Eight men who sexually abused three teenage girls in Rotherham between 1999 and 2003 have been jailed.

The men are Sageer Hussain, Ishtiaq Khaliq, Waleed Ali, Masoued Malik, Asif Ali, Naeem Rafiq, Basharat Hussain and Mohammed Whied.
They were jailed at Sheffield Crown Court, having been convicted of a total of 16 charges after a trial.
The judge said their victims had been "targeted, sexualised and subjected to degrading and violent acts."
For more on this story and live updates from across South Yorkshire
The offences included rape, indecent assault and false imprisonment.
During a month-long trial one victim said she and her family had been forced to move to Spain to escape the abuse.
Jailing Sageer Hussain, who was said to be the ringleader, Judge Sarah Wright said he had a "campaign of violent rape" against the vulnerable 13-year-old.
Addressing all eight men she said: "The victim of all eight of you was vulnerable. She was just 13 to 14 years old.
"Although she had a loving and supportive family and was doing well at school, as she was reaching adolescence she was susceptible to the attention that you and others gave her.
"She was targeted, sexualised and subjected to acts of a degrading and violent nature.
"The childhood and adolescence of each of the victims can never be reclaimed."
One of the victims said she hoped the sentencing would encourage others to come forward.
"I know grooming still goes on but I feel that the help is available now if you speak out," she said.
"Groomers thrive in the silence of others. Speak out and someone will listen.
"The people who chose to hurt you will be held to account for their actions, no one else, as those who hurt me have found today."
Following the sentencing it can now be revealed that Sageer Hussain's brothers Arshid and Bannaras were jailed in February in the first Rotherham grooming trial.
Arshid Hussain was found guilty of 23 offences including indecent assault and rape and jailed for 35 years while Bannaras Hussain was jailed for 19 years after admitting 10 charges.
Basharat Hussain was also found guilty at the first trial - of 15 offences, including rape - and jailed for 25 years.
Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said: "I welcome the news that these eight men have been jailed for a total of 96 years for their utterly despicable crimes.
"This sends the strongest signal that we will not stand for the abuse of children.
"I hope today's sentences bring some closure to the survivors and that they feel justice has been done."
Speaking outside court Det Ch Insp Martin Tate welcomed the "significant" sentences, saying: "These dangerous sexual offenders are now behind bars where they can cause no further harm."
Rotherham Council leader Chris Read said the convictions sent a clear message to perpetrators of child abuse that "We don't want you in our community, you are not welcome, we will track you down and you will be prosecuted."
Sageer Hussain, 30, of Clough Road, Rotherham, convicted of four rapes and one indecent assault - jailed for 19 years
Ishtiaq Khaliq, 33, of Cherry Brook, Rotherham, guilty of one rape and three indecent assaults - jailed for 17 years
Waleed Ali, 34, of Canklow Road, Rotherham, guilty of one rape and one indecent assault - jailed for 13 years
Masoued Malik, 32, of Bridgewater Way, Rotherham, guilty of one rape, one count of conspiracy to commit indecent assault and one of false imprisonment - jailed for 15 years
Asif Ali, 30, of Clough Road, Rotherham, convicted of one rape - jailed for 12 years
Naeem Rafiq, 33, of Clarendon Road, Rotherham, convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit indecent assault and one of false imprisonment - jailed for eight years
Basharat Hussain, 40, from Goole, convicted of one indecent assault - jailed for seven years - to run concurrently to previous 25-year sentence
Mohammed Whied, 32, of Psalters Lane, Rotherham, guilty of one count of aiding and abetting rape - jailed for five years


The Pro12 is in talks to bring in a new video system to help medical staff review head injuries during all games.

Officials already have access to replays in the league, which has Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Italian teams.
But after the incident involving Northampton's George North in England's Premiership, officials could bring in a more comprehensive "bespoke" system.
"Pro12 Rugby is committed to ensuring that player safety remains a priority," a spokesperson said.
"Pro12 Rugby is in discussion with several providers about implementing a bespoke video system to facilitate more comprehensive access to match footage for medical staff, team management and disciplinary and match official performance review at all 135 games."
The use of video replays for reviewing head injuries is in focus after Wales winger North hit his head in Northampton's defeat by Leicester.
The 24-year-old fell heavily after a mid-air collision with Leicester's Adam Thompstone in their 19-11 defeat on 3 December.
The winger returned to action in that match after a head injury assessment, despite television replays showing him lying motionless on the pitch immediately after the tackle.
An investigation by the independent concussion review panel decided Saints will face no sanction over their handling of the incident.
However, the concussion review panel concluded North should not have returned to the field of play and emphasised the importance of video replays - and their monitoring - for medical staff.
North, meanwhile, will return to action on 23 December after an enforced break of nearly three weeks.
The Pro12 implemented World Rugby head injury protocols in 2014 and adopted the current Head Injury Assessment (HIA) along with the Six Nations following a trial period in August 2015.
The league claims that made them the first tournament to implement the regulations.
It also requires all players, coaches and medical staff to sign a document committing them to ensuring correct procedures are followed and undertaking "mandatory online courses in concussion management" as part of the participation agreement.
Head injuries are reviewed by a group which has disciplinary powers.
A Pro12 spokesman said: "No matter how sophisticated the technology employed, such video systems will serve only as a tool to assist our medical personnel and doctors, who act to the highest standards and in the best interest of our players.
"We have a medical subcommittee comprised of members from our four territories of operation and this group is constantly establishing, reviewing and improving our protocols around player safety."
Welsh Rugby Union chairman Gareth Davies says the decision not to punish Northampton was the correct one.
"It's raised the awareness once again," Davies told BBC Wales Sport.
"I think people in clubs and national governing bodies are doing the right thing for the players and I'm sure that would have been Northampton's intention, albeit some people would claim George should not have gone back on the field."


Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham has promised to renationalise Britain's railways "line by line" if he becomes prime minister.

The shadow health secretary pledged to bring an "end to fragmentation and privatisation".
Left-wing candidate Jeremy Corbyn has already committed himself to returning the railways to public ownership.
Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall are the other candidates hoping to replace Ed Miliband on 12 September.
British Rail was privatised under John Major's Conservative government.
Going into the general election Labour promised to review the current franchising system, under which the different rail routes are allocated on a competitive tender basis, and to allow public sector organisations to bid.
A YouGov survey in May 2014 suggested that the public supported renationalisation by a margin of 60% - 20%.
Mr Burnham recently called for "more public control and ownership of the railways".
His campaign manifesto will set out more detail, committing Labour to "a policy of progressive re-nationalisation of our railways". There would also be increased regulation of the bus network.
"We need a new approach to our railways, one that puts passengers before profit. That's why I will work to bring the railways back under public control and public ownership," he will say in his manifesto.
At-a-glance profiles of the four contenders
Mr Burnham criticised the decision to return the East Coast mainline route - which had been publicly run since 2009 - to the private sector earlier this year.
The move was opposed by Labour at the time but was hailed by the government as a "fantastic deal for passengers".
Mr Burnham's pledge comes after Mr Corbyn went from an outsider to a frontrunner in the leadership election, topping an opinion poll and winning more constituency party nominations than any other candidate.
This has led to warnings from some senior figures within the party about a shift to the left.
As well as backing rail renationalisation, the Islington North MP also supports a publicly-run service delivering energy supplies.
Labour's new leader will be announced at a special conference on 12 September.


A woman and a child have been taken to hospital after they were hit by a car that mounted a kerb near White Hart Lane stadium during a police chase.

The Metropolitan Police said the Ford Mondeo had failed to stop for officers and an authorised pursuit was under way by a marked police car.
The Mondeo mounted the kerb and drove on the pavement on Tottenham High Road, shortly before 15:50 BST.
It hit a woman in her 50s and an eight-year-old boy and did not stop.
The boy's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Police said they were waiting for an update on the condition of the woman.
Officers said the car carried on driving after hitting the pedestrians and went back on the road, before it hit a wall in Park Lane.
The occupants then abandoned the vehicle and fled.
Officers who were in the police car stopped and went back to help the pedestrians until London Ambulance Service arrived.
Collision investigation officers remain at the scene.
The police force said there had been no arrests and inquiries continued.


A minister has been accused of giving "factually inaccurate" evidence to an assembly committee by the children's commissioner for Wales.

Sally Holland said she was disappointed with Alun Davies' rejection of her call for a United Nations children's rights convention to be built into a bill on additional learning needs (ALN).
Mr Davies called the idea "slavish".
The Welsh Government said the bill had children's rights at its foundation.
Welsh ministers are duty bound under existing law to pay "due regard" to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in making decisions.
The convention states the best interests of a child must be a top priority in all decisions.
Prof Holland wants the duty extended to staff that will implement proposals in the bill, which shakes-up how children with ALN are treated in the education system.
At a meeting of children's committee in March, lifelong learning minister Mr Davies said it had been clear to him that once the duty was placed on ministers "we will not have to go through this process of slavishly placing the same duty into every piece of legislation subsequent to it".
In a letter to First Minister Carwyn Jones, Prof Holland said it was "most disappointing" to hear Mr Davies reject her proposal for the ALN bill, which is going through the assembly.
"The minister was factually inaccurate to suggest that placing a duty of due regard to the UNCRC on those exercising functions under the... bill would be repeating the same duty that is upon Welsh ministers", wrote Prof Holland.
"It is in my view that there would be nothing 'slavish' if every piece of Welsh legislation related to children and young people had such an overarching duty enshrined within it."
Prof Holland said implementing her proposal would send "a strong message to children and their families that Wales has this commitment to internationally agreed standards on what children need in order to live fulfilled lives".
A Welsh Government spokesman said: "Our commitment to the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child remains absolute and the ALN bill is a demonstration of this commitment in practice."
He added that Mr Jones would respond to the points made by Prof Holland.


