the ball from batsmen protecting themselves from short, fast deliveries aimed at the ribs and throat, was entirely legal at the time, but seriously threatened the code of sportsmanship that is so central to cricket. That said, the Australian administrators - who made such a meal of Jardine's tactic at the time - were noticeably quiet when their own fast bowlers Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson were terrifying batsmen with short-pitched bowling in the 1970s. The authorities acted swiftly after the Bodyline tour to limit the placing of fielders in catching positions on the leg side in an attempt to deter a repeat of the tactic, and also brought in a restriction of the number of bouncers that can be bowled in a single over. But after Lillee and Thomson, the West Indies' formidable pace attack of the late 1970s and 80s also proved that skilful, intimidatory fast bowling is every bit as effective as Bodyline, even with field restrictions and after the introduction of helmets. Complaints about the tactic quickly appeared. As the bruises and wickets mounted, the disquiet turned to anger, with claims batsmen were being physically targeted. Despite Australia levelling the series at the second match in Melbourne, the repeated blows to lightly protected players attracted outraged headlines. Some batsmen endured hours of punishment and even Bradman looked unsettled. Mr Studham said: "The tactics employed by Jardine roused intense passions, as they were so out of accord with anything that had previously happened on the cricket field. "Targeting the bowling along the line of the batsman's body was regarded by the Australian crowds as vicious, unsporting and especially after repeatedly battering the batsmen, 'hitting a man when he was down and certainly no part of cricket'." With everything to play for, and feelings running at fever pitch, the Adelaide match opened in front of packed stands. Cricket bible Wisden would later call it "probably the most unpleasant Test ever played". Australian captain Bill Woodfull was left staggering after being struck just above the heart by Larwood. The booing lasted for three minutes, despite the fact England had not yet deployed Bodyline tactics in the match. That would change though, moments later, when Jardine called out to Larwood: "Well bowled Harold," and set the fielders in the hated Bodyline formation. Police had to be deployed on the boundary. The next day, Oldfield had his skull cracked and Larwood had to be escorted from the ground. Source: BBC Religion & Ethics Is fair play important in sport? The line between gamesmanship and cheating Can cricket teach children fair play? It was almost inevitable the problems would overflow from the playing field. But no-one could have predicted it would lead to three events then unthinkable in cricket. MCC tour manager Pelham Warner, seeking to smooth relationships, was sent packing by the normally placid Woodfull with what were, for some years, the 25 most famous words in sport. "I don't want to see you, Mr Warner. There are two teams out there. One is trying to play cricket and the other is not." The comment, made in the previously sacrosanct dressing room, was then leaked to the press. The next day, Australian Board of Control for International Cricket sent a cable to the MCC which described England's tactics as "unsportsmanlike", the ultimate taboo for guardians of the game. Mr Chadwick said: "The MCC reacted with incredulity to the Australian messages that the tactics were unsportsmanlike and they felt it was really out of the question that an MCC team led by a gentleman of Douglas Jardine's character could possibly behave in such a manner. "The archives really do show the feeling was 'Oh, the Australians are being a bit hysterical about it'." But the situation spiralled. Jardine threatened to withdraw his team from the remaining two matches unless the allegation was retracted. Stoked by newspaper reports, each country backed its own players. The standoff only ended when Australian Prime Minister Joseph Lyons told the cricket board a British boycott of Australian goods could cripple the country. England won the series 4-1. Bradman's batting average was cut to a merely excellent 56. But the shock lasted for years. Mr Studham said he felt Bodyline was one of those sporting "rite of passage" stories all Australian children learn about. "The on-field tactics and resulting carnage at the third Test in Adelaide split already strained relations between the teams, the game's governing authorities, and even threatened to split the governments. "While perfectly legal at the time, it left lasting ill-feeling in Australia where it was seen to be outside the spirit of the game. "The fact that a few years later the laws of cricket were amended to ban Bodyline bowling contributed greatly to its continuing national disdain." Mr Chadwick said: "The MCC did not have any advance warning of the tactics which Jardine was using and wasn't really aware of the impact - all they were getting was newspaper reports and telegraph messages of the score. "When they saw it for themselves they realised this really wasn't the sort of cricket they had always set themselves up to promote as containing the best values of Britishness and gentlemanly fair play." Jardine retired from first class cricket the following year. Larwood's agony was more extended. Injured through over-bowling, he was then stunned at his treatment by cricket's hierarchy. Mr Hamilton said: "He was totally betrayed by the establishment. They treated him like toxic waste. "He was asked to apologise and he rightly refused, saying he had done what his captain had asked. He got no support for his injury. "On his return to Nottingham he was met by cheering crowds 10,000-strong. He went from that to being vilified. The whole thing was a tragedy." Larwood never played for England again. On the advice of some of his old Bodyline foes, he emigrated to Australia in 1950 - becoming firm friends with Bert Oldfield. He was appointed MBE in 1993, at the age of 88. A statue of him was unveiled in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, close to his birthplace, in 2002.

