bbcuk--2020-01-07--BBC Sound of 2020: How Yungblud is leading the 'liberation within people'

Yungblud may have come third on the BBC 's Sound of 2020 list but he 's got the biggest following by a landslide .
The Yorkshireman has more Spotify streams than the other nine artists on the longlist combined , thanks to his energetic blend of emo , rock , rap and pop .
His fans , who call themselves `` The Black Hearts Club '' , span the globe , with the singer playing around 250 gigs in 26 countries over the last two years .
The 22-year-old 's live following translated into chart success in October , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Underrated Youth , reaching the UK 's top 10 ( one week earlier and the chart position would have rendered him ineligible for the Sound of 2020 ) .
But with his star rising at such a rapid rate , does Yungblud - whose real name is Dominic Harrison - even require such recognition ?
`` I do n't really look at it like that , man , '' he tells us down the line from Los Angeles , just before Christmas .
`` We were so surprised [ to be named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was happening at all . ''
In fact , the singer seems taken aback that his songs , which tackle topics like anxiety , sexual assault and corporate greed , are getting mainstream acceptance .
`` Someone came up to me at some industry event the other night right and goes , 'What 's the secret ?
What 's the formula ? '
`` And I 'm like , ' I do n't actually know what you 're talking about .
You 're speaking to the wrong person if you want that ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get up everyday and all I 'm doing is , like , talking about things and people are listening and talking to me back .
That 's the only thing I can explain .
`` I think looking at charts and things , it 's kind of a little bit irrelevant to me .
I 'm not arsed about having people go , 'Oh Yungblud , he had a good couple of songs , did n't he ? '
`` When people look back on us in 10 years , I want them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement and they did something that was that was completely original and a liberation within people ' . ''
Yungblud is the grandson of Rick Harrison , who played with T Rex in the 1970s , but his sights are set on making anthems that speak to his own generation ; stamping out the `` sterile material '' of what he brands as `` The X-Factor age '' .
The ambitious young showman has already been described as an `` icon '' for the UK 's suburban youth , and a `` relentless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - who is unapologetically `` androgynous '' and `` over-the-top '' .
He 's also recently opened up about his fluid sexuality and how having ADHD informs his music .
And while the London-based Doncastrian finds inspiration in the collective rebellion of the early '90s Seattle grunge scene , thanks to bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden , he 's hoping to replicate the more recent success of one of his US contemporaries .
`` People are angry again , people are riled up and want to be told the truth , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why Billie Eilish is the biggest artist in the world right now , because she was just a 16-year-old kid just telling the truth .
`` It 's just undeniable fanbases .
Build a fanbase , build a culture , make people make people feel like it 's alright to be who they are - and then the rest will follow . ''
The top five acts on the BBC Sound of 2020 list are being revealed in a countdown , with one revealed every day until the winner is announced on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nominees on BBC Sounds • Find out more about the list .
What was your initial reaction when you heard you 'd made the class of 2020 ?
`` What is going on right now ?
I 'm walking down Venice Beach , California and I 'm on the BBC Sound of list ! ''
I 've seen artists like [ 2015 runner-up ] James Bay on there when he was popping in the UK and it 's just kind of mental to get that nod .
You work hard as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My head has been down in my fanbase , building my community , travelling the world and I never really look above the water .
And if you lift your head above the water for a minute and you look around and go , `` We just played to a sold out Brixton Academy and we 're on the Sound of list '' , it 's like , `` What ?
! ''
Your fans are clearly central to everything you do .
What is it that they tell you they want ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who they are , not something they need to be .
People do n't want to fit moulds anymore and be manipulated into boxes , because it 's just uncomfortable .
Do you still see that sort of thing going on ?
Absolutely .
The most important thing for me is the stories I hear .
For example a girl comes up to me in Nijmegen , Holland and gives me a note that says - `` I left school , ran away from home and shaved my head , and then went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a graphic designer , thanks to a girl I met at one of your shows , who brought me into the community '' .
Or I see two boys from Bristol snog before the mosh pit swallows them up .
And I talk to a 35-year-old dude in Glasgow who lost his wife and kid last year and he used to listen to the music in the car and for some reason it does n't make him sad , it takes him back to a place when things were alright .
For me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's what we 're here for .
It 's not me , man , it 's us .
And if it ever becomes [ just about ] me it 's all flawed .
Last year your EP went to number six in the album charts , you toured the world , played festivals like Reading + Leeds , and you also had a famous pop star girlfriend [ US singer Halsey ] .
Is this rock ' n ' roll star life how you imagined it would be ?
I 've done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the next album is about all this stuff .
We blew up all over the world , I fell in love and fell out of love .
I nearly lost my mum and I got really depressed for a bit and I came out of that , but when I look back on last year ...
I wrote a song the other night called A Weird Time Of Life and it 's going to be on the record .
It 's been a weird time of life but the best time of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yungblud is a coming of age thing , but you 're growing up until you shut your eyes for good .
Recently you 've curated a few playlists for Radio 1 , which gave us an insight into your eclectic range of influences - from rock to rap and beyond .
Who are you digging the most right now ?
I think right now Travis Scott is as relevant in rock and roll music as Marilyn Manson is .
It 's just a different type of music .
Rock and roll ai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their instruments .
Rock and roll means freedom to me - and someone like Travis Scott is pouring petrol on the fire that 's already in young people 's tummies .
I 've got to that phase in life where people are trying to pitch songs to me and it 's so funny seeing a songwriter 's version of what they think Yungblud is and it 's all rock and bratty and I 'm like , `` No I 've left that behind '' .
I 've grown up now .
It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's some mental collaborations [ coming up ] .
I love collaborating - it 's tapping into cultures I never normally would .
So you 've told us what your fans want , but what do you want from 2020 ?
The best songs I 've ever written are going to come out , and we 're doing five nights at [ London 's ] Kentish Town Forum .
I 'm just building it , taking it one fan at a time because there are still people out there who feel like it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are .
And I do n't want people to feel like that , as I 've felt like that ...
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

I've done so much living in the past year and the next album is about all this stuff. We blew up all over the world, I fell in love and fell out of love. I nearly lost my mum and I got really depressed for a bit and I came out of that, but when I look back on last year... I wrote a song the other night called A Weird Time Of Life and it's going to be on the record.


bbcuk--2020-01-06--GHB: The drug used as a 'rapist's weapon of choice'

When Reynhard Sinaga took a victim back to his flat , he would drug them unconscious before launching his assault .
Following his conviction for 159 sex offences , Home Secretary Priti Patel called for a review of controls for drugs like GHB .
Although it is sometimes referred to as a date rape drug , GHB ( gamma-hydroxybutyrate ) is actually used recreationally and consensually .
It is fairly common for gay men to use it during chemsex - when drugs are used to enhance sex between two or more partners - but it is also used by heterosexuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use GHB as a weapon - one recent survey estimated more than a quarter of those polled were sexually assaulted whilst unconscious .
• The sexual predator who waited outside nightclubs GHB is a separate but almost identical drug to GBL ( gamma-butyrolactone ) , a substance sold legally as an industrial solvent but which becomes GHB once it enters the body .
Together the drugs are known as `` G '' , and both come in the form of a clear , odourless , oily liquid that is diluted in soft drinks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
G can give users a feeling of euphoria and can increase their sex drive .
But increasing the dose by a fraction , even less than a millilitre , can be fatal .
Overdosing on G - which is particularly easy when it is mixed with alcohol or other drugs , and when the strength in bottles varies - can make people incoherent , suffer convulsions , lose consciousness and stop breathing altogether .
Professor Adam Winstock , consultant psychiatrist and founder of the Global Drug Survey , warns : `` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when people are out there trying to use it for fun . ''
`` If you take one drop extra of GHB , then 20 minutes later you 're unconscious , '' he says .
How many deaths have been linked to GHB ?
According to official figures from the Office for National Statistics , there were 120 deaths in England and Wales between 2014 and 2018 that involved GHB .
But the total number could be much higher - GHB is not part of routine toxicology tests after sudden deaths .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be difficult and expensive to detect .
It is also difficult to know for sure how many sexual assaults are connected to GHB .
Before Sinaga 's conviction , perhaps the highest profile case was that of convicted serial killer Stephen Port , who was given a life sentence in 2016 for poisoning four young men with lethal doses of the drug .
Of the 2,700 gay and bisexual men who have used G that responded to a survey conducted by BuzzFeed News and Channel 4 Dispatches last year , 28 % said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , BuzzFeed News ' LGBT editor and presenter of the Channel 4 documentary Sex , Drugs and Murder , calls G `` a rapist 's weapon of choice in 2020 '' .
`` Because ... it can be slipped into someone 's drink without them knowing and because it can very easily lead to unconsciousness , it is therefore ripe for use by predators , '' he says .
An additional obstacle to knowing the scale of the problem is that victims often do n't report it to the police , says Professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happened , and whether a crime occurred , he says , as well as shame , guilt and fear `` of having to disclose information that they may find very embarrassing '' , he says .
Some also fear they could be investigated for drugs offences .
A dependence on G can develop quickly , and Professor Winstock warns that anyone who has taken it daily should not try to stop without medical help .
`` People can become physically dependent , and withdrawal can be life-threatening , '' he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly are not yet known .
How common is it ?
Like many illicit drugs , the prevalence of G is hard to track as it does not feature in national drug use surveys .
But Strudwick says G is `` very easy to find and to buy if you know where to look '' because of the `` legal loophole '' that means GBL can be sold for industrial use - as a paint stripper , among other things .
`` Companies are shipping it to people in Britain , advertising it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it can then be distributed and supplied by dealers in smaller quantities through dating apps such as Grindr , '' he says .
Where does it come from ?
GHB was developed in the 1960s as an anaesthetic , but was discontinued because of its side effects .
During the 1980s , it was used as a sleep aid and a supplement for body building .
GHB has been a Class C drug since 2003 , when it was brought under the Misuse of Drugs Act .
Although GBL is used legally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Class C drug since 2009 , and anyone who supplies or possesses it , believing that it will be consumed , is breaking the law .
Possessing either drug can warrant up to two years in prison with or without an unlimited fine , and supplying can result in up to 14 years with or without such a fine .
Dr Winstock says that increasing the class would make `` absolutely no difference '' to its usage , and would discourage people from seeking help .
Instead he says the government should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be used more safely , and on promoting `` honest conversations '' about their use .
The family of Eric Michels , who was murdered with an overdose of GHB in 2018 , have been campaigning for the drug to be reclassified as Class A .
His son Sam told the BBC it was `` a really , really dangerous drug '' which had killed multiple people , including his dad .
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article , help and support can be found at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your drink spiked ?
Do you think enough is being done to warn men of the risks of having their drink spiked ?
You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

