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Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust came under fire following the death of Connor Sparrowhawk, who drowned in a bath at Slade House in Oxford. Its boss Katrina Percy resigned last month after public pressure. Previous interim chairman Tim Smart also stood down after he was criticised for creating a new job for Ms Percy. Now Alan Yates, who is currently the trust's Improvement Director, has been appointed as his successor. Anne Eden, executive regional managing director for the south at NHS Improvement, said he would lead a review into how the trust delivers services. "The trust has some excellent staff working hard to improve services for patients," she said. "We want to work with them, plus those who use the services and their families, to help design their future." She added that Mr Yates has more than 35 years managerial experience within the NHS and has been chief executive of three different trusts. The review is due to conclude early next year and a spokesperson said it could result in a "transformation" of the trust. July 2013 - Connor Sparrowhawk, 18, drowns after an epileptic seizure at Oxford unit Slade House. An inquest later rules neglect contributed to his death 11 December 2015 - The BBC reveals details of a leaked Mazars report which highlights a "failure of leadership". Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says he is "profoundly shocked" 17 December 2015 - The report is officially published and shows out of 722 unexpected deaths over four years, only 272 were properly investigated 6 April 2016 - The Care Quality Commission (CQC) issues a warning notice to significantly improve protection for mental health patients 29 April 2016 - A full CQC inspection report is published, which says the trust is continuing to put patients at risk 30 June 2016 - Following a review of the management team competencies, it is announced that Katrina Percy is to keep her job 29 July 2016 - The BBC reveals the trust paid millions of pounds in contracts to companies owned by previous associates of Ms Percy 30 August 2016 - Ms Percy announces she is standing down as chief executive, but is staying on in an advisory role 19 September 2016 - Interim chairman Tim Smart resigns after admitting he created a job for Ms Percy 7 October 2016 - Ms Percy resigns completely from the trust
An NHS trust criticised for failing to properly investigate hundreds of deaths has appointed an interim chairman to review its services.
Qiang Gao, 39, attacked the co-worker in the kitchen of the Szechuan Express takeaway in Thatcham, Berkshire in May. The victim, 40, suffered severe head injuries including a fractured skull and had a finger partially severed. Gao, of Acorn Drive, Thatcham was found guilty of attempted murder at Reading Crown Court. Adrian Foster, chief crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: "There is no doubt that, with the force used, Gao intended to kill the victim. "Gao clearly acted out of blind retaliation in a grossly disproportionate manner and is undoubtedly an extremely dangerous man." Gao was arrested on 28 May and charged with attempted murder the following day. He denied attempted murder, claiming self-defence, but was found guilty by a jury after a five-day trial.
A man who struck a colleague in the head with a meat cleaver after a row over a chicken has been jailed for 11 years.
Five bronze medals are guaranteed in the boxing with Lauren Price the first Welsh female boxer to medal. Sean McGoldrick, Ashley Williams, Joe Cordina and Nathan Thorley are also guaranteed bronze. Gold medal hope Robert Weale lost in his attempt to defend his singles lawn bowls title. The 51-year-old has won six medals at previous Games, including singles gold at Delhi 2010, but lost 21-11 to Australia's Aron Sherriff. Another Welsh defending champion lost in a preliminary round, as Dai Greene failed to reach the 400m hurdles final. Reigning Commonwealth boxing champion McGoldrick won his bantamweight quarter-final. He claimed a split points decision over South Africa's Ayabonga Sonjica to proceed to the semi-finals and guarantee at least a bronze medal. Fellow boxers Williams, Cordina, Thorley and Price also secured bronze after winning their quarter-final bouts. But Charlene Jones lost a split decision against India's Laishram Devi in the lightweight division. Delhi gold medallist Greene trailed in fifth in his race after a build-up wrecked by injury. Greene recently won on his return to competition after three hernia operations last year. "I knew I was playing catch-up from a few months ago and to be honest I didn't expect to be here four months ago," said Greene. Bowler Weale had got his campaign back on course with a 21-18 win over Dalton Tagelagi, but he failed to overcome Sherriff. Wales women's pairs are through to the lawn bowls quarter-finals after beating the Cook Islands 14-13 and drawing with England 15-15. The triples team narrowly lost to South Africa 14-13 but followed that up with a 14-13 win against New Zealand to qualify for the semi-finals. In the athletics stadium, Brett Morse has qualified for the discus final. His throw of 59.85 metres was well below his personal best, but it was enough to get him through. And Joe Thomas lines up in the semi-finals of the 800m. Clinton Purnell finished seventh in the artistic gymnastics men's individual all-around final. Wales' bronze-medal winning artistic gymnasts Georgina Hockenhull and Lizzie Beddoe finished sixth and eighth in the women's individual final.
Wales have reached their target of 27 medals and are guaranteed to win at least 32 after day seven of the Commonwealth Games.
The Canadian-owned aerospace firm has announced plans to cut the posts over a two-year period. "The news that staff at Bombardier have received today is a devastating development for many of the workers, their families and the wider manufacturing industry in Northern Ireland. While the company has made it clear their decision is as a result of inescapable global economic factors, the impact is very real for those affected, and for the wider economy. "Bombardier has made it clear their decision aims to protect the long-term future of the business. The Executive will make every effort to mitigate the impact of the job losses and we will work closely with Invest NI and with the enterprise and employment and learning ministers to ensure all possible avenues are explored." "The impact of this decision will be hard felt in Northern Ireland, in particular by those personally affected. First and foremost, my thoughts are with the workers and their families as they absorb today's news. He added: "While today's news is deeply disappointing, Bombardier Inc has made it clear that the decision has been taken to safeguard the company's long term future globally and here in Northern Ireland." "The job losses announced today by Bombardier are extremely regrettable, not only for those who have lost their jobs, but also for the families, communities and the economy as a whole. "My department will be proactive in determining what steps we can take to assist employees facing redundancy to provide them with advice and guidance regarding re-skilling, training and alternative employment opportunities." "This jobs loss announcement is the latest, cruel blow to Northern Ireland's manufacturing sector. While the scale of the losses reflect the severe market conditions being experienced by the group which has led to over 7.000 job losses globally, heavy manufacturers across the region continue to face challenging times. "The Northern Ireland Executive needs to redouble their efforts and secure alternative employment for those highly skilled workers who will be made redundant." "While we were fully aware that Bombardier intended to make cost reductions across its global business, the news of 7,000 jobs, 1,080 in Northern Ireland, is much greater than anticipated. "We have listened to the company's reasoning for this difficult decision and, while it is hard to hear, we understand why it has had to make this choice. "While Bombardier feels this 'right-sizing' is essential for the business market as it stands today, its announcement of a new order of 75 CS300 aircraft by Air Canada is a positive development and I have every confidence that its commitment to the CSeries project will see the company's presence in Belfast rebuild for the future." "Today's announcement is devastating for the Bombardier workforce and their families. My thoughts are with all of those affected and who now face an uncertain future. Those workers must now get any help and support they require to find alternative employment or retraining. "Bombardier still remains an absolutely vital part of the Northern Ireland economy however and I would hope reassurance can be given of the viability of the East Belfast site going forward." "This is a serious development and my thoughts are foremost with the workers and families affected by this news. It is important to say that the skills and productivity of Bombardier Northern Ireland workers are first class and this decision appears to be based primarily on factors affecting the company on a global basis." "Not only does this impact on those who lose their jobs but also has a knock-on effect on the local economy as these wages are removed. I am hoping when the new CSeries goes into full production that we can see a reverse of this trend and see employment rise again." "Bombardier represents around 10% of our total exports and almost 50% of the manufacturing jobs in Belfast as well as a deeply embedded supply chain which stretches from the north west to north Down. These are well paid, highly skilled advanced manufacturing roles in line with the current economic strategy."
Politicians and business leaders have been reacting to news of up to 1,000 job losses at one of Northern Ireland's biggest employers, Bombardier.
Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali survived the blast unhurt after it struck the newly re-opened national theatre in the capital, Mogadishu. Militants from the al-Shabab group say they carried out the bombing. African Union peacekeepers said the "despicable" attack would not deter peace efforts in Somalia. The President of the Somali Olympic Committee, Aden Yabarow Wiish, and the Somali Football Federation chief, Said Mohamed Nur, were both killed. They were among a group of dignitaries who had gathered to mark the first anniversary of the launch of Somalia's national television station. By Mohamed DhoreBBC News, Mogadishu There is shock and anger in Mogadishu following the explosion at the Somali national theatre - a little more than two weeks after it was re-opened with great fanfare. The prime minister was addressing the crowd of about 300 high-profile guests gathered to celebrate a year since the government-owned TV station took to the air - meant to be yet another milestone in Somalia's slow return to peace. But scenes of chaos ensued when a blast ripped through seats. The rescue effort was haphazard and some wounded journalists say they were left to organise their own lifts to hospital. Police say initial investigations point to a female suicide bomber as being behind the explosion, but the Islamist group al-Shabab said it had planted a device at the theatre ahead of the event, which was announced on television on Tuesday night. All guests were thoroughly frisked as they entered the theatre, so suspicions are growing that it may have been an inside job. It has also prompted people to question why officials would publicise the event when the government is unable to guarantee security - even for its own prime minister. Sepp Blatter, president of football's governing body Fifa, said he was shocked at the deaths of the sport officials. "I knew both men personally and can only say good things about their endless efforts to promote sport and football in their country," he said in a statement. "They will be sorely missed." Three Somali television journalists were also wounded in the blast, sources told the BBC Somali Service. The theatre had closed in the early 1990s as Somalia descended into civil war and was only reopened last month, amid a new period of relative optimism. Police and hospital sources told BBC News in Mogadishu that eight people had been killed. Also speaking to the BBC, the prime minister said a woman suicide attacker had carried out the attack. Condemning al-Shabab, he said it was in the group's nature to "kill innocent people" and described the attacks as "the last breaths of a dying horse". Abdullahi Yussuf Abdurahiman, 22, survived the explosion. He told BBC News: "I saw mutilated bodies, shoes on the ground, bloody mobile phones and chairs cut in half by the force of the blast. "A lot of people were being carried out and there were dead people on the floor. It was unimaginable. Then everyone was running away." Soldiers started shooting after the blast, witnesses said. In a statement al-Shabab said it was behind the bombing but referred to a planted device rather than a suicide bomber. "The Mujahideen successfully planted the explosives before the gathering," it said on Twitter. Al-Shabab spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters news agency: "We were behind the theatre blast. We targeted the infidel ministers and legislators, and they were the casualties of today." The explosion comes as the UN-backed government seeks to show it has re-established control of the city since al-Shabab was forced out in August. However, al-Shabab has continued to attack the capital with bombs and mortars. Last week, African Union (AU) troops said they had seized control of territory on the outskirts of Mogadishu which, they said, had allowed the Islamist fighters to launch their frequent attacks on the city. Brigadier General Audace Nduwumunsi, deputy commander of the AU mission said the peacekeepers stood firmly with the Somali government. "Yet again the terrorists' methods show that they are enemies of peace and are foreign to Somali culture," he said. "By their attack they are trying to derail the hopes and dreams of the Somali people but they will fail." He encouraged people in Mogadishu to come forward with any information about possible further attacks.
The head of Somalia's Olympic committee and its football chief are among eight people killed in a bomb attack on a high-profile event in Mogadishu.
The Nuffield Trust found that Scotland had a unique system for improving the quality and safety of patient care. It has benefited from sticking with the policy rather than "chopping and changing" every few years, it added. But the study warned that Scotland's strengths could be undermined by a "dark cloud" of financial pressures. Mark Dayan, the lead author of Learning from Scotland's NHS, said the report identified philosophies and approaches used in Scotland which could benefit the rest of the UK. He added: "Scotland's well thought-through system of improving patient safety and quality of care works by engaging frontline staff in the process, and importantly the country has stuck with that approach rather than chopping and changing every couple of years. "Scotland has also worked on getting its healthcare services to co-operate for longer than the other nations of the UK. So we're urging healthcare leaders from England, Wales and Northern Ireland to think about what elements they might want to import from Scotland. "However, the dark cloud on the horizon threatening these strengths is potentially serious financial problems." The report found that the Scottish NHS needs to make average savings this year of more than 4% - higher than those in England and Wales. The strengths of the health service could help it save money, but there is also a risk they could be undermined by the financial squeeze, its authors warned. And they added that the country's "polarised politics" could make it hard to make difficult decisions. Mr Dayan said: "Scotland's NHS has the same resource constraints as England and Wales, but doesn't yet have a medium-term plan for dealing with them - and in a harsh political environment, open debate and difficult decisions can seem impossible. "This risk could overshadow many of the strengths that other countries can learn from". Among a series of findings, the health charity's report praised the emphasis placed on trusting clinical staff in Scotland, where it found they were encouraged to drive improvements in care. In contrast, it said there was a focus on targets in the health services in other parts of the UK, particularly in England, and managers were tasked with improving care quality. South of the border, it found that the policy and institutions that govern healthcare was one of "constant change and reorientation". But the Scottish NHS, the Scottish government department that oversees it, and Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) have maintained their current approach for nearly a decade. The health charity's report also noted that better ways of working are tested on a small scale in Scotland, where they can be changed quickly if necessary, before being rolled out. Unlike the rest of the UK, the system is overseen by a single organisation, HIS, which both monitors quality of care, and helps staff to improve it. It also highlights pioneering initiatives, like the use of video links for outpatient care in remote areas, to tackle Scotland's geographical challenges. Such systems should be considered in other parts of the UK facing similar issues, it concluded. Shona Robison, Scotland's health secretary, said she was proud that the achievements of Scotland's NHS were being recognised in the report. She said: "Our world-leading patient safety programme has led to 20,000 fewer than expected deaths, the lowest recorded levels of healthcare associated infections and significant improvement in sepsis and surgical mortality. "We are also delivering the integration of health and social care, which is one of the most significant reforms since the establishment of the NHS, and which is helping improve service delivery. "By bringing these services together we are ensuring people get the right care and support for their individual needs, and that staff across health and social care are equipped to work together to make full use of their shared skills and resources. "Our ambitions for the NHS are founded on the twin approach of investment and reform, making the changes needed for future backed by record levels of investment and staffing." The Scottish Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs said that the report's findings were a testament to the commitment of staff. He said: "It's a credit to the hardworking staff in Scotland's NHS that these conclusions should be drawn. It goes to show that all the devolved NHS departments across the UK can learn from each other and share best practice. "That's one of the great benefits of successful devolution." However, Scottish Labour said the report should act as a serious "wake-up call" to the SNP. The party's health spokesman Anas Sarwar added: "It includes suggestions that the SNP is avoiding taking the decisive action our NHS needs because of its obsession with independence - and it is not doing nearly enough to shift the balance of care from hospitals to the community. "Given the SNP has cut £1.5bn from local budgets since 2011, that is just not going to happen. "The last thing Scotland's NHS needs is another divisive referendum, and Nicola Sturgeon must now get back to the day job of delivering for our nurses, doctors, care staff and patients."
The health services of England, Wales and Northern Ireland could learn lessons from the Scottish NHS, according to a new report.
Jennings batted through the entire day for 185 not out as the north-east county reached 452-8, a lead of 301. He put on 117 with Paul Collingwood (61) and 156 with Usman Arshad, whose 84 was also a career-best. Arshad was eventually caught behind off Ben Coad, the 22-year-old debutant's first wicket in Championship cricket. Durham began the day on 98-3, still 53 in arrears after conceding a first-innings lead of 151, but by the close had ensured that all three results will be possible on the final day. Michael Richardson was soon run out by Coad from square leg but, crucially, Collingwood escaped on 19, when wicketkeeper Andrew Hodd was unable to hold a difficult high chance off Josh Shaw. Jennings reached his fourth Championship hundred of the summer off 228 balls after Collingwood finally fell lbw to Kane Williamson, and also saw Ryan Pringle (20) bowled by Tim Bresnan with the new ball. Yorkshire had to wait 36 overs for their next success when Arshad departed, but they could not find a way to dislodge Jennings, who has so far batted for eight hours and 43 minutes, faced 367 balls and hit 19 fours.
Opener Keaton Jennings made the highest score of his career as Durham turned their match against Yorkshire on its head on day three at the Riverside.
Gallagher, 44, donated all proceeds from the sold-out concert at The Ritz to the victims of last week's Manchester Arena concert blast. The singer applauded as heartfelt cries of "stand up for the 22" rang out from the crowd in reference to those killed at the Ariana Grande concert last week. Liam, who was joined on stage for one track by ex-Oasis bandmate Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs, also performed in front of 22 candles in tribute. "Manchester, I love you," he said, after closing the 15-song set with a moving a cappella rendition of his old band's hit song Live Forever, before adding: "Look after yourselves". Earlier in the night, details emerged of Ariana Grande's benefit concert, alongside the likes of Coldplay, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Take That. Members of other Manchester bands The Courteeners and Blossoms, plus local boxing legend Ricky Hatton and stars of Coronation Street, were among the 1,400 crowd. Daniel Moores, guitarist from The Courteeners - who themselves played an emotionally-charged show at Old Trafford Cricket Ground on Saturday - said: "They're massively important these gigs, to bring a bit of solidarity to Manchester. "We're all in same boat aren't we? We all love each other. But he's the main man, Liam Gallagher." Blossoms bass player Charlie Salt said: "I thought it was absolutely brilliant. The candles were a nice touch, the new tunes sounded great and his voice was top notch. "The support has been amazing. What more can you expect from Manchester?" Gallagher once said that he would never go solo, as he was not an idiot (shall we say, as we can't bring you the actual naughty word here). But things change, and eight new solo tracks from forthcoming album As You Were, including Wall of Glass - which was partially leaked online last week - were greeted with warm cheers and applause. The most rapturous noises of the night were, of course, reserved for the epic Oasis songs that helped the snarling singer make his name, performed well by his new backing band (which includes ex-Babyshambles bassist Drew McConnell). Opening duo Rock 'N' Roll Star and Morning Glory got the party started, and versions of D'You Know What I Mean, Slide Away and Bonehead's joyous cameo for Be Here Now also provided highlights. Liam, who will play three further gigs in London, Dublin and Glasgow over the coming weeks, returned to the stage for an encore. He applauded the crowd for their spontaneous chorus of "stand up for the 22" and "Manchester la la la" then delivered a defiant rendition of Live Forever, without any real musical accompaniment. As the much-loved singer disappeared into the Manchester night the crowd stayed behind to sing impromptu versions of Oasis tracks that were not in the set, like Stop Crying Your Heart Out and Don't Look Back In Anger. The latter was originally sung by Liam's brother Noel but this week became the soundtrack to a city attempting to move on. And while there was no surprise appearance from the older Gallagher brother, who turned 50 this week, neither sibling had to sing it anyway. Manchester sang it for them. Last week Liam told the Manchester Evening News: "I want to try and help pick people up. People like me, doing what we do, it's our duty to give people a good time." Job done then, for the man who proved he can still belt out a rock 'n' roll banger, shake a tambourine and wear a cagoule indoors as convincingly as anyone - as well as capture the hearts of the people of Manchester and beyond. As you were everyone... Listen to the radio premier of Liam's debut solo single Wall of Glass with MistaJam on Radio 1 tonight at 19:00 BST. ...In The Bushes - Oasis (walk on music) Rock 'N' Roll Star - Oasis cover Morning Glory - Oasis cover Greedy Soul Wall of Glass Bold Paper Crown D' You Know What I Mean? - Oasis cover Slide Away - Oasis cover All I Need I Get By You Better Run Universal Gleam Be Here Now - Oasis cover, featuring Bonehead Encore Live Forever - Oasis cover, a cappella Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].