Question: As Australian batsman Bert Oldfield collapsed , his skull @placeholder by a lightning - fast ball , the booing from the 50,000 - strong Adelaide Oval crowd became a deafening howl .


The Blades reached the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup but finished fifth in League One and failed to gain promotion through the play-offs. A statement on the club's website said: "A change in direction was necessary for the forthcoming season." Clough, 49, had managerial spells at Burton Albion and Derby County manager before replacing David Weir at Bramall Lane in October 2013. Clough's backroom staff of Gary Crosby, Andy Garner, Martin Taylor, Simon Clough, Michael Forsyth and Matt Brown will also leave the club, which faces a fifth successive year in the third tier. The club statement added: "The search for the club's new first-team manager will now start and it is hoped this will result in identifying and recruiting the right candidate within a relatively short period of time. "The club would like to place on record its thanks to Nigel, as well as his backroom staff." Former England international forward Clough started his managerial career with Burton Albion in 1998 after a successful playing career that took in stints with Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Manchester City. Having guided the Brewers to the top of the Conference Premier, he left to take over Derby in January 2009, following in the footsteps of his late father Brian, who managed the club to the league title in the 1970s.

Question: Nigel Clough has been @placeholder as the manager of Sheffield United .


It is believed Jason McGovern, of Tydavnet, was punched at a pub on John Street on Sunday. He was hit a short time later at Cunningham Terrace car park and died in the early hours of New Year's Eve. Two men aged 21, a 19-year-old man, an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy are due in court in Omagh on Saturday. The two 21-year-olds who have been charged were arrested in the Omagh area earlier on Friday. To date, detectives investigating Mr McGovern's death have made six arrests. A 21-year-old who was arrested on Wednesday was released on bail earlier this week. A post-mortem examination concluded that Mr McGovern died from a serious head injury that was the result of the assaults.

Question: Five people have been charged with affray by police investigating the death of a teenager who was @placeholder twice in Omagh , County Tyrone .


