An Iranian nuclear scientist who claims he was abducted by CIA agents last year and taken to the US is on his way back to Tehran, Iran says.

Foreign Ministry officials, who claim they have evidence Shahram Amiri was kidnapped, told state media he had now left the US.
The US state department has insisted he was in the US of his own free will.
In June, Mr Amiri appeared in three videos giving conflicting stories about how he had arrived in the US.
He said in the first that he had been kidnapped by CIA and Saudi agents while on a pilgrimage.
In the second message he said he had gone to the US to improve his education and was living freely in Arizona.
In the third, he claimed to have escaped from US custody.
On Monday evening Mr Amiri arrived at the Iranian Interests Section of the Pakistani embassy in Washington, which handles Iranian affairs in the US capital, and asked to be repatriated.
Since then, he has renewed his allegations that he was kidnapped, giving more details in an interview from the Iranian diplomatic mission with a Danish TV company.
He said he was abducted while on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
"A white van stopped in front of me... They told me in Farsi that they were part of another group of pilgrims and said 'We are going towards a mosque and we will be happy to take you as well'," he told Atlantic TV.
"When I opened the door to get in and sit down, the person at the back put a gun to my side and said 'Please be quiet, don't make any noise'."
He said he was drugged and woke up in a military plane which took him to "American territory".
He added that he was put under intense psychological pressure to accept millions of dollars and tell US media that he had defected from Iran with sensitive documents and was claiming asylum in the US - a deal he said he refused to accept.
But in the US, unnamed officials and security sources are claiming that Mr Amiri defected and was put into a programme similar to a witness-protection.
Later, he apparently became concerned for family members he had left behind, had a breakdown and decided to return to Iran, US reports claim.
A US official told the BBC: "He provided useful information to the United States. The Iranians now have him. In terms of win-loss, it's not even a close call."
Iranian media quoted foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as saying Mr Amiri would travel back to Iran though a "third country".
"With the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran and effective co-operation of Pakistan's embassy in Washington, a few minutes ago Shahram Amiri left American soil and is heading back to Iran," Mr Mehmanparast said.
Another foreign ministry spokesman later said the scientist would make a stopover in Qatar. There are no direct flights from the US to Iran.
In June, Iran claimed it had handed evidence to the US that the scientist had been abducted.
The US had repeatedly said it had no information about Mr Amiri.
However, on Tuesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton acknowledged publicly for the first time that the scientist was in the US - but she flatly denied allegations of abduction.
"Mr Amiri has been in the United States of his own free will and he is free to go," she said.
Iranian media reports say Mr Amiri worked as a researcher at a university in Tehran, but some reports say he worked for the country's atomic energy organisation and had in-depth knowledge of its controversial nuclear programme.


Glamorgan batsman Colin Ingram has stepped down from the captaincy of his South African side Warriors.

Ingram was unfit for the start of their season due to knee surgery, after playing only limited-overs cricket for Glamorgan in 2016.
A Warriors statement said: "Colin feels that he would not do justice to the role of captain.
"His rehabilitation is going well, but he is some time away from getting out into the middle."
Ingram, 31, told BBC Wales Sport in August that he expected to return to action in October or November.
After joining Glamorgan in November 2014 as a non-overseas player under the Kolpak ruling, Ingram was the Welsh county's 2016 Player of the Year in white-ball cricket, but was not fit enough to play in the Championship.
"Colin has been an outstanding captain and we are grateful for his leadership over the past season," coach Malibongwe Maketa told the Warriors website.
"He still has a big role to play as a senior player in the squad and we are looking forward to his continued commitment to the team albeit not in a captaincy role."
Ingram, who played in 31 one-day internationals and nine Twenty20 internationals for South Africa, last played for the national side in November 2013.


A museum has launched a fundraising campaign to keep the "greatest" ever painting of Oxford on show in the city.

The Ashmolean has raised £860,000 to acquire J M W Turner's The High Street, Oxford but hopes the public will help contribute towards the final £60,000.
On loan from a private collection since 1997, it has been offered to the nation in lieu of £3.5m inheritance tax.
Director Dr Alexander Sturgis described it as the "greatest painting of the city that has ever been made".
He added: "The importance of keeping this beautiful painting in Oxford cannot be overstated.
"High Street, Oxford is the young Turner's most significant townscape... if the Ashmolean does not acquire the painting, it will be sold on the open market.
"All major oil paintings by Turner that have been offered at auction in recent years have been bought by foreign buyers."
Turner created the painting of one of Oxford's most picturesque streets in 1810 after being commissioned by Oxford printseller James Wyatt for 100 guineas.
He painted more than 30 watercolours of Oxford in his lifetime, and is credited with inventing new techniques in landscape painting, such as making skies and clouds look luminous and expressive.
The museum has received a £550,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards the painting, as well as £220,000 from the Art Fund, and £30,000 from the Friends and Patrons of the Ashmolean.
Stuart McLeod, head of HLF South East England, said it would be "unthinkable" if it did not remain on public display in Oxford.
Stephen Deuchar, director of the Art Fund, said: "This most important picture simply must be saved by the Ashmolean."
A previous campaign by the museum in 2012 was successful in keeping Edouard Manet's portrait of Mademoiselle Claus in the UK.


Pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong have marched to the residence of the territory's leader, criticising his stance on democratic reform.

The protesters were also angered by CY Leung's recent comments, where he argued that poorer residents should not be given too much political influence.
Pro-democracy protesters have been on Hong Kong's streets for three weeks, paralysing some key roads.
Activists and government officials held talks for the first time on Tuesday.
However, the first round of talks showed little signs of ending the impasse.
Correspondents say about 200 protesters marched to Mr Leung's official residence, Government House, on Wednesday.
Many were angered by Mr Leung's comments in an interview on Monday, where he said fully democratic elections would lead to populist policies, as poorer residents would have a dominant voice in politics.
"If it's entirely a numbers game and numeric representation, then obviously you would be talking to half of the people in Hong Kong who earn less than $1,800 (Â£1,110) a month," he said.
These startlingly frank remarks have not gone down well with many demonstrators, who see it as proof that the political system is rigged on behalf of the rich, the BBC's Juliana Liu in Hong Kong reports.
It tallies with the narrative of the city as a place where the gap between rich and poor - which is one of the highest in Asia - is rising, our correspondent adds.
On Wednesday, the government issued a statement saying that Mr Leung was required to "take into account the needs of all sectors with equal importance... instead of just the needs of the largest community".
It added that he attached "great importance to the livelihood of the grassroots".
The pro-democracy demonstrators are angered by a Chinese government ruling that said all candidates for Hong Kong's 2017 chief executive elections must be vetted by a nominating committee dominated by pro-Beijing groups.
They have described this as a "fake democracy".
The protests, known as the Occupy Central movement, drew tens of thousands to the streets at their peak.
Numbers have dwindled since then, but hundreds remained at protest camps in the districts of Mong Kok, Admiralty and Causeway Bay.
Local businesses and residents have criticised the disruption caused by the protests.
On Wednesday, there were brief scuffles as a group of men tried to dismantle the barricades set up by protesters in Mong Kok, prompting the police to separate the two sides.
A poll has suggested that public opinion on Occupy Central is split, with 38% supporting the protests, and 36% opposed, local media report (in Chinese).
On Tuesday, government representatives met student leaders who were representing the protests for two hours of televised talks.
Government negotiators said the protesters' demands were impossible, while student activists accused the government of being "vague".
Hong Kong's Chief Secretary Carrie Lam told the students that the government would send a report to Chinese government officials reflecting the protesters' views, and set up a platform to facilitate dialogue on future constitutional changes.
However, she stressed that Hong Kong could not "decide on its own its political development" because it was a special administrative region within China.
The student leaders, meanwhile, argued that the public should be able to nominate candidates for Hong Kong's elections, and that the nominating committee outlined by the Chinese government was not representative enough.
Student leader Alex Chow said after the meeting: "The government has to come up with some way to solve this problem, but what they are offering does not have any practical content."


Thousands of people flock to a tiny island off Guinea-Bissau to party hard at a three day music festival every Easter:

It can take five hours by ferry from the West African nation's capital, Bissau, to reach the island of Bubaque. Its festival is now in its sixth year and musicians came from Senegal, France and Portugal as well as Guinea-Bissau to enjoy the shindig.
Guinea-Bissau-born artist Star Candinha, pictured, was among the singers this year. Other performers included a founder of modern Guinea-Bissau music Sidonio, gumbe rhythm musician Manecas Costa and reggae artist Ombre Zion.
Acts ranged from hip-hop to traditional music, like this dance troop which kicked off the festival.
Like most of the revellers, rapper MC Lady travelled across the water from Bissau. More than 5,000 people came to the festival on Bubaque, which has a population of less than 10,000.
The influx of visitors didn't stop Bubaque islanders from catching a game of football.
The visitors stayed on the island for three days, hanging out on the beach by the concert venue. Bubaque is one of the nearly 90 islands that make up the Bijagos archipelago off the coast of Guinea-Bissau in the Atlantic Ocean.
Festival director Brian King says the archipelago's inhabitants want it to be recognised by Unesco as a World Heritage site, which would require they show it has a globally unique biological diversity as well as unique cultural traditions.
Exhausted after the partying, people head back home on ferries specially put on for the Bubaque Festival revellers. (Photos from Ricci Shryock)


The first memorial day for victims of so-called honour killings is taking place on Tuesday.

