JK Rowling

There has been speculation that the writer was shut out of the programme after her previous comments about trans people divided public opinion.

Rowling does not appear with the cast members in the special, and is only seen in archive video clips.

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary - Return To Hogwarts is released on 1 January.

The special sees former child stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint reunite with fellow cast members including Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman and Ralph Fiennes.

Amanda Donaldson, 35, from Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire, must pay £18,734 back with interest.

The author pursued damages in a civil case at Airdrie Sheriff Court under her married name Joanne Murray.

She said the money would be donated to her charity Lumos.

Donaldson was dismissed from her job in Ms Rowling's Edinburgh office in 2017 over the incident.

Sheriff Derek O'Carroll found Donaldson used a business credit card to purchase goods and withdraw money which were for her own use.

The 52-year-old said she felt "deeply honoured and proud" to get the award.

"To be included in the distinguished and diversely talented company of the other Companions of Honour, especially as a female writer, is a particular privilege," she said in a statement.

Membership of the Order of the Companions of Honour is a special award held by only 65 people at any one time.

Established in 1917 by George V, it recognises services of national importance.

Rowling, whose first name is Joanne, was awarded an OBE in 2001.

A video emerged that appeared to show the US president refusing to shake the boy's hand at the White House.

"How stunning, and how horrible, that Trump cannot bring himself to shake the hand of a small boy who only wanted to touch the president," the author said.

But Marjorie Kelly Weer, mother of Monty, said Rowling's interpretation of the clip was wrong.

The Harry Potter author tweeted: "Re: my tweets about the small boy in a wheelchair whose proffered hand the president appeared to ignore in press footage.

After she was asked on Twitter to give a hint as to what the book would be called, Rowling said if someone correctly guessed she would confirm it.

She then hinted the title was two words made up of _ _ _ H _ _ / _ H _ _ _.

After many suggestions including Eighty Shoes, Mashed Chips, Mayhem Sheep and Mighty Thumb, someone correctly guessed Lethal White.

"Well, that was fun," Rowling tweeted, before promising the fan a signed copy of the book, "when I finally finish it".

Rowling's recent Twitter feed has been filled with her retweets criticising the president's recent travel ban.

Some followers have taken umbrage with her stance, with several saying they have burned her books or plan to do so, and one suggesting she "should stay out of politics".

But the novelist has proved a match for her critics with her mocking responses.

One Twitter user said they would now "burn your books and movies, too".

Bana Alabed and her family had attracted worldwide attention for their tweets from war torn Aleppo.

But now the account appears to no longer exist.

Although it's no longer possible to see any of her messages, reports suggest her last post read: "We are sure the army is capturing us now. We will see each other another day dear world."

The tweet was signed by Bana's mother Fatemah.

Bana Alabed says she likes to read "to forget the war" around her, as Aleppo is regularly bombed.

Her mother Fatemah tweeted the author to say she had watched the films and Bana would like to read the novels.

JK Rowling responded and digital copies of the books have been sent to Bana, who has shared pictures of herself reading them on a mobile phone.

Bana lives with her brothers, mother and father in Aleppo

Not only did she bless us with a world of witches and wizards way back when -- a world that changed our childhoods forever -- but has kept that childish wonder in us alive by revealing new secrets and adventures over the years.

Marum: Team stuck to game plan to win

http://www.looppng.com/content/marum-team-stuck-game-plan-win

SP PNG Hunters coach Michael Marum says his team simply stuck to the game plan to fight their way back to win this afternoon’s round 23 clash against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

K2m released to help Kandep frost victims