Liam Gallagher told a Manchester crowd that "normal business has resumed" before debuting his first solo material - and covering six Oasis classics - at an emotional hometown gig on Tuesday night.
The 15th Century oil painting has been valued at £3.3m. Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said: "This distinctive painting is the only example of St Luke drawing the Virgin Mary and Christ by a Northern European artist on display in this country." An export licence application will be deferred until 26 February 2016. The decision follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest. Spokesman Lowell Libson said: "This painting includes not only a painter making a drawing - a study from 'life' - but also a delightful passage which reveals a tantalising glimpse of a painter's studio." The painting depicts St Luke drawing the Virgin Mary and Christ, a popular subject in 15th Century Netherlands. Bouts was one of the leading and most influential painters of this period and is considered a pioneer of the oil painting technique. The export bar may be extended until 26 June 2016 if a serious buyer in the UK is found.
The government has placed an export bar on a rare painting of St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child by artist Dieric Bouts.
David Cowling, 76, committed the offences while he was the head teacher at Balnacraig School in Perth. The court was told his relationship with one victim was so blatant he was forced to resign, but it was not reported as a crime for four decades. The sheriff told Cowling he had "abused the trust" of vulnerable children. Cowling admitted he had been involved in a sexual relationship with one of his pupils, but claimed that nothing of a sexual nature had taken place with her before she was 16. He also admitted taking her to a hotel for the weekend of her 16th birthday. However, the jury at Perth Sheriff Court unanimously found the former head teacher guilty of grooming the girl and becoming involved in a sexual relationship with her before she turned 13. The woman, now in her 50s, said Cowling had sexually abused her at various locations, including a caravan which was parked in the school grounds. Further incidents took place during trips to Glasgow and Arisaig in the early 1970s, the court was told. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said that she was made to feel special by Cowling and only realised it was wrong when she left the school. His crimes came to light when a second woman, who is also now in her 50s, decided to report Cowling's attacks to police and a full investigation was launched. Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told him: "At the time you were the headmaster of the establishment. The children under your control were put there because they were in the care system. "They were vulnerable individuals. You were in a position of trust and undoubtedly you abused that trust. "It is very clear your behaviour towards the complainers undoubtedly had an effect on their day-to-day lives from that time onwards." Cowling, from Perth, was found guilty of two sex offence charges at the Perth residential school. His counsel Lucy Keane said: "As a result of a mistake and a lack of judgment he has paid a high price for it."
A head teacher who sexually assaulted pupils at a school for vulnerable children more than 40 years ago has been jailed for two years.
The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said it expects Shared Services Connected Ltd (SSCL) to close offices in Cardiff, Sheffield and Leeds, with job losses elsewhere. The firm is a joint venture between the Cabinet Office and Steria UK. SSCL said it was "entering a consultation period" with employees. The firm was formed last November by a deal between the UK arm of French IT services group Steria and the Cabinet Office, with the aim of cutting the costs of the UK government's back office functions. The joint venture handles commercially sensitive documents in procurement and tendering, as well as finance and personnel services for departments including the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), Defra and the Environment Agency. The PCS says all 105 former DWP staff in Cardiff will be made redundant as will the 239 former DWP staff at the firm's Sheffield office. The office in Leeds will also close, with all 68 former Environment Agency workers being made redundant. Job losses will also take place at SSCL offices in Blackpool, Newcastle, Peterborough and York, according to PCS. PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Not only is this devastating for the individuals who face being thrown out of work, it will be a major blow for local economies losing hundreds more jobs. "Despite the government's recent claim that it wants businesses to bring jobs back to the UK, ministers appear happy to send civil service work overseas in a cynical move to exploit the inferior pay and employment conditions that workers abroad face." PCS held a one-day strike outside the offices in October 2013 ahead of the announcement of the 10-year contract going to Steria. Workers at the Cardiff office confirmed to BBC Wales that they had been told about its closure and the job losses, saying they were very upset about it. In a statement, SSCL said: "We are entering a consultation period with our employees. "We are looking at ways to mitigate job losses and the final number of job losses will not be confirmed until this process of consultation and exploration of redeployment opportunities has been concluded."
Five hundred former civil servants across England and Wales are to be made redundant as their new employer shifts the work overseas, claims a union.
Bosnian Serb forces were in fact behind the massacre but Dutch UN peacekeepers failed to protect the victims. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the failure, still a raw nerve in the Netherlands, revealed Dutch "morality" was "broken". The Dutch prime minister called the remarks a "vile falsification". Mark Rutte told the BBC Mr Erdogan was becoming "increasingly more hysterical hour by hour and I want him to... calm down". Turkey is furious at a decision by the Netherlands on Saturday to bar two Turkish ministers from addressing expatriates in the country ahead of a referendum in Turkey. In retaliation, Turkey accused the Dutch of "Nazi" tactics, barred the Dutch ambassador from returning to Ankara, and suspended high-level relations with the Hague in a raft of diplomatic sanctions. On Tuesday, Turkey's deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said the country may levy economic sanctions against the Netherlands as well. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini had called on Turkey to "refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation", but her message appears to have had little effect. Turkey called the appeal "worthless". The spat began when two Turkish ministers were barred from entering the country to attend rallies that were to be attended by ethnic Turks in the Netherlands. The rallies were called to encourage large Turkish communities in the EU to vote Yes in a referendum on 16 April on expanding the Turkish president's powers. The Dutch government decided to block the rallies, citing "risks to public order and security". Some 5.5 million Turks live outside the country, including an estimated 400,000 in the Netherlands. While the Dutch position was that the rallies posed a threat to public order, the EU has made very clear its unease over the Turkish referendum itself. In their statement on Monday, Ms Mogherini and Mr Hahn voiced concern that it could lead to an "excessive concentration of powers in one office". Mr Erdogan's invocation of the Srebrenica massacre showed he has no intention of calming the rhetoric being directed at the Dutch, "The Netherlands and the Dutch, we know them from the Srebrenica massacre. We know how much their morality, their character is broken from the 8,000 Bosnians that were massacred," Mr Erdogan said. His remarks touch a raw nerve in the Netherlands, despite a UN tribunal prosecuting Bosnian Serbs for the actual killings. Mr Erdogan also caused shock and outrage after likening the Dutch to Nazis. The Netherlands was invaded by Nazi Germany in 1940 and occupied right up until the final days of World War Two in Europe, in May 1945. Rotterdam was devastated by German bombing during the invasion. He has called the Netherlands a "banana republic". The country, which has the sixth largest economy in the EU, is the biggest source of foreign investment in Turkey. The latest development comes just a day before voters in the Netherlands go to the polls for a general election dominated by concerns about immigration and Islamic radicalism. The anti-Islam Freedom Party of Geert Wilders has long been seen as benefiting from the anti-establishment sentiment which fuelled the victories of Brexit campaigners in the UK and Donald Trump in the US last year. However, Mr Rutte's handling of the Turkish rallies may benefit his centre-right People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), which governs in coalition with the Labour Party. The Peilingwijzer poll of opinion polls suggests the VVD will win 17% of the vote to 14% for the Freedom Party. Party leaders are due to hold a final debate on Tuesday evening. Mr Erdogan has warned of other, unspecified measures Turkey might take against the Netherlands. Relations between the EU and Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country regarded as crucial to tackling Europe's migrant crisis, have long been strained. Turkish officials have suggested reconsidering part of the deal with the EU to stem the flow of undocumented migrants. The number of migrants reaching Greece by sea dropped sharply after the deal was reached in March of last year.
Turkey's war of words with the Netherlands has worsened after the Turkish president accused the Dutch of carrying out a massacre of Muslim men at Srebrenica, Bosnia, in 1995.
Emily Benn, 24, has been selected to stand in next year's general election for Labour in Croydon South. She was elected as a councillor in Croydon this year but will need to overturn a 15,818 Tory majority to join her uncle Hilary Benn in the Commons. In 2010 she unsuccessfully contested the East Worthing and Shoreham seat. Ms Benn's father, Stephen, is Tony Benn's eldest son. Her great-grandfather William Wedgwood Benn and her great-great-grandfathers, Sir John Williams Benn and Daniel Homes, were also MPs . Sir Richard Ottaway, who is standing down next year, won Croydon South in 2010, with Labour coming third behind the Liberal Democrats. Ms Benn said she was "delighted and honoured" to have been selected. "It's obviously a challenge for Labour, but I firmly believe that there should be no 'no-go' areas." She said it was "insulting" to suggest the local party selected her because of her famous surname or that there was extra pressure. "The pressure and responsibility comes from the people who voted for me as their candidate and from Labour supporters," she added. In the Commons last month, Prime Minister David Cameron referred to the fact that Will Straw, son of former Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw, and Stephen Kinnock, ex-party leader Lord Kinnock's son, were also seeking election in 2010. He described Labour's political dynasties as the "same families with the same message".
The grand-daughter of the late Labour stalwart Tony Benn is to make a fresh attempt to become the fifth generation of her family to sit in the Commons.
Natalie Hemming, 31, was last seen alive in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, on 1 May. She was found dead on 22 May. Jurors at Luton Crown Court were shown CCTV of Paul Hemming, 43, with the children at Whipsnade Zoo. Mr Hemming, of Milton Keynes, admits manslaughter but denied murder. He wept in the dock as the video footage was shown. During a police interview on 4 May, soon after Miss Hemming was reported missing, he told officers: "I deny all allegations of murdering Natalie Hemming or causing her harm." In another interview shown to the court, he told detectives the dog had soiled a rug missing from the house. When asked about 13 spots of blood on the coffee table he answered that it could have come from any member of the family. The court was told Mr Hemming was overheard in the cells saying "I suppose I'm going to be charged with murder now", but then refused to acknowledge he had said this. The court also heard a statement from John Goalby, who found Miss Hemming's body in woodland at Tom's Hill, Chandler's Cross on 22 May, while he was cutting the meadow using a quad bike towing a grass cutter. He said he could smell rotting flesh and thought it could have been a deer. When Mr Goalby found the body he saw dark hair, arms and fingers. The body was in a position where it looked like it had been dragged. Mr Hemming has admitted obstructing a coroner in the execution of his duty and preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body. The trial continues.
A man accused of murdering his partner took her children to the zoo the day after he is alleged to have killed her, a court heard.
Will Strutt, 25, from Heybridge, Essex, posted on Tesco's Facebook page about his experience in the reduced fruit and veg aisle in the Maldon branch. The supermarket replied with a poem, saying they were "not worthy to bask in your glory and fruitful findings". The post has attracted hundreds of comments, the Essex Chronicle reported. Read more on this story Mr Strutt said his fruity bounty was put to good use as dessert for his family, with the remaining strawberries being frozen for use in breakfasts. His post claimed "minstrels will write songs about this day", and went on to recount the rivalry he had with a "rival dad" who also had en eye out for the yellow sticker gun labelling items as reduced. "Then I saw it, in all its golden aura, the promised land," he wrote. "The previously empty reduced fruit and veg hotspot contained a tray of strawberries, not 25% off, not 50% off but 10p... a box!" He told Tesco: "You enjoy that 80p, buy yourself something nice & treat yourself. "For today you levelled me up and my newly upgraded bargain skills will no doubt allow me to live like a king for the rest of my days." In response, Tesco made a poem out of the tale of his experience. "But there is one question left / For bargaining is an art / With all the fruit you have now / Will you make Pimms or Tart?," it read. Mr Strutt said he had not expected such a response, thinking he would "only get ribbed by friends and family". The post went on to gain more than 2,400 Facebook likes and hundreds of shares and comments. "We ended up having a bit of back and forth," he said. "I was very impressed with the way they handled it - it showed the less corporate side of things." Mr Strutt is now planning on creating more posts as his regal bargain-hunting character with the aim of "making people smile and having fun".
A supermarket shopper has become the self-proclaimed "king of the yellow stickers" after purchasing punnets of strawberries worth £16 for 80p.
Whelan, 28, joined Notts in 2015 and has won three international caps. "Fern has been a steady rock at the back and fits in perfectly back line," said manager Rick Passmoor. The Spring Series sees teams play each other once in a one-off, six-week transitional competition before the WSL's switch to a winter calendar. For top-flight teams, the Spring Series runs over six weeks, from 23 April until Saturday, 3 June.
England defender Fern Whelan has signed a new contract to keep her at Notts County Ladies until the end of the 2017 Spring Series.
Prof Patrick Dunleavy gave the figure in a report commissioned by The Sunday Post. A spokesman for the First Minister said the UK Treasury's previous £2.7bn figure had been "blown out the water". A UK Treasury spokesperson said the Scottish government was "refusing to come clean" on the cost of independence. Prof Dunleavy, from the London School of Economics, said an independent Scotland could have to spend between £150m to £200m on new administrative structures to replace existing UK bodies. Although an independent Scotland could share UK bodies during the transition to independence, it would have to build its own systems by 2021 to the cost of hundreds of millions of pounds, he claimed. However, he added that a hostile approach from the UK government in post-Yes negotiations could "greatly add" to the cost. The key points from the paper include: Prof Dunleavy's latest work comes after he dismissed the UK Treasury's use of his research to calculate £2.7bn of start-up costs as "ludicrous". A spokesperson for the First Minister said Prof Dunleavy's findings "totally vindicate" the Scottish government's position. He said: "Their figure of £2.7bn has been blown out of the water by Prof Dunleavy. "The Treasury estimate has been exposed as a total and utter fabrication, and we now demand an immediate retraction. "The No campaign's arguments have been totally and utterly demolished, and we now need a retraction both from the Treasury and the No side." He added: "The set-up costs, which Prof Dunleavy estimates at £200m, would be offset against the scope that he has pointed out for efficiencies from better delivery of services." However, a Treasury spokesperson said the Scottish government was "refusing to come clean" on the cost of independence. The spokesperson said: "Prof Dunleavy accepts there may be over a billion pounds in additional costs to Scotland at a time when the economy and our national finances are recovering. "In addition, independent estimates show that setting up a new tax system is costing £750 million in New Zealand, and research from the Department of Work and Pensions says that a new welfare and pensions IT system alone would cost between £300 million and £400 million. The spokesperson added: "The Scottish Government has refused to come clean with its own number on the cost of independence and only the UK Government is providing the facts."
An independent Scotland would face £200m of immediate start-up costs, it has been claimed.
Marvyn Iheanacho, 39, is accused of causing fatal head and stomach injuries to Alex Malcolm in Mountsfield Park, Catford, on 20 November last year. Witnesses in the park heard a "child's fearful voice", loud banging and a man screaming about the loss of a shoe, Woolwich Crown Court was told. Mr Iheanacho denies murder. The jury heard the 39 year old, of Hounslow, was in a relationship with Alex's mother Lilya Breha and would often stay in her flat in Catford. CCTV captured Mr Iheanacho taking Alex on three separate buses to the park where they arrived at about 17:12 GMT. Prosecutor Eleanor Laws QC said the pair then went to the play area because Alex lost one of his trainers and Mr Iheanacho "lost his temper and violently assaulted the boy." She told jurors there were no witnesses or CCTV footage of the attack but said there was "clear evidence...the defendant lost his temper with Alex before he sustained his injuries." One witness described how she saw Mr Iheanacho bending down and "raging at the child who was very quiet", the court was told. Ms Laws said the witness's partner also heard "loud banging and a male voice screaming about the loss of shoes and a child's fearful voice saying 'sorry'". "At some point, whether during this confrontation or between this confrontation and the next sighting of the defendant... the boy had received extreme injuries," she said. Judge Mark Dennis QC told jurors the main issue in the case was how Alex sustained the injuries. The trial continues.
A five-year-old boy was battered to death by his mother's boyfriend in a south-east London park after he lost his trainer, a court has heard.
Carol Conway, 52, fell 20ft (6m) at Pontcanna House Care Home, Cardiff, in 2012 as she reversed May Lewis, 96, in her wheelchair. Owner Dr Nasik Al-Mufti was fined £100,000 in August for breaching health and safety regulations. Care Council for Wales said her actions were not deliberate or reckless. Mrs Lewis, who had been at the home for just five days, broke 52 bones and died. Mrs Conway, who had been a carer for 29 years, broke her back, ribs, left foot and punctured her lung and was left unconscious. "I will be in pain for the rest of my life. I can't do anything like I used to," she said. "The money doesn't mean a thing to me. The most precious thing we have is our health. "I know I am very lucky to be alive but life has changed so much because of that terrible accident. I take 32 tablets a day and I am never free from pain. "I still have terrible nightmares thinking of May and her family. I am constantly plagued by that terrible day. "Poor May Lewis should have died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by her loved ones; not with 52 broken bones at the bottom of a dark, damp lift shaft." Mrs Conway had worked at Pontcanna House for three years. Dr Al-Mufti was the joint owner of the care home with her husband when in early 2012 there were problems with the home's platform lift. A Care Council for Wales hearing in Cardiff last month was told an engineer had advised the doors on the second floor could not be used, but staff routinely used an emergency key to override it when they did not open. The hearing was told Dr Al-Mufti "acquiesced but did not encourage" the use of the emergency key override.
A carer has been awarded more than £50,000 in compensation after plunging down a lift shaft at a nursing home in a fall where her patient died.