But Strudwick says G is "very easy to find and to buy if you know where to look" because of the "legal loophole" that means GBL can be sold for industrial use - as a paint stripper, among other things.


bbcuk--2020-01-06--Reynhard Sinaga: How the Manchester rapist found his victims

Warning : This piece contains accounts of sexual assaults .
Reynhard Sinaga is thought to be the UK 's `` most prolific rapist '' ever .
For several years , until he was caught in 2017 , he preyed on young men enjoying a night out .
Princess Street , in the heart of Manchester 's city centre , is rarely quiet .
If you follow it down from the impressive Victorian town hall on Albert Square , past bars , shops , restaurants , and converted textile warehouses , you reach the borders of two of the city 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gay Village .
Beyond that , you come to a stretch of road bordered by nightclubs - Factory , Fifth , Joshua Brooks - a big part of the city 's vibrant nightlife .
With its close proximity to two of the city 's universities , the road is also a popular area for student accommodation .
Reynhard Sinaga , a 36-year-old postgraduate student , had made this his home for more than seven years , living in a rented flat just a few moments ' walk from Factory Nightclub .
Sinaga , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student .
He already had four degrees and was studying for a doctorate .
By night he was a serial sex offender .
He has been found guilty of drugging , raping and sexually assaulting 48 men , but police believe they are among at least 190 victims .
They are able to be so precise about these numbers because Sinaga filmed his attacks and collected what detectives call `` trophies '' - items or information stolen from his victims .
Sinaga typically approached his victims in the street .
The rapist operated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His targets were men mostly in their late teens or early 20s who had been out drinking , often in the nearby nightclubs .
Some were on their way home , others had become separated from friends .
Many were too drunk to remember their conversation with Sinaga , but for those who did there was no indication of a sexual motive .
Sinaga used various pretexts to entice each to his flat .
Some victims could recall being provided with a drink and then blacking out .
Are you affected by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more information on emotional distress Greater Manchester Police said anyone who believes they might have been attacked by Sinaga can report information online or call its police line on 0800 092 0410 from inside the UK or 0207 158 0124 from abroad .
The force said anyone in need of support from specialist agencies could call 0800 056 0154 from within the UK or 0207 158 0011 from abroad .
Sinaga presented himself as a flamboyant , churchgoing academic who used the nickname `` posh spice '' .
A thin man of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he appeared unthreatening .
Several victims recall him smiling a lot .
It was this apparent harmlessness that enabled Sinaga to pose as a `` good Samaritan '' , coaxing men he approached back to the flat .
We know about the benign impression Sinaga created because dozens of victims gave testimony to police , with 48 of them appearing in court over the course of four trials .
Of the victims who went to court , the vast majority were heterosexual .
Ian Rushton , from the Crown Prosecution Service , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleasure in preying on heterosexual men '' .
Most of his victims were living in Manchester at the time and , in all , 26 were students when they were attacked .
One was waiting for his girlfriend outside Fifth Avenue nightclub - since renamed Fifth Manchester - when he was approached by a `` small Asian guy '' who seemed harmless .
The man was invited back to Sinaga 's flat to wait for his girlfriend , but recalled nothing further after being given a shot of clear liquid to drink .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a young Asian gentleman '' .
He said he had a `` vague recollection of explaining that my phone was dead and that I was trying to get a taxi but the taxis were passing me '' .
He added : `` I think I can recall a conversation along the lines of , 'Would you like to come inside and charge your phone and have a quick chat , ' '' he told the court .
To him , Sinaga `` did n't seem like an imposing character '' and during their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be `` an honest , motivated person '' with an interest in academic research .
The man told the court that soon after being offered a drink , he could n't remember `` a single thing until the next morning '' .
After waking , confused and disoriented , he left within five minutes .
Like almost every victim , he had no idea he had been raped until being approached by police .
Another victim remembered his friends putting him in a cab outside a club .
His next recollection was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When he asked Sinaga what had happened , he described providing care and shelter after finding him lying in the street .
Another victim believed Sinaga had been `` really nice and had looked after him '' .
One victim , a teenage university student , managed to get Sinaga 's mobile number as a precaution after waking up in the flat , and then having concerns that something might have been stolen from him .
When he rang to ask for more information about what happened , Sinaga described himself as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him unconscious on the pavement .
Another man remembered waking up on the floor , covered in a blanket , before thanking the flat 's occupier for letting him stay over .
He suspected nothing , even though the person `` refused to give me personal details '' in order to assist with an insurance claim for a lost mobile phone .
The phone , like many others stolen from their owners , was later recovered from Sinaga 's home by police .
Some victims felt incredibly unwell after regaining consciousness , sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to them at the time , Sinaga had given his victims a drug - almost certainly GHB - which rendered them unconscious before he assaulted them .
• Class C prohibited drug - colourless and odourless liquid or powder , usually dissolved in water • Generates feelings of euphoria in very small doses ; in only slightly larger amounts can cause unconsciousness and death • Used by clubbers and in so-called `` chemsex '' ; also frequently implicated in sexual offences • Thought to account for thousands of hospital admissions each year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Between 2007 and 2017 more than 200 deaths were linked to the drug ; since 2014 it has been named as a murder weapon in five cases • Closely related to GBL , a colourless liquid that sold is an industrial cleaner and converts to GHB in the body .
GBL is only classed as Class C prohibited drug when knowingly intended for human consumption One victim , who woke up naked on Sinaga 's floor feeling nauseous and panic-stricken , came to the conclusion he had been drugged , telling his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the condition in which he awoke .
Another man , who was told he could sleep on the floor , recalled waking twice during the night , on one occasion to be sick .
He remembered that on one of the occasions he was unable to move his arms and could feel himself being penetrated , before passing out again .
In the morning , he briefly spoke with Sinaga before leaving .
He did not report what happened to police , until being approached by them .
It was the largest rape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 100 of the men from clues in Sinaga 's flat .
But the identities of 70 men have not been established and police are now appealing for anyone who believes they may been abused by Sinaga to come forward .
The CPS 's Ian Rushton says that Sinaga is probably the most prolific known rapist `` anywhere in the world '' .
One of four children , Sinaga comes from a wealthy Indonesian family who live in Depok , a city within the Jakarta metropolitan area .
His father is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After obtaining a degree in architecture at the University of Indonesia in Depok , he moved to the UK in 2007 to study urban planning at the University of Manchester .
He went on to gain three degrees there before embarking on a doctorate in human geography at the University of Leeds - travelling there from Manchester when required .
His family wealth meant that he rarely worked , although he claims to have had stints in employment in hospitality at both Manchester football clubs and in a clothes shop .
Manchester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record of him working at the club .
He worked for a period at a bar in the city 's Gay Village , the area where he spent much of his time socialising .
He was also a regular at a local church .
After originally living in student accommodation , Sinaga moved to a rented flat in Montana House on Princess Street in 2011 .
While his convictions cover a period of two and a half years , police believe his offences predate 2015 .
But they say they may never know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It came to an end in the summer of 2017 .
Sinaga was offending with abandon , sometimes night after night .
In footage recovered from CCTV cameras covering his block of flats , he is seen leaving one evening only to return with a man 60 seconds later .
It was just after midnight on 2 June 2017 , when he approached his final victim .
A teenager , who left The Factory nightclub to get some fresh air after becoming separated from friends , agreed to go to Sinaga 's flat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to contact them from there .
The man recalled nothing further until waking several hours later being sexually attacked by Sinaga .
He immediately pushed Sinaga away , who responded by screaming `` intruder '' and `` help '' , before repeatedly biting the teenager .
The man hit Sinaga several times , escaped from the flat , and then called police , who arrived to a chaotic scene .
Sinaga , who was discovered semi-conscious with serious injuries , was at first viewed sympathetically , and the teenager was arrested for assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began to arouse suspicion .
He kept asking officers to have a mobile phone brought to him from his flat .
Police asked him to confirm the pin number before they would hand it over .
However Sinaga gave a series of false numbers , then tried to grab the phone after providing the correct one .
The officer became so suspicious that he seized the phone as potential evidence and , when it was checked , a video recording was found of Sinaga raping the arrested teenager .
It was the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain , calls `` an absolutely unprecedented case '' .
He says the inquiry has been like `` piecing a jigsaw together without the picture '' .
Another of Sinaga 's mobiles had somehow ended up in the pocket of the final victim .
Between them , the two phones had been used to capture about 800 videos of Sinaga raping or sexually assaulting unconscious men .
The victims , usually snoring loudly , were often repeatedly raped over several hours .
In some of the films , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down who , though unconscious , were visibly distressed or made attempts to push him away .
In others , victims are seen to vomit while being attacked .
To find the men , detectives used both the films and `` trophies '' collected by Sinaga - phones , watches , ID cards from their wallets , images that Sinaga had downloaded from their social media profiles , searches about them he conducted online .
When they lacked identifying information , investigators tried facial recognition technology , approached local universities , and asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they knew any of the men .
Officers also considered whether Sinaga might have killed any of his victims with fatal drug overdoses , examining potential links to unsolved deaths or missing people , but there was no evidence to suggest this was the case .
When officers made a positive identification , that person would be approached and told he had been a victim of sexual offences .
Lisa Waters , of the St Mary 's Sexual Assault Referral Centre , says their crisis workers accompanied detectives on these visits in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support '' .
She says that being told what happened `` can be quite overwhelming , very confusing '' .
`` What we did n't want to do was to drop the bombshell and then just disappear and leave these men with no support , '' she says .
A large programme was put in place to provide ongoing support .
Waters says many of the men have chosen not to tell anybody else about what happened to them .
`` That might be because they might want to protect their own psychological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're ashamed to tell other people ; it might be because they 're fearful of other people 's responses , '' she says .
Dozens of those approached did not want to go through the court process .
Sinaga was found to have told unsuspecting friends about some of the rapes , passing them off as consensual sexual conquests .
In messages about the first victim who went to court , Sinaga boasted about the attack on New Year 's Eve in 2014 .
`` I did n't get my new year kiss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex in 2015 already , '' he wrote , adding that the man was `` straight in 2014 .
2015 is his breakthrough to the gay world hahaha '' .
During another boast about what he presented as his prowess with `` straight '' men , Sinaga wrote : `` Take a sip of my secret poison , I 'll make you fall in love . ''
Police officers have spoken to other men , tracked down as a result of still images discovered in the flat that date from before 2015 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not what happened .
There is no other evidence available to show that they were sexually assaulted .
Only one previous report to police was linked to Sinaga after his arrest , dating from April 2017 , when the victim had woken disorientated and unwell in a strange room with an Asian male .
He quickly left , but later that day had flashbacks of being sexually assaulted and - two days afterwards - he called the police .
However , the man was unsure of the property in which he had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby hotels , neither of which had had any guests who matched the suspect 's description .
Despite the overwhelming evidence , Sinaga pleaded not guilty to all 159 charges , forcing a series of four trials in which his victims had to give evidence and jurors had to watch hours of distressing videos .
Court rules meant that nothing could be reported in the media and each jury was unaware of the wider case against him .
Sinaga gave evidence in the first and last of the trials , running what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which involved him claiming that each victim had agreed to fulfil his `` sexual fantasy '' by being penetrated while being filmed and pretending to be asleep .
When this scenario was suggested to one victim in court , he responded by saying it was `` absolutely farcical '' .
Sinaga changed his story during the trials .
In the first trial , he denied that the loud snoring heard in some films was snoring at all , insisting it was just `` breathing sounds '' .
But , by the time of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snoring was actually just `` role-play '' .
It was only halfway through the first trial that he admitted penetrating most of the victims on that indictment .
In the witness box he came across as vain and self-absorbed , telling jurors : `` I make myself available all the time… I may look like a 'lady boy ' and it seems very popular amongst curious men who are looking for a gay experience . ''
When entering and exiting court he often appeared cheerful , as if he was enjoying the process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the judge repeatedly asked defence counsel whether any of the evidence could be agreed , to spare jurors watching every video .
But Sinaga would not agree and , because he insisted each victim was conscious and consenting , the videos had to be played to demonstrate this was a lie .
The prosecution case was that Sinaga used the drug GHB to incapacitate his victims .
No trace of the drug was found in his apartment and - due to the circumstances of Sinaga 's arrest - the final victim was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be established .
However , the symptoms shown by the hundreds of videos were all consistent with GHB intoxication , as were the descriptions of him providing clear liquid shots , and each trial heard expert evidence about its effects .
GHB was used by Stephen Port , who murdered four men between June 2014 and September 2015 .
The men were given fatal overdoses of the drug .
Port was also convicted of raping or assaulting several living victims using GHB .
The impact on Sinaga 's victims is vast .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ men have found it very difficult to function in everyday life '' .
This has resulted in substance misuse , people unable to go to work , students unable to finish university , and others having to leave home after feeling unable to function any longer within their families .
She adds that `` some men have been suicidal and we 've had to try to help them come to terms with that and how we can make them safe '' .
Dr Sam Warner , author of a report about the psychological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a loss of power coupled with an absence of memory can be `` extremely frightening , disturbing , upsetting because that goes to the heart of how you make sense of yourself , how you understand your experiences '' .
`` In a situation where people have been incapacitated through drugs they may have no flashback to that particular event , '' she says .
`` What they will have is the flashback to being told , however sensitively done , because suddenly they become a rape victim at that point . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ may continue throughout people 's lives '' .
In a series of statements read in court , the men themselves described the impact .
`` I felt numb .
I was totally shocked , embarrassed , betrayed and very angry , '' one said .
`` His actions were disgusting , unforgiveable .
He has massively abused my trust in humanity . ''
Another man said : `` I want Sinaga to spend the rest of his life in prison .
Not only for what he has done to me but for what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the misery and stress he has caused them . ''
A further victim said : `` I remember the day the police contacted me , it is a day I will never forget because it changed my life forever . ''
Another : `` I wish the worse for him , I want him to feel the pain and sufferance I have felt .
He has destroyed a part of my life . ''
Throughout all four trials , Sinaga displayed not a glimmer of empathy or contrition .
His persistent smile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disarm , was instead revealed to be a mark of his cruelty .
In a message to Sinaga , one victim said : `` I 'm not going to let you ruin my life . ''