A nine-month investigative report by the Indianapolis Star newspaper has just been published, and the scope of its claims is startling. After reviewing hundreds of police files and court cases, the paper says "at least" 368 American gymnasts have made allegations of sexual abuse in the past 20 years. The report claims 115 adults "at every level of the sport" are implicated in the abuse. Dr Larry Nassar, who used to work for the body that governs US gymnastics, is the subject of two separate lawsuits alleging sexual abuse - which he denies. And USA Gymnastics has itself been accused of failing to protect athletes. Meanwhile, the journalists who have been investigating for much of the year believe "there is still a lot more to come out". In August, the Indianapolis Star published a story detailing allegations of sexual abuse committed by coaches working for USA Gymnastics. It claimed that the sporting body did not report allegations of abuse to relevant authorities. Tim Evans, one of the journalists working on the paper's ongoing investigation, told BBC Sport they first heard details of the abuse in March. "My colleague Marisa [Kwiatkowski] was looking at another case in basketball when it was suggested she look at gymnastics," he said. "When that initial story was published we had three women call us and say that Dr Nassar did things to them. They did not know each other and their stories were almost identical. "We spent a month or so investigating Nassar." In September, former club gymnast Rachael Denhollander waived her right to anonymity and, in an interview with the Indy Star, detailed the abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands Dr Nassar. Speaking to BBC World Service's Sportshour programme, Denhollander said Dr Nassar allegedly sexually assaulted her during treatment for back and wrist injuries, despite her mother being in the room. This is as big as anything we've uncovered in recent years She said: "He would position himself so she could not see what he was doing. The other dynamic is that he was very trusted. It was very difficult to reconcile the person he was supposed to be with what he was doing, so the only conclusion I could come to was that I must be making a mistake. She added: "That the truth has not come out in the past 18 years is something that has haunted me. The only thing that I feel now is very deep grief. I did not feel the need to come forward publicly for myself - there is nothing I gain from this for myself. "But to be able to see the other women have a voice, that is worth everything. That is more powerful a motivation than fear." Dr Nassar has been accused of sexual assault in two lawsuits filed by two former US women gymnasts. He denies the claims. The pair are also suing USA Gymnastics because they claim its policies allowed the abuse to continue. Lawyer John Manley is representing the two athletes. He told Sportshour: "Our allegations are that US Gymnastics made a choice at the highest level to cover up for Dr Nassar and others, and sacrifice children. "Case in point: they fired Nassar in early 2015 and they didn't tell anyone, including Michigan State University, where he was allowed to continue to see young girls as a doctor, even after US Gymnastics had terminated his services because they believed he was an abuser. "That is a stunning revelation, but they kept it secret. The reason child sexual abuse flourishes is because of secrecy. "Our goal for our clients is to get them justice, but it is also to fundamentally change the way elite sport does business in this country." USA Gymnastics says it severed ties with Dr Nassar in 2015 when claims were brought to its attention. It denies that allegations of abuse were kept quiet in order to preserve the sport's reputation. The organisation says it is "proud of the work it has done to address and guard against child sexual abuse" and has passed evidence on to the FBI. USA Gymnastics was asked by BBC Sport whether its staff knew of Dr Nassar's alleged misconduct during the period he was employed. It responded: "When USA Gymnastics learned of athlete concerns about Dr Nassar we immediately notified the FBI and relieved Nassar of any further assignments. "Since then, we have co-operated with the FBI while the investigation has moved forward. Our support has and continues to include refraining from making further public statements or taking any other action that might interfere with the investigation. We are grateful to the athletes for coming forward to share their concerns." Larry Nassar was a member of the USA Gymnastics medical staff from 1986 and team doctor for the women's team from 1996. He left the Indianapolis-based organisation in 2015. He also worked with gymnasts at Michigan State University and has a website selling DVDs of rehabilitation programs for injured gymnasts. He was arrested and charged on 21 November for alleged criminal sexual conduct against a child, who was neither a gymnast nor a patient. The abuse is alleged to have taken place at his Michigan home. Others have alleged that they were sexually assaulted by him, including patients at Michigan State University. The university confirmed to the BBC that its police are currently investigating about 50 complaints. Dr Nassar's lawyer Matt Newburg told the BBC his firm was continuing a "review of the reports". Nassar made his first court appearance this month. He faced three sexual assault charges against a girl under 13. He pleaded not guilty. A preliminary hearing was due to take place in December but the judge granted a defence request to delay that until 17 February. When the charges were brought in November, Michigan attorney general Bill Schuette said the case against Dr Nassar was the "tip of the iceberg". Meanwhile, USA Gymnastics has announced it will conduct an independent review into its handling of sexual abuse cases. In response to the Indy Star's latest report it issued the following statement: "Nothing is more important to USA Gymnastics, the board of directors and chief executive Steve Penny than protecting athletes, which requires sustained vigilance by everyone - coaches, athletes, parents, administrators and officials. "We are saddened when any athlete has been harmed in the course of his or her gymnastics career." Indy Star Journalist Mark Alesia told Sportshour that he believes more allegations of sexual abuse will surface. He said: "There's a lot more to come out, we suspect, on how USA Gymnastics handles sexual abuse complaints. "As part of our investigation we have learned that it was keeping files of sexual abuse complaints but not reporting them to authorities. If we get to those, we think there will be a lot more to report."

Question: As Britain comes to terms with reports of widespread sexual abuse in football , gymnastics in the United States is dealing with its own @placeholder scandal .


Robert Wiley, 62, who weighs 23-stone, told the BBC he fell on his back after the specially adapted wheelchair he was in toppled over. "I was stuck like a beached whale, it was embarrassing," said bed-ridden Mr Wiley from Saltash in Cornwall. The ambulance firm said the crew used a "controlled lower to the ground". More on this story and others from Devon and Cornwall Former van driver Mr Wiley suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bladder cancer, and needs an oxygen supply to breathe properly. He was being taken to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for a scan last Thursday when he said the accident happened. "They started taking me through the door and the next thing I knew I was on my back. I thought 'what the hell'," he said. "If it was not for my son they would have never got me up." Wayne Spedding, operations director at E-zec Medical Transport, which sub-contracted Lifestar Medical Ltd for the job, said Mr Wiley was not dropped. "If staff feel continuing a manoeuvre may become unstable they gradually lower to the ground and reposition," he said. "I understand it may feel like he has been dropped, and that it may have been a bit of a shock, but it was a controlled manoeuvre."

Question: A cancer patient has @placeholder to an ambulance firm after being " dropped " on his household steps while being taken to hospital .


Here are five facts you need to know about Prue: 1. She grew up in South Africa and helped to start a cooking college there, now called 'Prue Leith's Chefs Academy'. 2. She went to the famous Le Cordon Bleu cookery school in London. 3. But she's not just a cook, she opened her first restaurant in 1969 and she already knows what it's like to be on TV... She spent 11 years as a judge on BBC Two programme The Great British Menu. She's also a writer and has written seven novels so far. 4. She loves her mad dog Meg, a rescue mongrel, and her beautiful cat Magnificat (known as Mags). 5. And she's received a couple of royal awards, an OBE in 1989 and a CBE in 2010. So there are a few facts about Prue Leith. We'll let you know if she does end up joining Paul Hollywood on The Great British Bake Off. Channel 4 said it would be announcing the programme's line-up "in due course".