In July 2006 headliners Snow Patrol, Mogwai and Antony and the Johnsons arrived in Suffolk to perform in a field that until then was best known for its annual steam rally.

About 10,000 people attended the first Latitude Festival, and much of the time the crowds in the tents away from the main stage were sparse.
But thankfully Melvin Benn, who came up with the idea for the festival, had a long-term vision for Latitude and the resources to build on the "genteel" first year.
The first Latitude at Henham Park, near Southwold, had the mixture of music, arts and comedy on which the festival still prides itself - but the main difference was the main stage, known as the Obelisk Arena, was in a tent.
This was due to be the case in 2007, but strong winds "ripped it apart" ahead of the festival, so it was taken down and the stage has been open-air ever since.
By 2008, Latitude had become one of the key names on the summer festival calendar, with Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Ros and Interpol the headliners.
But it was Joanna Newsom who was the stand-out artist for many festival-goers.
The American harpist was named a fourth headliner and opened the main stage on the Sunday - a slot so successful that it was offered the following year to Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke.
A resurgent Tom Jones made a special appearance on the Thursday night of 2010's Latitude.
Jones' set in the woods was so popular that the area had to be closed off and a large number of fans  turned away.
As a result he made a second unscheduled appearance on the main stage on Sunday in the lunchtime "special guest" slot.
Local-boy-made-good Ed Sheeran was on the bill in 2010, performing in the small poetry tent.
A year later, however, he was on the main stage, having enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame.
Two months after that appearance Sheeran released his debut album + on a major label, and has since become a genuine worldwide superstar, recently selling out three nights at Wembley Stadium.
Classical musicians including violinist Nigel Kennedy and pianist Lang Lang have appeared as part of a programme that has also included theatre, poetry, literary readings and interviews and the biggest names in British comedy.
Latitude has continued to add new elements to the festival, whether a sit-down restaurant, yoga or whirlpool baths.
This year, for the first time, festival-goers will have the chance to swim in Henham Park's lake.
Henham Park's manager Hektor Rous will be raising a pint of his Hektor's Pure bitter to the next 10 years.


Two teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.

A 14-year-old boy from Blackburn, Lancashire, was detained on 2 April following the examination of a number of electronic devices, police said.
He was questioned on suspicion of preparing for an act of terrorism.
A 16-year-old girl was subsequently arrested at a house in Longsight, Manchester, on 3 April on suspicion of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism.
Both teenagers were bailed until 28 May.
The investigation involved officers from the North West Counter-Terrorism Unit, the Tactical Aid Unit, Greater Manchester Police and Lancashire Constabulary.
Police said the arrests were not linked to the detention of nine people from Rochdale on the Turkey-Syria border earlier this week.
The group, including five adults and four children, was seized in Hatay on 1 April.
Their intention in travelling to the region, where areas are controlled by Islamic State (IS) militants or an al-Qaeda affiliate, is being investigated.


Mae Mesur Cymru wedi cael ei basio yn dilyn trafodaeth ddydd Mawrth yn San Steffan.

Dywedodd Ysgrifennydd Cymru, Alun Cairns ei fod yn "ddiwrnod nodedig" a bod y mesur yn dod ag "eglurdeb ac atebolrwydd" i Lywodraeth Cymru.
Bu ASau yn Nhŷ'r Cyffredin yn trafod gwelliannau gafodd ei gwneud i'r mesur yn Nhŷ'r Arglwyddi, gan gynnwys gwelliant ar beiriannau gamblo.
Byddai un gwelliant wedi lleihau'r uchafswm a allai gael ei fetio mewn peiriannau fixed odds o £10 i £2 - ond ni chafodd ei basio.
Yr wythnos diwethaf fe wnaeth y Cynulliad roi eu sêl bendith hwythau i'r mesur, gyda Llafur, y Ceidwadwyr a'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yn pleidleisio o'i blaid, a Phlaid Cymru ac UKIP yn pleidleisio yn erbyn.
Byddai'r mesur yn cyflwyno system newydd o ddiffinio'r pwerau sydd gan y Cynulliad, gan benodi pa rai sydd wedi eu dal yn ôl yn San Steffan yn hytrach na pha rai sydd wedi'u hanfon i Fae Caerdydd.
Ond mae'r beirniaid yn dweud ei fod yn system aneglur ac y gallai arwain at droi'r cloc yn ôl ar elfennau o ddatganoli.
Ymhlith y pwerau sydd yn cael eu datganoli yn y mesur mae rhywfaint o reolaeth dros dreth incwm, a hynny heb orfod galw refferendwm.
Bydd gan y Cynulliad hefyd reolaeth dros ei materion ei hun, megis etholiadau ac enw'r sefydliad, ac fe fydd rhagor o ddatganoli mewn meysydd fel ynni a thrafnidiaeth.
Mae disgwyl i'r mesur dderbyn Cydsyniad Brenhinol a dod i rym fis nesaf.


Four years ago, Danny Boyle unveiled his opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Isles of Wonder was based on the transformation of Britain, from a "green and pleasant land" to the internet era, via the industrial age.
A cast of 10,000 volunteers were involved in the memorable £27m show, which featured farmyard animals, several Voldemorts and even James Bond.
Its creation was captured by Ben Delfont, a stage manager for the event.


Media reports say that Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a "stand-off" in a disputed territory near the two countries' de facto border

Unconfirmed media reports say that Chinese troops have entered what India says is its territory near the disputed border.
"Chumar sector in eastern Ladakh remained active with Chinese Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA) troops involved in tactical manoeuvre with the Indian army to exercise dominance by transgressing the Line of Actual Control (the de facto border)," reports the Hindustan Times.
Papers also report that the army chief, General Dalbir Singh Suhag, has cancelled his Bhutan visit due to the tensions on the border.
"The decision to put off the trip has been taken at a time when, for the last more than 10 days, Chinese troops have been sitting on this side of the Indian boundary in Chumar area of Ladakh," says a report on the First Post website.
Some media outlets say the tensions are likely to "undo" the progress made during Chinese President Xi Jinping's India visit last week.
Mr Xi and PM Narendra Modi had shown a keen interest in improving bilateral ties.
"The great bonhomie generated between Asia's giants at Ahmedabad and New Delhi is withering away in the windswept cold desert of Ladakh," says the India Today website.
Moving on to other stories, Abhinav Bindra, one of India's top Indian shooters, on Tuesday won two bronze medals in the ongoing Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, The Times of India reports.
His good performance comes a day after he announced his retirement from the sport. Bindra on Monday tweeted that the ongoing Asian Games could be his last competitive event.
"Tomorrow will mark the end of my professional shooting life! I will however still shoot, compete as a hobby shooter training twice a week," he tweeted.
And finally, papers are praising India's space agency after the country's maiden mission to Mars "entered the Martian neighbourhood" on Monday.
Launched last November, the spacecraft - known as Mangalyaan - will complete a 300-day journey to reach the orbit on Wednesday.
"If successful, India will become the first country to make it to Mars in its maiden attempt, propelling it to an elite club of space race leaders," the Hindustan Times reports.
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. For more reports from BBC Monitoring, click here. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.


Former referee's chief Keith Hackett has criticised the appointment of Manchester-based Anthony Taylor as the man in the middle for Monday's meeting of Manchester United and Liverpool.

Taylor lives six miles from Old Trafford, which Hackett believes could lead to allegations of partiality.
"No-one is questioning his integrity," Hackett said. "But what if something goes wrong? It would be intolerable."
Taylor has no United ties and supports National League North side Altrincham.
Hackett, the former head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited body that appoints referees to matches, also highlighted the fact that Mark Clattenburg could have been available to take charge of Monday's game.
Instead, Newcastle United fan Clattenburg, who refereed the 2016 Champions League, FA Cup and European Championship finals, will be acting as a fourth official at another match this weekend.
Earlier this year, Leicestershire-based Kevin Friend was removed from Tottenham's game against Stoke because he supports Leicester City, who were battling Spurs for the Premier League title at the time.
However, in the same month, Newcastle fan Michael Oliver was allowed to oversee a match between Norwich City and Crystal Palace, who were fighting with the Magpies for Premier League survival.
In 2006, Tranmere Rovers supporter Mike Dean was withdrawn from the 2006 FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham because he was based in the Wirral, not far from Tranmere's ground.
Reds supporters have gone to social media to express their frustrations about the appointment of Taylor...
"It is a small slice of what can be expected if things go wrong for Anthony - and his bosses - in the game itself," former referee Hackett added.
"If something happens, it would be those who appointed him who must take the blame for taking such an avoidable risk."
PGMOL says the process behind referee selection is all about avoiding "unnecessary extra external pressure and scrutiny on referees" in what is an "already a high pressure and demanding job".
Where a referee lives is also not a factor when appointments are made, it said.


Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza claimed their second straight Grand Slam title in the US Open women's doubles.

The Swiss-Indian duo, who were also victorious at Wimbledon, beat Yaroslava Shvedova and Casey Dellacqua 6-3 6-3.
"It has been a great year for us," Mirza said. "To back up [Wimbledon], we feel like we're a really solid team."
Hingis, 34, also won the US Open mixed doubles title alongside Leander Paes, and has now claimed five Major doubles titles in total in 2015.
"From the start, we hit it off," she said of her partnership with Mirza. "Our games work well together."
Hingis - a former world number one singles player who came out of retirement for a second time in 2013 - has now won a total of 14 Grand Slam doubles titles in her career, while 28-year-old Mirza has five.


Air France-KLM is buying almost a third of Virgin Atlantic, leaving Sir Richard Branson's parent company, Virgin Group, with a minority stake in the airline he founded.

