Private letters sent by the Prince of Wales to Labour ministers a decade ago have been published after a lengthy legal battle.

Clarence House said the move would "only inhibit" the prince's ability to express concerns.
In one letter to the prime minister, the prince said the armed forces were being asked to do a challenging job "without the necessary resources".
Release of the letters follows a decade-long campaign by the Guardian.
The 27 letters to seven government departments on wide-ranging subjects, including the dominance of supermarkets, badger culling and the herbal medicine sector, were written between September 2004 and April 2005.
A government veto on publication was declared unlawful by the Court of Appeal last year - a decision which was upheld by the Supreme Court in March.
In one letter to the prime minister from September 2004, the prince expressed concern that the Army Air Corps' ability to deploy equipment was being "frustrated by the poor performance of the existing Lynx aircraft in high temperatures".
"I fear that this is just one more example of where our Armed Forces are being asked to do an extremely challenging job (particularly in Iraq) without the necessary resources," he wrote.
The then Prime Minister Tony Blair replied a month later saying he found the prince's letter "constructive and thought provoking" and that the limitations of the existing Lynx helicopters were recognised by the Ministry of Defence.
In February 2005, Prince Charles wrote a letter to Mr Blair in which he said the "dominant position" of retailers was the "single biggest issue affecting British farmers and the food chain".
In response, Mr Blair said: "I have on occasion expressed precisely the concern about retailers' 'arm lock' on suppliers that you express so well. I know too that after something of an improvement things have recently got worse.
"As you may be aware (and this was the main reason why I have delayed writing until now) the OFT issued its report on this subject on Tuesday."
BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt
This is the briefest of glimpses of Charles, the lobbying prince.
And lobbying on an eye-watering range of subjects - historic buildings, herbal medicine, the albatross, healthy food and sustainable fishing.
It's a wonder the heir to the throne has time to sleep.
Royal officials insist he has done nothing inappropriate and at no stage, in any of the correspondence, did he stray into party political matters.
These letters have resonance and relevance because of his proximity to the throne.
Charles's challenge is that their content will not generate a unified response to the activities of a prince who'll one day occupy the unifying role of head of state.
His critics will accuse him of secret meddling.
His supporters insist he cares about the issues he raises and he is only doing his duty.
In the same letter, the prince said the rising number of tuberculosis (TB) cases in cattle was a "most pressing and urgent problem", which had been "caused and spread" by badgers.
He wrote: "I do urge you to look again at introducing a proper cull of badgers where it is necessary.
"I, for one, cannot understand how the 'badger lobby' seem to mind not at all about the slaughter of thousands of expensive cattle, and yet object to a managed cull of an over-population of badgers - to me, this is intellectually dishonest."
Prince Charles went on to write that an EU directive banning hundreds of traditional herbal remedies was "using a sledgehammer to crack a nut".
He offered "a more detailed briefing" from his advisers.
In reply, Mr Blair thanked the prince for his "contacts... who have been sensible and constructive".
He said they were "absolutely correct" that implementation plans were "crazy".
In a 2005 letter to Tessa Jowell, then culture secretary, Prince Charles asked for "a bit of imaginative flexibility" on funding rules to help conservation efforts for historic Antarctic huts.
Conservative MP Michael Ellis told the BBC that the prince had the "right to counsel, to advise and to warn" and was "making gentle suggestions".
Colonel Richard Kemp, a former British commander in Afghanistan, said: "It is absolutely right that if he comes across problems and issues that concern him, he should bring them to the attention of the government.
"He put his finger on some grave deficiencies in the armed forces, particularly in Iraq at the time, where helicopters were unreliable and also there were too few helicopters."
Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, said the prince "does meddle".
He said the government had wanted the letters kept secret "so that we can carry on pretending he [the prince] is impartial".
"In fact they [members of the royal family] are busy trying to influence politiciansâ€¦ and that is not acceptable in a democratic society."
Catherine Mayer, who wrote a biography of Prince Charles, said: "There are a few areas where he is grappling directly with policy, which he is not supposed to be doing - most notably around the provision for soldiers in Iraq."
Former Environment Secretary Dame Margaret Beckett said: "I think what is unfortunate is that if he had known his letters were going to be published he might have... couched them in different terms. "
Guardian editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger said: "We fought this case because we believed - and the most senior judges in the country agreed - that the royal family should operate to the same degrees of transparency as anyone else trying to make their influence felt in public life."
Clarence House said the prince was raising issues of public concern, "trying to find practical ways to address the issues".
The prince carries out more than 600 engagements a year, which Clarence House said "gives him a unique perspective".
It added: "Sometimes this leads him to communicate his experience or, indeed, his concerns or suggestions to ministers, from all governments, of whatever party, either in meetings or in writing."
During a visit to a Prince's Trust charitable project in London, the prince was asked by a reporter if he was "worried" about the release of the documents.
"Very predictable," he replied, as his press secretary Kristina Kyriacou pushed away the microphone of Channel 4 News reporter Michael Crick.


Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have pledged $3bn (£2.3bn) to fund medical research over the next decade.

At a press conference in San Francisco, they said their ultimate goal was to "cure, prevent or manage all diseases by the end of the century".
The funds will be distributed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which they created in December 2015.
Tech leaders are increasingly turning their attention to health.
Earlier in the week, Microsoft said it intended to "solve" cancer by using artificial intelligence tools.
Google's DeepMind unit is working with the NHS to find a way to use computers to more accurately diagnose diseases.
And IBM and MIT announced a tie-up earlier this week to develop AI-based systems that could help clinicians improve the care of elderly and disabled patients.
Even so, the Chan Zuckerberg plan is marked by its ambition.
Analysis by James Gallagher, health and science reporter, BBC News
This is certainly an ambitious project, but is $3bn (£2.3bn) over the next decade enough to fulfil it?
One British charity - Cancer Research UK - is likely to spend more in that time on just one disease. Its research budget is currently $0.5bn (£404m) a year.
The Wellcome Trust - the world's biggest medical research charity - is investing significantly more: $6.5bn (£5bn) over the next five years.
And the US' medical research agency, the National Institutes of Health, spends a whopping $32.3bn (£25bn) every year.
There is no doubt that the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative could make a real impact - the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given real impetus to eliminating malaria.
And advances in technology are transforming and accelerating medical research - for example, cancer drugs designed by artificial intelligence are showing success in clinical trials.
But curing, preventing or managing all disease remains a lofty and distant goal.
Mr Zuckerberg said that at present 50 times more money was spent on treating people who are sick than on curing the diseases that would stop them getting ill in the first place, and added that this needed to change.
He outlined three principles that will guide the couple's investments:
Ms Chan added that they had already committed $600m to creating a new research centre called the Biohub, which will bring together engineers, computer scientists, biologists, chemists and other innovators.
The Biohub will initially work on two projects.
The first is the Cell Atlas, a "map" that describes the different types of cells that control the body's major organs.
The second is the Infectious Disease Initiative, which will try to develop new tests and vaccines to tackle HIV, Ebola, Zika and other new diseases.
Mr Zuckerberg predicted that by 2100 the average life expectancy would be beyond 100 years.
But he cautioned that it would take years before the couple's fund led to the creation of new medical treatments and further time before they could be applied to patients.
Microsoft's co-founder Bill Gates - who has funded his own health research via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - appeared at the event to praise the announcement.
He described it as "very bold and ambitious" but added that "we desperately need this science".
Mr Zuckerberg and Ms Chan announced in December 2015 that they planned to give away 99% of their shares in Facebook to fund good causes following the birth of their daughter.
The organisation's stated mission is to make long-term investments in work that advances human potential and promotes equality.
They had previously announced investments in education-related start-ups.
One expert said that dealing with all disease was "clearly ambitious" but added that deep-pocketed philanthropists were defined by the fact they could take such risks.
"The Chan Zuckerberg announcement is unusual in size but is in keeping with trends amongst today's biggest donors who want to achieve transformational change, prefer funding prevention over cure and tend to invest in causes and organisations with which they have prior connections," commented Dr Beth Breeze, director of the centre for philanthropy at the University of Kent.
"Most donations reflect the 'philanthropic autobiography' of the donor and this is no exception.
"Chan is an alumna of the University of California, San Francisco.
"So, the couple will already know and trust the people who will spend the money.
"She is trained as a paediatrician and recently became a mother so is aligning her professional and personal experiences with her philanthropic priorities."


Arsenal Ladies have signed England Under-23 striker Beth Mead from fellow Women's Super League club Sunderland on an undisclosed-length full-time deal.

The 21-year-old joins the Women's FA Cup holders ahead of the 2017 WSL 1 Spring Series, which begins in April.
Her move comes after Sunderland - who finished seventh in the top flight last season - reverted to part-time status.
Widely-tipped as a future England star, Mead earned her first senior call-up in 2015 but is yet to win her first cap.
The Whitby-born forward, who had a contract with Sunderland until 2019, has netted 10 times in 25 appearances for England at various youth levels.
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She won the PFA's Young Player of the Year award in 2016, after being voted as the WSL 1 Players' Player of the Year in 2015.
Mead - who signed a four-year deal with the Lady Black Cats in 2015 - graduated with a degree in sports development from Teeside University in July.
She was Sunderland's top league scorer again in 2016, netting five top-flight goals.
Arsenal, who finished third in 2016, get their league campaign under way at home to Notts County Ladies on Sunday, 23 April.


Detectives want to talk to two teenage boys over the murder of a six-year-old boy in 1994 after BBC Crimewatch viewers provided new information.