It blamed tougher economic conditions and "fierce competition in the domestic smartphone market" for its troubles. The news is a fresh blow to its biggest shareholder LeEco, which had recently increased its stake in the business. Earlier this month, one of LeEco's co-founders warned of its own financial problems following a push into the US. Coolpad's stock dropped to a four-year low after it announced that sales had fallen by 43% over the first 10 months of 2016. It now expects to post a £3bn Hong Kong dollar ($386.8m; £313.2m) loss for its financial year as a whole. LeEco became the firm's biggest shareholder in June, when it raised its stake in the company to 28.9%. The two companies subsequently teamed up to release the metal-cased Cool1 Dual smartphone in August. But the device struggled against rival handsets from other Chinese tech firms including Huawei, Oppo and Vivo. "Chinese manufacturers used to be able to rely on their home market to give them unprecedented scale," commented Ben Wood from the tech consultancy CCS Insight. "However, this year the Chinese market has plateaued and we are starting to see some of the casualties as a result." The latest development casts a further cloud over LeEco after a period in which it pursued rapid growth. In June, the privately-owned company bought 49 acres (19.8 hectares) of land from Yahoo in Santa Clara, California for a reported $250m. In July, it revealed it was buying the US TV-maker Vizio for $2bn. Then last month, the Beijing-based company held a high-profile launch event in San Francisco, where it announced it was to start selling a wide range of own-brand products in the US. These include a range of 4K TVs, two smartphones, a virtual reality headset, a set-top box with its own streaming TV platform and an Android-enabled smart bicycle. It also planned for its concept car to drive itself on to the stage, but the vehicle was damaged en route to the event. "LeEco has outsize ambitions," noted the Recode tech news site at the time. "The company literally describes itself as Apple, Netflix, Amazon and Tesla all rolled into one." But on 7 November, Bloomberg revealed that LeEco's co-founder Jia Yueting had written to its 10,000-plus workers warning that its finances had come under pressure. "We blindly sped ahead and our cash demand ballooned," the internal memo said. "We got over-extended in our global strategy. At the same time, our capital and resources were in fact limited." Mr Yueting added that he was reducing his salary to 1 yuan ($0.14; 11p) and would now pursue a slower growth plan. Eleven days later, Faraday Future confirmed that it had halted work on a huge factory in Las Vegas due to build a second vehicle bankrolled by LeEco. "We are acknowledging that there has been a temporary work stop at the site," a spokesman told the Las Vegas Review Journal. "Part of the re-evaluation and refocusing of our efforts on producing the car were a result of the restructuring and re-evaluation of finances from Jia. "Faraday Future and LeEco operate as strategic partners, but the finances of the two companies are completely separate." Faraday Future had caused a stir earlier in the year when it unveiled a futuristic concept electric car at the CES tech show and claimed it would bring a separate design to market by 2018. It had promised to show off the production vehicle at this January's CES. It is unclear whether this is still planned. "It would appear to be the case that LeEco has overstretched itself in multiple areas," said Mr Wood. "Our bet is that it will now have to retrench and perhaps one of those investments will have to be sacrificed."
The Chinese smartphone-maker Coolpad has unexpectedly warned of a sales slump, causing its shares to fall by nearly 10%.
Julie Saunders said she alerted staff after her son spotted a mouse sticking its head out from under a door at Hull Royal Infirmary. She said: "It was a bit of a shock really, you don't expect mice in a hospital." A spokesman at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said a pest control team had been called in. More on this and other local stories from across East Yorkshire and Hull Mrs Saunders said staff put blankets along the bottom of the door to stop them getting in, while she put her legs up on the chair to avoid contact with the rodents. She and her son spotted two mice, while other patients reported seeing four. The trust said: "As a result of the incident we contacted our local pest control service immediately. "The team are currently on site working hard to ensure any disruption is minimal and we are aiming to reopen the unit as soon as possible."
Mice have been spotted running around a ward of a hospital day surgery unit, forcing it to close for the day.
Gordon Strachan names his squad on Thursday for the friendly fixtures with Italy and France and midfielder McLean, 24, is keen to add to his one cap. That is despite Aberdeen facing a Europa League qualifier on 30 June. "If I'm selected I would jump at the chance," said McLean, who made his international debut in the 1-0 win over Czech Republic in March. "Of course I want to be involved. Players pull out at this stage of the season but for me it's an honour to be in that category. "It's something every young player should want to do. Every Scottish player should want to represent their country and I'm no different." McLean will play his 45th game of the season for Premiership runners-up Aberdeen against Hearts on Thursday, with the Dons ending their season at home to Ross County on Sunday. But the early start to next season means their summer break is likely to only last until the middle of June. Scotland play Italy in Malta on 29 May, then France in Metz on 4 June. "They're really exciting games to be involved with, so hopefully if I've been selected I'll be able to take part in the games," said McLean. "If I'm not selected it'll make me want to work harder. Last time I got the opportunity and it was a great experience and I want more of that in the future. "It's not long (the summer break) but we need to use it well. It's been a long season for us but there's still two games to go. I don't think there's too many heads thinking of the break, but when it comes it'll be nice." The Dons have made it as far as the Europa League third qualifying round in the previous two seasons before succumbing to Real Socieded in 2014 and Kairat Almaty in 2015. "When we come back the European games will be there for us and it's a great occasion," added McLean. "I think we'll be confident going into it, we've done well the last couple of years in Europe but we want to go that step further. "The group stages will be what we want. We'll see how the draw is and we'll take it from there."
Aberdeen's Kenny McLean is willing to shorten his summer break in order to be part of Scotland's upcoming matches.
Mixu Paatelainen succeeded Jackie McNamara but United are 13 points adrift at the foot of the table. Thompson apologised to supporters for "abysmal" performances. "We have failed miserably on the pitch with only three wins in 25 league matches and an early exit from the League Cup," said Thompson. Media playback is not supported on this device "The current position [in the league] is wholly unacceptable." United fell to a 3-0 home defeat by Motherwell at Tannadice on Tuesday and have 13 league games remaining this season. Paatelainen took up the managerial reins in October and described as "wonderful" returning to manage a club he starred for as a player. Thompson, in a statement on the club's website, challenged the playing squad to preserve their top-flight status and restore their reputations. "It is not where Dundee United should be under any circumstance," the chairman added. "The board and myself have made certain decisions in the last 18 months which in hindsight were incorrect but were made for the greater good of the club and with the ambition of maintaining our position at the top of Scottish football, something we have done successfully for the last eight years. "This included supporting a playing squad that commands the third highest wage bill in the Ladbrokes Premiership. "However, we have failed miserably on the pitch with only three wins in 25 league matches and an early exit from the League Cup. Performances such as last night simply cannot be tolerated. "The current playing squad now have 13 matches to preserve the club's Premiership status and redeem their own professional reputations." Speaking following Tuesday's defeat by Motherwell, Paatelainen said: "We were very flat and that performance was not acceptable. "The first two goals were set-pieces and it's cost us. It's been the story of the season conceding goals like that and it's simply not good enough."
Stephen Thompson says Dundee United's squad have "13 matches to preserve the club's Premiership status and redeem their own professional reputations".
The attack took place in a flat in Waterside Place at about 06:30 on Monday 9 January. The man in the image is described as white, in his 20s, of slim build, with short brown hair. He is about 5ft 8in tall and was wearing a green polo shirt under a dark jumper and a black Lacoste jacket. Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland.
Police have released a CCTV image of a man they want to trace after a woman was seriously assaulted in the Gorbals area of Glasgow.
They say music is being squeezed because of pressure on pupils to take subjects included in the EBacc school league table measure. Almost two thirds of 650 state school teachers, surveyed by Sussex University researchers, said the EBacc meant fewer students were taking GCSE music. Ministers say the EBacc helps ensure children receive a rigorous education. The English Baccalaureate or EBacc was brought in by the coalition government in 2010 for pupils achieving GCSE grade C or better in English, maths, the sciences, a language and geography or history. The percentages of pupils entering and achieving the EBacc are among several measures used by government to determine a school's performance. Government figures show the proportion of GCSE candidates in state-funded schools who took the EBacc subjects rose from 22% in 2010 to almost 40% last year. But critics say this increase has come at the expense of the arts, with just 47.9% of pupils being entered for at least one arts subject in 2016, down from 49.6% the previous year. Researchers, from Sussex University's School of Education and Social Work, surveyed secondary music teachers at 657 state and 48 private schools across England over five years. Staff at about 60% of the state schools specifically mentioned the EBacc as causing a negative effect on the provision and uptake of music at their school, while just 3% believed it had benefitted the subject. In the five years to 2016-17 the schools in the survey entered fewer students for music qualifications, with: For students aged 13 to 14, the study found: In terms of staffing, 39% of the teachers surveyed reported cuts to music staff numbers, while 17% reported increases. In 30% of secondary schools the music department consisted of just one teacher, up from 22% five years ago, the survey found. "Music as a subject could be facing extinction," warned co-author Dr Ally Daubney. The other co-author, senior lecturer Duncan Mackrill, said the future of the subject was "precariously balanced". He urged the government to take action "to prevent the further erosion of music in secondary schools, before we lose the subject in some schools for good". The Nasuwt teachers' union said its own research showed that subject choices and time for non-EBacc subjects, including music, were being restricted, with specialist teachers having their hours cut, being made redundant or not being replaced when they left. "Increasingly, where music lessons or activities are offered by schools, these are at a charge, thereby restricting access only to those children whose families can afford to pay," said Nasuwt general secretary Chris Keates. Deborah Annetts, chief executive of the Incorporated Society of Musicians, called the research "hugely important", urging ministers "to listen to the evidence and drop the EBacc before any more damage is done". A Department for Education spokeswoman said ministers expected schools to offer subjects in addition to the EBacc so pupils had the opportunity to study areas reflecting their own individual interests and strengths. The spokeswoman cited separate findings last month, from the New Schools Network lobby group, that the EBacc had not negatively affected entries for arts GCSEs. "Music and the arts are key to a well-rounded education, which is why in November 2016 we announced a package of funding that will increase pupils' access to music and cultural education. This includes £300 million for music education hubs for 2016-20," said the spokeswoman.
Music "could face extinction" as a subject in secondary schools in England, researchers have warned.
At least 80 people died in the fire on 14 June, although the final toll will not be known for many months. Nearly 400 holidays have been offered by the Grenfell Tower Holiday Appeal Facebook Group, set up by Angie Mays and Kay Gilbert from Devon. The man and his family will have a week in a cottage in Marsden, Yorkshire. More on the holiday offer for Grenfell victims and other Devon news. The firefighter's wife, who wishes to remain anonymous to protect her husband, said: "What Kay and Angie have done from the kindness of their hearts will help so many families at such a distressing time in their lives. "This has been the most horrific job of my husband's career and he has been utterly broken by it - as we all have - trying to support him emotionally, and trying to understand what he has been through, not to mention praying he comes home in one piece. "Thanks to the utter kindness of these wonderful ladies and all of the generous donations to this cause, we will be able to go away for a week as a family for some much needed R&R. "This means the world to me that I can take them away from it all, if just for a moment." Ms Mays, a fundraiser from Ilfracombe, said short-stay offers have come mainly from small businesses, B&Bs and guesthouses all over the UK, but also in Spain and Cyprus, adding that other firefighter families are also in the process of taking up offers. Other donations include counselling sessions, beauty treatments and meals. Separate Facebook groups have been also set up to provide holidays in Cornwall and the Highlands.
A firefighter "utterly broken" by the Grenfell Tower blaze is to take up the offer of a free holiday with money raised by members of the public.
The former Champion Chase winner (10-3), trained by Gary Moore and ridden by his son Jamie, passed the post first. However, there was a lengthy stewards inquiry after he clashed with runner-up Special Tiara as they jumped the final fence. The pair battled it out to the line but Moore's mount hung on for victory and the stewards ruled in his favour. Sire de Grugy, whose last win had come at Chepstow in February, had looked strong from way out after challenging Special Tiara, who set the early pace. However, the 2013 victor jumped strongly left at the last fence and clashed with his rival in midair, leaving connections with some anxious moments before the result was confirmed to continue the trainer's recent good run of form. "He always jumps left, he's jumped a bit left again at the last," said the winning jockey. "I thought Special Tiara was going to get by me, but he's toughed it out. He went again when Special Tiara got to me. "This horse is my best mate." Nina Carberry, who was bidding to become the first woman to win a Group 1 steeplechase in the United Kingdom, finished fourth on Somersby. Earlier at Aintree, Highland Lodge (20-1) won the Becher Handicap Chase in the first race of the season over the Grand National fences at Aintree. The Jimmy Moffat-trained horse, ridden by Henry Brooke, was victorious on his first start since being acquired by owners Bowes Lodge Stables last month. "Jimmy Moffat did the hard work, and it was my job just to keep hold of his head," Brooke told Channel 4 Racing. "I thought he had a good chance on that ground. I got to two out and thought: 'He's got some engine on him'." Pineau De Re, the 2014 Grand National winner, and, at the age of 12, the oldest horse in the race, was an early faller at the second fence. The brave effort of Highland Lodge provided a major pot for the small Cumbrian training operation of Jimmy Moffat who rides the nine year-old himself most days. Moffatt hopes to return to the big fences at Aintree "for the big one" in April though he might need a hike up the official ratings to get in. An indication of the unpredictability of these obstacles came when Pineau de Re (12th and first in the last two Grand Nationals) fell at the second here. Happily, like all the rest, he and his jockey were fine.
Sire de Grugy showed a return to winning form with a second victory in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.
The 23-year-old England player led fans in three chants which mocked rivals Tottenham. He later apologised. Wilshere was found guilty by the FA of making and/or inciting comments which brought the game into disrepute. He had a similar outburst last year, and has been "severely warned" by the FA about his future conduct. Wilshere admitted a misconduct charge after taking to the microphone during the parade last month. He was spoken to by Arsenal staff after this latest incident but the club said they would not be taking action. The Gunners secured a record-breaking 12th FA Cup win by beating Aston Villa 4-0 at Wembley on 30 May.
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has been fined £40,000 after singing offensive songs during the club's FA Cup victory parade in London.
The then 23-year-old powered down the final stretch in the Aquatic Centre pool in London, spurred along by an increasingly raucous home support. In that last 50m he picked up the pace, gaining with every pull at the water, but missed out on gold by the slimmest of margins. In fact double world champion Daniel Gyurta of Hungary had to break the 200m breaststroke world record to fend off the Scot, who took his own share of the spoils in the shape of a silver medal. He was also the first Scottish swimmer to take that honour since David Wilkie in Montreal in 1976. In 2016, he is back poolside in London, but this time watching his Great Britain team-mates gear up for the Rio Olympics at the European Championships. "It's obviously disappointing not to be here as an athlete," said Jamieson. "That is my job, that is what I'd like to be here as primarily. "It's tough, especially in our events as you really have to be at the top of your game to qualify, but I expect myself to do that." Jamieson has had a frustrating couple of seasons, which saw him suffer a heart scare and lose to rival Ross Murdoch in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. And, at the British trials last month, he came fifth in 2:10.55 - two seconds outside of the qualifying mark - and missed out on Rio selection. It led to speculation about retirement for the seemingly devastated swimmer, who said his body was struggling to cope with the intensity. Jamieson is currently taking time out to ponder his future, and whether it lies in the pool. "I think it's wise to take a little bit of a break just now," he told BBC Scotland. "I'm still doing some training and staying in shape but I think taking a step away from it leading into the Games is important because I've never really done that. "I'm enjoying having some goals outside of the pool for now." But the Glaswegian is by no means done with swimming. "Not at all," he insisted. "It would be silly to make any rash decisions. There's a lot of people involved in a decision like that and I look to them for advice to make any plan going forward. "I'm just trying to take a bit of pressure and stress off it, and relax and enjoy things a bit more." While he enjoys the view from the commentary decks, Jamieson said his fellow Scots are in a "really exciting position" ahead of the Games. "A lot of them are really training right through this competition, whereas many of the European nations are shaved and fully rested, having just come off their national championships," he explained. "For example, Hannah [Miley] was 4:35 in the 400m medley - that's a brilliant swim, given the training mode she's in which puts her in a really good position and I'm sure she'll have a real boost of confidence from that performance." Scot Miley took silver in that event, finishing behind a dominant Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, and will also compete in the 200m individual medley semi-final on Wednesday evening. "Another block of training and some rest and hopefully we'll see her chasing Katinka down in Rio," Jamieson said of Miley. The European long course event falls before Olympic Games every second meet and Jamieson believes it is a useful marker for the athletes heading to Rio, even if when not fully prepared for racing. "The aim at competitions like this is to get as close to your lifetime best, knowing that there's a lot more to come in the summer in terms of rest and that taper period," he said. And while Jamieson is not part of the pool contingent who will be on that plane to Brazil, the fact he has not qualified only further demonstrates how Great Britain are dominating the men's breaststroke going into Rio 2016. "Ross [Murdoch] swam 59.1 in Kazan last summer at the World Championships to take bronze so to be half-a-second from his lifetime best doing the training programme he is in right now will give him a huge boost of confidence," said Jamieson. "[Great Britain] is the strongest nation in the world in these events just now, there's no doubting that. "You have Adam [Peaty] with Ross on the top spots here, they were both on the podium at the World Championships - that's over a long period we've proven to be the number one nation in male breaststroke." Jamieson has come to terms with not returning to attempt his London 2012 triumph, instead hoping to travel to South America to cheer on his fellow swimmers as a spectator. But that does not mean it does not still hurt. "I'm really happy for the guys getting on the podium but of course I'd like to be there," he admitted. "A lot of that is down to my training history as a youngster coming through the ranks as I've been training as a full-time athlete since I was 13 so I started very, very young. "I think that's taken a couple of years off the other end but no regrets as I've had a fantastic career until now and a little break to refresh things and then we'll take it from there."
It is almost four years since swimmer Michael Jamieson basked in the spotlight of Olympic glory.
