[ad_1] Image copyright AFP/Getty Image caption The Syrian army says it has completely surrounded the town of Douma, which has been under heavy bombardment US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has warned Syria it would be "very unwise" to use poison gas in Eastern Ghouta amid reports of chlorine attacks.Mr Mattis did not say President Trump would take military action, but the US struck Syria last April after a suspected gas
[ad_1] Image copyright Reuters Image caption Officials in protective suits examine the area where Mr Skripal and his daughter were found Police say a nerve agent was used in an attempt to murder the Russian former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury, Wiltshire. The pair are critically ill, along with a police officer who was among the first to attend the scene. But what are nerve agents
[ad_1] A group of restaurant bosses is warning the government it must act to avoid "damaging closures and job losses".In a letter to Chancellor Philip Hammond, they have asked for "root and branch" reform of business rates.The chief executive of Bills and the chairman of pub and restaurant chain Mitchells and Butlers are among the 15 who signed the letter.A string of chains including Jamie's Italian and Byron have closed
[ad_1] Image caption Churchgoers were killed in southern Rwanda, near the border with Burundi A lightning strike killed at least 16 people and injured dozens more at a Seventh-Day Adventist church in Rwanda on Saturday, an official said.Most of the victims died instantly when lightning hit the church in the southern district of Nyaruguru, local mayor Habitegeko Francois told AFP.Two people died from their injuries, and 140 people were rushed
[ad_1] Image copyright PA The Unite union has urged Ford to convert its UK engine plants to making electric cars and battery technology.Currently Ford makes engines for the Ford Fiesta and Jaguar Land Rover vehicles at Bridgend in South Wales and diesel engines in Dagenham in Essex.Both plants faces uncertainty, as Jaguar plans to build its own engines and demand for diesel cars has plunged.Unite wants to secure the future
[ad_1] Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionRussia's defence ministry released footage of the Kinzhal missile test-launch Russia says it has successfully test-launched a hypersonic missile, one of a range of nuclear-capable weapons announced by President Vladimir Putin earlier this month.The country's defence ministry released video footage showing the missile detaching from a fighter jet and leaving a fiery trail behind it. It said the intended target was
[ad_1] A mother of five who spends her spare time working as a retained firefighter says being a mum is "harder than tackling fires".Tania Robinson works with the retained crew at Saxmundham Fire Service in Suffolk.She described herself as "just a normal mum," adding: "It is definitely harder being a mum than a firefighter."He son James, 15, said: "My mum can do five things in one hour, can your mum
[ad_1] Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell says he won't be appearing on Russia Today any more and will encourage Labour colleagues to follow his lead.He told the BBC's Andrew Marr show the Kremlin-backed TV station had crossed a line after the Salisbury spy poisoning and gone beyond "objective journalism". [ad_2] Source link
[ad_1] Image caption Creative Scotland chief executive Janet Archer said the youth theatre would be able to apply for alternative funding The boss of Scotland's arts agency has said it may be able to help save the Scottish Youth Theatre from shutting under an alternative funding plan.The theatre has announced its immanent closure, after failing to secure regular funding from Creative Scotland.Creative Scotland chief executive Janet Archer told the BBC
[ad_1] Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionChancellor Philip Hammond: "There is light at the end of the tunnel" Chancellor Philip Hammond has rejected calls by Labour and some Conservatives to announce the end of austerity in his spring statement on Tuesday.He is expected to unveil the smallest budget deficit since 2002, thanks to better than expected public finances.But he told the BBC national debt was still too