Question: There are rumours that 76 - year - old food critic and campaigner Prue Leith could @placeholder Mary Berry when The Great British Bake Off starts on Channel 4 , but who is she ?


Burnt-out tyres, broken glass and concrete blocks littered the neighbourhood's only tarmac road, and an armoured truck was parked outside the prison itself. Similar trucks have been patrolling the streets of the capital for most of this week, with their turret-mounted machine guns hidden under protective bags. This time, the weapon was gleaming in the sun. "There have been killings and looting, young men have died and a bakery was ransacked," angry residents shouted. When asked who had committed those crimes, they answered in a chorus: "Soldiers, policemen!" An officer heading one of the police squads waved the BBC car through and played down the violence. "We're only using plastic bullets," he said. The head of the national police, Charles Bisengimana, has acknowledged that his force had killed at least four people in Kinshasa since the presidential result was announced on Friday afternoon - three looters and one woman hit by a stray bullet. The UN-sponsored station Radio Okapi put the death toll at six in the capital. "We only use non-lethal equipment to disperse protest marches, but policemen who protect buildings or people had to use weapons," Gen Bisengimana said. He also warned that armed police would be used against "armed groups linked to the opposition" after one policeman was shot dead on Thursday and another one injured by gunfire on Saturday. The situation was under control, he added. More reports of violence came from the central city of Mbuji-Mayi, where official tallies show that 97% of voters supported the opposition candidate Etienne Tshisekedi. The president of the local civil society committee said one man had died there and members of the security forces had arrested numerous people or stolen their belongings. Another civil society leader, Willy Wabo, was murdered overnight in North Kivu province, in the east of the country. A local journalist said Mr Wabo had vigorously denounced irregularities in the electoral process. The Kinshasa voters who have been burning tyres and breaking down electricity poles on Saturday are also putting the election result in doubt. "We are really disappointed. We voted for Tshisekedi, now we are told it's Kabila. That's why we are angry," a local woman said. Election observers are now scrutinising the detailed results posted by the electoral commission on its website following the announcement of President Kabila's re-election on Friday evening. Several electoral observation missions, including the Carter Centre, are expected to issue reports in the coming days on the credibility of the paper trail from each of the 63,000 polling stations to the final tally. Already, some trends from the raw data are striking: The number of polling stations where the results were discarded by the electoral commission because of electoral violence or logistical problems is consistently higher in areas where the opposition vote was high. For example, nearly one in five polling stations in Kinshasa was not included in the election result, compared to less than 1% in Katanga. Two-thirds of Kinshasa voters chose Mr Tshisekedi, while 90% of those in Katanga voted for Mr Kabila. In Mr Kabila's home village of Manono, more voters cast their ballots than were registered on the list, resulting in a turnout rate of 100.14%. According to official figures, only one person in that entire constituency voted for Mr Tshisekedi.

Question: Gunshots were ringing out in the streets around the central prison in Kinshasa , the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo , on Saturday as groups of three policemen armed with assault rifles went door - to - door in apparent search @placeholder after a night of violence and looting .


A major factor in turning the accident into a "disaster" was timing. Just 12 days before the 1979 accident that saw a partial core meltdown at one of the two reactors at the Pennsylvania plant, The China Syndrome was released in cinemas across the US. The film's plot centred on a major safety issue at a California nuclear plant. It was a spooky backdrop to the worst real world nuclear accident in US history. While citizens were frightened by TMI, so too were investors. The accident happened after just three months of commercial operation causing the plant owner to go bankrupt. The whole clean up effort took 14 years and cost almost $1bn. In the wake of TMI, demand for nukes fell through the floor. The Watts Bar plant in Tennessee, the first new nuclear installation in the US, became operational in 2016, two decades after the previous one. Many US scientists, greatly concerned by the threat of climate change, have come out in support of nuclear, arguing that the need for large-scale low-carbon energy outweighs concerns over safety. Just after the Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015, four prominent researchers wrote a public letter urging the rapid uptake of new nuclear. "Nuclear will make the difference between the world missing crucial climate targets or achieving them," wrote the group, which included Nasa scientist James Hansen. "The future of our planet and our descendants depends on basing decisions on facts, and letting go of long-held biases when it comes to nuclear power." A big problem for Three Mile Island, though, was the fact that the state of Pennsylvania doesn't regard nuclear energy as a renewable resource. Some analysts believe that unless nuclear installations are treated as green sources, their days are numbered. "The Three Mile Island announcement represents the clear need for rational carbon pricing in US power markets or we'll continue to see nuclear's role continue to fade going forward," said John Larsen, an expert on the US power sector at the Rhodium Group. "With no sign of that happening at the federal level, the question is being left to the states." Six nuclear plants have closed around the US in the past five years. Another five are likely to go in the next few. But even if the nuclear operators could benefit from the public purse in the way that renewables like wind and solar already do, the real killer for atomic energy has been natural gas. Hydraulic fracturing has seen US production of gas rise by over 40% in the decade to 2016. It's plentiful, cheap and flexible. Operators can turn production on or off rapidly in response to demands. And as well as puncturing nuclear's bubble, the rise of gas has also helped put coal on the floor. Between 2006 and 2016 coal production fell by a third. By 2015 the amount of electricity being produced from gas edged ahead of coal for the first time. So can President Trump's promises to remove regulations and limit environmental precautions boost coal back to the top of the heap? Not really, say some experts. Old-fashioned coal and nuclear don't work well with the newest kids on the energy block, solar and wind. "Nuclear plants are very hard to ramp up or ramp down. So are most coal-fired plants," said Prof Jeremy Weber from the University of Pittsburgh. "They don't complement the intermittent nature of renewables as well as natural gas. And they are more expensive. It's really a left as well as a right punch." Coal will continue to play a major part in the US energy mix for many years to come, and some believe that President Trump's push in favour may result in a boost in production. However, the long term future of the US coal and nuclear industries is not looking good. "The President's reforms may be able to move the dial on the margin for coal, but massive displacement has already occurred and the majority of that isn't going to come back with a rolling back of regulations," said Prof Weber. He went on: "Natural gas and renewables will eat away at coal and nuclear over time. No one is even fathoming such an expensive risky investment as a nuclear power plant outside of highly regulated markets. "I don't see anything reversing that trend." Follow Matt on Twitter and on Facebook.