This private university, with its own degree-awarding powers, will be among the lowest charging, alongside the Open University. There will also be more intensively taught degree courses, which will cost £12,000 for two years. Chief executive Carl Lygo said the private university college wanted to "challenge the educational status quo". Mr Lygo said the fee level would allow students to "start their chosen career without a mountain of debt". The government wants to promote a market in tuition fees - raising the upper limit to £9,000 per year. The range of charges is now emerging - with the highest for an undergraduate degree course so far set to be £36,000 for a four-year course in Edinburgh, payable by students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scottish students will not have to pay tuition fees at Scotland's universities. A majority of universities in England have set tuition fees of between £8,000 and £9,000 for some or all their courses. The announcement of fees from BPP University College will lead to a three-year degree course costing £15,000. An accelerated degree course, where students work through the summer, will cost £12,000 for two years. It will also mean that students at this private university will be able to apply for student finance in the same way as students at public universities. The government announced earlier this year that students at private higher education institutions could borrow up to £6,000 per year to cover fees. This will be the charge for undergraduate courses in law, business, accountancy and finance at the university college's bases in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Swindon and Manchester. The university college says it has 6,500 students at its law and business schools, and trains more than 30,000 accountants. It challenges the traditional model of a university offering a three-year residential degree - and is aimed at students wanting work-related qualifications who might save money by living at home when studying. "Universities have been forced, many for the first time, to make some tough decisions in order to compete in a changing and challenging environment," said Mr Lygo. "At the heart of this is the student, who deserves value for money and the chance to improve their employability prospects and, as a sector, we mustn't lose sight of this."
BPP University College is to charge £5,000 per year in tuition fees for three-year courses from 2012.
Roedd Mr Corfield, 19 oed, wedi mynd ar goll yn ystod y Sioe Frenhinol yr wythnos ddiwethaf. Fe wnaeth Tîm Achub Mynydd Aberhonddu ganfod ei gorff mewn pwll dwfn yn Afon Gwy dros y penwythnos. Doedd neb wedi gweld Mr Corfield ers iddo adael tafarn Y Ceffyl Gwyn yn Llanfair-ym-Muallt yn ystod oriau mân fore Mawrth, Gorffennaf 25. Gydol wythnos y Sioe bu plismyn, timau achub a gwirfoddolwyr yn chwilio am y gŵr ifanc o Drefaldwyn. Dywedodd yr heddlu fod ei deulu yn cael cefnogaeth swyddogion arbennig ers cael gwybod am y darganfyddiad. Dywedodd y teulu mewn datganiad: "Roedd James yn ddyn ffarm ac yn ddyn teulu - ffermio oedd ei fywyd, ac roedd e'n caru anifeiliaid yn angerddol. "Roedd ei ymweliad â'r Sioe Frenhinol yn uchafbwynt iddo - ac roedd gweld y defaid a'r ieir yn cael eu barnu'n rhywbeth yr oedd yn edrych ymlaen yn arw ato. "Aeth i'r Sioe Frenhinol bob blwyddyn drwy gydol ei fywyd, ac mae gennym atgofion melys o fynd ag ef yn blentyn y byddwn ni'n eu trysori am byth "Roedd James yn gricedwr brws a dawnus, ac roedd e'n chwarae i Glwb Criced Trefaldwyn. "Yn ddiweddar, derbyniodd wobr Cricedwr y Flwyddyn Rhanbarth Dau Swydd Amwythig, a gwobr chwaraewr ifanc y flwyddyn y gynghrair yn 2016, sy'n gamp aruthrol ar gyfer rhywun o'i oed ef, ac yn rhywbeth yr oedd yn falch iawn ohono. "Byddwn ni'n gweld eisiau James yn ofnadwy, ac mae ein calonnau wedi torri." Fe wnaeth y teulu hefyd ddiolch i'r gwirfoddolwyr fu'n helpu chwilio amdano ac am y negeseuon caredig, gan ofyn hefyd am breifatrwydd.
Mae Heddlu Dyfed Powys wedi cadarnhau mai corff James Corfield gafodd ei ddarganfod yn Llanfair-ym-Muallt ddydd Sul.
Derbyshire chairman Chris Grant said the findings came from market research conducted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) into the game's popularity. "More kids these days can recognise a WWE wrestler than the England captain," Grant told BBC Radio Derby. "Only a third could recognise Alastair and I think we've got to improve that." He added: "That was a fascinating statistic they gave us." English cricket is poised to get a new eight-team Twenty20 competition, which, if approved, could start as early as 2018, in an attempt to boost the profile of the sport. The tournament would run alongside the existing 18-team T20 Blast and would be held at city-based Test grounds, but Grant is unfazed by the potential impact on one of English cricket's smallest counties. "I think a lot of the negativity surrounds the fact that people feel that this will be the death of Derbyshire County Cricket Club," he said. "I really don't see it that way. I think actually it could lead to 18 counties becoming stronger, a lot stronger and certainly more financially sustainable. "The devil will be in the detail, there's a lot of work at the ECB still to be done. We don't know where these teams will be based, we don't know what they'll be called. "In principle I think it's the right way to go and gives Derbyshire the best chance of preserving their first-class status long-term." Encouraging people to play and watch cricket should be a priority for those involved in taking the game into a new era, according to Grant. "The game has got some real challenges, participation is falling really dramatically and we've got to unlock a new audience," he continued. "At the moment there are 990,000 people in this country who have attended a game in the recent past, but there are 9.4m people who describe themselves as a cricket follower. "We're not really unlocking that extra 8.5m, and I think we've got to come up with something fresh and new to actually get them involved and get them to come and attend a game."
WWE wrestlers are more recognisable than England Test captain Alastair Cook, according to new research.
It happened as the lorry drove under a 19th Century stone bridge known as The Cut. PSNI Banbridge posted a photo of the damage on Tuesday, with the caption: "Looks like we are going to need a bigger sign. The Cut 3, Lorries 0'. "Usually people exaggerate their height, not think they are smaller." The lorry in question appears to have some damage to its roof. In November a prison service van hit the bridge and lost its roof. The following day a second lorry became stuck under the bridge. At the time officers used the image as a warning to drivers of other high-sided vehicles, advising them to know the height and dimensions of their lorries before passing under bridges.
A low bridge in Banbridge, County Down, has been hit by a vehicle for the third time in less than a year.
The bank announced a net profit of 5.35bn euros ($7.05bn; £4.48bn) for 2011, down from 8.18bn euros in 2010. It said it had made a 1.8bn euro provision against property exposure in Spain and had written off 600m euros relating to its businesses in Portugal. Spain has struggled since its property bubble burst in 2008. Banks took on land holdings from bankrupt developers, but have struggled to offload most of their property assets. Economy minister Luis de Guindos has said new provisions to cover losses on real estate assets could cost Spanish banks up to 50bn euros. Santander is better-placed than other Spanish banks to absorb greater provisions as it has thriving businesses outside its home market. Group revenues increased by 5% to 44.3bn euros. Santander also reiterated that it had already achieved the 9% core capital ratio required by the European Banking Authority, six months ahead of schedule. The provisions were made in the fourth quarter, meaning that its profit for the last three months of 2011 fell 98% to 47m euros from 2.1bn euros in the last quarter of 2010. In the UK, pre-tax profit for the year fell 42% to 1.57bn euros (£1.32bn), after the bank put aside £538m post-tax for compensating customers who were mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI).
Santander has revealed a 35% fall in annual profits after the group took extra provisions for deteriorating real estate assets in Spain.
The legal motions are designed to halt Green party presidential candidate Jill Stein's request for a ballot review. In Wisconsin, a federal court rejected a request to immediately stop the recount, but allowed a lawsuit to proceed. Even if the recounts take place, they are unlikely to change the poll result. Ms Stein, who says her campaign is focused on ensuring the integrity of the US voting system, has questioned why Mr Trump is "afraid" of a recount. On Friday, Michigan's Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette filed a motion in the state Supreme Court to block a potential recount in the Midwestern state. He said it could cost taxpayers "millions", but Ms Stein called the move a "shameful" attempt to undermine democracy. Mr Trump's team filed a complaint a day earlier with Michigan's elections board to block a recount of all 4.8 million ballots cast in the state, which he won by 10,700 votes. Lawyers for Mr Trump argued that Ms Stein cannot seek a recount in Michigan because she took just 1% of the state's vote. The Michigan elections board was deadlocked in a vote over the Trump campaign's request on Friday, which will allow the recount to begin on Tuesday or Wednesday unless there is legal intervention. Read our recount explainer. In Wisconsin, supporters of Mr Trump, including the Great America PAC, the Stop Hillary PAC and voter Ronald Johnson, filed a federal lawsuit and requested a temporary restraining order to stop the Wisconsin recount hours after it began on Thursday. Their lawsuit argued that the recount threatened the due process rights of those who had voted for Mr Trump and would likely contain errors as officials rush to meet this month's deadline. Federal law requires states to resolve the disputes by 13 December. One of the state's 72 counties had already completed the process by Friday - Mrs Clinton gained a single vote over Mr Trump. Later on Friday, US District Judge James Peterson rejected the motion to halt the recount, saying there would be no harm in allowing it to proceed while the state was preparing its defence. The judge said a hearing on the issue would be held on 9 December. Mr Trump eked out a victory over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin by about 22,000 votes, or less than 1%. Meanwhile, Mr Trump's lawyers have also filed a complaint to stop the Green party candidate's bid for a voter recount in Pennsylvania. "Despite being no more than a blip on the electoral radar, Stein has now commandeered Pennsylvania's electoral process, with an eye toward doing the same to the Electoral College," the complaint filed on Thursday said. "There is no evidence - or even an allegation - that any tampering with Pennsylvania's voting systems actually occurred." A court hearing is scheduled on Monday regarding Ms Stein's effort to secure a statewide recount in Pennsylvania, where Mr Trump won by a margin of 67,416 votes. Ms Stein, who is funding her recount bid through public donations, said in a statement: "Verifying the vote is a common-sense procedure that would put all concerns around voter disenfranchisement to rest. "Trump's desperate attempts to silence voter demands for recounts raise a simple question: why is Donald Trump afraid of these recounts?" She contends her challenges are meant to ensure that voting machines were not hacked in the election, but there has been no evidence to prove otherwise. Some critics have claimed Ms Stein is trying to garner more national attention while building a donor database by raising money for the recount effort. Mrs Clinton, who lost to Mr Trump, has kept silent on the matter. But a lawyer for her said last week that though the campaign has not found any evidence of hacking or attempts to alter the voting process, it would co-operate with Ms Stein's recount efforts.
US President-elect Donald Trump's supporters are moving to block election recount efforts in the states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Stena Line said two flagship vessels used on the Cairnryan-Belfast service were included in the upgrade. Most of the work was carried out at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. Paul Grant, the company's Irish Sea north route manager said: "Over the last five years alone Stena Line has invested more than £250m in its Irish Sea business." He added: "The latest investment commitment of £6m is to help keep our Belfast fleet operating at optimum performance levels and ensures that our leisure and freight customers continue to benefit from award winning facilities and service." In addition to the Cairnryan route, the ferries also sail from Liverpool and from Heysham to Belfast.
A £6m refit of seven ferries used on Irish Sea crossings is due to be completed over Easter.
The watchdog says Unique International College misled students about loan repayments and the cost of courses, calling its conduct "unconscionable". Media reports say it will ask the college to repay A$57m (40.6m; £26.6m) in government funding. The college has not yet commented. A claim against the college has been filed in the federal court following an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and New South Wales Fair Trading. According to a statement on the ACCC's website, the college enrolled more than 3,600 students in diploma courses during the 2014-15 financial year, which earned it A$57m in government funding. But fewer than 3% of students graduated in the second half of last year. The ACCC alleges that college sales agents went door-to-door and offered free laptops as an incentive to sign up for online courses. Many of the people it targeted were from Aboriginal communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of New South Wales. Some were illiterate or with disabilities. Those alleged to have been targeted include a 19-year-old disabled man, under the care of his grandmother, who was signed up for a student loan despite not being informed of the course or the college, Fairfax media reports. According to court papers, students would be asked to sign forms that some did not understand, and were not made aware that they would be liable for up to A$25,000 in debt repayments under the government's VET FEE-HELP scheme once they were earning more than A$54,000. The ACCC accuses the college of engaging in "misleading or deceptive or unconscionable conduct" when selling the diploma courses. "It is important that colleges are upfront with prospective students and clearly explain the price of the courses they are offering," said NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe. "Consumers need to be able to fully understand what they are agreeing to before making a decision to sign up to a course. The VET FEE-HELP loan incurred by students is a lifetime debt."
A private college in Sydney has been accused by Australia's consumer watchdog of mis-selling diploma courses to vulnerable students, earning itself millions of dollars in federal loans.
The move had been expected in the wake of the UK's vote to leave the European Union, which Mr Abe had warned would have a negative impact on Japan's economy. But this amount far exceeds earlier estimates. Shares in Tokyo jumped on the news, but economists have raised concerns about whether it will have any real impact. Full details of the package won't be released until next week, but the impact may not be felt immediately. Some media reports say that almost half of the funds will include spending by local and national governments. That could mean building new infrastructure projects - which won't directly affect economic growth. Japan has been in a two-decade-long slump of low prices and low wage growth, and consumer spending accounts for 60% of the economy. But many consumers feel nervous about spending their money because they're insecure about their financial future. That's despite three years of Abenomics - the term coined to describe Mr Abe's three-pronged fiscal, monetary and structural approach to fixing the country's economic woes. The three elements are: Even a controversial move in January to push interest rates below zero by the Bank of Japan failed to stimulate the economy, and get people spending again. Economists say Japan's problems are much bigger and more complicated than the government is willing to acknowledge - and that Mr Abe needs to implement tough reforms, like getting more women in the workforce and allowing more foreign workers in, to boost growth in the world's third largest economy. News about the stimulus package comes as speculation mounts that Japan's central bank - the Bank of Japan - could push interest rates even further below zero when it holds its monetary policy meeting this week.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said his government will introduce a 28tn yen ($265bn; £200bn) package to boost the flagging economy.
Specialist in aerial dance Pedro Aunión Monroy, was suspended in a cage during the Mad Cool festival in Madrid, on Friday night. While near the main stage, in-between the performances by alt-J and Green Day, he fell. Paramedics spent 30 minutes trying to revive him, but were unable to save him. Mr Monroy from Portslade, who trained in the schools of Pilar López, Cristina Rota and in the Royal Conservatory of Dance, had his own performance company, In Fact Aerial Dance, based in Brixton, London. He also worked as a self-employed massage therapist at The Grand Hotel, Brighton. Speaking to the BBC, the hotel's general manager Andrew Mosley said: "We are all very sad to hear the news, it is the most terrible news and our hearts go out to his friends and family." He added the sports masseuse enjoyed half marathons and was a very popular member of the staff. Just a few days before the festival, he posted a picture and a last message on Facebook of himself and his partner which said "love, come to my arms". The festival organisers did not initially inform the audience or the bands the fall was fatal because of "security reasons" and around 40 minutes after, Green Day took to the stage for their set. Tweeting after their performance Green Day said: "We just got off stage at Mad Cool Festival to disturbing news. A very brave artist named Pedro lost his life tonight in a tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends." It is unclear at this stage what happened with Mr Monroy's equipment which caused him to fall. End of Twitter post by @GreenDay Slowdive, which was due on stage after Green Day, suspended its performance, saying: "Due to the tragic accident in Mad Cool this night we feel it is not appropriate to play. Our thoughts are with those affected." A statement on the 45,000-ticket sell out festival's website from directors Javier Arnaiz and Farruco Castromán reads: "Mad Cool Festival regrets the terrible accident that the aerial dancer suffered during the second day of the festival. "For security reasons, the festival decided to continue with its programming. We send our most sincere condolences to all his family. "Tomorrow Saturday 8, during the festival, we will render a heartfelt tribute to the artist." The mayor of Madrid, Manuela Carmena, has also tweeted to say she was sorry to hear of the death and sent "a loving embrace to your family, friends and colleagues".
An acrobat from Brighton has died after reportedly falling 100ft (30m) during a stunt at a rock festival in Spain.
Media playback is not supported on this device The American recorded his first victory since taking charge in October to lift the Swans off the bottom of the table and on to nine points from 13 games. He said: "I see the win as a turning point in so many ways. We felt pure ecstasy today "Sometimes you feel like you need something crazy and maybe this game can be that moment." Bradley added: "It has been a difficult season and a lot of things have not bounced the right way. "But we still show up every day with a great mentality and I couldn't be happier for that group." Swansea had led 3-1 but trailed 4-3 before Fernando Llorente scored twice in stoppage time to earn their second win of the season. "I have been on both sides of games like that, so I understand how Palace feel," added the former USA coach. "As far as we are concerned, it was a huge victory and one which the group thoroughly deserves. "However, when I see the deflection off Jack Cork's head [for Palace's third goal], there is a moment when you think we just need some luck to turn things around. "In the end the character of the players shone through and I am very happy for them." Dutch midfielder Leroy Fer, who scored twice in two minutes to give Swansea a 3-1 lead, said: "This result is a good springboard, we have to keep going and moving forward. "It was heartache for us when Everton equalised late on last week, but we felt pure ecstasy today."
Swansea's dramatic 5-4 win against Crystal Palace can revitalise the Welsh side's Premier League campaign, says manager Bob Bradley.
Elaine Davison, 55, from Pontefract, was fatally injured in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, in November 2010. Edward Davison told an inquest the branch, which was about 4m (13ft) long, fell into the road in front of them during heavy gales. He said his wife told him: "Don't let me die, will you?" "I said 'no, I won't'. That's one of the hardest things. "It's the first time I've ever had to lie to her and I can't take it back," he said. More news from across Yorkshire Mrs Davison was injured as the tree hit their Vauxhall Zafira on the A642 Aberford Road on 11 November. A statement by Mr Davison was read out in court by Coroner David Hinchcliff which described the difficult driving conditions as the couple of 30 years returned from visiting their daughter in hospital. It recounted how Mrs Davison "appeared nervous" before there was a "banging and crashing sound" as the branch fell. Mr Davison said the windscreen collapsed inwards and he could see something "wood-like" pressing against his wife's stomach. He went into a "blind panic" as his wife struggled for breath and she held onto the branch and implored him to "get it off". Wakefield Coroner's Court heard he "frantically" broke off small branches to get to his wife before flagging down a passing ambulance. Attempts were made to resuscitate Mrs Davison as she was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A post-mortem examination found she died from injuries consistent with her abdominal wall being pierced. The inquest was adjourned until Tuesday.
A man has recalled how his wife pleaded with him to save her life when she was impaled on a tree branch that had smashed through their car windscreen.
