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The attacker did not want to be part of the regime of Charles Green, who fronted the consortium that bought the business and assets of Rangers Football Club plc in liquidation. He left in June 2012 and joined Everton as a free agent the following month. "Nothing changed as a football club and that's where I was wrong," Norwich City's Naismith told BBC Scotland. "At the time, I was panicking about the legal situation, 'If I say this, they can do that'. I was being guided on what to say. "I can understand why [Rangers fans weren't happy]. Even some of my mates have chinned me about it. "You were walking a tightrope, worried about what to say from a legal side of things. But, for me, the club was still the same, everything was still the same. "It's one of the biggest regrets of my career. I still support Rangers and want them to get back challenging." Under corporate law, Rangers players had the option of transferring their contracts to the new company, but Naismith, along with several others - including Steven Whittaker, chose to leave. Naismith and Whittaker held a news conference at which the former said his "loyalty was with Rangers. I've never met anyone from Sevco [the company Green formed to buy the business and assets]". "As players, we didn't come out of it the way that we wanted because we didn't have our squad the same and we weren't challenging for titles as we wanted," Naismith said. "Rangers have suffered massively and the club was put into the hands of the wrong people. Everybody else has suffered for that and it's really sad. "I was 25. To go back to the Third Division with [Green], who'd probably force me out the club to somewhere I probably wasn't keen on going, and I wasn't sure that money would help Rangers - I would have lost my international career. "Ideally, I would have stayed, but when you take your whole family and everything about it [into account], I couldn't take that risk. "Maybe if better people had said, 'this is what we're going to do to build this club back and we're going to be challenging', that makes the decision much easier. "The one thing I can walk away from it and look at is all the people who had part-time jobs, to the tea ladies, who probably worked the hardest and are there, that security for them was the biggest thing that came out of it for us." Naismith and other senior players took 75% pay cuts in February 2012 when Rangers went into administration, which allowed younger players on lower wages and other staff to take smaller pay cuts. That process was long and drawn out, though, which left Naismith feeling on edge about events at the club. "Sad, very sad," he said when asked how he feels about his departure. "There are regrets on my part on some of the things that were said. As a group of players, from that day we got told we were going into administration, we couldn't have done any more. "We thought we'd cracked it, take a 75% wage cut and things will recover. We wanted assurances [for the other staff] and what about an 18-year-old just in the squad? "We were speaking to lawyers and Greegsy [goalkeeper Allan McGregor] came up with a way. But it boiled down to the administrators [Duff and Phelps] saying they didn't want to do it that way. We gave them a viable way to move forward and thought, 'this isn't right at all'. "It got worse and worse. Things just kept coming out, which you were thinking, 'that isn't right'. Charles Green came in and it was the same thing: 'everything's going to be rosy, don't worry', but what went on from when he came in to when I left, I was thinking, 'I can't trust this guy with my career'. "If I knew Rangers were going to get [transfer] money, I'd have stayed. Looking back, I'm glad I didn't trust that guy with my career." Naismith spent five years at Rangers, winning three league titles, two Scottish League Cups and one Scottish Cup. He looks back on the day that the Ibrox side won the 2010-11 championship at the home of his former club, Kilmarnock, as one of the highlights of his career. Naismith scored the second goal as Rangers raced into a three-goal lead after seven minutes in the final game of the season, one they needed to win to secure the title, in what was also Walter Smith's final game as manager. "The best day for me is winning the league on the last day at Kilmarnock, 3-0 up after seven minutes, because it's the perfect day," Naimsith said. "You need to win, early kick-off, after a minute we're 1-0 up, 2-0 up after four minutes, 3-0 after seven minutes, then you know you've won the league and you can just enjoy the day. "We won [the league] at Dundee United, Hibs and Kilmarnock, so the bus journey home was incredible. Playing in the Champions League, winning trophies, so many [memories]." Naismith grew up in Ayrshire supporting Rangers and says he wants to spend the final years of his career in Scotland. His preference would be to do that at Ibrox or Rugby Park, where his career started, but for now says there is unfinished business for him at Carrow Road. "I would never say never, because if I was coming back to Scotland then personally I would love it [returning to Rangers]," the 30-year-old said. "There's a lot of water under the bridge, they've moved forward under a new manager and, at the moment, I feel I still owe Norwich something. "Last season wasn't a great season and I've probably not played my best football in that time. I want to repay what they've done for me. "I'll definitely play [in Scotland] before I finish, I love the football, it's where I started. So I will come back and play in Scotland."

Steven Naismith says he "regrets" describing Rangers as a new club when he left Ibrox in 2012.

The teams included former South Africa fast bowler Makhaya Ntini and ex-England spinner Ashley Giles. The game was played at a height of 5,730m (18,799 ft) in a flat crater just below the summit. They played 10 overs each of a Twenty20 game before clouds stopped play. "This is absolutely incredible! We are playing cricket on the summit of Africa!" Giles tweeted on Friday morning. The current record for the world's highest game is 5,165m, played in the Himalayas at Everest base camp in Nepal in 2009. The "Gorillas" team, led by England women's vice-captain Heather Knight, scored 82-5 to beat Giles' "Rhinos" team, who managed 64-9, the AFP news agency reports. A man in his 30s was found dead at a property in Hotwell on Friday. Avon and Somerset Police said a post-mortem examination showed "no assault had taken place" and the death is not being treated as suspicious. A toxicology report is being sought which could take several weeks. The man has not been formally identified. A man in his forties arrested on Friday is no longer being held. Laing, 23, spent three months at Meadow Lane on loan from Nottingham Forest in 2014 and has rejoined the League Two Magpies until 16 January. Motherwell signed him from Forest last year after he impressed while on loan at the Scottish club. "I'm really happy to be back here. The last time I was here I played what I felt was my best football," he told BBC Radio Nottingham. He made 12 appearances during his previous stint at the club, during which time Notts kept six clean sheets. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. In the 1980s, El Salvador was ravaged by a bitter civil war stoked by gross inequality between the overwhelming majority of the population and a small and wealthy elite that left around 70,000 people dead. A United Nations-brokered peace agreement ended the civil war in 1992, ushering in important political reforms, but the country still suffers from the legacy of a divided society. Violent "mara" street gangs have left El Salvador with one of the world's highest murder rates. Population 6.3 million Area 21,041 sq km (8,124 sq miles) Major language Spanish Major religion Christianity Life expectancy 68 years (men), 77 years (women) Currency US dollar & Salvadoran colon President: Salvador Sanchez Ceren A former rebel leader, Salvador Sanchez Ceren won the presidential run-off of March 2014 by a narrow margin. As presidential candidate of the left-wing Farabundo Marti Liberation Front (FMLN), he beat Norman Quijano of the conservative Arena party by less than a quarter of a percentage point, becoming the first former guerrilla to lead the Central American country. In his inauguration speech, he promised to fight corruption and violence, and "to serve as president of all Salvadoreans". Press freedom is guaranteed under the constitution, and the media freely and routinely criticise the government and report on opposition activities. But ownership of broadcasting outlets is concentrated among a small group of private operators, and media owners "often impose controls on journalists to protect their political or economic interests", according to US-based Freedom House. Some key dates in the history of El Salvador: 1540 - El Salvador becomes a Spanish colony after indigenous resistance is crushed. 1821 - Independence from Spain. 1823 - 1840 - El Salvador forms part of the short-lived United Provinces of Central America, which also includes Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. 1859-63 - President Gerardo Barrios introduces coffee growing. 1932 - Some 30,000 people are killed during the suppression of a peasant uprising led by Agustine Farabundo Marti. 1969 - Football War with Honduras; 4,000 die in 100-hour conflict. 1979 - 1992 - Civil war. Between 1979 and 1981 around 30,000 people are killed by army-backed right-wing death squads. 2009 - Former FMLN rebel movement emerges as largest party in parliamentary elections and shortly afterwards former rebel Mauricio Funes wins presidential elections. 2012 - A year-long truce between street gangs. It reputedly saves the lives of thousands but violence rises again in subsequent years.

A group of international cricketers has set a new world record for the highest-ever match by playing at the top of Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, in Tanzania. [NEXT_CONCEPT] A man arrested on suspicion of murder after the discovery of a body at a house in Bristol has been released without charge, police said. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Motherwell defender Louis Laing has returned to Notts County on loan. [NEXT_CONCEPT] El Salvador, the most densely-populated state on the mainland of the Americas, is a small and highly-industrialised country.

Ashe follows Stuart Hogg, Henry Pyrgos and Greg Peterson in extending his stay with the Warriors. He turned professional with Glasgow in 2011 and played for his allocated club Ayr on Saturday as he continued his recovery from hip surgery. "It's a brilliant feeling to extend my contract," he told Warriors' website. "Glasgow Warriors is a fantastic environment and I'm surrounded by great players, great coaches and great fans so it was an easy decision for me to make. "As a club it is really taking off, we've just had two good wins in Europe [away and home against Racing 92] and it's exciting to be a part of something that is moving in the right direction." Head coach Gregor Townsend added: "Adam has become an important member of our squad, after coming through our academy system. "He has a really good attitude and has worked hard to come back from his injuries fitter than ever and we're all excited about seeing him back on the pitch in a Glasgow shirt soon." The 18-year-old, who can play in defence or midfield, made his full debut last season for the U's. Carroll started three league games towards the end of the campaign as Oxford finished eighth. "I've loved my time at the club," he said. "The boss, coaches and players have been fantastic and I want to be part of what's happening here."

Scotland back-row forward Adam Ashe is the latest Glasgow Warriors player to commit his future to the Pro12 side until May 2019. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Oxford United teenager Canice Caroll has signed a new three-year deal with the League One club.

Mark Hughes, 23, from Buckley, admitted to the possession of a sawn off shotgun and stun gun last summer, as well as drugs offences. He said he found the weapons while digging in his grandparents' garden. But that was dismissed as "utter nonsense" by Judge Rhys Rowlands at Mold Crown Court. Hughes was found in possession of the double barrelled 60cm (24 inch) shot gun and the stun gun - which gives off an electrical charge - on 31 July 2016. Both were in working order. He told the court he had the weapons as he was considering taking his own life. Judge Rowlands said it was a sad case and it was clear Hughes had suffered a very unpleasant injury. But he dismissed his claim of finding the weapons in a garden. He told Hughes: "You are addressing a very keen gardener. I don't come across weapons in my garden and I suspect no one else does either". Judge Rowlands added that Hughes may well have considered harming himself, but if he persisted with his claims of how he came by the weapons, evidence would have to be called. He would then lose credit in sentencing. Hughes will be sentenced next month. The government eventually sold its 40% stake in early 2015 for almost double the estimate by financial advisers. That was good news for the taxpayer, but it underlined a "repeated tendency" to undervalue assets, the Public Accounts Committee said in a report. The PAC also criticised delays in publishing data on the HS1 rail line. MPs said it was "unacceptable" that there was a two-year delay by the Department for Transport in publishing an evaluation of Britain's first high-speed rail line. It meant that important information that could have been used by Parliament to consider other projects, including the HS2 high speed line, was not available. The PAC claimed it denied Parliament the ability to use "important information" when considering HS2. Meg Hillier, the committee's chairwoman, said the issues over the Eurostar sale and the HS1 report "raise serious questions about the government's approach to valuing public assets, as well as its commitment to considering the value for money of public spending on such expensive projects". She highlighted concerns that the sale of Royal Mail, whose shares soared after its stock market flotation, was also undervalued. The Treasury, the PAC concluded, relies too much on a "small pool" of financial advisers. The government's 40% holding in Eurostar was sold for £585.1m to Patina Rail, an investment consortium. But the Treasury, and its advisers UBS, put a price tag of £305m on the stake. The sale of the government's entire stake in Eurostar has netted £757m, although that is far less than the estimated expenditure on the project of £3bn, the PAC said. A Treasury spokeswoman said: "The government welcomes the committee's conclusion that the sale of our stake in Eurostar was well-handled and secured a good return for the taxpayer. "Releasing public assets we no longer need is at the heart of our long-term plan to tackle Britain's debts and boost economic growth, and that's why we've recently identified up to £4.6bn of further asset sales, to help build on the huge progress we've already made." She said it would be misleading to suggest the government "set out" to undervalue its assets and added that its approach to Eurostar was approved by an independent adviser. The £3.5m 3T MRI scanner at the Royal Hospital for Children is the first in the south of England; the only other in the UK is at Alder Hey in Liverpool. The scanner's image-guidance technology allows surgeons to conduct scans during a procedure to track progress. It means children need undergo only one anaesthetic, reducing distress. Mike Carter, consultant neurosurgeon at the children's hospital said the scanner was "150,000 times more powerful than the earth's magnetic field", providing "phenomenally accurate 3D images". "It lets us see abnormalities in the brain - such as lesions which cause epilepsy - that we may not have previously been able to see, and allows us to look at the ways memories are formed and where they are stored," said Mr Carter. The scanner was paid for by the Wallace and Gromit Grand Appeal and through donations to its Gromit Unleashed arts trail in 2013, as well as major donations from Children With Cancer and Garfield Weston Foundation.

A Flintshire man who shot himself in the foot has been told to expect a long prison sentence. [NEXT_CONCEPT] The sale of the UK government's stake in the Eurostar train service is "further evidence" of assets being undervalued, according to MPs. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Pioneering neurosurgery equipment has been installed at a Bristol hospital, allowing surgeons to operate in the deepest parts of the brain.

The eight-storey Rana Plaza factory building near Dhaka collapsed on 24 April with an unknown number inside. The authorities say about 2,500 people were injured in the accident and 2,437 people were rescued. The recovery operation is expected to finish on Friday. The rubble will then be shifted by bulldozers. On Friday morning, officials said a total of 1,021 bodies had been recovered from the debris of the fallen factory building in Savar. Almost 650 have so far been identified and handed over to families. Many bodies were decomposed, but could be identified by mobile phones in their pockets or staff passes, Army Captain Shahnewaz Zakaria said, adding that "most are female garment workers". Bhopal, India (1984): Toxic gas escapes from Union Carbide plant. Official initial death toll put at 3,800; deaths to date thought to be 15,000 Halifax, Canada (1917): Explosion on board French munitions vessel Mont-Blanc in Halifax harbour, and resulting tsunami, kill 1,950 people Benxihu, China (1942): Explosion destroys Benxihu (Honkeiko) colliery in Liaoning, China, during Japanese occupation, killing 1,549 labourers Oppau, Germany (1921): Explosion at Badische Anilin chemical works, producing nitrates, destroys plant as well as nearby village, killing 1,500 people Courrieres, France (1906): Dust explosion at Courrieres mine in Pas-de-Calais department kills almost 1,100 people Savar, Bangladesh (2013): Eight-storey Rana Plaza, housing garment factories, collapses in suburb of Dhaka, killing more than 1,000 people In pictures: Recovery operation The authorities are taking DNA samples from the victims, which can be used in future compensation claims, AFP news agency reported. Brigadier-General Siddiqul Alam, who is overseeing the recovery operation, said: "We have found a huge number of bodies in the stairwell and under the staircases. When the building started to collapse, workers thought they would be safe under the staircases." "Each time we moved a slab of concrete, we found a stack of bodies." Bodies are being taken to a nearby school building where relatives of those still missing are waiting. Correspondents say the silence is frequently broken by wailing as victims are identified by their families. The Rana Plaza building had housed a number of garment factories. A number of people have been arrested and charged with causing deaths by negligence. Protesters have taken to the streets calling for the death penalty for the Rana Plaza's owner, Mohammad Sohel Rana. Just a day before the collapse, the building was briefly evacuated when cracks appeared in the walls. However, workers were later allowed back in or told to return by the factory owners. The government has launched an inquiry. Preliminary findings suggest vibrations from four giant generators on the compound's upper floors triggered the collapse. The Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus, wrote in an article published by local newspapers on Thursday that the disaster was "a symbol of our failure as a nation". "The crack in Rana Plaza that caused the collapse of the building has only shown us that if we don't face up to the cracks in our state systems, we as a nation will get lost in the debris of the collapse,'' he added. Mr Yunus also urged global fashion brands not to abandon the country, saying that garment factory workers subcontracted to produce their clothing should be seen as de facto employees. Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, and some of the clothes produced in the Rana Plaza building were made for Western retailers. On Wednesday, Bangladesh announced the shut-down of 18 garment factories for safety reasons, amid growing concerns over the issue of industrial safety across the country. A fire in a garment factory building in another part of the capital on Thursday killed eight people, including its owner, a senior police officer and a local politician. The cause of the blaze is not yet known, but it began during the night, after the factories had closed for the day, and sent out smoke and gas that suffocated victims as they ran down stairs, officials said.

The death toll from Bangladesh's worst industrial accident has passed 1,000 as recovery teams continue to find more bodies in the wreckage.

Officers were previously told not to shoot drivers of moving vehicles because of the additional dangers it posed, Simon Chesterman said. But he said the approach had changed in the wake of attacks such as those in Westminster, Nice and Berlin. He added officers now had ammunition to penetrate doors and windows. Last month, Khalid Masood killed four people on London's Westminster Bridge when he mounted the pavement in a car and drove into pedestrians. One of the biggest challenges previously faced by police was the risk of bullets bouncing off the glass on vehicles in such attacks, said Mr Chesterman, of the National Police Chiefs' Council. "We've seen some very horrible and different tactics lately involving vehicles and lorries," he said. "Within our policy, we used to talk about not shooting at a moving vehicle because of the danger we might cause if we fired at a driver. "But if the vehicle is being used as a weapon in the first place, there aren't many tactics available in relation to stopping it, particularly a very large lorry. "Driving a vehicle in front of it for example is not going to stop it. So you need to shoot the driver," he said. As part of the change in policy, Mr Chesterman said the tactics of firearms officers were now "far more aggressive". They are no longer being told to "locate, contain and neutralise" but to "locate and confront", he said. He also announced that the number of authorised firearms officers available to be deployed across England and Wales is to reach 10,500 by next year - an increase of about 1,500. In April 2018, there will be about 7,000 armed police from the 43 forces in England and Wales, and 3,500 from other forces, including the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. The government is funding 1,000 extra armed officers, while forces are paying for 500 more. Mr Chesterman said the capability of armed officers was "phenomenally different" from previous years following investment in recruitment and training. But he warned that concerns about the way police are treated after fatal shootings could act as a "tipping point" and discourage people from joining or staying on. During the raids on 7-8 May and 8-9 May 1941 more than 400 people were killed in the East Yorkshire port. In all 1,200 were killed, 3,000 injured and more than 150,000 were made homeless by German raids on the city. A service has been held at Holy Trinity Church and a book about the attacks has been launched. The book written by a local author, mixes fact and fiction with any profits going to the Hull People's Memorial fund. Hull suffered numerous air raids because it was a port, easy to find, and German aircraft flew over it to reach other targets such as Sheffield, Liverpool or Manchester. Alan Bingham, of the Hull People's Memorial, said: "I think it is extremely important to remember the people who lived through the blitz and who survived. "They have lived through the nightmares for the rest of their lives. Some of the sights they have seen must have been truly horrendous." Source: A North-East Coast Town - T Geraghty The Rev Canon Dr Neal Barnes, Vicar of Holy Trinity Church, said: "The city was really traumatised and we wanted to help the people to remember." The service in the church included popular songs from WW2 to "get into the mood that helped Hull get through those dark days", he added. Other events and exhibitions to mark the blitz are being held over the weekend. The US Commodity and Futures Commission (CTFC) alleges it and its former subsidiary Mondelez Global bought $90m (£61m) of wheat futures but had no intention of taking delivery of it. The CTFC said their huge purchase raised the price of the commodity and earned them a profit of $5.4m. Kraft recently agreed a merger with Heinz in a move that would create the world's fifth largest food company. The regulator wants to apply a permanent injunction on future violations as well as to apply financial penalties. In 2010, Kraft took over chocolate maker Cadbury, but in 2012 spun the firm off as part of its global snacks business Mondelez, which includes brands such as Oreo biscuits and Trident gum.

Police may now have to shoot terrorists at the wheel of vehicles to stop them being used in attacks, the national lead for armed policing has said. [NEXT_CONCEPT] The heaviest bombing raids on Hull during World War Two are being commemorated in a series of events in the city. [NEXT_CONCEPT] US food giant Kraft is being accused of manipulating the price of wheat.

Common People will showcase a bill of live music and DJs and takes place on 28 and 29 May 2016. It will run on the same weekend as a twin festival in Southampton, the inaugural event of which ran earlier this year. Rob da Bank said he was "buzzing with excitement" and called South Park a "stunning setting". He added: "We have an amazing line up to share with you very soon - from pop stars to underground legends. "Thanks for having us Oxford." The DJ is curating the festival with the organisers of Bestival in conjunction with Oxford City Council. The park played host to a major Radiohead gig in 2001. Last year a festival at the site featuring Gaz Coombes, Katy B and Klaxons was cancelled because of poor ticket sales. It happened on the westbound carriageway between junctions 38 and 39 at about 08:20 GMT on Tuesday. South Wales Police said a 50-year-old man from Cardiff was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. A two-year-old boy was taken to hospital, where he remains. Both carriageways had to be closed for several hours on Tuesday morning but diversions were lifted in the afternoon. The crash, involving a BMW, Peugeot and Audi, happened between the Margam and Groes interchanges. The AnaOno Intimates show was devised by US designer, and breast cancer survivor, Dana Donofree, and introduced by Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino. Models with different shapes and stories proudly bared signs of surgery. Nearly half of the models had metastatic, or advanced, breast cancer, according to Ms Donofree. All proceeds went to Cancerland, an outreach and advocacy charity in the US. Warning: This article contains images of partial nudity "I felt sexy, I felt beautiful, and I was proud," Paige Moore, 24, said after taking part in the show. Five weeks ago, she had preventative double mastectomy after genetic testing. "I was like these scars are sexy and awesome, and I am here, I am alive and I feel good. That is all that matters," she said. In the US and the UK, cancer researchers say one in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. "It is a very important moment for them [the models] to get out there and experience something like this because breast cancer has taken over their bodies," Ms Donofree told Reuters. Ms Donofree also had a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with the disease, aged 27. She started designing underwear for others who have undergone breast surgery after realising that traditional garments no longer fitted. Ms Donofree wrote about her story and the inspiration for the show on her website. "As I slowly rebuilt my own self-esteem and confidence, first by getting a mastectomy tattoo, then by talking to other women about life after acute treatment, and finally trying on my first bra prototype, I wondered why none of this was part of some greater 'What to Expect When You're Expecting a Mastectomy' pamphlet they handed out at your surgeon's office." "Whether I have nipples or breasts or not, I am a woman," said model Chiaro D'Agostino, a New Jersey teacher and blogger.

A new music festival organised by DJ Rob da Bank is to be held at Oxford's South Park to 30,000 people. [NEXT_CONCEPT] A man has been arrested after a 27-year-old woman died in a crash on the M4 in Port Talbot. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Women who survived breast cancer took over the catwalk at New York Fashion Week in an alternative lingerie show to raise funds for charity.

It was ousted from the state coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats. Meanwhile right-wing anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD) will enter the state parliament for the first time with 14% of the vote. Mrs Merkel's popularity has waned since her decision last year to allow more than a million migrants into Germany. The CDU won 17.6% of the vote - its worst-ever result in Berlin. It is the party's second electoral blow this month, having been pushed into third place by AfD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. AfD will now be represented in 10 out of 16 state parliaments. Mrs Merkel told reporters that, if she could, she would turn the clock back many years to prepare the government better for the influx of migrants and refugees. The Social Democrat SPD emerged as the strongest party with about 22%, in spite of losing almost 7% of their voters, and said it would hold talks on forming a coalition with all parties except AfD. It is expected to drop the CDU as a coalition partner in favour of the left-wing Die Linke and the Greens. AfD co-chairman Joerg Meuthen said the party was strongly positioned for next year's national elections and colleague Beatrix von Storch predicted that it would become the third-largest political force in Germany in 2017. "We're witnessing in 2017 Angela Merkel's battle for survival," she said. It's being described as the "Merkel malaise". For the second time in a month, Angela Merkel's conservatives have suffered a humiliating defeat at the regional ballot box. Both votes are widely seen as a verdict on Mrs Merkel's refugee policy. But the result also reflects growing disillusionment with Germany's establishment parties. The Social Democrats may have won the election here but they lost voters; their success is being described as the weakest victory of all time. Germany's political landscape is changing. The anti-migrant, anti-Muslim rhetoric of AfD resonates with the electorate. The party is now almost certain to win seats in the national parliament next year which could complicate coalition building. Commentators predict the start of a more complex politics. And many blame Angela Merkel. For the first time, the chancellor's political future feels uncertain. Don't expect her to stand down any time soon. But, increasingly, her own party views her as irrevocably tainted by her refugee policy. She needs to convince them - and the public - that she's in control. Angela Merkel acknowledged that the refugee crisis would change Germany. Arguably, the most seismic shift thus far is at political level. And Mrs Merkel is on shaky ground. Bavarian Finance Minister Markus Soeder, from the CDU's sister party CSU, was quick to call it the "second massive wake-up call" in two weeks. "A long-term and massive loss in trust among traditional voters threatens the conservative bloc," he told the Bild daily, adding Ms Merkel's right-left national coalition had to win back support by changing course on its immigration policy. Mrs Merkel appeared to shift her position on migration at the weekend when she distanced herself from a phrase she used at the height of the influx of migrants at the end of August 2015. "Wir schaffen das" (we will manage it) was at the time an expression of sentiment that many would recognise, she told a business website on Saturday. But she now saw it as dated and too much had been read into it: "so much so that I'd prefer not to repeat it because it's become something of a simplified motto, an empty formula". Sunday's election in Berlin, a city-state of 3.5 million people, was dominated by local issues including poor public services, crumbling school buildings, late trains and a housing shortage, as well as problems in coping with the migrant influx. "Protest election turns capital into tatters," proclaims daily tabloid Bild, which describes Berlin's SPD mayor as Germany's "weakest election winner of all time". The rise of the right-wing AfD is driven by voters who feel "forgotten and marginalised", says Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. On the fate of the chancellor, Spiegel says that while her CDU "crashed", she is likely to be able to blame local factors, rather than anger at her welcoming stance on migrants. Sueddeutsche Zeitung sees a party revolt as unlikely: "No-one knows how things will carry on without her."

Germany's CDU, the party of Chancellor Angela Merkel, has described the party's historic losses in Berlin state elections as a "bitter defeat".

One expert, commissioned by the BBC, estimates it could amount to "somewhere in the region of £1bn". The customers potentially affected had PPI on credit cards issued by Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, MBNA and Capital One. All claim to make every effort to pay a correct amount of compensation. The extent of the shortfall is difficult to assess. The shortfall in compensation arises because, although these banks all refunded the premiums on their mis-sold PPI policies plus interest as regulators require, they have been failing correctly to refund additional charges which were triggered by the premiums of the mis-sold PPI policies. Some of those premiums put people over their borrowing limits, meaning they were then charged an additional fee. This failure to include fees and charges in compensation calculations has resulted in dramatic reductions to the amounts some customers have received. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has told the BBC that it is already discussing the issue with the banks involved. "If there are penalty fees or charges that arise from the mis-sale of the original PPI, then they should be refundable," said Clive Adamson, the FCA's director of supervision. In February, Mark Pascoe was paid £5,800 of PPI compensation by the large credit card company MBNA. But MBNA's calculations did not include just over £600 in fees and charges Mr Pascoe incurred since taking out his card in 1997. According to the claims management company advising Mr Pascoe, had those fees been correctly included in the calculations, his compensation payout would have more than doubled - to more than £13,000. "It's absolutely outrageous," Mr Pascoe told the BBC. "That's almost robbery, isn't it? They should be fined big time." MBNA said they would not comment on a case still under review. Martin Baker, managing director of Renaissance Easy Claim, the company advising Mr Pascoe, says his case is by no means atypical. Mr Baker says he has identified a string of clients with PPI on their credit cards who suffered compensation shortfalls which run into many hundreds or thousands of pounds. "It was just another way by which the banks and lenders were trying to reduce their compensation bills," says Mr Baker. All of the banks concerned declined an invitation to be interviewed on how their compensation calculations work and why they are not fully including the effect of fees and charges, as regulators require. In a statement to the BBC, Lloyds Banking Group said: "When a customer lets us know that they may have incurred other costs because of their PPI policy, we will investigate and make an appropriate refund." Regulators have told the BBC that such fees and charges should be included in the initial offers that banks make. Barclays acknowledged that its previous system, which assessed month-by-month whether a PPI premium had triggered a fee, did not fully capture the cumulative effect of fees and charges, as regulators require. But it said it had compensated customers who were affected. "Both our current and historic methodologies have been assured as compliant with regulations. In the case of late and over limit fees, where it is possible to identify that fees have been triggered by the customer taking PPI, we have already repaid them and in recognition that we may not have been able to identify all fees, we have paid additional interest to more than mitigate any customer detriment," a spokesperson told the BBC. MBNA confirmed it currently operates a monthly assessment methodology, but one that excludes most fees and charges. MBNA told the BBC: "Because of this, it is not and never has been our practice to refund these fees. MBNA said their methodology had been independently reviewed and they were confident it was correct. "The last transaction to be applied to the account at the end of the statement period is the PPI premium (ie, after the over-limit fee has been assessed) and as such, it can never be the PPI transaction that causes an over-limit fee in that statement period," MBNA said. Capital One declined to reveal its compensation methodology. In a statement to the BBC, the company said: "We aim to pay redress that puts the customer back in the position they would have been in if they had not had PPI." However, the BBC has learned that the Financial Ombudsman Service has recently instructed Capital One to recalculate two cases of compensation to include fees and charges. And it has begun investigating how Capital One recalculates its offers in relation to fees and charges across all cases. Listen to Michael Robinson's full report on what individual banks have done; how to find out if you qualify for more compensation; and how to get it if you do on You and Yours on Radio 4 at 12:00 BST on Thursday 5 May You and Yours It is difficult to establish how much compensation the banks concerned have so far avoided paying their customers, since only they have access to the detailed records required for an accurate assessment. So the BBC commissioned Cliff D'Arcy to estimate the size of the compensation shortfall and how much banks would have to pay to make it good. Mr D'Arcy spent 12 years as a banker working in the PPI industry. Now an independent consultant, Mr D'Arcy has become a prominent critic of how banks had mis-sold the product and dealt with subsequent compensation claims. Mr D'Arcy said: "I'm confident that the figure will be somewhere in the region of £1bn of extra compensation." He told the BBC: "It was only when I got deeper into the numbers that I realised the scale of this problem. "It's because banks were charging very high penalty fees, very high rates of interest on borrowing and some of these claims go back decades. So it just compounds and multiplies to a very big number." The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is the ultimate arbiter of PPI compensation disputes between customers and banks. Principal Ombudsman Caroline Wayman told the BBC that under the rules, there is no doubt fees and charges triggered by mis-sold PPI premiums have to be refunded to customers. "If a fee is the result of the mis-sold PPI, it should be given back, and if it's not included, that would be a mistake," said Ms Wayman. She says she does not how widespread this problem is, but told the BBC: "The first thing is to understand how many times has this has happened and how many times it's had a material impact. That's very difficult to judge." "Any widespread failure to carry out proper calculations would most definitely be disappointing," she added. Ms Wayman says credit card customers who suspect their fees and charges were left out of their compensation calculations should go back to their banks to ask what happened. "If you're not satisfied with the answer, bring it to the ombudsman and we can see what we can do," she said. FOS has handled about a million PPI compensation cases, with some 400,000 more still in the pipeline. Last year, FOS took on 1,000 new staff to help deal with that backlog. That caseload is now likely to grow. But Mr D'Arcy says the Financial Conduct Authority should take the initiative and instructs banks that "charges and the interest on them should be repaid to each and every customer in each and every case". Listen to Michael Robinson's full report on You and Yours on BBC Radio 4 at 12:00 BST on Thursday, 5 May.

