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Prince Harry: Stars were aligned when I met Meghan

Prince Harry says he and US actress girlfriend Meghan Markle fell in love "so incredibly quickly" and it seemed proof that the "stars were aligned".

The fifth in line to the throne was speaking after the couple announced their engagement and plans to marry in spring 2018.

The couple told the BBC's Mishal Husain they met on a blind date and neither had known much about each other.

Prince Harry said "beautiful" Ms Markle "just tripped and fell into my life".

He believed Ms Markle and his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, would have been "thick as thieves... best friends".

'Amazing surprise'

Prince Harry revealed he proposed earlier this month during a "standard, typical night for us" at his home in Kensington Palace as the couple were making roast chicken.

"It was just an amazing surprise. It was so sweet, and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee," Ms Markle said.

Prince Harry said: "She didn't even let me finish. She said 'Can I say yes'.

"Then there were hugs and I had the ring in my finger.

"I said 'Can I give you the ring?'. She said: 'Oh, yes, the ring'. It was a really nice moment. Just the two of us."

Turning to Ms Markle, Prince Harry said: "And I think I managed to catch you by surprise as well."

Camping in Botswana

The 36-year-old star of US legal drama Suits confirmed she would be giving up acting and with her new role focus even more energy on the causes that are important to her.

She is already involved with humanitarian work and is a women's advocate with the UN.

Ms Markle said: "I don't see it as giving anything up. I see it as a change. It's a new chapter."

Turning to Prince Harry, she said: "Now it's time to work as a team with you."

The prince, 33, added: "I know that she will be unbelievably good at the job part of it as well."

The couple described how they were set up on their blind date by a mutual friend, and then met once more before going camping together in Botswana.

"I think about three, maybe four weeks later I managed to persuade her to come and join me...

"And we camped out with each other under the stars... she came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic."

Prince Harry said "both of us have passions for wanting to make change for good".

Ms Markle said "one of the first things we started taking about when we met was just the different things we wanted to do in the world and how passionate we were about seeing change".

She said it was "disheartening" there had been a focus on the fact her father is white and her mother is African-American.

"At the end of the day I am proud of who I am and where I come from... we've just focused on who we are as a couple."

The couple declined to reveal the name of the mutual female friend who introduced them in July 2016.

But Ms Markle said she "didn't know much" about Prince Harry before meeting him.

"The only thing I had asked her when she said she wanted to set us up, was 'was he nice?' If he wasn't kind, it didn't seem like it would make sense".

The prince said he had not been aware of Ms Markle before their first meeting in London as he had never watched her TV show.

'So very happy'

Earlier, the couple posed for photographs outside Kensington Palace in London, where they will live.

Prince Harry said he was "thrilled", while Ms Markle said she was "so very happy".

Ms Markle, wearing a white belted coat, held Harry's hand as they appeared briefly for the press at the palace's Sunken Garden, and showed off her diamond engagement ring.

Asked by a reporter when he knew Suits star Ms Markle "was the one", Prince Harry said: "The very first time we met".

The announcement of their engagement was issued by Clarence House on Twitter, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall's official residence, and said details about the wedding day would be unveiled "in due course".

Downing Street said there are "no plans" for a bank holiday on the day.

Harry's thoughtfulness

Ms Markle's engagement ring was designed by Prince Harry and features two diamonds which belonged to his mother.

The band is made from yellow gold and at the centre is a diamond from Botswana.

Ms Markle said it was a sign of "Harry's thoughtfulness".

She had obviously not been able to meet his mother, she said, but it was "so important to me... to know that she's a part of this with us".

Ms Markle said she had met the Queen a couple of times and described her as an "incredible woman".

The Queen's corgis are said to have taken to her "straight away".

Asked about having children, Prince Harry said: "One step at a time and hopefully we'll start a family in the near future."

Ms Markle grew up in Los Angeles and attended a private primary school before studying at a girls' Roman Catholic college. She graduated from Northwestern University School of Communication in Illinois, as her acting career was beginning.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said he was "absolutely delighted" at the engagement announcement and indicated the couple would have a church wedding.