Wales, showing 14 changes from the 39-21 defeat to New Zealand, lost 40-7 to a Chiefs side missing eight All Blacks. "Players were given a chance to make a statement and put their hand up for selection for Saturday," said Gatland. "A few questions were answered for us in terms of fringe players and where they're at at the moment." Wales take on the world champions in Wellington, before another Test match against Steve Hansen's side in Dunedin on 25 June. The Chiefs, two-time Super Rugby champions, outscored Wales by six tries to one in Hamilton. Lock forward Jake Ball was helped from the field midway through the second half to compound the misery for Wales. Gatland admitted the midweek game was "disappointing", having billed it as an opportunity for his squad players to push for a starting place this weekend. "We created some chances, particularly in that first half, but we weren't clinical enough in terms of finishing," said the Kiwi. "They defended well and when the chances came their way they were excellent. They dominated us at collision time. "I think a number of players will have learned a lot from that experience." Wales have conceded 16 tries in three games and Gatland says everyone in the camp must think about how they can improve. "There is no doubt the players in that changing room are hurting and not just the players that took to the pitch, but the players that were watching as well - and all the staff," the 2013 Lions coach said. "The challenge is how we respond to that and that's what we've got to do on Saturday. "They've got to be honest about looking themselves in the mirror, look at that performance and [think about] what they learned and how do they apply it to be better players in the future. "And we've got to do exactly the same as coaches too."
Wales coach Warren Gatland says fringe players missed a chance to push their selection claims for the second Test with New Zealand against the Chiefs.
Speculation regarding a new league came after Tuesday's meeting of officials from the Gunners and Premier League rivals Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United. A representative from the International Champions Cup series was also involved. An Arsenal spokesman said: "Discussions were primarily around the ICC and formats of European competitions." The ICC involves matches between several high-profile European clubs played, predominantly, as pre-season tournaments worldwide. Any impetus for a breakaway league is believed to come from clubs in mainland Europe due to the current financial strength of the Premier League. "Not Arsenal, nor any clubs at the meeting, are seeking changes to the Premier League and European landscape and no conversations surrounding displacing the Premier League or starting a European super league took place," added the Arsenal spokesman. Uefa, European football's governing body, said it had no concrete proposals to change the format of its European competitions, but was constantly reviewing the situation. "We have just gone into a new three-year cycle for Champions League and Europa League, so we cannot offer any further comment at this stage," said a Uefa spokesman. The Premier League's new broadcasting deals, worth more than £8bn in total and due to take effect from the beginning of the 2016-2017 season, will dwarf the current financial rewards on offer for a successful European campaign. The Premier League declined to comment.
Arsenal say they are "strongly opposed" to the formation of a breakaway European super league.
The Home Office has been looking at a legal aid funding request for the families ahead of inquests into the 21 deaths and a decision is expected to be made this month. But campaigners said without legal aid they would not have representation. A pre-inquest review is due to be held next month. The relatives want their lawyers, who have so far worked free of charge, to be paid out of public funds, in the same manner as police and other agencies who will be in involved in the inquests. Q&A: Birmingham bombings inquests Campaigner Julie Hambleton, from Justice 4 the 21, said: "All families involved in this horrendous atrocity should be able to effectively participate but without funding, without our legal team, we won't be able to do that so we may have to either just not attend or ask for an adjournment." Twenty-one people died and 222 were injured when the bombs exploded at the Mulberry Bush and The Tavern in the Town in 1974. Six men were convicted and then acquitted of the atrocity and no-one has since been convicted of involvement in the bombing, which is widely attributed to the Irish Republican Army (IRA). In June, Birmingham's senior coroner ruled there was evidence that still needed to be heard and gave the go-ahead for fresh inquests.
Relatives of the Birmingham pub bombing victims say they may not take part in forthcoming inquests if they do not get public funding for their legal team.
Surman, 28, arrives back at Dean Court having previously spent two spells on loan at the Championship club. He spent last season with Bournemouth, making 39 appearances, and was also at the Cherries during the 2005-06 season. The former England Under-21 international started his career at Southampton before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2009. Surman joined Norwich in 2010 and made 58 appearances for the Canaries.
Bournemouth have signed Norwich midfielder Andrew Surman for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.
It was addressed to "Marconi Operator, RMS Titanic" and stamped on 11 April 1912 - the day after the ill-fated ship set sail from Southampton. What the parcel originally contained is unknown, but it is believed to have missed the sailing by a few hours. A spokesman for the auctioneers said there had been a lot of interest in what was "a piece of history". An internet bidder from the UK eventually paid £3,100 ($4740) for the label, after John Nicholson's Auctioneers in Fernhurst, West Sussex, opened bidding at £50 ($764). The parcel was sent by the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company in Chelmsford to the radio operator of the White Star liner. Unsuccessful bidders included a group hoping to turn the old Marconi building in Hall Street, Chelmsford, into a museum. The auctioneer's spokesman said the item was of interest to both Titanic and Marconi enthusiasts. "It's a pleasing result - it's got the story behind it, the only thing we don't know is what was in the parcel". Also included in the lot were photographs of Marconi telegraph operator, Alec Bagot, and the telegraph equipment from on board Titanic's sister ship RMS Olympic. The label was given to the vendor's mother, who lived in Southampton, by the first officer of the Olympic.
The label from a parcel destined for an officer on the Titanic has been sold at auction for more than £3,000 ($4590).
About 200,000 letters will be included in bills sent out to council tax payers. The SNP called for the letters to be pulped but the coalition backed the move to send them. Labour council leader Barney Crockett insisted it was the right decision. He said: "We are completely confident that what we are doing is not political campaigning." SNP and Lib Dem councillors walked out the meeting after it was decided to hold the discussion on the letters in private. SNP group leader Callum McCaig said: "It's beyond pathetic, this is an out of control administration." Aberdeen City Council is run by a coalition of Labour, the Conservatives and independents.
The Labour-led administration on Aberdeen City Council is to press ahead with sending out letters endorsing a "No" vote in September's independence referendum.
Media playback is unsupported on your device 1 July 2014 Last updated at 16:43 BST The country's largest union, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), claims that more than 200,000 members are striking.
Engineering and metal workers in South Africa have gone on strike after talks on Monday failed to reach an agreement over pay.
CHRISTIAN BALE Age: 42 Nominated for: The Big Short The character: Michael Burry, an eccentric mathematical genius and hedge fund manager who sees money as just a commodity and risk-taking as a means only to prove how clever he is. Oscar record: Won best supporting actor for The Fighter in 201. Best actor nomination for American Hustle in 2014. The critics said: "Bale stands out with the most unhinged performance of the ensemble as hedge fund manager Michael Burry. Totally lacking in social graces (he paces his office barefoot), Burry is prone to rocking out to heavy metal music to get his brain working at warp speed and also sports a glass eye." [The Guardian] TOM HARDY Age: 38 Nominated for: The Revenant The character: John Fitzgerald, a deceitful fur trapper who leaves a companion in the snowbound wilderness after he is attacked by a bear. Oscar record: No previous nominations. The critics said: "Hardy [emanates] menace as the half-scalped villain of the piece." [Empire] MARK RUFFALO Age: 48 Nominated for: Spotlight The character: Michael Rezendes, a member of the Boston Globe's investigative Spotlight team that disclosed a child sexual abuse scandal within the Catholic church. Oscar record: Best supporting actor nominations for for The Kids Are All Right for 2011 and Foxcatcher in 2015. The critics said: "Ruffalo is a marvel of purpose as Rezendes hounds [an] attorney.. for access to survivors of sex abuse." [Rolling Stone] MARK RYLANCE Age: 55 Nominated for: Bridge of Spies The character: Rudolf Abel, the real-life Soviet intelligence officer who was arrested in 1950s New York and prosecuted as a spy. Oscar record: No previous nominations. The critics said: "Abel, an inscrutable Soviet spy with a soft Scottish accent, is an energy-conserving showstopper of a role; so passive, so droll, he's like a spent clown, and Rylance is mesmerising as him." [Ham & High] SYLVESTER STALLONE Age: 69 Nominated for: Creed The character: Rocky Balboa, a former heavyweight champion coaxed out of retirement to train the son of his old boxing rival. Oscar record: Best actor nomination for Rocky in 1977. Best original screenplay nomination for same film. The critics said: "From the moment Stallone shuffles on screen, weighed down by the baggage of six movies past including the loss of everyone he ever loved, he discovers notes he has never played as an actor." [Empire]
A look at the best actor nominees for the 88th Academy Awards, announced on 14 January 2016.
The 23-times Isle of Man TT winner will again ride Honda machinery as he moves ever closer to the late Joey Dunlop's all-time record of 26 wins. Speaking at the event's launch in Douglas, he said he would be "disappointed" not to add to his tally. The 43-year-old won both the Senior race and TT Zero class in 2015. On his way to victory in a shortened four-lap race Senior race, he also set a new absolute course record of 132.701mph in the process. His victory took him level with Mike Hailwood's record of seven Senior race triumphs. McGuinness, who turns 44 this week, said: "I feel strong. I'm not the fittest guy in the world but when I get on the bike I feel 21 again". "I spoke to Joey's wife last week and she gave me the family's blessing. Joey was a national treasure and it might upset some if I caught his record, but records are there to be broken. Joey Dunlop died in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2000 while leading a 125cc race - his death coming just weeks after he secured a hat-trick of TT wins - aged 48. McGuinness will be competing in six races at this year's event, which will be his 20th year of competing. He added: "Even with all my experience, I will still have butterflies - you never know what will happen and the quality of the field is getting better every year." "I 100% want to win and I believe I can. I will be disappointed if I don't reach the top step this year."
Morecambe rider John McGuinness has said he is still hungry for success as he prepares for another tilt at Isle of Man TT glory next month.
His son Ned told the Hollywood Reporter he died at his home in Los Angeles on Christmas Day. The actor also played Harry the barkeeper in the US sitcoms All in the Family and Archie Bunker's Place between 1976 and 1983. Wingreen provided the voice of the bounty hunter Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back. He only had four lines of dialogue but the character has become a favourite with his own fan club. But in 2004 when director George Lucas re-released the original trilogy, Wingreen's voice was was replaced by actor Temuera Morrison, who played Boba's father, Jango Fett, in the prequel films. The role of Boba Fett was physically played by English actor Jeremy Bulloch. Wingreen also appeared in many US TV series. He was a regular on The Untouchables and appeared in the original Twilight Zone and Star Trek series. He also had a recurring role in Matlock and appeared in Mission: Impossible, Ironside, Kojak, Dr Kildare, The Fugitive, The Man from UNCLE and Seinfeld.
Jason Wingreen, a character actor who voiced the Star Wars character Boba Fett, has died aged 95.
Eight people were hospitalised with smoke inhalation after the blaze at Lendel Place in the Govan area. Police said a 42-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman were critical, while the other six are in a stable condition. The fire service said 15 people were rescued from the four-storey property after a blaze in a basement flat spread at about 04:10 on Sunday. About 25 firefighters tackled the blaze. A fire service spokesman said some people on the upper floors were "attempting to escape smoke and flames" when firefighters turned up. Eyewitness Tahir Aman told BBC Scotland: "There was just chaos. People who live up there were standing on the ledge, about five or six of them, waiting to jump out. "But the lady from the ambulance told them not to." Sana Mobeen, who lives next door, was treated for smoke inhalation. She said: "My husband was up making milk for our wee one and suddenly he saw, through the kitchen window, fire coming out and the window exploded of a neighbour's house." "We were sleeping, me and my son, and the lower window in our basement was just outside the house that actually caught fire so there was smoke coming inside where we were sleeping." Ten residents of the flats were taken to a council rest centre until it is safe for them to return home. Police said the affected people were taken to Ibrox Library before alternative accommodation was found. Some of those rescued were taken down by ladders, the fire service said. Crews from six fire engines from across the city extinguished the blaze. Brian Winter, the incident commander for Scottish Fire and Rescue, said: "The fire crews were met with a well-developed fire in a basement, which made conditions very challenging for them. "Given the severity of this fire and the complications it presented, the quick actions of the crews in carrying out these rescues ensured that casualty numbers were kept to a minimum and the fire damage to the building itself was mainly restricted to the basement property." The cause of the fire is unknown and a joint investigation between the fire service and Police Scotland is under way. Paisley Road West reopened around 09:40 on Sunday.
Two people are in a critical condition in hospital after a fire at a block of flats in Glasgow.
Kurdish military sources said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had captured some 15 villages from IS. Unidentified air strikes killed 11 people in one IS-held village, though it was unclear if this was linked. The SDF hopes to cut IS's supply lines from the oil-rich province to the group's stronghold Raqqa, in the north. Syrian government forces in Deir al-Zour have also been battling to push out IS, which commands most of the province as well as its capital of the same name. The latest development comes just days before UN-sponsored talks between the Syrian government and opposition in Geneva, Switzerland - the first such meeting in nearly a year. The UN envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has played down hopes for the talks taking place on Thursday, which he says are aimed at exploring the possibility of a political process. A nationwide ceasefire - which excludes IS - took effect in December after peace talks in Kazakhstan. The deal was brokered by Russia and Iran, both allies of the Syrian government, as well as Turkey, which is supporting some of the rebels. Kurdish military sources said on Tuesday it was the first time the SDF alliance, which includes the Kurdish YPG militia and Arab fighting groups, had crossed into Deir al-Zour province. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described the operation as the SDF's biggest incursion yet into Deir al-Zour province. It said air strikes on a petrol station and garage in one of the province's villages killed 11 people and wounded 35. The province has been targeted in the past by US-led coalition planes, as well as by Russia, an ally of the Syrian government. US-led air strikes have helped the SDF forces to seize large swathes of territory in northern Syria from IS. IS militants advanced into Deir al-Zour province in 2014 and went on to impose a siege on the city of Deir al-Zour, seeking to oust government forces from an airbase and neighbouring districts along the River Euphrates. Separately, Turkish-backed forces are fighting in close proximity to Syrian government forces to regain control of the northern town of al-Bab from IS. The UN said on Tuesday an estimated 5,000 civilians were trapped by fighting in and around the town. More than 300,000 people have been killed and 11m others displaced since the uprising against President Assad began in March 2011.
A US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab rebels has advanced into territory held by so-called Islamic State (IS) in Deir al-Zour province, eastern Syria.
Police said the man was being held over alleged offensive behaviour. He is understood to be among those pictured in a recent police CCTV images appeal. Several appeals for information were made after toilets were vandalised at the game and offensive effigies of Rangers fans were hung from the stands. The match, which Celtic won 5-1, took place at Celtic Park on 10 September.
A 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with disorder at the recent Celtic v Rangers game in Glasgow.
Thirty firefighters tackled a blaze at a terraced house in Culdee Drive which was extensively damaged. The man has been named locally as Barry Toal. Neighbours put a ladder against a rear bedroom window in a bid to rescue Mr Toal who was inside the property, but he died in the fire. Crews were called to the scene at 20:40 GMT on Friday. The ambulance service said two people were treated for the effect of smoke and fumes. The NI Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) confirmed that five appliances were in attendance. NIFRS Group Commander Mark Smyth said it was an "intense fire" and investigations as to how it started were ongoing. The fire service said crews started operations on the first floor and roof space of the property. It added that firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and using jets "were able to bring the fire under control quickly and prevent fire spread to adjoining properties, but unfortunately they discovered that a person had lost their life in the incident". Crews attended from Armagh, Keady, Portadown and Lisburn.
A 55-year-old man has died following a house fire in Armagh city.
Mrs Cox had started work on the cross-party campaign before she was killed in her constituency last year. The commission, in her memory, will work with 13 charities including Age UK and Action for Children to come up with ideas for change. They will provide findings as part of monthly campaigns on people such as new mums, carers and the elderly. 'Sociable but lonely' - how it feels when loneliness strikes The campaigners will put together a manifesto of the charities' findings and ask the government to look into ways of reducing the problem. Research by the partners shows over nine million people say they are "always or often lonely", but two-thirds of those would not talk about it in public. MPs want the report to be a call to action to encourage people to chat and start conversations. The commission is asking people to do more, for example knocking on a door or picking up a phone. Mrs Cox's sister, Kim Leadbeater, said she wanted to continue the MP's legacy "by ridding society of loneliness one conversation at a time." Mrs Cox, who was the Labour MP for Batley and Spen, suffered from loneliness when she went to university and was split up from her sister. "It was one of those issues where she felt she could make a real difference," she told the BBC News Channel. "I can't go back to normality because there is no normality without Jo, but what I can do is try and work to continue the good stuff that she did and try and make her proud." Despite the family's "dark days", Ms Leadbeater said she would not be beaten by what had happened and that she would "come out fighting". "I'm going to try and make some of the change and difference Jo can't make for herself anymore", she added. The co-chairwoman of the campaign, Conservative MP Seema Kennedy, said loneliness could be "profoundly detrimental" on mental and physical health. "If you are chronically lonely, it is as bad as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. You might have an increased risk of high blood pressure." Mrs Cox was determined to shine a spotlight on how loneliness affects people of ages, Ms Kennedy said.
Colleagues and family members of the murdered Labour MP Jo Cox have launched a campaign to tackle loneliness.
An outline planning application to develop the Oxstalls/Plock Court sites in Longlevens has been handed in to Gloucester City Council. It includes proposals for new sports facilities at the sites and accommodation for 200 students. The university's business school will relocate from Cheltenham to the Oxstalls site as part of the scheme. The allotments at Estcourt Park would be relocated to Debenham's Field, and traffic lights would be installed at the junction of Cheltenham Road and Oxstalls Lane. A controlled parking zone on residential streets around the campus has also been proposed. The plans have been submitted to the council after months of consultation. Vice-chancellor, Stephen Marston, said: "This outline planning application presents an ambitious vision for the university, working with our partners, to achieve a major development of academic, sporting and amenity facilities for the city of Gloucester. "The university is committed to playing an active part in promoting the economic, cultural and social wellbeing of the city and the county. "These plans would enable us to achieve a step change in the contribution we can make." A public consultation into the plans has been launched by the city council.
Plans for the University of Gloucestershire to develop sites in Gloucester have been submitted.
The 30-year-old had picked up two men and a woman in Hamilton Road, Cambuslang, and taken them to an address in Altyre Street at 02:00. At the address one of the men produced a knife. The taxi driver got out of the car, at which point a group of people came out of a property. They surrounded him before attacking him. The group then went back inside the property. The victim got back into his taxi and drove a short distance before stopping and calling an ambulance. He was taken to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary for treatment to a stab wound. Medical staff have described his condition as stable. The first male passenger is described as short, in his late 20's, of medium build and spoke with a Glasgow accent. The other male passenger also had a Glasgow accent. Police described the female passenger as being about 5ft 4in and of slim build. They also said the trio were involved in the assault. Det Insp Tom McKean said: "Why a group of people would target an innocent man in this brutal fashion is beyond me and we are currently working to establish the motive for this horrendous incident. "This type of behaviour is disgraceful and simply will not be tolerated and our officers will do everything they can to find the people responsible for this despicable crime. "I would appeal to anyone who was in Altyre Street or the surrounding area in the early hours of this morning, who may have witnessed a disturbance or saw anything suspicious, to get in touch."