It would have been the 29th birthday of Shafilea Ahmed, who was killed by her parents when she was 17 after suffering years of "honour-based" violence.
UK police forces recorded more than 11,000 cases of "honour" crime between 2010 and 2014.
They are acts committed to defend the supposed honour or reputation of a family and community.
The crimes, usually aimed at women, can include emotional abuse, abduction, beatings and murder.
According to a report by The Henry Jackson Society, 18 cases of honour killings were committed in the UK between 2010 - 2014.
However, campaigners believe the figure may be higher.
The National Day of Memory for Victims of Honour Killings, intended to be an annual event, has come about after a campaign by Karma Nirvana, a charity originally set up in Derby that supports victims of honour crimes and forced marriages, and Cosmopolitan magazine.
Jasvinder Sanghera, CEO of the charity, said: "We are going to be honouring the memories of the most honourable human beings where the perpetrators tried to erase them completely.
"It's also an opportunity to raise awareness about the issue of honour based abuse and the scale of the problem in Britain."
Shafilea Ahmed, 17, went missing from her home in Warrington, Cheshire, in 2003. Her body was found on the banks of the River Kent in Cumbria six months later.
Her parents, Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed denied her murder but were found guilty of the crime by a jury at Chester Crown Court in 2012 and jailed for life.
The court had heard Bradford-born Shafilea was murdered because her parents believed she had brought shame on the family.  She had been suffocated with a plastic bag, following years of abuse.
Her parents believed she was too westernised because she wanted to attend parties, go on dates and wear make-up.
Months before she died she had filled out a housing form, saying she wanted to move out and that she feared she would be married off against her will. She had apparently also drunk bleach during a family trip to Pakistan when her mother told her she would not be returning to the UK, the trial was told.
Detectives say Shafilea's parents wanted to make her conform to their interpretation of Pakistani culture.
Sentencing them, Mr Justice Evans said their desire for her to live in a "sealed cultural environment" was "unrealistic, destructive and cruel".
Relatives of victims say there have been failures in investigating "honour-based" crimes.
Jagdeesh Singh's sister, Surjit Athwal, 27, was murdered in a so-called honour killing in 1998.
Her mother-in-law Bachan Athwal and husband Sukhdave Athwal, of Hayes, west London were jailed at the Old Bailey in 2007 for arranging her murder.
Mr Singh is calling for a public inquiry.
He said: "We need to pull together the harsh lessons learned, from a community level, a policing level and a government level."
Events being held to mark the day include a London conference where survivors of "honour-based" violence will share their stories.
At the conference, The Henry Jackson Society research fellow Emily Dyer will launch a report on survivors of "honour" abuse.
The report, Britain's Forgotten Women, concludes that while there has been significant progress in raising awareness of forced marriage and "honour-based" abuse in the UK, there are gaps in support for survivors.
Schools are also taking part in the day, with one secondary school in Manchester that has worked to prevent forced marriages holding a special assembly and releasing balloons.


A man who was jailed for killing his ex-girlfriend in a "violent and protracted" attack has had his eight-year sentence increased.

Andrea Lewis, 51, was found dead at a home in Fairyland Road, Tonna, Neath, on 30 January 2016, with 43 injuries including to her skull and torso.
Rhys Hobbs, 46, of Tonna, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in July and was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court.
On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal upped his sentence to 12-and-a-half years.
A statement from the Attorney General said the case was returned to the courts by the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
Speaking after the hearing, he said: "Hobbs has a history of violent abuse and has shown very little remorse or regret concerning the incident.
"It's important we send a message that violence in a domestic setting is completely unacceptable and I'm pleased the court has agreed Hobbs should spend longer in jail for his crimes."
During the original sentencing, Swansea Crown Court heard Ms Lewis had been stamped on following a drunken row.
In the weeks running up to her death, she was covered in bruises and had a black eye - but told friends she had fallen.
After Hobbs attacked her in his home, Ms Lewis was dragged outside while half-dressed. She was found dead the next day.


Panama has registered a baby born with a brain disorder believed linked to the Zika virus, in what is thought to be the first such case outside Brazil in the current outbreak.

Traces of the mosquito-born virus were found in the baby's umbilical cord.
The baby had been born with an underdeveloped brain, a condition known as microcephaly, which health experts suspect is linked to the virus.
Brazil suspects most of its 860 cases of microcephaly are related to Zika.
The Panamanian baby's mother had not reported any symptoms of Zika during her pregnancy.
Her baby died four hours after being born.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global public health emergency over the possible connection between the mosquito-born virus and microcephaly.
The current Zika outbreak began almost a year ago in Brazil.
Microcephaly cases have been centred in north-east Brazil, but the outbreak has affected people in more than 20 countries in the Americas.
Some governments have advised women to delay getting pregnant, but before now no infants with microcephaly have tested positive for Zika outside Brazil in the current outbreak.
Some cases of the brain condition were reported in an outbreak in French Polynesia in 2013.


Two people arrested on suspicion of the murder of a 13-week-old boy have been released on bail.

The 34-year-old man and a woman, aged 30, were arrested after the baby from Newcastle died on Monday.
The boy from Velville Court was taken to hospital on Friday with injuries police described as "non-accidental".
Northumbria Police said the pair were released on bail pending further inquiries.


It's worth remembering that the European's Commission case that Apple should pay €13bn (£11bn) in back taxes against is primarily a case against Ireland - not the global technology giant.

Apple is obviously involved in a pretty major way and is also allowed to appeal as an affected third party but the argument is that Ireland used its tax system to give two Apple subsidiaries illegal state aid.
Some of the arguments are complicated but there are some pretty simple thoughts at the heart of this issue.
Where does the stuff that make Apple's products so successful actually happen. Is it A - in Ireland? B in your local electrical retailer? or C - in California?
If your answer to that question is C then you agree with the Irish government (and Apple).
The huge profits Apple generates are down to great US design and innovation, should be taxed in the US and one day they will be - just as soon as someone lowers US taxes (step forward Donald Trump?).
Until then, profits on Apple's non-US sales will continue to pile up in Ireland.
The Irish government today published the reasons it thinks that is not a very good reason for it to be the tax collector for the rest of the world.
Only a tiny fraction of Apple's $200bn+ Irish cash pile was actually earned in Ireland, why should Irish tax authorities be the ones to hit them with a worldwide bill.
This point is one that the Commission seems to tacitly accept by recently suggesting that once the money is collected, other countries might want to make a claim on the pot.
It also accepts that if billions in taxable income was repatriated to the US, Ireland would collect less.
So we have Apple as pinata, everyone having a whack until some money falls out.
Finally, says the Irish government, tax and spending decisions are a matter for sovereign governments - not the Commission - and you certainly can't retrospectively legislate.
The principles behind the commissions argument come out a 2010 OECD document that is not law in Ireland and even if it was, couldn't be applied to the two Irish tax rulings at issue which were taken back in 1991 and 2007.
Although it will be years before this case is settled, the tax landscape is already changing.
The Commission may end up losing this particular battle but there is progress in the international war against tax avoidance.
The notoriously complex "double Irish" tax structure is being phased out, the OECD's work on preventing profit shifting to low tax areas is being fairly widely adopted and companies are even moving their headquarters to places where they have a real physical business (Mcdonalds from Luxembourg to the UK for example).
And, if Donald Trump does cut US taxes from 35% to 15% as he hinted during his campaign, the sea of US corporate cash lapping around the shores of Ireland and Luxembourg may start flooding back home.


Lawyers for Lord Janner have lost a High Court bid to spare him attending court to face child sex abuse charges.

The 87-year-old peer, who has dementia, must now appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday in relation to 22 charges spanning the 1960s to the 1980s, which he denies.
The ex-MP's lawyers had argued it was "barbaric, inhumane and uncivilised" to force him to attend as he was too ill.
But judges ruled there was a "strong public interest" in his attendance.
Lord Janner's lawyers said they were not planning to appeal the ruling.
If the peer does not attend Friday's hearing, he could be arrested - or prosecutors could ask the High Court for a voluntary bill of indictment to allow the case to proceed in his absence.
Lord Janner's family have strongly denied claims he used his power as an MP to abuse young boys over three decades.
His lawyer argued he had "virtually no language left at all" and was likely to have a "catastrophic reaction" if he attended court.
A previous ruling ordering him to attend in person was "irrational and perverse", and violated his human rights, said Paul Ozin.
However, upholding that ruling, Lady Justice Rafferty said it did not violate his rights and even if Lord Janner had a reaction to appearing in court it would be "short lived and rapidly forgotten".
Justice should be public and court not a place of "avoidable spectacle", she said.
Lady Justice Rafferty, sitting with Mr Justice Irwin, said the court had "unhesitatingly concluded" that it was in the public interest that Lord Janner attend court.
The judge said the peer had been charged with offences which must be tried in the crown court "and by some means the case must progress to it".
It is that court that would decide whether Lord Janner is fit to face a trial.
Earlier this year, Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders decided not to bring charges because of Lord Janner's ill health - but this decision was overturned after an appeal by the alleged victims.
If a crown court judge decides the former Labour MP for Leicester is fit to plead, a full trial may take place.
If not, there will be a trial of the facts, where a jury will decide only if he committed the physical acts of abuse, with no finding of guilt and no conviction.
Greville Janner was made Lord Janner of Braunstone in 1997. He remains a life peer, but has been on leave of absence since 2014. He was suspended from the Labour Party in April.


A 49-year-old man has died after being hit by a car in Carmarthenshire.

Dyfed-Powys Police was called to the A476 near Ffairfach, Llandeilo at about 21:00 BST on Saturday.
The driver of the red Vauxhall Corsa stopped and contacted the emergency services but the man, from the Penygroes area, died at scene.
Police have appealed for witnesses.


Police in the US state of Maine have arrested a drunk, one-armed clown who was brandishing a machete.