The case of strangled schoolboy Rikki Neave was featured on the programme on Monday night.
Rikki's body was found in woodland close to his home on the Welland Estate in Peterborough in November 1994.
Police issued artists' impressions of two boys seen walking out of the woods where Rikki's body was discovered.
More on this story and others from Cambridgeshire
This sighting was at about 06:30 GMT on 29 November, the day after Rikki had skipped school and was seen around the Welland Estate.
Another person contacted Crimewatch to report a sighting of Rikki on 28 November, outside the shops in Scalford Drive between 17:00 GMT and 18:00 GMT.
He left with two teenage boys.
Police said they also received a report of someone matching Rikki's description seen outside the flats in Tilton Court, walking with a teenage boy with a dog at about 21:00 GMT on the same day.
A fourth person said they saw two boys pushing a buggy in Belvoir Way, heading towards the wood where Rikki was found.
A reconstruction of Rikki's last-known movements was shown on the BBC programme. Officers received 17 calls about the investigation.
Det Supt Paul Fulwood said Cambridgeshire Police had taken some "significant" calls after the appeal which would be followed up.
"We're really excited by the progress," he said.
The teenagers being sought - now middle-aged men -  are believed to still be living in the local area, he said.
His mother, Ruth Neave, was cleared of murder but admitted child neglect and cruelty and was jailed for seven years.
Det Supt Fulwood said "there will always be that stigma of what happened 21 years ago".
"I can't emphasise enough that this is a fresh investigation, Ruth Neave has been working with us and we have been supporting her and we are well-versed in cold case investigations," he added.
A reward of up to Â£10,000 is on offer for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of Rikki's killer.


We got an insight to the sort of trade deal the leave campaign would like to secure for Britain outside the EU this morning when Michael Gove said: "There is a free trade zone stretching from Iceland to Turkey that all European nations have access to â€¦ after we vote to leave we will remain in this zone."

He went on to say: "By being part of that free trade zone we would have full access to the European market but we would be free from EU regulation."
This may be Michael Gove's hope, but it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to deliver in reality.
Assume "the European market" means the countries of the European continent. As Mr Gove says, excluding Russia and Belarus they are all part of a "free trade area" of sorts.
However, that is not one homogenous block but a mixture of agreements with varying conditions.
At its heart is the 'single market' of 28 member states of the EU.
Then there is the European Economic Area, a deal between Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and the European Union.
Switzerland has its own bi-lateral agreement with the EU because its people rejected membership of the EEA in a referendum.
Turkey is part of a customs union. Other European states included in Mr Gove's definition, like Ukraine, also have bi-lateral deals with the EU.
All have required concessions from their members in order to do a deal.
The EEA deal with the EU came in on January 1st 1994 and effectively expands the single market to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein - we could call this "full access".
But in return they accepted EU regulations and its so-called four freedoms - the free movement of goods, services, people and capital.
Switzerland's agreement also requires the free movement of people but has less access for the services industry, a vital part of the UK's economy.
To achieve his goal of "full access" but no "EU regulation" from Iceland to the Russian border Mr Gove would have to come to a deal with the EU, the EEA and a number of European countries outside the EU, notably Switzerland.
Stephen Booth, co-director of think tank Open Europe, said: "The term free trade is a misnomer. What we're really talking about is preferential trade. It's about: 'You can have access to our market in return for access to yours'
"If you want preferential access the only way to do that is through a negotiation and a negotiation is a two-way street. You're not going to get something for nothing."
We can assume a deal for "full access" to the EU market will be impossible without concessions on either EU regulation or the free movement of people, or both.
The German and French governments have made it clear being in the single market means free movement of people, for example.
We could have freedom from EU regulation under World Trade Organisation rules but we can expect EU tariffs on our goods - not free access.
It is perfectly reasonable to assume the EU and other European countries would want to do trade deals with the UK but there is no reason to believe the UK can expect special treatment.
Reality Check verdict: Full access with no regulation may be Mr Gove's hope but it looks impossible to deliver in practice.
READ MORE: The facts behind claims in the EU debate


The Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Zambia's capital Lusaka on Sunday with the hosts opening the event against Guinea at the Heroes Stadium.

Eight teams in total will do battle for both the trophy and for places in South Korea for the youth World Cup in May.
All four semi-finalists are assured of qualification for the World Cup.
Only two of the teams taking part have won the top prize before, with four-time winners Egypt among the favourites.
Cameroon, who have won this title once before, will be hoping the winning spirit from their senior team rubs off the junior Indomitable Lions.
Zambia is banking on home ground advantage to run away with the trophy but they will have to combat formidable opposition in the form of Egypt, Guinea and Mali.
Having not played in qualifiers as hosting granted them automatic qualification, the junior Chipolopolo may not know how prepared they are for competitive action.
However, they did play some friendly matches in Spain - against B sides for Tenerife, FC Basel and Barcelona - winning the first two matches 1-0 with the final one ending in a 3-1 defeat.
The host nation wound up its practice matches with a 2-1 win over regional rivals South Africa.
Zambia may take a leaf from Senegal who made the final after hosting the tournament in 2015 falling only to eventual winners Nigeria.
The junior Teranga Lions will be coming to Lusaka on a mission to amend that final loss at home.
While few would expect Senegal to have trouble beating Sudan in Group B, Sudan could prove to be the surprise package given they swept aside the traditionally strong Nigerians to qualify for Zambia 2017.
Senegal and Mali will be coming back to do battle after both made it to the U-20 World Cup in 2015 where they competed against each other in the third match play-off. which Mali won.
The Malian government has staked an additional incentive for their team to reach the top three by offering them an extra US$1,600 bonus which counts for much given the restrictions about rewards for junior teams.
South Africa will be flying the flag for Southern African teams alongside Zambia and anyone can only discount them at their own peril.
Group A will be based in Lusaka with the hosts Zambia, Mali, Egypt and Guinea.
Group B has Senegal, Sudan, Cameroon and South Africa, with their group games being played in Ndola.
The tournament runs from February 26 to March 12.


Labour has promised to pay for an extra 853 police officers in Wales if it wins the general election in June.

It pledged an extra 10,000 officers for England and Wales by reversing cuts to capital gains tax planned by ministers.
But Plaid Cymru claimed if Labour was serious about supporting police it would back devolving the service.
The Tories dismissed the plans as "nonsensical", saying Labour had already committed the tax savings to funding other pledges.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd said "Labour's sums don't add up" and claimed its promises "aren't worth the paper they are printed on".
Labour said the extra officers would be in addition to the 500 community support officers funded by the Labour-led Welsh Government.
The party's Shadow Welsh Secretary, Christina Rees, said: "Despite their promises to protect our communities, the Tories at Westminster have slashed Welsh police numbers.
"Their reckless approach has put Welsh communities at risk."
Diane Abbott, Labour's Shadow Home Secretary, told BBC Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales programme the party did not think it was "right at this time" to devolve policing.
But asked why the party had abstained on the devolution of policing in a Westminster vote, she added: "I think it's because it is something that we are currently discussing."
Ms Abbott said: "You will see it when we unroll our manifesto in the next few weeks."
She said the policy was needed because of a "worrying rise" in knife and gun crime, but admitted that had been seen in London and other big cities, and "not necessarily in Wales".
According to official statistics, the number of police officers in Wales has fallen from 7,370 in March 2010 to 6,625 by last September.
Plaid Cymru's policing spokeswoman, Liz Saville Roberts, said figures by Dyfed Powys Police showed that if responsibility for Welsh policing was transferred to the Welsh Government, Welsh police forces would be Â£25m better off.
"If the Labour Party were serious about supporting our police forces and keeping Wales safe, they wouldn't have voted with the Tories to keep Welsh policing in Westminster's hands," Ms Roberts said.
A UKIP spokesman accused Labour of having no plan to implement its policy of increasing police numbers, saying "money doesn't grow on trees".
He said UKIP planned to reduce the overseas aid budget and put the money saved into services such as policing and social care.
For the Liberal Democrats, Lord German said Labour had committed spending from reversing capital gains tax cuts so many times "you have to wonder whether they have found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow".
"What we need is concrete policy proposals that will put police officers back on our streets, not the fanciful sums that Labour are offering," he added.


A threat of industrial action in the UK oil and gas industry has been suspended after a new offer from employers.

The Unite and GMB unions suspended the plans to ballot offshore workers on plans for a strike.
The Offshore Contractors Association (OCA) had been in negotiations with the unions over proposed changes to working conditions.
A revised offer will now be put to the unions' members in a consultative ballot.
The result is not expected for several weeks.
Bill Murray, chief executive of the OCA, said:  "We welcome that union officials have decided not to go to an industrial ballot over changes to shift and holiday patterns and are instead consulting with members."


The future of Bargain Hunt presenter Tim Wonnacott is unclear after a newspaper reported he had had "a bust-up" with the BBC show's producers.

According to The Sun, the TV host was suspended last week after a "row".
But the BBC did not confirm the story, merely saying he was "not currently in production" and that it "wouldn't comment on individual staff matters".
The Sun quoted Wonnacott as saying he was "not doing Bargain Hunt at the moment for personal reasons".
His last Twitter post was on Friday, when he uploaded a photo of himself outside the BBC's central London headquarters.
"Outside Broadcasting House in London today for a dawn (well not quite !) meeting," he told his followers.
The antiques expert's phone went unanswered when the BBC News website attempted to contact him on Wednesday, and the nature of his alleged "bust-up" with Bargain Hunt's production team is unclear.
Wonnacott, a former director of Sotheby's, has been the dapper host of the popular BBC One programme since 2003.
He was a contestant on last year's Strictly Come Dancing series and recently presented The Great Antiques Map of Britain on BBC Two.
Guest presenters have been recruited to shoot the remaining half of Bargain Hunt's current series, the BBC said.