Some leading banks may have underpaid compensation certain customers are due for mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance, the BBC has learned.

Vladimir Putin has been Russia's dominant political figure since his election as president in 2000, serving two terms and then a four-year stint as prime minister, before resuming the presidency in 2012. Since his re-election against a token opponent, Russia's authorities have further tightened control over the media, marginalised genuine opposition, and adopted a stridently nationalist and anti-Western course to shore up domestic support, in contrast to a previous emphasis on stability and prosperity. The last process accelerated with Mr Putin's tough response to the toppling of the pro-Russian government in Ukraine by pro-EU protests in early 2014. Russia subsequently seized Crimea from Ukraine - a move that prompted Mr Putin's domestic approval rating to soar - and fomented a violent rebellion in the eastern provinces on Russia's border. The following year, President Putin responded to the imperilled state of his ally President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, where Russia maintains its sole Mediterranean naval base, by sending warplanes to bomb the positions of rebel groups. The president presents himself as a strong leader who took Russia out of the economic, social and political crisis of the 1990s and defends Russia's national interests, particularly against what he portrays as Western attempts to corner and foist cultural values on it. Critics say that since taking power, Mr Putin has created an almost neo-feudal system of rule that concentrates control over key economic resources in the hands of a narrow circle of close associates, and is smothering economic dynamism, democratic development and a nascent civil society to protect itself. Several of Mr Putin's rivals and opposition activists have sought safety abroad or ended up in prison, most prominently the former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who spent 10 years in jail following his arrest on tax evasion and fraud charges in 2003. Born in St Petersburg in 1952, Vladimir Putin began his career in the KGB, the Soviet-era security police. From 1990 he worked in the St Petersburg administration before moving to Moscow in 1996. By August 1999 he was prime minister. He was named acting president by his predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, and went on to win presidential elections in May 2000, having gained popularity for launching a successful offensive against Chechen rebels, following a mysterious series of deadly explosions in Russian cities. He won again in 2004. Barred by the constitution from running for a third consecutive presidential term in 2008, he made way for his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, before the two swapped roles in 2012. By this time, parliament had extended presidential terms from four to six years, so that Mr Putin - already one of Europe's longest-serving leaders - could potentially stay in power until 2024.

President: Vladimir Putin

From 2-2 at the break, on-loan Bristol City striker Arnold Garita turned in playmaker Graham Carey's goal-bound 25-yard drive for Argyle's third goal on 54 minutes at Home Park. Substitute David Goodwillie made it 4-2 in stoppage time with a close-range tap-in, keeping the second-placed side four points behind leaders Doncaster. Plymouth may have kept a clean sheet at Liverpool but they conceded after two minutes against Stevenage as Matt Godden turned in Luke Wilkinson's nod down from close range. Argyle levelled on 35 minutes through Jordan Slew, again from close range, as he turned in Jake Jervis' effort from Graham Carey's corner. Jervis put Argyle ahead for the first time in the 42nd minute, swivelling on Connor Smith's flick-on after Slew's cut-back from the bye-line. Stevenage restored parity in first-half stoppage time when Steven Schumacher's 30-yard free-kick bounced up to beat Luke McCormick. Report supplied by the Press Association. Second Half ends, Plymouth Argyle 4, Stevenage 2. Attempt missed. Ryan Loft (Stevenage) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Connor Smith went off injured after Plymouth Argyle had used all subs. Goal! Plymouth Argyle 4, Stevenage 2. David Goodwillie (Plymouth Argyle) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Attempt saved. Nathan Blissett (Plymouth Argyle) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Substitution, Plymouth Argyle. Nathan Blissett replaces Jordan Slew. Corner, Stevenage. Conceded by Connor Smith. Substitution, Stevenage. Charlie Lee replaces Ben Kennedy. Attempt missed. Connor Smith (Plymouth Argyle) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Corner, Stevenage. Conceded by Luke McCormick. Attempt saved. Matt Godden (Stevenage) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the top left corner. Tom Pett (Stevenage) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box. Attempt saved. Matt Godden (Stevenage) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Substitution, Plymouth Argyle. Craig Tanner replaces Jake Jervis. Attempt missed. Ben Kennedy (Stevenage) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Attempt saved. Graham Carey (Plymouth Argyle) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Corner, Plymouth Argyle. Conceded by Luke Wilkinson. Attempt missed. Jake Jervis (Plymouth Argyle) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Substitution, Plymouth Argyle. David Goodwillie replaces Paul Garita. Attempt missed. Tom Pett (Stevenage) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Attempt saved. Ryan Loft (Stevenage) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Attempt missed. Jordan Slew (Plymouth Argyle) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Corner, Stevenage. Conceded by Jordan Slew. Ryan Loft (Stevenage) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Yann Songo'o (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Ryan Loft (Stevenage). Substitution, Stevenage. Michael Tonge replaces Kgosi Ntlhe. Substitution, Stevenage. Ryan Loft replaces Rowan Liburd. Jake Jervis (Plymouth Argyle) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Attempt blocked. Graham Carey (Plymouth Argyle) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. David Fox (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Steven Schumacher (Stevenage). Attempt missed. Fraser Franks (Stevenage) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high following a corner. Corner, Stevenage. Conceded by Sonny Bradley. Foul by David Fox (Plymouth Argyle). Tom Pett (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Goal! Plymouth Argyle 3, Stevenage 2. Paul Garita (Plymouth Argyle) with an attempt from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Graham Carey. Foul by Paul Garita (Plymouth Argyle). Steven Schumacher (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Jordan Slew (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Plymouth came back from a goal down to beat Stevenage 4-2 in League Two ahead of Wednesday's FA Cup third round replay at home to Liverpool.

Newsreaders tell us a story is trending, editors tell their staff they want interviews to trend and activists want their causes to trend. The goal for many news organisations today is to have their content shared so widely, so quickly and across so many platforms that it takes on a life of its own, achieving a sort of uber-ubiquity and eventually the hallowed status of "viral". But how did asking "what's trending?" become such a pervasive online trend? To get to the roots of trending you have to go back to late 2006, when a group of engineers in the US state of Virginia, founded a company called Summize. At first glance the start-up's website looked like any other search engine. But while Google and Bing focused on facts and figures, Summize was being more touchy-feely. "We had a premise that real-time summarisation and sentiment analysis were important - looking at how people feel about a given topic," recalls its co-founder and former chief scientist Abdur Chowdhury. "Often, we can pull out an exact date like when was Abraham Lincoln born - it's very factual - but [not] how do you feel about the weather? "Or how do you feel about this political topic or that?" In the mid-noughties, social media sites were still a bit of a novelty, so for answers to those questions Summize first turned to more traditional sources of online opinion including product reviews and blogs. Mr Chowdhury and Summize's chief executive Jay Virdy soon noticed that when it came to opinions, there was one site that was fast becoming a global repository: Twitter. They directed their technology at the platform and quickly saw results. "Within six weeks we were doing over a million queries a day," Mr Chowdhury says. "The hot thing at that time was the iPhone. You could see everyone's opinion and what they were saying about the iPhone in real-time." Once it became clear that Twitter's content and Summize's technology were a good fit, a union between Twitter's 12 employees and Summize's six was inevitable, added Mr Chowdhury. In 2008, Twitter acquired Summize and in the process users finally got the ability to search within Twitter. Trending and hashtags soon followed. Mr Chowdhury became Twitter's chief scientist and although he cannot recall exactly when or who coined the term, he remembers well the moment he realised trending was going to be big. "I was taking the train and I said: 'Let's see if we can put together an algorithm to really figure out what people are talking about,'" he said. "And so I started pulling out the people, places and nouns that were being discussed on Twitter." Mr Chowdhury stressed that his original algorithm concentrated on spikes in the conversation. "People are always talking about Apple or McDonald's or the BBC, but what you really want to know is did that deviate?" he explained. "Is it way more than expected? "As I'm taking the train ride and I'm watching the nouns coming out, I start to see Rome, Prague, London, Moscow. "What I realised is that I was watching the Olympic torch runner run through Europe. It was at that moment I realised that trends - this ability to extract what's new and interesting happening in real-time - was going to be a thing." Mr Chowdhury welcomes the fact that trending has broken out of Twitter and been embraced by other sites. However, he feels a little of his original vision has been lost along the way. "Trending today seems like someone looking for interesting content to push up at the top, not necessarily something that the large majority of people want to talk about at the moment," he said. The columnist and magazine editor Ann Friedman writes about journalism and technology. She says that trending has opened mainstream media's eyes to stories that would otherwise have been missed. "I'm not so pleased with the trending era that I think every trending topic should be the equivalent of front page news, but I think editors tend to miss some things - they're not the most diverse group and stuff like trending topics and hashtags can really bring something to their attention," she said. "I like to see reporters pushed by readers. To me that's good for journalism." In September 2011 Abdur Chowdhury left Twitter after what he called an "amazing experience". But his contribution has not been forgotten. Last month, on the day of Twitter's 10th anniversary, Chowdhury got a personal and very public thank you from the man who'd bought Summize eight years previously. "Thank you @abdur for being the coolest scientist I know and for building Twitter search and Trends," posted the social network's chief executive Jack Dorsey.

It's one of those internet phrases that have seeped into everyday usage.

The fire had been smoking at Alexandra Docks since 20,000 tonnes of wood first caught alight on 5 December. Residents had been advised to stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed after the initial blaze. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the fire, which was found to be accidental, was put out on Monday. Participants in the poll were shown six options to replace the current flag and favoured one dubbed "Southern Horizon". Western Sydney University's Benjamin Jones said New Zealand's flag referendum inspired the study. He said both the Southern Horizon flag and New Zealand's winning design retained elements of the existing flags, but removed the Union Jack. The poll comes amid renewed debate over whether Australia should be a republic. "Several Australian politicians have stated their support for an Australian republic," Mr Jones. "But certainly no prominent politician is tying their reputation to changing the flag." All but one of of Australia's state and territory leaders signed a document in support of dropping the Queen as head of state. Critics said republicans were yet to propose a viable alternative to Australia's current system of constitutional monarchy. Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut, which includes former President John F Kennedy among its alumni, published the findings following an investigation. Allegations of abuse dating from the 1960s were handled internally at the school, the report said. The school acknowledged the findings, adding: "We profoundly apologise." "The conduct of these adults violated the foundation of our community: the sacred trust between students and the adults charged with their care," the school said. The apology comes after the boarding school, which US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka also attended, launched an independent investigation into historic reports of "adult sexual misconduct with students". It said that after asking people to come forward with information relating to the allegations, it "received numerous calls and emails". The earliest incidents recorded concerned conduct from the early 1960s, with faculty members at the school allegedly abusing students until as recently as 2010. The greatest number of recorded incidents took place in the 1980s, according to the report. There were no reports of sexual misconduct involving current members of staff. In an incident reported in 1999, a Spanish language teacher is alleged to have raped a 17-year-old female student in a swimming pool during a school trip abroad, the report said. In some instances the school, which dealt with the misconduct internally rather than involving the police, "moved quickly and decisively," the report said. But in other cases, it was "slow to respond" and allowed the accused member of staff to "remain at the school for a considerable length of time". "Many of the Choate graduates who reported incidents to us did not tell any adult at the school at the time of the incidents," it added. The school said that some students did not report the abuse because they did not recognise it as such or "did not want the school to find out". The investigation found that the school knew that faculty members engaged in "intimate kissing" and "intimate touching" with male and female students, but reported none of the incidents to police. "Our investigation further showed that when reports of sexual misconduct were substantiated by the Choate administration, sexual misconduct matters were handled internally and quietly. "Even when a teacher was terminated or resigned in the middle of the school year because he or she had engaged in sexual misconduct with a student, the rest of the faculty was told little and sometimes nothing about the teacher's departure and, when told, was cautioned to say nothing about the situation if asked." The school said that it had released the report to fulfil its "pledge to be at the forefront of the highest standard of care in preventing and addressing adult sexual misconduct".

A wood chip fire which first ignited at a Newport dockyard nearly two months ago has been put out. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Almost 64% of Australians surveyed in a new poll want the nation's flag changed. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Students at an elite boarding school in the US were sexually abused by at least 12 members of staff over a period of four decades, according to a report.

BBC Radio Nottingham reported on Tuesday that the 28-year-old, who was a free agent after leaving German club Wolfsburg, was discussing terms and he has now agreed a two-year contract. The Denmark international told BBC Nottingham Sport: "My main goal was to come back to England. "What happened in Wolfsburg was a sad situation. I have made mistakes in the past, but I am looking to the future." Bendtner had an unhappy spell in Germany and left the club after several disciplinary issues. He said the move to a club with a "big history", and the chance to work with Forest manager Philippe Montanier, was the ideal way to make a "new start". "It is important to prove myself and get back to scoring goals," said Bendtner. "The coach has given me a great impression of the club and how he wants to do things. "He cares a lot about football. He wants to play football, he is a nice man and I look forward to working with him." Forest face Aston Villa on Sunday and Bendtner, who has scored 29 goals in 72 appearances for his country, said he was not quite ready to play. "I need a little bit of time to settle and adjust but it won't be long," he added. Bendtner scored 45 goals for Arsenal in 171 games between 2005 and 2014 and also had loan spells at Sunderland, Birmingham and Juventus during that period. BBC Radio Nottingham's Nottingham Forest correspondent Colin Fray "Nicklas Bendtner is certainly a controversial figure and has his detractors, but Forest will be hoping that their marquee signing can combine with Britt Assombalonga up front and fire the club into top-six contention. "He's a player who's proved he's capable of scoring goals in his career - including in the Championship during his loan spell with Birmingham, when he was only 18 and was sent out by Arsenal to gain first-team experience. That spell apart, his entire career has been spent in the top flights in England, Italy and Germany, and he has a wealth of international experience with Denmark, too. "So, as a free agent, you can see why Forest would be prepared to offer him a deal. At 6ft 4ins tall, he's likely to be handful for Championship defenders, and is the highest-profile signing of 12 this summer." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Nottingham Forest have signed former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner.

Nicky Wroe volleyed over for the hosts following Marek Rodak's weak punch, before the Welling keeper did well to save from Richard Peniket. Kingsley James put the Shaymen in front when he reacted quickest after Rodak could only parry Connor Hughes' shot. But Kadell Daniel curled an effort past Sam Johnson late on to secure a point for Welling.

Welling ended their run of five successive defeats with a draw at Halifax in the National League.

Former Birmingham City striker Cameron Jerome fired Norwich ahead against his old club with a right-foot shot into the bottom right corner on 15 minutes. That came 40 seconds after Blues' Lukas Jutkiewicz had headed against the bar. Timm Klose then headed his first of the season from Robbie Brady's 43rd-minute cross to extend Blues' winless run. Gianfranco Zola's men have now failed to win in nine games since he took over from Gary Rowett as manager on 14 December. Blues had Emilio Nsue making his debut at right-back, while Kerim Frei made his first start on the wing, with fellow January signing Cheick Keita left on the bench. They dominated possession for long periods and had their chances, especially in the first half. But a fifth defeat under Zola leaves them still 12th in the table, six points behind eighth-placed Norwich, Apart from Jutkiewicz's near miss, Norwich had another let-off midway through the opening period when Craig Gardner sent a free header over the top when perfectly placed. But the Canaries should have made it 2-0 when Steven Naismith latched on to Wes Hoolahan's cutback, only to miss from just outside the six-yard box. And Blues keeper Tomasz Kuszczak made a smart close-range stop to deny Jonny Howson before poor defending from an inswinging Brady free-kick allowed Klose a close-ranger free header at the near post to double the Canaries' lead. That sealed Norwich's fifth home win in six league games, which might have been by more but for a smart save from Kuszczak to deny Jacob Murphy and an off-target header from Naismith. Jerome also missed a good chance on the breakaway but the 30-year-old Yorkshireman's earlier effort leaves him now just two short of a century of goals in league football. Norwich City manager Alex Neil: "For some time now I have had the feeling that we are now moving forward again after a difficult spell. "The players are performing better, I have been happier with what I have been seeing and this was a continuation of that. "It was a good steady performance from the lads. We did the ugly side of the game well and when we do that we have the quality to cause problems at the other end. "We knew the way Birmingham would play and we made the decision to get in their faces and try and get the ball back off them, not just sit back and let them have possession, which I don't like to see when we are at home." Birmingham City boss Gianfranco Zola told BBC WM: "The players are doing everything I have asked but, unfortunately, the results are not coming. I am disappointed by this but I am determined we will come back stronger. "I am not happy about the situation. Not happy at all, but I am determined to make this club successful. I fully trust the players that they will step their game up. "We created a lot, maybe more than in other games but we made mistakes and paid for it. There is a lot for me to think about over the next couple of days." Match ends, Norwich City 2, Birmingham City 0. Second Half ends, Norwich City 2, Birmingham City 0. Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Ivo Pinto. Foul by Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City). Ben Godfrey (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. Josh Murphy (Norwich City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Steven Naismith. Craig Gardner (Birmingham City) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Kerim Frei. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Russell Martin (Norwich City). Attempt missed. Craig Gardner (Birmingham City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a set piece situation. Attempt blocked. Craig Gardner (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Substitution, Norwich City. Kyle Lafferty replaces Wes Hoolahan. Substitution, Birmingham City. Maikel Kieftenbeld replaces David Davis. Substitution, Birmingham City. Josh Cogley replaces Nsue. Ryan Shotton (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. David Davis (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Steven Naismith (Norwich City). Attempt saved. Cameron Jerome (Norwich City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jonny Howson. Attempt saved. Cameron Jerome (Norwich City) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ivo Pinto with a cross. Foul by Ryan Shotton (Birmingham City). Timm Klose (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Kerim Frei (Birmingham City) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Ivo Pinto (Norwich City). Substitution, Norwich City. Ben Godfrey replaces Alexander Tettey. Offside, Norwich City. Steven Naismith tries a through ball, but Josh Murphy is caught offside. Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Timm Klose. Attempt missed. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Craig Gardner. Attempt missed. Steven Naismith (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Cameron Jerome. Attempt saved. Kerim Frei (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jonathan Grounds. Attempt saved. Steven Naismith (Norwich City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Robbie Brady with a cross. Ryan Shotton (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Josh Murphy (Norwich City). Attempt missed. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by David Cotterill with a cross. Attempt missed. Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left from a direct free kick. Foul by Craig Gardner (Birmingham City). Josh Murphy (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Substitution, Birmingham City. David Cotterill replaces Robert Tesche. Kerim Frei (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Ivo Pinto (Norwich City). Attempt missed. Timm Klose (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.

Norwich City moved back to within two points of the Championship play-off zone as they claimed a second home win in successive Saturdays at Carrow Road.

Blackburn's first match in the third tier since 1980 is an away fixture at Southend, while League Two champions Portsmouth are at home to Rochdale. Follow the links below for your team's fixtures in full. AFC Wimbledon Blackburn Rovers Blackpool Bradford City Bristol Rovers Bury Charlton Athletic Doncaster Rovers Fleetwood Town Gillingham Milton Keynes Dons Northampton Town Oldham Athletic Oxford United Peterborough United Plymouth Argyle Portsmouth Rochdale Rotherham United Scunthorpe United Shrewsbury Town Southend United Walsall Wigan Athletic Such words were considered to be harder hitting and carry more emotional impact than "general" swear words. The study of audience attitudes is the first to be conducted by the broadcasting regulator since 2010. The results will be shared with broadcasters to help them better understand audience expectations. Tony Close, director of content standards at Ofcom, said: "People draw the line at racist and discriminatory language - participants felt this was the most unacceptable of all." "Most people see these words as derogatory and insulting. Many were concerned about them being used in programmes at any time, unless there's very clear justification for it in the programme and how it's presented to the audience." The study, which was the biggest of its kind ever conducted by Ofcom, looked at 144 words, exploring what people were likely to find unacceptable and why. As part of the research, the regulator conducted online surveys as well as focus groups and detailed interviews. Participants were played clips from broadcasts which had been deemed controversial and asked participants how offensive they found the language used. Recent excerpts from Big Brother and Don't Tell The Bride as well as old episodes of Father Ted and Fawlty Towers were among the clips played to audiences. The context, intent and tone that offensive language was spoken in were considered important factors to viewers, as well as whether there had been a warning about bad language before broadcast. For example, a 2014 episode Big Brother was considered acceptable in its original post-watershed slot but offensive when the same episode was repeated in a weekend lunchtime slot. In the case of Fawlty Towers, audiences also took into account the historical nature of the show and the fact the comedy made fun of the ignorant character using the racist language, but some viewers still took offence. Sexual terms were viewed as distasteful and often unnecessary, but respondents said they found them more acceptable if used after the watershed, when they would be more prepared. Another finding of the survey was words which were bleeped out had the power to be as offensive as hearing the word itself. The research found most people would understand which word was being obscured, especially if repeated. The survey also suggested audiences felt offensive language was more problematic on radio than TV. Several participants said they considered radio a "more intimate medium", where offensive language was rarely heard. As a result, they thought that strong language would feel more intrusive and unexpected on radio than it did on TV. Radio was also considered more likely to be heard by children, as it was often heard in the background in public spaces. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email [email protected].

The League One fixtures for 2017-18 have been released. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Television viewers and radio listeners have become less tolerant of racist or discriminatory words, Ofcom research has found.

Media playback is not supported on this device Edmund, making only his second Davis Cup appearance, won 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-5) to give Britain, who were without Andy Murray, an unassailable 3-1 lead. Britain will now play Argentina at home in September as they aim to defend the title they won in Belgium last year. Following Edmund's win, James Ward lost 6-2 3-6 7-5 to Janko Tipsarevic to make the final score 3-2 to Britain. Edmund, 21, was playing as Britain's top-ranked singles player after Murray chose to sit out the tie following his Wimbledon success. It was the first time Britain have won a World Group match in the Davis Cup without their number one player. Facing Lajovic, the highest ranked player in Serbia's squad following Novak Djokovic's decision to miss the tie, Edmund produced one of the best performances of his career, hitting 27 forehand winners and 39 in total. The world number 67 served for the match at 5-4 but Lajovic broke back before the Yorkshireman rallied to take the match on a tie-break. "You want to win for your country," said Edmund. "When you know what is at stake... I'm so pleased that I've won." Edmund had beaten Tipsaveric in the first singles rubber on Friday to give Britain a 1-0 lead. Lajovic then beat Ward in the second singles match on Saturday before Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot put Britain in front again with victory in the doubles. Team captain Leon Smith has now won 14 of his 16 Davis Cup matches since taking the job in 2010. He was full of praise for Edmund's performances this year and last. "I have seen Kyle develop a lot," said Smith. "To get your first Davis Cup win is something, to get two in one weekend is something very special indeed." Former Great Britain Davis Cup captain John Lloyd: "It was a gutsy performance and Kyle had faith in his game. He didn't pull back, he stood firm and withstood Lajovic's best games at the end. "That will mean so much that Kyle came through in that sort of pressure. What that could do for his career is amazing." Former Great Britain Davis Cup player Jamie Baker: "He was rock-solid at the end. He's never been in a situation like that before. "His forehand, in terms of pace and what he can do with it is in the top five, of the world but he can always improve his movement." Britain will face Argentina in the last four after the South Americans completed a 3-1 away victory against Italy. France - featuring Wimbledon doubles champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, as well as singles quarter-finalists Lucas Pouille and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - beat the Czech Republic 3-1. They will face Croatia, who came from 2-0 down to beat the United States.

Kyle Edmund took Great Britain into the Davis Cup semi-finals with victory over Serbia's Dusan Lajovic in Belgrade.

The Met Office has issued yellow "be aware" warnings for snow for southern, north east and northern Scotland on Saturday and Sunday. BBC weather presenter Stav Danaos said -10 was seen in parts of the country with lying snow - with further snow falling on Saturday. Snow and ice have also been affecting travel in many parts. Scotland has seen freezing temperatures for several days. While it has meant challenging travel conditions for some, the weather has also allowed all five of Scotland's snowsports centres to open their slopes for skiing and snowboarding. Glenshee, Lecht, Glencoe Mountain, CairnGorm Mountain and Nevis Range are preparing to mark World Snow Day on Sunday. Climbers and hillwalkers, however, have been warned that the risk of avalanches in Scotland's highest hills and mountains has been rated as "considerable". The Sportscotland Avalanche Information Service has given the rating to the six areas it covers - Northern Cairngorms, Southern Cairngorms, Glen Coe, Torridon, Creag Meagaidh and Lochaber. Among the least successful films of the year is Snowden, directed by Oliver Stone, alongside Sacha Baron Cohen's Grimsby, according to Forbes. Sci-fi film Max Steel, which returned 42% of its budget, tops its Hollywood's Biggest Turkeys of 2016 list. Period drama and horror mash-up Pride and Prejudice and Zombies also features in the top 10. Snowden, telling the story of whistleblower Edward Snowden's leak of US intelligence, is ranked ninth in the list, which compares worldwide box office totals with the estimated film budgets. The film, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, has received good reviews but made it to ninth on the list, taking 86% of its $40m (£32m) budget. It is yet to be released in the UK. Free State of Jones, in which Matthew McConaughey plays an American Civil War fighter, returned less than half of its $50m (£40m) budget, making it second on the list. In fourth position was comedy Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, starring Lily James and Matt Smith, which made back 58% of its $28m (£23m) budget, followed by computer-animated Ratchet & Clank, which took $11.8m (£9.5m), having had an estimated budget of $20m (£16m). Comedy action film Grimsby - known as The Brothers Grimsby in the US - is estimated to have had a $35m (£28m) budget. It took $28.7m (£23m) at the international box office, making it the worst box office total of Baron Cohen's career. It was eighth on the list. Natalie Robehmed of Forbes said that "not all movies flopped because they were bad films", noting that several were well received by critics. She said: "Movies underperform for a number of reasons, be it marketing, release date timing, poor reviews or a combination of several factors." Forbes only included films that opened in more than 2,000 cinemas and did not look at those released this month. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].

Scotland has been hit by a big freeze as overnight temperatures plummeted to as low as -10C in places. [NEXT_CONCEPT] It may still be a month until Christmas, but it is already time for this year's film turkeys to be roasted.

The 29-year-old suffered a blow to the head at Ulster in February 2016. He said: "It has been a frustrating time. When I had the bang I was just sitting around and wasn't able to do a lot really. "I still don't remember the concussion tests. I think that was half the problem." Media playback is not supported on this device Shingler made his first appearance of the season last weekend against Connacht as Scarlets registered their first win of the season. He said: "I was suffering from headaches and dizziness for a long time and I was a little bit concerned if it was ever going to get better. "I thought 'this could be the end'. Luckily it has cleared up itself and here we are." Shingler says he will not let the threat of another concussion affect his approach. "It could occur again if I have a bad bang. I'm not too concerned. I'm not holding anything back because of it." He is now looking forward to Scarlets' trip to Treviso on Saturday as they look to climb from eighth in the table. "If we lost at home against Connacht we would have been in a tricky situation - it's great to have got that win," Shingler added. "Again we are under pressure this weekend as we are chasing from quite far behind now." The National Environment Research Council defended its decision to hold a public poll to suggest names, in which Boaty McBoatface got the most support. Professor Duncan Wingham said the row had "put a smile" on people's faces. But MPs asked if he would be made to "walk the plank" by ministers, who named it after Sir David Attenborough. Prof Wingham was giving evidence to the Commons Science and Technology Committee about the episode, which attracted huge public interest and divided opinion after Boaty McBoatface was passed over. He said that ministers' decision to name the vessel after the eminent zoologist and broadcaster - the option which came fourth in the poll - while allowing Boaty McBoatface to live on by naming a remotely operated sub-sea vehicle after it was an "eloquent compromise". Asked by Conservative MP Nicola Blackwood what the episode had done for public engagement in science, the academic said it had attracted "extraordinary attention" which could only be regarded as an "incredible success". "We could make the claim that we are probably the best-known research council in the world," he said. "We could make the claim that because of that there are hundreds of thousands of people, not only in the UK but around the world, who know about us and the science that we have done "In many ways we feel this has been an astonishingly great outcome for us. In addition, it has put a smile on everyone's face." Prof Wingham said NERC would do the same again in the future, although he said there were no plans for other boats at the moment.