Corey Berry, 31, from the town of Hollis, was spotted walking down a road in a black hooded sweatshirt and a clown mask, holding the weapon.
He had duct-taped the machete to his arm, which police say had been amputated.
Worried residents began calling 911 at around 18:00 local time (22:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
Local outlet wcsh6.com said Mr Berry ran off into the woods, where police struggled to apprehend him as further emergency calls came in.
State Trooper Adam Schmidt said the clown was highly intoxicated, but cooperative. He told police he had been inspired by previous creepy clown sightings and was trying to play a prank.
Mr Berry was arrested and charged with criminal threatening. He was taken to York County Jail, but was released after posting $200 (Â£150) bail.
While sightings have died down this year, summer and autumn 2016 saw a wave of "killer clown" stunts that spread across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
The sinister craze began in South Carolina, with reports that men dressed as clowns were trying to coax children into the woods with money. It was followed by sightings in Alabama, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
Schools in Texas and Alabama even shut down over the phenomenon.
One theory had it that the upswing in creepy clown antics was linked to the release of novelist Stephen King's upcoming film, It.
The plot involves a child-slaughtering being which takes the form of a clown called Pennywise to lure its prey.
King criticised the craze last October, tweeting: "Hey, guys, time to cool the clown hysteria - most of em are good, cheer up the kiddies, make people laugh."


Hull FC eased into the Challenge Cup quarter-finals as Steve Michaels scored a hat-trick against Catalans.

The 2016 cup winners totally dominated the first half and scored six tries.
Michaels went over twice and there were also tries for Josh Griffin, Mahe Fonua, Liam Watts and Scott Taylor.
Hull's 28-0 half-time lead was extended when Michaels spectacularly completed his treble, while Jansin Turgut, Jordan Thompson, Jake Connor and two from Jamie Shaul wrapped up the victory.
Catalans had no answer to Hull, who beat Warrington in last year's final to lift the trophy for the first time.
Hull opened the scoring with a free-flowing move which was finished off by Michaels in the left-hand corner, while Shaul and Mark Minichiello combined to set up Griffin.
Fonua went over in the corner, Watts spotted a gap in the Catalans defence to run to the side of the posts and Michaels took Turgut's pass to score his second try.
Great work from Watts and Albert Kelly freed Taylor as Hull romped to a 28-point lead at the break.
Michael's dived over acrobatically in the corner for his third try and Turgut collected a short pass to grab his second try in Hull colours.
Kelly's clever offload saw Thompson go over, Shaul scored two late tries on his 100th career appearance and Connor grabbed a try to go with his 10 points from the boot to complete the rout.
Hull coach Lee Radford:
"It was exactly what we asked for. It ended up being a difficult evening with the injuries but the blokes that jumped in did a really good job.
"I thought Jordan Thompson epitomised that. He had one of the best games he's played this year and in an alien position and Washy played about five positions tonight.
"It was a real cabbage-patch team at the end but everybody played their role really well. We spoke beforehand about knockout football being important to us and we were pretty close to our best."
Catalans Dragons coach Laurent Frayssinous:
"It was men against boy. Defensively and offensively they were way too good for us, it's as simple as that. There are a few harsh and good lessons for our kids to learn.
"Losing Richie Myler and Julian Bousquet, two more of our experienced players, made it even tougher. We had a lack of interchanges because of the injuries.
"The Challenge Cup has finished for us and it's finished in a tough way. The cup was a goal for us and we wanted to put out our best team."
Hull FC: Shaul, Fonua, Griffin, Kelly, Sneyd, Taylor, Houghton, Watts, Minichiello, Connor, Green, Michaels, Turgut.
Replacements: Bowden, Fash, Thompson, Washbrook.
Catalans: Yaha, Walsh, Myler, Moa, Casty, Bousquet, Duport,, Thornley, Albert, Da Costa, Belmas, Perez, Romano.
Replacements: Simon, Margalet, Khedimi, Seguier.
Referee: Ben Thaler.


An app to help theatre-goers follow plays in other languages is being launched by a theatre company in Wales.

Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, the Welsh-language national theatre, has developed the smartphone app called Sibrwd, which means Whisper.
It will allow audience members to hear key lines and explanations of scenes in English through headphones.
If successful, it is hoped the app could be adapted for performances in other languages around the world.
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru has previously used subtitles, in which a translation of the script is projected onto a screen. But that was not a "fulfilling experience", according to executive producer Carys Ifan.
The app, is "much more creative and more involved as part of the production", she said.
"It's not a full translation. There are quite short sentences every now and again at key moments.
"The idea is that people will take their own smartphone, download the app and then they'll hear things that we think they need to know to guide them through the play."
The company hopes the app will help it appeal beyond Welsh speakers. The 2011 census showed 19% of the Welsh population could speak the language, down from 21% on 2001.
"We want as many people as possible to access our work," Ms Ifan said.
"People will go and see an opera in French or Italian but wouldn't think about going to see a Welsh language piece. So it's trying to entice people to make that leap."
Sibrwd is being tested during performances of Dyled Eileen, about Welsh language campaigner Eileen Beasley, at the National Eisteddfod of Wales next week.
The app, developed with digital agency Galactig, will then be put into full use for the first time with a play called Chwalfa in Bangor, Gwynedd, in September.
As well as providing translations into English, the company will take Sibrwd to a conference of minority European languages in Germany in October.
"It's something we're thinking of more broadly as well, not just English-Welsh translation," Ms Ifan said. "We're looking definitely towards the international market."
Sibrwd has been funded by the Â£400,000 Digital R&D [Research and Development] Fund for the Arts in Wales, which is backed by Arts Council Wales, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and innovation charity Nesta.
Nesta's director of creative economy Hasan Bakhshi said the project was given funding to explore whether an app could overcome language barriers in the theatre.
"If it does, can we capture and disseminate the insights from that project in such a way that other theatre companies can use?" he said.
"One of the things that was attractive about this project was the potential international applicability. It's not necessarily tied to the Welsh language."
The app was highlighted in a new report published by Nesta, which suggests that arts bodies should spend more on research and development and proposes an Arts Impact Fund to fast-track promising new ideas.


A former boxing champion has received a new Lonsdale Belt to replace one he won more than 50 years ago.

Dai Dower, 78, who is from south Wales but lives in Bournemouth, held British, European and Empire flyweight titles before retiring at the age of 25.
He was forced to give up his Lonsdale Belt, awarded to British champions, when called up for national service.
But his friends at Bournemouth ex-Boxers' Association have been raising funds and bought him a replacement.
Mr Dower, who was born in Abercynon, was presented with the belt at a ceremony in Bournemouth on Saturday.
British champions can keep their Lonsdale Belt, named after Lord Lonsdale with origins dating back to 1909, if they successfully defend their title twice.
Mr Dower was British champion but few other fighters were considered good enough to challenge him and he was eventually forced to give up his belt when he joined the Army.
"It upset me when it happened 50 years ago but it's just one of those things that happens," he said.
"The idea was to give it back to me when I came out of the Army but they didn't.
"I came to Bournemouth and I never thought about it until the boys here [at Bournemouth ex-Boxers' Association] asked me about it."
Earlier, Mr Dower said he was grateful to his friends for their fundraising efforts.
"I must say I'm really excited about it. The boys have done well for me," he said.
Former amateur boxer and Bournemouth ex-Boxers' Association member John Dickinson said the idea came last summer from a conversation with Mr Dower.
"We had a reunion and we asked him to bring his belt and he said he hadn't got one," said Mr Dickinson.
"We asked him why not and he said he had a belt but they asked for it back because he went in to the services. There was nobody suitable for him to defend it so they took it back.
"As an association we thought we should do something."
Lifelong friend and Rhondda Cynon Taf councillor Albert (Alby) Davies, who will present the belt, said Mr Dower was a fantastic boxer.
"He was the most classical and elusive boxer I have ever seen in my life," said Mr Davies, who used to box himself and sparred with his friend.
"He had quick feet, quick hands - ducking and weaving he was absolutely class. He was on his own."
Mr Dower held British, Empire and European flyweight titles and also fought for a world title but lost to Pascual Perez in Argentina in 1957.
After his boxing career, Mr Dower, who is married to Evelyn, taught sport at Ringwood Grammar School in Bournemouth and at Bournemouth University.
He was awarded an MBE in 1998 for his work at the university.
He was back in Rhondda Cynon Taf in 2009 to to unveil a plaque in Pontypridd to another champion boxer, Freddie Welsh, who was known as the Welsh Wizard.


Bournemouth completed one of the comebacks of the season to beat Liverpool for the first time in a sensational Premier League game.