Question: No one died , there were no direct health impacts , but the Three Mile Island ( TMI ) nuclear accident burned so deeply into the US @placeholder that it has helped limit the future use of the power source across America .


The Cornwall Federation of WIs (CFWI) says the hall at Kelly Bray is theirs and anyone wishing to use it should seek their permission. But according to locals, the hall was purchased in 1937 by the village for the WI. The row started after the local branch of the WI, which met in the hall, folded in 2013 due to lack of members. The CFWI changed the locks and put up a sign regarding entry requirements in November 2014. However, residents changed the locks again and are using it for events. The hall, on the corner of Stokes Road and Parson's Green, was built with the deeds saying the site was sold "for an Institute for the women of Kelly Bray". The CFWI said in a statement: "The hall was established specifically for the use of WI and not for village hall purposes. "The recent actions of the village hall committee to force entry in the building, change the locks and deny access to the trustees of CFWI are not only highly regrettable but also illegal, and the trustees are seeking a way forward through discussions with their lawyers." The village hall committee rejected the WI's claims, saying that according to their interpretation of the deeds, the hall was purchased by the village for the use of the WI ladies and they have vowed to carry on using it. It said the hall had been used over the years for events such as Christenings, wakes, dog-grooming classes and Young Farmers' pantos as well as the WI. Susie Iannantuoni, from the village committee, said villagers had been "horrified" when the hall was locked by the WI. "We have money to pay the bills, we have insured it and running repairs are being done. "I think the situation is dreadful. We have the same aims as the WI, to have the hall for the community and reach out to people. We are providing a social service."

Question: A Women 's Institute ( WI ) is considering legal action in a row with villagers over @placeholder of a meeting hall .