The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) is launching its first-ever accredited training scheme.

It is part of attempts to protect workers from exploitation in the UK's supply chains.
The GLA said organised crime groups have identified labour supply as an area where workers are exploited.
"The only way to tackle this is to work alongside business and ensure risks can be identified", it said.
The authority has developed a training programme alongside the University of Derby, which will be run from its offices in Nottingham.
The GLA said the course would provide delegates with the "knowledge, skills and confidence to identify exploitative practice".
Chief executive Paul Broadbent said: "Our accredited training programme will give businesses some of the tools to tackle exploitative practice.
"It will also make a significant impact in dealing with criminality so as to protect vulnerable and exploited workers."
The two-day sessions will start on 30 November.
The GLA is a public body operating throughout the UK


Scotland's Catriona Matthew carded a final-round 78 to slip out of contention at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in San Francisco.

The 46-year-old finished in a tie for 13th place, 10 shots behind four-stroke winner Haru Nomura of Japan.
Matthew made five bogeys as well as a double bogey at the par-four 16th, with her lone birdie coming at the eighth.
None of the top 10 after the third round broke par as winds reached 40mph at Lake Merced, Daly City, on Sunday.
England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff tied for 27th after a final-round 76, while Michelle Wie of the United States withdrew following her 15th hole after suffering neck spasms.
World number one Lydia Ko of New Zealand made four bogeys as she went out in 40 en route to a closing three-over 75 for a share of sixth with American Lexi Thompson.


Southport stretched their unbeaten National League run to eight matches with a goalless draw at Chester.

John Rooney had an early opportunity for the home side, but failed to test Southport goalkeeper Max Crocombe, instead hitting the side netting.
Southport's Luke Foster then fired straight at home keeper Jon Worsnop after Chester failed to clear a corner.
The hosts had the best chance of all, but top scorer Ross Hannah fired over from six yards after Crocombe fumbled.
Chester, in 17th, are just eight points clear of trouble, having now failed to win in four National League games. Southport are two places, and three points, above them in 15th,
Chester manager Steve Burr told BBC Radio Merseyside:
"That's probably as good a 0-0 draw as you'll see. I was a lot more pleased with the way we played, following our win in the FA Trophy against Hungerford last week.
"But you can tell Southport have lots of confidence. You can see that from the results they've been having.
"The chances we did create we just didn't finish them. But, at the end, there was also a concern that they might go and pinch it."


Falkirk have signed former Dundee United midfielder John Rankin, as they announced the departure of Will Vaulks to Rotherham United.

Rankin, 33, had been training with the Scottish Championship club after leaving Tannadice.
He has also had spells at Ross County, Inverness CT and Hibernian.
"John is a hardworking and honest pro who has looked extremely fit and sharp over the past few weeks," manager Peter Houston told the Falkirk website.
"I am pleased to be able to bring him into the club and I'm sure he will add further quality to the squad.
"He is a player that I have enjoyed working with in the past and his experience can only enhance the quality of the group that we already have here."


Police searching for a man who went missing on a camping trip in Dumfries and Galloway have found a body.

Stephen Talbot, 58, from Wamphray, was last seen at about 16:00 on Monday.
He had been on a camping trip at Garrogill, near Moffat, where mountain rescue teams and a police helicopter had been carrying out extensive searches.
Police Scotland said the search has been suspended while identification of the body takes place.


Bolivia's top electoral court has confirmed President Evo Morales's victory in the presidential polls of 12 October.

Mr Morales of the left-wing Movement Toward Socialism got 61% of the vote, comfortably beating his closest rival, centre-right candidate Samuel Doria, who received 24.5%.
Mr Morales will now serve a third consecutive term until January 2020.
In a BBC interview he ruled out running for a fourth term in office.
Opposition politician and former president Jorge Quiroga, who came third in the presidential poll, said there had been fraud to inflate the numbers of those supporting Mr Morales.
"There's no doubt he has support, but he wants to show that he has more than he actually has, that his support hasn't dwindled, when everyone knows it has," he said.
The electoral court said a recount would be held at some polling stations in the provinces of Oruro and Santa Cruz, where there had been "irregularities", but they said the recount would not substantially change the final poll result.
Mr Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, has governed the country since 2006.
World Bank figures suggest Bolivia's gross domestic product has tripled since he took office to over $30bn (Â£18.6bn) in 2013.
The percentage of the population living in poverty has dropped from 60% in 2006 to 45% in 2011.
Mr Morales's government has financed his social programmes though a combination of revenue generated by Bolivia's main export, natural gas, and fiscal prudence.
He remains widely popular among indigenous people who make up almost two thirds of the country's population.
His critics accuse him of authoritarianism and of wasting money on dubious projects, warning that Bolivia's growing prosperity could come to an abrupt end should the price of its raw materials drop.
The electoral court has not yet given an official result for the congressional election, also held on 12 October.


A US ship carrying deadly material from Syria's chemical weapons programme has left Italy in the final phases of the destruction of the arsenal.

The naval vessel is taking the cargo, including mustard gas and components of the nerve agents VX and sarin, to international waters to be destroyed.
The materials were transferred from a Danish vessel to the US ship earlier on Wednesday, at the port of Gioia Tauro.
Syria agreed to the destruction of its chemical weapons stockpile last year.
The deal - backed by the UN and brokered by the US and Russia - was struck amid the threat of US air strikes, triggered by a sarin gas attack on a rebel-held suburb of Damascus.
The shipment marks the closing phases in the operation to destroy Syria's toxic arsenal.
The Danish vessel, Ark Futara, docked on Wednesday morning, carrying the materials and accompanied by Italian coast guard ships and a military helicopter.
The transfer of the cargo to the US ship was completed amid tight security, with access roads to the port sealed off.
Cranes were seen lifting large containers on to the US navy ship, MV Cape Ray.
The US vessel is equipped with a plant where the bulk of the chemicals can be neutralised by the process of hydrolysis.
During hydrolysis, the chemical agents are broken down with hot water and then further neutralised with sodium hydroxide - also known as caustic soda or lye.
The BBC's Rome correspondent, Alan Johnston, says this process will only begin after the American ship has steamed far out to the sea - because of its hazardous cargo.
Any remaining waste is expected to be buried on land, in purpose-built facilities.
Italy's Environment Minister, Gian Luca Galletti, said on Twitter that he was proud of his country's "contribution to international security", adding that the operation at Gioia Tauro was transparent and environmentally safe.
However, a trade unionist at the port told AFP he was concerned about the transfer. "This is not a routine operation, it's a military operation and we are very worried," Domenico Macri said.
"If there's an accident, a container breaks or falls, the substances which would come out could do serious damage," he said.


Tesco has reported a slower rate of decline in sales at its UK stores as it tries to stem the flow of customers switching to discount chains.

UK sales fell 1.3% for the three months to the end of May, compared with a 4% decline a year earlier.
The result beat analysts' forecasts of a fall of 1.6%-3%, and was better than the 1.7% fall reported in the fourth quarter of the last financial year.
Tesco chief Dave Lewis said it was a "step in the right direction".
"We are fixing the fundamentals of shopping to win back customers and relying less on short-term couponing," he said.
Shares in Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket chain, closed up 2.7% at 223.65p.
Including its international businesses, sales across the Tesco group dropped 1.3% in the quarter compared with a 3.4% dip a year ago.
Mr Lewis, who took the helm in September, is trying to revive the fortunes of Britain's largest supermarket after it reported the worst loss in its history in April.
Tesco reported a full-year pre-tax loss of £6.4bn, one of the largest in UK corporate history. About  £4.7bn of the losses were the result of the fall in property value of its UK stores, 43 of which it said would close.
To understand why Tesco is slowly turning the corner, it is worth looking at the rather mundane world of the humble ham sandwich.
Tesco now offers 30% fewer sandwich lines after it realised that the wide range it was selling meant that customers often could not buy their favourite, simple sandwich, like, say, one with ham in it.
So, it reduced the range and increased the supply of the top sellers. Customers were happier that they could buy what they wanted and the number of transactions increased.
Read Kamal's blog in full
The trading update from Tesco comes ahead of an annual meeting of shareholders later.
Tim Bush of pension advisers Pirc told the BBC's Today programme that investors are likely to question payoffs for Tesco's former chief executive and finance director Philip Clarke and Laurie McIlwee, who shared £2.2m in severance pay after the supermarket said it was "contractually committed" to make the payments.
The pair, who left the firm last year, were awarded £1,217,000 and £970,880 respectively.
The payments were initially suspended while Tesco investigated last year's £263m accounting scandal.
"Things have stopped getting worse but they haven't yet started getting better," said Mr Bush.
Tesco said data from researcher Kantar Worldpanel had also shown that 180,000 more customers shopped at the supermarket in the 12 weeks to 24 May.


Chris Froome produced a sensational ride to emphatically win stage eight of the Tour de France and take his first race leader's yellow jersey.