The Cherries battled back from 2-0 down at half-time and 3-1 behind with 15 minutes to go, with Nathan Ake's 93rd-minute winner sealing a famous win.
Sadio Mane scored the Reds' opener when he controlled Emre Can's ball over the top, held off Ake and poked home.
The visitors looked in control when Divock Origi went past Artur Boruc and curled home their second from a narrow angle.
Bournemouth brought on Ryan Fraser in the 55th minute and that proved to be the turning point of the game. Seconds later James Milner brought him down in the area and Callum Wilson scored the penalty.
Can put the Reds 3-1 up with a 20-yard curling effort but Fraser scored his first Premier League goal when he tucked home after Wilson's cross had hit the heels of Benik Afobe.
Centre-back Steve Cook got Bournemouth level when he controlled Fraser's cross, swivelled and volleyed home.
It looked like the drama was over until the third minute of injury time when Loris Karius spilled Cook's shot and Ake tapped home into an empty net.
20 mins (0-1): Liverpool open the scoring through Mane, who pokes the ball past Boruc
22 mins (0-2): Surely game over already, as Mane wins the ball off Harry Arter and finds Jordan Henderson, who plays in Origi, with the Belgian guiding the ball into an empty net after Boruc came flying out of his box
45 mins: At half-time, Liverpool are cruising and look set to make it 12 Premier League games unbeaten
56 mins (1-2): Bournemouth are back in this, as Fraser takes the ball past Milner with his first touch and gets brought down. Wilson sends Karius the wrong way from the spot
64 mins (1-3): The threat of a comeback is short-lived, as Mane takes the ball off Ake and pulls it back to Can to curl home. Five minutes later, Mane comes off with the job seemingly done
72 mins: Liverpool are inches away from going 4-1 up, as Boruc holds Milner's corner, but almost takes it back past his line. Goal-line technology shows it was millimetres from being 100% across the line.
76 mins (2-3): Fraser gets Bournemouth back in it, as he converts Wilson's cross, which had been mis-controlled into his path by Afobe
78 mins (3-3): Cook scores a brilliant goal, as he takes the ball with his back to goal, before turning and smashing home
90 mins: Origi almost wins it for Liverpool, but he fires over from close range
90+3 mins (4-3): Absolute scenes. Bournemouth win it as Karius makes a total mess of Cook's shot and Ake has an open net to tap into
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Before the game, Football Association panel member Howard Wilkinson told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek that Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe had been considered for the England job.
Results like this will do nothing to harm his chances when newly appointed Gareth Southgate eventually goes, although that is if Howe is not too successful for international management next time it comes around.
Having said that, he could not have imagined his introduction of Fraser, an uncapped 22-year-old Scottish winger, early in the second half could have worked out so well.
The Cherries could have been forgiven for crumbling when they went 2-0, and especially 3-1, down. History was not on their side.
In all previous nine games against the Reds, stretching back to 1927, they had drawn two - in the FA Cup in 1927 and 1968 - and lost the other seven, including the replays to those games.
But they never gave up, and move into the top half of the table with these three points.
The Reds were looking for a victory which would make it 12 league games unbeaten and equal their best start to a Premier League season.
It would also have taken them second, one point behind leaders Chelsea, the parent club of match-winner Ake.
And midway through the second half, it appeared the story of the game was going to be a good performance and deserved win for Liverpool.
Manager Jurgen Klopp, who is without injured forward Philippe Coutinho for several weeks, admitted his side had thrown it away.
One boost was Adam Lallana's return from three weeks out with a groin injury, although he replaced Mane just before the start of the implosion that has left them four points off in-form Chelsea.
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "We opened the door and they ran through and scored some wonderful goals. So that's the deserved result.
"It doesn't feel too good right now but sometimes we need it. Of course this can help us. No road is without rocks and stones.
"It's three points, no more. You cannot be champions in December.
"We are not ice skating, it's not about how it looks. I know we can play football. Nothing is decided at 2-0. The boys know now we gave it away - only because of us Bournemouth came back. It was our mistake to let them back in the game."
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe: "It was a great game, obviously from our perspective because we won. Liverpool were excellent in the first half and we knew their quality. It took our substitutes to make an impact and liven us up. Ryan Fraser deserved that opportunity today.
"It would have been easy for our players to give up and see out time, but our group knows not to give up. We scored at the right time, and the easy thing when you equalise is to sit back and defend that but thankfully the lads kept going.
"In the second half we looked like scoring every time we attacked. For this club and everyone involved, it's made for a very special day. These days are huge for us. We'd never been in the Premier League until last season so we're making history for the club."
Bournemouth are away to Burnley, whom Howe managed in between his two Cherries reigns, on Saturday (15:00 GMT) in the Premier League. Liverpool host struggling West Ham the next day (16:30 GMT).
Match ends, Bournemouth 4, Liverpool 3.
Second Half ends, Bournemouth 4, Liverpool 3.
Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Benik Afobe (Bournemouth).
Divock Origi (Liverpool).
(Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!  Bournemouth 4, Liverpool 3. Nathan Aké (Bournemouth) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Nathan Aké (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Steve Cook (Bournemouth) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jordon Ibe.
Attempt missed. Adam Lallana (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Divock Origi.
Attempt missed. Divock Origi (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Dejan Lovren with a headed pass following a corner.
Corner,  Liverpool. Conceded by Nathan Aké.
Offside, Bournemouth. Harry Arter tries a through ball, but Benik Afobe is caught offside.
Corner,  Bournemouth. Conceded by Jordan Henderson.
Emre Can (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Emre Can (Liverpool).
Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Emre Can (Liverpool).
Benik Afobe (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. James Milner (Liverpool) header from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordan Henderson with a cross.
Attempt missed. Jack Wilshere (Bournemouth) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left following a corner.
Corner,  Bournemouth. Conceded by Loris Karius.
Attempt saved. Benik Afobe (Bournemouth) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).
Adam Smith (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!  Bournemouth 3, Liverpool 3. Steve Cook (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ryan Fraser with a cross following a set piece situation.
Foul by Dejan Lovren (Liverpool).
Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!  Bournemouth 2, Liverpool 3. Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Benik Afobe.
Attempt blocked. Benik Afobe (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Substitution, Bournemouth. Benik Afobe replaces Dan Gosling.
Foul by Emre Can (Liverpool).
Adam Smith (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Corner,  Liverpool. Conceded by Ryan Fraser.
Corner,  Bournemouth. Conceded by Loris Karius.
Attempt saved. Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Callum Wilson.
Substitution, Liverpool. Adam Lallana replaces Sadio Mané because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Harry Arter (Bournemouth) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left following a set piece situation.
Foul by Jordan Henderson (Liverpool).
Adam Smith (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.


Alan McManus says facing good friend John Higgins in the World Championship quarter-finals will be a "huge hurdle".

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But the 45-year-old can draw on past Crucible success against the four-time winner.
"I beat him on his debut here, albeit that was a long time ago, and a couple of years ago too, so I'm capable," he told BBC Sport.
"I practice with him enough and I said when I qualified that John would be a big threat at this tournament."
McManus reached the last eight in Sheffield by beating Ali Carter and Stephen Maguire.
To reach the semi-finals for the third time in his career he must get the better of fellow Scot Higgins, who had little trouble easing past Ryan Day and Ricky Walden.
"John looks strong," said McManus. "His long game is in, his scoring; everything you expect.
"When he's playing his best stuff, he one of the two or three best players in the history of the game."
Higgins, 40, became world champion for a fourth time in 2011 and has been showing signs of a return to form in the last 18 months after a period in the doldrums.
"Two or three years ago I was thinking I was a journeyman player, so I'm in a great place compared to that," he told BBC Sport.
"I'm delighted to be through and to be playing my good mate next. It should be a great occasion.
"The good thing is Scotland will have a player in the semi-final."
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Higgins, aiming for a sixth appearance in the last four, has known McManus since his teenage days.
"I've got the upmost respect for Alan," he said. "He's one of the reasons that I'm maybe decent at this game because I went into the Masters Club in Glasgow as a 15-year-old and he was on the verge of turning professional.
"I watched him day-in, day-out and was lucky enough to practice with him. I learned so much from him."


Two 17-year-old boys suffered serious injuries when the car they were travelling in crashed on Sunday night.

The crash happened on Mountain Road near Trimsaran in Carmarthenshire just before 23:20 BST.
One boy is at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen, and the other was taken to Cardiff's University Hospital Wales.
The road remains closed while investigations are carried out. Police have seized a second vehicle which was present at the scene.
Any witnesses are asked to contact Carmarthenshire Roads Policing Unit on 101.


A children's services department that was branded a "national disgrace" is to be inspected by Ofsted.

The watchdog will begin its examination of several areas within the department on Wednesday.
The department has been rated "inadequate" since 2009 and its most recent inspection was cancelled to allow the government to review the authority's improvement plan.
The council said it welcomed the inspection.
There have been a number of high-profile child deaths in Birmingham in recent years, including those of Khyra Ishaq in 2008 and Keanu Williams in 2011.
The council's children's services were branded a "national disgrace" by Ofsted's chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw in October.
The council had been warned the children's service could be taken over by the Department for Education if standards did not improve.
The team is not the only West Midlands authority to have its children's services inspected.
Coventry City Council is currently awaiting the results of an Ofsted inspection of its services, in the wake of the death of four-year-old Daniel Pelka in 2012.
Birmingham's leader Sir Albert Bore said the inspection would "contribute to the growing understanding about what is needed to improve the care and safety of children in this city".
The council is still awaiting the publication of a review of its services requested by children's minister Edward Timpson.
An Ofsted spokeswoman said it could not confirm how long its inspection would take.


A piece of art believed to be the world's most valuable golf painting has sold at auction for £722,500.

The Portrait of Henry Callender, by Leicestershire artist Lemuel Francis Abbott, was painted between 1790 and 1798 and is thought to be one of the earliest depictions of the game.
It had been hanging in the clubhouse of the Royal Blackheath Golf Club in London for 150 years.
A rare putter, believed to be from the same picture, also sold for £62,500.
The origins of golf
Andrew McKenzie, director of old master paintings at Bonhams, said: "Henry Callender was both connoisseur and sociable bon viveur and his charisma shines through this charming painting.
"The sale marked an incredibly exciting opportunity for golfing enthusiasts all over the world."
Lemuel Francis Abbott, born in 1760, had a number of his works displayed at the Royal Academy of Arts between 1788 and 1800.
The portrait artist died in London in 1802.
His painting watched over the clubhouse's famous "Wee Dinners", where guests traditionally enjoyed haggis, neeps and tatties before hitting golf balls onto the 18th green from the dining room table.
Both the painting of the prominent English golfer and the putter went to the same anonymous buyer.
They were sold by Royal Blackheath to raise money for its acquisition of the freehold of its course and clubhouse from The Crown Estate to secure its future.


Rochdale have signed defender Niall Canavan on a two-year deal after he was released by Scunthorpe.

The 25-year-old moved to Dale on loan towards the end of last season and scored once in his 11 appearances.
The former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international made 173 appearances for the Iron.
Canavan is boss Keith Hill's first signing ahead of next season after losing defenders Ashley Eastham and Olly Lancashire.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


A late header from skipper Peter Clarke gave 10-man Oldham a vital victory at League One relegation rivals Chesterfield.