Scarlets and Wales flanker Aaron Shingler feared a concussion he suffered last season could have ended his career. [NEXT_CONCEPT] The controversy over the naming of a new polar research vessel was an "astoundingly good outcome" for public interest in science, MPs have heard.

Media playback is not supported on this device Forte struck midway through the first half, while Collins scored with the last kick of the match to up a home tie against Peterborough. Graham Burke tested Grant Smith early on, with the Wood keeper getting down low to palm his stinging effort out for a corner. From the resultant kick, Adam Campbell's trickery got him into a shooting position, but he fired just wide. Kenny Davis did well to deflect Stanley Aborah's shot wide, while at the other end, Anthony Jeffrey had the visitors' first sight of goal, curling a 20-yard effort over. County took the lead when visiting defender Joe Devera misjudged the bounce of a pass and Forte nipped in to intercept before lashing the ball past goalkeeper Smith. Genaro Snijders blasted wildly over from eight yards early in the second half, while visiting stopper Smith then made a sprawling low save from Campbell. Bruno Andrade had a couple of chances for the visitors, but failed to test Adam Collin in the home goal, and just after Wood sub Jamie Lucas went close with a header, Collins cracked home a second goal deep into added time. Report supplied by the Press Association Match ends, Notts County 2, Boreham Wood 0. Second Half ends, Notts County 2, Boreham Wood 0. Goal! Notts County 2, Boreham Wood 0. Aaron Collins (Notts County) left footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Stanley Aborah. Attempt saved. Jamie Lucas (Boreham Wood) header from very close range is saved in the top centre of the goal. Attempt blocked. Anthony Jeffrey (Boreham Wood) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Attempt missed. Stanley Aborah (Notts County) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Jonathan Forte (Notts County) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Kenny Davis (Boreham Wood). Foul by Jonathan Forte (Notts County). Joe Devera (Boreham Wood) wins a free kick on the left wing. Stanley Aborah (Notts County) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Femi Ilesanmi (Boreham Wood). Substitution, Boreham Wood. David Stephens replaces Mark Ricketts. Attempt missed. Kenny Davis (Boreham Wood) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Substitution, Notts County. Alan Smith replaces Adam Campbell. Substitution, Notts County. Aaron Collins replaces Genaro Snijders. Delay in match Stanley Aborah (Notts County) because of an injury. Robert Milsom (Notts County) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Danny Uchechi (Boreham Wood). Attempt missed. Bruno Andrade (Boreham Wood) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Foul by Stanley Aborah (Notts County). Kenny Davis (Boreham Wood) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, Boreham Wood. Jamie Lucas replaces Morgan Ferrier. Substitution, Boreham Wood. Danny Uchechi replaces Angelo Balanta. Genaro Snijders (Notts County) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Femi Ilesanmi (Boreham Wood). Corner, Boreham Wood. Conceded by Haydn Hollis. Corner, Notts County. Conceded by Femi Ilesanmi. Corner, Boreham Wood. Conceded by Louis Laing. Foul by Jonathan Forte (Notts County). Matt Paine (Boreham Wood) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. Graham Burke (Notts County) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Attempt missed. Angelo Balanta (Boreham Wood) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Corner, Notts County. Conceded by Joe Devera. Foul by Jonathan Forte (Notts County). Matt Paine (Boreham Wood) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt saved. Graham Burke (Notts County) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Corner, Boreham Wood. Conceded by Louis Laing. Femi Ilesanmi (Boreham Wood) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Stanley Aborah (Notts County).

Jonathan Forte and Aaron Collins fired Notts County into the second round of the FA Cup as they saw off National League side Boreham Wood in their first-round replay at Meadow Lane.

They parted at 0810 BST on 7 July 2005 on their way to work and Ms Daplyn boarded the Piccadilly Line train. She died in the blast. The 26-year-old administrator worked at University College Hospital in the neuro-radiology department. When she was reported missing, her father Michael returned to the country and travelled to London to meet her mother, who lives in Swansea, and sister. Ms Daplyn was born in Leicester but spent her early years abroad before attending schools in Rochester, Kent. After an art foundation course, she studied Fine Art at Oxford University. Graduating with a 2:1, she set herself the difficult task of making a living in the art or publishing world. But after several unpaid internships, her pragmatic streak surfaced and she began to look for paid work. In 2002, she moved to London and worked in a number of administrative roles before joining the hospital. During her short life she moved all over the UK and around the world, from Kent to Lahore and Newport to Nigeria. This fuelled her love of travel and food, which she shared with others in person and on blogs. At the inquest into her death five years on, her sister Eleanor Daplyn said in a statement: "From a young age, she had the ability to fit in to almost any location and situation readily, with humour, and with a sizeable appetite for all that was new and interesting." Her sister went on to say that at the time of her death, Ms Daplyn had been as settled and content as she had ever known her, and was very happy to be living with Mr Brennan. "When thinking about what she might have done in the future, I honestly have to say I don't know," she said. "The scope of her intellect and imagination mean that it could have been everything and anything." Speaking shortly after her death, her uncle, the Reverend Tim Daplyn, in Somerset, said: "She was very bright, and a talented singer who had a lot of friends. "We didn't realise she had so many until she disappeared."

A talented artist and musician, Elizabeth Daplyn lived in Highgate, north London, with her partner Rob Brennan.

Zdenko Turtak from Velka Ida, Kosice, pleaded guilty to those offences but denied attempted murder during a video link appearance at Leeds Crown Court. He was charged in connection with an attack on a woman at a bus stop in Beeston Road on 6 March. Prosecutors will decide within weeks whether to accept Turtak's pleas. The scheme was first considered in February 2015 by then-Prime Minister David Cameron. But an independent review published on Monday warned it would not help people get back into work. A Downing Street spokesman said "withdrawing benefits from obese people is not under consideration, no." Before the last election, Mr Cameron said too many people were stuck on sickness benefits because of issues that could be addressed but were not. "Some have drug or alcohol problems, but refuse treatment," he said. "In other cases, people have problems with their weight that could be addressed, but instead a life on benefits rather than work becomes the choice. "It is not fair to ask hardworking taxpayers to fund the benefits of people who refuse to accept the support and treatment that could help them get back to a life of work." However, an independent review from Dame Carol Black has come to the conclusion the proposals would not work. The report said: "We are clear that benefit claimants with addictions should, like all other claimants, do all they can to re-enter work. "However... we doubt whether mandating addiction treatment - one of the possibilities mentioned in our terms of reference - should be the first response to the evidence problems for the cohorts under discussion." The review also said making people have treatment could lead to more people hiding their problems rather than seeking help. "We also heard from health professionals serious concerns about the legal and ethical implications of mandating treatment and whether this would be a cost-effective approach," it said. The review also did not find evidence that obesity was a causal factor for unemployment or that weight-loss achieved through non-surgical treatment led to employment.

A 21-year-old man extradited from Slovakia has admitted the rape and grievous bodily harm of an 18-year-old woman in Leeds. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Controversial proposals to withdraw benefits from people who refuse treatment for obesity or addiction have been dropped.

Southern Railway trains from the south coast into London have been disrupted for weeks because of industrial action and high levels of staff sickness. "The shambles we have seen is turning into a crisis," said Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove and Portslade. But rail minister Claire Perry insisted services were improving. Mr Kyle told the House of Commons during transport questions: "I'm getting people writing to me who are being late for work every day and their bosses are giving them written warnings now. Mims Davies, Tory MP for Eastleigh, described Southern Railway's performance as "shameful" and said it could not be tolerated. The watchdog Transport Focus has published figures showing passenger satisfaction was lower on Southern and Southeastern services than for any other train operator in the country. Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, urged Ms Perry and the Department for Transport to transfer the Southern franchise into public ownership. A man who commutes to London from Hove told BBC South East his employer could no longer book early client meetings as he had no idea whether he would turn up. "I am therefore simply not fit for purpose and there is nothing concrete to suggest that the situation will change," he said. "His [the boss's] response is entirely rational. "My options are therefore to live in London during the week, waving my young family goodbye and switching my pension contributions into accommodation costs, or get fired." The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union is in dispute with Southern about the role of conductors. Ms Perry said investment on the routes meant things were "getting better". But she added: "If your constituents would like to write to bosses, may I suggest they write to the union bosses involved, who I think are doing their members a grave disservice by bringing them out on completely unjustified grounds. "This is a dispute about who presses the buttons that operate the doors and the change in the role of the second staff member." Southeastern and Network Rail said that at the time of the Transport Focus survey, between 11 January and 20 March, factors including the partial collapse of the sea wall at Dover and landslides at Barnehurst affected trains. Storm Imogen also hit services and there were infrastructure failings around London Bridge. We've picked out four questions and now it's over to you to tell us which one you would most like Sean to answer. Pick your favourite question below: Where will I see Sean's answer? The answer will be published on the BBC News website and will appear on this page and the education section of the site. Why are we doing this? We want to write stories which matter to you. You can send us your questions about whatever interests you and BBC News will try to answer them. Take a look at some of the other questions you've wanted us to answer: Why does the NHS spend on homeopathy? Could the UK take on EU trade deals? Does fracking affect the water supply? If you are reading this page on the BBC News app, you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question. Seven out of the 43 blocks of flats due to make way in phase one of the 300-home development at Hendrefoilan site will remain standing temporarily. The site was sold in 2013 and the university's new £450m Bay campus will house the students. Another part of the student village will stay open until summer 2018. Permission has been granted for demolition to take place and an application has been submitted to Swansea council for the first 43 two and three-storey homes to be built.

Commuters have received written warnings for consistent lateness at work because of "shameful" service from Southern Railway, an MP has claimed. [NEXT_CONCEPT] We asked you to send in your questions about the schools system for Education correspondent Sean Coughlan to look into. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Bats have caused the delay to demolish some flats at Swansea University's student village which are due to make way for housing.

Oh, who won a Golden Globe for her role as prickly Dr Cristina Yang, was one of the original six cast members, all of whom started the series as interns. "Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go," Oh told the Hollywood Reporter. It has not been revealed how the 42-year-old will exit the ABC show at the end of its upcoming 10th season. Oh added: "It's such an interesting thing to play a character for so long and to actually get the sense that she wants to be let go as well. "Cristina wants to be let go, and I am ready to let her go. We have to start the process, story-wise, for the Grey's writers to think of why she's going to go." Oh has received five supporting actress Emmy nominations for her portrayal of Dr Yang, an ambitious and driven doctor who repeatedly puts her career before her personal life. She told the Hollywood Reporter that she started to consider leaving in May 2012, when she and the show's other stars signed two-year deals, taking them to the end of forthcoming 10th season. Grey's Anatomy creator, Shonda Rhimes, who also conceived Oh's character, thanked the popular actress for her "collaboration on a character we both love so deeply". "One of the best days of my life as a writer happened the day Sandra Oh walked in my door to audition and forever changed the course of Grey's Anatomy with her brilliant, nuanced portrayal of Cristina Yang," said Rhimes. "This year is going to be bittersweet for us - we're both going to savour every moment of Cristina Yang, and then we're going to give her the exit she deserves. And when Sandra walks out of my door, Grey's Anatomy will once again be forever changed." Oh told her co-stars about her decision on Tuesday, during a reading for the 200th episode. It is expected that negotiations will take place shortly with the rest of the cast about their future on the show, which has picked up several industry awards since it began in 2005. In a statement, a spokesperson for ABC said: "It's our intention to have Grey's on the air for many years to come, with as many of the original cast as possible."

Sandra Oh, one of the original stars of the US medical drama Grey's Anatomy, is to leave the show after eight years.

The Farc has been taking part in peace talks with the Colombian government since 2012, but violence has increased in recent weeks. The Farc's chief negotiator at the talks in Cuba, Ivan Marquez, said he hoped the ceasefire, starting on 20 July, could lead to a bilateral truce. The government welcomed the move but gave no sign it would do likewise and said the rebels needed to do more. "We appreciate the gesture of a unilateral ceasefire by the Farc but more is needed, especially concrete commitments to speed up the negotiations," President Juan Manuel Santos said on Twitter (in Spanish). For his part, Mr Marquez said the truce would "create favourable conditions in order to advance with the opposing side toward a bilateral and definitive ceasefire." Four countries helping to facilitate the peace talks - Cuba, Norway, Chile and Venezuela - issued a call on Tuesday for a de-escalation in the violence. A previous Farc ceasefire was called in December, but clashes resumed in April with the killing of 11 soldiers and subsequent bombing raids on rebel positions. Farc suspended that unilateral ceasefire on 22 May. Since the ceasefire ended, several dozen rebels and soldiers have been killed. In June, the group blew up an oil pipeline, which contaminated water and left at least 16,000 people without supplies in the municipality of Catatumbo in the north. The talks in Havana, which began in November 2012, are aimed at ending more than 50 years of conflict. More than 200,000 people have been killed since hostilities started in 1964. Negotiations have continued despite the violence, and agreement has been reached on several points.

Colombia's Farc rebels have announced a one-month unilateral ceasefire.

The plans would have seen riders timed on 10 downhill sections during the three-week race, with prizes for each day and the overall fastest descender. Belgian rider Wouter Weylandt died after crashing on a descent during stage three of the 2011 Giro d'Italia. The 100th edition of the race begins on Friday. "The spirit of the initiative was to highlight an important skill which is an integral part of a cycle race, without putting the riders' safety in jeopardy," said organisers RCS Sport in a statement on Wednesday. "Rider safety is, and remains, the priority of the Giro and the race organisers." After the initial plans were released, Dutch Team Sky rider Woet Poels tweeted that it was a "life-threatening idea", adding: "What about safety?" Trek-Segafredo's Belgian cyclist Jasper Stuyven said organisers "should be ashamed" and that "riders will take even more risks" causing "more danger to other riders in the bunch". RCS Sport said that reaction to the proposals suggested the classification, which was to be sponsored by tyre manufacturer Pirelli, "could be potentially misunderstood". They added that they had therefore "decided to eliminate all such classification and prize money" but make data of descent speeds available to fans. The Association of Professional Cyclists said it was "very happy" RCS had come to "a solution for the good of the riders". The Giro is one of three three-week Grand Tours during the cycling season, together with the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana.

Giro d'Italia organisers have abandoned plans for a best downhill rider category after criticism from riders that the idea was "life-threatening".

Media playback is not supported on this device Gatland has handed debuts to four players in an experimental Welsh side. Wales host Ireland on Saturday, before playing them in Dublin on 29 August and hosting Italy on 5 September. "Joe rang me last week to talk about what we were looking at in the squad," Gatland said. "I said we were going to have a mixed squad with an opportunity for some younger players. "He sort of indicated that they were probably going to do the same thing. Media playback is not supported on this device "I think they will experiment with the squad too." Ireland lock Iain Henderson says head coach Schmidt has given his players no indication of who is likely to face Wales. New Zealander Schmidt will name his side on Thursday to play at the Millennium Stadium and is then expected to cut three or four players from his provisional World Cup training group of 45 players. Wales will cut their World Cup training squad from 47 players to between 36 and 38 after Saturday's game against Ireland. Uncapped Ross Moriarty, Tyler Morgan, Eli Walker and Dominic Day will make their Wales debuts on Saturday. Gatland said Schmidt had also asked if the Millennium Stadium roof would be shut for Saturday's game. The Millennium Stadium will host Wales' Pool A matches against Uruguay on 20 September and Fiji on 1 October as well as Ireland 's Pool D matches against Canada and France. "He [Schmidt] proceeded to ask what was happening with the roof," Gatland added. "I said: 'Well, it's a bit ironic that you wanted it open during the Six Nations and now you want it closed'. "He was hoping during the Six Nations that it was pouring down with rain, so we had a bit of a chat about that. "I think he wants it closed because it's closed during the World Cup. It makes sense to close the roof if it will be closed for the World Cup. "There was a cynical side of me that did feel like saying we were going to leave it open."

Wales coach Warren Gatland has revealed he and Ireland counterpart Joe Schmidt discussed team selection before naming their sides for Saturday's World Cup warm-up match in Cardiff.

A letter detailing the plan, known as "Operation Trojan Horse", claims responsibility for leadership changes at four schools. These schools are Adderley Primary, Saltley School, Park View School and Regents Park Community Primary School. Saltley's head teacher resigned last year after a critical Ofsted report. Inspectors said there was a "dysfunctional" relationship between head teacher Balwant Bains and governors which was hindering the school. The letter, which purports to outline "Operation Trojan Horse", has subsequently been sent to at least another 12 schools in the city - all believed to be vulnerable to takeover. It states that parents could be encouraged to turn against the leadership team if they are told the school is "corrupting their children with sex education, teaching about homosexuals, making their children pray Christian prayers and [carrying out] mixed swimming and sport". Among various claims in the letter is one that the group has "caused a great amount of organised disruption in Birmingham and as a result we have our own academies and are on the way to getting rid of more head teachers and taking over their schools". The head teachers of the schools met Birmingham City Council on Thursday to discuss their concerns. The letter, seen by the BBC, was apparently written by someone in Birmingham to a contact in Bradford, and goes on to outline ways and means by which schools can be taken over. It says: "We have an obligation to our children to fulfil our roles and ensure these schools are run on Islamic principles." Although the authorities have been aware of the alleged plot since November, the details have only become public now thanks to the letter which has been widely leaked. We still don't know whether it's genuine or a fake, but that's one of the questions the city council is attempting to answer with its investigation. It's clearly a sensitive subject and there will be great concerns about the effect on what the authorities euphemistically call "community cohesion". Finding anyone who is directly involved and prepared to go on the record has also proved difficult. No-one wants to be called an "Islamaphobe" or a racist, nor do they wish to be labelled a right wing conspiracy theorist. There's also a sense of fear among potential whistleblowers that speaking publicly will mean an end to their careers. It is understood that would mean a greater emphasis on religious studies, as well as girls and boys being taught separately in some classes. The letter implies these methods have already been put into action and urges the recipient to use Ofsted reports to identify schools in predominantly Muslim areas which are struggling. It adds: ''Operation 'Trojan Horse' has been very carefully thought through and is tried and tested within Birmingham, implementing it in Bradford will not be difficult for you." It says that Salafi parents should be enlisted to help, because they are regarded as a more orthodox branch of Islam and would be more likely to be willing to help. It was sent to the city council in 2013 and has led to a number of investigations. Part of the inquiry will focus on whether the plot is genuine or fake. A Birmingham City Council spokesperson confirmed the letters had been received and that an investigation was ongoing. The Department for Education's (DfE) Extremist Unit is also involved and the West Midlands Police Counter-Terrorism Unit has also looked into the case after being handed the letter in December 2013. Supt Sue Southern, head of the unit, said it was decided the allegations in the letter were "not a matter for the police". The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said it had "received some anonymous letters in February which claimed that an extremist religious group was trying to engineer the sacking of head teachers who did not promote the group's ideals". It said it was working with the police, the Department for Education and Birmingham City Council to investigate the claim. Russell Hobby, NAHT general secretary, said the union took the allegations "extremely seriously". Liam Byrne, Labour MP for Hodge Hill, said he had held urgent talks with Ofsted, City Council officials, the office of Michael Gove and DfE officials. "These are deeply disturbing allegations, which is why Ofsted has been called in," he said. "I have demanded that the second we have results from those inspections, both the city council and the Secretary of State take immediate action."

An alleged plot to oust some Birmingham head teachers and make their schools adhere to more Islamic principles is being investigated, it has emerged.

Quoting eye-witnesses, it said that after the raid in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, detainees who had escaped were rounded up and killed. The army has not yet commented on the allegations but has denied previous reports of abuses. The conflict has killed some 1,500 people this year, according to Amnesty. Half of those killed were civilians, the organisation said. Hundreds of militants were said to have taken part in the 14 March attack on the Giwa barracks in Maiduguri, which BBC Nigeria correspondent Will Ross described as a particularly brazen assault. By Will RossBBC News, Lagos This report provides shocking detail of atrocities committed by Boko Haram and Nigeria's armed forces. It is not the first time rights organisations have made such allegations. But Amnesty International sees 14 March as a tipping point - a day when the extra-judicial killings by the security forces reached such a level that the international community can no longer stay silent. Amnesty believes 622 people were killed by the security forces on that day alone. Most were unarmed Boko Haram suspects who had just escaped from detention after the insurgents attacked Giwa barracks and set them free. Rather than being re-arrested, Amnesty says they were executed and buried in mass graves. To some analysts it looks like the military chose the easier option and in so doing committed crimes against humanity. So far the African Union and the UN have been remarkably silent on the situation but Amnesty now wants them to investigate the crimes committed by all sides. Risking my life to find Boko Haram At the time, the Nigerian military said the attack was successfully repelled and many attackers were killed by the air force and ground troops. One eyewitness told Amnesty that a self-defence group known as civilian JTF captured some of the hundreds of detainees who had escaped. "I saw the soldiers asking the people to lie on the ground," the witness said. "There was a small argument between the soldiers and the civilian JTF. The soldiers made some calls and a few minutes later they started shooting the people on the ground. I counted 198 people killed at that checkpoint." Amnesty says satellite images have revealed three possible mass graves around the city. Captured Boko Haram suspects are often detained in Giwa barracks, and human rights groups say hundreds have died or been subjected to torture there - allegations always denied by the military. Boko Haram has since released its own video of the attack on Giwa, showing crowds of people walking out of the barracks. Amnesty says all parties are violating international law and wants the United Nations to help investigate potential war crimes and crimes against humanity. "The scale of atrocities carried out by Boko Haram is truly shocking, creating a climate of fear and insecurity," said Amnesty's Netsanet Belay. "But this cannot be used to justify the brutality of the response that is clearly being meted out by the Nigerian security forces." The violence has forced some 250,000 people from their homes so far this year, according to the government's relief agency. It said more than three million people are facing a humanitarian crisis. Boko Haram was launched in Maiduguri in 2009, with the aim of setting up an Islamic state. A state of emergency was declared in three north-eastern states last year to help the military crush the insurgency. However, the militants have stepped up attacks in recent months.

Nigeria's army killed some 600 people after a recent attack by Boko Haram militants on a barracks, Amnesty International has said.

The party's acting leader Harriet Harman said the government's rhetoric was "liberated from reality". She said her party would give "serious consideration" to some measures and be a "different kind of opposition". She accused the Tories of "ducking" out of a decision on expanding airport capacity and said apprenticeship numbers were "stagnating". Mr Osborne's first Budget of the Conservative government included a freeze on working-age benefits for four years, a pledge to spend 2% of GDP on defence and a four-year cap on public-sector pay rises. He also introduced a new National Living Wage which would rise to £9 an hour by 2020. In her response, Ms Harman said she would resist the temptation to "oppose everything the government does". She said Labour supported measures including lowering the welfare cap and would have made cuts to unprotected departments had it been in power. In a reference to the cheering on the Conservative benches when the living wage was announced, she said: "Clearly what honourable members do not understand is that even with the higher national wage that he's announced it will not be enough for a family to live on because of the cuts in tax credits." She also criticised the government for delaying the electrification of the railway line between Manchester and Leeds, saying: "The great Northern Powerhouse is starting to look like the great Northern power cut." Labour would support the raising of the 40p tax threshold and the lifting of the personal allowance but would study the detail of both measures, she added. Speaking to BBC News, shadow chancellor Chris Leslie questioned whether the measures prioritised by the chancellor would boost productivity. He said "manifesto promise after manifesto promise" was being "thrown out" by the Conservatives. "They won an election in some respects on a false prospectus," he added.

Working families will still suffer despite George Osborne's Budget pledge of a National Living Wage, Labour says.

Fresh from the national team's success at Euro 2016, the BSc (Hons) Football Coaching and the Performance Specialist qualification will begin in September. Students will be based at the university's Colliers Park training facility. It has been designed for those who want to work as a coach or performance specialist. Students will work towards the FAW Level 2 (UEFA C) and Level 3 (UEFA B) coaching licenses. On completion they will have the skills to coach youth and senior football teams at grassroots and a high performance level. Pamela Richards, associate head of the university's school of social and life sciences, said: "We are honoured to be working alongside the FAW Trust, especially at such a positive and successful time for the Wales team. "The footballers in the Welsh national side are inspiring future generations of footballers and coaches." Crowds gathered on the banks of the Thames to watch the 120-metre long model go up in flames. The inferno in 1666 raged for four days, destroying most of the city, which then was largely of wood. It paved the way for large-scale reconstruction including the building of today's St Paul's Cathedral. More than 13,000 homes, businesses and structures, including the old St Paul's, were destroyed. Following the fire, stone started being used in the capital as a building material and an organised fire service and insurance industry were established. The burning of the replica of London took place during a festival held to commemorate the Great Fire. London's Burning, which was held from 30 August to 4 September, featured a series of art installations, performances, talks and tours and was organised by the company Artichoke. Helen Marriage, director of Artichoke, said: "I feel so relieved that it actually went off, because obviously when you do a live event you never know." Tim Marlow, the artistic director of the Royal Academy of Arts, said it was a unique event. He said: "I've seen a shed blown up in the name of art, I've seen fireworks, I've seen artists bury themselves, I've seen the trace of an artist shooting himself in the hand or nailing himself to a car, but actually I've never seen anyone collaborate with so many people in such an extraordinary and exciting way, to make a commemorative replica of a skyline 350 years ago and then set fire to it. "I mean this is spectacle and then some." An open letter has been published by Pen International as Mr Modi flies into the UK for a three-day visit. The writers have expressed concern over the "growing intolerance and violence towards critical voices" in India. They want to urge Mr Modi to "safeguard freedom of expression". The letter has been signed by hundreds of members and supporters of Pen International's centres in England, Scotland and Wales, including Nikita Lalwani, Henry Marsh, Hari Kunzru, Neel Mukherjee and Owen Sheers. It urges the British prime minister to raise the "crucial" issue with Mr Modi both "publicly and privately" during his visit, where plans include addressing parliament, visiting the Queen and staying at Chequers. The letter highlights threats made to writers who have "challenged orthodoxy or fundamentalism in India", and the murders of three intellectuals - Malleshappa Madivalappa Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar - in the last two years. Recently at least 40 Indian novelists, poets and playwrights have returned prizes awarded by India's National Academy of Letters in protest over the organisation's silence on the attacks. They criticised the academy's failure to speak up and challenge the government to "demonstrate tolerance and protect free speech" and the "deteriorating political environment in which those expressing dissent have been attacked by government ministers". The letter concludes: "In line with the United Kingdom's stated commitment to promoting human rights, we ask that you raise the above issues with Prime Minister Modi and urge him to provide better protection for writers, artists and other critical voices and ensure that freedom of speech is safeguarded. "Without these protections a democratic, peaceful society is not possible." Downing Street has yet to respond to a request for comment on the letter.

The Football Association of Wales and Wrexham Glyndwr University have united to launch a new coaching degree. [NEXT_CONCEPT] A giant wooden replica of 17th century London has been set ablaze on the River Thames in a retelling of the Great Fire of London 350 years ago. [NEXT_CONCEPT] More than 200 writers including Salman Rushdie, Val McDermid and Ian McEwan have called on David Cameron to address India's "rising climate of fear" with its Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The white-domed structure in Kathmandu was covered in prayer flags and flowers as monks chanted prayers and burned incense to mark the event. The prime minister described it as a proud moment for Nepal. More than 8,000 people were killed by the quake and ensuing aftershocks, causing widespread destruction. Restoration work on the stupa began in May 2015, has cost $2.1m (£1.70m) and included more than 30kg (66lb) of gold, according to the Boudhanath Area Development Committee. The stupa was repaired without government funding - the money instead coming from private donations from Buddhist groups and help from volunteers. The government for its part has been strongly criticised for the slow pace of reconstruction and for the fact that many quake-damaged temples and monasteries remain unrepaired. But Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was not going to let the criticism interfere with Tuesday's celebrations. "This is a proud moment for us," he said after traversing the steps of the newly-painted stupa. "The successful reconstruction of Boudhanath is an inspiration for what we have to achieve in quake-affected areas." Damaged historic sites reopened Satellites dissect Nepal quake Nepal's Kathmandu Valley treasures: Before and after Nepal earthquakes: Devastation in maps and images In pictures: Nepal earthquake aftermath Nepal has reopened many heritage sites in the Kathmandu valley to the public in a bid to attract tourists after the devastating earthquake of April 2015. Among them was Kathmandu's historic Durbar Square, or "noble court", which was badly damaged. Shortly after the quake, Unesco's director-general Irina Bokova described damage to the Kathmandu valley as "extensive and irreversible".

Nepal has reopened one of its most famous monuments, the Boudhanath Stupa, to the public after it was left with deep cracks during the 2015 earthquake.

The beams could compensate for the dip in light the Earth creates when it passes in front of the Sun, as viewed from far-off worlds, they contend. A number of researchers have questioned the wisdom of advertising our existence to the galaxy. They fear that if aliens did visit us they might not be very friendly, and could introduce disease. The analogy is Europeans arriving in the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries. The contact wrought havoc in the health of indigenous populations. David Kipping and Alex Teachey from Columbia University in New York say that if we are fearful of a similar outcome from an alien encounter then lasers offer a solution. The team has calculated what would be required to cloak the Earth and published the concept in a paper in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. It "perverts" the technique scientists already use now to look for distant planets around other stars. This method relies on staring at these suns, hoping to catch an object passing in front. When such a "transit" occurs, there is a tell-tale decrease in starlight. The US space agency's Kepler telescope has identified more than a thousand planets this way. If intelligent civilisations are out there, it is safe to assume they too will be looking for other worlds - like ours - using the same idea, believe Kipping and Teachey. According to the pair's calculations, emitting a continuous 30-megawatt laser for about 10 hours, once a year, would be enough to distort the characteristic dip in light when Earth transited the Sun, as viewed from an alien Kepler telescope. "It doesn't have to be one huge laser; it could be an array positioned around the Earth. Or you could put it in space as a satellite, and we've calculated that the International Space Station already collects exactly the amount of energy we would need," Prof Kipping told BBC News. This is true for a laser system working in visible light. Prof Kipping concedes, however, that a laser cloak that covers all wavelengths, not just the visible colours, would need a very large array of tuneable lasers with a total power of 250MW. But an alternative might be to use a laser simply to disguise the interesting aspects about Earth - features in its atmosphere that betray the fact that life exists here. These are a suite of gases that include oxygen, ozone and methane. "If we just cloaked out those biosignatures then another civilisation might detect our planet through a transit, everything would add up, but Earth would appear as a dead world and they'd soon lose interest," Prof Kipping added. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (Seti) is the collective term used to describe positive efforts to detect and contact alien life. A number of experiments are currently under way that are trying to see if aliens are actually signalling us with lasers. But just as with the attempts to detect the radio transmissions from aliens, this "optical Seti" approach, as it is known, has also found nothing of interest among the stars… yet. You have been contacting us to tell us about your encounters with the popular personality, who was famous for changing people's lives when she hosted the shows Surprise Surprise and Blind Date. Thank you for your pictures. Email your pictures to [email protected], upload them here, tweet them to @BBC_HaveYourSay or text 61124. If you are outside the UK, send them to the international number +44 7624 800 100. You could also send us pictures on WhatsApp. Our number is: +44 7525 900 971. Read our terms and conditions.