The Briton sprinted away from his main rivals, including Alberto Contador, on the final climb to the summit finish at Ax 3 Domaines in the Pyrenees.
"That was an emphatic display by Chris Froome and Team Sky. It's been a tough week but he was chomping at the bit.
"Team Sky put a plan into action and it worked perfectly although I think they will be surprised just how much time they put into the likes of Alberto Contador because that final climb was not particularly long by Tour de France standards.
"I was very impressed with Peter Kennaugh's performance. We have been waiting a while to see him at a Grand Tour and he did a fantastic job on the penultimate climb and looked comfortable on that descent.
"The morale of Froome's rivals is going to have taken a big hit. They could try to attack on Sunday but they might not have the legs if Sky set the tempo high again.
"There are days coming up in the mountains where I can see Froome winning this like Tours of old."
Listen to the BBC Radio 5 live stage eight podcast
He beat Richie Porte by 51 seconds and leads his Team Sky team-mate by the same margin in the overall standings.
Contador lost one minute, 45 seconds to Froome and is seventh, 1'51" down.
"I couldn't be happier," said 28-year-old Froome.
"It has been a nervous week leading up to now but my team has done a fantastic job and to repay my team-mates with a stage win and Richie coming second, I couldn't have asked for more."
South Africa's Daryl Impey started the day in the yellow jersey but the Orica GreenEdge rider, who is more of a sprinter than a climber, knew he would be losing the race lead on Saturday's first day in the mountains.
He suggested that Froome would be one of the riders to keep an eye on and the race favourite, who finished second behind Sir Bradley Wiggins last year, did not disappoint.
The first 120km of racing was reasonably flat and calm with a four-man breakaway - which included Christophe Riblon, who won a similar race to Ax 3 Domaines in the 2010 Tour - opening up a lead of more than nine minutes at one point.
However, the lead was slowly whittled away and was down to around one minute by the time the leaders had reached the bottom of the day's biggest climb - the hors categorie Col de Pailheres.
Riblon made a solo bid for the stage win on the ascent, while Team Sky controlled the pace of the peloton.
Several riders, including France's Tommy Voeckler, who won the 2012 King of the Mountains classification, and Dutch climber Robert Gesink also made solo breaks but they were soon caught and overtaken by Colombia's Nairo Quintana.
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The Movistar rider then chased down Riblon and was first over the summit of the 2,001m-high Col de Pailheres to win the souvenir Henri Desgrange - the prize awarded to the first rider to reach the highest point of the overall race.
Team Sky's Peter Kennaugh took over the pacing duties towards the top of the climb and led the peloton on the descent, chipping away more than 30 seconds of the one minute advantage that Quintana had built up.
The Isle of Man rider then set a furious pace up the final 7.8km ascent to Ax 3 Domaines - so furious that he ran out of energy and was forced to drop away with around 6km remaining.
That left just Porte to pace Froome and the duo upped the tempo, catching and passing Quintana in the next kilometre before Froome took off on his own to record a memorable victory.
Not only did Froome beat the likes of two-time Tour winner Contador and Quintana by one minute, 45 seconds, he also put more than four minutes into 2011 champion Cadel Evans.
Alejandro Valverde, who was third on the stage, lost 1'08" but is third overall, 1'25" behind Froome.
Slovakia's Peter Sagan picked up 10 points in the green points jersey classification after finishing behind Andre Greipel in the day's intermediate sprint, which came just before the mountain ascents.
With the four riders in the breakaway claiming the big points on offer, German Greipel won the race from the peloton to claim 11 points, with the Isle of Man's Mark Cavendish getting nine points.
Sunday's stage nine is a second and final day in the Pyrenees. The 165km race starts in Saint-Giron and features four category one mountain climbs and one category two ascent but finishes with a descent into Bagneres-de-Bigorre.
Stage eight results:
1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 5:03:18"
2. Richie Porte (Aus/Team Sky) +51"
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +1:08"
4. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Belkin) +1:10"
5. Laurens ten Dam (Ned/Belkin) +1:16"
Overall standings:
1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 32:15:55"
2. Richie Porte (Aus/Team Sky) +51"
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +1:25"
4. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Belkin) +1:44"
5. Laurens ten Dam (Ned/Belkin) +1:50"
Selected others:
7. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo-Tinkoff +1'51"
8. Nairo Quintana (Spa) Movistar +2'02"
9. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha +2'31"
13. Daniel Martin (Ire) Garmin +2'48"
22. Nicolas Roche (Ire) Saxo-Tinkoff +4'10"
23. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC +4'36"
60. Peter Kennaugh (GB) Team Sky +27'01"
90. David Millar (GB) Garmin +40'11"
148. Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma-Quickstep +1h12'50"
168. Ian Stannard (GB) Team Sky +1h22'16"
185. Geraint Thomas (GB) Team Sky +1h29'03"
Green points jersey standings after stage eight:
1. Peter Sagan (Svk/Cannondale) 234 points
2. Andre Greipel (Ger/Lotto) 141
3. Mark Cavendish (GB/Omega Pharma - Quickstep) 128
4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/Katusha) 111
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Team Sky) 88


Friday sees Linfield take on Celtic at Windsor Park in their Champion's League qualifier.

But Celtic Football Club declined its fans' ticket allocation amid security concerns.
"Shame for NI our fans can't watch us," reads the News Letter's front page.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, from Carnlough, County Antrim, has described the absence of his club's supporters from the match as "a blow for Northern Ireland as a nation".
Mr Rodgers, who will be visiting Windsor Park for the first time since was a member of the Northern Ireland under-15 side which drew 0-0 against Brazil there in 1988, told the paper the absence of Celtic fans should have been avoided.
"I'm disappointed for our supporters of Northern Ireland, who travel over religiously every week and travel all over the world watching Celtic," he said. "There is now a game on their doorstep and they can't make it.
"I'm also disappointed for us as a nation. This is a different Northern Ireland. I know it's the marching season and all that sort of stuff, but this is a new Northern Ireland and should have been a place where the Celtic supporters could come in," he said.
Despite his disappointment, Mr Rodgers said it would be a proud moment for him to go back to Windsor Park with Celtic.
Inside, the paper reports that a council-backed fanzone for Celtic supporters missing out on the chance to be at the match has been provisionally approved for the car park of a Belfast bar.
"The Devenish bar complex car park at Finaghy Road North has been selected as the venue for a live screening of the match," it says.
"The bar is advertising that the facility will be open from midday, with the match being broadcast on the biggest screen in Ireland."
The News Letter reports that a council spokesperson declined to comment on how much money was involved.
In the Belfast Telegraph there's a heartbreaking account from a mother who has suffered the loss of two of her young sons.
"My year of hell on earth after losing a second son within a decade," reads the paper's headline.
Diane Adams, from County Down, told the paper she was left heartbroken for a second time in July last year when her son Jay 'Rossi' Reardon, was killed in a single-vehicle motorbike crash.
Ms Adams, who has three other daughters, also lost her teenage son, David Heaslip, who died of an aneurysm ten years earlier.
Now she and the rest of her son's family and friends are preparing to mark the anniversary of Mr Reardon's death with a 'cruise' from Bangor.
"It's left a big empty hole and the pain is unbelievable," Ms Adams said.
She described Jay as "a great people person" who achieved so much in his short life.
Elsewhere in the Belfast Telegraph is a story about the number of people taken to court for not having a TV licence.
The paper reports that on average it's about 19 people per day - but also reports that about a third of those are thrown out of court.
The report is based on figures from the court service.
In the Irish News, DUP MP Emma Little Pengelly has been responding to criticism of bonfires after effigies and flags were burned.
She defended what she called "public expression" and said: "Ultimately people here and across the UK and Republic of Ireland have the right to do it regardless of our like or disagreement with it."
The report says Mrs Little Pengelly later added: "For anyone trying to read any ambiguity into what I have said, let me be clear, all terrorism is wrong, that includes associated flags and emblems.
"Hate crime is wrong and there must be zero tolerance of it.
"All bonfires and cultural expression, should be done in a respectful way."


Former music mogul Jonathan King has been charged with 18 sexual offences relating to nine boys aged 14 to 16.

Mr King, 72, from Bayswater, west London, is accused of carrying out the offences between between 1970 and 1986.
He was charged by Surrey Police as part of Operation Ravine, which has been looking into allegations linked to the Walton Hop Disco in Walton-on-Thames.
Mr King has been released on bail and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on 26 June.


Leicester's decision to sack Claudio Ranieri nine months after winning the Premier League made former Foxes striker Gary Lineker "shed a tear".