Air France-KLM is taking a 31% stake, worth Â£220m, in Virgin Atlantic as part of a four-way joint-venture with US partner Delta.
Virgin Group's share will fall from 51% to 20%, while Delta will retain 49%.
Sir Richard said he would remain "very much involved" after the deal.
He said in an open letter that the new joint-venture would be "extremely beneficial" to the airline, customers and the brand, and recalled key moments in Virgin Atlantic's history, striking a valedictory tone.
Jean-Marc Janaillac, chief executive of Air France-KLM, said the deal would give customers "even more choice between Europe, UK and the United States via twelve hubs on both sides of the Atlantic".
Virgin and Delta have operated a joint-venture for almost five years, plying the busy routes between Europe and the United States.
Competition has intensified in recent years, with newcomers including Norwegian and British Airways' low-cost Level service offering no-frills long-haul flights.
The new venture, which will also include troubled Italian carrier Alitalia, will operate 300 transatlantic flights per day.
In a joint press release Virgin and its partners said the venture would offer "convenient flight schedules with competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers".
Virgin Atlantic, set up in 1984, was one of the earliest companies in Richard Branson's Virgin brand portfolio.
In his open letter, Sir Richard recalled its eventful rivalry with British Airways, the impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the financial crisis.
Sir Richard wrote that as he got older he was keen to ensure that "all the necessary building blocks are in place for Virgin Atlantic to continue to prosper and grow for the next 50 years".
While transatlantic routes are among the most lucrative, Virgin has had mixed fortunes in recent years.
In 2016 it reported its best profits for five years, but the company warned earlier this year that it was likely to go into the red again in 2017 as the weaker pound pushed up costs and put off holiday-makers.


Up to 300,000 people are taking part in Brighton's Pride celebrations, which organisers have said are "more important then ever".

Security is tight at the event after terror attacks overseas, and a minute's silence is being held for victims of the Orlando shootings in the US.
Director Paul Kemp urged all allies and friends of the LGBT community to stand "shoulder to shoulder".
The carnival parade started at Hove Lawns.
Mr Kemp said: "Despite the advances of equality and equal marriage in the UK, the recent horrific event in Orlando and continuing attacks on LGBT people and communities globally have highlighted there's still a long way to go.
"Brighton Pride 2016 will be more important that ever and I ask all allies and friends of the LGBT community to come out and stand shoulder to shoulder with friends and family to stand up against all hate crime."
The one minute silence is being held at 19:00 BST.
Mr Kemp said the country remained on high alert after recent events but the information from Sussex Police was the threat to Brighton Pride was "moderate".
"Of course, we ask the public to be vigilant and there are extra security measures," he said.
He said over a thousand trained security staff would be at the event but the public were the "eyes and ears".
At Pride: BBC South East reporter Lucinda Adam
The parade and the party is well under way in glorious sunshine. There are thousands of people coming out to celebrate their sexuality.
We've got people dressed up. We've got floats - and up to 300,000 people lining the parade route.
There is tight security this year because of recent world events, with armed officers on the street and concrete barriers along part of the route.
But that's not going to deter them from having fun today. The mood here is defiant and one of a party atmosphere.
Mr Kemp said: "It's really down to the public. If they're coming to Pride, if they've got a bag with them for example, don't leave a bag around. It's common sense stuff."
Adding that Pride in Brighton had gone beyond an LGBT festival, he said: "Pride in Brighton and Hove is a celebration of diversity for all our communities.
"Families come along to the parade. Everyone gets involved. It's a great celebration."
He also said this year's festival - attended by people from countries around the world including Brazil, Chile, Argentina, China and Australia - would bring Â£18m into the local economy.
Following a Southern rail warning about travel disruption, Mr Kemp said Thameslink trains were running and there would be a train service in and out of Brighton for people to attend the event.
Southern rail said services would be busy and some may be altered or replaced by buses. Preston Park station is closed and there is a queuing system at Brighton station.


Nasa's Deep Space Observatory has released unusual images of the dark side of the moon.

6 August 2015 Last updated at 09:09 BST
The far side of the moon is never visible from Earth and these pictures show the moon as it passes over a sunlit Earth.
One Nasa scientist said it was surprising how much brighter Earth is than the moon.


A 49-year-old woman has died following a fire at a block of flats in Paisley.

Firefighters were called to the flat, in the Renfrewshire town's Fairway Avenue, at about 16:05 on Monday.
They found a "well-established fire" and eight crew members in breathing apparatus entered the flat where the woman's body was discovered.
Police have appealed for information and said a joint investigation with the fire service would be carried out to establish the cause of the blaze.
Det Sgt Ian Ross said: "Our inquiries are at an early stage to gather more information on this fire, and a joint investigation will be carried out with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to establish the cause of the fire.
"At this time, I would ask anyone with information that may assist our investigation to contact Paisley Police Office through the 101 number."
The fire service said crews from Paisley, Barrhead and Renfrew were sent to the scene.


Protected birds of prey are still being being poisoned in Northern Ireland, according to a report.

The main species affected are buzzards and red kites, 11 of which were illegally killed in 2014.
They are particularly susceptible to poisoned baits as they mainly feed on carrion.
A sparrowhawk and two peregrine falcons were also killed. County Down had the biggest problem with four incidents and there were two in Tyrone.
There was one incident each in Londonderry, Antrim and Armagh.
A number of cases involved the use of a highly toxic pesticide called Carbofuran which was banned across the EU in 2001.
The report was drawn up by the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime, which involves agencies including police, the Environment Agency and wildlife groups.
Report author Dr Eimear Rooney said: "It is heart-breaking to think of the deaths of these birds, but it is particularly shocking to see the continued usage of highly toxic Carbofuran."
Supt Brian Kee said: "It isn't acceptable for birds of prey or any other wildlife to be killed in this way.
"These actions are illegal and the use of toxic poisons is indiscriminate as they put children, pets and livestock at risk too.
Between 2009 and 2014,  44 birds of prey were illegally killed and one nest destroyed.
In some cases it appears birds are falling victim to poisons laid to control rats and other pests.


The former treasurer of Brazil's governing Workers' Party, Joao Vaccari Neto, has been sentenced to 15 years and four months in jail for corruption and money laundering.

He is the closest person yet to President Dilma Rousseff to be sentenced over the case, which has led to calls for her impeachment.
But prosecutors say there is nothing to implicate her directly.
A former director of the state oil giant Petrobras was also sentenced.
Renato Duque, the former director of services at Petrobras, got 20 years and eight months.
Vaccari and Duque deny the charges. They are expected to appeal.
These are the longest and the most significant sentences yet in a corruption scandal that is undermining the stability and authority of President Rousseff's government, says the BBC's Wyre Davies in Rio de Janeiro.
Government supporters accuse conservative politicians and businessmen of attempting to associate the corruption at Petrobras with the Workers Party in order to topple her left-wing government.
Federal Judge Sergio Moro said that at the request of Vaccari, Duque made 24 payments to the Workers' Party between 2008 and 2010.
The "donations" totalled 4.2m reais (Â£700m;$1m).
"It looked like an old debt was being paid by instalments," said Judge Moro.
"The money laundering has had an impact on the democratic process, contaminating it with criminal resources," he added.
Investigators say that for many years Brazil's biggest construction companies paid multi-million dollar bribes to politicians, and senior officials at Petrobras, to secure lucrative contracts.
Dozens of politicians, civil servants and businessmen have been detained or charged over the past year.
The investigation has been dubbed Operation Car Wash, after a petrol station in Brasilia where illegal dollar transactions were alleged to have taken place.
Data retrieved from the Petrobras case has led to evidence of corruption in other areas.
Last month, Brazilian prosecutors launched a probe on allegations corruption and overpricing in the construction of a stadium used during last year's football World Cup.
They believe building construction giant Odebrecht inflated the price of the Arena Pernambuco by $12m (Â£7.8m).
The company's president, Marcelo Odebrecht, has been charged with corruption in the Petrobras case. He denies any wrongdoing.


Scam artists seeking to capitalise on the demise of popular mobile game Flappy Bird have released harmful clones.

Apps that appeared to be identical to the original have been designed to trick users into sending premium rate text messages.
The malicious apps were found in Google's Android store, security firm Trend Micro reported.
The real Flappy Bird creator said he deleted the app as it was "addictive".
In an interview with Forbes, the "stressed" 29-year-old developer Dong Nguyen said: "Flappy Bird was designed to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed.
"But it happened to become an addictive product. I think it has become a problem. To solve that problem, it's best to take down Flappy Bird. It's gone forever."
Quick to seize an opportunity, scammers have created clone apps containing malicious software.
"All of the fake versions we've seen so far are premium service abusers - apps that send messages to premium numbers, thus causing unwanted charges to victims' phone billing statements," a blog from Trend Micro explained.
"The fake Flappy Bird app asks for the additional read/send text messages permissions during installation - one that is not required in the original version."
The fake apps were most prominent in stores targeted at users in Russia, the company said, as well as Mr Nguyen's home country of Vietnam.
Trend Micro added: "Apart from premium service abuse, the app also poses a risk of information leakage for the user since it sends out the phone number, carrier, Gmail address registered in the device."
Unsurprisingly, many clones - malicious or otherwise - have rushed to take Flappy Bird's place at the top of app store charts.
Among them, Ironpants - a game with a similar premise that was already proving popular before Flappy Bird was taken down.
Slightly less subtle clones included Clumsy Bird, Flappy Fish, Flappy Octopus and Flappy Angry Bird.
Sites where companies can post offers of freelance work are awash with requests for Flappy Bird clones to be made quickly.
Some have speculated that Flappy Bird would return soon, and that Mr Nguyen had carried out a masterstroke of viral marketing.
Others speculated that legal issues were behind the decision to take the game down, but Mr Nguyen denied this - as did Nintendo, who some suspected of applying legal pressure due to the pipes in Flappy Bird resembling those found in early Super Mario titles.
However, the developer said that the game's success and the attention it had brought him had meant he was losing sleep.