She was previously married, but the Church of England agreed in 2002 that divorced people could be allowed to remarry in church.

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Pakistan army called on to stop 'blasphemy' clashes in Islamabad

Pakistan's government has called for troops to be deployed in the capital, Islamabad, after violence broke out during protests by Islamists.

About 200 people were injured when security forces tried to disperse an Islamist sit-in at the Faizabad Interchange - a key highway.

Several deaths have been reported.

The protesters have been blocking the highway for several weeks, demanding the sacking of Law Minister Zahid Hamid whom they accuse of blasphemy.

Pakistani media report that demonstrators also broke into the minister's residence in Punjab province. Mr Hamid and his family were not in the building.

The protests have spread to other cities, including Lahore and the southern port of Karachi.

The Pakistani government asked the army to deploy in Islamabad on Saturday evening.

The interior minister said the order was issued at the request of the city authorities, who were not able to clear the sit-in.

There was no immediate comment from the Pakistani military.

Earlier on Saturday, security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to try to disperse the demonstrators, Pakistani media report, but were met with rocks and tear gas shells.

About 8,500 elite police and paramilitary forces took part in the operation to clear the Faizabad Interchange. The crackdown was later suspended.

Protesters said four of their activists were killed, but police said there were no deaths, Reuters reports.

However, officials are quoted in other reports confirming that several people were killed. Many of those injured are security personnel.

The request for the military deployment came after hundreds more demonstrators turned up unexpectedly, forcing the police to retreat.

At one point, the authorities took all private television news channels off air, apparently out of concern that the live coverage of the police action could inflame religious sentiments.

The protesting Islamists, from the hardline Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah Party, want the law minister to be sacked for omitting a reference to the Prophet Muhammad in a new version of the electoral oath.

The minister has since apologised saying it was a clerical error.

What is known about the missing submarine?

The submarine was returning from a routine mission to Ushuaia, near the southernmost tip of South America, when it reported an "electrical breakdown".

A naval commander said the submarine had surfaced and reported the breakdown, described as a "short circuit" in its batteries. The navy said it then made further contact to say the problem had been fixed and the submarine would proceed toward its port.

On Thursday, the authorities said an event consistent with an explosion had been detected by a nuclear test watchdog.

The Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) said an "abnormal, singular, short, violent, non-nuclear event" was recorded in the South Atlantic.

The US also reported a "hydro-acoustic anomaly" hours after the submarine went missing, close to its last known location.

The news dashed hopes among relatives, although no wreckage or debris has been found by the international search teams.

On Saturday a military spokesman said the submarine was not carrying torpedoes on board, dismissing a theory there had been an accident with explosives it was carrying.

Who is looking for it?

On Saturday Russia joined the operation, deploying one of its largest aircraft on Friday night with specialist equipment on board.

Its unmanned submersible, known as the Pantera Plus, can conduct sonar scans up to a depth of 1,000m (3,281ft).

Russia also has a scientific exploration ship on the way from West Africa.

The US Navy also deployed unmanned "mini-sub" vehicles to join the search.

The UK, Brazil, Chile, Norway, Germany, Canada, France, Peru, Colombia and Uruguay are also helping to try to locate the vessel.

Who is on board?

There are 44 crew members on board, under the command of Pedro Martín Fernández.

Forty-three of the crew are men but there is also one woman, Eliana María Krawczyk. The 35-year-old is the first female officer in Argentina to serve on a submarine.

Reports suggest one crew member escaped the tragedy because he was off the vessel visiting his sick mother, and had been replaced by someone else.

On Saturday relatives held a religious vigil service outside of the Mar del Plata naval base where the submarine was based.

They have expressed frustration with authorities, who they say have been slow at sharing information about search efforts..

Read more on the missing crew members

China explosion: Ningbo port city rocked by major blast

At least two people have been killed and dozens more injured in an explosion in the eastern Chinese port city of Ningbo, local officials say.

The blast is said to have occurred at a factory at about 09:00 (01:00 GMT) in the city's Jiangbei District, causing some nearby buildings to collapse.