Ranieri guided Leicester to the title despite them being rated 5,000-1 shots at the start of the 2015-16 campaign.
The Foxes are 17th this season and lost to League One Millwall in the FA Cup.
"It is very sad," said Match of the Day presenter Lineker. "It is inexplicable to me. It's inexplicable to a lot football fans who love the game."
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, the 56-year-old added: "I suppose you can explain it in terms of a panic decision and for me a wrong decision.
"I shed a tear last night for Claudio, for football and for my club."
After news of the 65-year-old Italian's dismissal broke on Thursday, former England captain Lineker, who played for his hometown club for seven seasons, said the "game's gone" in a post on social media.
"It's a sign of modern football, what happened last season was truly extraordinary, " he added on Friday. "The lack of gratitude from the owners of the club and who knows who else involved in such a decision beggars belief.
"That season will remain with us forever, it was truly special and a lot of that was down to the management.
"The same guy cannot be considered incapable of doing the job a few months months later after achieving what, for me, was the biggest miracle in sport."
Chelsea dismissed Jose Mourinho as manager the season after their 2015 title and Lineker says while that is "expected at big clubs", the decision to sack Ranieri "takes away from the glory" for the Foxes.
"For a club like Leicester to win the league last season, the magnificence of the story, the likeability of the club under Ranieri - the ultimate gentleman - it kind of demeans the club.
"Leicester were hugely popular right around the world. To do something like this now loses a lot of that popularity."
France midfielder N'Golo Kante moved to Chelsea for £30m in the summer and Lineker said losing the 25-year-old was "huge".
He added: "There were a whole host of things that made the season fairly inevitable in the sense it would never be anything like last season.
"They had a journeyman back four that was protected brilliantly by Kante. They were an ageing back four, who are a year older.
"All of a sudden they were on pre-season tours, playing Barcelona, travelling all over the world. They were not prepared for the new season and then the confidence aspect sneaks in."
Former Leicester and England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, said the club's struggles this season made Ranieri's sacking understandable.
Speaking to Radio 4, he said: "Going down would be a disaster for Leicester and I suppose the board have made a very brave decision.
"If they stay in the Premier League then they've made the right decision. A lot of people will say there's no sentiment in football, look at what he's done for the club, but he's had a lot of the season to get things going.
"There's obviously some reason why not. We're not privy to that - maybe the board are. Maybe there's unrest in the dressing room, who knows? Maybe the players just aren't performing."
Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha used social media platform Instagram to explain why he sacked Ranieri.
"We have done our best as management, we do not have only one problem to solve, but there are a million things to do to make our club survive, " the billionaire wrote.
"Please respect my decision, I will never let the club down".
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Jason Bourne, BBC Radio Leicester
"There's almost a sense of grief in the city today, with many having lost their 'favourite uncle'.
"Claudio Ranieri was the man that brought the dream to life by winning the Premier League title. It has gone sour this term with players underperforming, new signings not working out and baffling tactics at time from the Tinkerman.
"I thought they would get relegated with Ranieri in charge. I hated to say it. I hoped it wouldn't come true and I'd be proved wrong.
"This gives them a chance. A different kind of chance to stay up."
Phil McNulty, BBC chief football writer:
It is almost the thought that dare not speak its name amid the wave of shock, outrage and disgust at Leicester's decision to ruthlessly dismiss the hugely popular 65-year-old, who won the hearts of all supporters with his good humour, class and dignity as he led the Foxes to the title.
But is there actually method in what many see as the madness of the club's Thai owners?
Leicester's fall has been more dramatic than anything they could have foreseen in their worst nightmares. A win for any of Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Hull City this weekend would put the Foxes in the relegation places. Wins for all three and they would be bottom by the time they face Liverpool on what will now be a highly charged occasion at the King Power on Monday.
After 26 games last year they were top on 53 points, two ahead of Spurs. This season they are 17th after 25 games, with only 21 points. Last season they had lost only three games compared with 14 in this campaign, and conceded only 29 goals compared with 43 this term. Indeed, they only conceded 36 in the entire 2015-16 season.
The difference is stark and, very clearly in the opinion of Leicester's owners, dangerous.
Pat Murphy, BBC Radio 5 live
I understand some influential players in the dressing room, who were part of the Nigel Pearson squad a couple of years ago, were making graphic contrasts with team spirit and the organisational qualities of Pearson compared with Ranieri this season.
The club never really lost faith in Pearson this time two years ago. Despite the fact they were in the parlous position, the general feeling was that he had the dressing room and knew where he was going. He left in the summer of 2015 for different reasons - personal reasons associated with his son, who was on the staff.
Quite clearly, Ranieri had lost a lot of key allies in that Leicester dressing room with long memories.
On 7 February, Leicester issued a statement saying Ranieri had their "unwavering support". Sixteen days later they sacked the 65-year-old Italian, who had signed a new four-year deal in the summer.
His departure came a day after the Foxes won praise for their performance despite losing 2-1 in their Champions League last-16 first-leg tie at Sevilla.
"Ranieri was told he was sacked on Thursday afternoon in Leicester once the team returned from Spain, but the suggestion is the owners decided before that defeat by Sevilla," said BBC sports editor Dan Roan.
"The decision was taken very reluctantly but the club's owners are desperate to avoid relegation and its consequences."
Foxes vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said: "This has been the most difficult decision we have had to make in nearly seven years since King Power took ownership of Leicester City.
"But we are duty-bound to put the club's long-term interests above all sense of personal sentiment, no matter how strong that might be.
"Claudio has brought outstanding qualities to his office. His skilful management, powers of motivation and measured approach have been reflective of the rich experience we always knew he would bring to Leicester City."
Srivaddhanaprabha added: "His warmth, charm and charisma have helped transform perceptions of the club and develop its profile on a global scale. We will forever be grateful to him for what he has helped us to achieve.
"It was never our expectation that the extraordinary feats of last season should be replicated this season. Indeed, survival in the Premier League was our first and only target at the start of the campaign.
"But we are now faced with a fight to reach that objective and feel a change is necessary to maximise the opportunity presented by the final 13 games."
A news conference with Leicester assistant manager Craig Shakespeare will take place at 13:00 GMT on Friday.
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14 February 2016: Leicester lose 2-1 at Arsenal, their final defeat of the 2015-16 season before a 12-game unbeaten run.
2 May 2016: The Foxes are crowned champions of England for the first time in their history as Tottenham draw at Chelsea.
16 July 2016: Midfielder N'Golo Kante leaves to sign a five-year deal with Chelsea.
13 August 2016: Leicester lose their first game of the 2016-17 season - a 2-1 defeat at Hull City.
15 October 2016: The Foxes are hammered 3-0 by table-topping Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
22 November 2016: Leicester secure top spot in their Champions League group with one game to spare.
18 December 2016: Ranieri is named Coach of the Year at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.
7 February 2017: After a run of two wins in 15 league games, Leicester give Ranieri their "unwavering support".
22 February 2017: The Foxes lose 2-1 to Sevilla in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
23 February 2017: Ranieri is sacked.


Carrick Rangers have appointed former Portadown assistant boss Kieran Harding as their new manager.

Harding, who quit Shamrock Park along with manager Ronnie McFall in March, takes over from Gary Haveron following his resignation on Monday.
"I've a lot of respect and time for him and he wanted an opportunity in management," Rangers owner Michael Hughes told the Carrick Times.
"He's prepared to come and help develop the football club and our brand."
"Kieran is a guy who has been around Irish League football as a coach and he delivers the coaching licences for the IFA," added Hughes.
"For me it's a really positive appointment and I'm really looking forward to working with him and to the challenges ahead."
Harding and McFall stepped down at Portadown following a shock defeat by Lurgan Celtic in the Irish Cup.
Meanwhile, Carrick said Haveron departed as they were "unable to establish a mutual agreement on the best way forward for the club".
Rangers avoided relegation by finishing 10th but the club was later charged for failing to implement Haveron's touchline ban against Dungannnon.
It could have resulted in Carrick losing three points and being relegated but the Irish FA decided not to apply any sanction following a hearing.
Warrenpoint Town, who finished bottom but just a point behind Carrick, have appealed the IFA ruling.


A man accused of an alleged £117,000 extortion plot is being sought by police after he failed to turn up for a court appearance.

Bradley Long was due to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on Tuesday.
Mr Long is accused of extorting £81,306 from a man between May 2011 and June 2014 and attempting to extort a further £36,500.
He allegedly threatened the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, with violence and damage to his property.
It is further claimed that Mr Long warned the man that he would "reveal private information to his family".
Mr Long is also accused of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards the man on a date in March 2015, possession of cannabis and being concerned in the supply of cocaine between May 2011 and March 2015.
The 30-year-old, whose address was given on court documents as Priory Crescent, Arbroath, but who is understood to live in London, did not turn up for a pre-trial hearing to face the charges.
Billy Rennie, defending, said: "I haven't seen him since last year and haven't had any communication."
Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC granted a warrant for his arrest.


Superstar DJ Calvin Harris was taken to hospital in the United States after being injured in a car crash.

He was a passenger in a Cadillac in Los Angeles when it collided with a Volkswagen Beetle at about 11:00 local time on Friday, according to celebrity news website TMZ.com.
It reported that Harris, who is from Dumfries, suffered a cut in the incident.
He had to pull out of a performance at the Omnia nightclub in Las Vegas.
A statement on the artist's official Facebook page said: "Adam's transport was involved in a collision this evening on the way to the airport.
"As a result he will be unable to perform at Omnia tonight.
"He has been examined by doctors and told to rest for a few days - Calvin HQ."
The Beetle was reportedly driven by a 16-year-old girl and had crossed the centre line before the crash.


The White House has suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin was directly involved in a hacking operation aimed at interfering with the US election.

Ben Rhodes, adviser to President Barack Obama, said that Mr Putin maintains tight control on government operations, which suggests that he was aware.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest added that it was "pretty obvious" that Mr Putin was involved.
Officials in Russia have repeatedly denied hacking accusations.
"Everything we know about how Russia operates and how Putin controls that government would suggest that, again, when you're talking about a significant cyber intrusion like this, we're talking about the highest levels of government," Mr Rhodes said.
"And ultimately, Vladimir Putin is the official responsible for the actions of the Russian government."
The Kremlin on Thursday bristled at claims that Mr Putin orchestrated the data breach with the hopes of influencing the US election outcome.
Democrats have struggled to grasp why Hillary Clinton lost. Could it be the spread of "fake news"? A poor Democratic ground game in Midwestern states? FBI Director James Comey's last-minute letter to Congress about new Clinton emails?
Anything but acknowledge that Donald Trump turned out to be the more effective candidate with a more appealing message (at least in the states that mattered).
Russian government hackers are the latest culprit - or scapegoat, depending on one's perspective. They're a tempting target, however, given the latest accounts of intrigue from intelligence community sources. A wily Vladimir Putin overseeing damaging leaks makes for a deliciously villainous plot.
Of course those campaign emails, while certainly an annoyance to Democrats, likely weren't enough to tilt the election. But that doesn't mean these revelations won't be a headache for a president-elect who bristles when challenged.
Now he's feuding with his own intelligence services and lashing out on Twitter, virtually guaranteeing more leaks. A congressional investigation seems likely. There's even talk of a Russian sanctions bill ending up on President Trump's desk.
Mrs Clinton's loss still stings, but for forlorn Democrats seeing Mr Trump squirm would be a salve for open wounds.
NBC reported that the US had evidence that Mr Putin personally directed how information hacked by Russian intelligence was leaked.
Dmitry Peskov, Mr Putin's spokesman, told the AP the NBC report was "laughable nonsense".
President-elect Donald Trump also continued to reject claims that Russian intelligence hacked into emails of the Democratic Party and of John Podesta, a key aide to presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
The president-elect has dismissed a CIA report concluding that Russian hackers were trying to help Mr Trump win the election.
He tweeted on Thursday: "If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hillary lost?"
However, the Obama administration on 7 October directly accused Russia of hacking US political sites and email accounts with the aim of interfering with the upcoming election.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence also released a statement asserting Russia had orchestrated the hack, including breaches on the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
The contents of those hacks, passed to Wikileaks and posted online, were embarrassing to the Democrats and shook up the presidential campaign.
The NBC report, which cited two unnamed senior officials, said the hacking campaign began as a "vendetta" against Mrs Clinton before becoming "an effort to show corruption in American politics and split off key American allies".
Mr Putin is said to have been furious when Mrs Clinton, as secretary of state, questioned the integrity of 2011 parliamentary elections in Russia. He publicly accused her of encouraging street protests.
The BBC has not been able to confirm the NBC report.
There has been no specific evidence shared publicly to confirm Mr Putin's role or knowledge of the hackings.