A taxi driver has been stabbed in an attack by a group of men and woman who tried to rob him in Glasgow.
After the ignominious fall of Presidents Ben Ali in Tunisia and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, it was widely noted that these events disproved the 'Arab exception' - the belief, held in the face of mountains of contradictory evidence, that Arabs did not want democracy. But the overwhelming focus on the "demand-side" of an uprising lost sight of something more important: that the "market for revolution" cannot clear if the army is both able and willing to use overwhelming force. In other words, armies control the "supply-side" of revolution. History is replete with abortive awakenings, in which the supply constraint has choked off change: Europe 1848, Hungary 1956, Prague 1968, Beijing 1989, and - what may turn into the tragic footnote to the Arab Spring - Bahrain 2011. Syria could be appended to that list in short order. This is about much more than raw coercive capacity. Both South Korea's army in 1987 and Egypt's this year could have put up stiff resistance to the movements that swept away incumbent dictators. Why did they hold their fire? The answer lies in civil-military dynamics. Armies that have their own identity, that possess a corporate existence separate from their political masters, often choose to manage political transition rather than simply squelch it. They see a future beyond the regime. In Turkey, Pakistan, and now Egypt, the army has judged that it can enjoy its economic and political privileges by controlling the scope and direction of change. In fact, outright repression would tarnish the invaluable national credentials each institution enjoys, largely as a result of its own myth-making and manipulation. Egypt's army did try to dislodge the masses in Tahrir Square. But when it realised it could not do so without enormous bloodshed that would also wash away the institution's veneer, it shied away. On the other hand, armies that are little more than outgrowths of an autocratic regime know that they have no institutional future if protesters get their way. In Syria, 70% of career soldiers and 80% of officers are drawn from the ruling minority Alawite clan. Those units employed in crackdowns and massacres, such as the Fourth Division controlled by President Bashar al-Assad's brother, are all-Alawite, as are key intelligence organisations and militias. These armies - like Bahrain's security forces and Libya's elite brigades - may be disciplined and cohesive, but they are not professional. Since their fate is bound up with that of the regimes, they have little compunction in unleashing violence. It is this distinction, between independent and servile armies, that is one of the most important parameters in determining the trajectory of an uprising. An independent, professional army, no matter how powerful, will have appealing alternatives to bloodshed. That doesn't guarantee a democratic revolution - see the sorry paths of 1980s Turkey or 1990s Pakistan - but it does enable a change. Armies with a distinct corporate identity can produce dangerous Praetorian states - where the military exercises undue influence over the political regime - but they can also enable peaceful transitions. For those armies that opt for violence, capacity does matter. The archetypal case remains Tiananmen Square. Even though 3,500 PLA officers disobeyed orders in 1989, this was only a fraction of the overall total used in the crackdown. It helped that the PLA's 27th Army was at the forefront; this unit's troops were from northern Shaanxi Province, speaking a different dialect to the student protesters. Bahrain learnt this lesson well, and spent years importing Sunni mercenaries from Pakistan. They have proved to be ready to fire on Shia protesters. The Iraqi army, a mostly Sunni force, had similarly little compunction about brutally putting down the 1991 uprising in Shia and Kurdish parts of the country. In Syria, the Assad regime cynically uses Christian and Druze troops against Sunni targets. The UAE has gone a step further, reportedly hiring Blackwater founder Erik Prince to help establish an all-mercenary force of about 800 foreign fighters. Ethnic difference matters. Nonetheless, most armies do not enjoy the Tiananmen option. A weak army, or one where only select units are equipped and led by regime loyalists, will quickly disintegrate into patchwork militias. In Libya, eastern units peeled away from Gaddafi at the outset of the conflict, sowing the seeds of a civil war. What could have been another Hama - the 1982 massacre perpetrated by an earlier incarnation of the Assad regime in Syria - became something much less simple. All of this is not to neglect the demand-side of revolution. After all, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have all been largely quiet, and not just because of fear. But with the understandable romanticisation of raw protest, we lose sight of the fact that massed crowds are but one ingredient of successful regime change. For those peering into these restive states, this is a reminder that capacity-building in the absence of professionalisation simply produces more efficient slaughter. Britain trained and equipped some of the Libyan special forces who inflicted such horrors on cities like Misrata. Western states continue to train Saudi forces, and this may well have much the same effect. For those that find this improbable, consider that six months ago Bahrain was considered a humane and liberalising country whose parliamentary institutions obviated the need for a crackdown. The more immediate lessons may be these: parts of Yemen's splintered forces have proven flexible enough to manoeuvre away from the Saleh regime, and might yet fall in line behind a transitional government that emerges. Syria's sectarian army, on the other hand, will not go down without a fierce fight - one that they have an excellent chance of winning. Shashank Joshi is an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a defence think-tank in London, and a doctoral student of international relations at Harvard University.
In the wave of dissent sweeping over the Arab world, an old lesson is being re-learnt: that armies are the key to unlocking a revolution's potential.
The competition, based in the north west of Northern Ireland, is aimed at teenagers and has grown in popularity over the years. Its organisers estimate it is worth almost £2m to the local economy. Ex-Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez said the cutbacks, in the same year that Northern Ireland qualified for the Euro finals, is disappointing. "With Northern Ireland obviously in the Europeans this summer you would want a competition like the Foyle Cup to be growing and ever expanding and to find it financially cut at this moment in time seems like a bit of an absurdity," he said. The grant the competition receives from Tourism NI has been cut from £20,000 to £10,000. The organisers said the cut means the tournament will not be able to attract the same calibre of teams from abroad as in previous years. A Tourism NI spokesperson said the majority of applicants seeking grants this year received less than they applied for.
Funding for this year's Foyle Cup youth football tournament has been cut by 50% by Tourism Northern Ireland.
Two sources told Reuters the company is leaning towards the UK plant, where it has invested heavily in recent years. The company makes about 60% of its approximately 360,000 compact cars at the Cowley factory. A BMW spokeswoman said: "A final decision has not been taken." As well as Oxford, the company has built up an alternative manufacturing base in the Netherlands amid concerns about Brexit. Reuters said its sources were "familiar with the company's thinking" and a final decision is due in September. Between 2012 and 2015, BMW Group invested £750m to upgrade manufacturing sites in Oxford, Hams Hall and Swindon. One source said: "If Mini became a fully electric brand in the long run, and Oxford only knew how to build combustion-engine variants, the plant would lose its relevance." In March, the head of BMW in the UK, Ian Robertson, said the UK was "in a strong position but it's not the only production facility we have". The company said it could also build the vehicle at a plant in the Netherlands, where a plug-in hybrid version of the Mini is already being built, or a plant in Regensburg, Germany. The threat of further strikes at the Oxford plant ended last month when Unite members accepted a revised offer over the closure of their final salary pension scheme.
BMW's Oxford factory is the favoured location for building an electric version of the Mini, sources have claimed.
Bale scored his penalty as Real beat rivals Atletico in a shoot-out, having drawn Saturday's final 1-1. The 26-year-old's next assignment will be the European Championship in France, his first major international tournament with Wales. "We will be going for that title as well. Why not," Bale told BT Sport. Victory in Milan gave Real their 11th European Cup title and Bale's second, after the Wales forward scored in their 2014 final win over Atletico. There were concerns for his club and country when he struggled with cramp during extra time and appeared to hold his groin after scoring his penalty. But Bale was fit enough to stay on the pitch for the whole match and join Joey Jones and Ryan Giggs in the list of Welshmen to win two European Cups. "I can't feel a lot, I am cramping up," Bale said in the immediate aftermath of the game. "What an amazing feeling. In extra time we showed resilience, what we are made of and winning the 11th [title]. "The boys gave everything. The club, the fans have been amazing on this journey and deserve it. "Atletico gave it a great game and we feel a little bit sorry for them but you have to win a final. "Some of their players were struggling but we tried not to show it too much. I was nervous after the penalty, not while taking it." Bale's involvement in the Champions League final meant he missed Wales' training camp in Portugal as they prepare for Euro 2016. Chris Coleman's side visit Sweden for a pre-tournament friendly on Sunday, 5 June, before kicking off their campaign against Slovakia in Bordeaux on 11 June.
Gareth Bale is targeting winning Euro 2016 with Wales after claiming his second Champions League title with Real Madrid.
Somali nationals are among those banned from travelling to the US under the executive order issued on Friday. That had applied to Farah, who was born in Somalia, until the announcement by the UK Foreign Office late on Sunday. Farah, 33, called Trump's policy "divisive and discriminatory". Trump's executive order halted the entire US refugee programme and also instituted a 90-day travel ban for nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson held conversations with the US government on Sunday. The Foreign Office then advised British travellers that dual citizens were only affected if travelling to the US from one of the seven banned countries. "We understand from the statement released this evening by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that the executive order will not apply to Mo, and we are grateful to the FCO for urgently clarifying the situation," said a spokesperson for Farah, who has lived in Oregon for six years with his family. "Mo is relieved that he will be able to return to his family once his current training camp concludes." The statement added that Farah "still fundamentally disagrees with this incredibly divisive and discriminatory policy". Writing on his Facebook page earlier on Sunday, Farah had said: "On 1 January this year, Her Majesty The Queen made me a Knight of the Realm. On 27 January, President Donald Trump seems to have made me an alien." Farah said he believed Trump's policy "comes from a place of ignorance and prejudice" and that his own story was "an example of what can happen when you follow polices of compassion and understanding, not hate and isolation". Farah, who moved to Britain aged eight, is at a training camp in Ethiopia as part of his preparations for August's World Championships in London, and is not planning to return to the US for a number of weeks.
Britain's four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah says he is "relieved" he can return to his US home after it was clarified that President Donald Trump's travel ban did not apply to him.
Brendan Rodgers' side had already lifted the Scottish League Cup before securing the Premiership title with a 5-0 thrashing of Hearts on Sunday. Celtic are in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, so a clean sweep is possible. "It's our main goal now," Lustig told BBC Scotland. "We play for Celtic and every game we want to win." Celtic are unbeaten domestically in both cup and league since the start of the season and face city rivals Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final on 23 April. Asked if finishing the season unbeaten is realistic, despite Rodgers promising to rest some players before the end of the campaign, Lustig said: "Absolutely. It is going to be tough and we have to stay humble and remain focused, but we've got a big squad and people coming in who can do the job." Previous manager Ronny Deila won two successive titles and Lustig believes performances have improved this season under Rodgers. "The players got a lot more confident and the main thing is the manager and backroom staff work with us every day to keep us focused," said the Sweden defender. "We knew we had really good players in the squad and we took in some players for this season who made a really big impact. "But, even with the same players as last season, the confidence is much higher now." Celtic also began their league campaign with a 2-1 win against Hearts at Tynecastle. Media playback is not supported on this device "It has been a brilliant season and it's really nice to settle it here," said Lustig. "We set up some goals before the season and the first game of the season was against Hearts here and it's really nice to win the title here as well." Celtic have another Glasgow derby to contend with before the cup semi-final, with in-form Partick Thistle visiting on Premiership duty. "It doesn't matter that we have won the league," said Lustig. "We will focus again on Partick Thistle on Wednesday and getting three points there."
Celtic will target a domestic treble now they have secured a sixth successive league title, according to right-back Mikael Lustig.
The workers, all of them Dalits - formerly known as untouchables - collect garbage, sweep the city streets, clean the gutters, load and unload garbage trucks and work in the dumping grounds. And "without exception, all of them despise their work", says photographer Sudharak Olwe who documented their lives over a period of a year.
About 30,000 conservancy workers, also known as sweepers, are employed by the civic authorities in the Indian city of Mumbai.
Two teams of celebrities will meet on 5 June to raise money for Unicef. Mourinho will be assisted by Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce, with Soccer Aid co-founder Robbie Williams as coach. "I want to be the first one to win the Soccer Aid trophy for both teams," said the Portuguese, who coached Rest of the World to a 4-2 win in 2014. "Sam and I will make a very good partnership and it will be a great feeling for Claudio to finally lose a match." Ranieri, manager of Premier League leaders Leicester City, added: "It is a great honour that Robbie Williams has asked me to manage the Rest of the World XI and I'm looking forward to helping them defend their title."
Jose Mourinho will manage England against Claudio Ranieri's Rest of the World side for this summer's Soccer Aid match at Old Trafford.
Media playback is unsupported on your device 29 October 2014 Last updated at 19:23 GMT WHO's latest figure for infections is 13,703, mostly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, with 70% of those infected dying. South Africa's first black billionaire, Patrice Motsepe, donates $1m (£620,000) to Guinea to help the country fight Ebola. Here is the latest Ebola news for Wednesday 29 October - in 15 seconds.
The rate of Ebola infections appears to be slowing in Liberia, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
Media playback is not supported on this device The referee stopped the contest at the Titanic Exhibition Centre in the fourth round after the outclassed Slavchev lifted the Belfast man off his feet. Flyweight Barnes, 29, had been on top against the Bulgarian who had lost 24 of 33 previous bouts. Light-flyweight Jamie Conlan beat Hungarian David Koos on points. The Belfast boxer was the victor on a unanimous decision and now awaits a final eliminator for a world title fight. Marco McCullough defeated Luis Ligo in his fight for the vacant WBO Intercontinental featherweight championship when his opponent failed to come off his stool for the fifth round. Barnes's professional bow was much anticipated after a distinguished career in the amateur ranks. "It was hard to pin him down," said Barnes after the strange conclusion. "I was trying too hard to impress. You didn't see the best of me." Earlier, Belfast's Steven Ward, 26, marked his professional debut with a points win over 31-year-old Bulgarian Merdjidin Yuseeinov. Ward, who won silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, produced a steady display and was declared the winner by 40 points to 36. Tyrone McKenna won the Celtic super-lightweight belt by stopping Dublin opponent Sean Creagh. Unbeaten McKenna, 26, was well on top when Creagh's corner retired their man before the sixth and final round.
Double Olympic bronze medallist Paddy Barnes won his pro debut fight in unusual circumstances when opponent Stefan Slavchev was disqualified.
Fishlock, 29, had been a player and assistant coach to Jo Montemurro, who has taken up a role with the club's men's team. Her first match in charge will be the Round 11 fixture at Sydney FC on Sunday, 8 January. Sydney are top of the table with Fishlock's side fourth.
Wales midfielder Jess Fishlock has taken over as Melbourne City coach for the final weeks of Australia's W-League season.
Only nine workers could be rescued, a senior official said. The coal mine collapsed after a series of methane gas explosions over the weekend. The mine, near the provincial capital, Quetta, was declared dangerous two weeks ago but those warnings were ignored, reports said. Balochistan is rich in minerals but its mines have a poor safety record. "All 43 bodies have been recovered. There are no survivors and the mine is being sealed," mines official Iftikhar Ahmed said. He said nine men had been found buried under the debris and rescued on Tuesday. The blast took place while miners were drilling in the 4,00-foot-deep (1.2km-deep) coal mine. Workers recovered 10 bodies on Sunday - the victims died of suffocation. The mine in the remote district of Sorange is owned by the state-run Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, but it was leased to a contractor. Officials promised action against those responsible for ignoring warnings to stop mining. Balochistan has been at the centre of a decade-long insurgency with Baloch nationalists demanding more jobs and royalties from the region's natural resources.
The bodies of 43 workers who were trapped in a mine in Pakistan's Balochistan province have been recovered, officials say.
He also called for the release of Bradley Manning, who is awaiting trial in the US accused of leaking classified documents to the Wikileaks site. Mr Assange spoke from a balcony at the embassy and thanked Ecuador's president, who has granted him asylum. He faces extradition to Sweden over sexual assault claims, which he denies. The 41-year-old said the United States must also stop its "war on whistleblowers". He added: "The United States must vow that it will not seek to prosecute our staff or our supporters. "The United States must pledge before the world that it will not pursue journalists for shining a light on the secret crimes of the powerful. Mr Assange also said the United States was facing a choice between re-affirming the "revolutionary values it was founded on" or "dragging us all into a dangerous and oppressive world in which journalists fall silent under the fear of prosecution and citizens must whisper in the dark". By Caroline HawleyBBC News The show for today is over, but the stand-off at the Ecuadorean embassy and the diplomatic row over Julian Assange's fate are not. Britain says it won't grant the Wikileaks' leader safe passage so he can go to Ecuador, but it has had to back away from a warning it made last week that it could find a legal basis to enter the embassy and arrest Mr Assange. That deeply riled not only Ecuador, but other countries in South America. It also provoked doubts about its legality. Given the potential international ramifications, it's highly unlikely British police will storm into the ground-floor mission. But neither is it likely that Britain or Sweden will give the guarantees that Ecuador and Mr Assange want - that he won't face onward extradition to the US. So for now the stalemate continues. Police are posted at both the front and back of the Ecuadorean embassy to ensure Julian Assange doesn't escape - and Britain is faced with a costly security operation. The US is carrying out an investigation into Wikileaks, which has published a mass of leaked diplomatic cables, embarrassing several governments and international businesses. Alleged Wikileaks source Bradley Manning, 24, an intelligence analyst in the American army who served in Iraq, is alleged to have leaked US government cables to the whistle-blowing website. He is set to face a court martial. In an interview for US television in 2010, Mr Assange denied any knowledge of Pte Manning. Mr Assange began his speech by thanking his supporters, many of whom have been holding a vigil outside the building in Knightsbridge. Speaking of the visit by police officers to the embassy on Wednesday, Mr Assange said: "Inside this embassy after dark, I could hear teams of police swarming up into the building through its internal fire escape. But I knew there would be witnesses and that is because of you. "If the UK did not throw away the Vienna Conventions the other night it is because the world was watching and the world was watching because you were watching." It is an established international convention that local police and security forces are not permitted to enter an embassy, unless they have the express permission of the ambassador. The Foreign Office has said it remained committed to reaching a "negotiated solution" but following its obligations under the Extradition Act, it would arrest Mr Assange if he left the embassy. In 2010, two female Wikileaks supporters accused Mr Assange, an Australian citizen, of committing sexual offences against them while he was in Stockholm to give a lecture. Mr Assange claims the sex was consensual and the allegations are politically motivated. In a statement issued after the Ecuadorean decision to grant Mr Assange political asylum, Foreign Secretary William Hague said the UK was under a "binding obligation" to extradite him to Sweden. Mr Assange entered the embassy after the UK's Supreme Court dismissed his bid to reopen his appeal against extradition and gave him a two-week grace period before extradition proceedings could start. Ecuador's president Rafael Correa has suggested Mr Assange could co-operate with Sweden if assurances are given that there would be no extradition to a third country. Mr Assange's balcony appearance occurred as foreign ministers from the Union of South American Nations were gathering in Ecuador's second city, Guayaquil, to discuss the diplomatic situation caused by the asylum decision. Shortly before Mr Assange delivered his speech, his legal adviser Baltasar Garzon said the Australian had told lawyers to carry out "a legal action" protecting "the rights of Wikileaks [and] Julian himself". Mr Garzon, a former judge, did not give specific details of the action but said it would also extend to "all those currently being investigated". Barrister and former government lawyer, Carl Gardner, said Mr Assange's options were now severely limited. "There's no legal action he can take now. All he can do is make these public calls for people to do things he would like them to do and play a waiting game with the British authorities. "The British government is likely to think that time is on their side. It's Julian Assange who is stuck in this embassy. It's the Ecuadoreans who have the problem of him on their hands and perhaps one of them is likely to tire of the situation before Britain."