We should shine lasers into space if we want to hide our presence from aliens, two US-based astronomers suggest. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Singer and TV star Cilla Black has died aged 72, her agent has said.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates lost their final legal bid to take their son to the US for treatment. Specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital believe Charlie has no chance of survival. The court agreed, concluding that further treatment would "continue to cause Charlie significant harm". Charlie is thought to be one of 16 children in the world to have mitochondrial depletion syndrome, a condition which causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage. His parents had previously seen a Supreme Court challenge to continue Charlie's life support fail. European Court judges have now concluded it was most likely Charlie was "being exposed to continued pain, suffering and distress" and undergoing experimental treatment with "no prospects of success... would offer no benefit". They said the application presented by the parents was "inadmissible" and said the court's decision was "final". The court "also considered that it was appropriate to lift the interim measure" which had required doctors to continue providing life support treatment to Charlie. BBC health correspondent Fergus Walsh said it is likely Charlie's life support machine will be turned off within a few days following discussions between the hospital and his family. Charlie's parents, from Bedfont, west London, raised £1.3m on a crowdfunding site to pay for the experimental treatment in the US. Ms Yates had already indicated the money would go towards a charity for mitochondrial depletion syndromes if Charlie did "not get his chance". "We'd like to save other babies and children because these medications have been proven to work and we honestly have so much belief in them. "If Charlie doesn't get this chance, we will make sure that other innocent babies and children will be saved", she said. Great Ormond Street Hospital said the decision marked "the end of what has been a very difficult process" and its priority was to "provide every possible support to Charlie's parents as we prepare for the next steps". "There will be no rush to change Charlie's care and any future treatment plans will involve careful planning and discussion," a hospital spokesman said. In April a High Court judge ruled against the trip to America and said Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity. Three Court of Appeal judges upheld the ruling in May and three Supreme Court justices dismissed a further challenge by the parents.

Judges at the European Court of Human Rights have rejected a plea from the parents of terminally-ill baby Charlie Gard to intervene in his case.

BBC England contacted 160 authorities responsible for highways in England, 64 of whom had bus lane cameras. Motoring organisation, the RAC, said the cameras had become a "cash bonanza" for local authorities. Councils say cameras are clearly signed and they expect income to fall as drivers learn to stay out of the lanes. In total, the local authorities revealed an estimated combined income of £31m for 2015-16. The figure is likely to be higher as some councils were unable to break down figures by individual cameras or lanes. The most lucrative bus lane in England is on the northbound section of John Dobson Street in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The council revealed that between 23 February and 31 October 2016 it resulted in 62,975 penalty charge notices, making a total of £1.5m, equivalent to £5,960 a day. About 5,100 drivers caught in the first two months were then given refunds after it was found that signs were "inadequately lit" during the hours of darkness. Drivers and opposition councillors have said the road layout is "confusing". However, Newcastle City Council stressed bus lane cameras were not there to make money and the number of fines had dropped "dramatically" over the past year. A spokeswoman said the bus lane was correctly signposted. She said: "Each year, nine million bus passengers travel along John Dobson Street, where services have seen a 14 per cent improvement in journey time reliability since enforcement started. £130 in Greater London £60 outside London £65 in Greater London if paid within 14 days £30 discounted rate for early payment outside London "We would firmly stress that bus lanes are not there to generate income - they are there to help us to manage our road networks efficiently." In Wolverhampton, a camera installed to stop people using a bus lane as a short cut was making on average £4,750 a day. The council said people had been misusing the lane when coming in and out of the rail station but that it expected the number of fines to fall following a recent change in the road layout. Get the data here For more stories from the BBC England data unit visit our Pinterest board RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: "Bus lane cameras are fast becoming a new 'cash bonanza' for councils. The amount of money being raised by them in fines is frightening. "Rather than just rubbing their hands together and taking the money councils should be asking questions as to why so many motorists are being caught driving in bus lanes." Kevin Lau, the former chief editor of the Ming Pao newspaper, was attacked with a meat cleaver in the street. The two attackers, Yip Kim-wah and Wong Chi-wah, showed no emotion as they were sentenced. The assault prompted street protests by thousands of people complaining about media intimidation. Justice Esther Toh told the court that the assault was "a brazen attack on the rule of law in Hong Kong." The two assailants told police they had each been paid HK$ 100,000 (£8,220; $12,900) to attack Lau. However, they have always refused to say who ordered the attack. Shortly before the attack, Mr Lau had been replaced by a Malaysian editor viewed as pro-Beijing, sparking fears among staff that the paper's independence was under threat. Ming Pao is a respected Chinese-language Hong Kong paper known for its investigative reporting.

Almost 4,000 motorists a day are fined for driving in bus lanes, with the most lucrative camera making £6,000 every 24 hours. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Two men who were found guilty of attacking a former Hong Kong newspaper editor in February 2014 have been sentenced to 19 years in jail.

The Newham Free Academy, a mixed secondary school, was preparing to open in east London in September. But the school has now been withdrawn from the free schools programme. The Department for Education (DFE) confirmed: "Newham Free Academy unfortunately did not progress sufficiently for it to proceed." Free schools - semi-independent state-funded schools - are meant to prove evidence of parental demand before winning approval to set up. The group behind the proposed academy described itself as an "ordinary group of people, parents and families who wish to open a new secondary school in Newham". Newham Free Academy is yet to comment on the collapse of its proposal. Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said: "There are real concerns about the quality control being exercised on free schools." "If there is no demand from parents, why is the government wasting money on pet projects when they should be addressing the crisis in primary school places? "At a time when education funding is being cut by the biggest amount since the 1950s, the government must explain how much money has been spent on failed projects like these." A DFE spokesman said: "All free school applications go through an extremely rigorous process before being approved. "Setting up a free school is not an easy task; securing a site can be particularly difficult and all groups deserve credit for the hard work that they put in at every stage of the process." The DFE confirmed two new free schools - School 21 and the London Academy of Excellence - will be opening in Newham in September.

Plans for a free school in east London have collapsed weeks before it was due to open because there was too little demand from parents.

Mohammed al-Ajami's sentence was reduced to 15 years, his lawyer said. The Supreme Court is due to make a final ruling on his sentence within the next 30 days. Human rights groups have condemned Mr Ajami's conviction, saying his trial was marred by irregularities, with court sessions held in secret. The case against Mr Ajami is said to be based on a poem he wrote in 2010 which criticised the Emir, Sheikh Hamad al-Thani. But activists believe the authorities were angered by a 2011 poem he wrote about authoritarian rule in the region. In the poem Tunisian Jasmine, which he recited and then uploaded to the internet in January 2011, Mr Ajami expressed his support for the uprising in the North African state, saying: "We are all Tunisia in the face of the repressive elite." He also denounced "all Arab governments" as "indiscriminate thieves". Mr Ajami, also known as Mohammed Ibn al-Dheeb, had previously recited a poem that criticised Qatar's emir and was posted online in August 2010. He said the recital had taken place in front of a small, private audience at his home and not in public, challenging the grounds for being charged with incitement. Mohammed Ajami, a father-of-four, has never disputed that he is the author of the poem, but has said it was not meant to be offensive or seditious. As he was led away after the hearing, Mr Ajami shouted "There is no law for this", Reuters news agency reported. Freedom of expression is strictly controlled in Qatar, which has escaped the kind of unrest sweeping other parts of the Middle East, Its human rights record has long been been criticised by campaigners and is a thorny issue in relations with its ally the United States, for whom it hosts a major military base. Reading Borough Council said it had written to Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) demanding action following complaints from residents. People in Cardiff Road had complained of trains parked in sidings with engines idling. GWR has previously said the introduction of electric trains in 2019 will reduce the problem. An online petition set up by residents living close to the GWR depot complained about "low-frequency noise" from trains idling in the early hours of the morning. The council said it has warned GWR and Network Rail it could face an abatement notice. Deputy council leader Tony Page said the responses form the companies had so far been "inadequate". "The council is fully supportive of the huge benefits the realignment of rail lines in and around Reading has brought. "By the same token, the concerns local residents have [about] noise and air pollution are very real and the council is lobbied on these issues regularly. "We hope that escalating local concerns to senior management will prove more effective." Earlier this year, GWR said the noise was within safe levels and it had changed the way it operated trains on the sidings. Jonathan Dart, chairman of the Bell Tower Community Association, said he warmly welcomed the council's announcement to "put an end to the nuisance being caused to the residents of Cardiff Road". However, he criticised the time it took the authority to investigate the issue. "It took nine months and a press campaign for the council to release an officer's report stating that being in part of Cardiff Road at 03:29 was akin to being backstage at the Reading Festival," he said.

A Qatari poet sentenced to life in prison for inciting the overthrow of the government and insulting Qatar's rulers has had his jail term cut. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Noise and air pollution from a new rail depot in Reading could prompt legal action, it has been warned.

The government of the western state of Maharashtra has announced a memorial for the cartoonist, who was cremated with state honours. Laxman died in hospital of multiple-organ failure, aged 94, on Monday. He was renowned for chronicling Indian daily life and politics. His daily cartoon appeared in The Times of India for more than 50 years. He was best known for his iconic "Common Man" character, an eight-foot-tall bronze statue of which was unveiled in Pune in December 2001. "Laxman was not just a cartoonist. What he said through his cartoons will inspire future governments. Though he is no more, the Common Man he created will live forever," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, while announcing the memorial for the cartoonist. Top political leaders and media personalities attended the cremation. By Soutik BiswasIndia correspondent Laxman's daily cartoon in Times of India was known for lampooning political leaders, sparing no-one. One of those caricatured by Laxman, former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, surprised the cartoonist by ringing him up, not to complain, but to request a signed copy of the cartoon to frame. In 2005, the government honoured Laxman with the Indian civilian award Padma Vibhushan. The youngest of six sons, Laxman began drawing as a boy but was turned down to study at Bombay's prestigious Sir JJ School of Art because, it said, he lacked talent. He began working as a cartoonist in the 1940s, working for The Times of India from 1947 just as the country gained independence from Britain. The meeting comes after a public outcry over the murder of a former beauty queen and actress, Monica Spear, who was shot dead on Monday. Mr Maduro urged all politicians to put their differences aside and work together to end rising violence. Venezuela has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Ms Spear, 29, was murdered along with her British-born ex-husband Thomas Berry, 39, in their car. Their five-year-old daughter, who was shot in the leg, is reportedly in a stable condition. The attack, thought to have been a botched robbery, has highlighted Venezuela's skyrocketing murder rate. Ahead of the meeting, the president announced he would act "with an iron fist," saying that the full weight of the law would be brought to bear on the perpetrators of the crime. "The event has undoubtedly touched us all," Mr Maduro said at the presidential palace in the capital, Caracas. He called on all politicians to find a joint solution to the "key problems of our society". The Venezuelan opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, who is the governor of Miranda state, also met and shook hands with the president. It is the first time the two men have met since last year's disputed presidential election. Mr Capriles has never conceded victory to Mr Maduro. The president's meeting with governors and mayors was announced on Tuesday by Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez. "The fight against violence has to involve all the authorities so the criminals know they'll face the full rigour of the law, because we've had enough already," he told a news conference. He said five people had been arrested on suspicion of committing the "vile killing" of Ms Spear, and promised to "use everything we have, the police, the army, against those who will not go down the path of peace". Armed robberies and kidnappings are not unusual in Venezuela, but the death of the former beauty queen, who was a popular actress after being crowned Miss Venezuela in 2004, has been condemned across the country. Fans of Ms Spear, actors and others in the entertainment, rallied in Caracas on Wednesday to demand more be done to fight crime. Mr Capriles posted a message on Twitter addressed to the president calling for a nationwide drive against violence. "Nicolas Maduro, I suggest we put aside our deep differences and get together to fight the lack of security, as one bloc," he wrote.

The funeral of legendary Indian cartoonist RK Laxman has been held in the western city of Pune. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has met the governors of all 23 states and mayors from the most violent cities to co-ordinate action against crime.

WBA and WBO champion Fury called fellow Briton Joshua, 26, "useless" and said boxing was not just about "bodybuilding". Fury also predicted Joshua would be "knocked out" on Saturday by defending champion Charles Martin when they fight for the IBF title Fury was stripped of. "They're hating on my beach body," said Olympic champion Joshua. "If they want, I'll give them some sessions. They can come train with me." Joshua overcame Dillian Whyte with a seventh-round stoppage in his last fight in December to claim the British heavyweight title. The bout against American Martin, who beat Vyacheslav Glazkov for the vacant IBF belt in January, will be his 16th fight as a professional. He has won by knockout in the first 15. Fury was stripped of the IBF title in December after he opted for a rematch against Wladimir Klitschko, rather than face mandatory challenger Glazkov. Joshua added he had "no comments" on Fury's physique. "This is just how I am. There's a lot of jealousy, a lot of negativity, so that's why I shut it down and just focus on myself. "I don't search for their attention. I'm not worried if he backs me or not, because I'll still handle my business. He's not supposed to back me realistically, so I expect no different." The FCA said it was concerned that many retail investors buying "contract for difference" products did not understand them adequately. It also noted that 82% of clients lost money on the products. In the FTSE 250, shares in both CMC Markets and IG Group Holdings sank by more than 30%. Meanwhile Israel-based Plus 500 saw its shares drop 35% after it said the FCA proposals would "have a material operational and financial impact" on its UK regulated subsidiary, which accounts for about 20% of the group's revenues. The benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 13.86 points at 6,760.69. Banking shares helped to lift the index, with shares in HSBC climbing 3.2% after Morgan Stanley upgraded its rating on the company to "equal-weight" from "underweight". Shares in Drax Group jumped 15% after the power producer said it planned to buy energy supplier Opus Energy for £340m. Drax also announced it would buy four gas turbine projects. On the currency markets, the pound edged up 0.1% against the dollar to $1.2737, and rose 0.5% against the euro to €1.1883.

Anthony Joshua says Tyson Fury is jealous of his physique and has offered his heavyweight rival help in training. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Shares in financial spread betting firms have plunged by a third after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) proposed stricter rules for the sector.

The annual Care of Police Survivors (COPS) service was held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire. A roll of honour of police officers who have died on duty over the past year was read out, along with readings by family members. Force representatives laid remembrance wreaths. Jan Berry, chairman of COPS, said: "The Service of Remembrance is a chance for us all to remember those no longer with us - and also to celebrate the memories we have of them. "It is a culmination to a weekend of 'healing, love and life renewed' and is all part of the COPS mission - to help rebuild shattered lives." Peter Colwell, from Capel Uchaf near Clynnog Fawr, was found at the Ship Inn in Llanbedrog at 00:15 GMT on Sunday. North Wales Police Det Supt Iestyn Davies said the results would help them work out what happened that night. Four men, who were Mr Colwell's friends, have been bailed and a shotgun was recovered from the scene. On Monday, Det Supt Davies said while the death was being treated as a murder investigation, "we are keeping an open mind as to the circumstances".

Hundreds of people gathered for a service of remembrance for police officers who have died on duty. [NEXT_CONCEPT] An 18-year-old man died from a single shot gun wound to the head in a pub car park, a post-mortem examination has revealed.

But what does the Finns Party stand for, and how might its involvement in government change the Nordic country's relations with other EU states? Anti-immigration rhetoric is one of the signature themes of the Finns Party, formerly known as the True Finns. The party says immigration to Finland from outside the EU should be permitted only in cases where it brings economic advantage. It says social and health care should be primarily for Finns, and it dismisses some EU immigrants such as the Roma as "criminals" and others as people seeking to take advantage of Finland's welfare services. Refugees should flee to, and remain in, countries neighbouring their own and not come to Finland, it says. The country's aid budget should be abolished entirely and the money handed over to voluntary organisations. In an earlier manifesto, from 2011, the party suggested how demand for labour might be met without immigration. Young women should be persuaded not to study and instead give birth to Finnish babies who would eventually fill the demand for workers, it said. Several Finns Party MPs are active members of nationalist organisations campaigning to change bilingual Finland (where Swedish is an official language) to a unilingual citadel of Finnish. Much of the rhetoric on this issue is highly charged. One of the campaigners' aims is to end mandatory teaching of Swedish in Finnish schools. An initiative to make Swedish voluntary was voted down in parliament during the winter. However, a new policy, supported by the Finns Party, is being tested in municipalities close to the Russian border, where instead of mandatory Swedish, Finnish pupils will have mandatory lessons in Russian instead. The move has been applauded by Moscow, but it sends odd signals to the rest of the EU. The party's origins lie in a split in the Centre Party (then known as the Agrarian League) in 1959, when charismatic former cabinet minister Veikko Vennamo resigned in protest at what he saw as Finland's too-friendly relations with the Soviet Union. After a period of instability and several name changes, he established the Rural Party in 1966. Basing its appeal on defending "forgotten" small-scale farmers, the party jumped from one seat to 18 in the 1970 election. After another split, triggered by a dispute over Mr Vennamo's leadership style, the party bounced back in 1983, winning 17 seats. Led by the founder's son, Pekka, the party criticised its established rivals as mired in bureaucracy and corruption. Policy focused on providing care and support for the poor and unemployed, with a dose of nationalism mixed in. But joining the government proved to be disastrous for the party. It was unable to keep its promise to abolish unemployment within months and fell into another political downturn. By 1995, the party was in ruins, and the True Finns Party was established from its ashes. With only one MP in parliament and the party in severe financial difficulties, Timo Soini took over as chairman in 1997. For three successive elections, the party failed to win significant support. But opportunity came in 2008 with EU economies in crisis. Mr Soini repeatedly accused the government of perpetrating a fraud on the Finnish people, above all for, as he saw it, bailing out spendthrift countries of southern Europe. Beneath the strong Euroscepticism lies a brand of Finnish nationalism that targets refugees, immigrants and the Swedish population in Finland. The 2011 election was a triumph for Mr Soini, whose party won 39 of the 200 seats in parliament, becoming the third biggest party but refusing to join a pro-bailout coalition. In last month's election, the party dropped one seat to 38, but emerged as the second largest party. Mr Soini, whose masters thesis was on populism, is a skilful speaker, talking in a way that appeals to many ordinary Finns. The Finns Party is set to form part of a new coalition government, along with the Centre Party of the likely next Prime Minister, Juha Sipila, and the conservative National Coalition Party. Mr Sipila has begun coalition talks and hopes to announce a new government by the end of the month. With Mr Soini in government, the Finns Party's opposition to any fresh bailout for Greece could complicate Helsinki's relations with Brussels. Whether Mr Soini's party, with its history of splits, will hold together when the next government announces inevitable spending cuts is another story.

Results from Finland's parliamentary elections last month have focused attention on the populist and Eurosceptic Finns Party, which won the second largest number of seats and may join talks with the Centre Party about forming a coalition government.

Adi Taviner and Kerin Lake replace Dyddgu Hywel and Elinor Snowsill in the backs while forwards Catrin Edwards and Rebecca Rowe make way for Amy Evans and Siwan Lillicrap. Robyn Wilkins moves to fly-half while Meg York switches from tighthead prop to loose head. Sioned Harries has been given more time to recover from illness. Media playback is not supported on this device Should she fail to recover, Alisha Butcher will replace the Number eight, who missed Wales' defeat against England. It was their second defeat of a campaign which has seen them beat Scotland and France. Wales are currently fourth in the table and head coach Rhys Edwards has been pleased with his side's progress. "We have shown some excellent attacking intent, and some ruthless defence. We were unlucky not to win last week against England," Edwards said. "We have one more opportunity to go out and put on a good show in front of another big home crowd." Wales women: Adi Taviner (Ospreys/Skewen), Bethan Dainton (Dragons/Bristol), Hannah Jones (Scarlets/Penybanc), Kerin Lake (Ospreys/Skewen), Elen Evans (Scarlets/Caernarfon), Robyn Wilkins (Ospreys/Llandaff North), Keira Bevan (Ospreys Skewen); Megan York (Dragons/Ynysddu), Carys Phillips (Ospreys/Skewen), Amy Evans (Ospreys/Skewen), Shona Powell-Hughes (Ospreys/Skewen), Siwan Lillicrap (Ospreys/Skewen), Rachel Taylor (Dragons/Caernarfon - captain), Sian Williams (Dragons/Worcester), Sioned Harries (Scarlets/Whitland) or Alisha Butchers (Scarlets/Pen y Banc) Replacements: Amy Price (Ospreys/Skewen), Cerys Hale (Dragons / Pontyclun), Catrin Edwards (Scarlets/Llandaff North), Rebecca Rowe (Dragons/Richmond), Sioned Harries (Scarlets/Whitland) or Alisha Butchers (Scarlets/Pen y Banc), Elinor Snowsill (Dragons/Bristol), Gemma Rowland (Dragons / Wasps), Dyddgu Hywel (Scarlets/Pontyclun) The woman, who is in her 80s, was struck by the bus in Church Hill Place just after 08:00. The road was closed but reopened at about 08:45.

Wales Women have made four changes and two positional switches for Sunday's final Six Nations game against Italy. [NEXT_CONCEPT] An elderly woman has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after being hit by a bus in Edinburgh.

The 21-year-old arrived on a one-month emergency loan and has made seven league appearances for the U's. The extended deal makes Waring eligible for all competitions, including Oxford's Johnstone's Paint Trophy final against Barnsley on 3 April. "I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here," he told the club's website. The proposal with The Silvertown Partnership includes an avenue of "brand pavilions" and 1,500 homes. It is hoped the plans for the Newham site, owned by the Greater London Authority, could create 9,000 jobs and add £6.5bn to the economy by 2038. A planning application will be submitted over the next year. As part of the plans a new bridge will be built, connecting the area to the ExCel and providing access to a new Crossrail station. Mr Johnson said: "The confirmation of this deal to return Silvertown Quays to its former glory will bring thousands of new homes and jobs back to east London." Elliot Lipton of The Silvertown Partnership said: "Stand-alone brand pavilions have been built for the last decade around the world but this will be the first time that a brand park has been developed. "These pavilions will also allow global brands to influence the online spending decisions of customers, which will be worth up to a total value of £221bn by 2016." Sir Robin Wales, mayor of Newham, said: "This proposal will help to unlock future developments and investment." If approved it is hoped work will begin in 2014-15 and first businesses will move in by 2017. Police were called to a property in Rectory Road, Sittingbourne, on Thursday, following concern for the welfare of an elderly woman. Jean Robertson, 85, was pronounced dead on the way to hospital, Kent Police said. Stuart Lay, 44, of Homewood Avenue, Sittingbourne, has been charged with murder and remains in custody. Officials say the police will patrol the Stade de France stadium as well as the Fan Zone near the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees boulevard. But there will be no victory parade if France win, the officials warned. Police and the army have been patrolling Paris since last November's attacks in which 130 people died. Jihadist gunmen and suicide bombers attacked a number of venues, including the Stade de France. French officials say about 1,900 police officers will patrol the Fan Zone, while another 3,400 will be deployed at the Champs Elysees - some of them will be moved from the stadium, just north of Paris, after the final kicks off at 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT). "We have the extremely favourable ratio of one officer for fewer than 50 spectators. So it is an extremely high standard," said Mathias Vicherat, the Paris mayor's chief of staff. But officials have said that there will be no victory parade on the Champs Elysees in the event of a French win because of security concerns. More than one million people celebrated France's 1998 World Cup victory there. Police and security forces have already successfully patrolled 11 matches played so far at the Stade de France and at another Paris stadium, the Parc des Princes. However, the authorities have been criticised for their inability to prevent clashes between rival fans at a stadium in Marseille and also on the streets of the southern city. The 28-year-old Israel international, who is recovering from surgery on an ankle injury, will remain at the Amex Stadium until the summer of 2019. Kayal has scored three goals in 72 appearances for the Seagulls since joining from Celtic in January 2015. "It is important to us that we keep hold of our key players," Albion boss Chris Hughton said.

Oxford United have completed a deal to keep on-loan Stoke City striker George Waring at the League Two club until the end of the season. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Silvertown Quays in London's Royal Docks could be "transformed" into a shopping destination in a £1.5bn deal, mayor Boris Johnson has said. [NEXT_CONCEPT] A man has been charged with murder after an 85-year-old woman died on her way to hospital. [NEXT_CONCEPT] More than 5,000 French police will be deployed at key venues in and around Paris ahead of the Euro 2016 football final between France and Portugal. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Brighton midfielder Beram Kayal has signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with the Championship club.

The Bulls announced in March they needed £1m to stay afloat and are thought to owe over £600,000 now. Joint-administrator Brendan Guilfoyle said: "We have just 10 working days to save the club from liquidation because there are no funds to carry on longer. "If anyone is interested in buying the Bulls we need to hear from them, this club is on the brink of extinction." He added: "The directors made every effort to try to save the club within the 14-day timescale issued by the courts, but the moratorium ended on Monday without any potential buyer coming forward." The position of the staff is that their wages were paid for June but there may be redundancies The Bulls, who are currently ninth in the Super League table, are one of the most decorated sides in English rugby league. They have been crowned Super League champions four times, with their last victory coming in 2005, and won the Challenge Cup on five occasions. Administration means the Rugby Football League is now likely to hand them a points deduction and this would almost certainly scupper their hopes of making the play-offs for the first time since 2008. Guilfoyle admitted that the meeting he had held with the club's staff prior to the public announcement about going into administration had seen tempers flare. "The position of the staff is that their wages were paid for June but there may be redundancies," he told BBC Radio Leeds. "The meeting I held with the staff was very difficult and the longer it went on the greater the feeling of animosity there was towards the directors who were there. "There's a general feeling of unhappiness but I hope they realise that by binding together they can demonstrate what a fantastic club this is." Media playback is not supported on this device Former acting chairman Stephen Coulby revealed the club was in a worse predicament when he came in in the middle of May than had been thought and this has put potential investors off. "Within 24 hours of getting through the door we found the situation was worse than we had previously assumed," he said "We ultimately came to a figure of £1.2m to keep the business running to next year. "What people have been saying to us is why would they put in money now when they can't see the club benefiting to the extent they want." It is understood Bradford currently owe £196,000 in PAYE tax for May and June, plus an outstanding VAT bill of £250,000 from the sale of the lease of Odsal to the RFL, while the monthly wage bill is over £200,000. On 14 June it was revealed that the club could be forced to go into administration after being served with a winding-up petition by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs over unpaid tax. Bradford shocked the rugby league world in March when they announced that they needed to raise £1m to stay afloat after an impending tax bill and a changed banking lending arrangement left them short of money. World Club Championship - 2002, 2004, 2006 Super League champions - 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005 Minor Premiers - 1999, 2001, 2003 Grand Finalists - 1999, 2002, 2004 Challenge Cup winners - 1943-44, 1946-47, 1948-49, 2000, 2003. Having asked supporters to pledge £100 and carrying out a number of fundraising activities they were able to raise their initial target of £500,000. Attempts to pull in further investments were unsuccessful and chairman Peter Hood stepped down last month after a series of disagreements with majority shareholder Chris Caisley. Coulby admitted the club were at serious risk of going into administration at the start of June. The Bulls become the third Super League side in three seasons to enter administration after Yorkshire rivals Wakefield faced similar difficulties last year and Welsh outfit Crusaders in 2010. Crusaders were then liquidated in 2011, with Widnes Vikings taking their place in Super League. Bulls forward Ian Sibbit said on Twitter: "Super League wouldn't be the same without Bradford Bulls. Let's hope our great club can be saved." Current Super League licences are not up for renewal again until 2014 so the Bulls' place in the elite of the sport should be safe, assuming they can sort out their financial problems.

Bradford Bulls have entered administration and face "extinction" if a buyer is not found within 10 days.

Jonathon Brown, 37, of Holywell, Flintshire, denies causing the death of Andrew Green, 39, by driving carelessly. The incident happened at Ffynnongroyw, about five miles east of Prestatyn, Denbighshire, in June 2015. Mr Brown told Caernarfon Crown Court he was still haunted by the collision. The court has heard that the bin wagon was stationary and had lights flashing when the coach passed taking children to school, going in the same direction. The prosecution said on Monday Mr Green crossed the road ahead of the lorry and the bus driver was unable to stop before hitting him. The court heard how Mr Brown was driving at 33mph in a 30mph zone. However, on Tuesday, he denied being distracted. He told the jury: "I don't understand why he ran, that's the bit that haunts me." The trial continues. That does not include multiple Wales internationals across both rugby codes. Webb's selection continues the fine sporting record of the Bridgend school. "I used to look at the board and see how many British and Irish Lions were on it," Webb told BBC Scrum V Radio. Webb joins Jack Matthews, JPR Williams, Gareth Williams, Mike Hall, Rob Howley, Dafydd James and Gavin Henson as Lions to have attended the school. "I knew some of them because they were in my time but some of them I hadn't really heard of, but you always used to count them. It shows what an immense school and breeding ground for talent it is," Webb continued. "There's still a good rugby base there and a lot of young talent coming up through the ranks, so it's great." Brynteg is not the only school to celebrate former pupils being called up to Warren Gatland's Lions squad. Wales pair Dan Biggar and Liam Williams both attended Gowerton School in Swansea. Adam Rosser, head of physical education at Brynteg, says instilling a positive philosophy into the pupils contributes to their success. "The children have got a good background of what the game is all about and we just tweak it slightly, and encourage them to take part," he told BBC Scrum V Radio. "We're fully aware that not everybody has got to play rugby union but everybody has got to go to school and when they get to us in September, they know through family of the contribution Brynteg has made." As well as breeding future talent, Rosser says the school and its students are aware of the impact they, and the wider community, have made. "We're extremely proud of what the school has done. We know that it's not just the school in isolation. We're supported by the local club game as well," Rosser continued. "The local clubs in the Bridgend district work their socks off and we're extremely grateful for the contribution that they make." Media playback is not supported on this device Whereas some players have uploaded their joyous reaction to their Lions call-up on social media, Webb says that his own discovery was an experience he went through alone. "I shot home from training. We had the option to watch it in training but I knew I'd have the house to myself so I put it on pause, gave myself time to have a coffee and a chocolate bar and watched it then," Webb said. "Then if there was disappointment then I could pout in the house on my own. I made it, so I fist-pumped in the house on my own and give it a big scream. I was over the moon. "I had no one to hug or high five. Everyone was out and about. Lucky enough my mate called over and we celebrated, and two-and-a-half hours later my mum and dad decided to answer the phone."