His family wealth meant that he rarely worked, although he claims to have had stints in employment in hospitality at both Manchester football clubs and in a clothes shop. Manchester United have since said they have no record of him working at the club. He worked for a period at a bar in the city's Gay Village, the area where he spent much of his time socialising. He was also a regular at a local church.


bbcuk--2020-01-06--How did Dundee help Succession star strike gold?

Dundee-born actor Brian Cox has won his first Golden Globe , with his hometown playing a part in securing the prestigious award .
Cox won the best actor award for his role as media company mogul Logan Roy in the HBO series Succession .
The character is originally from Dundee and last year the show filmed at the city 's new V & A Museum of Design .
The award marks a highlight in a 60-year career for Cox that began in Dundee Repertory Theatre .
Cox told BBC Scotland 's The Nine that his victory was a `` wonderful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the city of Dundee .
He said : `` It was extraordinary - it does your head in at these kind of events .
`` You are always happy when it gets announced , either when you lose or when you win it .
I actually apologised to my fellow nominees because it 's such hell that you go through for that 30 seconds .
But it was wonderful . ''
Succession shot the Dundee scenes as part of an episode where Logan Roy returns to his hometown to mark the 50th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as V & A Dundee , the crew filmed at various locations in the city including Magdalen Green .
Cox said : `` It was a delight for me because I 'm very proud of my city .
Dundee is a town that has been hammered and hammered for so long and now it 's emerging into this rather extraordinary place .
`` I still want to see great changes in Dundee .
I love what 's happened on the waterfront , I love the V & A and I love the cultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` But we 've got to get into the hinterland , we 've got to get into the schemes and deal with probably the worst heroin addiction in the UK . ''
Dundonian author and screenwriter Neil Forsyth said there was a `` real poetry '' to Cox receiving the accolade for a `` huge American show that has a footprint in Dundee . ''
He said : `` That 's a sort of microcosm of Brian 's career , really .
`` He 's such a proud Dundonian and such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the years to encourage the arts scene in the city .
`` Stuff that he 's done in public life and privately , he 's touched hundreds of careers and been an inspiration to so many people . ''
Cox had previously returned to Dundee to play Forsyth 's `` cheeseburger magnate '' Bob Servant in two series of the BBC Scotland comedy .
Succession 's Logan Roy character was originally born in Quebec , Canada , until the programme makers changed it to Dundee .
Cox told the Live with Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to the writer/producer Jesse Armstrong and I said 'what 's the idea ? '
`` He said , we thought it would be a surprise , I said it 's a hell of a surprise . ''
During a break from filming in the city , Cox took his fellow Succession actors for a tour of his old haunts , including the church where his parents were married .
In 1986 Cox became the first actor to play Hannibal Lecter ( then called Lecktor ) in Michael Mann 's Manhunter .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 1971 film Nicholas and Alexandra .
He has also played a number of historical roles including Winston Churchill in 2017 movie Churchill and Sir Matt Busby in 2014 's Believe .
In 2009 , he appeared in BBC documentary Brian Cox 's Jute Journey where he travelled to Kolkata in the footsteps of the Dundee jute workers who left to seek their fortunes in India .

"You are always happy when it gets announced, either when you lose or when you win it. I actually apologised to my fellow nominees because it's such hell that you go through for that 30 seconds. But it was wonderful."


bbcuk--2020-01-06--Did Britain meddle in a US presidential election?