Julian Assange has urged the US to end its "witch-hunt" against Wikileaks, in his first public statement since entering Ecuador's London embassy.
It is not known how the creature ended up there as the only settled populations known to exist in the UK are on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. RSPCA Cymru said it was found on 16 November adding its appearance was a "complete mystery". The species is usually 35 to 45mm in length but while its sting is painful, it is not considered dangerous. It usually lives in rock walls, and other rocky areas but the RSPCA is not sure if the scorpion has come from a domestic home, arrived in Swansea accidentally on a boat, or somehow travelled there from elsewhere in the UK. Nicole Wallace, RSPCA animal collection officer, who rescued the scorpion, said: "We are eager to find out any information which may help us decipher where this scorpion came from. "Unfortunately, it is impossible to know whether this scorpion has come from a domestic home, arrived in Swansea accidentally on a boat, or somehow travelled here from elsewhere in the UK."
A European yellow-tailed scorpion has been found on a wall at Swansea University.
The draft guidelines for England say women predisposed to breast cancer because of a strong family history of the disease need this protection. There are now three drugs to choose from - tamoxifen, raloxifene and, for the first time, anastrozole. Anastrozole is cheaper than the other two and, for some women, has fewer side-effects and is more effective. Trials show that per 1,000 patients taking anastrozole for five years, 35 cancer cases would be prevented compared with 21 for tamoxifen. Which treatment is best for each woman will depend on her situation. If she is pre-menopausal, anastrozole won't be suitable because it knocks out the female hormone oestrogen, creating, in effect, a drug-induced menopause. Clinical trials show anastrozole avoids two of tamoxifen's more serious side-effects - an increased risk of developing a blood-clotting disease, and an increased risk of developing womb cancer. But anastrozole can make bones weaker and so it is not recommended for women with osteoporosis. Women should discuss the relative merits and risks with their doctor when deciding which tablet to take. Prof Mark Baker from NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) said: "Our draft guideline update recommends the use of anastrozole as a first-line treatment for post-menopausal women at high or medium risk of breast cancer who don't have osteoporosis. "The evidence examined by the committee suggests anastrozole will not only reduce the number of breast cancer cases in these women compared to tamoxifen, but it is also a more cost-effective option." Anastrozole costs about 4p a pill. The list price of tamoxifen is about 9p per tablet. Baroness Morgan from the charity, Breast Cancer Now, was concerned that patients might not be able to access treatments, despite the recommendations. Not all of the tablets are licensed for use as breast cancer prevention drugs. Doctors can still prescribe them off-label. "This updated guideline is a great first step but we now need to ensure that these risk-reducing options actually make their way to patients that could benefit. Ultimately, if the full potential of anastrozole is to be realised for post-menopausal women, there needs to be far greater awareness and support for GPs in prescribing off-label treatments." Some women find that the side-effects of these breast cancer pills are significant enough to stop them taking the medication. Common side-effects, affecting at least one in every 10 women on the tablets, include hot flushes and sweats. Breast cancer affects one in eight women in the UK. Most cases are not linked to a family history. Around 5% of people diagnosed with breast cancer have inherited a faulty BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. If you have a faulty gene, it doesn't mean you'll definitely develop breast cancer, but you are at higher risk. Out of every 100 women with a faulty gene, between 40 and 85 will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Genetic testing for breast cancer Follow Michelle on Twitter
Hundreds of thousands of healthy women should take pills to cut their risk of breast cancer, says NHS watchdog NICE.
James Brokenshire was addressing members of Northern Ireland's Institute of Directors. "I for one am not contemplating any other outcome but a resumption of devolved partnership government. "That's what people in Northern Ireland want and that's what we're working to deliver," Mr Brokenshire said. The election will take place on 2 March. It was triggered after the resignation of Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister in January. Talks will follow the election in a bid to form a new executive. Speaking on BBC NI's The View, Sinn Féin's leader in Stormont, Michelle O'Neill, said Mr Brokenshire should not have a role in those negotiations. "If you look at his actions to date, if you look at his comments, for example, in relation to British soldiers receiving immunity," she said. "If you look at how he's ignoring the views of the people of the north who want to remain in the European Union. "If you look at his one-sided and partisan views on a lot of things, I don't believe James Brokenshire is an honest broker." More than 200 delegates attended the dinner, with the assembly election and Brexit major talking points. Stephen Martin, the newly-appointed Belfast-born director general of the institute, said Northern Ireland would be at the heart of negotiations over leaving the EU. "The border undoubtedly puts Northern Ireland front and centre of negotiations, because it's got such an impact," he said. "There's a lot of people moving between the border because of work and because of education. "There's 30,000 border crossings every day and of those, about half are relating to business and education, so we mustn't interrupt that flow in any way." The chairman of the institute in Northern Ireland, Ian Shepherd, said the lack of a devolved government was also causing concern. "I think there's real frustration in the business community that, at the time when we're getting very close to the triggering of Article 50, that we don't have our politicians in the institutions representing the members here in Northern Ireland," he said. "Uncertainty is one of the most difficult things for a business to deal with. "If they know what they're dealing with, then they can plan and they can react and they can take things forward. "But Northern Ireland business people are used to uncertainty, it's been an occupational hazard here."
The secretary of state has told business leaders at a dinner in Belfast that he wants a return to devolved government after the assembly election.
B-Secur has developed a biometric technology that uses an individual's heartbeat pattern, or electrocardiogram (ECG), to authenticate their identity. The investors are Accelerated Digital Ventures (ADV) and Kernel Capital. The firm said the money would allow it to "grow significantly" in the next year. B-Secur said it is currently working in the UK, Ireland and the US "to respond to customers across many sectors" including automotive, financial services and access control. Biometrics, like fingerprint and iris recognition, are an increasingly common security feature on devices like mobile phones. However, there are questions about how secure those features are. For example, German hackers defeated the iris-recognition feature in Samsung's new Galaxy S8 smartphone using an artificial eye. Samsung said that required "a rare combination of circumstances" to pull off, including possession of a high-resolution image of the smartphone owner's iris. B-Secur say that as "an internal biometric", ECG authentication can minimise hacking or spoofing risks.
A Belfast-based cybersecurity firm which uses heartbeats to check identity has raised fresh backing of £3.5m from two investment funds.
22 December 2015 Last updated at 15:09 GMT Fitted with solar-powered panels, they show how long passengers have to wait for the next buses, as well as route maps and timetables. Four bus stops have been fitted with the tech so far. Chris Foxx quizzed TfL's head of technology Simon Reed about the innovation.
Transport for London is trialling e-paper bus stops that can display real-time travel information.
The "old English white" Jaguar E-Type Series III was driven by comedy characters Del Boy and Rodney in an episode of the BBC series. In the 1981 episode, the pair borrowed the car from John Challis's character Boycie for a "night on the tiles". It had been expected to fetch £85,000 in an auction at Blenheim Palace but sold for £115,800. Finished with a blue leather interior, the 1973 Series III Roadster, owned by a Swansea businessman, includes a die-cast model signed by both David Jason and John Challis. A 1961 Jaguar car once owned by the company's founder was also due to be auctioned. The Mk X, built in Coventry, belonged to Sir William Lyons and was made to his personal specifications - with a leather interior and rear picnic tables in walnut.
A vintage Jaguar sports car made famous when it featured in Only Fools and Horses has sold for more than £115,000.
The London Somalia Conference, co-chaired by the UK, Somalia and the United Nations, will be held in Lancaster House, a grand mansion in the exclusive district of St James's. Many of the delegates will stay in swish hotels nearby. This is the third such London gathering since 2012, and there is an element of "cut and paste" to its agenda, which focuses on security, governance and the economy. The official conference document emphasises how much progress has been made. But its description of Somalia from the time of the first meeting still applies: "Chronically unstable and ungoverned", and threatened by Islamist militants, piracy and famine. There has been some improvement. Piracy, which at its height cost $7bn (£5.4bn) a year, is much diminished, although there has been a recent resurgence. US drones, African Union troops, Western "security advisers" and Somali forces have pushed al-Shabab from most major towns, although the jihadists still control many areas and attack at will. A recent electoral process resulted in a new and - for the time being - popular president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, nicknamed Farmajo, and more female and youth representation in parliament. Somalia is in a "pre-famine" stage rather than the full-blown disaster of 2011, in which more than 250,000 people died. But it is perhaps surprising that the current water shortage will not be a headline topic at the conference. The country is in the grip of its worst drought in decades. Four successive rainy seasons have failed. Even before you enter Burao Regional Hospital, in the self-declared Republic of Somaliland's drought-stricken Togdheer region, you hear the haunting, high-pitched wailing of malnourished children. One boy, dressed in purple, stares blankly at the wall. "His brain is damaged due to a prolonged lack of adequate nutrition," says Dr Yusuf Ali, who returned home to Somalia from the UK two years ago. "He will never recover." According to Unicef, the number of children who are or will be acutely malnourished in 2017 is up by 50% from the beginning of the year, to a total of 1.4 million, including 275,000 for whom the condition is or will be life-threatening. Most are too sick to go to school or help herd animals, making the life of the country's many nomads even more precarious. People are already dying from hunger and diseases that strike those weakened by lack of food. Severely malnourished children are nine times more likely than healthy ones to die from illnesses such as measles and diarrhoea. The World Health Organization says there were more than 25,000 cases of cholera in the first four months of 2017, with the number expected to more than double to 54,000 by June. More than 500 people have already died from the disease. It is not just humans who are suffering. In Somaliland, officials say, 80% of livestock have died. Livestock is the mainstay of the economy - the ports in Somaliland and nearby Djibouti export more live animals than anywhere else in the world, mainly to the Gulf. In south-western Somalia, tens of thousands of drought-affected people have fled to Baidoa, clustering into flimsy, makeshift shelters on the outskirts of the city. This area - known as the "triangle of death" - was the epicentre of the famines of 2011 and 1991. "Al-Shabab is harvesting the boys and men we left behind on our parched land, offering them a few dollars and a meal," says one woman. "Against their will, our children and husbands have become the jihadists' new army." "The biggest problem in dealing with this drought is insecurity," says Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, president of South West State, in his modest palace in Baidoa. The city, which is protected by a ring of Ethiopian troops, is right in the heart of al-Shabab country. "The militants have closed all the roads so we cannot deliver help to those who need it most." This brings home in the starkest of terms why security is top of the London Somalia Conference agenda. As long as Somalia remains violent, with different parts of the country controlled by a multitude of often conflicting armed groups, it will be impossible to deliver emergency assistance, let alone long-term development. The recently created South West State is one of the regions making up the new federal Somalia. Critics fear this will lead to balkanisation, and risks introducing another dimension to conflict, as the new states rub up against each other and start fighting. This has already happened in central Somalia, where last year there were deadly clashes between Puntland and Galmudug states. The attitude of people in South West State shows how much of a gamble the federal system is. "We have always been marginalised and looked down on by other Somalis," says a farmer, Fatima Issa. "We do not want the federal troops here. They don't hunt down al-Shabab the way our local militias do. We should push for more autonomy, maybe even break away and declare independence like Somaliland did in 1991." One aim of the London Somalia Conference is to push for more progress on the sharing of resources between the regions and the centre. This contentious issue has been debated since before the first London gathering in 2012. South West State has a special friendship with Ethiopia, which is not on the best of terms with the new federal government. This highlights another possible problem - some foreign powers have started to sign bilateral agreements with regional states. For instance, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is building a military base in Somaliland, a territory the federal government considers an integral part of Somalia. The UAE has also given military hardware to Jubaland State in southern Somalia. Somalia's former special envoy to the US, Abukar Arman, has described the London Somalia Conference as a "predatory carnival", with foreign powers gathering to slice up Somalia for their own benefit. Some in Somalia see it as a waste of time. "It is an expensive talking-shop," says Ahmed Mohamed, a rickshaw driver in the capital Mogadishu. "The politicians and diplomats are obsessed with the conference instead of taking action on the drought." But lessons have been learned, and there is now a far more nuanced approach to Somalia than there was when the crisis began, in the late 1980s. The US response to the Somali famine of 1991 was to send in nearly 30,000 troops. This ended in a humiliating withdrawal, following the shooting down of two US Black Hawk helicopters in 1993. Now, much of the talk is of "Somali-owned" processes, although the shadows of a growing number of foreign powers can be seen lurking in the background.
This Thursday, the great and the good will descend on London to discuss Somalia, a country that has topped the Fragile States Index for eight of the past 10 years.
Ahly clinched the championship with a 2-1 victory over Al Ismaily in the Egyptian classico to win their 38th Egyptian league title with two matches of the season remaining. "I'm happy, this is the first league title for me, and I will not forget it all my life," Jol told reporters. The 60-year-old coach said bad luck had prevented his Ahly side from clinching the title weeks earlier, but felt the response to becoming champions was something he would always remember. "I thank my players and Al Ahly fans who support us all the time, especially before the Al Ismaily match when they attended the training session last Monday. "The atmosphere they made was unique and I'm proud of them," the Dutchman added. The victory put Ahly on 74 points, seven points ahead of second placed rivals Zamalek who won the title last year. "Our team is the best and biggest team in Egypt and this title assured that for all the people here," said Jol. The former Tottenham and Fulham manager took charge of Ahly in February in mid-season, replacing Jose Poseiro. In his four months at the Cairo club, Jol has faced difficulties, travelling to Alexandria to play their home games behind closed doors on security grounds. "This title was not easy to win, it was very tough because of our injures and travelling every match to Alexandria - 200 Kilometres from Cairo - to play due to security reasons. "That made the players tired, and add to that the matches of the African Champions League, we used to play two matches every week," Jol explained. "The matches behind closed doors is painful and that is the toughest what I find here in Egypt. "I hope they allow fans back soon to the football matches, because it's for them we play football," Jol added. The Dutch coach will be hoping to add to the domestic title with Ahly, as they are still involved in the group stage of the African Champions League.
Former Tottenham manager Martin Jol paid tribute to Al Ahly's fans and players after guiding the club to Egypt's Premier League title in his first season in charge of the Cairo-based outfit.
The Royle Family and Mrs Merton star gave a speech at a conference to improve cancer care in Manchester. She said: "My brother and I were born with cancer of the retina. "My mum told us that only special people get cancer. I must be very special because I've had it in my lungs and my bladder as well." She spoke at the launch of the Macmillan Cancer Improvement Partnership (MCIP), a £3.4m scheme to bring together hospitals, GPs, hospices and the city council to co-ordinate cancer care in the city. Manchester has the highest proportion of premature deaths caused by cancer in the UK, according to a league table of 150 local authorities published last year. A year ago, research showed that cancer survival rates in the city were 25% below the national average. Aherne and her brother had eye cancer as a child. She was later treated for bladder cancer and, last month, she revealed that she was recovering from lung cancer. The 50-year-old star praised her Macmillan nurse, who she said was "like an angel" for the support she had given after the diagnosis. "When you come out, she answered all your questions that you hadn't been able to ask at the time or you hadn't thought of. It's as worrying for the family when cancer hits as it is for you. "She was great with my mum - she explained everything. She is an angel and we couldn't have asked for better support. The best bit is they completely understand what you're going through and what your family's going through. "The other thing that gets you through, I've found - so many funny things happen when you're in there and, looking back, you do have a right laugh with the nurses. "Although I was on morphine, so maybe it was just me laughing. "But that's a way I think you can cope with it. If you can separate yourself from it, a sense of humour really, really helps." Aherne also revealed that she had been in intensive care and praised the "absolutely brilliant" treatment she received at the Cecilia Centre, which gives chemotherapy to lung cancer patients at Wythenshawe Hospital. "But things aren't where they should be," she went on. "We can't allow Manchester to continue to be the worst place in England for premature deaths from cancer, not to mention all the other appalling statistics we've been hearing. "That's why the Macmillan Cancer Improvement Partnership has been formed. Everyone in this room wants to make it better, which is why I'm supporting MCIP and asking other people in Manchester who have been affected by cancer to get involved." People can make their views on cancer care in the city known by filling in cards that have been distributed to GP surgeries and other public places. "The involvement of patients, carers and families needs to lie at the heart of this hugely ambitious redesign of cancer services," Aherne added. "We've all got the chance here to make a difference and none of us should pass that up." She concluded by exclaiming: "My wig stayed on!"
Comedian Caroline Aherne has spoken about how "brilliant" treatment and a sense of humour have helped her as she has battled cancer three times.