A school coach driver whose vehicle was in a fatal collision with a binman has denied being distracted and taking his eye "off the ball". [NEXT_CONCEPT] To the uninitiated it might look like any other secondary school, but Brynteg Comprehensive School produced its eighth British and Irish Lion when Ospreys and Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb was called up on Wednesday.

The Save Farm Terrace Allotment group has asked for a judicial review into a decision to allow land behind Watford Football Club to be developed. Campaigners say the historic allotments could be part of the plan. Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said that would lead to an "inferior scheme". Developers behind the Watford Health Campus project on a 30-hectare site say it is designed to regenerate land between the club and the hospital. West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust plans to move key clinics and some surgery there from other parts of the county. The overall scheme would include shops, a school, new homes and affordable housing, Watford Borough Council said. Allotment holders won an appeal against the council's first plan last August, when Communities Secretary Eric Pickles reversed his original decision to grant permission to close the allotments. But this was overturned in December, when a revised scheme was accepted by Mr Pickles. Sara Jane Trebar from the campaign group said it was challenging this decision on the grounds the secretary of state was "misled" about the allotment land being "critical to the viability of the project". It believes the allotments could be included "without risking the development". "The allotments have supported communities throughout centuries and it is very important it stays the green land that it is," she said. Elected Liberal Democrat mayor Ms Thornhill said the decision to include the allotments in the development area had been taken with "regret and sadness" but the area contributed to the health campus project's "viability". "[Experts told us] if you want the quality scheme you want, if you want the best shot for the hospital to stay in Watford in the future then we have to include the allotments," she said. "[If not] it actually means there is a financial risk to the scheme and we would then lose the ability to give the hospital the flexibility it needs to plan its future," she said. "You would have a completely inferior scheme." The government's target is 95%, however, figures from September showed only 45% were being seen. Children's mental health in Kent is handled by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. In Sussex the trust has met the government target. Clinical Director Dr Saqib Latif said services in Kent were "stretched". Children are treated for a range of mental health problems including depression, anxiety, ADHD and autism. Dr Latif said: "We are able to achieve the targets in Sussex, which shows it is achievable... but we are currently stretched beyond our capacity in Kent. "The number of referrals we're receiving in Kent is much higher than expected by about 25%. "And the number of emergency referrals in one month is equivalent to what we were expecting to receive in the whole year." He said extra funding had been agreed to help reduce waiting times. The Sussex trust took over from Kent and Medway Partnership Trust in 2012, because some patients in West Kent had waited 18 months for an initial assessment. 95% of children should be seen within six weeks of referral, according to NHS guidelines 45% of children are seen in Kent within six weeks Lucy Russell, from the charity Young Minds, said services were underfunded, adding that half of mental health problems start before a person is 16 years old. "They are under incredible pressure and there's been a number of funding cuts and young people being referred to theses services is increasing," she said. "Having targets like that is a good thing but it doesn't look good when those targets aren't reached."

If a legal fight by a group opposed to building a new health campus on 118-year-old allotments continues it will put the whole plan at risk, a council has said. [NEXT_CONCEPT] More than half of children and teenagers in Kent with mental health problems are not seen by a specialist within six weeks of being referred.

Original cast members Tyger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche and Ramona Marquez are all set to reprise their roles as the children - Jake, Ben and Karen. Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner will return as parents Pete and Sue. "The first reaction will probably be, 'My God, the kids are huge now!'" creator Andy Hamilton told the Telegraph. Drew-Honey is now aged 20, while Roche is 16 and Marquez is 15. Hamilton continued: "The second reaction will be the one the writers have been getting since the series started in 2007: 'I reckon you must have cameras in our house.'" The last series of Outnumbered aired in 2014. The BBC sitcom follows the Brockman family, in which the three boisterous children outnumber the parents. The series is known for its improvisational dialogue and has previously won three British Comedy Awards. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. The 28-year-old, who returned in January after more than a year out with a knee injury, has made more than 250 appearances for Forest. "Since I first started playing football I always wanted to stay at a club for 10 years," he told Forest's website. Winger Oliver Burke, 18, has also extended his stay, signing a new four-and-a-half-year deal. Academy product Burke has made 13 appearances this season, scoring two goals.

Outnumbered is set to return for a one-off Christmas special, the show's creators have confirmed. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Nottingham Forest midfielder Chris Cohen has signed a one-year contract extension with the Championship club.

The report, which was compiled by Birmingham City Council's licensing team, contains police allegations that up to £93,042 was taken from customers of Legs 11 on Broad Street. The council has suspended the club's alcohol licence, pending a full review. Legs 11 has not responded to a request for a comment. In the council report Supt Andy Parsons said two men had claimed they were drugged, with one testing positive for methadone with a home testing kit. The force is also investigating claims large amounts of money was taken from people's bank accounts without their knowledge. Some customers had paid for dances "in a private area" but additional transactions were taking place that they had not authorised, he said. One victim claimed he had lost as much as £19,417. "In this year alone, four fraud offences have been reported totalling £23,965 with two of the victims reporting they had been drugged," he said. "One of the victims went as far as getting a home drug test kit which indicated he was under the influence of methadone. This victim had £9,000 taken from his credit card." The club was being investigated over 17 fraud-related allegations since 2013, West Midlands Police said. Supt Parsons added "intelligence checks" suggested the club was linked to "organised crime groups from Albania". "These premises are involved in serious criminality and serious offences are being committed at the premises," he said. The report also contained details of an undercover trading standards investigation, during which officers were offered sexual services in a locked room for a fee of £1,000 and were "rubbed" by naked dancers, contravening the club's licence. The 30-year-old Germany midfielder is believed to have told Bayern he did not want to extend his contract, which runs until 2016. United announced in a club statement on Saturday that they had reached an agreement to sign him. "I hope you understand my decision," Schweinsteiger told fans on Twitter. The World-Cup winner said he was moving to United to "gain experience at a new club". "No one can take away the incredible journey we had together. The decision was very hard to make because you and Bayern have, are and will always be an extremely important part of my life," he added. The Old Trafford club hope to complete the medical to enable Schweinsteiger to be involved in their tour of the US. Louis van Gaal's men fly out to America on Monday afternoon and will be based in Seattle for their first game against Mexican team Club America on Friday. Bayern's chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "It's regrettable because Bastian meant a great deal to the club. "He achieved great things but he wants to do something new at the end of his career. He asked that we meet his wishes." Schweinsteiger has made 536 appearances for Bayern since his debut in 2002 and played under Van Gaal while the Dutchman was in charge at Bayern between 2009 and 2011. He helped his country win the 2014 World Cup and has one Champions League, eight Bundesliga titles and seven domestic cup triumphs to his name while at the German club. Bayern defender and former German captain Philipp Lahm said: "We have to simply respect and accept his decision. He's looking for a new challenge, but for me it's an absolute pity he is going." United identified Schweinsteiger earlier this summer as a high-profile player they were interested in, along with Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos. United have made two other signings this summer - £31m-winger Memphis Depay arrived from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in June - and on Saturday Italian defender Matteo Darmian signed for an undisclosed fee from Torino. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

A lap dancing club allegedly drugged customers and charged thousands of pounds of unauthorised transactions to their credit cards, a report claims. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Bastian Schweinsteiger has thanked Bayern Munich fans as he has a medical on Sunday before his proposed move to Manchester United.

The vandals appear to have used red spray paint to write "[expletive] law" early on Tuesday morning, the National Park Service said in a statement. Crews are removing it with a "gel-type architectural paint stripper that is safe for use on historic stone". US Civil War memorials have become a lightning rod in the US race debate. Other "undecipherable graffiti" was found written in silver paint on a nearby sign directing tourists to the Smithsonian Institution on Washington's National Mall public park. President Lincoln led the northern Union government to defeat the secessionist Confederacy and ordered African-American slaves to be freed in 1863. He was assassinated in Washington only five days after southern General Robert E Lee surrendered, effectively ending the war. The statue of General Lee became a flashpoint over the weekend, when white supremacists clashed with anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, over that monument's removal. A protester died after she was run over, and President Donald Trump was widely criticised in US media for failing to immediately lay blame for the violence on the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi groups. Statues to Confederate leaders have been targeted for removal by many cities across the US, including Charlottesville, following a 2015 hate attack by a man in South Carolina who used the rebel flag to espouse his racist views. After Saturday's violence several more cities announced plans to remove their monuments to the Confederacy. Baltimore, Maryland; Lexington, Kentucky; Memphis, Tennessee; and Jacksonville, Florida have all announced proposals to remove controversial monuments. On Monday, protesters in Durham, North Carolina, toppled a bronze statue to a Confederate leader as police filmed the crowd. Durham County Sheriff Mike Andrews later issued a statement saying police are reviewing the video in an effort to identify and prosecute those responsible for bringing down the 1924 statue.

The memorial to President Abraham Lincoln, who led the US through the Civil War, has been vandalised in Washington DC.

A silver Peugeot 107 came off the B4291, Birchgrove Road, Birchgrove, at about 20:30 BST on Saturday and hit a tree. The man who was driving the car was taken to the city's Morriston Hospital after being seriously injured. Passengers in the car also required treatment, but their injuries were less serious. The crash happened about half a mile north of the junction with Heol Las.

A man has been seriously injured after the car he was driving hit a tree in Swansea.

Dale Williams and Larkin Cen set up their business Hokkei on Crwys Road, a year after reaching the final of the amateur cooking show in 2013. Hokkei failed to reopen after Christmas and the company website has been taken offline. A meeting of creditors will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Newport on 1 February. Their venture had been covered in a four-part BBC Wales documentary called Larkin and Dale's Takeaway Revolution. Mr Cen remained the sole director after Mr Williams resigned last summer and another director, Alan Heycock, resigned late in 2015. CVR Global has been appointed to deal with the insolvency.

An Asian takeaway business founded by two Masterchef finalists in Cardiff has gone into administration.

Islington Council said the move was necessary to improve air quality in the borough. The authority said pollutants in diesel exhausts had been linked to heart and lung disease. But a motoring group said drivers were confused by the penalising of one fuel over another as today's diesel cars were the "cleanest ever". Mike Hawes, from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: "Bans and parking taxes on diesel vehicles therefore make no sense from an environmental point of view. "The allegations against diesel cars made in recent months threaten to misguide policy-making and undermine public confidence in diesel. It's time to put the record straight." The surcharge, which will be imposed by Islington Council from Monday, coincides with an increase in its parking permits. The cost of an Islington resident's permit depends on the emission or engine size of their vehicle with the highest priced at £444 for a year from Monday. This was found to be the highest charge for some drivers in the capital, according to a recent survey carried out by Churchill Car Insurance. Claudia Webbe, the council's executive member for transport and environment, said diesel fumes were the "major cause of pollution." She added: "Pollutants in diesel exhausts have been linked to heart and lung diseases, which are major causes of serious and long-term health issues and even death in Islington, and the surcharge will encourage a move away from diesel." In 2014 the council threatened to hand out £20 fines to drivers who refused to switch off their diesel engines while parked.

A London council will be charging residents with diesel cars an extra £96 for their parking permits.

The 18-year-old was dragged from a bus stop in Beeston and bludgeoned with a stone before being sexually assaulted. Police have already visited 1,000 homes and taken swabs from 250 men since the attack on 6 March. Officers are testing anyone broadly fitting the description of the offender. Det Supt Nick Wallen, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "The offender's movements on the night of the attack strongly suggest the attacker has a link to the Beeston area. "This mass swabbing operation is just one aspect of the investigation but it is vitally important for us to be able eliminate as many potential suspects as possible. "The fact that we have a full DNA profile for the offender means that nobody has anything to fear about being wrongly implicated or telling us about anyone they have suspicions about." Detectives previously released images and a description of the attacker, who is thought to be in his early 20s and of Pakistani or Middle Eastern origin. On the night of the attack, he was wearing a green Puma hooded top and white trainers. An image of a footwear mark recovered from the victim's clothing has now been released and is thought to be from a Nike 'Huarache' shoe. "These types of trainers are mass produced and widely available, but I would ask people to consider it alongside all the other elements of description and consider whether it points to a particular individual," Det Supt Wallen said. It recently emerged three other women were stalked by the suspect prior to the attack on Beeston Road. Police have warned women on the city to be on their guard. Welshman Bale, 25, has been jeered by fans of the Spanish club in recent weeks. He was also criticised by some sections of the media following Saturday's 4-0 defeat by local rivals Atletico Madrid. "He can handle that no problem at all," said Coleman. "I'm not worried about him. If you go to Madrid for that amount of money and you know that the spotlight is on you then you can either handle it or you can't handle it." Bale has been jeered by some Real supporters in the past few weeks for not passing the ball to Cristiano Ronaldo 'Disaster', 'irrelevant' and 'listless' were some of the words the Spanish media used to describe his performance in the European champions' worst derby defeat since a 5-0 loss in 1947. "In [Bale's] first season they won the Champions League, which was their holy grail - and he was a huge part of that campaign," said Coleman. "It's his turn now to get some criticism. "It won't bother him. He'll be fine. He'll get through it." Coleman is also confident the criticism will not affect his star man before Wales' key Euro 2016 qualifier against Israel in March. Wales remain unbeaten and second in Group B, one point behind leaders Israel. The Wales manager believes that the international break next month will work in Bale's favour. "He can come away with us and forget about [the criticism] and block it out," said Coleman. "He'll be focused on [European qualification] when he'll be with us. No doubt about it."

Detectives investigating the rape and attempted murder of a woman in Leeds are conducting a mass DNA swabbing operation in the hunt for her attacker. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Wales manager Chris Coleman says Real Madrid's Welsh winger Gareth Bale can handle the "unfair" criticism he is getting.

Officials say in 2016 there were around 240 incidents of verbal and physical abuse, compared to 180 the year before. One examiner was told to "start running... because I'm going to mow you down" when he failed a driver. Two-thirds of all attacks on agency staff in Britain, including roadside enforcement, were against examiners. A trial of body cameras for some front-line staff could be extended to include driving examiners in future. The cameras are currently being used by officials testing commercial vehicles at roadsides or authorised centres. The DVSA said test examiners also faced death threats while a lorry driver tried to run enforcement cars off the road. In March, a learner from West Yorkshire was asked to stop the car after making a number of serious errors. The candidate swore at the examiner and drove "wildly" across a dual carriageway forcing the assessor to use their dual controls to stop the car. Another driver made a false claim against one of the DVSA's traffic officers, the agency says it was one instance of the bullying they receive. Source: DVSA DVSA Chief Executive, Gareth Llewellyn, said: "I am immensely proud of my colleagues at DVSA, all of whom work incredibly hard to help you stay safe on Britain's roads. We do not tolerate anyone abusing, threatening or assaulting them. "Our message is clear - whatever has happened, don't take it out on our staff. If you do, we'll press for the strongest possible penalties." The agency has also promised to refer all threats and assaults to the police and to make any candidate, who is being abusive, take their next test at a different location. The DVSA said in some extremely rare cases, driving instructors have tried to change the outcome of the test by harassing or threatening examiners. They face being taken off of the approved driving instructor register.

Driving examiners are increasingly being threatened and sworn at by candidates who fail their tests, the Driving Vehicle Standards Agency says.

Sale have complained to the Rugby Football Union that confidential team information was passed to Bristol before their Premiership fixture at the AJ Bell Stadium on 1 January, which the visitors won 24-23. Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond confirmed wing Tom Arscott has been suspended since 4 January. Diamond also told BBC Radio Manchester that there was "no suggestion" from Sale that Bristol, who deny any wrongdoing, had asked one brother to obtain information from the other. The Sharks have lost their past 10 matches in all competitions. Tainton, who has been in interim charge of bottom-of-the-table side Bristol since November, said: "We are aware of Sale contacting the RFU with regards to a complaint. "We have yet to hear from the RFU about this. From what we are aware, we are entirely confident that Bristol Rugby has done nothing wrong and we have not acted in a way that is against the spirit and values of rugby. "Tom and Luke met on New Year's Eve at the team hotel - which is not unusual for families living in different parts of the country. "However, following the conversation between the brothers, nothing was said or passed to the Bristol coaches of any sporting value, nor did it change the strategy in which we approached the game in any way, shape or form." Diamond explained: "For us to do our internal investigation and disciplinary, we have to inform the governing body of what we're doing, and that's where we're at. It is now in the hands of the RFU. "When you sign a professional contract, team information is sacrosanct to the team's performance and that can't be discussed with opposition teams, that's the top and bottom of it. "In the contract, the passing of information is forbidden." Neither Sale's Arscott, who signed from London Welsh in 2013, or Bristol's Arscott, who has previously played for clubs including Exeter Chiefs and Bath, entered the field during the match. "Luke has carried on training," added Tainton. "We believe that he has done nothing wrong or that jeopardises Bristol rugby." Alex Hales added just five runs to his overnight score of 136 before he was bowled by Andre Adams (3-93). The away side benefitted from a last wicket partnership of 47 between Jake Ball and Sam Wood to end on 371. Hampshire reached 167-4 in response with with Jimmy Adams (61) the top scorer before bad light forced the sides from the pitch early. The day began well for the home side, with the in-form Hales, Vernon Philander and Will Gidman (34) all falling in quick succession. However, Ball and Wood's tenth-wicket partnership gave the visitor's some momentum which Philander continued to bowl Liam Dawson in the third over of the reply. Luke Wood (2-44) then accounted for Michael Carberry (30) and Adams before James Vince was run out trying to push for two. Will Smith (25 not out) was joined by Adam Wheater before the light closed in and play was brought to a close. Hampshire all-rounder Andre Adams: "I think before Vince got out we were nice and poised. We are one partnership away from parity. "After yesterday's toil it was nice to get a bit of reward from a bowling point of view. I think we bowled very nicely and if we continue, it will stand us in good stead. "For us we were thinking about how to stop Hales from scoring and dominate today's play, so to get him out early was a bonus." Nottinghamshire bowler Luke Wood: "It was a good day for us. We feel like we are on top and can maybe force a win in the next couple of days. "We bowled well as a collective on a decent wicket but we still have some work to do in the morning. "It was tough losing Jake Ball early but I think we worked hard and covered for him. It is never easy when you are a bowler light but we dealt with it well." North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust said its former patient records setup was labour intensive and in need of replacement. The new £7m computerised system means patient details will be accessible on screen to all health professionals. It has been two years in the planning, and comes into effect on Monday. Lynne Hodgson, from the trust, said "a massive amount of training has taken place" but they were "still expecting some teething problems". "We're just asking at this time that patients and relatives bear with us while the new system is bedding in," she added.

Sale's Tom Arscott met Bristol back and brother Luke Arscott before their teams played, but "nothing of any sporting value" was passed on to the coaches, according to Bristol boss Mark Tainton. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Hampshire and Nottinghamshire fought hard on an even second day to leave the game well poised at the Ageas Bowl. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Patients on Teesside are being asked to bear with the health trust while a new electronic records system comes online.

Philip Spence, 33, was convicted at Southwark Crown Court in October of three counts of attempted murder. Spence attacked the sisters from the United Arab Emirates at the Cumberland Hotel in Marble Arch on 6 April. He hit one of his victims with such force that she lost part of her brain and can no longer speak. Spence, from Harlesden in north-west London, had admitted the attack, but denied attempted murder. He hit one of his victims, Ohoud Al-Najjar, 34, with such force her skull split open as her nine-year-old nephew cowered under the sheets beside her. She survived the attack but was left with just 5% brain function, lost sight in one eye and can no longer speak. Her sisters Khulood, 36, and Fatima, 31, were both left with life threatening injuries and still require medical treatment. In victim impact statements read to the court, Fatima Al-Najjar said the injuries to Ohoud had left her with a "living dead sister". Sentencing him to life with a minimum term of 18 years, Judge Anthony Leonard QC said: "It is nothing short of a miracle combined with the finest medical attention that led to Ohoud surviving the attack. "You used deliberate and gratuitous violence over what was needed to carry out the robbery." "The ferocity of that attack was such you left one woman so badly injured she will never walk again unaided." Earlier, prosecutor Simon Mayo QC said: "Spence's intention, as the jury concluded, was to kill them." He fled the scene with a suitcase containing iPads, gold jewellery and mobile phones. He dumped the claw hammer just outside the hotel in Marble Arch, the court heard. Mr Mayo said CCTV footage captured Spence on a bus as he examined the stolen items. "Bearing in mind that less than an hour earlier he had carried out a vicious and sustained attack with a hammer on three defenceless women, his concern appears to have been the profit that he might make from his awful crime, rather than the plight of his unfortunate victims," the prosecutor said. Judge Leonard said it was relevant that Spence carried out his attack in front of Khulood's three children, aged seven, 10 and 12. "It is impossible to say what long-term affect this incident will have on the children," the judge said. "Hardened police officers and paramedics who attended the scene said what they saw was horrendous and the worst they had seen across their careers. "I'm sure you represent a significant risk to the public of serious harm." Following the sentencing, Det Ch Insp Andy Chalmers said: "The level of violence Spence chose to use was extraordinary and completely unnecessary for him to steal, as he had set out to do that night." Spence has 37 convictions for 62 offences going back to 1993 including theft, drug offences, grievous bodily harm, robbery and burglary. In October, he was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary during the attack. Neofitos "Thomas" Efremi, 57, from Islington, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary. He was sentenced to 14 years and told he would serve half of his term before being released on licence. James Moss, 34, of Hanley Road, north London, who pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods, was sentenced to 21 months, suspended for two years.

A man who bludgeoned three sisters with a claw hammer in a London hotel while their children slept alongside them has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years.

Aiden Webb, 22, from Norwich, set off to climb Fansipan mountain on 3 June. He died after slipping down a waterfall and his body was found six days after he set off. His father Trever Webb said he and mother Simone could only "proceed" by returning to thank those who helped find him. Aiden Webb, an experienced climber, planned to conquer the 3,100m (10,300ft) high mountain alone in a day. But he died just over 24 hours later as he tried to find his way back to safety after being forced off the main trail by a landslide. On a Facebook memorial page set up in his son's name, Mr Webb wrote: "We are able to proceed at this moment only by the thought of returning to Sapa, to offer support in any way to the people who helped to find you, son, for us. "We would want you to be as proud of us as we are of you, Aiden." Mr Webb had gone to Vietnam with his girlfriend Bluebell Baughan, 24, of White Notley, Essex. She was in contact with him by phone from the nearby town of Sapa when Mr Webb told her he had fallen into a ravine and had cut his arm open on a rock, hurt his knee and lost his way. His phone stopped working shortly after 06:15 when he agreed Miss Baughan should raise the alarm. Vietnamese TV said about 150 people were involved in the search for Mr Webb and a specialist team was brought in. Investigations showed Mr Webb died on impact after falling 18m (60ft) into a shallow pool at about 07:00 on 4 June. His parents plan to return to Vietnam at Christmas. The annual ceremony, now in its 23rd year, celebrates "the most egregious passage of sexual description in a work of fiction". The former Smiths frontman has been nominated for his first novel, List of the Lost. It includes a reference to "one giggling snowball of full-figured copulation" and a "bulbous salutation". Other books nominated so far include Erica Jong's Fear of Dying, which includes the passage: "You raised the kundalini... like an electric snake in your spine", and celebrated screenwriter George Pelecanos' The Martini Shot. Michael Ashcroft and Isabel Oakeshott's Call Me Dave, an unauthorised biography of Prime Minister David Cameron, was brought to the judges' attention because of an allegation, by an unnamed source, about an initiation ceremony in which Mr Cameron is said to have taken part. However, the Review said: "That assertion was so flimsily corroborated as to resemble fiction but, regrettably, the biographers displayed insufficient literary brio to merit serious consideration." The purpose of the prize is "to draw attention to poorly written, perfunctory or redundant passages of sexual description in modern fiction, and to discourage them". It does not cover pornographic or expressly erotic literature. Last year's prize went to Booker Prize winner Ben Okri for The Age of Magic. The winning content read: "When his hand brushed her nipple it tripped a switch and she came alight. He touched her belly and his hand seemed to burn through her. "He lavished on her body indirect touches and bitter-sweet sensations flooded her brain." Other winners of the prize include Melvyn Bragg, Norman Mailer and AA Gill. This year's award will be announced at the aptly named In and Out Club, in London.

The parents of a backpacker who fell to his death climbing Vietnam's highest mountain plan to return to thank those who tried to save their son. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Morrissey is the favourite to win Literary Review's 2015 Bad Sex in Fiction Award.

The Glasgow-based company said sales leapt by £14m (29%) in the first quarter, compared with the same period last year. Between January and March, bookings for long-haul destinations grew by 40% while cruise bookings also rose sharply. Barrhead said travellers had been keen to put the winter behind them. Chief executive Sharon Munro said: "Scottish holidaymakers have been flocking in their droves to book a summer getaway following the poor weather over the winter months. "January to March is always a busy time for us, however, this year we've enjoyed an exceptional response from travellers looking to jet off to foreign shores. "Our Barrhead Travel BA charter flights have been a huge success since we launched them four years ago and as a result we've expanded the routes every year since. "Through the direct flights we've been able to offer new links to popular cruise departure points like Majorca and Venice - which we doubled this year." She added: "Long-haul bookings are also always popular and this year, with increased capacity through our suppliers, we've been able to offer new routes through Glasgow and Edinburgh - giving travellers more options than ever." The average 50mph enforcement cameras on the two-mile stretch went live in January with fines of up to £100. On average, just under 80 people a day were caught in the first two months with figures peaking at weekends. The cameras are the first to go into operation on a Welsh section of the M4. During a pilot before Christmas around 700 drivers a day were caught. Chris Hume, from GoSafe, the Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership, said the figures were disappointing. "Excessive and inappropriate speed remains a factor in collisions, associated fatalities, serious injuries and, in this case, also contributes to the traffic congestion around Junctions 40 and 41," he said. "On average there are still 80 motorists [on a daily basis] showing a complete disregard for the speed limit and putting lives at risk, especially given the degree of media attention this location has received and the work we have undertaken within the community." Anyone caught within a certain speed will be offered a speed awareness course at a cost of £85 and will not have points on their licence. The money goes towards the course and road safety funding. The other option is three points with a £100 fine. Anyone who goes over that limit will not be eligible for the course. The money from that fine goes to the Treasury. A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We are assessing the effect of the average speed enforcement system on traffic flows as part of the trial part-time closure of junction 41 westbound on-slip, and the results will form part of the report into the trial, which will be published in due course." "The Blade" is the first in a series of temporary art pieces marking Hull's year as UK City of Culture. It was placed in Queen Victoria Square after being transported from the new Siemens turbine factory in east Hull. The Hull Daily Mail reports that Hull 2017 organisers are now preparing a planning application. More on this and other Hull stories Hull City Council planning manager, Alex Codd, said: "Nationally, planning permission is not needed on a piece of land that is being used for an event that is to last up to 28 days. "However, as the installation will be temporarily located in Queen Victoria Square for longer [than] this, we understand the Hull 2017 team are now preparing an application for planning permission, which will then go through our usual planning process." City of Culture chief executive Martin Green said: "We worked closely with the council and because the artist wanted it to be a surprise we agreed that planning permission would go in after the installation. "Thousands of people have visited Blade and it has achieved national and international headlines. "This is a great example of Hull City Council and the Culture Company working together."

Holiday firm Barrhead Travel has reported a surge in sales, following poor weather over the winter months. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Almost 4,500 motorists have been caught speeding by new cameras along a stretch of the M4 at Port Talbot. [NEXT_CONCEPT] A 250ft-long (75m) wind turbine installed as a piece of artwork in Hull does not have planning permission, the city council has confirmed.

A 62nd-minute try from lock Abbie Scott proved the decisive score. Emma Croker scored a first-half try following Amber Reed's early penalty to put England eight points ahead. Niamh Briggs replied with two penalties before the break and a third, eight minutes into the second half, put the visitors 9-8 in front. Ireland exerted more pressure after that and number eight Harriet Millar-Mills was sin-binned for England. But the hosts survived and were able to hold their lead once Scott had scored, even though Reed missed the conversion and a subsequent penalty. The result lifts world champions England above France, who play Wales in Neath on Sunday, to the top of the table. Ireland, who have finished top in two of the last three years, stay third following their second successive defeat. Have you added the new Top Story alerts in the BBC Sport app? Simply head to the menu in the app - and don't forget you can also add alerts for the Six Nations, cricket scores, your football team and more.

England extended their winning start to the Six Nations championship to three games with a tense 13-9 success against 2015 champions Ireland at Twickenham.

The alarm was raised early on Sunday and the area was evacuated while anti-terror police carried out a search. Police said they were unable to find the man. The landmark reopened in the afternoon, after officials carried out a search but found nothing. France is on high alert following a series of terror attacks this year. The Eiffel Tower, which receives as many as 30,000 daily visitors, has been the target of plots by Islamist extremists in the past. But police said there may be another explanation for Sunday's security breach - the man may have been a parachutist hoping to perform a jump.