The death of an 84-year-old woman whose body was found at a property in Pontefract is no longer being treated as suspicious by police.

The pensioner was found dead at an address in Park Lane at about 22:30 BST last Wednesday, West Yorkshire Police said.
A 54-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder but was subsequently released.
A file has been sent to the coroner, the force says.
Live updates and more stories from Yorkshire


Worcestershire have appointed former captain Norman Gifford as the club's new county president.

The 76-year-old ex-England spinner succeeds lifelong Worcestershire fan and former Governor of the Bank of England, Lord Mervyn King of Lothbury.
Lancashire-born Gifford takes up office, for two years, from 22 March.
"This club has always been close to my heart," said Gifford, who finished his playing days in 1988 with Warwickshire, including three years as skipper.
"For me it is a great honour to be asked to be president. This place has got fantastic memories.
"My enthusiasm for cricket is as strong as ever," added Gifford, who still has a part-time role with the county as spin bowling coach. "I still love coming down to the ground. I will do everything I can to ensure it is a successful two years as president and I hope the success I enjoyed as a player will be repeated by this talented squad we have here now."
As well being a key member of the 1964 and 1965 County Championship winning sides, Gifford captained Worcestershire to the title in 1974 - and to the first of the county's three Sunday League wins, in 1971.


Valley, a high-end nail salon on a leafy street in Manhattan, is spacious and sleek, its whitewashed walls adorned with contemporary art.

The salon has a loyal customer base of well-heeled New Yorkers willing to pay the higher-than-usual minimum fee of $30 (Â£19) for a manicure.
Since she started the business in 2006, owner Nina Werman's approach to dealing with her employees has also set the salon apart.
She pays her nail technicians more than the minimum wage, provides paid lunch breaks, training, overtime and sick pay as well as protective masks and gloves.
"I want to retain my staff," says Ms Werman of her approach. "It takes a lot of money and time and emotional energy to hire and train a technician. I've been a disgruntled employee in my life and I don't want anyone to have that experience."
It's a far cry from the world exposed earlier this year in the New York Times, which detailed the low wages and difficult working conditions endured by many nail technicians in New York state's 34,000 beauty salons.
To reassure its customers after the expose, Valley put a "Handle with Care" sticker on its front door. Based on a hashtag created for social media by design agency Table of Contents, it aims to encourage customers to tout salons with ethical labour practices.
But take up of the voluntary scheme has been low - so far just 10 stores have adopted it - and it has been rapidly overtaken by official measures to regulate the sector introduced by the state government of New York.
Among the new rules: salon owners must pay minimum wage and overtime hours, and provide eye protection, masks and gloves for those working with chemicals. Manicurists must be licensed with the state, and a new "Bill of Rights for Nail Workers" is now prominently displayed in salons. Inspections and fines on salons have also increased, and legislation allows the state to quickly shut down shops which do not comply.
More regulations are on the cards, dealing particularly with the use of chemicals at nail salons. The proposed rules will require salons to have specialised air-ventilation machines to protect workers and customers from vapours released by acrylics, for example.
However, many business owners are warning the changes could be counter productive.
Sue Choi, a young Korean business woman, has owned a small, colourful salon called Sweety Nails, based in the predominantly Asian neighbourhood of Flushing where manicures start at $7, for four years.
Ms Choi says she pays her six employees, whom she works alongside, a fair wage, and has tried to create an atmosphere where both workers and customers are happy. "Like a family," she says.
But now the new regulations and frequent inspections of her salon - "targeted enforcement", she says - have made her anxious and discouraged. "I'm having doubts about being in business at all," she admits.
One regulation in particular has endangered small businesses like Ms Choi's: a requirement for small salons to obtain a wage bond, a form of insurance to cover potential claims for unpaid wages.
The bonds range from $250 to $1,000 a year, and are based on the salon owner's personal finances. Advocates for salon workers say they are important for worker's rights, and are part of the cost of doing business.
However, because Ms Choi is a relatively new immigrant she has no credit history making it difficult for her to get approval for a bond, without which she can't renew her licence to operate.
Other salon owners say it's difficult to stay on top of the changes.
Candice Idehen, who opened Bed of Nails - a small, plush salon employing six people - in Harlem two years ago, says it's "nerve-wracking".
"The rules in this industry are changing fast and whether you know what they are or not, you have to follow them."
Ms Idehen herself has worked as a nail technician at salons where the owners didn't care about their workers, and says that this has shaped how she runs her business.
As a result, Bed of Nails has a reputation for being an ethical salon, based on, for example, pedicure chairs placed higher up than usual so that technicians don't have to hunch over whilst working on a customer's feet.
Yet the rules, even when they're not relevant, still apply to her salon, Ms Idehen complains.  For instance, the salon doesn't use acrylics, yet workers must wear masks. Of the proposed rules on air ventilation systems, she says, "These things make me a little nervous because those are huge costs, with many things to take into consideration."
She thinks some salons might start to pass these new costs onto customers, but is determined that she won't. Her clients, who pay $20 for a basic manicure, come for the service, she says, and she says her business will absorb these costs when they arise.
Nonetheless, she expects the industry itself to change permanently.
"I do think it will turn a manicure into more of a luxury service, like what you see in other cities like London.
"And for people just starting out with a new business in this industry, it's going to be hard."
But for Ecuadorian nail technician Sylvia Padilla, one of Valley's 25 employees, the changes are welcome. Whilst she's never worked at a salon where exploitation and abuse was the norm, she says working conditions and pay have been poor.
At Valley she's happy. "We have a lunch break, and the pay is higher. We have the time to work with customers. In other places we have to rush with one customer after another and have to keep working and working."
She is hopeful the new regulations will make more salons operate like Valley.


Police investigating the abduction of a five-year-old girl from her street in mid Wales, have given more details of the van she was seen getting into.

April Jones was with friends near her Machynlleth home when she got willingly into a van at 19:00 BST on Monday.
Hundreds of people have joined the search for April who was wearing a purple coat with a fur hood, white polo top and black trousers.
A hotline number has been set up - 0300 2000 333.
In the latest developments, a 12 mile stretch of the A487 from Machynlleth to Cross Foxes near Dolgellau has been closed in both directions due to a "police incident".
Earlier speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Det Supt Reg Bevan said they had gleaned more information from children who had been playing with April shortly before she went missing.
"Speaking with them is a delicate and time consuming process," he said.
Det Supt Bevan said the children had told police the vehicle involved looked like a van.
"They describe it as small at the front and large at the back, so it could be interpreted that this could be something similar to a Ford Connect type van or a Land Rover.
"Furthermore April has been described as getting into the driver's side of the vehicle. This may be because she got in with the driver or that it is left hand drive vehicle.
"We still believe that the van is grey or light coloured, but again these things can be affected by failing light and street lamps.
"The indications are that she got into the vehicle willingly... There's nothing to suggest at this stage there was a struggle."
Det Supt Bevan added that police were concentrating efforts in the immediate vicinity following specialist advice.
He said police had a significant number of pieces of information.
This included an initial description of the driver but detectives were not comfortable releasing more details at this stage.
When asked about April's family, Det Supt Bevan said "as you would imagine, it must be their worst nightmare so it must be a very difficult time for them".
By Carl YappBBC Wales News
At the town's leisure centre, hundreds of people involved in the hunt for April have just set off on another search for her.
Following a police briefing, the volunteers are being split into groups of up to 20, one going clockwise, the other anti-clockwise around the town.
One volunteer suggested the town's railway line might be closed later, when the search is extended.
The leisure centre is bustling with police, council staff, network rail officials, transport police. Members of the public have brought dogs along.
More people are joining the search all the time.
Lynne Owen, 45, from nearby Llanerfyl, drove to Machynlleth on Tuesday morning.
"We're off out on another search now," he said. "We've been given a description of her and told not to touch anything if we find something."
Back on April's estate, the road is cordoned off and a police van and car are parked nearby, while a lone officer stands beyond the cordon in the rain.
Overhead the rumblings of a police helicopter and the Wales Air Ambulance can be heard.
A few miles out of town, people in fluorescent jackets are stopping drivers near a mini roundabout in what appears to be an attempt to find out more information.
'Not ruling anything out'
He said the force were getting help from neighbouring Welsh forces, and some English in relation to the Child Rescue Alert system (CRA).
The CRA brings together the forces of police, media and the public to help find abducted children by publishing details as soon as possible.
The South Wales Police and Gwent Police helicopters are also helping in the search.
April disappeared close to her home on the Bryn Y Gog estate in Machynlleth.
Road blocks have been set up as officers and hundreds of local people continue conducting searches of the local area, woodland and isolated farmland.
Police helicopters, the fire service and police dog teams have been mobilised. Refuse collections in the area have been suspended on Tuesday as council workers re-deploy to help the search.
Bus companies have also been ferrying groups of people around the large, rural area to widen the search.
Meanwhile, detectives are due to re-interview the children who had been playing with April on the Bryn-y-Gog estate last night.
Supt Ian John said: "At this moment in time we're still interviewing young witnesses and... we believe April got into the vehicle without any sort of struggle."
Asked whether this suggested she may have known the driver, he replied: "We're keeping our minds' open at this moment in time. We're not ruling anything out, we're not ruling anything in."
Police have praised the "tremendous response" from the community.
Hundreds of people have been gathering at the local leisure centre to help with the search.
Alun Hughes, a friend of April's family said: "We were out last night and at the moment we are waiting for the police to organise specialist searches of the town."
Search volunteer Anwen Morris said locals had searched an area with a 30-mile radius using quad bikes and off-road vehicles.
Mayor of Machynlleth Gareth Jones said people had travelled from outside of the area to help.
"We live in hope.," he said. "I want to appeal to people out there who may have seen something, even if they thought it's not of very much importance, to come forward and tell police."
Powys County Council said it was providing support for pupils and staff at April's school -  Ysgol Gynradd Machynlleth.
Brian Vaughn, whose daughter goes to school with April, described her as a "lovely little girl". He said: "Everybody just wants her back, really.
"Whatever we've got to do, we'll do it. We're just hoping for the best, that she's closer rather than further away."
Neighbour Rhydian Mason said: "It's completely heartbreaking. I'm trying to put myself in the shoes of April's parents and it's an awful feeling in the pit of the stomach.
Shadow Welsh Secretary, Owen Smith MP, told the Labour conference in Manchester that the thoughts and prayers of all delegates are with the missing girl and her family.
"We all pray she's back in her community and with her family as soon as humanly possible," he added.
At first minister's questions in the Welsh assembly, party leaders said their thoughts were with those searching for the five-year-old.
Meanwhile, Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies was in Machynlleth to offer his support.
He said: "I'm stunned by the way everybody in the town has come together, but I suppose I'm not really surprised because it's a small town and everybody feels the anxiety of what has happened. I have a mixture of concern and hope."
According to Home Office figures there were 532 child abductions in England and Wales between 2011 and 2012.
About 500 children under 16 are abducted each year - but the majority of these are parental abductions, according to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop).
Dyfed-Powys Police have asked anyone with information to contact a dedicated hotline on 0300 2000 333.