While many people got to ask both candidates questions, there were a few key characters who stole the limelight. The first was Abigail Eatock, who asked the opening question of Mrs May. She didn't pull any punches: "Why should the public trust anything you say or any of your policies when you have a known track record of broken promises and back tracking during your time as home secretary and now as prime minister?" Abigail, who is the chair of the University of York's UKIP Society, impressed people with her challenge to Mrs May. "Just let this woman quiz Theresa May for the rest of the show. Amazing."  wrote the Huffington Post's Owen Bennett. The UKIP supporter's contribution was taken to heart by many on the left of UK politics with Labour member Jo Philips simply tweeting "Star!! #Abigail" Self-described stand-up comedian and socialist Chris Coltrane tweeted "Abigail for Prime Minister". Though he later deleted the tweet. "Abigail you are my life hero." tweeted Labour member Rosa. Was Abigail satisfied with Theresa May's answer to her question? "I felt it was a lot of political spiel," she told the BBC, adding that she felt the answer was too rehearsed. Abigail may have shot to prominence for her direct questions but Twitter took another audience member to heart for pure aesthetics. Whilst sporting a large and bushy moustache this audience member first questioned Theresa May on her manifesto and later Jeremy Corbyn about his defence policy. "I want to vote for this man's moustache immediately" wrote Paul Southall.  "That moustache is truly magnificent" another user concurred. "In a sea of uncertainty... there is a handlebar moustache" proclaimed Nancy Dewe Matthews. Inevitably he was dubbed moustache man by social media users. "Handlebar moustache man's moustache presumably already has 17 Twitter parody accounts." joked actor David Schneider. At the time of writing one account named simply Moustache Man had been created. To some he had the look of a character who had tumbled out of a bedtime story: The issue of Trident turned into one of the livelier moments of Jeremy Corbyn's questions from the audience. It also demonstrated how Twitter won't hesitate to depict someone as a pantomime villain. Audience member Adam Murgatroyd kicked off discussion by asking Mr Corbyn: "If Britain were under imminent threat from nuclear weapons how would you react?" Mr Murgatroyd said he was "concerned" that Mr Corbyn wouldn't commit to using nuclear weapons in retaliation to a nuclear attack. Mr Murgatroyd was quickly portrayed by users as someone hungry to use nuclear weapons. A tweet from Joey Fazza shared more than 700 times showed Mr Murgatroyd with the caption: "When you want to blow millions of people up but Corbs isn't into a world that's a nuclear wasteland." Another tweet shared almost 600 times showed him with the caption: "Let me push the button, I will push it, let me push it." But TV presenter Piers Morgan's tweet echoing the concerns of Mr Murgatroyd was also widely shared: "So a rogue state nukes London then prepares to nuke Birmingham & Sheffield. Corbyn would do nothing to stop them." By contrast a lady who accused the rest of the audience of being "obsessed with murdering millions of people" was lionised by twitter users. "I love this woman. She speaks for me", wrote Labour member Helen Cherry. "Kudos to the young woman who who expressed surprise so many in #bbcqt audience are obsessed with genocide", tweeted Ian Fraser But journalist Jane Merrick didn't agree: "The woman who said her fellow #bbcqt audience members were 'keen' on killing millions was so disingenuous it's beyond belief." Compiled by the BBC's UGC and Social Media team

Question: It may have been Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn 's big @placeholder but it was the lively audience which caught the imagination of social media .


With 99% of the votes counted, his conservative National Coalition Party had 18.2% compared to the opposition Centre Party's 21.2%. "It seems as though the Centre has won. Congratulations," Mr Stubb told Finland's YLE public broadcaster. The election campaign was dominated by the country's protracted recession and other economic issues. A year of stagnation in 2014 was preceded by two years of recession and unemployment now stands at 9.2%. The Centre Party is led by millionaire former IT executive Juha Sipila. The YLE website's tracking of the results put the NCP marginally ahead of the right-wing eurosceptic Finns Party (17.6%) and the Social Democrats (16.5%). YLE forecast that the Centre Party would get at least 49 seats in the 200-member parliament, while the National Coalition Party would have 37. "I think this gap will be enough," Mr Sipila told MTV3 broadcaster. "This result will enable several possible coalition combinations." Mr Sipila was relatively unknown in Finland until he became leader of the Centre Party three years ago. He has publicly criticised Mr Stubb's plans to cut 6bn euros (?¡ê4.3bn) from budget deficits over the coming four years, dismissing the proposal as unrealistic. Mr Sipila has pledged to create more than 200,000 jobs in the next 10 years. Finland's economy has been the main issue during the election campaign. The governing coalition has struggled to push through reforms, leading to a reduction in support for Mr Stubb ahead of Sunday's vote.

Question: Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb has @placeholder the general election , near complete results show .