France's famous Eiffel Tower, one of the world's most visited attractions, was closed after a man carrying a rucksack was seen scaling the tower.

The 22-year-old died at the weekend, two weeks after sustaining a head injury during a night out in Belfast. The Irish News carries an interview with his brother Brendan, who says the past fortnight has been "pure and utter hell". He said Conan had made it home that fateful night but the family became concerned by his strange behaviour. He was then taken to hospital and placed in an induced coma. "We didn't know we would never speak to him again," his brother said. "We were just talking into his ears and just hoping he would wake up." A 27-year-old was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, but has been released on police bail. While the papers are mostly united on the picture front, it's a real Monday mishmash of stories. The Belfast Telegraph's front page is dominated by what the paper calls a paramilitary-style attack on a mother and son in Coleraine. A masked man entered a house in James Street on Sunday evening and shot a man in his 20s in the leg. His mother, who is in her 50s, was shot in the foot. In its editorial, the paper says there is a "depressing familiarity " about this story, amid concerns about an upsurge in attacks by both loyalist and republican paramilitaries. It says the attacks show how "paramilitaries are trying to keep their grip on some communities more than 20 years after their ceasefires". The News Letter's front page says there is pressure on Sinn Féin leader in the north Michelle O'Neill to speak out about fuel laundering after her cousin was convicted of offences last week. Gareth Malachy Doris, 39, of Coalisland, had denied fraudulent evasion of duty but was found guilty at Dungannon Magistrates' Court last week. A Sinn Féin spokesman said fuel laundering is wrong and undermines the economy. It's not often sport makes it on to the front page but Ballymena United's first League Cup historic triumph warrants top picture spot on the News Letter's front page. It has a picture of manager David Jeffrey dedicating the win to long-serving supporter Trevor Burns, who has missed only a few games in almost six decades as a Sky Blues fan. Talking of top billing, a Belfast road has been named as the most congested in the UK outside of London. The dubious honour goes to A1 southbound from College Gardens in Belfast to Wallace Park in Lisburn, the Daily Mirror reports. There's a lot of Assembly election coverage but we'll not be mean on a Monday and keep it to a minimum. The Belfast Telegraph carries a light-hearted poll aimed at humanising our politicians. Seven high-profile candidates were asked a series of quick-fire questions on subjects ranging from Donald Trump to favourite foods. The paper concludes: "Most do not have a good word about Donald Trump. Their culinary tastes range from seafood to steak.... and most, though not all, know the price of milk." Not wanting to name and shame but it was the TUV's Jim Allister who had no idea about the price of milk. "Two litres of milk is... oh... my wife does occasionally say 'bring some milk'." And who knew that Naomi Long made Irish stew for Princess Anne, or the DUP's Paul Givan was into body boarding, or that Steven Agnew from the Green Party would call his autobiography: Steven Agnew - A Gentle Prod? The girl was in collision with a Ford Fiesta in Christ Church Street in the city at about 17:50 BST on Friday. She suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital before being transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. Lancashire Police has asked for anyone with information or any witnesses to get in touch.

The smiling face of Conan Anderson beams out from most of the front pages. [NEXT_CONCEPT] A six-year-old girl is in a critical condition in hospital after being hit by a car in Preston.

Coleman's Wales contract ends after Euro 2016 in France in June, their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup. Coleman has said he and the FAW were "apart" during recent talks Yorath said: "If they got rid of Chris or Chris happened to leave, where would they go?" The former Swansea and Bradford boss fears the situation between Coleman and the FAW could mirror events surrounding the end of his time as Wales manager. The FAW and Yorath did not come to an agreement during Wales' 1994 World Cup qualification campaign, and he left the role. "Chris has done very, very well. He's handled himself and the team very well," added Yorath. "I don't know really what they hope for. "Chris is Welsh. I know for a fact that he likes the job - he loves the job, I've spoken to him many times. "And I think the Welsh FA would be foolish not come to some kind of agreement with him." Wales just missed out on qualification to the 1994 World Cup when they were beaten 2-1 by Romania in the final qualifying match in Cardiff. Yorath says Coleman has experienced players to call on, but not to the same extent of his team which included Ian Rush, Mark Hughes and Neville Southall. "The Welsh squad at the moment is quite young," said Yorath. "Those players obviously need leaders. They've got them in Ashley Williams, they've got it in (Gareth) Bale, (Aaron) Ramsey - people who have played at the highest level. "But you always need that one figure and Chris Coleman is that figure at the moment. "From what I read and what I've heard the players all admire him. "They all think he's doing a great job and I think it would be really, really sad if he left the job." The building, in Boxford, Suffolk, is thought to have been in use as a shop since the early 15th Century. It closed as a village store at the start of the year due to a change in ownership, but the building's post office counter remained open. The Boxford Stores name has been retained as the premises reopens as a delicatessen and green grocers. Roger Loose, treasurer for the Boxford Society, said there was evidence in church wardens' accounts the shop had been in continuous use since 1528 when it was rented to a butcher called Thomas Rastall. It had also been a drapery and household goods shop in the 19th Century. "It probably was a shop in the early 1400s, but we have found no documentary evidence of that," he said. "The chances are that it was left to the church in a will." The grade II-listed building on Swan Street was bought earlier this year by Lawrence Mott, who teamed up with local egg farmer Robin Windmill. Mr Windmill said: "There are some others in the UK that claim the oldest shop title, but this is certainly one of the oldest. "It needed a bit of freshness and quality and customers have told us what they wanted and we'll flex and do what they want us to do." Julian Fincham-Jacques, chairman of Boxford Parish Council, said: "After years of uncertainty, this is great news. "We were worried we could lose the post office, but now the store is re-opening, it looks as if the future of the post office is secured as well. "There is a shop opposite which also sells groceries, but competition should be healthy and we hope there's room for both of them." The Welsh former world champion, 28, has withdrawn from this weekend's race in Hamburg. She expects to miss Edmonton on 28-29 July and Montreal on 5-6 August. Stanford tweeted: "Sad to say a niggling Achilles means I won't be racing this weekend. Hopefully see you all at Stockholm instead." Stockholm on 26-27 August is the penultimate World Series event before the Grand Final in Rotterdam on 16 September. Stanford, who won the world title in 2013 and came fourth at the 2016 Rio Olympics, is 19th in the WTS rankings after four of the season's nine races. She tore her Achilles tendon in November 2016, missing the opening two rounds before winning the Chengdu Triathlon World Cup on her return in May. Stanford finished seventh and 11th respectively in the WTS races in Yokohama and Leeds, but withdrew from the European Championships in Switzerland in June because of illness.

Terry Yorath says the Football Association of Wales would be "foolish" not to secure Chris Coleman's future as national team manager. [NEXT_CONCEPT] A shop, believed to be one of the UK's oldest, is to re-open after being revived by a couple of businessmen. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Great Britain's Non Stanford is likely to miss the next three rounds of the World Triathlon Series because of an Achilles injury.

Australia's parliament has passed legislation that means all tobacco will need to be sold in plain olive-brown packets with graphic health warnings. Canberra said the law was "one of the most momentous public health measures in Australia's history". But Philip Morris Asia said the move breached a bilateral investment treaty. It said it had served a notice of arbitration under Australia's Bilateral Investment Treaty with Hong Kong. PMA's Australian affiliate Philip Morris Ltd (PML) will also pursue claims under Australian domestic law. PMA is arguing that removing its trademarks from tobacco packaging will cut its profits and see fake brands flood the market. Spokesperson Anne Edwards said: "The government has passed this legislation despite being unable to demonstrate that it will be effective at reducing smoking and has ignored the widespread concerns raised in Australia and internationally regarding the serious legal issues associated with plain packaging." PMA said it wanted the legislation to be suspended. It said it would ask for compensation for the billions of dollars it said the new law would cost it. British American Tobacco, another big cigarette company, has previously said that the legislation infringes international trademark and intellectual property laws. Under the new law, the only thing distinguishing tobacco brands on packets will be the brand and product name in a standard colour, position, font size and style. Australia's Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon said while the tobacco industry was "fighting to protect its profits, we are fighting to protect lives". "We know that packaging remains one of the last powerful marketing tools for tobacco companies to recruit new smokers to their deadly products. In the future, cigarette packets will serve only as a stark reminder of the devastating health effects of smoking," she said.

Tobacco giant Philip Morris is suing the Australian government over a new law making plain packaging mandatory for cigarettes from December 2012.

The 30-year-old building labourer is charged with possessing of a firearm with intent on 13 August at Sompting Mini Market in Seadown Parade. The man, who has no fixed address, faces the same charge in connection with a robbery at Ladbrokes in Rowlands Road, Worthing on 18 August. He is also charged with burglary to inflict GBH and burglary with violence. The burglary charges relate to an incident on 6 August, when a man was assaulted in his home in St Elmo Road, Worthing and are unrelated to the robberies. The man is due to appear before Crawley magistrates.

A man has been charged with possessing a gun by police investigating a series of robberies in West Sussex.

The first was at a landing a block of flats at North Anderson Drive at about 01:20. The second, about 10 minutes later, was at flats at Midstocket View. Police Scotland said inquiries were at an early stage but it was believed the incidents were linked. Insp Jon Millar said: "Thankfully no-one was injured. It goes without saying such reckless behaviour could have fatal consequences." Arriving for work on Wednesday, they found official seals placed across the office entrances, the locks had been changed and the power was cut off. Amnesty, which has been strongly critical of the human rights situation in Russia, said it hoped there was "a simple administrative explanation". Moscow's city authority said later that Amnesty's lease had expired. The office was no longer subject to "contractual relations" and had ignored a debt notice, the council told independent TV internet channel Dozhd. It added that "the presence of third persons in it was illegal". Amnesty has in the past complained of harassment by the authorities in Russia. Its Moscow director, Sergei Nikitin, posted photos of the seals and discarded locks on Facebook. His colleague, Alexander Artemyev, told Dozhd that the organisation had been renting an office belonging to Moscow's department of city property for 20 years and had always paid its rent on time. The organisation says it is hoping to meet municipal authorities on Thursday to try to resolve the situation. John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Europe director, said the move was an unwelcome surprise and no prior warning was given. "Given the current climate for civil society work in Russia, there are clearly any number of plausible explanations, but it's too early to draw any conclusions," he said in a statement. President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said he had no information about what had happened. "This is the first time I've heard about it," Dmitry Peskov told journalists, according to privately-owned Russian news agency Interfax. Laws require all NGOs receiving any overseas funding to register as foreign agents and so face restrictions. The Russian authorities say the law is needed to protect Russia from outside attempts to influence internal politics, but many organisations complain the law is used to try to clamp down on their activities. Last year, Russia passed a law allowing foreign organisations to be banned from operating in the country if designated as "undesirable" on national security grounds. At the time, Mr Nikitin condemned the law as "another sobering sign of how the Russian authorities are quickly closing in on fundamental freedoms and the work of independent civil society groups in the country".

Two deliberate fires in Aberdeen are being linked by police. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Amnesty International's office in Moscow has been sealed off by the city authorities, say members of staff.

Jordon Cox, 18, from Brentwood, Essex, was in Sheffield for a lecture and found a one-way train ticket home would cost £47. He opted instead to fly from East Midlands Airport to Berlin and then fly from Berlin to Stansted. Mr Cox said the journey, on 20 January, saved him about £8. He admitted it was not an environmentally-friendly way to travel or the quickest. More on this story and others from Essex It took him 12 hours to get home compared with the three-and-a-half hour train journey. • The Brandenburg Gate and free tour of The Reichstag • Holocaust Memorial and Postdamer Platz • Mall of Berlin and Museum for Communication • Currywurst lunch and Checkpoint Charlie "Obviously it isn't for everyone. Some people will just want to get home, but if you like travelling and saving money then it's a great way to do it. "The scenery was also 10 times better than any train trip would have been." Mr Cox, who blogs on the Money Saving Expert website, took a train from Sheffield to Derby and then a bus to East Midlands Airport, from where he flew to the German capital. He said the trip gave him time to visit the centre of Berlin, which he probably would not have been to otherwise. The blogger said the two flights, bus fares, his train to Derby, train fares in Berlin and lunch in the German capital cost £44.07, while the train trip plus bus fares and a sandwich would have cost £51.79. Going from Bournemouth to Liverpool by air can work out £40 cheaper than going there by train - as long as you're prepared to go via Mallorca. Analysis of flights and rail services shows how people who are prepared to spend longer travelling and go potentially thousands of miles out of their way can cut the costs, at the expense of their carbon footprint. A rail ticket from Bournemouth to Liverpool Lime Street on 7 April 2016 would set someone back £113 today, according to thetrainline.com booking service. Starting at 14:45 BST and with a change at Birmingham New Street the five-hour 266-mile journey works out at about 43p per mile. However, someone willing to set out earlier, take a bus to Bournemouth Airport then fly at 09:10 BST to Mallorca and on to Liverpool John Lennon Airport will pay £72.31, or 3 pence per mile once the bus at the other end is taken into consideration. The only catch is it means going a long way around, 2,642 miles in total. It is a similar story with other flights. Going from Birmingham International to Edinburgh Waverley by rail on 2 February 2016 costs £66.51, or 22p per mile. But fly from Birmingham and stop off in Dublin and the cost is £25.91, or 5 pence per mile. Whether the environmental impact is justified by the cost is a matter for debate. Analysis by Daniel Wainwright, BBC data journalist

A consumer blogger discovered it was cheaper to travel home to Essex from Sheffield via Berlin than to take the train.

India's ranking on broadband penetration dropped to 131 in 2014 - lower by six places since the last year - according to a Unesco report covering 189 countries and titled "The State of Broadband 2015". On mobile broadband subscriptions, India also slipped significantly as it stood at 155 in 2014 compared to 113 in 2013, far below neighbouring Sri Lanka and Nepal, which were ranked 126 and 115 respectively. The country has also climbed down by five places to 80 among 133 developing countries, despite some progress in terms of individual use of the internet, the report says. The findings underline the challenge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces in realising his government's "Digital India" project, which aims to universalise mobile and internet access across the country. The 2015 report, released just ahead of the UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit on 26 September, emphasises the concerns of experts over the achievability of the "Digital India" initiative. The project aims to reduce the "digital divide" by providing high-speed internet connectivity to the farthest corners of the country by 2019. It also speaks of "empowering" over 68% of India's population, living in rural areas. Analysts have voiced doubts over the viability of these aims, arguing that they cannot be fulfilled without due attention to critical shortcomings in infrastructure. The project envisages a 6,000km-long National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) to connect cities, towns and 150,000 postal offices by December 2016 at an estimated cost of over $18bn. Osama Manzar, founder-director of the Digital Empowerment Foundation, in an article on the Mint website laments the lack of investment pledges by telecommunication firms towards building the network. "It is on record that not a single telecom operator or industry house has signed up to partner the NOFN programme, despite the Department of Telecommunications inviting them several times," he says. The NOFN project is far behind schedule and is unlikely to be completed on time. A particular obstacle is posed by the challenges of laying such an underground network in insurgency-affected states like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Indian-administered Kashmir, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. A lack of agreement between the central and state governments does not help, and compounding the mix are illiteracy, poverty and a shortage of skilled manpower. The "Digital India" project aims to promote e-education in over 250,000 government schools and e-governance in about 250,000 village councils via internet connections. However, most schools in villages and towns face a severe shortage of qualified computer trainers. According to recent government data, 36% of the 884 million people in rural areas are illiterate, and among the 64% who are literate, only 5.4% have completed high school. And rural electrification continues to be an area of major concern. India is a large market for mobile telephony, but it does not fare well on considerations of internet speed via mobile devices. A recent Deloitte report said the total number of internet users in the country was 254m in September 2014, and of these, 235m users were accessing the internet through mobile devices. The research suggests that there are 439,000 mobile network towers nationwide, but only 700 can actually support 3G or 4G data use. Statistics show that despite having the third-largest population of internet users in the world, India stands at 52nd place in terms of internet speed. It has an average speed of 1.5 to 2 mbps, while developed Asian countries like South Korea and Japan enjoy speeds of 14.2 and 11.7 mbps respectively. The latest UN report, therefore, only underlines the already formidable challenges faced by the "Digital India" project. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

India appears to be falling behind in the global race for mobile internet and broadband penetration, the latest UN figures show.

Under "fair banding", all children applying to a school take a test and are then divided into ability bands. The school then takes an equal number of children from each band. But the Comprehensive Future group says systems that rely on parents bringing their children to be tested may "exclude" the most deprived. Earlier this year a report from education charity Sutton Trust said the use of banding and random allocation, where places are decided by ballot, was increasing, particularly in London. The report welcomed the change, particularly in areas where schools were oversubscribed. At the time co-author, Prof Anne West, of the London School of Economics, said: "While banding is not a panacea, it can contribute to creating more balanced intakes than would otherwise be the case." The Sutton Trust report recommended schools co-ordinated locally to ensure "effective use of banding", with a common test to ensure pupils did not have to sit multiple tests. The latest survey, by Comprehensive Future, of admissions criteria in England found "a bewildering range" of policies, with schools selecting on faith, ability and "aptitude", alongside those attempting to get a comprehensive intake. There was also a wide variation regionally and within regions, it said. For example only 39% of schools in inner London did not select on the basis of faith or tests, compared with 82% in Yorkshire and Humber. The group warns that banding "often seen as a fair and transparent way of ensuring that schools are comprehensive", is not always as reliable as it sounds. "A confusing situation was found in which banding arrangements could differ from school to school even in the same local authority," it said. "The number of bands used varies from three to nine. "In a few areas the test is taken by all children in their primary schools, but in most cases children have to go to the secondary school at a particular time to take the test. "This eliminates a whole tranche of children whose parents do not, for whatever reason, bring them to be tested and is likely to exclude some of the most deprived and disadvantaged." The survey report notes that children in London are far more likely to have to take a banding test. Comprehensive Future says the findings show the need for a thorough and wide-ranging review of how secondary admissions are operating in England, particularly as academies and free schools are able to set their own admissions criteria. The group backs calls for banding tests to be standardised across local authority areas and greater use of randomised ballots to allocate places. "The more hoops children have to jump through to get into different schools the more unfair the system becomes," said the group's secretary, Margaret Tulloch. Conor Ryan, director of research at Sutton Trust, said: "Our top 500 comprehensives have half the average number of pupils on free school meals, often because their catchment areas help those parents who can afford the high house prices to live nearest to these successful schools. "If we are to enable a wider range of pupils to go to these schools, we need to open up admissions for at least a significant proportion of places through fair banding or random allocation. "Of course, this must be done fairly and transparently, and it should be done in conjunction with improved outreach to less advantaged families and good transport links." A Department for Education spokesman said its new Admissions Code was clear that "all school places should be allocated in a fair and transparent way." Schools using either random allocation or banding tests must set out clearly how the systems will operate, said the spokesman. "All reasonable steps must be taken to inform parents if these tests are taking place so they are able to make an informed choice of school."

Some of the most disadvantaged children can lose out when schools use "banding" systems to try to ensure a broad mix of pupils, a report says.

Earlier this year a UK-wide review said that although the service at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children is safe, it is not sustainable. It could mean that children would have to travel to England for treatment. But the BBC understands cross-border discussions are ongoing about the possibility of developing an all-Ireland service. Last month, Stormont Health Minister Edwin Poots said he was reviewing the future of local paediatric heart surgery provision as a direct result of the conclusions of the UK-wide review. The outcome of his review could mean children and families having to travel to England for treatment. Those involved have argued that would be devastating, and would place great stress on parents and children. The cross-border call was made by the Children's Heartbeat Trust, which said almost 10,000 people have signed an online petition calling for the retention of the surgery in Belfast. Sarah Quinlan, from the Children's Heartbeat Trust, said: "Our aim is to keep children's heart surgical services in Belfast, working as part of an all-Ireland network with Dublin, because sending all children who need interventional procedures for congenital heart disease to England is simply unacceptable." She said the Children's Heartbeat Trust's position is that surgery must continue in Belfast as part of an all-Ireland network operating between Belfast and Dublin. This would ensure the retention of the service and required a closer working relationship with Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin. Joanne Clifford, whose son Liam, 2, was born with a heart defect that needed surgery, said: "The clinicians and surgical team at the Clark Clinic at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children have been first class and Liam enjoys life as any toddler does. "The idea that we would have had to travel to England for this treatment is simply unimaginable - not only would this have placed huge emotional stress on our family, separating us from all family support and our son undergoing complex surgery many miles from home, but the financial pressure would also have been enormous." Liam Turner, 15, from Gilnahirk, has been treated for a heart defect in Belfast. "Having a heart defect means I get tired and breathless very easily. I wouldn't want to have to go to England for my treatment and be so far away from my friends, family and school," he said. "Undergoing surgery is bad enough, but not being able to have it in Belfast would make it so much worse." The group plans to hold a series of meetings across Northern Ireland in September and October. Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect in Northern Ireland, affecting more than 250 babies a year.

Campaigners have called for an all-Ireland network to secure the future of paediatric heart surgery in Belfast.

English Fine Cotton, which makes material for bullet proof vests at Tame Valley Mill, Dukinfield, is to produce luxury yarn at neighbouring Tower Mill. The company is investing £4.8m topped up with a £1m grant from the Textile Growth Programme. The Grade II listed Tower Mill last produced cotton in 1955. The firm has collected spinning machines and looms from mills over the years to produce synthetic textiles at Tame Valley, but the new production will have the latest in loom technology. Andy Ogden, general manager of English Fine Cotton's parent company, Culimeta-Saveguard Ltd, said: "We owe it to the cotton industry - which Manchester was synonymous with - to put it back onto the world stage. In 1781 Richard Arkwright opened the world's first steam-driven textile mill on Miller Street in Manchester. Manchester rose to power as a centre for the trading, production and storage of cotton in the 19th century, earning the description "Cottonopolis". The number of Manchester cotton mills reached its zenith in 1853 with 108 mills. The UK cotton industry declined in the 20th century, starting with the halting of exports caused by World War One and the rise of other countries as cotton exporters. Cotton mills in North West England closed at the rate of one a week in the 1960s and 70s, with the last one shutting in Greater Manchester in the 1980s. Source: Museum of Science and Industry. He added: "A number of times we have had firms coming to us saying they want British cotton. Unfortunately, up until now, we have had to say no." A company spokeswoman said among the luxury cotton used will be Sea Island from Barbados, adding "It is the cotton that Ian Fleming specified James Bond's shirts were made of and Daniel Craig wore shirts using this cotton in Spectre." The firm hops to sell "high end" cotton produced in Britain to companies such as Burberry or Marks and Spencer. Councillor Kieran Quinn, executive leader of Tameside Council and responsible for investment strategy and finance within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), said the mill will not be competing with the mass production of China, South East Asia or India. "What we're talking about is bringing high quality........Made In Britain is a very powerful brand," he added. English Fine Cotton bought Tower Mill - which was used to film the late 1980s' BBC One series Making Out - two years ago with help from GMCA, which also loaned £2m for the company's investment.

British cotton is to be spun for the first time in a generation thanks to a £5.8m renovation of a Greater Manchester mill.

Fareham Conservatives advertised a "drinks and canapés" evening with the health secretary that was moved after details started circulating online. They said a smaller, members-only event was held instead because of "the very real threat of disturbance". But doctors who bought tickets said they felt like they had been lied to. Mr Hunt is engaged in a long-running industrial dispute with junior doctors who are fighting the imposition of new contracts. The original event was advertised as being at the Lysses House Hotel, in High Street, Fareham, between 18:30 and 20:30 GMT on Friday, with tickets costing £15. Conservative Association chairman Thomas Fyfe said: "The advertised event was cancelled on security grounds. "A smaller private event for party members to meet Mr Hunt was held instead at another location. "We regret the inconvenience caused to those who had bought tickets and were unable to attend, all of whom will be offered a full refund." But Dr Kathryn Carey-Jones said the failure to tell non-Conservative ticket holders about the move was "dishonesty at its best". She said: "I was angry, I was angry at the dishonesty in the way they let me know about this." GP Emma Nash, who also bought a ticket, said on Twitter she also felt lied to by the "selective communication" used by the organisers.

Doctors have reacted with anger after being told an event with Jeremy Hunt was cancelled when it actually went ahead at a different venue.

Artists including Jools Holland, Curtis Stigers and the Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek will perform at the event, which has been running since 1978. This year's festival promises to be the biggest yet, with 170 different concerts throughout the capital over the next 10 days. More than 700 performers are to take part in the festival's carnival through the centre of Edinburgh on Sunday. The festival runs until 24 July. The Japanese company will invest an unspecified amount in Uber and offer new leasing options for its drivers. Toyota said the two companies would share also knowledge and speed up their research efforts in areas such as driverless cars. Volkswagen announced an investment in Gett, an Israel-based rideshare operator. Toyota said that as patterns of car usage continued to change, it wanted the collaboration to be about more than simply providing vehicles but to also collaborate on technology such as in-car apps. Gett chief executive Shahar Waiser also stressed that the partnership with VW would involve technology and innovation. VW said: "The ride-hailing market represents the greatest market potential in on-demand mobility, while creating the technological platform for developing tomorrow's mobility business models." Uber's deal with Toyota follows Apple's $1bn investment in Chinese ride-hailing service Didi Chuxing. That has been regarded in some quarters as a political move by the US technology giant to bolster its presence in the crucial Chinese market. Apple is also believed to be developing a car. In March, General Motors invested $500m in US Uber rival Lyft to help develop an on-demand network of self-driving cars. The partnership will also create a joint car rental service for drivers to increase the number of vehicles available through Lyft. He said UKIP would then have a "legitimate voice" in Scotland. During the speech, Mr Farage described First Minister and SNP leader Alex Salmond as a "fanatical EU federalist". He challenged Mr Salmond - who said UKIP had been "humiliated" before in Scotland - to a debate on independence. The MEP, who was in Edinburgh to back the party's candidate David Coburn at a rally, predicted that UKIP was on course to win one seat in the European Parliament in Scotland, adding that "if things go really well, possibly even two". Addressing the first minister, Mr Farage said: "Mr Salmond is pretty scared of us. He's not not scared of the size of us at the moment, but he is very scared of the argument." Mr Farage, whose party is not currently represented at any level in Scotland, told the rally that Scottish people think they have a referendum on independence "but they haven't". He accused Mr Salmond of wanting Scotland "to be part of the European Union - and you cannot be an independent, self governing, democratic nation, and be member of a club whose laws are supreme over yours". The UKIP leader argued that the whole of the UK should be independent, with devolved powers to each part. About 200 protesters and supporters of Scottish independence turned up at the launch venue to protest against the UKIP leader where they booed and heckled UKIP supporters as they arrived. The BBC's political correspondent in Scotland, Glenn Campbell, said a small group of UKIP supporters told him they had been unable to get into the rally because of the protesters. UKIP won 0.91% of the vote across Scottish regions in the 2011 Holyrood election. The rights group called on Nigeria's government to investigate the deaths in the south-eastern city of Onitsha last month. The Nigerian military described the claims as unfounded and misleading. At least one million people died in the 1967-70 civil war started by Biafran secessionists. Protests have resumed over the past year. Africa Live: More on this and other news stories How first coup still haunts Nigeria 50 years on Should new calls for Biafra worry Nigerians? According to Amnesty, some of those who died were members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), a group campaigning for Biafran independence. Some had been shot in the back, an indication that they were fleeing the scene, Amnesty said. Ipob says Nigeria's government is dominated by northerners and has not done enough to develop the mostly Igbo-speaking south-eastern parts of Nigeria.

This year's Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival has got under way. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Carmakers Toyota and Volkswagen have struck separate partnerships with rideshare companies Uber and Gett. [NEXT_CONCEPT] UKIP leader Nigel Farage has told a rally in Edinburgh that his party "will win a seat" for the first time in Scotland in the upcoming European Parliament elections. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Nigeria's military has killed at least 17 supporters of Biafran independence, according to Amnesty International.

The case, that belonged to Spitfire designer RJ Mitchell, was stolen from the Solent Sky Museum last month. The museum's trustees said it was returned in good condition, inside a padded postal bag. The case has been put on temporary display, with other items which once belonged to Mr Mitchell. Trustee Andy Jones said: "We were thrilled, shocked and somewhat confused, all at the same time when we opened the package to reveal the cigarette case had been returned to us. "It really is such a relief to have this historical item back in safe hands. "We are so pleased to have the case back and we want to share this artefact with visitors to our museum, as it was very nearly never seen again and what a great shame that would have been." The case was given to the museum by Spitfire test pilot Jeffrey Quill, who was one of Mr Mitchell's close friends and colleagues. It was among a number of items taken during the break-in on Monday 9 March. The museum, in Albert Road, showcases the history of aviation in Southampton and the Solent. Thirty-six staff who maintain sorting equipment at four An Post centres have been on strike in a row over pay cuts since Friday. The staff are employed by contractor IO Systems, but are retained by An Post to work at its sorting centres. The Communications Workers' Union (CWU) said talks would resume on Tuesday. The action by IO Systems staff had caused disruption to services in the Republic of Ireland and had led An Post to issue an appeal to people not to mail letters or parcels. CWU said the IO Systems workers were in dispute "in response to the unilateral imposition of rostering arrangements that cut their wages by 22%". IO Systems managing director Fergal Lynam said the dispute had been ongoing for more than two years. He told Irish broadcaster RTÉ that contract changes were needed as weekend working was no longer required in the mailing centres and because of decreasing volumes at An Post. In a statement on Monday, CWU said it had agreed to suspend industrial action at the request of mediator Phil Flynn and after confirmation from IO Systems that its workers would be reinstated in their jobs at their agreed wage levels and rostering arrangements. "The union understands that talks are being arranged through Phil Flynn involving IO Systems for tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon," the statement said. "The union said it expects An Post management to immediately restore full service across the National Postal System." CWU general secretary, Steve Fitzpatrick said said the union was prepared to engage but only on the basis that workers at IO Systems had their jobs restored to their agreed wage levels and rosters. "We are also prepared to back Phil Flynn's intervention in good faith," he said. "However, we hope that IO Systems, or indeed An Post management, don't squander the opportunity that is being presented." The cross-Channel rail operator has not yet said which trains will be removed from its schedule. New e320 trains introduced earlier this year have about 20% more seats and are used for most services between London and Paris. However, attacks in Paris and Brussels have also deterred some passengers from visiting the cities. Unions expect the move to result in about 80 job losses. Any cuts would be achieved through voluntary redundancy or sabbaticals as much as possible, Eurostar said. The news came as Eurostar and Le Shuttle reported delays on Tuesday to services because of power supply problems in the Channel tunnel. A Eurostar spokesman said: "The timetable in December will have a reduction in some services. We haven't said which trains they are. The main reason [for reducing services] is we have introduced new trains with bigger capacity. "This is a challenging environment for all travel companies and we need to manage our costs very carefully. That's why we are looking at the size and shape of our business." The company blamed terror attacks in Paris as one of the reasons for a £21m slide in annual underlying operating profits for 2015 to £34m. The general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association union, Manuel Cortes, said: "The Eurostar business has taken a colossal and unexpected hit because of the fall-off in travel to Paris and Brussels in the wake of the terror attacks earlier this year. "Our first priority as a union is to protect our members' interests, their jobs, their pension and their redundancy rights during this difficult period."