In our series of letters from African journalists, Mannir Dan Ali says many Nigerians can still not believe that they have succeeded in doing what just more than a week ago seemed impossible to achieve - to vote out an incumbent who accepted defeat, preventing an outbreak of violence.

On the eve of Nigeria's presidential election, residents of the capital, Abuja, were rushing to shops and markets to stock up on everything from bottled water and bread to other essential supplies.
This resulted in clogged supermarkets and queues at ATMs.
I was told that in one bank you could not withdraw more than 100,000 naira (about $500, Â£340) from your account in the week leading up to the 28 March electoral contest between President Goodluck Jonathan and opposition leader Muhammadu Buhari.
At one supermarket I went to, the shelves for bread were empty and there was a long queue of people waiting to get loaves being brought in hot from an adjoining bakery.
All this frenzy was because of the fear that the poll could result in violence, similar to that seen after the disputed 2011 election when some 800 people died.
The prospect of an upset in the 28 March election led many local and international groups to try to ease concerns of violence erupting by getting President Jonathan of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Gen Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to sign a peace agreement and to pledge that they will abide by the verdict of the electorate.
The two candidates straddled the religious and regional fault lines in Nigeria, with President Jonathan a Christian from the south and Gen Buhari a Muslim northerner.
The desperate campaign rhetoric had not improved the atmosphere with some highly provocative claims by the politicians.
There was a flurry of international intervention - most notably by the US.
President Barack Obama released a statement on the eve of the election reminding Nigerians that "to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done", echoing the mantra heard after the 1967-1970 Biafran civil war which threatened to break up Africa's most populous state.
International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda also had a clip repeatedly broadcast on some television channels, warning that those responsible for hate crimes committed during the election could be tried at the ICC.
On the day itself, the permanent voter cards and biometric card readers introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) helped to sanitise the election and made it difficult for the 100% voter turnout that used to occur in the past - and through which dubious figures used to be returned as votes.
With supporters of the two main candidates heavily mobilised, the vote passed off generally peacefully in spite of some minor hitches.
The one time when everyone in Nigeria held their breath was at the collation centre where results were being announced a few days later.
A PDP agent and a former government minister, Godsday Orubebe, nearly disrupted the whole process by accusing the electoral boss of bias - a charge he dismissed after a tense few minutes that seemed like hours to most Nigerians glued to their televisions and radios that were broadcasting the whole drama live.
Before the matter was defused, many Nigerians feared either a repeat of what happened in Ivory Coast in 2010 when the announcement of election results was halted and the result sheet was torn up live on television by a ruling party agent, leading to a brief civil war
Or a repeat of the Nigerian situation in 1993 when a court halted the announcement of results and the military subsequently annulled the poll, leading to a prolonged political crisis in the country.
When it emerged later that day that President Jonathan had called and congratulated the opposition candidate and conceded defeat, Nigeria erupted into celebrations several hours before the formal announcement was made by Inec that Gen Buhari had won the election by a margin of more than two million votes.
It is a sad irony that the scores of deaths which followed were not as a result of political clashes, but the reckless way in which some people were celebrating the victory through dangerous driving and other stunts.
And while some of the credit for the historic week must go to the electoral commission and to a president who found a redeeming feature in a generally lacklustre term in office, it was also the Nigerian people who were determined to show they had come of age.
They are savouring the fact that they have broken the jinx that an incumbent cannot be defeated through the ballot box.
These strengthened democratic credentials leave a sweet taste for Nigerians and should also be as a warning to the president-elect that it is no longer possible to take the voters for granted.


Northern Ireland's health officials are considering offering a robotic-assisted surgery treatment for prostate cancer that is already available in England.

To date, the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) has spent £1m sending more than 170 Northern Ireland patients to Cambridge to receive the treatment.
The charity, Prostate Cancer UK, has called on the board to "urgently review access" to all prostate surgery.
The HSCB said a decision is due in the autumn but will depend on funding.
Robotic-assisted prostatectomy is a type of keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery, also called da Vinci surgery, in which a surgeon carries out the procedure using a special machine.
It is just one of the methods used to treat prostate cancer but it is not offered in Northern Ireland as no hospital has the robot.
However, other treatments including radiotherapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy, are available in Northern Ireland.
The HSCB currently supports patients from Northern Ireland who wish to receive the robotic surgery, funding them to go to the Robotic Prostate Centre at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.
Increasing numbers of patients are choosing to do that and the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust said it has sent 116 patients since April 2016.
About 1,000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year, according to the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry.
About 250 men die every year as a result of the disease.
Mervyn Bryans was diagnosed with prostate cancer five-and-a-half years ago and had undergone a few different types of unsuccessful treatment.
He went to Cambridge for the robotic treatment and was pleased with it but said he would like to see it offered in Northern Ireland.
"The surgery itself was brilliant but I found it very hard to travel home so soon after the operation," he said.
"Staying in a hotel after surgery, trying to travel home on a plane with a catheter in was also very unpleasant."
Mr Bryans said he also had some difficulties with the aftercare when he arrived back home.
"When I got back I had a few complications and at one point ended up in A&E," he said.
"This was made more difficult because I was now not being looked after by the team that carried out the surgery."
BBC News NI obtained details about the numbers of referrals to Addenbrookes Hospital through a freedom of information request from the HSCB.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the HSCB said: "The arrangement whereby men are referred to Great Britain for their surgery has been in place for a number of years.
"This arrangement became necessary when, as a consequence of staffing changes in the specialist urology team, Belfast Trust was no longer able to sustain a radical prostatectomy service.
"The HSC Board is currently in discussion with the Belfast Trust to explore the potential options in regard to providing radical prostatectomy in Northern Ireland, consistent with national guidance and best practice."
The statement added: "A decision on this matter is expected in the autumn and is subject to future ministerial consideration and available funding."


Machinery from the last deep coal mine in the UK has been saved to be used in a new, smaller drift mine nearby.

The New Crofton Co-operative Colliery is to open near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, in June.
A coal-cutting machine from the defunct Kellingley colliery is now in storage for use on the new site.
Jonathan Clarke, the co-operative's director, said the "perfectly serviceable machine would get a new lease of life" and not be scrapped.
A Joy CM15 Continuous Miner machine was the latest piece of equipment to be saved.
"Kellingley and Hatfield collieries have both contributed to the birth of a new coal mine, even though they've died themselves something good has come of it," Mr Clarke said.
Equipment worth Â£750,000 had now been bought from the two closed collieries, he said.
Kellingley, known locally as the Big K, was the largest deep pit in Europe and could bring up to 900 tonnes an hour to the surface.
At its height it employed more than 2,000 workers and when it closed in December 450 people lost their jobs.
Hatfield Colliery, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, closed in June with the loss of 430 jobs.
About 60 people are to be employed at the new drift mine to extract about 200,000 tonnes of coal annually.
About 90% of that production would go to power stations, said Mr Clarke.
The Â£13m project was a "much cheaper way" to start coal production, he added.
It would be a shallow drift mine about 650 ft (200m) deep without large winding apparatus on the surface.
Work at the new mine, which will be owned and run by its members, starts in June, with the first coal mined about 10 weeks later.
The site at Crofton was originally earmarked for open cast mining by British Coal in the 1980s.


Dale Jennings, by his own admission, is not a man to shirk a challenge.