Oldham played the second half a man down after defender Anthony Gerrard was dismissed for an incident in the tunnel but they defended superbly and Clarke clinched the points with a far-post header in injury time.
Oldham went close after only 15 seconds when Ryan McLaughlin fired just wide from 20 yards and the visitors got into some promising positions before Chesterfield had the best chance in the 29th minute.
New signing from Manchester United, Sadiq El Fitouri. whipped a low cross in from the right which evaded three Oldham defenders but Dan Jones mis-kicked at the back post.
Chesterfield were given an advantage at the end of the first half when Gerrard, who had already been booked, was shown a second yellow card as the players were going down the tunnel.
That forced Oldham to get men behind the ball and Chesterfield struggled to break them down despite the extra man, and the visitors almost snatched a goal on the break when Aaron Amadi Holloway nearly went clear.
But Oldham stunned Chesterfield in the first minute of stoppage time when Clarke capped a superb display with a header inside Ryan Fulton's left post.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Chesterfield 0, Oldham Athletic 1.
Second Half ends, Chesterfield 0, Oldham Athletic 1.
Attempt missed. Reece Brown (Chesterfield) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Foul by Ched Evans (Chesterfield).
Peter Clarke (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner,  Chesterfield. Conceded by Rob Hunt.
Sadiq El-Fitouri (Chesterfield) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Tope Obadeyi (Oldham Athletic).
Substitution, Oldham Athletic. Darius Osei replaces Aaron Holloway.
Aaron Holloway (Oldham Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Goal!  Chesterfield 0, Oldham Athletic 1. Peter Clarke (Oldham Athletic) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Aiden O'Neill.
Corner,  Oldham Athletic. Conceded by Tom Anderson.
Foul by David Faupala (Chesterfield).
Rob Hunt (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Connor Ripley (Oldham Athletic) is shown the yellow card.
Peter Clarke (Oldham Athletic) is shown the yellow card for dangerous play.
Ángel (Chesterfield) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Tope Obadeyi (Oldham Athletic).
Foul by Dan Gardner (Chesterfield).
Aiden O'Neill (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Dan Gardner (Chesterfield).
Aaron Holloway (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution, Chesterfield. Rai Simons replaces Liam Grimshaw.
Foul by Dion Donohue (Chesterfield).
Paul Green (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Oldham Athletic. Tope Obadeyi replaces Chris Taylor.
Attempt missed. David Faupala (Chesterfield) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Corner,  Chesterfield. Conceded by Brian Wilson.
Corner,  Chesterfield. Conceded by Peter Clarke.
Corner,  Chesterfield. Conceded by Brian Wilson.
Corner,  Chesterfield. Conceded by Brian Wilson.
Hand ball by Sadiq El-Fitouri (Chesterfield).
Substitution, Chesterfield. Reece Brown replaces Jon Nolan.
Substitution, Chesterfield. Ángel replaces Daniel Jones.
Attempt missed. Jon Nolan (Chesterfield) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left.
Attempt blocked. Daniel Jones (Chesterfield) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner,  Oldham Athletic. Conceded by Daniel Jones.
Foul by David Faupala (Chesterfield).
Paul Green (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Jon Nolan (Chesterfield) header from very close range is just a bit too high.


Thousands of fans are expected to see Huddersfield Town's victory parade to celebrate promotion to the Premier League.

Huddersfield beat Reading 4-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at Wembley Stadium in Monday's Championship play-off final.
It is the first time the Terriers have been in the top division since 1972.
The parade is due to leave the John Smith's Stadium at 17:40 BST and arrive in St George's Square by 18:20.
Some roads are to be closed in the town from 12:00.
Live updates and more stories from Yorkshire
David Wagner and the first team squad are to travel from the stadium via Northumberland Street.
In St George's Square the team are to be presented on a stage to the assembled crowd.
Success in the play-off game will be worth a minimum of £170m to the club and there will be other benefits to the town.
Steven Leigh, of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce said: "The cash injection into the football club and the economic benefit to the local economy to the tune of £50m to £60m per annum will be tremendous for local business.
"The global exposure is a unique opportunity for the town to attract inward investment on an extraordinary scale."
Dean Hoyle, Huddersfield Town chairman, said: "When I took over in 2009, it has got harder and harder. Every year we are competing with some real big boys.
"But with an open mind it can be achieved, though I never thought it would be possible. It proves dreams can come true."
The 2017-18 Premier League season - complete with Huddersfield Town - starts on 12 August.
There will be coverage of the victory parade on BBC Radio Leeds and BBC Look North.


An author has defended a book in which the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expresses doubts about the future of the Communist state.

Kim Jong-nam fell out of favour years ago and has been living in China.
Japanese author Yoji Gomi said he was no longer in contact with Kim Jong-nam but believed he was "doing fine".
Mr Gomi told the BBC  that he did not believe that the publication of his book in January 2012 would put Kim Jong-nam in any danger.
When his book was published, readers gained an insight into North Korea's enigmatic first family through the reported views of Kim Jong-nam.
He was the man passed over in the world's only Communist dynastic succession.
Kim Jong-nam's opinions about North Korea's future course after the death of his father Kim Jong-il were far from complimentary.
In the book, which draws on interviews and emails, Kim Jong-nam is quoted as saying he believes his younger half-brother lacks leadership qualities, the succession will not work, and that North Korea is unstable and needs Chinese-style economic reform.
Interviewed by the BBC Chinese service, Tokyo journalist Yoji Gomi said Kim Jong-nam had wanted to speak out.
But since the book's publication, he said there had "not really" been any reaction from Mr Kim and he was not in touch with him now.
"When I told him about my book, he said that we should not contact each other any more if I insisted on publishing it," said Mr Gomi.
"He wanted me to wait for a while because in Korea when someone dies you remain silent for 100 days and it wasn't then 100 days since (his father's death).
"However, I want people to know how Kim Jong-nam thinks at this particular moment when Kim Jong-un starts his new regime and nobody knows where North Korea is heading."
Yoji Gomi insisted that, far from putting Kim Jong-nam in danger, his book was actually protecting him, because "nobody can do anything while he is getting all the attention."
The author admitted he was no longer in contact with Kim Jong-nam, but he said he did not worry.
"According to an acquaintance of an acquaintance of mine, he (Kim Jong-nam) is living in Macau and is doing fine," he said.


Barack Obama has chided Donald Trump as "wacky" and "uninformed" after the Republican candidate said Russia's President Putin was a better leader.

Speaking in Laos, Mr Obama said that every time Mr Trump spoke it became clearer that the Republican contender was not qualified to be president.
In a televised forum on Wednesday, Mr Trump had praised Mr Putin's "great control" and 82% approval rating.
Mr Trump and rival Hillary Clinton had taken questions from military veterans.
Trump and Putin - the new bromantics?
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Why Trump strikes a chord with Russians
Are there any Trump links to Putin?
Trump's shifting stance on Iraq invasion
Mr Obama said: "I don't think the guy's qualified to be president of the United States and every time he speaks, that opinion is confirmed."
The president pointed to the diplomatic work he had faced at both the Asean summit in Laos and the earlier G20 meeting in China.
He said: "I can tell you from the interactions I have had over the last eight or nine days with foreign leaders that this is serious business.
"You actually have to know what you are talking about and you actually have to have done your homework. When you speak, it should actually reflect thought-out-policy you can implement."
Mrs Clinton, meanwhile, pilloried Mr Trump for having suggested US military leaders had been "reduced to rubble", accusing him of having "trash-talked American generals".
In a rare press conference, she said on Thursday morning: "That's how he talks about distinguished men and women who've spent their lives serving our country, sacrificing for us."
Mr Trump had told the forum in New York that the Russian president had "been a leader far more than our president has been".
Quizzed by NBC host Matt Lauer on his previous complimentary remarks about Mr Putin, Mr Trump responded: "He does have an 82% approval rating."
"I think when he calls me 'brilliant', I'll take the compliment, OK?" said the businessman, adding that Mr Putin had "great control over his country".
Mr Trump also said that, as a result of the confidential intelligence briefings he has been entitled to as an election candidate, he had been "shocked" at how the president, Mrs Clinton and current Secretary of State John Kerry had done "exactly the opposite" of what intelligence experts had told them.
Gabriel Debenedetti writes on the Politico website that neither candidate did much to advance their cause, with Hillary Clinton spending "a third of the time fending off questions about her emails" while "Donald Trump struggled to explain his secret plan to defeat the Islamic State."
Time agreed, citing "plenty of unilluminating blather spewed by both candidates". It said: "The most dispiriting thing was the grim view of the world the candidates gave Americans, with their relentless focus on fighting and terror... There was scant optimism."
One focus was on the performance of NBC moderator Matt Lauer. The New York Times pronounced that the "consensus afterwards was not kind". "Mr Lauer found himself besieged... by critics of all political stripes, who accused the anchor of unfairness, sloppiness and even sexism in his handling of the event."
Lauer's main miss, it seemed, was not to press Mr Trump when he said he had not supported the war in Iraq. Vox was among those pointing to a 2002 interview with radio host Howard Stern that contradicts this.
Forum moderator Lauer suffers backlash
In the forum, Mr Trump also said: "I was totally against the war in Iraq."
This appeared to contradict a statement in a 2002 interview with radio host Howard Stern and the forum's moderator, Matt Lauer, came in for intense criticism after the event for not pressing Mr Trump on the statement.
Mr Obama said in Laos: "The most important thing for the public and the press is to just listen to what he says and follow up and ask questions to what appear to be either contradictory or uninformed or outright wacky ideas".
Mrs Clinton had found herself once again on the defensive during the forum over her private email server.
The forum offered a preview of the questions they will face in their three forthcoming presidential debates, the first at Hofstra University near New York on 26 September.


Confidence among Chinese entrepreneurs has picked up for the second quarter running, according to the country's central bank.

People's Bank of China surveys showed the business confidence index rising to 51.2% in the third quarter.
That was 2.2 percentage points higher than in the second quarter.
China's factory output and retail sales grew faster than expected in August, on the back of a strong housing market and government infrastructure spending.
The world's second largest economy has lost some of its momentum during this year, as it has entered a period of readjustment.
China is looking to transform its economy away from factories and exports towards domestic consumption.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects China's GDP to grow by 6.6% this year, close to the low end of China's own official forecast of between 6.5% to 7%.
That will come after decades of near double-digit growth.
Meanwhile, a separate central bank survey showed a bankers' confidence index rising to 46.5% in the third quarter, 2.8 percentage points higher than in the April to June period.
The survey showed one in five bankers believed monetary policy would be relatively loose in the fourth quarter of this year.
The People's Bank of China has reduced interest rates six times in 22 months, and and also cut the amount of cash banks must keep in reserve.
And a third survey issued by the central bank at the weekend showed that 53.7% of households believed housing costs were "unacceptably high", up 0.3 percentage points from the second quarter.