Bush was smarting from a lamentable debate performance, during which his attempt to ambush his one-time protege Marco Rubio with an attack on the Senator's absenteeism from Capitol Hill had boomeranged horribly. The headline "Boulder Crushes Bush," was already doing the rounds on Twitter. In the spin room, veteran journalists composed one-word obituaries: "Finished." Suffice to say, Bush was not in the mood for a lengthy post mortem with the BBC, and headed down the corridor with an uncharacteristic burst of energy. Yet when I asked him if his performance was up to scratch, that furry microphone positioned temptingly just below his jawline, he was sufficiently riled up to answer. "It's not a performance," he harrumphed, "I'm running for President of the United States." Many of Bush's problems were summed up in those four words: "It's not a performance." In a conservative movement that continues to deify its movie-star president Ronald Reagan and which lauds Donald Trump, who is better known these days as a reality TV star than a property developer, "performance" has never been more important. The debates are generating record-breaking viewing figures. Politics has become a branch of the entertainment industry, with television rather than social media the dominant platform. So candidates who dismiss the theatrical requirements of modern-day campaigning do so at their peril. Judging by the enduring popularity of the boastful billionaire, the Republican base likes brash performers, the type who would not look out of place hosting WWE professional wrestling. Alas, Jeb Bush looks like he would be more at home presenting the graveyard shift on National Public Radio. Bush's frustration that night in Boulder was not just palpable but also understandable. With eight years' experience as Governor of Florida, with binders full of policy proposals at his fingertips and with a detailed knowledge of foreign affairs, he has the smarts to be president. What's lacking is a winning personality and the requisite flair for political vaudeville. Bush's great misfortune is not just that he is an establishment candidate running at a time when anti-establishment candidates are in vogue. He also suffers from the fact that experience and expertise seem less important than sheer entertainment value. During last week's debate in Milwaukee, presumably frustrated by the policy incoherence of Trump and Carson, his anger again came to the boil. "We have to win the Presidency," he complained. "And the way you win the Presidency is to have practical plans." He's right, of course. What's more, policy wonks and contemplative thinkers can reach the White House. However, as Bill Clinton (wonk) and Barack Obama (brooding thinker) both demonstrated, they need also to have a feel for political stagecraft. The early frontrunner, for some the presumed nominee, Bush was at his strongest when voters had not yet attached a personality to his famous name. And that is hugely ironic, because most commentators thought his name, and the history and sense of entitlement that went with it, would prove to be his biggest handicap. As it turns out, the problem is not Bush but Jeb - or Jeb!, as his campaign banners have rebranded him, in the hope of vesting him with much-needed lustre. From bungling the most obvious question that he was likely to be asked - did he support his brother's decision to invade Iraq? - to launching that ill-conceived attack on Rubio, Jeb has not looked ready for primetime. Again, this is ironic, given that the presidency has been the target of his ambitions for so long. Some candidates grow in stature as the campaign goes on, as Marco Rubio has demonstrated. Others suffer stage fright, or simply prove temperamentally unsuited to prosper in a modern-day campaign. Here, Bush runs the risk of joining the roll call of candidates who had strong paper qualifications to be president but not the skills as a campaigner to win the presidential nomination - a list that includes George Romney (the father of Mitt), and Rudy Giuliani. Bush not only faces a personality problem but a political one. He himself acknowledged this at the start of his campaign when he said, rather nobly, that he was willing "to lose the primary to win the general." By this he meant that he would take moderate positions on issues like immigration that risked alienating the insurgent right but which would make the Grand Old Party (GOP) more inclusive. At the moment, however, he is struggling even to win over pragmatists in his party. Here is it worth considering Jeb's political bloodline, because the story of the Bushes in some ways doubles as the story of the modern GOP. The dynastic patriarch Prescott Bush, a Republican Senator from Connecticut, was the kind of northern-eastern patrician who used to dominate the party. George Herbert Walker, his preppy son, moved from New England to Texas, not only to make his fortune as an oil man but because the Republican party's political centre of gravity shifted after the civil rights era from Wall Street to the Sunbelt and the South. His eldest son, George W Bush, a born-again Christian, benefited from the marrying of the conservative movement with the evangelical movement. Jeb Bush hoped he could write a new chapter not just in family lore but also in GOP history. A fluent Spanish-speaker, married to a Mexican-American, he looked like the ideal figurehead for a party desperate to make inroads into Latino communities. Unfortunately for him, the Republican base seemingly has decided on a wholly different path. Trump, who has electrified the base not just with his showmanship but his hard-line stance on immigration, has framed the contest and given it a heavily anti-immigration tone. The Bush obituaries drafted in Boulder are precipitate. Though his campaign has been forced to make cutbacks, he has enough money to remain in the race. Born 11 February 1953 in Midland, Texas. Son of President George Bush, and younger brother of President George W Bush. Married Mexican Columba Garnica Gallo in 1973. The couple have three children. Moved to Miami, Florida, in 1980, where he helped form what would become a successful real estate company, the Codina Group. Entered politics in 1984, as chairman of the Dade County Republican Party. In 1994, ran for governor against a popular incumbent, Lawton Chiles, losing by a small margin. Became governor in 1998, after campaigning on issues normally regarded as Democratic Party territory: public school education, urban renewal, and Medicaid funding. During his eight years as governor, he overhauled the state's education system and pushed for substantial tax cuts. Profile: Jeb Bush Besides, he has always set out to play a long game, hence his statement about losing a few battles in order to ultimately win the war. As primaries are held in the so-called Blue Zone, the populous Democrat-leaning states where GOP primary voters tend to be more moderate, Bush's pragmatist message should resonate more strongly. This Blue Zone, as the veteran pundit Charlie Cook and others have pointed out, explains why establishment candidates so often end up on top. That said, after Boulder, he has been usurped by Marco Rubio. Looking ahead to primary season proper, one could imagine an outpouring of sympathy towards Bush should, God forbid, something happen to his father. That said, there is not much love for George Herbert Walker Bush on the Republican right, where he was always suspected of being a blue-blood moderate rather than a red meat conservative. Or, put another way, a New Englander rather than a true Texan, who betrayed conservative principles by breaking his famous "read my lips, no new taxes" pledge. The epic irony is that Jeb Bush was long seen as the great political talent in his family. Presumably, it will be of little comfort that the Kennedys once said the same thing of young Teddy.