Aged 18, the forward swapped Birkenhead for Bayern Munich when he left Tranmere for one of the biggest teams in world football.
It was a decision he made without hesitation.
"I heard that Bayern had put a bid in for me and it didn't really surprise me that much because I had been doing well," the 21-year-old Barnsley forward, the Football League's Young Player of the Month for March, told BBC Sport.
"The manager Les Parry asked me if I wanted to know more about the other teams and I just said 'no, I'm going there'.
"A lot has been expected of him when you consider he is still a young lad. He has handled it very well and I hope he can come to the fore and keep us in the division.
"He has played exactly as we have wanted him to.
"The more games he gets under his belt and the more experience he gets the better he will become."
"They're one of the biggest clubs in the world and I knew they were the right ones for me. I wanted a change and I wanted to move away and concentrate on my football a bit more."
A season that had started in the Prenton Park side's youth team before a "surprise" call up to the first team ended with a move to the Allianz Arena.
The diminutive ball-carrying teenager looked set for greatness, but his time in Germany was ruined by injury problems.
"When I first went and took my medical they found a hernia and it put the move in doubt," he said.
"The doctors said they could fix it but it made things difficult because I wanted to be out on the training pitch.
"I was in the physio room and with the doctors and then when I got fit I got another injury three weeks later and was out for another six weeks."
Ultimately Jennings never made a first-team appearance for Bayern, though he did play 36 times for the club's second side in the German fourth tier.
By last January, 18 months into his three-year deal, he realised it was over.
"I had a year left on my contract and I had to think 'am I really going to get in this team?' Once my girlfriend was pregnant I knew it was time to come back," said Jennings, now father to baby Mila and engaged to long-term partner Hayley.
"Realistically I might have ended up wasting the year and then coming back over at 21 and finding it hard to get a new club over here."
Personally I thought it was a good tackle and I couldn't have lived with myself if I'd backed out of it
Despite his own difficult experience Jennings has no regrets about his Bavarian experience.
"I'd tell a young player in my position now to take the chance and go for it," he said.
"People ask me if I have regrets about going and I say 'no'. I think I would have had more regrets if I had turned it down because you don't know what is going to happen."
Having set his sights on a return to England he signed for Barnsley in June; keen to prove himself in the Championship.
A little too keen.
Having come off the bench in the 61st minute for his Tykes debut on the first day of the season, he was heading down the tunnel just five minutes later after a strong challenge on Wigan's Shaun Maloney saw him sent off.
"I felt like I'd let everybody down when I was walking off the pitch," he recalled.
"Personally I thought it was a good tackle and I couldn't have lived with myself if I'd have backed out of it. I'm not the sort of player to shy away from a tackle.
"It wasn't the best start but I'm here now and doing well and that's the main thing."
Given what had gone before it was just the kind of start Jennings did not need.
He was loaned out to Karl Robinson's MK Dons and his six appearances in League One helped put things back on track.
When he returned to Oakwell in January the Tykes had changed manager and Danny Wilson, in his second spell at the club, just happened to be a Jennings fan.
"I'd seen him playing on loan for MK Dons prior to coming here and he was doing very well," Wilson said.
"He has a dynamic way of playing and I thought that he would be a big bonus and a big help to us and he has been. He's been fantastic."
So fantastic that Jennings, who credits Wilson with restoring his self-belief, was awarded the Football League's Young Player of the Month award after scoring three goals in seven matches in March.
He admits that getting on the scoresheet for the first time this season, in the 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on 8 March, was a huge release but, as ever, things have not been straightforward.
A run of one win from their last six matches has left them four points adrift of safety with two matches to play.
Realistically the Tykes must win Saturday's game at Middlesbrough and beat QPR at home a week later if they are to have any chance of surviving.
"We have to go all out and take risks and take chances," Jennings concluded.
"We've got to have belief in ourselves and hope that the teams around us don't pick up points."
The situation might look bleak, but if anyone knows anything about taking a risk, then it's Barnsley's former Bayern man.


An augmented reality headset has been shown off at the TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference whose makers say could transform computing and communication.

The Meta headset shows digital content superimposed over the user's view that they can manipulate with their hands.
They can also use it to make a phone call and "see" the person in 3D.
However, there remains questions about how willing people will be to wear headsets for such tasks.
Augmented reality layers a digital world on top of the physical one. Some experts believe it has more real-world uses than virtual reality, which separates the user from their real-world surroundings.
The demonstration at TED showcased the capabilities of the Meta 2 development kit.
Meta founder Meron Gribetz said: "We are creating an experience that merges the art of user interface design with the science of the brain, creating 'natural machines' that feel like extensions of ourselves rather than the other way around.
"For example, our natural hand motion doesn't rely on clicks or buttons, thereby maintaining the flow and connecting people to each other and the moment."
It has had an enthusiastic reaction from those who have tried it.
Robert Scoble, an influential futurist at data hosting firm Rackspace, has described it as "the most important new product since the original Macintosh."
Mr Gribetz said he was inspired to create the machine while watching people on their mobile devices in a New York bar. He said he thought that tools that allowed people to see and share content would be preferable to users "hunched over a small rectangle".
"I was thinking about how holograms can replace computers," he explained.
"If we can put a digital layer into the real world imagine what that could mean for storytellers and brain surgeons."
The firm was founded in 2012 and the first Meta prototype was a home-made affair, built with an oven-heated knife, a hot glue gun, and the best components Mr Gribetz could get his hands on.
In five years time he predicts that the headset will have shrunk to the size of a thin piece of glass.
The visor on the headset is see-through, to allow holograms to appear properly anchored to the physical surroundings using positioning tracking, so people using the technology always feel oriented.
The firm has told developers they will be able to obtain units by mid-2016.
Trying Meta feels a bit like being in Minority Report. 10 screens appeared in the either in front of my eyes and I was move them around by poking on screen and lifting it to another place.
Being a policeman of the future is all very well, but more visceral to me was the ability to go onto an Amazon webpage and literally remove a pair of trainers, walk around them, look inside them and even attempt to try them on.
I could see the huge potential of this technology for schools - the human body can be lifted out of a page and turned into a 3D model which you can then pull apart to separate skin from skeleton.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the demo was when I was asked to call one of Meta's employees via a button on the virtual screen.
On answering, he appeared before me as if he was sitting next to me.
Pretending for a moment to be architects redesigning the Sydney Opera House, the building popped up in front of me. It offers huge potential for collaborative working.
But one of the biggest downsides for me was how you handle content. Currently, you have to almost punch it, which doesn't seem all that natural and, on several occasions, I lost control of the objects I was manipulating.
I was told that this will improve over time but it reminds me that, however Iron Man it may seem, the technology is still very much in its infancy.


A hospital in north-west Syria backed by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has been destroyed in an air strike.

The medical charity said eight members of staff were missing after the attack in Maarat al-Numan, but it did not identify who was responsible.
One monitoring group reported that at least nine people were killed and that Russian aircraft had targeted the town.
The strike comes days after Russia and other world powers agreed to a limited cessation of hostilities in Syria.
More than 250,000 people have died in almost five years of war in Syria.
Eleven million others have fled their homes as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and those opposed to his rule battle each other, as well as jihadist militants from so-called Islamic State (IS).
MSF said four rockets hit the hospital in Maarat al-Numan, a rebel-held town about 30km (20 miles) south of the city of Idlib, within minutes of each other on Monday morning.
Eight members of staff at the hospital were currently missing, it added.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group which relies on a network of sources on the ground, said nine people were killed, including a child. The raid also left dozens of others wounded, it added.
"This appears to be a deliberate attack on a health structure, and we condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms," said Massimiliano Rebaudengo, MSF's head of mission in Syria.
"The destruction of the hospital leaves the local population of around 40,000 people without access to medical services in an active zone of conflict."
The 30-bed hospital, which MSF had been supporting since September 2015, had 54 staff, two operating theatres, an outpatients department an emergency room.
On 5 February, three people were killed and six wounded when an MSF-supported hospital in the southern province of Deraa was hit in an air strike.
The attack on Tafas field hospital, about 12km (7 miles) from the Jordanian border, caused partial damage to the hospital building.
MSF, which operates medical facilities inside Syria and supports directly more than 150 others, said last week that such incidents were further depleting Syria's already exhausted healthcare system and preventing more people from accessing desperately needed medical care.
Since the start of this year alone, 14 health facilities in Syria have been hit, which MSF said confirmed that hospitals and clinics were no longer places where patients could recover in safety.
MSF also reiterated that the repeated attacks on medical facilities in the ongoing conflict constituted a flagrant violation of international laws.


Sam Curran has been rewarded for his performances in his first season in county cricket with a call-up to the England Under-19s.

The 17-year-old, younger brother of Surrey team-mate Tom and son of former Zimbabwe international Kevin, only made his first-class debut in July.
He took 18 wickets and scored 178 runs in his first five first-class games.
Hampshire's Brad Taylor captains the tour to Sri Lanka for a one-day tri-series including India in December.
All-rounder Curran, who has just started the final year of his A-levels at Wellington College in Berkshire, took a five-wicket haul on his first-class debut against Kent.
He has also taken 22 wickets in one-day cricket, which included Surrey's run to the One-Day Cup final earlier this month, and averages more than 35 with the bat in first-class cricket.
Essex batsman Dan Lawrence is also included for the trip to Colombo.
The 18-year-old right-hander struck 161 against Surrey in April in only his second first-class match, as well as two centuries in the England Under-19 one-day series against Australia in August.
Highly-rated Hampshire leg-spinner Mason Crane also travels with the tri-series squad, which will serve as the final preparation ahead of the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh in January and February.
England under-19 squad for tri-series in Sri Lanka: Brad Taylor (Hampshire, capt), George Bartlett (Somerset), Hugh Bernard (Kent), Jack Burnham (Durham), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Ryan Davies (Kent, wk), Ben Green (Somerset), Haseeb Hameed (Lancashire), Adam Hickey (Durham), Max Holden (Middlesex), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Saqid Mahmood (Lancashire), Tom Moores (Nottinghamshire, wk), Callum Taylor (Essex), Jared Warner (Yorkshire).


The High Court is expected to rule later on whether the government took too long to process benefit claims by two disabled people.