When US President George HW Bush craved `` a smoking gun '' in 1992 to politically kneecap his White House challenger Bill Clinton , the British government delved into its files for damaging information .
So , did the Bush camp solicit foreign interference to help him win an election - the allegation that has seen President Trump impeached ?
`` A guy like that does n't deserve to be president , '' President Bush told his sister about Clinton .
He viewed the young Arkansas governor , who was the same age as Bush 's eldest son , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roll over him .
But the president sorely underestimated Clinton , an adversary so politically gifted that his ascent to the White House had been foreseen when he was aged just seven by his school teacher .
To Bush 's mystification , his saxophone-tootling challenger 's popularity in opinion polls was even defying the gravity of revelations about his draft-dodging past .
The Republican , a decorated World War 2 fighter pilot , dictated to his diary : `` I 'm tired of this guy lying and ducking on the draft and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem - his campaign was as stale as the recession-sapped US economy .
So he turned for inspiration across the Atlantic to his friend , UK Prime Minister John Major .
The British premier 's come-from-behind general election win in April 1992 was being touted by American conservatives as a blueprint for the US president .
Bush had a very special relationship with Major , his brother-in-arms from the 1990-91 Gulf War , as has previously been revealed in transcripts of their private conversations obtained by the BBC .
He once spoke of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and assured the British PM `` obviously we 're rooting for you '' to beat Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock .
Two UK Tory panjandrums - architects of the PM 's surprise victory - flew to Washington eight weeks before the US election and advised the Bush team to focus attacks on Clinton 's character .
The president 's campaign hired an opposition research specialist to dig for dirt in Britain .
What happened next was either a bureaucratic mishap , or an egregious act of political meddling by the UK in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At some point in early October 1992 , the Home Office inspected its immigration nationality section to see whether Clinton had applied for British citizenship while at Oxford University from 1968-70 in order to escape the Vietnam draft .
Briefing reporters on background , the department said its `` comprehensive '' check was conducted out of `` sheer helpfulness '' to the media , even though it usually always rebuffed journalists with the stock answer that it did not discuss individual cases .
Nothing compromising on the Democrat was discovered , though it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political bombshell , had it been excavated , would have been handled by Whitehall .
That same month , a frustrated Bush would dictate to his diary that `` we can not get this smoking gun on Clinton '' .
More on US presidents • The mental rigours of being US president • Should Washington and Jefferson monuments come down ?
• Is this the US president most like Trump ?
• Was this man really the worst president ?
All Major could offer him were well wishes .
The British premier called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last burst of campaigning two days ahead of November 's election .
`` I wanted to wish you a great hurrah and all of my best for the home stretch , '' Major said , according to a transcript of their conversation at the Bush presidential library in Texas .
But he had backed the wrong horse - Clinton trounced Bush .
Returning to the White House a day after he lost , the humiliated one-term president grew emotional , according to biographer Jon Meacham .
Bush dictated to his diary that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in God 's name did this country elect a draft dodger ? ''
A month later , when the Home Office publicly acknowledged having carried out the file check , the victorious Clinton did not hide his annoyance .
`` They should have more pressing business , '' he said of British officials when asked about the controversy during a morning jog in Little Rock , Arkansas .
That very same day , 6 December 1992 , Major wrote a letter of apology to the US president-elect .
According to a copy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the UK National Archives , the British premier said he was `` disturbed by reports which have appeared about enquiries by our Home Office relating back to your time at Oxford '' .
`` I am only sorry , '' Major added , `` that it has been played up now in a mischievous way .
I hope the mischief will be short-lived . ''
There is no indication that Clinton responded .
Later that month , Major flew to Washington on an official working visit .
He had hoped to mend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Clinton declined to meet him - the Washington Post described it as a snub .
With the so-called special relationship on ice , Labour MPs jeered the prime minister in the House of Commons in February 1993 as he denied taking sides in a US election .
Margaret Beckett , the opposition 's deputy leader , was among members of Parliament who shook her head sceptically at Major 's explanation .
`` No I did n't buy it , '' the MP for Derby South tells the BBC , remembering that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I thought at the very least there must have been a nod and wink [ between the US and UK ] .
`` And probably a bit more than a nod and a wink , 'if you can find something , George [ HW Bush ] might be rather grateful ' .
`` Because it [ the Home Office records search ] seemed to me like the kind of thing most civil servants would be fairly wary about doing . ''
Whosever idea it was , Beckett says , it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a statement to the BBC , Major - now a knight of the realm - denied approving the Home Office file search .
His spokeswoman , Dame Arabella Warburton , says : `` Sir John did , indeed , have a close working and personal relationship with President George HW Bush .
`` However , Sir John neither sanctioned , nor had any knowledge of , Home Office checks being carried out on George Bush 's Presidential rival Bill Clinton . ''
No-one in the Bush camp set any UK official to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's closet , insists Charles Black , who was a senior adviser to the president 's re-election bid .
`` I 'm pretty confident that nobody in the campaign asked for it , '' he tells the BBC .
`` It did n't come up in the meetings I had with the [ UK ] Conservatives , so maybe somebody in the [ US ] government did . ''
The two top Tory apparatchiks who flew to Washington were Sir John Lacy and Mark Fullbrook .
Lacy died in 2009 and Fullbrook declined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pinkerton , who was deputy assistant to Bush and worked on the campaign , thinks his former boss ' hands were clean .
`` Bush was an ethical , honest guy , '' he tells the BBC , `` and if you said to him , we 're going to do a dirty trick to help you win , he would 've said , no . ''
But despite his reputation for civility and decency , `` the last gentleman '' - as Bush 's admirers call him - did not always measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In his political life , he was fully prepared to fight dirty to win , as evidenced by the infamously race-baiting attacks he launched in 1988 to tar his then-Democratic challenger , Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis , as soft on crime .
Bush effectively blamed his rival for the torture and rape of a white couple by a black felon , Willie Horton , who had failed to return to prison after being allowed out on a weekend-release programme .
And as Ronald Reagan 's deputy , Bush blatantly lied when insisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' on the administration 's secret effort to trade arms with Iran for hostages in violation of its own policy .
`` I 'm one of the few people who know the details , '' the vice-president had confided to his diary .
George Herbert Walker Bush - who died one year ago , aged 94 - was an intensely competitive man .
In 1980 , as his dream of capturing the Republican presidential nomination began to slip away in the wake of defeat to Reagan in New Hampshire , Bush penned a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I WILL NEVER GIVE UP .
NEVER .
NEVER , '' it said in bold scrawl .
He gave up three months later .
Sidney Blumenthal , a historian and former Clinton White House aide , tells the BBC that `` of course '' the Home Office files search was done at the behest of the British government in cahoots with team Bush .
He notes that former Bush chief of staff James Baker - who declined to speak to the BBC for this article - stated in a 1992 memo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times , that the commander-in-chief would not have enlisted the UK to aid his campaign .
`` And yet somehow the Home Office went ahead , '' Blumenthal archly adds .
`` Hard to believe that they [ the British government ] would do this entirely unbidden . ''
The UK action might be dismissed as the suspected rogue meddling of an over-zealous ally , except that it was mirrored by a simultaneous muck-raking exercise within the Bush administration .
Just as the Republican president was making an issue of his rival 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a government warehouse in suburban Maryland was being scoured for damaging information on Clinton , and even his mother .
This scandal came to be known as Passportgate .
A stinging Department of State inspector general report would later implicate two Bush political appointees in having Clinton 's documents unsealed .
It was a fruitless bid to find out if the Democrat had ever considered renouncing his US citizenship during the Vietnam conflict .
While the watchdog did not establish the White House had directly instigated the invasion of privacy , it found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activity '' , yet did nothing to stop it .
Baker was cleared three years later of any `` criminal intent '' in the matter by an independent counsel investigation set up under then-and-current US Attorney General William Barr .
Beyond the suspicions , no concrete proof has emerged of collusion between Bush and Major in the US election of '92 .
But even if there was , is n't what President Trump allegedly did - brazenly soliciting the interference of a foreign government , Ukraine , to harm the election prospects of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden - worse ?
Not under US campaign finance law , according to Ann Ravel , former commissioner of the Federal Election Commission .
It is illegal for anyone to seek or accept anything of value from a foreign national in an American election , she points out .
Ms Ravel , who led the federal regulator in 2015 , tells the BBC : `` It would be the equivalent of what we 're seeing now [ with Trump ] because obviously it would be a request by the Bush White House for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign . ''
Though so much about the Trump presidency is said to be unprecedented , foreign interference in elections - with the occasional connivance of unscrupulous US office-seekers - is as old as the American republic itself .
As he pursued his own political ambitions , Founding Father Thomas Jefferson enabled outrageous French meddling in US internal affairs .
When President George Washington infuriated Paris by forging a peace treaty with Great Britain in 1794 , Jefferson briefed against his commander-in-chief to the French ambassador , who was trying to wreck the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1797 , Jefferson was suspected of treason when he undercut his boss by sabotaging Franco-American peace talks , again via diplomatic back channels .
How prescient that a decade earlier Adams had written to a friend in France : `` As often as Elections happen , the danger of foreign Influence recurs . ''
That letter was addressed to Jefferson .
More on US presidents • What Trump has in common with Lincoln and Ferris Bueller • Was James Buchanan really the worst president ?