Thousands of car enthusiasts gathered on an industrial estate in Staffordshire on Sunday night after they were locked out of holding a car cruising event at a retail park.

Media playback is unsupported on your device
27 October 2014 Last updated at 15:42 GMT
A last-minute site arranged via social media led to them meeting on the Parkhouse Industrial Estate in Newcastle under Lyme.
Organisers told BBC Midlands Today they wanted to make it a monthly event and did not want to cause disruption.
The police said they supported car enthusiasts but would prosecute drivers who commit offences.


A device, believed to be a pipe bomb, has been found in Londonderry during an overnight security alert.

A suspect object was discovered in Tamneymore Park, in the Waterside, at about 02:00 BST on Friday.
The device was made safe by Army bomb disposal experts. It has been taken away for forensic examination.
Police said that some houses were evacuated, but that residents have since returned to their homes.
Det Sgt Brian Reid thanked those affected for their co-operation.
"Police are continuing to conduct follow-up enquiries in the area at this time with some cordons in place but no roads closed," he said.
"I would like to place on record my thanks to all those affected by the incident for their assistance during this."
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan condemned the attack.
"We still have small groups of people here who are trapped in the past and it's up to us to drag them out of the past.
"There is no place for guns or bombs on our streets," he said.
The PSNI have appealed for information.


Exeter Chiefs forward Sam Simmonds has signed a new two-year deal with the Premiership club.

The back-row forward, a product of the Chiefs' academy, has spent time on a dual registration deal at Championship side Cornish Pirates this year.
Simmonds, 22, will make his first Premiership appearance for Exeter against Wasps on Sunday.
"He has shown an awful lot of very, very good qualities," said head coach Rob Baxter.


Daniel Radcliffe is to return to the stage in New York in a ground-breaking play that explores the digital footprint we leave online.

Privacy, co-created by James Graham and Josie Rourke, originally premiered at London's Donmar Warehouse in 2014.
The play is unusual in that it encourages audiences to submit data from their mobile phones during the performance.
The US production begins previews at The Public Theater on 5 July.
Radcliffe, star of the Harry Potter films, will play The Writer in a cast of seven who will play an ensemble of real-life high profile politicians, journalists and technologists who have all contributed to the show. Rourke, the Donmar's artistic director, will direct.
"Privacy has at its heart a debate about modern life and we at the Donmar Warehouse cannot therefore think of a better partner than The Public Theater to bring this new play to American audiences," Rourke said.
"James and I have been across the US interviewing everyone from politicians, historians, campaigners - even an etiquette expert - about American attitudes to privacy.
"The show is a risk-taking, fun, and stimulating piece of theatre, that we hope pushes at the boundaries of audience experience."
Inspired by Edward Snowden's National Security Agency (NSA) revelations, Privacy uncovers our complicated relationship with technology.
In a reversal of usual theatre etiquette, audiences are encouraged to leave their phones on during the performance.
"Personal privacy in the modern age - when all our wants and fears can be monitored and monetised as we share more than we have before - is, I believe, one of the most crucial issue of our time," said playwright Graham.
Radcliffe's previous stints on Broadway include The Cripple of Inishmaan, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Equus.
Privacy opens at The Public Theatre on 18 July and the play will run through to 7 August.


Derek McInnes says he and his Aberdeen players have the belief that they can now push Celtic all the way in the race to become Premiership champions.

The second-top Dons narrowed the gap at the top to four points by beating Dundee United 1-0 at Tannadice as Celtic were held at home by Dundee.
"I believe we can win enough games to make it exciting enough." manager McInnes told BBC Scotland.
"We came out and made sure we got the reward for our dominance tonight."
Aberdeen's position would have been even better had they not dropped points to Inverness Caledonian Thistle and St Johnstone in their two previous games.
But McInnes said: "I'm always encouraged by my team and always confident when the game comes round we can win it.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"For us to try and even force the issue with 10 games to go, we have to make sure there is no sloppiness, no room for error and keep winning games."
McInnes was sent to the stand after protesting about a goal disallowed in the first half by referee Bobby Madden.
The manager has apologised for his outburst at the officials but maintains the goal should have stood.
"I was probably a bit too animated with what I said to the fourth official and I have apologised to him for my part in it," said McInnes.
"For me, there is nothing wrong with it, but obviously the referee has felt there was.
"He has obviously felt that Graeme Shinnie has made the most of it and maybe jumped into the challenge.
"For me, it was clear. I actually thought at the start the referee was pulling it back to award us a penalty, which I was annoyed about at the time.
"But then I realised he was going to book Graeme, who I thought had been fouled in the box."
United missed out on a third straight victory and remain eight points adrift at the bottom of the table, but manager Mixu Paatelainen believes they still have a realistic chance of avoiding the drop with 10 games left to play.
"I thought our performance merited a draw, although I don't think we started as well as Aberdeen," he said.
"They were certainly quick off the mark, but second half we certainly had chances to score and we should have scored and maybe a draw would have been a fair result.
"But, you know, it's not a fair game and we were beaten."
Paatelainen was disappointed with his team's overall performance but retains faith in his squad.
"I thought we were a little bit off it," he added. "I thought our passing game was nowhere near what it should have been and also the chances we created we should have been much sharper in those situations.
"All credit to the players, though, there was a real fight there and they did everything tonight, but unfortunately it wasn't enough."


More than one in seven streets and parks across Northern Ireland have failed to meet acceptable standards for litter, according to an environmental charity.

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful also found that only 3% of the places surveyed were litter free.
Of the 2,040 sites surveyed in 2013, 315 had unacceptably high levels of litter and/or dog fouling.
Cigarette butts were the most common type of litter.
The next most common type of litter was confectionary and items from drinks, such as bottle tops or tin cans.
Dr Ian Humphreys, chief executive at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, said: "The survey gives us great insights into littering trends and what is very clear is that we need to inspire people across Northern Ireland to reflect on their littering habits and take action and responsibility to take pride in the places they live in and love."
The report compared littering across different land-uses and found that rural areas were more than four times more likely to be heavily affected by litter than urban areas.
Every type of litter observed in the survey was less frequent in lower density residential areas compared to higher density residential areas.
For example, takeaway packaging, drinks containers and non-packaging litter were all recorded about twice as often.
Dog fouling was significantly more common in recreational areas. It was observed on 33% of beaches and in 25% of public parks.
Fouling was also reported to be significantly more common in Northern Ireland than in either Scotland or Wales.
Dog fouling was also more commonly observed in winter than in summer, which the report attributes to the perception that people are less likely to be seen not clearing up on the darker evenings.
Dr Humphreys said the environmental charity was preparing to launch a new campaign to tackle the issue.
"Live Here Love Here will focus on building a sense of civic and community pride through a high-profile multimedia campaign and local support for positive practical action," he said.
Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful recently revealed that littering on Northern Ireland's beaches was  "widespread" - one beach was found to have more than 10,000 pieces of litter per km.


Humberside Police Chief Constable Justine Curran has stepped down 18 months ahead of her retirement.

The announcement comes after the force was told by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) in November that it "requires improvement".
Ms Curran, who was due to retire in September 2018, said the "time is right" to now leave.
Last May, Police and Crime Commissioner Keith Hunter gave her six months to convince him "that there is a plan".
Mr Hunter said: "It is a mark of her commitment to Humberside Police and the public it serves that she has agreed to make way for a new chief constable who can tackle the continuing challenges the force faces, including those identified by HMIC in their reports over the last few years.
"As police and crime commissioner, I wish her well and thank her for her service to the force."
Ms Curran, who was appointed as the force's first female chief constable in 2013, said: "It was not an easy decision to leave something that I am passionate about and have given huge commitment to.
"I am proud of the significant impact we have achieved, working every day to make Humberside safer and stronger. Humberside remains a very safe place to live, work and visit.
"However, I feel the time is right for the next chapter and having discussed this with the police and crime commissioner, who is about to launch the new Police and Crime Plan, I feel it is time to pass on the baton and let someone else lead the force to deliver the aims of this plan."
She added: "I would like to thank my colleagues past and present, officers and staff for their commitment and support."
Deputy Chief Constable Garry Forsyth has been appointed as the new interim boss.
Sheffield-born Ms Curran served as an officer in the Greater Manchester and Merseyside forces, before becoming Tayside chief in 2009.
No financial settlement had been made for her early retirement.


Former England striker Michael Owen has told the current squad to play without fear at Euro 2016.