The unnamed pair waited nine months for Personal Independence Payments (PIPs), and they say this left them dependent on loan sharks and food banks.
They claim the delay was unlawful.
During the test case, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) argued that it took prompt action when delays in processing claims were identified.
Labour and several charities have criticised the government for the way it handled the switchover to PIPs, which began replacing Disability Living Allowance in 2013.
At least 4,500 people have waited more than a year to have their claims processed, and tens of thousands more have waited more than 20 weeks.
The claimants in the test case said delays meant they struggled to pay for food and fuel, and this caused their health to decline.
Their lawyers said they had a right to the benefits and should have received them within a "reasonable time".
One of the claimants, who suffers from ME and severe depression, said she was "completely isolated" during her wait for payments.
The DWP argued the delays were unacceptable but not unlawful, and said more than 800 extra staff were assigned to work on PIPs after problems emerged.
Contractors processing claims also increased their staffing and made other improvements, it added.
PIPs are benefit payments to help people aged 16-64 with "some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability".
They are available to employed and unemployed people, and claimants can receive Â£21.80 to Â£139.75 a week, depending on how their condition affects them.
This is determined by an assessment, and claimants are regularly reassessed - though there have been claims of people being wrongly assessed as fit to work.
From April 2013, PIPs began replacing Disability Living Allowance.
This process is ongoing and the government says everyone who needs to switch to PIPs should have been contacted by late 2017.
Have you been affected by any of the issues raised in this story? You can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
If you would be happy to speak further to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number when emailing us your details.


Suspects in the theft of seven artworks have offered to return them in exchange for moving their trial from Romania to the Netherlands, their lawyers say.

The deal was offered by Radu Dogaru and five other suspects as they went on trial, one in absentia, in Bucharest.
They are accused of stealing masterpieces, by Picasso, Gauguin and Monet among others, from Rotterdam's Kunsthal museum last October.
There were fears that some of the paintings had been destroyed.
The remains of paint, canvas and nails consistent with those of the famous works were found in the oven of Olga Dogaru, mother of Mr Dogaru, at her Romanian home in February.
She had confessed to burning an unspecified number of paintings, although later retracted her statement.
Forensic experts have so far refused to say definitively whether or not the burnt remains were from the stolen paintings.
The trial of Radu Dogaru and his five alleged accomplices - one of whom is still on the run - was opened and adjourned by the Romanian court until 10 September.
One of the lawyers said their clients had offered to return five of the paintings, with no mention made of the remaining two.
Another lawyer, Maria Varsii, said: "It is more likely the paintings are intact. My client says they can be handed over to the Dutch authorities. In exchange, they want to go on trial in the Netherlands."
The works have been valued at around 18m euros (Â£15m; $24m) although they were previously said to be worth as much as 200m euros.
They include Monet's Waterloo Bridge, Picasso's Harlequin Head, Matisse's Reading Girl in White and Yellow and Lucien Freud's Woman with Eyes Closed.
The works were taken from the museum through a back entrance in a pre-dawn raid that lasted less than three minutes.
It was the Netherlands' biggest art theft since 20 works disappeared from Amsterdam's Van Gogh museum in 1991.
The Rotterdam paintings came to light some months later when Mariana Dragu, an art expert at Romania's National Art Museum, was asked by a friend to examine some artworks he was planning to buy.
She said she called the prosecutor's office when she realised she was looking at the stolen originals.
A few months later, three Romanian men were arrested on suspicion of involvement, including Radu Dogaru.
It was following her son's arrest that Mrs Dogaru allegedly burned the artworks at her home in the village of Carcaliu, in the Danube Delta region of eastern Romania.


Two brothers shot a drug dealing taxman at point blank range in a lay-by in Rhondda Cynon Taff, a court has heard.

Stephen Bennett, 53, and Edward Bennett, 48, deny murdering Mark Jones as he sat in his Audi A3 at Lletty Bends, Mountain Ash, on 26 July 2015.
Civil servant Mr Jones was a valuation officer for HMRC but the Cardiff Crown Court jury heard he also sold drugs.
The court was told the 43-year-old was shot twice by the brothers. Edward Bennett was said to owe Mr Jones money.
Prosecutor Chris Clee QC said: "Edward Bennett was a friend of Mark Jones and had been for some time. He was also involved in drug dealing with Mark Jones."
In the weeks leading up to the alleged murder, the court heard how Edward Bennett, from Penrhiwceiber, was desperately trying to raise a large amount of cash - even applying for a Â£60,000 mortgage, but he was unsuccessful.
Phone and text records to others purporting to ask for money owed included: "I really need that money tonight - I really do," and "You've got to understand I really need that money tonight".
The court also heard there were repeated messages from Mr Jones to Edward Bennett during July which included: "I've just had my mate on the blower, I need paper tonight."
Addressing the jury, Mr Clee added: "Was Edward Bennett in significant debt to Mark Jones? Was he under pressure to pay that debt?"
An internet message from Edward Bennett to his brother Stephen, of Pontypridd, on 5 July said: "Have you still got that thing? Cut it down and we'll use it."
Mr Clee said that was a reference to a gun.
The jury was also shown text messages between Mr Jones and Edward Bennett arranging to meet in the lay-by at the time of the shooting.
CCTV tracked Stephen Bennett's Volkswagen van driving between his home to the vicinity of the shooting and back, on the night of the alleged murder.
Mr Jones had told his wife he was popping out for a few minutes.
A number of witnesses were near the scene "and what happened next was entirely unexpected and happened quickly", jurors heard.
An AA driver who had stopped for a cigarette in the lay-by heard two loud bangs.
The prosecution said he saw the driver and passenger doors of the white Audi open at the same time.
Jurors were told he saw blue smoke emerge followed by two people and then another man, who all ran into the main road.
Other witnesses saw a man fall to the floor, before being dragged to the side of the road and left there by the other two who vanished down a path into nearby bushes.
The court heard Mr Jones was taken to hospital where he later developed sepsis and had 15 operations, but died two months later on 26 September.
The trial continues.


The judgement by the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein that convicted Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius of murder sends a message that South Africa does not tolerate the reckless use of guns.

As Judge Eric Leach said when he read the judgment, "not only did he not know who was behind the door, he did not know whether that person in fact constituted any threat to him.
"In these circumstances, although he may have been anxious, it is inconceivable that a rational person could have believed he was entitled to fire at this person with a heavy-calibre firearm."
One of the many things we learnt during the seven-month trial, was Pistorius' obsession with firearms.
The prosecution played a video clip showing the six-time Paralympic gold medallist shooting at a watermelon and remarking "it's not as soft as brainsâ€¦ but it's a zombie stopper".
The court was also told that Pistorius and his friends fired a shot inside a family restaurant in Johannesburg in 2013.
There are approximately 1.8 million registered gun owners in South Africa, which has an adult population of roughly 38 million.
The country's gun culture among both black and white communities can be traced back to the apartheid era.
During the height of white-minority rule in the early 1960s, political organizations such as the African National Congress embarked on an armed liberation struggle and formed uMkhonto weSizwe, the Spear of the Nation.
This was beginning of the love affair of anti-apartheid activists with the AK47.
To this day, many black people perceive the Kalashnikov as a symbol of liberation.
The liberation movements said they took up arms because the apartheid government encouraged white citizens to arm themselves against "die swart gevaar" (the black threat).
The authorities instilled a fear that there was something lurking in the shadows, that somehow marauding black crowds would come and take over their prized possessions.
This is how ordinary suburban men acquired guns to protect their families.
However, some of these weapons have ended up in wrong hands and are increasingly being used in armed robberies.
Illegal firearms have proliferated in poor communities, where the vast majority of gun-related deaths occur.
Under apartheid, black people were not allowed, by law, to own guns.
But that all changed in 1994 when racial segregation ended and black people used their newly found constitutional rights, including to obtain firearm licences.
This increased the number of gun owners significantly.
And so it became necessary for tighter gun control laws to be introduced, such as the Firearms Control Act.
This made it harder for individuals to obtain gun licences. But furthermore, it outlines stricter rules for when a person can use their firearm, even in self-defence.
For example, if someone is climbing over the fence into your property, you do not have the right to shoot them.
Pistorius said he fired because he thought there was an intruder in his house.
Judge Leach said a rational person could not fire a high-calibre firearm "without taking even that most elementary precaution of firing a warning shot, which the accused said he elected not to fire as he thought the ricochet might harm him.
"The accused must have foreseen and, therefore, did foresee that whoever was behind the toilet door might die, but reconciled himself to that event occurring and gambled with that person's life," the judge added.
Unlike in the US, South Africa does not have in its constitution the right the bear arms.
Lobby group Gun Free South Africa says that you are four times as likely to have your gun stolen from you than to use it in self-defence, based on research undertaken in 2000 and 2009.
The organisation's Adele Kirsten told me: "The gun that was meant to protect him [Pistorius] and Reeva [Steenkamp] from external danger was used to kill the person he loved."
Relief and tears after murder conviction
Oscar Pistorius verdict: Key quotes
The making and unmaking of Oscar Pistorius
My friend Reeva Steenkamp
When I asked South African Gunowners Association (Saga) about the impact of the Pistorius verdict on their members, it said it welcomed the judgement.
"The ruling does not change anything for us," Saga's Trust chairman, John Welch, told me.
Mr Welch emphasised: "The court ruling reaffirms our position that there are certain parameters under which a person can use a firearm," implying that Pistorius went beyond the rules.
However, gun-related deaths are actually falling in the country.
A study found that in 1998, there were 26,500 murders in South Africa, 48% of which were gun-related.
But by 2009, this had fallen to 17,000 murders, and 34% were gun-related.
It is to be hoped that this trend will continue and this highly publicised tragedy will in future cause some of those who would have been reckless with their firearms to pause and think before they pull the trigger.


Disney has revealed a robot that can draw sand pictures on the beach.

20 January 2015 Last updated at 08:34 GMT
The Beach Bot can draw sand pictures that are ten metres tall.
The robot uses a rake with different types of scrapers to make a variety of lines and pictures.