Though so much about the Trump presidency is said to be unprecedented, foreign interference in elections - with the occasional connivance of unscrupulous US office-seekers - is as old as the American republic itself.


bbcuk--2020-01-03--Instagram vertoramas show world in a 'different way'

`` I want my photography to stand out by showing people the world in a different way . ''
That is Sarah Fouracres ' aim when she posts her vertoramas on Instagram .
A vertorama is a vertical panorama , a photograph that sweeps from the ceiling to the floor and is particularly well suited to grand locations like cathedrals and stately homes .
`` I 'd seen a couple of accounts on Instagram that featured vertoramas and was always fascinated by them , '' she said .
`` It was after an Instameet at Norwich Cathedral , where I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they looked just the same as everybody else 's , that I wanted to find a technique to make my images stand out and showcase the enormous scale of the building . ''
Fouracres , based in Norfolk , challenged herself in April to shoot her first vertorama on a return visit to the cathedral - and has been shooting them since .
`` Most of the time I have a good idea of how they will look but every now and again they throw me a surprise and I 'm like : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' , '' she said .
Sarah 's pictures , taken on a DSLR ( digital single-lens reflex ) camera are usually made up of seven to 15 frames stitched together , with each frame made of three shots taken at different exposure levels - therefore each vertorama can contain between 21 and 45 separate images .
`` These over- and under-exposed images are blended with a correctly exposed show to create a frame with High Dynamic Range ( HDR ) - essentially , an image that mimics how the human eye sees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shooting the images takes Sarah only a few minutes .
`` It 's the post-production workflow that 's the time-consuming part and it can take several hours before I 'm happy with the final image . ''
And the hardest thing about shooting a vertorama ?
`` Finding spaces clear of people , '' said Sarah .
`` Having the odd person in frame can give a great sense of scale to an image but when a location is very crowded it can be a bit frustrating , so get up early and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
You may also be interested in : See more of Sarah Fouracres ' images on Instagram

Image caption,
"The stained glass windows here at the Sainte Chapelle, Paris, are some of the most beautiful in the world... Vertoramas are classically curved so by standing with my back to the east curved architecture and working with the perspective rather than against it I knew this would exaggerate the sense of height."


bbcuk--2020-01-07--Reynhard Sinaga: Who is the Manchester rapist?

Reynhard Sinaga has been called `` the most prolific rapist in British legal history '' by the Crown Prosecution Service @ @ @ @ @ was convicted of 159 sex offences , including 136 rapes .
He will `` never @ @ @ @ @ '' , a judge said .
Sinaga was found guilty of luring 48 men from @ @ @ @ @ flat , where he drugged and assaulted them - filming the attacks .
The BBC @ @ @ @ @ Judith Moritz reports on the case .
Read more : The sexual predator who waited @ @

Reynhard Sinaga has been called "the most prolific rapist in British legal history" by the Crown Prosecution Service.
The 36-year-old Indonesian national was convicted of 159 sex offences, including 136 rapes. He will "never be safe to be released", a judge said.
Sinaga was found guilty of luring 48 men from outside Manchester clubs to his flat, where he drugged and assaulted them - filming the attacks.
The BBC's North of England correspondent Judith Moritz reports on the case.
Read more: The sexual predator who waited outside nightclubs


bbcuk--2020-01-07--UK working to 'de-escalate' Iran tensions - Raab

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says a war between the US and Iran would `` only benefit terrorist groups '' and @ @ @ @ @ to find a `` diplomatic route '' through the situation .

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says a war between the US and Iran would "only benefit terrorist groups" and the UK government is determined to find a "diplomatic route" through the situation.


bbcuk--2020-01-06--Norfolk cliff collapse: Aerial footage shows caravans on the edge

A landslide has left three caravans teetering on the brink after a cliff collapse .
It is estimated an area @ @ @ @ @ two football pitches fell on to the North Sea shore .
Only one of the @ @ @ @ @ Park in Norfolk was in use at the time .

A landslide has left three caravans teetering on the brink after a cliff collapse.
It is estimated an area of land the size of two football pitches fell on to the North Sea shore.
Only one of the caravans at Trimingham House Caravan Park in Norfolk was in use at the time.
Nobody was injured.


bbcuk--2020-01-07--Alpacas dine out on donated Christmas tree feast

A herd of alpacas has given a new meaning to finishing Christmas leftovers after it was found they enjoy eating @ @ @ @ @ Paula Smith , from Ashbourne , have 19 alpacas which regard the trees as a @ @ @ @ @ social media appeal has seen more than 50 trees donated and the animals can nibble @ @ @ @ @ rather bellies - are content .
The stripped trunks are then tied to fences where @ @ @ @ @ scratching posts .

A herd of alpacas has given a new meaning to finishing Christmas leftovers after it was found they enjoy eating festive trees.
Greg and Paula Smith, from Ashbourne, have 19 alpacas which regard the trees as a tasty snack.
Now a social media appeal has seen more than 50 trees donated and the animals can nibble until their hearts - or rather bellies - are content.
The stripped trunks are then tied to fences where the alpacas use them as scratching posts.


bbcuk--2020-01-06--British stars won big in film and TV at the Golden Globes

A raft of British stars had acceptance speeches to make at this year 's Golden Globes ceremony in Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ co-star Andrew Soctt , after winning two awards for sitcom Fleabag .
Olivia Colman said @ @ @ @ @ `` won someone 's else 's award '' after being named best actress in a @ @ @ @ @ Queen in The Crown .
And Sam Mendes dedicated his award - best film director @ @ @ @ @ 1917 - to his grandfather .

This video has expired because of rights reasons.
A raft of British stars had acceptance speeches to make at this year's Golden Globes ceremony in Los Angeles.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge hailed her co-star Andrew Soctt, after winning two awards for sitcom Fleabag.
Olivia Colman said she felt like she'd "won someone's else's award" after being named best actress in a drama series for playing The Queen in The Crown.
And Sam Mendes dedicated his award - for best film director for World War I epic 1917 - to his grandfather.


bbcuk--2020-01-07--Male rape survivor: 'I just wanted to die'

Sam Thompson was raped by two men after getting separated from his girlfriend during a night out in Manchester in @ @ @ @ @ his story , following the conviction of Reynhard Sinaga , who was jailed for life @ @ @ @ @ - who was not assaulted by Sinaga - hopes to challenge the stigma around male @ @ @ @ @ to BBC Breakfast .
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this @ @ @ @ @ can be found at BBC Action Line .
Greater Manchester Police said anyone who believes @ @ @ @ @ by Sinaga can report information online or call its police line on 0800 092 0410 @ @ @ @ @ or 0207 158 0124 from abroad .

Sam Thompson was raped by two men after getting separated from his girlfriend during a night out in Manchester in 2016.
He's retelling his story, following the conviction of Reynhard Sinaga, who was jailed for life for 136 rapes.
Sam - who was not assaulted by Sinaga - hopes to challenge the stigma around male rape.
He was talking to BBC Breakfast.
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this video, help and support can be found at BBC Action Line.
Greater Manchester Police said anyone who believes they might have been attacked by Sinaga can report information online or call its police line on 0800 092 0410 from inside the UK, or 0207 158 0124 from abroad.


bbcuk--2020-01-07--The Papers: UK's 'worst ever rapist' and Iran crisis deepens

The face of the serial sex attacker , Reynhard Sinaga , looks out from many of the front pages , alongside reports of the multiple life sentences he has received for drugging and assaulting 48 men he met outside nightclubs in Manchester .
The Daily Mirror calls him `` Britain 's worst ever rapist '' .
The Daily Mail 's headline asks `` How many more did he rape ? ''
The Guardian has been speaking to his friends .
One describes him as `` nice , meek and inoffensive '' .
Another calls him a `` sweet , happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strike that killed an Iranian commander , the situation of British and American troops in Iraq is the main story for the Times , the Daily Telegraph and the Guardian .
The Times says Britain is stepping up contingency plans to evacuate military personnel and civilians from Iraq because of growing fears of attacks .
It says around 20 military advisors have been sent to the embassy in Baghdad , where they are mapping out withdrawal routes .
The Mirror reports that Royal Navy warships are closely escorting UK tankers in the Gulf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submarines .
It says lranian mini-subs which could sink British vessels have been spotted preparing to launch from the Republican Guards ' submarine base in the Strait of Hormuz .
The New Statesman 's political correspondent , Patrick Maguire , assesses the chances of Rebecca Long-Bailey in the Labour leadership race .
He says the decision by the Labour Party chairman , Ian Lavery , not to stand leaves her in a strong position to reach the final ballot of members .
But he says positioning herself on the left as a continuity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month 's election result - and that rival campaigns do n't believe she will have enough support to win the final contest .
Reflecting on the future of the party , the Guardian says the leadership contest must be conducted with honesty and humility .
It believes Labour `` must become a broad church again '' and that there is `` no quick fix '' after its momentous defeat .
The Mirror fears the leadership election is being rushed through to ensure the machine behind last month 's crushing election defeat keeps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wiser to `` reflect first , elect second '' and to invest more thought and time in deciding who would win a general election .
The Financial Times claims spending on science is set to grow quickly and become more adventurous post-Brexit .
It says the government is planning to create a new state-backed agency to promote ambitious `` high risk , high reward '' experiments and that many senior research scientists are warming towards Boris Johnson 's administration .
The Times reports that up to 40 % of trains connecting the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scotland have been cancelled this month because of the late delivery of new carriages .
TransPennine Express already has one of the worst punctuality records on the network with only 38 % of trains arriving on time .
Now it is axing large numbers of trains serving Liverpool , Manchester , Leeds , York , Durham , Newcastle and Edinburgh .
The shadow transport secretary , Andy McDonald , describes the cancellations as `` shameful '' .