Meet four inspiring people from the almost 22,000 who are expected to take part in the Cardiff Half Marathon on Sunday, 2 October.

While the elite athletes look to break records, thousands of others will be running for very personal reasons.
Running motivation: Rachel is an aerobics instructor and for her living a healthy lifestyle was fundamental. Then things changed.
In November last year, whilst taking a class, a cyst in her ovary burst and changed her view on life forever.
An operation revealed she had cancer and when she underwent a full hysterectomy and an omentectomy, a procedure to remove abdominal tissue, she had no idea if she would awake to be told the cancer had spread.
Thankfully it had not and Rachel, 54, was given the all clear and discovered a new determination to raise awareness about ovarian cancer and also to do the things she had fearfully placed on her 'bucket list.'
Charity bike rides and walks have now built to the Cardiff Half Marathon. Rachel's running skills were non-existent before her brush with mortality, but now she is a woman on a mission.
Rachel says: "I am a lucky survivor. I feel lucky and blessed and I have to go out there now and embrace life.  I feel it is so important to raise awareness about ovarian cancer.
"It is the silent killer of women.  It is often diagnosed too late and I do feel women are dying needlessly as a result."
Running for: Macmillan Cancer Support
Running motivation: It almost began as a joke for 27-year-old Tudor, but now ahead is a gruelling and almost ridiculous challenge.
Tudor fronts a band and on stage would often don a full suit of armour for fun.
That led to an interesting challenge was suggested, why not run more than 13 miles encased in the metal suit weighing 32kg? More than half Tudor's own body weight.
He only started running seriously in February having given up smoking and training has drawn some strange looks, but Tudor is hoping to complete the Half Marathon in under three-and-half hours.
Trying to run in the suit itself is likened to a war of attrition, the ultimate test of stamina. The main problem will be the heat and Tudor will take on four times as much water during the race as a conventional runner.
Tudor says: "To finish I will need to be stubborn, but I'm pretty good at being that. It was planned as being fun, but since the charities have come on board things have become a lot more serious.
"They are fantastic causes which some of my friends have dealt with and I'm just determined not to let anyone down."
Running for: Mencap and Ty Hafan
Running motivation: English teacher Emma saw her world ripped apart when her father Fred died.
Fun-loving Fred was away on business in Cornwall when he was taken ill in his hotel room. Believing it was just flu at first, Fred became increasingly sick and by the time he was taken to hospital it was too late. The 52-year-old had died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Emma says the loss of her dad had a massive and dreadful impact on her family, but from the tragedy emerged a new purpose in Emma's life.
Now she is looking to raise awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
In particular she is urging caution when people stay away from home and is encouraging people to buy simple and cheap mobile carbon monoxide detectors when they are travelling.
Emma, who will celebrate her 27th birthday on the day of the Half Marathon, has never run the distance before, but will be spurred around the 13 miles by the thought of her deeply-missed father.
Emma says: "My father was a very positive person and I would like to think he would be proud of what I'm doing.
"If by doing this I get to save just one life then it will all have been worth it."
Running for:  Carbon Monoxide - Be Alarmed!
Running motivation: You never know how vital a service can be until you need it and that was the case for Paul when it came to the Wales Air Ambulance.
When his mother, Phylis, fell down the stairs at the farmhouse she shares with his dad, Eurfyl, near Rhayader in mid-Wales there was a lot of panic. In her 70s, Phylis had evidently injured her spine and blood was pouring from a head wound.
Phylis was flown to hospital in Hereford where she recovered. Things though might have been rather different though if she had to travel by road.
So when 42-year-old Paul and some pals started planning to run in this year's Half Marathon, Paul straight away knew the charity he wanted to be raising cash for.
Paul says: "It was an incredibly worrying time when mum fell and I dread to think what might have happened without the air ambulance.
"For the area where my parents live it can be an absolutely vital service. I'm amazed it is privately funded and it was a no-brainer when I decided who I wanted to be running for."
Running for:  Wales Air Ambulance
The Cardiff Half Marathon takes place on Sunday, 2 October.
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Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes he has the strongest team in the Premier League - when all his players are fit.

City are third in the table, six points behind leaders Leicester after Monday's 2-1 defeat at Arsenal.
Captain Vincent Kompany, 29, is set to return after eight matches out. Striker Sergio Aguero has missed 11 games.
"We are in all the competitions and we did that without a lot of important players," said Pellegrini.
"But, of course, with all the players fit and playing every game, we are the strongest team."
Defender Pablo Zabaleta and midfielder Fernando are also back in the frame after injuries, but Kompany's absence has been the most notable.
City have had seven clean sheets in the eight Premier League games featuring the Belgium centre-half and kept just one in the nine matches without him.
"It seems that we have a crisis but we don't have a crisis," said Pellegrini, whose side are at home to second-from-bottom Sunderland on Saturday.
"Vincent is the captain of the team - you cannot be the captain of an important team if you are not an important player.
"We need Vincent, but this team doesn't depend on one player.
"Vincent has had a long recovery. We hope that he will not have more problems in the future. It is very difficult to know if he will have them or not, but we are going to be optimistic and hope we can have the captain for the rest of the season."


A care home in Ellesmere Port has been rated "inadequate" after inspectors found it to be "visibly unclean" with residents "at risk of malnutrition".

Atherton Lodge on Pooltown Road was placed in special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following unannounced inspections in August.
The CQC said the home had "a lack of sustained leadership" leading to "weak and ineffective" governance.
The home said "significant changes" have been made since the visit.
The CQC report found:
Satwinder Pawar, director of Atherton Lodge, said: "We are committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of the residents who trust us to care for them in their later years.
"Since being alerted of potential shortfalls in our services, we have invested heavily in the implementation of new policies and procedures throughout the home as well as the training of our staff to further improve on the quality of the care we provide.
"With the help of a specialist care consultant, we have made significant changes in the way in which we will operate to benefit the people under our care."
The home provides accommodation for up to 40 people who require personal and nursing care, including those with dementia.
It has been given six months to improve.


David Somers has resigned as Rangers chairman only days before his future in the position was due to be voted on by shareholders.

The move was confirmed in a statement to the Stock Exchange on Monday.
An extraordinary general meeting is being held at Ibrox on Friday, when the future of the current board is to be decided.
It is unclear if chief executive Derek Llambias and finance director Barry Leach will also go before Friday.
The Rangers Supporters Trust (RST) says it is "delighted" at Somers' resignation, describing him as "inept and embarrassing".
It has also announced that it has been given the proxy vote for the shares owned by former Rangers manager Walter Smith and now claims to have voting rights for 6.3% of the shareholding.
The EGM was called by shareholder Dave King, who has tabled resolutions aimed at ousting the current board and appointing himself, Paul Murray and John Gilligan in their place.
Somers, 66, had been chairman since October but has faced numerous calls to step down by fans who have been protesting for change.
He said in a statement: "I have worked in the City of London, the world's greatest financial centre for decades and enjoyed considerable success.
"When I was approached about the chairmanship of Rangers, friends warned me that the world of football has different rules and codes of behaviour.
"I now know that is a gross understatement.
"I am a non-confrontational man and have always tried to bring harmony to boardrooms and with stakeholders.
"At the risk of antagonising my army of critics, I would point out that Rangers managed to pay its bills and avoid going under during my tenure.
"These critics might not agree with how we achieved this.
"I look forward to alternative solutions from whoever is running the club in the future.
"Despite the personal attacks on me from various sources, I genuinely wish the club the very best in the future and I am confident that with such a passionate and vociferous fan base they will be restored to their former glories."
Director James Easdale last week resigned from the board, giving his reason as a lack of support from the club's fans.
In a damning statement, the RST said Somers' comments were "entirely in keeping with his behaviour" during his tenure.
It said: "His lack of ambition or ability, rampant self interest, contempt for shareholders and fans, and disastrous dearth of understanding of the position of responsibility he held will be his legacy.
"He will be remembered as one of the most inept and embarrassing chairmen of our wonderful sporting institution."
And the fans' group has called for the remaining directors, Llambias and Leach, to "follow Mr Somers out of the door".
"Mr Leach should have resigned when he made disparaging comments about major shareholders in a meeting with fans," said the RST statement.
"This amounted to gross misconduct in our opinion and in any normally operating business he would no longer be in position. He should be suspended and subject to disciplinary procedures after the general meeting.
"Mr Llambias has serious questions to answer over the recruitment process which saw him appointed as chief executive. Not least whether the inaccurate information which appeared in his bio on the Rangers website, and was circulated to shareholders, formed part of the information relied on to support his application.
"His ham-fisted attempt to use legal threats to silence legitimate criticism from the outgoing Fan Board has further alienated supporters. Taken together we believe these make his position untenable. He should also be suspended and subject to disciplinary procedures after the general meeting."
On the subject of Smith passing his voting right to the RST, a spokesman said: "Obviously we are delighted that Walter has agreed to proxy his shares to us.
"We are sure he shares our hope that things are about to change for the better."