An irreplaceable cigarette case stolen in a burglary at a museum in Southampton has been returned, anonymously. [NEXT_CONCEPT] The union which represents striking contract staff at An Post in the Republic of Ireland has said it has agreed to suspend industrial action. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Eurostar is to drop some of its services from December as it introduces longer trains, the company has said.

Developers want to build seven large stores on the site of the former Asda supermarket, which would be renamed the Northern Quarter. The 70,000 sq ft (6,503 sq m) space will be given a new entrance, with shopping and public art areas. The work is part of a five-year plan for the centre which will see construction start on the Southern Quarter start in the summer. Tim Binnington, chairman of developers Sovereign Land, said: "Modern retailers are looking for larger stores which this development will provide, enabling us to attract new brands and the latest concepts to Telford." Members of the public will soon be asked to give their feedback on the plans on Telford and Wrekin Council's website. The 14-year-old boy and another protester were shot dead in the western city of Barquisimeto on Tuesday night. The local governor blamed armed government supporters. Two students were killed during protests last week. Nicolas Maduro's presidency has come under increasing pressure as the economy suffers and opponents accuse him of creating a dictatorship. Mr Maduro was pelted with objects by angry protesters as he left a military event in the south-eastern state of Bolivar earlier on Tuesday. The latest anti-government demonstrations were sparked by a decision on Friday to bar opposition leader Henrique Capriles from holding public office for 15 years. The dead teenager was identified as Brayan Principal by opposition MP Alfonso Marquina, who said he had been shot in the abdomen. A 36-year-old man was also killed in Barquisimeto in a separate incident, the state prosecution service said. Opposition leaders are calling for a date to be set for postponed regional elections. Mr Maduro has resisted efforts by the opposition to hold a referendum on removing him and has vowed to continue the "socialist revolution" launched by his predecessor Hugo Chavez. He says the economic crisis and efforts to get rid of him are a capitalist conspiracy.

Plans have been submitted to redevelop part of Telford Shopping Centre. [NEXT_CONCEPT] A teenage demonstrator has been killed during growing unrest in Venezuela, as political and economic crisis deepens.

The leaders of Bradford and Kirklees councils have urged the home secretary to fund a new programme locally. It comes after a Dewsbury teenager became the UK's youngest suicide bomber and three sisters from Bradford travelled with their children to Syria. The Home Office said it was doing everything it could to stop people being radicalised. The two leaders, David Green from Bradford and David Sheard of Kirklees, said people locally no longer had trust in current strategy, Prevent. "As a scheme it has become regarded as damaged goods by the very people that we need to engage with," said Mr Green. "It is really difficult to get to those people who are most at risk and most vulnerable to extremism. "You have got to have something that people understand and feel is positive, rather than a stick to beat them with." The current strategy, Prevent, was developed as part of the government's post 9/11 counter-terrorism strategy in 2003 and overhauled in 2011 following a review. Lord Carlile, who was the government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, gave it his support. "I think it is a bit unfair to successive governments simply to criticise Prevent as a concept that doesn't work, because there is plenty of evidence it has worked," he said. In a statement, the Home Office said it shared the concerns of people in Bradford and Kirklees. "Protecting those who are vulnerable and at risk of radicalisation is a job for all of us and this government is continuing to work in partnership with communities of all faith backgrounds to challenge those who spread hatred and intolerance," it said.

A new initiative to tackle extremism is needed because the current one is not working, two council leaders have said.

The 10-year-old, who's a crossbreed of a pit bull-Dutch shepherd mix, beat off competition from 20 others dogs to win the top prize. Quasi Modo has a slight hunchback after being born with a spinal defect and was adopted by a vet in Florida, USA, after being abandoned at an animal shelter. Take a look at these brilliant photos from the dog competition.

A dog called Quasi Modo has been named the World's Ugliest Dog.

Steven Thompson, 39, shot the teenager, who was riding on the back of a motorcycle, in Sunderland in October. Last month, Thompson admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an air rifle without a firearms certificate The victim suffered a "serious head wound" and was taken to hospital. He was admitted to hospital in a critical condition and regained consciousness a week later. In a witness statement read at Newcastle Crown Court, the teenager said he felt he had lost the life he loved as a result of his injuries. He was said to have been an active boy who loved swimming and going to the Lake District on activity holidays. Since the shooting he has lost most movement in the left side of his body and can only walk for short spells and uses a wheelchair for longer distances. The judge praised the determination of the boy, and the support of his family, which has supported him with his recovery. Detective Inspector Ed Small, said: "This has truly been an awful incident and Thompson's actions have left this poor young man with severe life-changing injuries. "No 15-year-old should have their freedom or dignity taken away from them in this way." Thompson, of Hewitt Avenue, also admitted another firearms charge but denied perverting the course of justice. The driver of the motorbike was not hurt in the attack. The region near the Burmese border is home to many militant groups and has seen decades of separatist violence. But rights groups accuse the security forces of using the immunity given by The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to indulge in "fake encounters" or illegal extrajudicial killings. Photographer Karen Dias has been meeting the families of those killed and documenting their stories. Gangarani Kongkhang's husband Deban Kongkhang was killed after bullets were fired into his van allegedly by the Thoubal district police commandos at Patpan Lamkhai in Manipur's capital, Imphal. The government promised to punish the perpetrators and give her a government job and financial compensation, but six years later she has received nothing. Ms Kongkhang, 38, is visually impaired and lives on handouts and takes care of her two children aged seven and 12. Wangkhem Chandrakala's husband, Namoijan Lukhoi, was shot dead by two unidentified men outside their home on 21 April 2008. She lodged a police complaint but later gave up the case because she feared "repercussions" and worried about the safety of her four school-going children. "Soon after my husband's death, I went into depression and began to lose my senses. I would wander off and find myself in the fields or in the crematorium. My family members and neighbours had to keep an eye on me," she said. Roni lost her husband Mutum Herojit on 13 October 2008. She found out about his death while watching news on TV. "I want justice for my husband. No other woman's husband should die in the future. I want to tell the government that this killing should stop or else Manipur will become a state of widows," she says. Here, she is photographed with her nine-year-old son, Mutum Mir. Neena Ningombam's husband Michael Nongmaithem was killed in 2008 by Manipuri police commandos who accused Michael of being a militant and said he was shot while trying to escape. After her husband's death, she joined hands with other widows and founded the Extrajudicial Execution Victims Families Association of Manipur. The group has filed a petition in the Supreme Court listing 1,528 cases of alleged extra-judicial killings by security forces in Manipur. Family members of victims pose for a photograph with portraits of their loved ones who were allegedly killed by the armed forces. The association of victims' families provides support and counsels members in dealing with the loss of their husbands and sons and also, with the stigma of a family member being labelled as an underground militant.

A man who admitted shooting a 15-year-old boy in the head has been jailed for 11 years and 10 months. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Campaigners in the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur have been demanding that authorities withdraw a controversial anti-insurgent law which gives the security forces the powers of search and seizure.

Cornwall Council has suspended placements to Bowden Derra Park in Launceston while it looks into the claims. The home provides accommodation and services for up to 46 people with mental health needs, learning or physical disabilities. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said it inspected the facility on Monday. It said a report detailing the findings of the inspection would be published in due course. Cornwall Council said it was investigating "a number of allegations" about the care people receive at Bowden Derra Park. "NHS Kernow and Cornwall Council are working closely with other commissioners to ensure people remain safe and will be meeting with residents and their families very soon to keep them updated with any developments," it said. It added no concerns had been raised about anyone being at immediate risk of harm. A spokesperson for Bowden Derra Park said the "health, safety and wellbeing" of its clients were its top priorities. It said that a "positive" meeting had been held with Cornwall Council and it was confident the investigation would "conclude swiftly". Scott Mann, MP for North Cornwall, said he has been contacted by a number of families who have loved ones at Bowden Derra Park. "Some have been there for many years and others are new residents. One common theme is that they are all extremely happy with the care they receive from Bowden Derra Park," he said. The report into the last CQC inspection of Bowden Derra Park, in January 2016, gave the service a 'good' rating.

A care home is being investigated over a "number of allegations" about its services.

AGO Outsourcing said the jobs were part of a £40m five-year investment and demonstrated the Scottish jobs market remained in "good shape". Ninety roles will be created in the company's sales division from the end of the month. An additional 380 jobs in customer service, financial services and social media will be created from early 2018. Contact centre operations manager, Denise Cassidy said "This announcement could not have come at a better time for this sector, and I'm delighted that East Kilbride has been selected as the hosting location. "The site is state-of-the-art, and the operation will, without doubt, be a very desirable opportunity for many people. "Many years ago, the contact centre industry left a lot to be desired, however Ago Outsourcing have developed something special here, the investment in the facility, the technology and most importantly our people, will guarantee long term and a bright future for all involved".

A call centre company has announced it is creating almost 500 new jobs in East Kilbride.

The rig ran aground off Lewis on Monday and has lost more than 12,000 gallons (56,000 litres) of diesel oil from fuel tanks. Eight experts scaled the rig with ropes on Sunday in order to begin a full assessment of damage. Earlier attempts to board the structure had been hampered by bad weather. So far, salvors have only been able to make a short assessment of its condition. On Sunday, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said rope technicians had created "a safe alternative access" to the rig. Work was also being done to provide a supply line so the team could get equipment and supplies on board. The salvors will examine how fuel might be transferred from the rig's diesel oil tanks to other unbreached tanks before any operation to refloat it begins. Survey work will also be carried out to identify the safest route to move the rig when the time comes. The MCA said a full assessment would help salvors draw up a more detailed salvage plan. A 300m (328 yards) exclusion zone remains in place around the rig covering both sea and air, which means no drones will be permitted in the area, although another aircraft has been brought in to help with the work. The Transocean Winner was being towed from Norway to Malta from where it was to be moved to a yard in Turkey to be broken up. A tow line between the rig and a tug broke during stormy weather and the structure ran aground at Dalmore at about 07:30 BST on 8 August.

A salvage team is expected to spend the night on the stricken oil rig Transocean Winner after successfully boarding the structure.

Pearson played more than 250 games in six seasons at Grimsby and was part of the team which secured promotion to the Football League in 2016. The 28-year-old has also had stints at Spalding, Stamford and Boston United during his career. "Once the situation at Grimsby was made clear, there were some options for me," Pearson said. "But this was the most appealing and we sorted it out nice and quickly." Pearson is Wrexham manager Dean Keates' second signing of the close season following the arrival of versatile full-back James Hurst.

Wrexham have signed defender Shaun Pearson from League Two Grimsby Town on a two-year contract.

Bertrand Traore scored for Ajax in their 2-1 win at nine-man Panathinaikos in a game that saw three red cards. Baba Rahman grabbed the only goal in Schalke's victory at Nice, for whom ex-Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli failed to add to his two debut goals. Frank de Boer's Inter Milan - in Southampton's Group K - lost 2-0 at home to Hapoel Be'er Sheva. Inter, who have won the European Cup and Uefa Cup three times each, have picked up four points from their opening three games in Serie A since De Boer replaced Roberto Mancini. Hapoel Be'er Sheva were knocked out of the Champions League by Celtic at the play-off stage earlier this season. Zenit St Petersburg pulled off one of the Europa League's great comebacks when they came back from 3-0 down at Maccabi Tel-Aviv to win 4-3, with three of their goals coming in the last six minutes. They are in Group D with Dundalk. Jan Sykora scored the fastest goal in Europa League history - after 10.69 seconds - for Slovan Liberec at Qarabag. They ended up drawing 2-2, with Milan Baros, who played for Liverpool, Aston Villa and Portsmouth, scoring their other goal. In Manchester United's Group A, Simon Kjaer scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time for the visitors as Fenerbahce drew 1-1 at Zorya Luhansk. Alexandre Pato, who had a loan spell at Chelsea last season, scored in Villarreal's 2-1 win over FC Zurich. Facundo Ferreyra, who never played a single minute for Newcastle in a disastrous 2014-15 loan spell, scored Shakhtar Donetsk's goal in a 1-0 win at Konyaspor. Former Manchester United striker Giuseppe Rossi netted for Celta Vigo in their 1-1 draw at Standard Liege. Italian minnows Sassuolo, in their first European campaign, thrashed Athletic Bilbao 3-0, while Roma drew 1-1 at Viktoria Plzen.

Two Chelsea loanees were among the scorers in the opening fixtures of the Europa League group stage.

Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir has called for "austerity to be binned". But he accepts the Northern Ireland Executive may have to make do with additional funding for roads. Ahead of Chancellor Philip Hammond's statement, the Treasury has said the NLW will rise by 30p to £7.50 in April. About 13,000 Northern Ireland workers are thought to have benefited when it was first introduced this year at £7.20 an hour. Analysis John Campbell BBC News NI's Economics Editor This is the chancellor's first major economic policy statement since the vote for Brexit. But do not expect anything too dramatic. Phillip Hammond has warned that the UK's debt is still "eye-wateringly" large and that his plans must be "responsible". That suggests he sees little scope for increasing spending or cutting taxes. However, there is likely to be a modest increase in infrastructure spending - that would mean tens of million of pounds extra for projects in Northern Ireland. There will also be measures for what Prime Minister Theresa May describes as families which are just about managing. But there's unlikely to be a radical reversal of the benefit cuts announced by the last government. Mr Hammond is also set to make "a significant investment into universal credit", which replaced job seekers' allowance and work-related benefits. Universal Credit is due to be phased-in for claimants in Northern Ireland next year. Another measure already heavily trailed is a £1.3bn package for road improvements - targeted mostly at repairs and reducing bottlenecks. Northern Ireland's spilt of that funding could be about £40m. But Mr Ó Muilleoir has said UK infrastructure stimulus measures of up to £15bn are needed. "They [the government] need to invest in infrastructure to give the economy a jolt," he said. "I hope we see a large stimulus. A Niagra Falls stimulus. Not a garden hose stimulus." The Autumn Statement presents the government with its first major opportunity to address budget issues since the referendum vote. It is Mr Hammond's first Autumn Statement since becoming chancellor. It has already been suggested the government is facing a £100bn black hole in its finances over the next five years due to Brexit. More than 500 others were injured in the crush, when thousands tried to squeeze through a tunnel that served as the only access to the music festival. Ten people will now face charges of manslaughter and negligence for the disaster in Duisburg. A Duesseldorf court overturned the previous decision to drop the case. The court said the case could be "proven with sufficient probability", based on the available evidence. Four event organisers and six municipal employees will be tried in the western city of Duisburg, where the techno event took place seven years ago. In a statement, the regional appeals court said the results of an investigation suggested that "breaches of the duty of care with which the accused are charged were the cause of the deaths and injuries." Poor design of the entry way and flow capacity for revellers caused the disaster, "and could have been foreseen," it said. The Love Parade festival that year was attended by about one million people. A British festivalgoer, Salil Bhate, told the BBC at the time that he saw people lying on the ground with "trample marks on their faces". "The police and security personnel were more concerned with keeping people away from the edges, rather than helping people," he said. Mark Knight, a British DJ who performed at the event, said he was told to continue with his set on the main stage, even though it was clear something had gone wrong. He said the organisers had been "quite adamant" that he should continue to perform. "They had been liaising with the authorities and the stance that they had taken was that we really cannot make people aware too much of this situation for fear of more panic. So we had to keep playing, which was very odd and a surreal environment." The Love Parade began in Berlin in 1989, before becoming an annual pilgrimage for millions of techno fans from around the world.

A rise in the National Living Wage (NLW) is to be announced in the Autumn Statement, which Stormont also hopes will deliver extra infrastructure cash. [NEXT_CONCEPT] The organisers of the "Love Parade" festival will stand trial in connection with the deaths of 21 people in a crush in 2010, a German court has ruled.

The North East county were also given a 48-point deduction for next season. Collingwood, who has been with the club for 21 years, is currently part of England's coaching staff in Bangladesh. "The players are seriously unhappy, a lot of anger, a lot of 'whose fault is this?'" the 40-year-old former England all-rounder told journalists in Dhaka. "The fact is that the players are 100% innocent here. We get asked to win things, and give our best, and stay in the first division, and that's what the club is all about. "That's why it's such a kick in the teeth because we know how hard it's been to continue our first division status with all the strains that have been on our team in the last few years." Collingwood, who signed a one-year contract extension with Durham in July, is in Bangladesh with teammate and England all-rounder Ben Stokes. He admitted that the extent of the club's problems had come as a shock to the players, who had been unaware of the seriousness of the situation. "I can't believe we are in this position. I don't understand how it can go so far down this road for us to be penalised like this, and how it hasn't been picked up and brought into a sustainable business like it should be," he said. The ECB have also stripped Durham of the right to host Test cricket at the Riverside as well as imposing a revised salary cap from April 2017-2020, with the level determined annually by the governing body. However, Collingwood sought positives in the knowledge that Durham had maintained their first-class status and the club can now look forward. "When I first heard about it I thought it was the end of the world but in some ways you have to understand that the ECB have given us an opportunity to rebuild and refocus." Durham's director of cricket and former first-team coach Geoff Cook said the severe punishment handed out the club was harsh. They had to invest a large amount of money to ensure their Riverside ground was up to the standard required to host Tests but have now lost that right. "This is one of the real tragedies of it," Cook told BBC Radio Newcastle. "In all innocence, all Durham County Cricket Club have tried to fulfil its commitment to the area and provide a great international venue and top-class sport. "I'm not sure how the club has got itself into this position, but no matter how it has got there on the surface the punishment is extreme." No 1 Ledbury Road in Hereford is due to close on March 31. Alternatives proposed by Herefordshire Council are further away, a family says, which will eat into short breaks for relatives with disabilities. The council said it has commissioned a number of new respite services "as a single Hereford-based centre wasn't suitable for everyone". See more stories from across Herefordshire and Worcestershire here It was initially earmarked for closure in March 2016, but given a year-long extension. Melissa Boyle's son Fergus, 14, and daughter Gwen, 13, both use the council centre, which is delivered by Wye Valley NHS Trust. Both have Cockayne Syndrome - a rare genetic disorder which degenerates the body and shortens young lives. They are both visually and hearing-impaired, cannot eat anything that poses a risk of choking and need help to wash, while Gwen's sleep is often broken by seizures. Mrs Boyle and husband Ben, who run The Velvet Bean chocolate shop in Ledbury, split their care between them. Mrs Boyle said the new options for respite include a centre in Worcester, while another in Presteigne, Wales, would mean a journey of two hours from the family home. "There are gaping holes in this provision," she said. "What quality of life does it give them if need to spend hours in the car and then to get up at the crack of dawn to go to school the next day when they are away from home for one night for a short break?" In a statement, Herefordshire Council said it had worked closely with "families, professionals and providers". Families unhappy with the services available can take a direct payment instead to "allow them to access services they feel better suit their needs", the council added.

Durham's relegation from County Championship Division One over financial issues is a "kick in the teeth", says captain Paul Collingwood. [NEXT_CONCEPT] The closure of a respite care centre will leave "gaping holes in provision" a family has said.

He said Plaid, Tory and Lib Dem supporters should "stop UKIP" by giving one of their two votes to Labour. In the PCC election on 5 May voters choose their first and second-preference candidates. Lord Elis-Thomas, who is standing for re-election to the assembly, said he would give his second vote to Labour PCC candidate David Taylor. The PCC election takes place on the same day as the assembly poll. Plaid's candidate is Arfon Jones, a former police inspector and a member of Wrexham council. Lord Elis-Thomas has prompted concern within Plaid Cymru about his criticism of the party leadership and policy, but won the backing of local party members in a meeting last July to remain as a Plaid Cymru assembly candidate. In a statement released by Mr Taylor, Lord Elis-Thomas said: "I believe voters in north Wales need to think and act tactically in the election for the police and crime commissioner, in order to stop UKIP in their tracks. "The relatively new role of commissioner is hugely important in terms of injecting real democratic accountability into policing here in north Wales. "It's crucial therefore that the result of this election is not skewed by the UKIP vote for the assembly on the same day." He added: "That's why I'm calling on all supporters of Plaid Cymru, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats right across north Wales to cast either their first or second preference vote for Labour's David Taylor on polling day, to stop UKIP from inadvertently benefiting. "David is someone I have known for many years. He is a Labour Party member but like me is never afraid to speak his mind and will always put the interests of north Wales first, he is the candidate who can unite our region. "I know he would make an outstanding commissioner, bringing a much-needed new energy and enthusiasm to the role. "It's important that a true reflection of north Wales voting intention determines the outcome of the PCC election on May 5 and extremism is not rewarded by accident." Mr Taylor said: "I am deeply honoured to have received the backing of Dafydd Elis-Thomas. "Although we are in different parties, he is one of Wales' leading statesmen and someone I respect a great deal. "I have tried to run a positive campaign, and have been determined to show that I would be a commissioner for everyone in north Wales." Meanwhile, a Conservative assembly candidate has backed Lord Elis-Thomas's decision to speak out. Nick Ramsay tweeted: "@ElisThomasD right to put PCC election before party politics. "@david_taylor would get my second preference vote if I lived in North Wales." Plaid Cymru did not respond directly to Lord Elis-Thomas's support for Mr Taylor, but released a series of statements from party figures backing its choice. Plaid chair Alun Ffred Jones said there was "no-one better qualified" to be North Wales PCC than Arfon Jones. "A former police inspector, Arfon understands policing and will work with both police officers and the wider public to deliver for communities." he said. The other candidates standing to be north Wales' new police and crime commissioner are: In March, the first North Wales PPC, independent Winston Roddick, announced he was standing down after one term.

Plaid Cymru's Lord Elis-Thomas has backed Labour's north Wales police and crime commissioner candidate.

As singer Neil Tennant talks about a new series of reissued albums and an unheard track, those contrasts - which have always kept the band interesting - are as apparent as ever. He looks back at how they have always looked forward. He has a lingering affection for old-fashioned physical music while admitting to succumbing to Spotify. He doesn't like Ed Sheeran but says the singer should be allowed to dominate the charts. He wants you to buy one set of reissues but says not to bother with another. The ones he's on the phone to talk about are 1999's Nightlife, 2002's Release and 2006's Fundamental, which are being remastered and reissued this month with copious bonus tracks. One of those is One-Way Street, a previously unreleased demo from the Fundamental sessions, which Tennant says he offered to Bananarama at the time - but has now decided he rather likes. Their first six albums, which were re-released with similar bonus discs in 2001, are also getting another reissue. But if you already own the first remastered versions, you can save your money, the singer suggests. Does going through the vaults bring back memories? It brings back a lot of good memories. It was a lot of fun and people often ask Chris [Lowe] and I how the whole thing has lasted so long. We always have the same answer, because it's true: We actually really enjoy going to the studio and writing songs together. It is work but it's also play, and I think when you listen to the newly reissued stuff you can see that we write in different styles and we experiment and we always write more stuff than we need for an album. Do these albums strike you as being better or worse than you'd remembered them? Happily, they seem to me to be better than I remember. When you work on an album and do promotion for it, you can get fed up with the whole thing after a while. And then you don't really listen to it again very much because you've spent so long making it and then talking about it. Listening back to Fundamental, I felt really pleased because it's quite an epic album and it's the only time we ever made an album which has got a strong concept. We wanted to make an album that reflected what the world was like in the wake of 9/11, the Iraq war and the increasing surveillance techniques used by governments on their own people. It was a paranoid period and actually I think it expresses it quite well. Tell me about the unreleased song, One-Way Street. In our studio we have a bookcase and One Way Street is the title of a book by the famous philosopher Walter Benjamin which, I hasten to add, I'd never actually read. Chris was playing something on the keyboards and I saw this book and thought, "that's a good title". Actually it's got a catchy chorus. We offered it to Bananarama, who were making a new album. We gave it to them and they rejected it! The reason we didn't put it out was because I thought the metaphor of a one way street - that something was predestined - was maybe a bit contrived. But listening to it all these years later it's very catchy. Your first six albums are also being remastered again - how much difference will there be? Well, it's a controversial thing in some ways because I think records should just get louder. If you bought the collection in 2001, I would suggest you don't buy them again because I think it's a bit ridiculous really. It's exactly the same tracks and the same packaging and the same booklet, it's just that they've been mastered again. I asked our mastering engineer, 'Do you think you can make them sound better than they did in 2001?' And he said, "Yes we can, definitely." And part of me is even slightly sceptical about that. You're not getting any extra tracks or anything. Stick to your old ones, that's my advice. These CDs are physical objects with nice booklets - what do you think of the instant and disposable nature of digital music? I think having access to everything is amazing. I use Spotify myself sometimes but I also think that what it does is it makes pop music a very casual experience. Just like reading a book, listening to a piece of music requires a certain amount of commitment from the listener to get the full enjoyment out of it. The ethos of Spotify works against that. When I'm at my house in the north of England, that's the only place I drive a car and I play CDs. Sometimes I've only got one CD. Always the same one? No, I change them but sometimes I get locked into an old Joni Mitchell album or something like that. I listen to Hejira relentlessly. Or I started listening to Sgt Pepper relentlessly. What do you think about the new chart rules (which saw some of Ed Sheeran's songs leave the chart)? Someone at some point decided what weight streaming should have on the chart. I don't know about that. But if Ed Sheeran has got 39 out of the 40 tracks or whatever then good for Ed Sheeran. If someone is having a moment of phenomenal success then good for them. Don't think, "oh that can't be right so I'm going to change the chart". I think it's a bit weird. Unless, of course, the whole streaming thing is too weighted. I don't know. They've limited each artist to only three tracks. But why? I'm not a fan of Ed Sheeran but I think it's amazing he's done that. I don't think they should change the rules because they don't like it. As though Ed Sheeran's success is some sort of chart virus. They were mostly album tracks. Well, the question is, in the world of streaming, what is a single? A single is based on a 45rpm piece of vinyl. Actually on this last album and probably the album before, every single we've put out has been number one in the CD singles chart. At one point we had three singles in the top 10 of the CD singles sales chart! Not many people put out CD singles, apparently. Do you listen to current pop? The album I've listened to this year has been The xx's album, which I listen to in the car up in Durham quite a lot. And I listen to quite a lot of electronic music. I don't listen to that much pop music, actually, but I'll do precisely what I criticised people for doing: I'll flick through things on Spotify. Your 63rd birthday was on Monday and you posted a photo of lots of fans in Pet Shop Boys pointy hats. When we arrived at the stage door at the Teatro Real in Madrid there were all these fans outside who had made pointy hats. They also had T-shirts in the style of the Super album saying, "Happy birthday Neil." It's very touching when people do that. And it's sort of surreal. And when we came out of the gig, there were even more - there was a huge crowd of people and they all sang happy birthday in Spanish. What's next? We've got this tour which we're doing until the middle of October, when we end up in South America, which is where we started. And after that I don't know what we're doing. Isn't that great? But something will probably turn up. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].

The Pet Shop Boys are a band of two halves - Neil and Chris; serious suits and silly headgear; a glorious '80s pop past and a constantly reimagined electronic future.

The yacht Iolaire was wrecked on a reef called the Beasts of Holm just off the Isle of Lewis in the early hours of 1 January 1919. The ship was carrying home hundreds of sailors following the end of World War One. Of the 280 on board, 205 died. The Stornoway Amenity Trust has received £8,000 of lottery funding for a project recalling the tragedy. The Iolaire Memorial Project will focus on commemorating the disater in the run up to the centenary of the disaster in 2019. Islanders are to be asked for their memories of those who were involved in World War One. The project will work in close partnership with school pupils and staff at The Nicolson Institute in Stornoway, on Lewis, and Stornoway Historical Society, as well as other local history organisations. A film and a ceremony for the opening of a permanent memorial in Carn Gardens, Stornoway, also form parts of the project. Tony Robson, of the Stornoway Amenity Trust, said: "The Stornoway Amenity Trust is delighted to be working closely with pupils from The Nicolson Institute and to offer the opportunity for pupils to learn more about the Iolaire Disaster and contribute significantly to the commemoration of an event that is rooted in their local history and, in some cases, their ancestry." Western Isles Council - Comhairle nan Eilean - is also involved in organising commemorative events. Councillor Norman A MacDonald said: "The impact of the Iolaire tragedy was felt in our communities throughout the islands and is recognised as being hugely significant in the context of the WWI commemorations." Most of those killed were from the islands of Lewis and Harris. The last survivor of the Iolaire - which means "eagle" in Gaelic - died in 1992. The yacht set sail from Kyle of Lochalsh on the west Highlands mainland on New Year's Eve 1918. Making its final approach into Stornoway harbour on a dark night and in a strong gale, it changed course at the wrong point. With the lights of the harbour in sight, the ship struck rocks at full speed and immediately began to tilt, filling up with water. Although the stern of the boat was at one point just six metres (20ft) from land, many of the men onboard were weighed down by their heavy uniforms and were unable to swim ashore. The next morning the bodies that had been recovered or washed up were laid out for families to identify. The cause of the disaster was never conclusively determined. A public inquiry was unable to establish the reasons for the accident.