The Times says Britain is stepping up contingency plans to evacuate military personnel and civilians from Iraq because of growing fears of attacks. It says around 20 military advisors have been sent to the embassy in Baghdad, where they are mapping out withdrawal routes.


bbcuk--2020-01-07--Koko Camden: Fire engulfs famous music venue

One of London 's most famous music venues has been badly damaged in an overnight blaze .
The dome on the roof of Koko in Camden has been destroyed by fire , according to the London Fire Brigade .
Sixty firefighters helped fight the flames after the blaze broke out just before 21:00 GMT on Monday and no injuries have been reported .
The venue which began life as the Camden Theatre in 1900 has hosted stars including Madonna , Coldplay and Prince .
Station commander Jon Lewis said the fire was brought under control at about 02:30 on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action and hard work in the early stages meant the fire was contained to the roof and saved the rest of the building . ''
• Koko Camden : 'If only those walls could talk' Koko owner Olly Bengough said he was `` deeply saddened '' by the blaze , adding : `` We 'll be doing our best to get the redevelopment of this iconic building back on track . ''
Crews will remain at the scene throughout the day and have warned people to stay away from the area .
Koko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also previously known as the Camden Palace and Camden Hippodrome and has been one of the capital 's most iconic live music venues for decades .
The Rolling Stones , The Clash and Ed Sheeran are among other star names to have performed at the venue , which is close to Mornington Crescent underground station .
It was reportedly the last venue where AC/DC 's Bon Scott was seen drinking before his death from alcohol poisoning in 1980 .
In the early 80s it served as a major venue for the punk and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strange of the band Visage holding club nights .
Members of the public have been sharing their Koko memories on Twitter .
Marc Rustic was `` absolutely gutted '' having seen his first grime gig at Koko .
`` MoStack was performing and it was honestly the best night of my life , '' he added .
Veteran DJ Tony Blackburn who held his legendary soul nights Shakatak also tweeted about the fire .
Koko and the nearby Roundhouse effectively `` bookended '' Camden 's music scene , according to music writer Carl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 music venues including the Dingwalls and Electric Ballroom , as well as restaurants and pubs .
On Twitter the Roundhouse said it was `` really sad '' to hear the news about our Camden neighbours .
Camden Council leader Georgia Gould said : `` Heartbreaking watching the Camden Palace/Koko up in flames this evening , a building that holds so many memories and means so much to us in Camden . ''
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan thanked the fire brigade for its quick response .
The venue was set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major state-of-the-art '' refurbishment , after the purchase of two adjacent buildings .
Do you have memories of attending gigs at Koko ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.


bbcuk--2020-01-07--March UK budget 'disrespects devolution,' says Derek Mackay

UK government plans for a March budget are `` disrespectful to devolution '' and could have `` profound consequences '' for Scotland , Derek Mackay has warned .
Chancellor Sajid Javid has announced he will set out his tax and spending plans on 11 March .
Scottish ministers want to see these plans before drawing up their own , but will now have little time to do so .
Mr Mackay , the Scottish finance secretary , said the move was `` really disrespectful '' to Holyrood .
Scottish councils need to set their budgets by 11 March , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Mr Javid warning of `` catastrophic risks '' to local services .
A date for the Scottish budget will be announced in due course , with Mr Mackay in talks with other parties and the Scottish Fiscal Commission about how to respond to these `` exceptional circumstances '' .
Mr Mackay was originally due to set out his budget plans on 12 December , but that was delayed because of the snap general election which was held on that date .
He wants to see the details of Mr Javid 's budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , given the impact of UK finances on the Scottish budget .
He told BBC Scotland : `` We may have clarity over a date , but we do n't have clarity over the numbers that might compose a budget . ''
He added : `` This is really disrespectful to devolution , to Scotland 's parliament and people , in setting a UK budget so late .
`` It shows the UK government has n't considered devolution , has n't considered our agreements or the impact on Scotland 's public services , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profound consequences . ''
Mr Mackay added : `` The failure of the UK government to publish its budget at an earlier time means we do not have clarity on the funding available for our schools , hospitals and other vital public services .
Despite this , we remain focused on introducing a Scottish budget for 2020-21 at the earliest practical opportunity . ''
Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said he was `` encouraging colleagues in the Treasury to put forward as much information as possible about future spending plans , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to present a budget '' .
During Treasury questions at Westminster , Mr Javid was accused by SNP Treasury spokeswoman Alison Thewliss of giving `` absolutely no thought to Scotland at all '' .
The Chancellor replied : `` In the election we 've just had we talked time and time again about the need to unleash the entire UK , and of course that includes all of Scotland .
`` Where Scotland has been let down time and time again is by the SNP government - which is giving Scottish people the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst set of public services . ''
Why is the UK budget so important to the Scottish one ?
Despite fiscal powers including income tax being devolved to Holyrood , the UK budget process still has a huge bearing on the Scottish one .
To start with , how much the UK government spends on each department has implications for the block grant - the package of funding allocated to Holyrood via the Barnett Formula .
The forecasts of tax revenues from the Office for Budget Responsibility - which come out alongside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the block grant , as they form part of the calculations underpinning the devolved tax system .
There is also the issue of the gap between the Scottish and UK tax systems - if Mr Javid decided , for example , to cut the higher rate of tax , Mr Mackay would have to decide whether to follow suit , or widen the gulf between what higher earners pay north and south of the border .
He contends that he can not make an informed decision until he has seen the full picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually a hard deadline on the Scottish budget process - the end of the current financial year .
Unless a `` rate resolution '' setting out income tax rates and bands is passed by 1 April , the devolved income tax system ceases to apply .
The rulebook as it stands does n't provide for this happening .
The Chartered Institute of Taxation says it would see Scotland `` effectively foregoing its ability to set its own income tax rates '' .
There are other practical hurdles too , such as drawing up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this process stretches out over a period of months , with each Holyrood committee carrying out scrutiny of spending on their particular portfolio and MSPs holding debates in the chamber .
This year , the parliamentary part of the process might have to be pushed through in a matter of days - leaving little time for scrutiny or deal-making between parties .
Do n't councils have to set tax rates too ?
Mr Javid 's chosen date for his budget , 11 March , is also the legal deadline for Scottish councils to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders are concerned that they will have to set these rates `` blind '' , due to a knock-on effect of MSPs not knowing how much money they can allocate to local authorities , because they do n't know how much money they have to work with .
Cosla 's resources spokeswoman Gail Macgregor - a Conservative councillor - said a March UK budget `` runs the risk of delaying the Scottish government 's budget '' .
She added : `` This significantly impedes the ability for local authorities to formulate their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disadvantaged '' .
Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken said the UK government `` has given not a single passing thought to Scottish public services '' , while Dundee 's John Alexander said the timing was `` beyond ridiculous '' .
How could this be resolved ?
It is theoretically possible for Mr Mackay to set his budget before the UK government one comes out , although the Fraser of Allander Institute think-tank has called this approach `` risky '' given the potential for last-minute changes .
The UK government has insisted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to set his budget any time he likes .
He replies that there has been `` absolutely no engagement '' to make this possible .
Ultimately the deadline of the tax rate resolution means the matter must be settled by the end of March , but Scottish government officials point to the March 11 deadline for councils as equally important .
They are considering a range of possible responses , including potentially changing the law to give councils more time to set budgets .
There could be a middle route , where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to draw up the bulk of their plans .
This could in turn be passed on to councils , so they can set their tax rates , with the formal work of actually passing the budget bill at Holyrood put off until after Mr Javid makes everything official in March .
However , the truncated timetable will also add extra pressure to the annual issue of whether the minority SNP administration can strike a deal with opposition parties to actually pass a budget bill .

UK budget date is 'disrespectful to devolution', says Derek Mackay Published 7 January 2020
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Derek Mackay says a delay to the UK budget could have "profound consequences" for Scotland
UK government plans for a March budget are "disrespectful to devolution" and could have "profound consequences" for Scotland, Derek Mackay has warned.
Chancellor Sajid Javid has announced he will set out his tax and spending plans on 11 March.
Scottish ministers want to see these plans before drawing up their own, but will now have little time to do so.
Mr Mackay, the Scottish finance secretary, said the move was "really disrespectful" to Holyrood.
Scottish councils need to set their budgets by 11 March, and local government umbrella body Cosla has written to Mr Javid warning of "catastrophic risks" to local services.
A date for the Scottish budget will be announced in due course, with Mr Mackay in talks with other parties and the Scottish Fiscal Commission about how to respond to these "exceptional circumstances".
Mr Mackay was originally due to set out his budget plans on 12 December, but that was delayed because of the snap general election which was held on that date.
He wants to see the details of Mr Javid's budget before he sets out his own plans, given the impact of UK finances on the Scottish budget.
He told BBC Scotland: "We may have clarity over a date, but we don't have clarity over the numbers that might compose a budget."
He added: "This is really disrespectful to devolution, to Scotland's parliament and people, in setting a UK budget so late.
"It shows the UK government hasn't considered devolution, hasn't considered our agreements or the impact on Scotland's public services, not least local government. Those are profound consequences."
Image source, PA Media Image caption, Chancellor Sajid Javid will deliver the UK government's Budget on 11 March
Mr Mackay added: "The failure of the UK government to publish its budget at an earlier time means we do not have clarity on the funding available for our schools, hospitals and other vital public services. Despite this, we remain focused on introducing a Scottish budget for 2020-21 at the earliest practical opportunity."
During Treasury questions at Westminster, Mr Javid was accused by SNP Treasury spokeswoman Alison Thewliss of giving "absolutely no thought to Scotland at all".
The Chancellor replied: "In the election we've just had we talked time and time again about the need to unleash the entire UK, and of course that includes all of Scotland.
"Where Scotland has been let down time and time again is by the SNP government - which is giving Scottish people the highest taxes in the UK and the worst set of public services."
A Treasury spokesman later added: "Nothing stops the Scottish Parliament from passing their budget before the UK budget. We are working with the Scottish government as part of an agreed process to provide the information they need to prepare their budget."
Why is the UK budget so important to the Scottish one?
Despite fiscal powers including income tax being devolved to Holyrood, the UK budget process still has a huge bearing on the Scottish one.
To start with, how much the UK government spends on each department has implications for the block grant - the package of funding allocated to Holyrood via the Barnett Formula.
The forecasts of tax revenues from the Office for Budget Responsibility - which come out alongside the budget - also have a bearing on the block grant, as they form part of the calculations underpinning the devolved tax system.
There is also the issue of the gap between the Scottish and UK tax systems - if Mr Javid decided, for example, to cut the higher rate of tax, Mr Mackay would have to decide whether to follow suit, or widen the gulf between what higher earners pay north and south of the border. He contends that he cannot make an informed decision until he has seen the full picture.
What's the process at Holyrood?
Unlike at Westminster, there is actually a hard deadline on the Scottish budget process - the end of the current financial year.
Unless a "rate resolution" setting out income tax rates and bands is passed by 1 April, the devolved income tax system ceases to apply.
The rulebook as it stands doesn't provide for this happening. The Chartered Institute of Taxation says it would see Scotland "effectively foregoing its ability to set its own income tax rates".
There are other practical hurdles too, such as drawing up and passing a Budget Bill. Normally this process stretches out over a period of months, with each Holyrood committee carrying out scrutiny of spending on their particular portfolio and MSPs holding debates in the chamber.
This year, the parliamentary part of the process might have to be pushed through in a matter of days - leaving little time for scrutiny or deal-making between parties.
Don't councils have to set tax rates too?
Mr Javid's chosen date for his budget, 11 March, is also the legal deadline for Scottish councils to set their local tax rates.
Council leaders are concerned that they will have to set these rates "blind", due to a knock-on effect of MSPs not knowing how much money they can allocate to local authorities, because they don't know how much money they have to work with.
Cosla's resources spokeswoman Gail Macgregor - a Conservative councillor - said a March UK budget "runs the risk of delaying the Scottish government's budget".
She added: "This significantly impedes the ability for local authorities to formulate their own budgets, meaning Scotland's communities are disadvantaged".
Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken said the UK government "has given not a single passing thought to Scottish public services", while Dundee's John Alexander said the timing was "beyond ridiculous".
How could this be resolved?
It is theoretically possible for Mr Mackay to set his budget before the UK government one comes out, although the Fraser of Allander Institute think-tank has called this approach "risky" given the potential for last-minute changes.
The UK government has insisted that it can give Mr Mackay enough information to set his budget any time he likes. He replies that there has been "absolutely no engagement" to make this possible.
Ultimately the deadline of the tax rate resolution means the matter must be settled by the end of March, but Scottish government officials point to the March 11 deadline for councils as equally important.
They are considering a range of possible responses, including potentially changing the law to give councils more time to set budgets.
There could be a middle route, where the Treasury gives Scottish officials enough ballpark information to draw up the bulk of their plans. This could in turn be passed on to councils, so they can set their tax rates, with the formal work of actually passing the budget bill at Holyrood put off until after Mr Javid makes everything official in March.