Question: One of my more memorable moments on the campaign trail so far came after the Republican debate in Boulder , Colorado , when I found myself @placeholder Jeb Bush down a corridor , attempting to lasso him with a boom mike - a contraption which looks like a fishing rod , with a rodent - like furry microphone attached to the end .


Police say a drone hit the New York skyscraper's 40th floor and then fell on to a ledge five levels lower. Sean Riddle was charged with reckless endangerment and illegal navigation of an aircraft in and over the city. The tweet, from a Twitter account in his name, also blames a year-old news article for its misleading information. "All I wanted was to shoot five seconds of video to promote a non-profit," the tweet says. "I asked a cop 20 minutes before I did it. He said it was fine. "Aside from asking a cop, I went to this website: Where to fly a drone in New York City, legally." However, US drone owners are being urged to consult the Know Before You Fly website, backed by drone makers and the Federal Aviation Administration,  which shows the Empire State Building and much of the rest of Manhattan has been designated as a restricted zone because of its heliports and helipads. The website also says recreational users should:

Question: A man charged with @placeholder a drone into the Empire State Building has apparently tweeted that a policeman had told him it was " fine " to fly there .


On Tuesday, staff were told the JTI Gallaher cigarette factory plant in Ballymena is to close permanently by 2017. Previously known as Gallahers, the firm has manufactured tobacco in Northern Ireland for more than 150 years. It is the last remaining tobacco factory in the UK. Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister said it was "terrible news". Full production will resume on Thursday although office staff are still working and the factory is open. JTI Gallaher said because many workers had been left shocked by the news, there was a safety issue around the operation of equipment. It is a major employer and its closure is a significant blow to the economy. By Julian O'NeillBBC News NI Business Correspondent JTI Gallahers has been one of the cornerstones of the Ballymena economy. Staff were well-paid - it is believed the average salaries were more than ?¡ê60,000. But when the jobs relocate to Poland or Romania the payroll will be nothing like that. The company and many politicians have blamed new EU rules on tobacco packaging for the shutdown. While that may have been the basis of a review, this is ultimately about costs. The decision will prompt a new bout of anxiety at another major Ballymena employer, Michelin. Production costs - primarily energy bills - leave 1,000 workers uneasy. While Invest NI and the Northern Ireland Executive promote new jobs with success, sustaining others presents a huge challenge. It is estimated that the plant in Ballymena contributed ?¡ê60m in wages to the local economy. Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said the introduction of the EU tobacco products directive had impacted on the plant because of changes to the size of roll your own tobacco packs. In February, MEPs voted by 514 in favour to 66 against, with 58 abstentions, to approve the new anti-smoking legislation. It would have required major adjustments in technology and operations at the JTI Gallaghers's plant in the town. The company has proposed moving its existing plants in Northern Ireland and Belgium to other countries, such as Poland and Romania. Ms Foster criticised Sinn F??in MEP Martina Anderson for supporting the directive. "Others were prepared to be champions of this EU directive," she said. "Martina Anderson felt it was the right thing to do, but wasn't prepared to join the dots and to make the association that if she followed through on that support that it would cost jobs." However, Ms Anderson said the directive would be applicable across Europe. "It's going to be applicable in Poland, it's going to be applicable in Romania, and it was going to be applicable in the north," she said. "We have another example of big industry example using workers as a pawn. "They are not interested in safeguarding jobs, what they are interested in doing is trying to get cheap labour." Ms Foster said she would be meeting the first minister and deputy first minister along with the DUP MP, Ian Paisley jnr, and the Employment Minister Stephen Farry on Wednesday. Management at the factory said there was "shock and tears" as staff were told the news at a series of meetings. Des Blackadder, editor of the Ballymena Times, said when the news broke it came like a "tsunami". "It brought a wave of depression to this town because anybody with any common sense and certainly the workers knew that Gallahers' lifetime wasn't infinite, it was going to come to an end at some stage. But when it did come to an end yesterday, it really came with a great deal of shock," he said. "There were many many ashen faces in Ballymena." He said the impact of the losses would be felt by many in the town. "The vast majority of people in Ballymena would have had a relative who worked in Gallahers or would have known several friends who worked in Gallahers, so it's something which affects an entire community," he added. The Ballymena factory is currently owned by Japan Tobacco International (JTI), which took over in 2007. JTI released a statement on Tuesday announcing its intention to "restructure its manufacturing facilities as a result of significant and sustained changes impacting its global business". It has proposed moving its existing plants in Northern Ireland and Belgium to other countries, such as Poland and Romania. Leading politicians have pledged to support the workers and said they would work to try to mitigate the job losses.

Question: Staff at a cigarette plant in County Antrim have been given time off to @placeholder the news that all 877 jobs are to be lost .