Preparations have begun for events marking the centenary of the Western Isles' Iolaire Disaster.

Zaneta Krokova, 11, and Helina Kotlarova, 12, were holding hands as they crossed a road in Oldham before they were hit on New Year's Eve. Ahead of their funerals on Monday, Michaela Tarkaiova, the partner of Helina's brother, said the girls were "bright" and "everywhere together". "We're feeling like something has broken inside us," she said. "It has been really tough. The families - especially the mums of the two girls - are always crying. "It's really sad and, to be honest, we haven't slept since that day… if we sleep, we sleep for maybe one or two hours… it's hard for us eat." Ms Tarkaiova described Helina as a "happy" girl who "loved to eat, loved to dance, loved to sing". She added: "She looked older, but inside she was still a child, she liked to play hide-and-seek." Speaking on behalf of the families of both cousins, Ms Tarkaiova thanked members of the Oldham community who had provided help to the grieving relatives "financially, with their blessings, and everything". "The pain what we're going through, they're feeling it with us," she said. "They [Helina and Zaneta] have always been together and at the end of the day, they even died together and now they're in the coffins together, which is really sad." Four men have been charged in relation to the crash.

The family of two cousins who died after a suspected hit-and-run have said they were "soulmates".

The ban for EU fishing crews has existed since 2003, but with special permits they were still allowed to remove the fins from shark carcasses. Ministers have now agreed with MEPs to eliminate that legal loophole. The Shark Trust campaign group says the EU exports 27% of the fins traded in Hong Kong - a major fin-trading centre. Hong Kong accounts for more than half of all the fins traded worldwide, the group says. They are used in soups and traditional cures in Asia, where they are valued much more highly than the rest of the shark. Finning is deemed cruel because the fins are often removed while the shark is still alive - it then drowns when it is thrown back into the sea. A statement from the EU Council, which groups ministers from the 27 member states, said finning had contributed to a serious decline in shark populations. It said that "with its policy of fins remaining attached, the EU will also be in a better position to push for shark protection at international level". On a global level Indonesia lands the highest tonnage of sharks. Conservationists argued that the issuing of Special Fishing Permits (SFPs) that allowed fins to be removed at sea prevented the EU ban from becoming fully effective. According to European Parliament data, the largest number of SFPs issued were to Spanish and Portuguese vessels (1,266 and 145 respectively, in 2004-2010). Portugal voted against the new controls, the Council said. The 39-year-old from Gosport, is hoping to swim between Menorca to Mallorca, then Mallorca to Ibiza and finally from Ibiza to mainland Spain. Ms Wardley said: "These will be the longest non-stop swims I've ever faced." She is expected swim the route in three stages between September and December. Previous swims include completing a solo 60-mile (96.6km) non-stop route around the Isle of Wight in 2013. She was the first person in 30 years to make the swim which was the culmination of her Five Island Swim Challenge. Ms Wardley has also swum the English Channel and the Straits of Gibraltar. To date she has raised in more than £65,000 for charities including the Samaritans, Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and Sail Africa, which offers sailing courses for young people in South Africa. Moffat, who also oversees Doctor Who, was honoured with the special award for outstanding writing. Accepting the award, he told the London ceremony: "Write what you love. I've never loved anything as much as Doctor Who and Sherlock." However he and Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss lost out to ITV1's Appropriate Adult for best TV short-form drama. Screenwriter Neil McKay's Fred West drama also beat This is England '88 writers Shane Meadows and Jack Thorne to the prize. Starring Dominic West, Appropriate Adult has already been honoured with TV Baftas, RTS and Broadcasting Guild Awards. BBC3's Being Human won the Writers' Guild award for TV drama series, while Hollyoaks writer Nick Leather won best continuing TV drama. BBC4 comedy Holy Flying Circus, written by Tony Roche, won best TV comedy. Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures, written by Phil Ford, took the prize for best children's TV script for its episode The Curse of Clyde Langer. Other winners included Dexter Fletcher's directorial debut Wild Bill, which won best first feature film for him and co-writer Danny King. We Need to Talk About Kevin won best screenplay for Lynne Ramsay and Rory Stewart Kinnear. The awards were handed out in London on Wednesday night by The Writers' Guild of Great Britain, which supports writers across every media, from books, theatre, TV and radio. Rachel De-lahay won best play for The Westbridge, a Royal Court production that ran at Peckham's Bussey Building, while best play for children and young people went to Brendan Murray for Hare and Tortoise. There were also two awards for radio writing, with Radio 4's Pandemic, by John Dryden, winning the drama category and Matt Berry's I, Regress winning best radio comedy. Best fiction book went to Patrick McGuinness' The Last Hundred Days, and best videogame script was won by Paul Crocker's Batman: Arkham City.

The EU has agreed to tighten up an existing ban on "shark finning" - the practice of slicing off a shark's fins at sea for sale to Asian markets. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Long-distance swimmer Anna Wardley, from Hampshire, has revealed plans to swim 215km (133 miles) between the Balearic Islands for charity. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Sherlock creator Steven Moffat has been handed the top prize at this year's Writers' Guild Awards.

The 22-year-old, who never made a first-team outing for the Blues, spent one month on loan at Yeovil in 2010. Coombes told the club website: "It was a big chance for me to come here and luckily the manager's liked me and given me a chance. "The most important thing is we have a good season and win, so I'm willing to do anything it takes to do that." He was previously known as Adam Phillip before changing his surname in July 2012. Nigeria, the 1996 Olympic football champions, are now the first African country to complete an Olympic medal sweep having won a sliver medal in Beijing in 2008. Aminu Umar had hit both posts before Sadiq Umar scored from close range in the 34th minute after captain Mikel John Obi's fine run. Four minutes after the break, Mikel's strike was half-punched away by Lopez and it fell for Aminu Umar, the Turkey-based forward, to calmly finish inside the box. Sadiq Umar got his second and his fourth of the tournament in the 56th minute to set the Eagles in flight and put them 3-0 up. But Anthony Lozano pulled a goal back after 70 minutes, and Honduras' late fight-back was firmly on when Marcelo Pereira scored with four minutes left on the clock. The Dream Team VI held off their opponents' late rally to win the country's first medal of the Rio games. Victory gave Nigeria - beaten by Germany in the semi-finals - their place in history, by winning all three men's football Olympic medals. At Atlanta in 1996, they became the first African team to win the gold medal. They also finished runners-up at the 2008 Beijing Olympics to take silver, where current under-23 coach Samson Siasia also coached the 'Dream Team' in China. Critics say some of the projects "launched" by the president were already under way or had already been commissioned. Some others have been viewed as not meriting the weight of presidential publicity. Last week, Mr Kenyatta, who faces elections in August, was in the city of Mombasa where he launched a footbridge, proudly described as a "non-motorized transport project". Some Twitter users have taken this as a cue to mock the president. Using the hashtag #UhuruChallenge, they posted their own examples of things they were "launching" or "commissioning". Some parts of Kenya, including the capital, Nairobi, coastal and northern regions have been suffering power outages since the weekend because of a technical problem at a power station. Perhaps inevitably, this provided another opportunity for satirical digs at Mr Kenyatta. And one user thought Kenyans were unlikely to have heard the last of unimpressive presidential launches. Jade Lynch, who lives in St Helens, Merseyside, told family members she was going to meet someone in the town on 26 March, but has not been seen since. Following an appeal from her sister Stephanie, Cheshire Police say they are now following up a possible sighting in Manchester city centre. Since the teen disappeared her social media accounts have been silent. Stephanie Lynch, 22, said it was not like her sister to not be in contact. She said: "All kinds of things are running through our minds. We just want to know that she is safe, that's all. "It's not like her not to be in contact with no-one." Det Supt Jon Betts said: "Over the past 24 hours we have received a vast amount of information from the public following the appeal for information into Jade's whereabouts. "We are following up a number of promising lines of enquiry at various locations across the country. "One concerns information relating to possible sightings of Jade in Manchester city centre, but this is only one of the many enquiries officers are following up."

Notts County have signed former Chelsea striker Adam Coombes after a successful trial. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Sadiq Umar scored a brace as Nigeria won an Olympic bronze medal in the men's football with a 3-2 win over Honduras in Belo Horizonte. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Social media users in Kenya have been poking fun at President Uhuru Kenyatta over his perceived enthusiasm for launching projects, with great fanfare from his communications staff. [NEXT_CONCEPT] A possible sighting of a missing 14-year-old girl is being investigated by police.

Horgan is best known for comedy series Pulling and Catastrophe, both of which she co-wrote and appeared in. "Most of the TV I'm watching is either created by, starring or directed by women," Horgan told the Radio Times. "At all the Emmy parties I went to, the people I was honing in on to tell I appreciated their work were ladies - Rachel Bloom, Tina Fey, Jill Soloway." She added: "They were everywhere. So certainly in the comedy world, it's looking pretty sweet." Bloom is best known for appearing in Crazy Ex Girlfriend, while Tina Fey wrote and starred in 30 Rock and Jill Soloway created, wrote and directed Transparent. Horgan's work on Catastrophe was nominated for outstanding writing for a comedy series at the Emmy Awards, which took place in Los Angeles last month. She is currently working on the third season of Catastrophe and recently wrote the pilot for Divorce, which starred Sarah Jessica Parker. Horgan also wrote the pilot for the comedy Motherland, which was warmly received when it aired on BBC Two last month. It has not yet been confirmed whether a full series will be commissioned, but Horgan said: "I think we'll know fairly soon." Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email [email protected].

Actress and writer Sharon Horgan has praised the number of women currently involved in high-profile comedy shows.

England's Justin Rose leads the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego on seven under after carding a first-round 65. Woods, 41, dropped five shots in four holes on the back nine at Torrey Pines, where he won the 2008 US Open, the most recent of his major titles. It is the American's second tournament since 15 months out with a back injury. The former world number one's competitive return came at the Hero World Challenge in December, when he tied for 15th out of 17 at the invitational event. In his first full-sanctioned PGA Tour event back, Woods again struggled, following up consecutive birdies at 10 and 11 with three straight bogeys and then a double bogey at 15. A further bogey at 17 followed before Woods birdied the last on the South Course, leaving him in a tie for 133rd in a field of 155 competitors and in danger of missing the cut. "I fought my tail off out there, I fought hard. But I didn't really hit it that good," Woods said. "I was in the rough most of the day and it was tough." The competition sees players split the first 36 holes between the North and South Courses at Torrey Pines, before playing the final two rounds on the South Course at the weekend. Playing on the North Course, Rose reached the turned at one under before surging up the leaderboard with a blistering back nine. After a birdie on his 10th hole, the Olympic champion struck two eagles and two birdies in the final five holes, a bogey at the par-three eighth the only blemish. Rose leads by one shot ahead of Canada's Adam Hadwin, who hit a six-under 66 on the South Course. Defending champion Brandt Snedeker of the United States is tied for eighth place on four under. The billionaire, whose empire includes Top Shop and Dorothy Perkins, had threatened not to give evidence. MPs on the Business and Work and Pensions committees are conducting a joint inquiry into BHS's demise. Last week, Sir Philip called for the resignation of Frank Field, chairman of the Work and Pensions committee. He claimed that the Labour MP was biased, and called for his resignation in a letter on Friday. "I am not prepared to participate in a process which has not even the pretence of fairness and objectivity and which has as its primary objective the destruction of my reputation," Sir Philip told Mr Field. In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Sir Philip said he was "disappointed" by the lack of a response from Mr Field. "I did not think or believe that those conducting a parliamentary process would or should express concluded views in such a public way before I have had the chance to appear before the committee," he said. "Having given long and hard thought to the matter however, I have decided I will attend tomorrow morning, hoping and trusting that the committee will give me a fair hearing. "This will be the first and only opportunity I have had to tell my side of the very sad BHS story and I will do my best to answer all the questions put to me in an honest and open way." Sir Philip owned the department store chain for 15 years until 2015, when he sold it for £1 to a consortium led by Dominic Chappell. Mr Chappell, a former racing car driver, had no retail experience and has been declared bankrupt at least twice. BHS went into administration in late April, threatening 11,000 jobs. After no buyer could be found for the 164 UK stores, BHS is in the process of being wound down. Its shops will all close by the end of July, meaning staff will soon be unemployed. The MPs will want to ask Sir Philip a wide range of questions, including: Simon Jack: the questions Sir Philip Green must answer Mr Field had called on Sir Philip to fully cover the £571m deficit in the BHS pension scheme, which covers 20,000 current and former employees. The BHS pension scheme has had to be absorbed by the Pension Protection Fund at a cost of about £275m. Several politicians, including shadow chancellor John McDonnell, have said Sir Philip should be stripped of his knighthood if he failed to attend the hearing on Wednesday morning. Sir Philip agreed to appear on condition that his wife Tina Green, who lives in Monaco and owns a company that controls Arcadia, was not called. The hearing begins at 09.15 BST and can be watched online.

Fourteen-time major champion Tiger Woods hit a four-over-par 76 in the opening round of his first full PGA Tour event for almost 18 months. [NEXT_CONCEPT] MPs are preparing to question Sir Philip Green about the sale and collapse of retailer BHS, which he sold last year for £1.

His wife is due to give birth around the end of May. "The more important thing is that my wife is due another baby, so that will be my first priority," Charteris told BBC Wales Sport. "We'll see how that goes, hopefully everything goes well there and then I can make a decision after that." The child is due to be born in France, where 33 year-old Charteris is in the final months of his contract with Paris side Racing 92 before moving to Bath. Wales are due to face England at Twickenham on 29 May, before a three-Test tour of New Zealand, also including a fixture against Waikato Chiefs. The French Top 14 final will not be played until 24 June, only hours before the final Test in New Zealand, and Racing are strong contenders for the title. "I don't know, I'll cross that bridge when we get there," said Charteris when asked about his Wales availability. "I want to be doing as well as we can with Racing and put ourselves in a position to win some silverware, and see what happens down the line. The honest answer is I'm not really sure." Charteris has made three starts and one replacement appearance during the 2016 Six Nations, taking his caps total to 66. "It's a big end of the season for a lot of boys who were in the World Cup, so it's been a long year," admitted Charteris. "We'll go back to our clubs now, some will have a bit of rest, some have got big games coming up. "We look forward to getting back together in a few months time and it's a great way to finish the season off." The miners are protesting against tougher penalties for illegal mining. Local officials said police were far outnumbered by the protesters, who are trying to take control of the airport at the city of Puerto Maldonado. The miners say the new rules will put them out of work, but the government says the sanctions will encourage miners to get the necessary permits. An estimated 50,000 miners do not have a licence to operate. Poisoned rivers The government says large areas of jungle have been destroyed by illegal mining and large portions of the area's waterways show high levels of mercury, used in the mining operations. Officials say they want the miners to obtain the correct permits and to abide by environmental rules, but the protesters accuse the government of wanting to hand over mining concessions only to large multinational companies. The latest protests erupted after talks between the government and the miners broke down on Tuesday. Regional officials said more than 10,000 miners tried to seize government buildings, markets and the airport in Puerto Maldonado. Regional President Luis Aguirre described the situation as "untenable". "You can hear gunshots throughout the entire city," he said. Police have asked for reinforcements as 700 officers were outnumbered by more than 10,000 protesters. Informal miners also held protests in two other regions, in Piura in Peru's northwest and in Puno in the southern highlands bordering Bolivia. Peru is one of the world's major gold producers and high prices have sparked a boom in recent years. The government has urged the miners to return to the negotiating table for more talks scheduled for Friday, but it is not clear so far if the miners will attend. Romanian defence ministry officials are reported to have said those killed were members of the Romanian special forces. The troops were shot while training police in the city of Kandahar. There have been several incidents in recent years of Afghan security forces turning their arms on coalition troops. However more recently so-called "green-on-blue" insider attacks - usually committed by Taliban members or supporters - have become much less frequent. The attackers on Saturday were killed, a Nato statement said, and an investigation is under way. One Afghan policeman is reported to have been been arrested and is being questioned. Nato's crisis of trust in Afghanistan Afghan gunman admits killing Americans The latest violence comes as Nato commander General John Nicholson reviews plans to reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan by next year almost 50% in a move that officials say would adversely effect the training mission. The Nato statement insisted however that the incident would not jeopardise its training and advisory mission with Afghan forces. Romania contributes about 600 soldiers to the nearly 12,500-strong Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan. US troop numbers are due to be reduced from 9,800 to 5,500 by the start of 2017, but there is increasing speculation that Gen Nicholson may request a delay in the drawdown to keep the training mission running.

Wales lock Luke Charteris could be a doubt for the summer fixtures against England and New Zealand because of family and club commitments. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Three people have died and more than 30 have been injured in clashes between miners and police in Peru. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Two Nato soldiers have been killed in the south of Afghanistan and a third was wounded when two attackers wearing the uniform of Afghan security forces opened fire on them, Nato has said.

The Royal Society for Public Health said smoking should be seen as "abnormal" and more controls are needed to cover areas where people gather. Its report said people needing a fix of nicotine should use e-cigarettes. The pro-smoking campaign group Forest said the measures would not work and may lead to pubs closing. The Society argued the 2007 smoking ban inside public places had been a huge success and encouraged thousands to quit. Its report calls for the ban "to be extended further to include school gates, the outside areas of bars and restaurants and all public parks and squares". Unlike the original smoking ban the focus is no longer on the dangers of second-hand smoke. Shirley Cramer, the body's chief executive, said: "Children are hugely receptive to the behaviour of the adults around them. The sight therefore of individuals smoking at prominent locations risks teaching them that smoking is a normal and safe habit. "We believe that banning smoking in these locations via an exclusion zone could further denormalise smoking, ensuring that it is seen as an abnormal activity and potentially, prevent children and young people from beginning in the future." The organisation also called for: Meanwhile a separate report by the University of Edinburgh suggested 1,500 stillbirths were prevented in the first four years of the smoking ban. Smoking limits the about of oxygen going to the baby and limits growth. By James Gallagher, health editor, BBC News website This report opens a new frontline in the battle against smoking. Campaigners have already scored big victories with the original smoking ban and again this year with a ban on smoking in cars with children and standardised packaging for cigarettes. Now the target is public places. Brighton is already considering banning smoking on the beach and Bristol is trialling smoking bans in city squares The rights of smokers are clearly in decline and leaves the question - where will it end? Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest, said he welcomed ideas that encouraged people to use electronic cigarettes but they should not rely on "coercion and prohibition". He told the BBC: "Banning smoking outside pubs and bars will discriminate against adults who quite legitimately prefer to smoke. "It won't stop people smoking, it will simply deter more people from going to the pub and that could lead to even more pub closures." He said renaming e-cigarettes was a "silly idea" that "ignores the fact that e-cigs are popular because they mimic the act of smoking".

The public smoking ban should be extended to beer gardens, al fresco eating areas of restaurants, parks, and outside school gates, a report says.

The 77-year-old's career highlights will be celebrated at a gala in the city next April. The society, which organises the annual New York Film Festival, said that Redford's "impact is hard to measure in many ways". Recent Chaplin Award recipients include Barbra Streisand and Nicole Kidman. The honour is given to the movie industry's most notable talents, and has also lauded Martin Scorsese, Alfred Hitchcock and Charlie Chaplin, after whom the award is named. He was the first recipient in 1972, while last year's winner was director Rob Reiner. Lesli Klainberg, the film society's executive director, said that Redford's contribution as an actor has been significant, but also pinpointed his work as founder of the Sundance Film Festival. "Without the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival, we'd likely have a different industry. And they continue to have a huge impact," she said. "Obviously he's a star that many of us have grown up watching from his films in the early '60s to his current work. "I happen to think he's also had some of the greatest co-stars ever, from Natalie Wood to Faye Dunaway, Barbra Streisand, and, of course, his great bromance with Paul Newman," added Ms Klainberg. Redford starred in All is Lost in 2013, which was shown at the New York Film Festival. His performance was greeted with a standing ovation at its Cannes Film Festival premiere last year.

Hollywood actor and director Robert Redford is to receive a lifetime achievement award from New York's Film Society of Lincoln Centre.

The 34-year-old Argentine has compressed nerves in his back and needs to see a specialist. Interim head coach Aaron Mauger said: "It's precautionary trying to make sure we don't aggravate it and will probably be 10-12 weeks to get him back." Meanwhile, centre Matt Toomua could return before the end of the season following his knee injury. Mauger said the 34 year-old had "progressed very well". "Matt is a couple of weeks ahead of where we thought he would be," Toomua added. "Hopefully he will play some rugby in April." Bottas, who has raced for Williams since his debut in 2013, had been of interest to Renault but BBC Sport has learned he will not be moving. Stroll, who is 18 this month, won this year's European Formula 3 title and has been prepared for his graduation with a series of tests in old Williams cars. Stroll's father is Canadian billionaire businessman Lawrence Stroll. Williams' Formula 1 line-up is to be announced in the days following next weekend's Mexican Grand Prix. A Williams spokeswoman refused to comment. Finland's Bottas has emerged as one of the leading members of the new generation of drivers in F1. Stroll is regarded as having potential but his path to an F1 seat has also been eased by him bringing millions of pounds of budget to the team in return for a drive. Renault are now the only major team without a confirmed driver line-up for 2017. Nico Hulkenberg's decision to join them from Force India was announced last week but the identity of his team-mate has not yet been decided. The leading contenders are considered to be Renault's current driver Kevin Magnussen and their reserve driver, the Frenchman Esteban Ocon, who is currently racing for Manor. Ocon is contracted to Mercedes, who loaned him to Renault this year, and they may instead prefer him to race a car with one of their engines at Force India. Renault's other 2016 race driver, Jolyon Palmer, is also a possibility at Force India and has an outside chance of retaining his position at his current team. United States Grand Prix coverage details The 36-year-old also accused the French second division club of "total amateurism" and a "lack of respect". The Portuguese added: "For any leader in an organisation who is responsible for a team, it's unacceptable." Costa was the highest-profile female manager to be put in charge of a men's team in European football when she was appointed in May. In a joint news conference on Tuesday morning to explain her departure, Costa said she was leaving for "personal reasons" while president Claude Michy said her decision was "astonishing and incomprehensible". "She's a woman," added Michy. "They are capable of leading us to believe in certain things." Costa, who had previously coached the Iran women's national team and scouted for Scottish Premier League club Celtic, subsequently decided to issue a statement clarifying her reasons for leaving. She explained that the club's sporting director did not reply to any of her emails during a five-day period and claimed she tried to take the case to the club president but could not talk to him either.

Leicester Tigers prop Marcos Ayerza is expected to be out for up to three months with an ongoing back problem. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Valtteri Bottas will stay at Williams in 2017 as the team promote Canadian rookie Lance Stroll as his team-mate. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Helena Costa said she quit her job as Clermont coach because she found out players were hired without her consent.

The 30-year old joined the Rossoneri permanently in 2012 following a loan spell while he was at Inter Milan. Muntari had one more year left on his contract that he signed in 2014. "AC Milan and Sulley Muntari would like to announce they have reached agreement to dissolve the player's contract with the club as of today," a club statement read. He fell out of favour after former boss Filippo Inzaghi replaced Clarence Seedorf as coach of the seven-time European champions, making just 16 Serie A appearances last season, scoring twice. His future at the club has been in doubt since May when he asked to be left of the Milan squad for a Serie A match away to Palermo. Milan paid tribute to the battling midfielder, adding: "AC Milan would like to thank Muntari for the commitment and professional attitude shown during his time playing in the Milan shirt and wish him all the very best for the future." He has not played for Ghana since being sent home from the World Cup in Brazil last year for indiscipline.

Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari's contract with Italian club AC Milan has been ended by mutual consent.

Legal costs related to the corruption scandal which engulfed the organisation and "ill-considered previous investments" contributed to the losses. The latest financial results follow a loss of nearly £100m in 2015. Fifa forecasts a financial recovery in 2018, when Russia hosts the World Cup, and expects to finish the four years since 2014 with an £80m profit. The governing body, which is still under criminal investigations in Switzerland and the United States, paid out nearly £50m to lawyers last year. Former president Sepp Blatter's investments in a football museum and hotel in Zurich have proved unsuccessful so far, too, and are referred to as "ill-considered". Media playback is not supported on this device These can be created by using photos taken by an Android phone or DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera. The tool lets users connect various photos and, once published, people can navigate between them on Google Maps. Google said the move will allow it to expand the reach as well as the uses of its maps service. "We are excited to see the different types of Street View experiences that everyone will contribute," the firm said in a blog post. "For example, this feature can now enable environmental non-profits to document and promote the beautiful places they strive to protect. "It also opens up a new tool for photographers to showcase diversity in a specific location - by times of day, weather conditions or cultural events - in a way that Street View currently doesn't cover," it added. Digital maps have become a key growth area in recent times, not least because of the surge in popularity of gadgets such as smartphones and tablet PCs. Google, a big player in the sector, has been aiming to expand its presence further, analysts say. In June this year, it bought an Israeli social mapping company, Waze. As it announced the deal, Google had said it planned to enhance Google Maps with Waze's traffic updates feature. Rival Apple also launched its own map app in 2012. Earlier this year, Apple bought indoor-mapping specialist Wifislam to expand its maps product in an apparent effort to compete with Google. Other geo-location apps, such as FourSquare, Tinder and Here On Biz, are also incorporating mapping services of some kind. Meanwhile, Google has been trying to look at different ways of gathering images for creating its street views. The firm has usually sent out cars and trikes, a three-wheeled vehicle, to gather the images, which made it difficult to capture locations that were less accessible. Earlier this year, it created a modified backpack called Trekker, to enable people to walk to remote locations and get the 360 degree images required. The Trekker has already been used in the Grand Canyon and from the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa.

World football governing body Fifa lost nearly £300m in 2016 and is scheduled to lose close to £400m in 2017. [NEXT_CONCEPT] Google has unveiled a new tool that allows users to create a Street View - a 360 degree virtual tour - of any place and share it using Google Maps.

Overgenerous offers of fuel subsidies meant the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme vastly overspent. The minister in charge planned to close it, but it remained open for two more weeks after Mrs Foster's challenge. The DUP said Jonathan Bell extended the scheme "following representations". MLAs will return to the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday for an urgent discussion on public concerns over the energy scandal. And Mrs Foster could face a motion of no confidence in her position as first minister if she does not stand aside while the scheme is investigated, the SDLP has said. But the DUP's deputy leader Nigel Dodds has given her his backing, saying that her opponents are engaged in a "witch-hunt". Set up by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Deti), the RHI scheme offered incentives to businesses and other non-domestic users to install renewable heating systems, mostly burning wood pellets. But the subsidies it paid out were greater than the cost of the fuel, meaning users could claim more cash the more fuel they burned. Stormont could have to find about £400m over the next 20 years to cover the overspend. BBC Radio Ulster's The Stephen Nolan Show revealed that Mrs Foster had a "heated conversation" with her DUP colleague Mr Bell, the then enterprise minister, over his plan to end the initiative in January. Senior civil servants at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Deti) had told him that the scheme had to close as it had gone far beyond its budget. When Mrs Foster intervened, the source said, a deal was struck that saw the scheme remain open for a further 14 days. Analysis Chris Buckler Ireland Correspondent Of course, publicly this scheme was being touted as a success. And Arlene Foster may well have been trying to protect businesses who were investing in boilers and trying to enter the scheme. It's worth going back to February and looking at how upset politicians from all of the main parties were at the final closure of this scheme. There wasn't the outrage over it remaining open that there is now. But at that stage for Assembly officials it wasn't about helping businesses or the environment - Stormont simply couldn't afford it. And that delay undoubtedly allowed more firms to enter the scheme, adding to the financial drain on Stormont. The DUP said Mr Bell kept the scheme open "following representations, including those from other political parties". The party added: "The first minister and deputy first minister supported this decision in light of the concerns expressed at the time and the fact that cost controls had already been introduced from November 2015. "Civil servants expressed no objection to the two-week extension in light of the legal dangers of the lack of adequate notification period." SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said Mrs Foster must account for her role in what he described as "the biggest public finance scandal in the history of devolution". He called on Sinn Féin, the DUP's executive partners, to sign a no-confidence motion in the first minister, which will need the support of 30 members to go through. "If [Mrs Foster] will not stand aside, then the assembly must act to remove her from office and fully scrutinise this scandal," Mr Eastwood said. "She has lost all credibility and anything less will further erode faith in our institutions." The Stephen Nolan Show also revealed internal emails that suggest civil servants came under pressure from Stormont's Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) in autumn last year to delay crucial changes to the scheme that could have curbed its costs. Deti officials became concerned in summer 2015 that the RHI scheme was running out of control and made it clear that it should be closed or at least changed to ensure it did not become unaffordable. The department's top civil servant Andrew McCormick said he wanted the scheme to be closed in September 2015. But emails show that Deti staff had concerns that political pressure was applied to keep the original scheme open. In an email, a DUP official challenged a note of decisions made by the department. Crucially, the scheme continued unchanged until mid-November. During that period, there was a spike in applications to the RHI scheme - 429 in October and 452 in November. When the spike in applications for the ill-fated RHI scheme took place the minister responsible was mostly away from his desk. Jonathan Bell had been removed from office by the DUP as part of the rolling resignation policy in response to a Stormont crisis. Read more from political correspondent Gareth Gordon The approved applications during those two months are expected to cost the public purse £485m. Mr McCormick said "wider reluctance delayed the debate" around the scheme and prevented the changes from being made. In a statement, the DUP said: "For the avoidance of any doubt, no-one at the then OFMDFM sought to delay the closure of the scheme. "No DUP special advisor or any other individuals from the then OFMDFM sought to prevent the 'closure of the original scheme'." "Indeed, the date from which the scheme was to be amended and terms of any such amendment of the scheme were a matter for the responsible minister."

First Minister Arlene Foster personally fought a decision by an executive colleague to close a flawed energy scheme that could cost taxpayers £400m, a senior source has told the BBC.