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Roy Hodgson's side begin their campaign against Russia on 11 June, before facing Wales and Slovakia.
"Forget who's going to cost us," Owen, who represented England at five major tournaments, told BBC Sport.
"There's almost a fear of being 'the one' - and that then turns into a selfish attitude. You can't be expressive, you can't be creative."
In an interview with BBC Sport's David Ornstein, the 36-year-old added: "There will be one person that everyone's going to gang up on - the press, the media, whatever - but you've got to be bigger than that, not bothered about that and actually just do what's best for the team.
"There's been a fear over the years because we all see someone missing a penalty or someone getting sent off and costing the team.
"The whole country then almost gangs up on that player.
"There's a fear amongst the squad - or there certainly was in my time - whereby you just didn't want to be that person everybody castigates, gets vilified, and you're the one that misses a penalty and they make a pizza advert about you."
Gareth Southgate featured in an advert for Pizza Hut after Euro 96 following England's semi-final exit to eventual tournament winners Germany.
The host nation went out after the then Aston Villa defender was the only player to miss a penalty in the shootout after the game at Wembley had finished 1-1 following extra time.
At the 1998 World Cup in France, midfielder David Beckham was sent off against Argentina for kicking out at Diego Simeone before England exited on penalties at the last-16 stage.
Then in 2006 at the World Cup in Germany, striker Wayne Rooney was dismissed for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho as England went out in the quarter-finals, again after a penalty shootout.
Everton's John Stones - one of only three recognised centre-backs in England's 23-man squad - has faced criticism for the way he plays the game, often preferring to dribble his way out of trouble rather than clear the ball.
But Owen has strongly defended the 22-year-old and said: "This kid could play for Barcelona.
"He's probably the only player in the England squad who could walk into Barcelona's team at the moment.
"He's absolutely brilliant. Get behind him, believe in him."
Owen said some of the negativity surrounding Stones was because he is "so much better than most other players".
The former Liverpool, Newcastle United, Real Madrid and Manchester United forward added: "People just don't realise that a lot of it is under control. He will make the odd mistake but so will everyone - everyone just goes on and on and on about mistakes.
"Eventually someone might start getting into his head and he might not be the player he should because of this negativity that surrounds our country so often."
Striker Marcus Rashford, 18, only made his Manchester United debut in February but has enjoyed a meteoric rise since then.
Owen, who was just 18 when he played in the 1998 World Cup, thinks Rashford will cope at Euro 2016 but says it will be hard for him to escape the hype and expectation.
"Every game that I played I scored - and I just thought it's not going to be any different going to a World Cup," said Owen.
"That naivety is the best attribute you can have. People that are scarred, that have failed maybe at a big tournament, have always got a niggling doubt. That naivety is almost priceless.
"The problem now is we're living in a different day and age.
"Glenn Hoddle was the manager in 1998 and we were locked down, bolted down. We didn't know about anything in newspapers and if mobile phones were invented I didn't have one.
"We knew nothing. No-one was allowed to visit our hotel.
"Nowadays, someone like Rashford will be on his mobile phone in his room, reading all of social media, all the newspapers, all of what everybody is saying. He's going to be aware of good, bad and indifferent.
"I was oblivious to it all. It's going to be very different for him, but it doesn't matter. When you can do something really well, you don't get nervous."
Who do you think should start at Euro 2016? Step into Roy Hodgson's shoes and pick your XI - and then share it with your friends using our brand new team selector.


French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has launched her presidential election manifesto with a twin attack on globalisation and radical Islam.

The candidate of the National Front (FN) told supporters in the eastern city of Lyon that globalisation was slowly choking communities to death.
Her party is promising to offer France a referendum on EU membership if a renegotiation of terms fails.
France goes to the polls on 23 April in one of the most open races in decades.
The incumbent Socialist President, Francois Hollande, is not standing for a second term.
The FN is styling itself as the original anti-establishment party, with its leader hoping to cash in on the "time for change" feeling generated by Donald Trump's election and the Brexit vote in Britain.
BBC Paris correspondent Lucy Williamson says the party, which has never won more than a third of the popular vote, has been trying to soften its image recently, in order to broaden its appeal.
Opinion polls suggest she will win the first round but lose the second.
Arguing that the FN was the party of the French people, Ms Le Pen said she wanted a "free, independent and democratic country".
Globalisation, she said, meant "manufacturing by slaves for selling to the unemployed" while the FN solution was a "local revolution" guided by "intelligent protectionism and economic patriotism".
She said the EU was a "failure" which had "kept none of its promises", and she promised to renegotiate French membership fundamentally, and would call a referendum on leaving if the attempt failed.
The mood was somewhere between football match and rock concert.
Tiny broaches pinned to the chests of 3000 supporters flashed red-white-and-blue in the dimmed auditorium; impromptu renditions of the French national anthem flowed across the crowd, interspersed with boisterous chants of "on est chez nous" - "we are at home" - the unofficial slogan of the FN.
Ms Le Pen's promises have won her enough support, polls say, to win the first round of the presidential contest.
Her problem lies in winning the second. In the run-offs, her rivals have always managed to attract votes from other parties; Marine Le Pen has not.
Now, with the centre-right candidate Francois Fillon currently battling a financial scandal, she could end up facing the liberal former banker, Emmanuel Macron - a man running his first ever election campaign. If so, France will be faced  with the prospect of choosing its next president from two political outsiders.
Referring to the knife attack at the Louvre this week, she warned of the threat of radical Islam, painting a dark picture of a France under the "yoke of Islamic fundamentalism" where women would be "forbidden to enter cafes or wear skirts".
France has about five million Muslims - the largest Islamic minority in Western Europe.
Earlier, FN deputy leader Florian Philippot predicted a new appetite for politics inspired by Brexit and Mr Trump.
"People are waking up," he told the audience in Lyon on Sunday. "They see Brexit, they see Trump and they're saying to themselves: 'It's worth going to vote'."
The independent former banker, Emmanuel Macron, was also in Lyon this weekend, with a radically different vision for France: pro-Europe and pro-free trade.
The former Socialist economy minister set up his own party, En Marche (On The Move) only last year.
With the centre-right candidate, Francois Fillon, battling a financial scandal, Mr Macron's chances of reaching the 7 May run-off and challenging Ms Le Pen have risen.
The Socialist Party recently chose radical leftist Benoit Hamon as its candidate. He is currently trailing the other three candidates by a few percentage points in opinion polls.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, the hard left's candidate, also spoke from Lyon on Sunday, appearing as a hologram in Paris simultaneously.
The candidate being given about 10% in opinion polls called for redistribution of wealth and spoke against the EU.
The choice of Lyon, France's prosperous third-largest city after Paris and Marseille, as the platform for three of the top five candidates to make major speeches or launch campaigns appeared unusual to some.
According to 20 Minutes (in French), the FN picked it because it was central and easily accessible, as well as "the capital of the Gauls"; Mr Macron was drawn by its traditions of humanism and economic liberalism; and Mr Melenchon relished a challenge.


The billionaire creator of Beanie Babies toys could face up to five years in prison after agreeing to admit a charge of tax evasion.

Federal prosecutors said that Ty Warner "went to great lengths" to hide more than $3m (£1.9m) of income in a secret Swiss bank account.
Mr Warner's lawyer said his client had agreed to pay a $53m fine.
The 69-year-old Illinois tycoon's net worth is estimated by Forbes at $2.6bn, ranking him the 209th richest American.
Mr Warner's attorney, Gregory Scandaglia, said his client accepted "full responsibility for his actions with this plea agreement".
"This is an unfortunate situation that Mr Warner has been trying to resolve for several years now," Mr Scandaglia told the Associated Press.
The charges come as a result of a clampdown by US authorities on its citizens hiding money abroad to avoid paying tax - particularly in Switzerland.
It is alleged that Mr Warner, who also has a reputation for philanthropy, set up a Swiss bank account in 1996 with the UBS financial services company.
He failed to tell his accountants or the US tax authorities about the existence of the account, according to a press release by the US Attorney's office in Chicago.
The prosecutor's statement did not mention a $53m fine.
Beanie Babies are a soft toy, popular in the 1990s, that sell for between $5 and $7.
Allen Adamson, from the branding firm Landor Associates, said the toy company could be affected by the "negative buzz" of the case.
"It's so jarring because this product feels so sweet, so innocent," he said.
However, branding expert Laura Ries, of Ries & Ries, disagreed.
"People may not buy [a Beanie Babies toy] because it's not as cool as it was. But I don't think consumers care the owner didn't pay his taxes and is in big legal trouble."


The electrification of the East Midlands rail mainline would cost about £500m to complete, a Labour MP says.

The Midland Mainline is used by diesel trains while the East and West Coast mainlines are electrified.
Leicester South MP John Ashworth said the potenial cost emerged during talks with the Department for Transport.
Transport Minister Theresa Villiers said the government supported "the progressive electrification" of the network.
Mr Ashworth said the project was "vital" for the regional economy.
Mrs Villiers said: "The government have made it clear that we see the progressive electrification of the rail network as an important part of our transport and environmental policy."
She added that the government would give further details on its rail industry plans in July.
"This project would lead to economic stimulus and to economic growth and immediate jobs now in Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and all the way up to Sheffield," Mr Ashworth, a Labour MP, said.
"I am calling on the minister to strike while the iron is hot and get on with it."
Transport analyst Christian Wolmar said trains on an electrified line would be cleaner, more energy efficient and faster.
He said the major cities in the East Midlands would "benefit enormously" from the project.
Electric trains already travel on the Midland Mainline up to Bedford but, after that, only diesel engines run on the track.
Network Rail has said the electrification of the route between London and the East Midlands could happen by the end of the decade.


Finance Secretary John Swinney has held talks with local government representatives in a bid to resolve a row over council budgets.

Mr Swinney said he wanted to protect the council tax freeze, invest in social care and maintain the pupil-teacher ratio in Scotland's schools.
Scotland's 32 councils now have until 2 February to respond to the plan.
Many councillors had voiced concerns about this year's funding offer from the Scottish government.
The original deadline for councils to accept the deal had to be delayed.
Mr Swinney said: "I am absolutely committed to continuing a positive, collaborative relationship with Scotland's local authorities, and I have engaged in open discussions with Cosla on what is a challenging but fair settlement for local government in Scotland.
"This settlement is an opportunity to transform the provision of social care in Scotland with a Â£250m investment in integrating health and social care services - helping to make our services fit for the challenges of the 21st century."
He added: "We recognise that there are pressures on budgets being felt across the whole of the public sector, as well as in households throughout Scotland.
"That's why it is important to maintain the Council Tax freeze while we consider ways to replace it - as well as reimbursing local authorities to ensure they can continue to provide essential services."
Councils get the bulk of their money from direct Scottish government funding plus business rates.
This year they are set to receive less in total while many say they will get less than they had originally forecast. This has left some looking for fresh cuts and savings urgently.
A few councils are actively considering the possibility of ending the council tax freeze.
Any council which does increase tax rates would have to give up money allocated to them by the Scottish government to compensate them for the freeze - this means any rise would have to be significant.
Moray Council is the only one so far to make a firm proposal - it says council tax bills would have to rise by 18% to protect services.
Cosla, which represents most Scottish councils, had said the package of measures for local government within Mr Swinney's budget, including the council tax freeze, was "totally unacceptable".
A spokesman added: "We are still in active negotiations with the Scottish government around the 2016/17 settlement."
So far, only Edinburgh Council has set a budget which, implicitly, means they are accepting the government offer.