More than 191,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict up to April, the UN human rights chief says.

Navi Pillay said the figure was "probably an underestimate" and criticised what she called "international paralysis" on the issue.
The figure is more than double the UN estimate given a year ago.
Opposition groups in Syria have been fighting President Bashar al-Assad for over three years, but have lost ground in recent months.
The UN report was based on data from four different monitoring groups and the Syrian government which was then cross-checked.
"Tragically it is probably an underestimate of the real total number of people killed during the first three years of this murderous conflict", Mrs Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said.
"The killers, destroyers and torturers in Syria have been empowered and emboldened by the international paralysis" she added.
The highest number of killings was recorded in Damascus province, with 39,393 deaths, followed by Aleppo, with 31,932.
Both the Syrian government and Syrian rebel groups have been accused of war crimes by the UN.
One year on from the chemical weapon attack in Damascus, the war in Syria has become part of a wider regional struggle.
Syria: The story of the conflict
Timeline: From Syria to Iraq
In their own words: Chemical attack survivors
Interactive: The rise of Islamic State
Analysis: Nature of IS threat


Plans to redevelop Manchester Business School, which include a bridge being removed and pavements widened, have been unveiled.

The proposals, which will see work on the existing retail precinct area of the school, are part of a Â£50m revamp.
The University of Manchester said the plans would bring "improved teaching facilities and a new learning library".
It would be the second phase of work, following the building of a hotel and education centre in the coming months.
Developers Bruntwood said the "creation of a vibrant retail and leisure offer" at the Oxford Road site was vital.
"At the moment, there is very little retail or leisure provision between the city centre and Whitworth Park.
"We are confident demand for this location will see it become a thriving new destination in Manchester."
Subject to planning permission being granted, the work will begin in 2015. The whole project is due to be completed in early 2018.


(Close): London's benchmark share index ended the day lower, but shares in travel firm Tui rose 5% after a positive trading statement.

The owner of the Thomson and First Choice brands reported higher bookings for summer holidays.
The FTSE 100 closed down 28.27 points, or 0.5%, at 6,174.90.
In the FTSE 250, shares in AO World rose 3.6% after the online appliance retailer reported a strong fourth quarter performance.
Crude oil prices reversed early losses. North Sea Brent crude was up 0.5% at $40.51 per barrel.
On the currency markets, the pound was flat against the dollar at $1.4375, but fell by half a euro cent against the euro to â‚¬1.2631.


Russia has announced a "humanitarian pause" in its bombing of the Syrian city of Aleppo.

Moscow said it would halt operations in Aleppo on Thursday for an eight-hour span between 08:00 (05:00 GMT) and 16:00.
The Russian defence ministry said the pause was agreed so that civilians and rebels could leave the city.
But UN agencies say at least 12 hours will be needed for that to happen.
"We would welcome any pause in the fighting, but there is a need for a longer pause in order to get the aid in," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
Russia's announcement came on the day 14 members of one family were reportedly killed in a strike in Aleppo.
Volunteer rescuers in Syria said eight children and two women were among the dead after heavy bombing in the past 24 hours, with "bunker-buster" munitions shaking the ground.
Russian defence ministry official Sergei Rudskoy announced the pause in attacks on Monday afternoon.
"For that period, Russia's air force and Syrian government forces will halt air strikes and firing from other weapons."
Mr Rudskoy said Russia was working towards a solution on Aleppo, but that "reaching an agreement on all issues may take a long time".
"Therefore, we have taken a decision not to waste time and to introduce 'humanitarian pauses', mainly for the free passage of civilians, evacuation of the sick and wounded, and withdrawal of fighters," he said.
Russia has come under increasing criticism from Western nations for its attacks on rebel-held east Aleppo, with the US and several prominent political figures accusing Moscow of war crimes.
The EU Foreign Affairs Council also published findings on Monday that concluded Russia's involvement - along with Syrian government forces - may amount to war crimes.
"The deliberate targeting of hospitals, medical personnel, schools and essential infrastructure, as well as the use of barrel bombs, cluster bombs, and chemical weapons, constitute a catastrophic escalation of the conflict... and may amount to war crimes," they said.
Moscow denies the accusations. President Vladimir Putin dismissed such claims as "rhetoric" that did not take into account the realities in Syria.


Rape victims are being named and "vilified" online because laws to protect their anonymity are too weak, a House of Lords committee has heard.

Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders said identifying sex offence victims in England and Wales could only be punished by fines at present.
The same applied even if there was sustained abuse of a victim, she said.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) leader also raised concerns about the naming of children in court cases.
"Where we do think the legislation needs to be looked at is around some of the reporting restrictions in relation to anonymity and breach of orders," Ms Saunders told the House of Lords Communications Committee.
CPS legal adviser Tim Thompson said existing laws against publishing the names of children who had appeared in court cases did not include social media posts.
The Sexual Offences Amendment Act, which gives lifelong anonymity to victims of sex offences, does apply but a fine is the maximum punishment.
"That is something that some district judges have commented on when dealing with particular cases where individual victims of rape have been vilified in campaigns, of people deliberately naming and abusing them, and the penalty available has been a financial one," Mr Thompson said.
Also speaking to the committee, the chief constable of Essex Police called for new "preventative" laws to stop online crime.
Stephen Kavanagh said: "There are too many victims out there whose lives have been devastated by online abuse.
"Of course legislation can be applied to many of the criminal behaviours on social media, but we believe it is time to consider whether enabling preventative and enforcement legislation will assist in keeping people more safe in the online environment."


Chad has declared a state of emergency in the Lake Chad region after attacks by Boko Haram militants from Nigeria.

The decision came after at least two people were killed in a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomb attack.
Ministers say sweeping powers to control people's movements are needed because the area, which borders Nigeria, is targeted by the militants.
Chad has been instrumental in helping Nigeria retake most of the areas Boko Haram had seized in northern Nigeria.
But in the last few months, the group has intensified attacks in remote areas around Lake Chad.
Boko Haram is suspected of involvement in the killing of at least two people in a village in Chad on Sunday and three Nigerian refugees in northern Cameroon on Monday.
The state of emergency will give the governor of the region the authority to ban the movement of people and vehicles, search homes and recover arms, the government announced following an extraordinary cabinet meeting.
Aside from Chad, the Islamist group's attacks have spread from north-eastern Nigeria, its traditional stronghold, to the neighbouring countries of Niger and Cameroon.
Chad is also host to a new regional force set up to tackle the Nigeria-based militant Islamists.
Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria agreed to establish the 8,700-strong force, but it has yet to start operations in earnest because of reported funding difficulties.
According to Amnesty International, at least 17,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since 2009, when the group launched its violent uprising to try to impose Islamist rule in northern Nigeria.
Read more: Islamic State ties broaden Boko Haram threat
Who are Boko Haram?
Why Boko Haram remains a threat


Eleven people have been charged following a fracas at last year's Epsom Derby.

Surrey Police said bottles were thrown in the disturbance at the Epsom Downs Racecourse on 4 June.
The all-male group, charged in connection with disorder near a music stage, is due in court over the next four weeks.
During the violence a police officer's tooth was knocked out. He had to be treated in hospital for his injuries.
Those charged are aged between 16 and 20.
About 100,000 race-goers attended the two-day festival.


Southend made it nine League One games unbeaten with a convincing win over struggling Coventry at Roots Hall.

The Shrimpers went in front after just six minutes when Anthony Wordsworth fired home from 12 yards after a bright burst into the box by Jason Demetriou.
The Sky Blues hit back with goalkeeper Mark Oxley doing well to deny both Andy Rose and Daniel Agyei before visiting shot-stopper Lee Burge was forced off injured in the 44th minute after being clattered into by Nile Ranger.
But Southend got back on top after the break and doubled their lead in the 64th minute when Anton Ferdinand volleyed home from close range after being picked out by Ryan Leonard's header from a Wordsworth free-kick.
Phil Brown's side made it 3-0 in the 69th minute as Stephen McLaughlin's right-footed shot struck the inside of the left post before hitting the back of substitute goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook and rolling into the net.
The fortuitous strike heaped further misery on Coventry, who sit in the relegation zone, but they did net a late-minute consolation strike when Agyei scored from close range.
Reports supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Southend United 3, Coventry City 1.
Second Half ends, Southend United 3, Coventry City 1.
Attempt missed. Daniel Agyei (Coventry City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Corner,  Coventry City. Conceded by Adam Thompson.
Goal!  Southend United 3, Coventry City 1. Daniel Agyei (Coventry City) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jodi Jones.
Marc-Antoine Fortuné (Southend United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jodi Jones (Coventry City).
Marc-Antoine Fortuné (Southend United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Andre Wright (Coventry City).
Substitution, Southend United. Jakub Sokolik replaces Anton Ferdinand because of an injury.
Corner,  Southend United. Conceded by Lewis Page.
Substitution, Southend United. Marc-Antoine Fortuné replaces Nile Ranger.
Corner,  Southend United. Conceded by Dion Kelly-Evans.
Corner,  Southend United. Conceded by Lewis Page.
Substitution, Coventry City. Callum Maycock replaces Chris McCann.
Substitution, Coventry City. Jodi Jones replaces Marvin Sordell.
Attempt saved. Luke O'Neill (Southend United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Goal!  Southend United 3, Coventry City 0. Stephen McLaughlin (Southend United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Goal!  Southend United 2, Coventry City 0. Anton Ferdinand (Southend United) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ryan Leonard.
Dion Kelly-Evans (Coventry City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stephen McLaughlin (Southend United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Dion Kelly-Evans (Coventry City).
Attempt missed. Andre Wright (Coventry City) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Nile Ranger (Southend United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Dion Kelly-Evans (Coventry City).
Attempt missed. Ryan Leonard (Southend United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Jordan Willis (Coventry City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stephen McLaughlin (Southend United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Jordan Willis (Coventry City).
Foul by Simon Cox (Southend United).
Dion Kelly-Evans (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Stephen McLaughlin (Southend United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Andy Rose (Coventry City).
Jason Demetriou (Southend United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Marvin Sordell (Coventry City).
Attempt missed. Andre Wright (Coventry City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt missed. Michael Timlin (Southend United) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Corner,  Southend United. Conceded by Lewis Page.
Michael Timlin (Southend United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Andre Wright (Coventry City).