State media reported that at least 30 people had been taken to local hospitals amid rescue operations.

Footage showed rescuers carrying people away from an area surrounded by debris.

Chinese media said at least two of the injured are reported to be in a serious condition, citing local authorities.

Police said on social media that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the explosion.

The city has a large international shipping port and is best known for its auto-manufacturing industry, it is home to Geely - the Chinese owner of Volvo.

Chinese media said the explosion happened in an industrial area, and residential buildings damaged nearby were already empty ahead of planned demolition.

Some local reports suggested gas canisters could have been to blame for the blast.

Shattered windows were reported in businesses up to 1km away from the site of the explosion itself.

The Hyundai Accent has been totally redone for the 2018 model year and this is interesting because the subcompact segment isn’t doing too hot right now — everyone is making the move to crossovers.

But for those people who need a small, budget-friendly car, here are nine things you need to know about the all-new fifth-generation 2018 Hyundai Accent.

1. Pricing and Availability

Of course, the first thing you need to know about cars like this is how much they cost. Too bad! Pricing hasn’t been announced yet for this model year, but it shouldn’t be too far off from what it is now, which is around $15K in both the U.S. and Canada, maxing out at just over $17K in the U.S. and about $20K in Canada for a fully loaded model. It should be available in U.S. dealerships before the end of 2017 and the hatchback and sedan models will be available in Canada in early 2018.

2. Body Styles

And that brings us to our next point, which is that in the U.S., the new Accent is only available as a subcompact four-door sedan for this generation, but in Canada, a hatchback is still offered as well. This makes a lot of sense because hatchbacks are much more popular in Canada than they are the U.S.

3. New Design

The old Accent pretty much looked like a bean, and the design of this new one makes it look a bit more grown up, kind of like a small Elantra. It helps the Accent look a bit more expensive than it actually is, especially from the front. Higher trim models even have features like LED lights, chrome trim, and 17-inch wheels.

4. New Dimensions

That redesign has made the Accent bigger than before: it’s a bit wider and longer than before, which translates into more room inside for passengers. The trunk can hold 13.7 cubic feet of cargo (387 L), which is the same as before.

ALSO SEE:http://www.autoguide.com/manufacturer/hyundai/2018-hyundai-accent-review- and-first-drive

5. More Tech

The biggest upgrade here is a standard backup camera, but automatic emergency braking and automatic climate control are also now available on higher trims, which is pretty impressive for a car in this segment. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available now, along with an upgraded seven-inch or base five-inch touchscreen. Canadian models are even available with a heated steering wheel and sporty two-tone seats.

6. Decent Interior

Inside, there aren’t too many surprises, but the layout is user-friendly and although the interior is quite no-frills, it’s not depressingly cheap. There are a lot of hard plastics used throughout the cabin, but it’s put together nicely and it’s not a punishing place to be.

7. One Engine Available

The new Accent has just one engine available, which makes sense. A 1.6-liter four-cylinder makes 130 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque, which goes to the front wheels via six-speed manualor automatic transmission. Those numbers are actually pretty respectable for this class of car — it’s on par with the Honda Fit and more than what the Toyota Yaris offers. Only the Chevrolet Sonic offers more power.

8. Driving Dynamics

There’s not much to report about when it comes to driving dynamics with cars like this. All you really need to know is that it does exactly what you need it to, which is get you places without much drama. Yes, passing people and getting up to highway speeds isn’t going to thrill you, but it gets the job done without being too depressing. Compared to the old Accent, though, driving dynamics are noticeably crisper in terms of steering and suspension that don’t feel as sloppy. There’s also a new Sport mode, which doesn’t do too much except make the throttle a bit jumpier, but it’s still appreciated.

9. Fuel Economy

Fuel economy probably matters more to people shopping this segment than driving dynamics, and this new Accent with the auto transmission is rated to get 28 mpg in the city, 38 on the interstate, and 32 mpg combined (7.3 L/100 km combined). That’s a 7 percent improvement over the old model.