bbcuk--2020-01-07--Larne Grammar School pupil in hospital after stabbing incident

A teenage boy has been taken to hospital following a stabbing at a County Antrim grammar school .
It happened @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday morning .
A 13-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm @ @ @ @ @ weapon .
The victim - another pupil - was taken to the Royal Belfast Hospital @ @ @ @ @ condition is not believed to be life threatening .
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said @ @ @ @ @ at 11:21 GMT .
One crew attended the scene on the Lower Cairncastle Road and @ @ @ @ @ hospital .
Larne Grammar School said it had no comment to make at this time @ @ @ @ @ statement later .
The school contacted parents and guardians through a text message in which @ @ @ @ @ an incident at the school .
It said the incident was now over and school @ @ @ @ @

"This is the first time that an incident of this nature has occurred in school and the thoughts of the entire school community are with the injured pupil and his family."


bbcuk--2020-01-07--NHS in Wales 'faces more pressure than ever'

The NHS in Wales is under more pressure than ever , a nurses ' leader has said .
It comes after Hywel Dda health board cancelled planned operations at four hospitals following `` an extraordinary weekend '' of added pressure .
Helen Whyley , director for the Royal College of Nursing in Wales , said : `` I speak to members regularly across Wales and the pressure is more than it has ever been .
`` There 's a number of complex reasons for that , '' she added .
`` What it means is , on the frontline for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real battle to make sure patients get the care they require , '' Mrs Whyley told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast with Claire Summers .
She called for `` everyone to get back in the room '' to see `` what more can be done to make sure these pressures are alleviated '' across Wales .
Hywel Dda said `` critical pressures '' had been felt across A & E departments , GPs and community services over the weekend .
Ceri Phillips , a professor of health economics at Swansea University , said `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unplanned hospital admissions were `` very difficult to plan for '' .
Although the NHS is under pressure all year round , the period after Christmas and the first few weeks of New Year is often the most difficult , as staff try to deal with significant numbers of seriously ill patients .
There are several reasons for this .
As a result of the festive season 's bank holidays , there has been reduced access to community services such as GP services and social care services which can cause logjams to develop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people might also put off getting a potential health problem checked out .
And pressures are also caused because of winter bugs , with the current flu season already looking worse than last year .
The Welsh Government said it had given £30m to health boards to provide extra capacity this winter .
Helen Mary Jones , Plaid Cymru 's spokesperson on health and AM for Mid and West Wales , said added pressure , such as hospital patients unable to be discharged into the community , had created `` a real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hwyel Dda health board area .
She said Wales ' health boards should be allowed to share staff to pool resources .
`` We spend a huge amount of our budget on health , rightly , here in Wales ... and we are still not getting it right and that ca n't be allowed to carry on , '' she said .
On Monday , the health board cancelled operations at Bronglais , Glangwili , Prince Philip and Withybush hospitals `` in the interest of patient safety '' .
Bosses said staff would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including contacting those on leave .
Figures published last month showed accident and emergency performance at hospitals in Wales was at a record low for the third month running and the Welsh Ambulance Service failed to meet its response time target for the first time in four years .
Angela Burns , the Welsh Conservatives ' shadow health minister , said : `` It seems that Wales ' NHS suffers from extraordinary pressures month in , month out . ''
Cardiff and Vale health board and Swansea Bay health board said services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as usual on Tuesday .
Have you experienced long waits in A & E or had your surgery cancelled ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

He added: "Last year we were able to carry on operating through the winter months but this year it has been even more challenging and I really want to thank our staff on the front line who've gone the extra mile.


bbcuk--2020-01-07--Reynhard Sinaga: Father of rapist says ‘punishment fits his crimes’

The father of Reynhard Sinaga , the worst rapist in British legal history , has said his son 's punishment `` fits his crimes '' after he was jailed for life .
Sinaga , a 36-year-old PhD student from Indonesia , was found guilty of 159 sexual offences against 48 men .
He picked up his victims outside clubs in Manchester and lured them to his flat , where he drugged and assaulted them while filming the attacks .
On Monday , a judge jailed Sinaga for life , with a minimum term of 30 years .
As Sinaga 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his fate , they have painted a picture of his life in Indonesia before he became a serial sexual predator .
Speaking for the first time , his father Saibun Sinaga told BBC Indonesia over the phone : `` We accept the verdict .
His punishment fits his crimes .
I do n't want to discuss the case any further . ''
• How the Manchester rapist found his victims Sinaga 's friends at the University of Indonesia say he was a flamboyant and popular student .
`` He was very social , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fun to work on projects with , '' one friend , who wished not to be named , said .
She lost contact with him when he went abroad to continue his studies in the UK in 2007 .
Sinaga is said to have fallen in love with the city of Manchester and told his family that he wanted to live in Britain forever .
Living close to Manchester 's Gay Village , he was able to express his sexuality openly in a way that was impossible to do back in Indonesia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sinaga was born in 1983 into a conservative Christian family , part of the Batak tribe from the island of Sumatra .
His father is a wealthy businessman , who owns several branches of a private bank .
It was his father 's money that allowed Sinaga to be a perpetual fee-paying international student for more than 10 years , up until his arrest on 2 June 2017 .
Sinaga 's father also financed his flat on Princess Street , in the heart of Manchester 's city centre .
His mother was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of Sinaga 's trials .
She came to the first pre-trial hearing , but was not present for any of the four trials her son insisted on putting his victims through by pleading not guilty .
She did , however , write a character witness statement , which was presented in his defence .
Are you affected by this ?
BBC Action Line has support and more information on emotional distress Greater Manchester Police say anyone who believes they may have been attacked by Sinaga can report information online or call their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside the UK or 0207 158 0124 from abroad .
The force says anyone in need of support from specialist agencies can call 0800 056 0154 from within the UK or 0207 158 0011 from abroad .
`` His family describe him as a good , very bright , religious boy who was a regular churchgoer , '' said Gulfan Afero , a consular official at the Indonesian embassy in London .
When sentencing him to life in prison , Judge Suzanne Goddard QC noted the reference and said directly to Sinaga that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true nature '' .
Police say they have evidence Sinaga targeted at least 190 victims in total .
Further potential victims have come forward following his sentencing by contacting a dedicated helpline .
In Indonesia , news of Sinaga 's crimes has elicited shock and anger .
The story has gone viral , and on Monday , Sinaga became a trending topic when news of his sentencing broke .
His family home has been swamped by the media .
Many Indonesians took to social media to say Sinaga had brought shame on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some called for him to face the death penalty ( abolished in Britain in 1965 ) .
Others in Indonesia questioned his mental state on social media .
But Mr Afero , who met Sinaga during the trial , said he was in a sound state of mind .
`` I met him three times in prison and he looked happy , healthy and calm , '' Mr Afero said .
`` He understands what he 's facing and he showed no remorse because he insists he is not guilty .
Therefore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The judge dismissed Sinaga 's defence that his victims had consented to sex with him , calling it `` ludicrous '' and `` nonsense '' .
Indonesians have also taken note of the processes in place in the UK to protect rape victims , such as psychological counselling and anonymity in media reports .
`` Take note of the way in England the victims are given counselling and trauma healing , while in Indonesia rape victims are always blamed and shamed ! ''
wrote one person on social media .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not saying the victims were wearing 'too-sexy clothes ' . ''
For Indonesia 's LGBT community , Sinaga 's case could not come at a worse time .
While homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia , in recent years there has been a wave of rising intolerance and hatred directed towards the community .
On social media , some people have been accused of posting homophobic slurs in response to news articles about Sinaga 's case .
Gay rights activist Hartoyo told the BBC he feared the case `` may be used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or further attacks on the gay community '' .
`` Even though it 's clear that this is a criminal case that has nothing to do with the perpetrator 's sexuality .
This is about an evil person and I hope the local media makes that clear , '' he said .
• No place to hide for LGBT people in Indonesia 's Aceh province Like many people in Indonesia and Britain , Hartoyo said he was struggling to `` understand why [ Sinaga ] did it '' , adding he was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Indonesian officials say they have no evidence that Sinaga committed sexual assault or rape before moving to the UK .