More than 1,100 jobs have been announced by six companies across Wales.

It includes 700 posts at accountancy firm Deloitte after hopes were raised in September that it would expand in the new Cardiff enterprise zone.
In Torfaen, Griffin Place Communications will create more than 300 jobs at a new call centre in Cwmbran.
It comes on the eve of an international investment conference in Newport.
The jobs unveiled are:
First Minister Carwyn Jones, who will visit SPTS Technologies on Thursday, said the announcements were the latest in a steady stream of new investors choosing Wales.
"We operate in a global market and there is global competition for these projects. These companies could have been located anywhere in the world and I am happy to say they all chose to come to Wales," he said.
He said it was a "good news day" for Wales as the jobs were being created in parts of both north and south Wales, across a number of sectors.
He added that they would be jobs for local people.
"We have the skills in Wales, " he told BBC Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales.
"If you look at our universities, they certainly are able to produce the people with the skills that are needed.
"There may be some people who might come down in the initial stages into Wales but in the medium term, certainly, these are jobs for local people."
Although only 30 posts are coming to SPTS, the work will be highly-skilled in researching and developing biomedical devices.
The company, which already makes micro-electrical equipment, is receiving a £4.6m research and development grant from Welsh government, while four of the other companies are sharing a total of £2.2m in business finance.
The announcement comes as UK Investment Summit Wales 2014 is due to take place at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport over the next two days.
It brings together 250 investors, business leaders and ministers.
Hi-tech products will also be showcased including a James Bond-style high performance speedboat that transforms into a streamlined underwater submersible, made by an Anglesey firm, and the UK's first 3D printed metal bike frame from Cardiff.
"There's nothing we can't do in Wales and that's what I'll be telling international investors tomorrow," added Mr Jones.
Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said the UK government had a long term economic plan for "getting right behind Welsh businesses and creating the perfect conditions for growth".
"This week's summit will send a message to the world that we are an ambitious nation that is open for business," he said.
"There has never been a better time for Wales to capitalise on an investment summit - to turn the success of the recent Nato summit into jobs and prosperity so that more people in Wales can benefit from the security of a regular wage."


Altaf Hussain, the exiled leader of Pakistan's powerful MQM party, has been released on bail by police in London after being arrested on suspicion of money laundering.

The 60-year-old was questioned for seven hours on Friday evening.
He had been transferred to hospital for check-ups after being arrested on Tuesday.
Investigations are continuing into the case, and Mr Hussain is due to report to police again in July.
The police say Mr Hussain's move back from hospital to detention earlier on Friday was agreed after consultation with Wellington Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment.
Thousands of his supporters have been staging a protest rally in Karachi - Pakistan's biggest city and the MQM's power base.
The news of Mr Hussain's release prompted wild celebrations in in the city, reports say.
The British and Pakistani authorities have in the past expressed concerns that any arrest of Altaf Hussain could lead to violent protests.
Mr Hussain has lived in the UK since the early 1990s, saying his life would be at risk if he returned to Pakistan. He has since become a British citizen.
Pakistan's powerful but absent politician
Mr Hussain, his party, as well as some of his associates and relatives are currently the subject of a number of British investigations.
One is looking into the question of whether he has incited violence in Pakistan in his televised speeches. Mr Hussain denies the accusation.
Another is into whether the MQM has paid its UK taxes correctly.
The most high-profile investigation followed the 2010 murder in London of senior MQM leader Imran Farooq.
No-one has been formally charged with his killing.
The MQM is often accused of extorting money from businesses in Karachi and shipping the money to the UK.


The leader of a council at the centre of claims children were sexually exploited by taxi drivers has resigned.

Last month a report found South Ribble Council had a lack of awareness about ensuring passenger safety issues surrounding taxi licence applications.
Tory councillor Margaret Smith had faced calls for her to quit from her own party over the handling of the taxi licensing row.
A full council meeting was informed she resigned due to "ill health".
Ms Smith, who has been leader of the authority for the past nine years, was not present at the meeting in Leyland.
Her resignation letter was read out by chief executive Mike Nuttall and was "with immediate effect".
An audit of taxi driver licence applications in December had found appropriate background checks had not been carried out in relation to 40 working taxi drivers in South Ribble.
An independent report, written by solicitors Wilkin Chapman LLP in June, concluded the issues surrounding taxi licence applications had been addressed so it was not necessary to make any further recommendations.
Earlier this week, four of Ms Smith's Conservative colleagues resigned from the group, saying they could not support the leadership due to "ongoing circumstances and failures".
The council is now under no overall control for the first time in almost a decade.
Councillor Colin Clark was unanimously voted in as the interim leader of the authority at the meeting on Wednesday.
Councillor Cliff Hughes, who has worked with Ms Smith for over 30 years, said she was "hard working and a "good colleague" who "gets on with the whole group".
He said one of the "great strengths" of the council was that "whilst the parties are diverse, we do actually get on together and make decisions together and I think that's because Margaret led us into that".


Social care in England is facing a bleak future despite planned changes as services have been forced into budget cuts, council chiefs say.

Research by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services showed £800m was likely to be taken from the £16bn budget this year.
The group warned it meant "the bleak outlook becomes even bleaker".
It comes as the government looks set to signal later in the Queen's Speech its determination to reform the system.
The draft social care and support bill, which is expected to be included in the speech, will be used to clarify the law on social care and pave the way for the introduction of a cap on the costs people face for elderly care.
Currently anyone with assets of more than £23,250 faces unlimited costs, but ministers have said they want to see lifetime costs capped at £72,000 from 2016.
The result of the move would be that many more people would be brought into the state system. Estimates have suggested an extra 450,000.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the changes to the social care system needed to be made quickly, as the UK faced a "very big challenge" because of its ageing society.
But the ADASS figures, compiled from a survey of directors at 145 of the 152 councils, illustrate the problem councils are facing trying to provide services to the elderly and disabled.
The projected £800m reduction in spending comes after nearly £2bn has been trimmed from budgets in the past two years.
While social care directors said they were trying to make savings through measures such as more efficient working and better procurement, nearly a fifth thought the quality of life that could be provided would worsen in the coming years.
Half said the numbers able to access services would reduce too as councils resorted to rationing.
ADASS president Sandie Keene said: "Gazing into the next two years, without additional investment from that already planned, an already bleak outlook becomes even bleaker."
Michelle Mitchell, of Age UK, said: "This is very worrying news.
"The care of the most vulnerable in our society is one of the most important issues facing the country."
Zoe Patrick, of the Local Government Association, said taking £800m out of the system "threatens to severely impact on the vital support many older and disabled people rely on in their day-to-day lives, such as basic help with washing, getting out of bed and the provision of meals on wheels".
She added: "The stark reality is that if such vast sums of money continue to be taken out of the care system it could be in very real danger of collapse."
She urged the government to recognise the growing problem in the next spending round.
Mr Hunt said one of the measures that will be announced in the Queen's Speech will help "join up the health and social care system".
"There is a huge amount of waste. Apart from the terrible treatment of people being pushed from pillar to post, it is actually very, very wasteful," he told ITV's Daybreak.
"You have lots of people in hospital who don't need to be in hospital, lots of people who actually shouldn't be going to hospital in the first place, and so we do absolutely need to tackle that big structural thing."


Malaysia's ruling coalition has won a simple majority in the country's election, extending its 56-year rule.