Retro toys with a twist have been tipped to help sustain the UK toy industry's recent growth in 2016.

But what happened to the makers of Welsh classics - such as Corgi Cars and Superted - which once were part of the engine room of Britain's toy trade?
The British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) has said the re-launch of many old favourites will boost sales after the UK's highest growth in half a decade, last year.
However, that comes too late for the bulk of Wales' toy industry, which once employed thousands but has now "almost disappeared", according to experts.
"It's amazing how evocative a toy can be," said Hilary Kennelly, of the West Wales Museum of Childhood.
"It can transport you back to a childhood that you had even half-forgotten. Yes, toys are quite powerful."
But that wistful sense of a wonderful time, now irretrievably lost, applies equally to the once-vigorous sector of factories and studios which turned out play things across Wales.
Mrs Kennelly and her husband, Paul, preside over a staggering collection of 10,000 toys at the museum in Llangeler, Carmarthenshire - many of them Welsh-made.
Describing the rise of their creators, she said: "There were so many toys needed that a lot of British firms and the occasional American firm came to Wales.
"And, of course, there was government help to set up factories.
"Especially when you had the men doing coal mining and the steel-making, you wanted something for the wives to be doing. So, a lot of toy making was actually the wives, because they had more nimble fingers."
This red Rover Sterling could be the rarest Corgi car ever to have left the firm's Swansea plant, according to Paul Kennelly of the West Wales Museum of Childhood.
He said only 12 are known to have been made, with the details of their production tantalisingly vague.
He bought them from a wholesaler who had picked them up at the Fforestfach plant as it was closing in 1991.
The Rover Sterling was only available in silk green, silver and an assortment of police designs, and he believes the dozen red prototypes were intended, not as production models, but as colour trials.
With so few of the model in existence, it has previously fetched up to Â£200.
The bulk of toy production had traditionally taken place in Germany until World War One.
"All of sudden, you couldn't be playing with 'enemy' toys," Mrs Kennelly added, explaining that caused producers to spring up in Britain.
World War Two then led to the expulsion of many Jewish manufacturers from Germany, including Mettoy, which later became Corgi Cars.
Mettoy set up in Northampton before running a subsidised plant at Fforestfach, Swansea, making, not toys, but necessities for the war effort, including jerrycans and Bren Gun clips.
But 1956 saw the release of Corgi's first toy vehicle - a Ford Consul (200/200M) -  with the range going on to rapidly expand and the factory going on to employ more than 5,000 people.
Corgi, which overshadowed any other producer in Wales, sold its miniatures all over the world, with film and TV replicas, such as the Batmobile and James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 among the most coveted.
However, it was sold to American giant Mattel in 1989 and the factory in Swansea was closed in 1991. After a management buyout in 1995, Corgi was then acquired by Kent-based Hornby in 2008.
"It was a very sad day when Corgi left Wales," Mrs Kennelly said.
But at its peak, the Welsh toy-making industry was home to other large manufacturers.
Tri-ang Toys, in Merthyr Tydfil, made railways and wooden toys; Wells' Toys had a factory in Holyhead, Anglesey, and Wendy Boston Teddy Bears had premises in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire and Crickhowell, Powys.
In the 1940s the late Arthur Schneider was responsible for bringing Crescent Toys - which made cowboy guns, models and cars - from London to Cwmcarn, in Caerphilly county.
John Aldridge worked at the plant for about 25 years and was chief designer when it closed in 1981.
His widow, Jean, 76, of Cross Key, Caerphilly, said it was "a big factory to lose" for the area.
SuperTed, the animated bear who became the first star of Welsh channel S4C and later a British staple, also spawned a successful range of soft collectables.
However, Mrs Kennelly said the Welsh toy-making industry has now "almost disappeared", adding: "There are very few firms still making things here."
Among them is The Rocking Sheep Company, in Harlech, Gwynedd, has produced a hand-made "woolly alternative" to the traditional rocking horse since 1991.
Simon Wolfers, who runs the small firm, said: "It's getting more and more difficult. You have to diversify to survive.
"I have always wanted to grow to a point, but I have never gotten to that stage. There has been recession after recession. It's been a battle."
But despite many Welsh producers passing into the night, thousands of collectors continue to trawl the internet for the lacuna in their cherished horde.
A search for Corgi cars alone on online auction site eBay yields more than 4,500 results.
So, why does their popularity endure, even if their creators do not?
Mrs Kennelly has a theory: "A childhood memory is a nice thing every so often."


Canada faces a "crisis" over the living conditions of its aboriginal residents, the UN special rapporteur for the rights of indigenous peoples has said.

James Anaya said Canada had taken "positive steps" but that "daunting challenges" remained, including a lower level of "well-being".
He said aboriginal women and girls remained vulnerable to abuse, and noted a lack of trust of the government.
The report issued on Monday came after a week-long tour in October 2013.
On Monday, Mr Anaya told CBC News that, "there are daunting challenges and in many respectsâ€¦ there is a crisis among aboriginal communities in terms of their basic necessities."
Roughly 4.3% of Canada's 32.9 million residents are indigenous, and of those, about half are registered "status" Indians belonging to federally recognised First Nations tribes, 30% are mixed-race "metis", 15% are unregistered, and 4% are Inuit.
The UN envoy said the gap between the conditions in which Canada's indigenous population and non-aboriginal people live was especially concerning, given Canada's overall wealth.
"The most jarring manifestation of these human rights problems is the distressing socio-economic conditions of indigenous peoples in a highly developed country," Mr Anaya said in a new report.
"The well-being gap between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in Canada has not narrowed over the last several years, treaty and aboriginals claims remain persistently unresolved, indigenous women and girls remain vulnerable to abuse."
The report also cited the "disturbing phenomenon" of missing and murdered aboriginal women, and called on the Canadian government to make a broad inquiry on the issue.
In March, a parliamentary report did not recommend a full public inquiry into the deaths, a decision that angered First Nations activists and opposition parties in parliament.
Mr Anaya, a professor of human rights law at the University of Arizona, said that while the Canadian government had made "notable efforts" to address treaty claims and improve the social and economic well-being of indigenous people, the steps taken "have been insufficient".
"Overall there appear to be high levels of distrust among indigenous peoples toward government at both the federal and provincial levels," the report says.
The UN envoy also recommended increased funding for indigenous peoples in the areas of education, health, and child welfare.
In addition, "Canada must take urgent action to address the housing crisis in indigenous communities both on and off reserve, especially communities in the north, and dedicate increased funding towards this end," he said.


The chief minister of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has expelled her close aide VK Sasikala, her husband M Natarajan and 10 others from her AIADMK party.

J Jayalalitha announced the expulsions in a brief statement and told her party not to conduct any relations with the expelled members.
Correspondents say the action against Ms Sasikala is drastic.
She has enjoyed the absolute confidence of Ms Jayalalitha for many decades.
VN Sudhakaran - Ms Sasikala's son - who is the chief minister's foster son, has also been expelled.
Ms Sasikala, Mr Natarajan and their relatives, including TTV Dinakaran and VN Sudhakaran were "being expelled from all posts, including the party's primary membership," Press Trust of India quoted Ms Jayalalitha as saying.
The action against Ms Sasikala has surprised many people in Tamil Nadu as she has been seen with Ms Jayalalitha in most of her private and public appearances.
There has been no official reason for the expulsions.
Ms Sasikala is also one of the accused in a corruption case against Ms Jayalalitha.
Ms Jayalalitha is accused of amassing $13.6m (£8.5m) during her first term as chief minister between 1991 and 1996.  She denies the allegation.
In what is known as a "disproportionate assets" case, prosecutors allege that this sum exceeds what she should have earned once all legally held assets and sources of income were taken into account.
A former actress, Ms Jayalalitha is one of India's most colourful and controversial politicians.


Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness has said he will visit the sites of two World War One battles next week.

Northern Ireland's deputy first minister has been invited by the Flemish government to Flanders in Belgium, where the Battle of Messines took place in 1917.
He will also visit the Somme in France, where soldiers of the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) divisions fought together.
Mr McGuinness said he was making the trip "in the spirit of reconciliation".
The visit would be a "sincere effort to recognise the human suffering and also the importance these events hold for the unionist section of our people", he added.
"World War One is an important part of Ireland's multi-layered history during which tens of thousands Irish people lost their lives," Mr McGuinness said.
"If we are to build understanding and reconciliation on this island, we all need to recognise and accept the complexity of the historical events and differing political narratives that make us who we are as a community and as a people."
The Battle of the Somme began on 1 July 1916 and did not end until 18 November that year.
More than 3,500 soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) divisions were killed and thousands more were injured.
The Battle of Messines started on 7 June 1917, and more than 40,000 men lost their lives in the fighting.


A 38-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with robberies at seven post offices in Scotland.

He is the second man to be arrested in connection with robberies in Linlithgow, Cowdenbeath, Burntisland and Kincardine on Monday.
The second man has also been charged with robberies in Larkhall on 23 December, Glenboig on 6 January and Clarkston on Monday.
Two men, 28 and 38, are due to appear at Dunfermline Sheriff Court later.
Det Insp Colin Robson, of Police Scotland, said: "Thanks to the combined efforts of officers from four territorial divisions, as well as specialist resources, two men have now been charged in connection with these incidents and we're not currently looking for anyone else.
"I want to again commend the staff involved for their assistance following these distressing incidents, as well as thank the local communities and everyone who came forward with information for their support."