His mother was the only member of the family to attend one of Sinaga's trials. She came to the first pre-trial hearing, but was not present for any of the four trials her son insisted on putting his victims through by pleading not guilty.


bbcuk--2020-01-07--Ayia Napa Briton returns home after false rape claim sentence in Cyprus

A British woman found guilty of lying about being raped by a group of young Israelis in Cyprus has landed back in the UK .
The 19-year-old was given a four-month sentence , suspended for three years , and ordered to pay €148 ( £125 ) in legal fees by a court in Paralimni earlier .
She arrived at Heathrow airport with her mother but avoided waiting media .
Her lawyer said she is planning to appeal against her conviction and the case was `` not finished by any means '' .
The teenager was put on trial and convicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she had been raped by a group of 12 young men in a hotel room in July .
'We believe you ' : The women rallying for British teen She said Cypriot police had made her falsely confess to lying about the incident - something police have denied .
Following the sentencing , her lawyer , Lewis Power QC , said : `` We will be seeking an expedited appeal to the Supreme Court of Cyprus and we will also be considering going to the European Court of Human Rights .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in terms of how the trial progressed , the manner in which it was conducted , the initial police investigation and the fact that we feel she did not receive a fair trial . ''
In court on Tuesday , Judge Michalis Papathanasiou told the teenager he was giving her a `` second chance '' by suspending her sentence - allowing her to fly back to the UK .
He said the woman 's `` psychological state , her youth , that she has been away from her family , her friends and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to the decision .
BBC world affairs correspondent Caroline Hawley said the case `` has had diplomatic ramifications '' for Cyprus and the UK 's relationship .
Following the sentencing , Boris Johnson 's spokesman said the UK prime minister was `` pleased '' she could now return home .
However , Downing Street said the UK government had highlighted its `` concerns about the judicial process in this case and the woman 's right to a fair trial '' to the Cypriot authorities .
This is a case that has had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the teenager 's treatment by police and her trial and last week the Foreign Office took the unusual step of calling the case `` deeply distressing '' .
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab spoke to his Cypriot counterpart last Friday and the UK government says it will now be working with Cyprus to make sure a case like this can never happen again .
Cyprus , a former UK colony , attracts huge numbers of British holidaymakers every year and there have been calls for a boycott .
But it 's also a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Israel of late .
It recently signed a gas deal for a pipeline and that has led some to question whether this could have had any bearing on the handling of the whole case .
Campaigners also point out that a rape claim would potentially be a PR disaster for the holiday island .
The Briton 's conviction has also been met with a backlash from women 's rights groups in Cyprus , Israel and the UK .
Supporters from Cyprus and a group of 50 women who travelled from Israel gathered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding placards .
Orit Sulitzeanu , head of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel , told BBC News the conviction was `` unbelievable '' .
`` She is not to blame at all , '' Ms Sulitzeanu said .
`` This sentence reflects backward thinking and not understanding the dynamics of rape .
The judge here must learn what happens to the victim of sexual abuse . ''
Susana Pavlou , director at the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies in Cyprus , said the case had sparked a `` culture of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This year it has been revealed how broken our criminal justice system is - broadly in terms of police and social services response to violence against women , and the lack of specialist services .
`` It 's heartening to see how this has ignited women 's rights campaigners and a women 's rights movement focusing on this issue .
`` This is not going to go away , we will not be silenced . ''
The teenager told police she was raped on 17 July at the Pambos Napa Rocks Hotel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and returned home after she retracted her claims .
She was charged and spent about a month in prison before being granted bail in August ahead of her trial , at which she pleaded not guilty to causing public mischief by falsely accusing the group of raping her .

"It's been a nightmare for me, mum and everyone," she said. "What kept me going was my family and the amazing support of my friends and all other people who got in contact to say they believed me."


bbcuk--2020-01-07--Qasem Soleimani: UK puts ships and helicopters on standby in Gulf

The UK has put the Royal Navy and military helicopters on standby amid rising tensions in the Middle East , Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said .
The government was putting in place `` urgent measures '' to protect British nationals and interests in the region , Mr Wallace told the House of Commons .
He said non-essential UK personnel had also been moved out of Baghdad .
His statement comes in the wake of the US killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in Iraq on Friday .
Mr Wallace , answering questions from MPs on the growing crisis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides to `` de-escalate '' .
He said the Department for Transport was reviewing its advice to British shipping on a daily basis , while `` a small team '' had been sent to the region to provide assistance with `` situational awareness and contingency planning '' .
• Why kill Soleimani now and what happens next ?
When asked about the prospect of a UK military strike on Iran , he said he was `` not going to rule out anything '' .
He said if British citizens or armed service personnel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's response `` would no doubt be proportionate '' .
`` The UK will do what it has to do to defend its persons , its citizens and wherever it needs to do that .
That is our duty . ''
• How did US-Iranian ties get here ?
A basic guide • Does this mean war ?
Your questions answered and more • What does international law say about the killing ?
• Voices from Iran : 'Soleimani did not deserve such a fate' Asked by Labour MP Chi Onwurah about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' support of President Donald Trump - who ordered the drone strike - Mr Wallace said the support was `` not unquestioning at all '' .
He added : `` We are friends and allies but we are also critical friends and allies when it matters . ''
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of `` hiding behind his defence secretary '' by not making the Commons statement himself .
Mr Corbyn said that the US killing of Soleimani amounted to `` an illegal act '' and now what was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UN '' .
He said it was `` very odd '' that the prime minister `` could n't be bothered to come and answer questions '' in Parliament on the matter .
Responding , Mr Wallace said : `` This prime minister actually believes in a cabinet government and letting the members of the cabinet who are responsible for the policy come to the House to be able to answer the questions around the policy matter . ''
Ministers have been chorusing the case for constraint and there is a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the foreign secretary have been in touch with their counterparts in the region and in Europe and Boris Johnson has been on the phone to President Trump and to the Iraqi leadership .
But he has n't spoken publicly and he was conspicuous by his absence in the Commons today , which laid him open to mockery and accusations of weakness from Mr Corbyn .
The official line is ministers are being left to do their job .
Senior Conservatives point out that past prime ministers tended to be front and centre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of scale .
• Mr Wallace said the UK was working with European allies to `` reboot '' the Iran nuclear deal abandoned by the US • Asked about the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe , who has been in prison in Iran since 2016 , he said the government would do everything it could to try to get her released , adding that efforts were continuing on an `` almost daily basis '' • The prime minister spoke to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by phone about the situation , agreeing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nuclear weapon • The National Security Council was also meeting on Tuesday to discuss the growing crisis

Responding, Mr Wallace said: "This prime minister actually believes in a cabinet government and letting the members of the cabinet who are responsible for the policy come to the House to be able to answer the questions around the policy matter."


bbcuk--2020-01-07--Brexit: Johnson to stress trade deal deadline in EU meeting

Boris Johnson will stress the importance of the UK and EU reaching a trade deal by the end of the year in his first meeting with the new president of the European Commission .
The PM will hold talks with Ursula von der Leyen in Downing Street .
Once the UK leaves the EU on 31 January , the two sides will begin talks on their future economic relationship .
Mr Johnson has insisted a deal is possible by the end of 2020 and the process will not be extended .
After its 31 January exit , the UK will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which it will largely follow EU rules but will not have any representation in the bloc 's institutions .
This period will come to an end on 31 December 2020 .
Earlier in the Commons , the government rejected calls from Labour and the Lib Dems for Parliament to be given a vote on extending the transition period , if necessary , this summer to allow more time for negotiations .
Opposition MPs have warned that trade deals typically take years to conclude and , with relatively little time available , the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the start of 2021 , potentially leading to damaging tariffs for some industries .
But No 10 said Mr Johnson was expected to tell the EU president that he is confident of getting a deal and , having waited for more than three years to leave the EU , both British and EU citizens expect the next phase of trade negotiations to conclude on time .
Downing Street added that the PM was likely to underline to Mrs von der Leyen and the EU 's chief negotiator Michel Barnier that the objective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement rather than continued regulatory alignment .
Mrs von der Leyen , a former German defence minister , took over from Jean-Claude Juncker at the start of December .
She will set out her vision for future UK-EU relations in a speech at the London School of Economics .
In public , EU officials have said they will do all they can to reach agreement by the end of the year although , in private , many have cast doubt on whether this is possible without some difficult compromises .
Legislation implementing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to move through the Commons , with the government easily winning all three votes on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill on Tuesday .
The bill will enshrine in law the terms of the transition period , first negotiated by Mr Johnson 's predecessor Theresa May , as well as agreements on citizens ' rights , customs arrangements in Northern Ireland and the UK 's financial settlement .

"We will go as far as we can, but the truth is that our partnership cannot and will not be the same as before and it cannot and will not be as close as before because with every choice comes a consequences with every decision comes a trade off."