The Election Commission said Prime Minister Najib Razak's Barisan Nasional (BN; National Front) coalition won 133 of the 222 in parliamentary seats - its worst-ever election performance.
The opposition won 89 seats, up from 82, in Sunday's election.
Defeated opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim accused the ruling coalition of widespread fraud.
Voters - some 80% of whom cast ballots - had been faced with returning the ruling coalition or choosing Mr Anwar's untested three-party alliance, Pakatan Rakyat.
Malaysian shares reacted positively to news that the BN had won.
The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index jumped 6.8% to a lifetime high of 1,808.90 in early trade on Monday. The local currency, the ringgit, hit a 10-month high.
In the 2008 polls, the BN lost its two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time - something it failed to regain in these elections.
As the result was confirmed, Mr Najib, 59, urged all Malaysians to accept his coalition's victory but acknowledged there was work ahead.
"One of the programmes we will undertake is national reconciliation... I think we realise that there are a lot of things we have to do as a party," he said.
He noted that ethnic Chinese voters had turned to the opposition, which has pledged to reform the government's affirmative action policies that benefit ethnic Malays, in what he called "a Chinese tsunami".
"The results show a trend of polarisation which worries the government. If it is not addressed, it can create tension or division in the country," Mr Najib said.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that the coalition did not receive a majority of the popular vote.
Tallies by independent online media gave the BN coalition 49% of the vote, which would make Mr Najib the first leader to win with a minority of the popular vote, AFP news agency reported.
Mr Anwar, meanwhile, accused the authorities of widespread abuses which he said had distorted the result of the election.
"It is an election that we consider fraudulent and the Electoral Commission has failed," he told a news conference after midnight on Monday.
Q&A: Malaysia elections
Profile: Najib Razak
Profile: Anwar Ibrahim
"We see these irregularities have cost us many seats, particularly those with narrow margins," he said.
Allegations of election fraud had surfaced before the election. Some of those who voted in advance told BBC News that indelible ink on their hands - supposed to last for days and show they had already voted - had easily washed off.
The opposition also accused the government of funding flights for supporters to key states, which the government denied.
Independent pollster Merdeka Center cited unconfirmed reports of foreign nationals being given ID documents and being allowed to vote.
There were also reports of attacks against independent media. Most traditional media in Malaysia are linked to the ruling parties.
This result is a bitter blow to the opposition coalition, after a spirited campaign that tapped into a hunger for change among many younger Malaysians, the BBC's Jonathan Head in Kuala Lumpur reports.
They had believed a surge of support, especially in urban areas, would be enough to unseat a ruling coalition that has been in government for more than half a century, our correspondent adds.
Thousands of opposition supporters swapped their Facebook profile photos for black boxes to show their dismay when they learned that the ruling coalition had retained power, AP news agency reported.


NHS hospitals in England are hiding patient dissatisfaction with the food they serve, campaigners say.

The Campaign for Better Hospital Food said NHS Trusts routinely rated their own food highly.
But patient surveys showed nearly half of people were dissatisfied with what they were offered to eat.
The campaigners want mandatory standards introduced for hospital food, like those which already exist for prisons and schools.
In the past, NHS staff in England have carried out annual assessments of the quality of hospital food.
In 2011 they rated nearly 98% of meals as "good" or "excellent".
The inspection system is now changing, but the Campaign for Better Hospital Food points to a survey of more than 64,000 patients carried out by the regulator, the Care Quality Commission, earlier this year.
In that survey just 55% of patients said the food they had been served was "good".
Alex Jackson, co-ordinator of the Campaign for Better Hospital Food, said existing policies that regulate food served in prisons and schools should be extended to hospitals.
"It is time for the government to come clean about the sorry state of hospital food in England and set mandatory standards for patient meals.
"This would only involve extending an existing policy which has seen it set mandatory standards for prison food and food served in government departments, to go alongside those that already exist for school food.
"Surely patients recovering in hospital have the same right to good food as government ministers, school kids and prisoners?"
Campaigners point to hospitals such as Darlington Memorial, where the award-winning food is locally sourced and cooked on site.
Through buying in bulk and cutting down on waste, the hospital manages to stick to a very tight budget of around Â£2.60 per patient per day.
Patient Concern called the findings "shocking".
It called for protected cash for hospitals to be spent on better meals.
Roger Goss, co-director of Patient Concern, said: "If managements are deliberately misleading us on hospital food, on what else are we being misled? Patient safety? Quality of care?"
In a statement, a spokesman for the Department of Health in England said there were many examples of good food across the NHS.
"But we recognise that there is too much variation across the country - that is why we have implemented a tough new inspection programme.
"We support the principle of food standards but do not think that legislation is the right way to proceed.
"We believe that the best decisions on hospital food are those taken locally by chefs and catering managers."


The A44 in Powys has reopened after three people were injured in a head-on collision involving two cars.

Two were seriously hurt in the accident at Walton, just over the border from the Herefordshire town of Kington, at 17:30 GMT on Wednesday.
The road was closed in both directions, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said.
Authorities have since confirmed the road reopened in the early hours of Thursday.
Three ambulances and a doctor were called to the incident and the casualties were taken to hospital.
A woman with serious injuries was described as critically ill, with a man having to be cut free from the wreckage.
A second man was described as walking wounded.


The European Commission has called on EU member states to take in 40,000 asylum seekers from Syria and Eritrea who land in Italy and Greece over the next two years.

Germany, France and Spain would receive the most migrants under the Commission's latest plan.
The idea of using quotas to resettle those who have made it to Europe has caused controversy in some EU states.
The UK government says that it will not take part in such a system.
France, Spain, Hungary, Slovakia and Estonia have also all voiced concerns, and a final decision will be taken by EU governments after a vote by MEPs.
Denmark has the right to opt out of the plan while Ireland and the UK can decide whether they wish to opt in.
The plan applies to Syrian and Eritrean nationals who arrive in Italy or Greece after 15 April 2015. The Commission said it could also apply to Malta if it also faced a sudden influx of migrants.
This is in addition to moves announced earlier this month by the EU for a voluntary scheme to settle 20,000 refugees fleeing conflict who are currently living outside the EU.
Of the 40,000 migrants considered "in clear need of international protection", the Commission says:
Dimitris Avramopoulos, the home affairs commissioner, said it was not proposing "the fixing of quotas... for migration in general" and but it was "up to each member to decide how many refugees they will grant refugee status [to]".
"We only propose - and we insist on that - a fair distribution of a concrete number of migrants in clear need of international protection across the European Union," he said.
Countries would receive â‚¬6,000 (Â£4,250) for every person relocated on their territory under the latest proposal, the commission said.
More than 1,800 migrants have died in the Mediterranean in 2015 - a 20-fold increase on the same period in 2014.
Some 60,000 people have already tried to make the perilous crossing this year, the UN estimates.
Many are trying to escape conflict or poverty in countries such as Syria, Eritrea, Nigeria and Somalia.
The Commission said Italy and Greece were facing an exceptional level of migration, with Italy seeing a 277% rise in irregular border crossings from 2013 to 2014 and Greece seeing an increase of 153%.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has also urged Europe to do more to help migrants, calling for search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean to be "further strengthened".
"I'm urging European leaders to address this issue in a more comprehensive way and a collective way," he said, adding that the "roots" of the problem in countries of origin must also be addressed.
But UK International Development Secretary Justine Greening has rejected the European Commission's idea of mandatory quotas because she said it could act as a "pull for more migrants".
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said this month that asylum should be a right, not subject to quotas.
Earlier this month, EU ministers backed plans for a naval force to set up to combat smuggling gangs, if necessary by military force, inside Libyan territorial waters.


Household spending power in Northern Ireland is about half the UK average, according to new data.

Compiled for Asda by London economists CEBR, the latest income tracker shows families in the region have an extra £8 a week compared with a year ago.
However, their discretionary income of £103 a week compares with a record UK average of £201.
Discretionary income is money left over after tax and bills and expenses, like a mortgage and food spending, are paid.
According to the quarterly income tracker report, the situation in Northern Ireland reflects lower rates of pay compared with other regions of the UK.
Additionally, it says almost 10% of Northern Ireland workers in 2014 were employed at or below the minimum wage compared with just over 5% across the UK as a whole.
Wales has discretionary income of £180 a week, Scotland has £200, and the poorest English region, the north-east, has £133.
The pace of growth has slowed considerably for Northern Ireland householders - it rose by 9% between April and June, compared with 18% in the corresponding quarter of 2015.


The pound fell sharply after a projection suggested the Conservative Party could fail to win an outright majority in the election on 8 June.

Previous opinion polls suggested Prime Minister Theresa May's party would increase their majority, which is currently 17 seats.
But the projection, published in the Times and based on YouGov research, suggests a possible hung parliament.
Sterling fell more than half a percent against the US dollar to $1.28.
The Times said the YouGov data suggests the Tories could lose up to 20 of the 330 seats they held in the last parliament, with Labour gaining nearly 30 seats.
The Conservatives would still be the biggest party, but would not have an overall majority.
The model is based on 50,000 interviews over a week, with voters from a panel brought together by YouGov
It uses a new "constituency-by-constituency" model for polling, which the paper says allows for big variations.
According to the Times, "the estimates were met with scepticism by Tory and Labour figures".
YouGov's chief executive, Stephan Shakespeare said the model had been tested during the EU referendum campaign, when it consistently put the winning Leave side ahead.
But he added: "It would take only a slight fall in Labour's share and a slight increase in the Conservatives' to result in Mrs May returning to No 10 with a healthy majority."


The owner of a care home has appeared in court charged with breaching health and safety rules after a resident was found dead underneath a wardrobe.

Thomasina Bennett, 80, is thought to have suffocated underneath the wardrobe when it toppled on to her at Milford House Care Home, Derbyshire, in 2012.
Gerald Hudson, 71, from Ambergate, is accused of failing to secure the wardrobe, check monitoring systems and ensure staff were trained correctly.
He denies all the charges against him.
Mrs Bennett was found dead underneath the double wardrobe on 9 April 2012.
Amber Valley Borough Council launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death after post-mortem tests carried out at the time proved inconclusive.
A monitoring system designed to alert staff when a resident gets outs of bed failed to work.
Jonathan Owen, for the prosecution, told Derby Crown Court it was "systematically unsafe" and criticised emergency procedures, saying staff "reacted in a state of disarray".
However, John Cooper QC for the defence, said patients might get out of bed in such a way their movement did not trigger the monitor.
Addressing the jury, Judge Stuart Rafferty QC said: "This isn't a murder trial, it is a case which deals with health and safety.
"The real issue is if there were in place sufficient systems to ensure the care and protection of that lady."
The trial continues.