The venue is hoping to replicate the success of its famous 1970s company, which included future stars like Julie Walters, Bill Nighy and Jonathan Pryce. It did away with its resident company in 1992, instead casting different actors for each play. The new company will include Richard Bremmer, who played Voldemort in the first Harry Potter film. He will be joined by Melanie La Barrie, who played Mrs Phelps in West End hit Matilda, and Patrick Brennan, who was headmaster Mr Dawes in Downton Abbey. As well as the more experienced hands, the new company includes 23-year-old Emily Hughes, who graduated from drama school this year and was recruited through an open audition, and Elliott Davis, who has risen through the venue's youth theatre. The seven men and seven women will perform in five shows, ranging from Romeo and Juliet to children's theatre to a new Toxteth-set drama, between February and July 2017. Everyman artistic director Gemma Bodinetz said: "Anybody that inherits this job comes with this massive shadow hanging over them of the glorious, wonderful mid-'70s, when there was a very famous company here. "So you're always aware that there was this magical time when actors like Julie Walters, Pete Postlethwaite, Jonathan Pryce, Matthew Kelly - all these phenomenal actors came out of a rep company. "And you ask yourself, was that just the time, was that just a phenomenal flowering that could never happen again?" She wants audiences to get to know the actors and for the company to have a "conversation" with the city, she explained. "We live in a very potent city and these are very exciting, tricky times, and it felt like it was time for this theatre to have a unique voice again." Resident rep ensembles were the norm in regional theatres during much of the 20th Century. But of those that survived into the 1990s, most died off in the recession at the start of that decade. A few venues - such as the Royal Shakespeare Company and Dundee Rep - still use the system, while the Donmar Warehouse in London recruited an all-female company for its current Shakespeare trilogy. In Liverpool the actors will perform in one play at night while rehearsing for the next show during the day. La Barrie said she was not used to having more than one part in her head at any one time. "Working in a rep company is not something that most modern actors are used to," she said. "It's going to be interesting to see what we remember." But being part of a company was "every actor's dream" because they must "utilise every single bit of your skill", she said. Hughes said she was "inspired" by the Everyman's past and the history of the rep system. "Coming out of drama school, it was something that people talked about that used to happen years ago," she said. "'What a wonderful system - but it doesn't really happen any more'." "So when the news [of the new Everyman company] broke I was straight in there, like, 'Oh my God, I have to do this'." Bodinetz said she had big ambitions for the company in the future. "In my dreams, the Everyman Company becomes an exciting brand and we tour the world with it once we've performed here," she said. The full Everyman company: Richard Bremmer, Patrick Brennan, George Caple, Pauline Daniels, Elliott Davis, Laura dos Santos, Emily Hughes, Tom Kanji, Melanie La Barrie, Asha Kingsley, Dean Nolan, Zelina Rebeiro, Keddy Sutton, Liam Tobin. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].
Liverpool's Everyman theatre has named the 14 actors who will form its first repertory company for 25 years.
Military officials said 50m naira ($317,000; £197,709) was offered for help in tracking down the group's suspected leader Abubakar Shekau. Other alleged commanders have around 10m naira on their head. Boko Haram has been waging an insurgency since 2009 to impose strict Sharia law across Nigeria. The group has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks against churches and other establishments since 2009. More than 640 people have died so far this year in attacks blamed on the group. "They are wanted in connection with terrorist activities particularly in the north-east zone of Nigeria that led to the killings, bombings and assassination of some civilians, religious leaders, traditional rulers, businessmen, politicians, civil servants and security personnel amongst others," a military statement said. "They are also wanted for arson and destruction of properties worth millions of naira." Abubakar Shekau was one of three Boko Haram leaders designated terrorists by the United States in June. The other two, Abubakar Adam Kambar and Khalid al-Barnawi, are thought to have ties with a branch of al-Qaeda. A reward was offered by the Nigerian military for Khalid Barnawi on Friday but not Abubakar Kambar, AFP news agency reports. Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is a sacrilege" in the Hausa language, is based in the dominantly Muslim north of Nigeria. The south of the oil rich country is mostly Christian.
Nigeria's military is offering large rewards for information leading to the capture of leaders of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram.
In response to recent laws in US states, the retailer said transgender people are welcome to use the toilet of their choice at its stores. An online petition urging a boycott of Target has over a million signatures. The American Family Association (AFA) told Breitbart News it was testing Target's new policy. "We've already had people ... going into Targets and men trying to go into bathrooms. There is absolutely no barrier," said Sandy Rios, AFA's director of government affairs. North Carolina and Mississippi have passed laws that require people to use public toilets that correspond to the sex listed on their birth certificate. Many businesses and entertainers have criticised the measures as discriminatory. Musicians have cancelled concerts in the states and several companies have pledged to curtail their business in North Carolina. Some supporters of laws that restrict the use of public toilets said allowing transgender people to choose their restroom could lead to women and children being attacked. They said they feared that men could pose as transgender people and use legal protections as a cover. In recent days, YouTube has seen an uptick in videos showing men entering women's toilets. Police were called to a Target store in Illinois on Monday for an "active shooter situation". However, when they arrived they found an unarmed man protesting against Target's toilet policy. Michael Merichko, 39, was charged with disorderly conduct.
A conservative group says it has been sending men into women's toilets at Target stores to protest against the company's policies toward transgender people.
Horsell Common Preservation Society is aiming to complete the project in time for the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WWI, on 4 August next year. The Grade II listed structure in Woking has deteriorated over the years and been vandalised. It is hoped the first phase of work, which has been part-funded by English Heritage, will be complete by November. The preservation society is also hoping to plant a memorial garden at the site. John Kingsbury, Woking council leader, said the heritage site was important for people locally and for descendants of those who gave their lives in the war. English Heritage senior designation adviser Paul Stamper said: "Its architectural interest and unique status as a site of memory for Muslims who died fighting for Britain in two world wars is recognised in its national designation as a Grade II listed structure." David Robbins, chairman of Horsell Common Preservation Society, said he hoped the town would be proud of the "unique war memorial" when work was finished. More than one million troops from pre-independence India fought for Great Britain during World War I. Wounded soldiers were brought to hospitals in the South East. Hindu and Sikh soldiers were taken to crematoriums, but Muslim soldiers did not have a burial ground until 1915. Woking's site was completed in 1917. According to the preservation society, there were 17 burials at the site in 1917 and each was marked with a round arched headstone facing west, in accordance with Islamic tradition. A cadet from the Sandhurst military academy was buried there in 1920, before the War Graves Commission took over the ground's upkeep in 1921. During World War II, a further eight Muslim soldiers were interred at the site, including three from the Free French forces. In 1968, after a spate of vandalism, all the burials were removed to Brookwood cemetery and the ground was de-consecrated. The structure remains a Registered War Memorial.
Restoration work has started on a World War I cemetery in Surrey built for Muslim soldiers killed in combat.
Ireland needed a draw to go through and Matthew Nelson deflected in a penalty corner to put them ahead in Amsterdam. But England were level after half-time through David Goodfield, before Sam Ward netted the winner with Ireland's Shane O'Donoghue in the sin bin. Ireland's defeat means England now face the Netherlands while Germany, who beat Poland 7-3, will meet Belgium. Both men's semi-finals will take place on Friday. England and Ireland last met at the EuroHockey Championships in London two years ago when Ireland won 4-2 in the bronze medal play-off. The men in green, ranked 10th in the world, looked on course for a second upset when they took the lead in the 13th minute against world number seven side England. But England staged a remarkable second-half comeback to take their place in the last four. They equalised only a minute into the third quarter as Goodfield fired in from close range past Ireland goalkeeper David Harte. And with O'Donoghue off the field for 10 minutes for an elbow, centre-forward Ward beat Harte again to tap in from close range. The result means England finish as runners-up in Pool B behind Germany. England's women also face the Netherlands in their semi-final on Thursday (19:00 BST), having finished top of their pool.
England came from behind to beat Ireland 2-1 and qualify for the semi-finals of the EuroHockey Championships.
Having made the European finals for the first time, NI are preparing to play Poland in Nice on Sunday. "I have had some tough years playing for the national team for a long time," said 34-year-old midfielder Baird, who has 78 international caps. "I have enjoyed every minute of it, but this beats everything." Baird made his NI debut in 2003 under Sammy McIlroy when the team was on a long run without a goal. Derby County's Baird, who had a brief loan spell with his old club Fulham last season, added: "It is fantastic and we really just want to get on with it now." Boss Michael O'Neill said the build-up could not have gone any better, having had the unprecedented benefit of three weeks working with his squad. The players trained on a warm morning in Saint-Georges-de-Reneins, in a temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. Media playback is not supported on this device Northern Ireland were one of the first squads to touch down in France, landing in Lyon on Sunday afternoon and being met by local dignitaries before police escorted the squad bus to their secluded hotel. The next morning they travelled to their training ground, Parc de Montchervet, a tidy, compact sports and cultural centre. A superb playing surface has been prepared and manager O'Neill was impressed with the way the venue had been transformed since they selected it as their base. "It couldn't be better and the hotel is excellent too. The players think it is brilliant," he said. Northern Ireland will have four more training sessions in Saint-Georges-de-Reneins this week, with two young Irish League prospects having the privilege of being part of the action. Paul Smyth of Linfield and Glenavon's Joel Cooper are being brought in to make up the numbers for some training work. On Saturday the squad will have a work-out at the 35,000-capacity Stade de Nice with their opening match on Sunday.
Northern Ireland had their first Euro 2016 training session in France on Monday with veteran player Chris Baird saying: "It really has sunk in now."
They've turned out for a day of harness racing, a sport which is new to me but, despite the far from Romanesque setting, immediately conjures up images of Charlton Heston and Ben Hur. Pies and pints in hand, most people are picking over their punts. But on the eve of a federal election, a few are pondering politics. "Personally I'm a swinging voter and at the moment I'd vote for anyone but the leading parties," one plain-speaking race-goer says. "I think our leaders are short on nuts." He goes on to say that the country needs "an Aussie Putin". Australians are famously the world's biggest gamblers, but with the global economic uncertainty caused by Brexit, many are feeling a little risk averse in the run up to this election. "Everything is global these days," says Judy, a retired cook for whom the economy is one of the biggest election issues. "Things that didn't hit Australia before are hitting Australia now." And when I ask people what they're looking for out of this election, the most common answer is "stability." "We've got to have a bit of stability," says Peter Clark, a retired horse trainer. "We need strong, stable government. Not like we've had in the last few years." Indeed, for a supposedly stable democracy, Australian politics of late has been remarkably volatile. The country has had an incredible five prime ministers in just six years (including two stints for Kevin Rudd). The rate of change is only matched by perpetually crisis-ridden Greece. The birthplace of democracy also managed five different leaders since 2010. Australia, meanwhile, had to endure the back-and-forth soap opera of the Kevin Rudd/Julia Gillard years, where the two Labor leaders took turns to stab each other in the back. In 2013, capitalising on Labor's internal squabbles, Tony Abbott led the conservative Liberal-National coalition to power. But having pledged never to repeat Labor's mistakes, Mr Abbott fell victim to a leadership coup himself, being ousted after just two years by one of his Liberal Party colleagues, the current prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull. Mr Turnbull is a 61-year-old former lawyer who turned his hand to investment banking and became a multi-millionaire. Unlike his more right-wing predecessor, Mr Abbott, he's regarded as a moderate conservative. Outside Australia, Mr Turnbull is perhaps best known for having led the country's unsuccessful 1999 referendum campaign to ditch the monarchy and become a republic. He is being challenged in this election by the Labor Party's Bill Shorten. Despite lacklustre personal approval ratings, until a few days ago the 59-year-old former union leader looked like he had a strong chance of becoming Australia's sixth prime minister in six years. His Labor Party had crept narrowly ahead in the polls. But that was before Brexit and the climate of global economic uncertainly that came with it. "The conventional wisdom is that this favours the government led by Malcolm Turnbull," says Sam Roggeveen, a senior researcher with the Sydney-based think-tank, the Lowy Institute. "In times of uncertainty people tend to stick with incumbents and his party (Mr Turnbull's) is traditionally aligned with strong, stable economic management in the eyes of voters." Mr Roggeveen cautions that Mr Turnbull has not necessarily made the most of that trend in his final week on the campaign trail. But post-Brexit polls show that Mr Turnbull has now edged ahead. That said, in the week after Britain's EU referendum, many voters will be aware that the pollsters and pundits aren't always to be trusted. "Opinion polls are less reliable than they used to be and certainly in the Brexit case the punditry was not to be relied upon," Mr Roggeveen says. "If we're learned anything from Brexit and from recent Australian state elections, it is to expect the unexpected."
At Bankstown racecourse in Western Sydney, on a damp and drizzly winter's afternoon, there's a sparse but enthusiastic crowd.
It said 38 youth clubs and projects could be closed with about 400 youth workers losing their jobs. The authority plans to stop directly providing youth services to save ??2.8m in the next financial year, rising to ??4.5m a year until 2021. It said it would debate the issue at a council meeting on 13 March. John Butcher, chairman of Unite's Staffordshire branch, said the council's plan was "short-sighted". "Youth clubs are not about ping-pong and pool in a church hall as some councillors think, it's about giving young people opportunities and guidance on things like jobs, sexual health and education," he said. "We'd like to see some services left so that there are professional, qualified youth workers left to support young people in the county." Mr Butcher said the council's plans would see 50 full-time and 350 part-time workers made redundant. The council said its research showed four out of five young people in Staffordshire had never used a county council-funded youth facility or activity. Cabinet member for community safety Mark Sutton said the authority was currently studying responses from a seven-week consultation on youth services. The council said it needed to save ??109m from its overall budget over the next five years.
More than 15,000 people have signed a petition urging the county council not to make cuts to the youth service in Staffordshire, the union Unite said.
They are the latest in a series of job losses across the UK steel sector and follow news that administrators have been appointed to parts of Caparo Industries' steel operations. The industry blames cheap Chinese imports for a collapse in steel prices. Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will raise the issue with China's president during his UK state visit. The jobs going at Tata Steel are in part of a division that the company failed to sell earlier this year. Buffeted by collapsing prices and the strong pound, Indian-owned Tata has decided to cut back its UK operations. Most of the jobs will go in Scunthorpe, which employs 4,000 people and is one of the UK's largest steel plants, but two mills in Lanarkshire will also be affected. That has raised concerns about the future of the industry in Scotland. The plants under threat are the Dalzell plate rolling works in Motherwell, which opened in 1872, and Clydebridge, in Cambuslang, which has been operating since 1887. The plants became two of the giants of Scottish industry, with Clydebridge providing steel plates which were formed into many of the most famous ships built on the River Clyde. The industry was at the heart of many Lanarkshire communities and Motherwell Football Club still use the nickname "the Steelmen" in tribute to the workers who supported them. John Park, assistant general secretary of trade union Community, said: ""The significance of this is that it could be the end of steel production in Scotland. "Tata Steel have to be persuaded to mothball the site rather than close it and the Scottish Government has to have a role in keeping the infrastructure secure and supporting short-time work until a future can be secured." In the 1970s, more than 200,000 people were employed in the UK steel sector, but the number now stands at just 30,000. Unions say that one in six of those jobs is now under threat. The collapse into administration of parts of steel processing firm Caparo on Monday followed the closure last month of the SSI steel plant at Redcar, with the loss of about 2,200 jobs. The industry has blamed a flood of cheap steel being dumped on the global market by Chinese manufacturers. Mr Cameron said: "The British government is doing everything that we can, and every issue that we can take up, we will." But Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of Community, said: "We have had a succession of ministers, and now the prime minister, saying that they will 'raise' the issue of Chinese steel dumping, which we know is impacting on the UK steel industry and the global steel price. "The prime minister needs to do more than 'raise' the issue. He needs to tell the Chinese premier what action he's going to take to stop Chinese steel damaging the future of a vital foundation industry in the UK." Caparo administrators PwC said workers would be paid and briefed on developments, adding: "It is business as usual while the administrators' review gets under way."
Tata Steel is set to announce later that 1,200 jobs are being cut at its plants in Scunthorpe and Lanarkshire.
4 November 2016 Last updated at 19:01 GMT BBC Africa's Zuhura Yunus has been speaking to two Africans living in the US city of Dallas: Ben Kazora, who supports Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, and Leader Gennis, a backer of Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Africans in the US are divided over which presidential candidate to support, with a few days to go to the polls.
At least seven drivers who defied the ban have been killed in recent days, and the capital San Salvador has been paralysed for days with commuters forced to walk to work. Criminal gangs have been pushing for truce negotiations with the government. El Salvador has one of the highest crime rates in the Americas. The stoppage is the latest crisis between the government and the gangs, which are demanding to be included in a commission examining ways of stemming urban violence - which they are largely responsible for. President Salvador Sanchez Ceren has ruled this out. More than 100 bus routes have faced threats from gangs, local media say. But Deputy Transport Minister Nelson Garcia told reporters: "Many companies have started working and the hope is that this will be normalised gradually." Police and soldiers guarded bus stops in San Salvador and surrounding areas, while police patrols and military tanks patrolled the city. In areas where bus services had not been restored, people were being moved by lorries. President Sanchez Ceren has blamed the latest violence on a gang called Barrio 18. Since taking office last year, he has focused on tackling crime. However the country has faced a sharp increase in violence since 2014. Barrio 18 and another gang, Mara Salvatrucha are estimated to have 70,000 members.
The government in El Salvador has provided military and police escorts for bus drivers forced to go on strike by powerful criminal gangs.
City and Juve agreed a deal of £10m that could rise by £2m with add-ons. 27 September, 2011: City lose 2-0 to Bayern Munich with Tevez accused of refusing to warm up to go on as substitute 27 September: Roberto Mancini says Tevez is finished with Manchester City 28 October: Fined two weeks' wages for breach of contract related to Bayern game (£400,000) 7 November: Tevez flies to Argentina without the club's permission 22 December: City charge Tevez with gross misconduct for his actions since 7 November. (Six weeks' fine: £1.2m). Given until 7 January to appeal 11 January, 2012: Appeal heard by directors and dismissed 3 February: Mancini admits Tevez could play again 14 February: Tevez returns from Argentina 21 March: Tevez returns for City as substitute in the 2-1 win against Chelsea The Argentina international, 29, arrived in Italy on Wednesday for a medical and signed a three-year contract. When the fee is combined with wages and bonuses due to Tevez in the final year of his contract, City could save about £27m. The two clubs reached an agreement at a meeting in London on Tuesday. Hundreds of Juventus fans turned up at Milan's Malpensa airport to welcome the player. Juve announced his arrival with a picture of him alongside club president Andrea Agnelli holding up the number 10 jersey. Tevez signed a five-year contract when he joined the Sky Blues in 2009 after previously playing for Manchester United. City paid his advisors - who owned his contract - a reported £25.5m fee, although some have claimed the figure was £47m. He has made 148 appearances for the club, scoring 74 goals, but the relationship with former manager Roberto Mancini soured in 2011 when he was fined and suspended following an incident in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich. City must now search for a replacement but have said they will not pay the £53m asking price for Napoli forward Edinson Cavani.
Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has completed his £12m move to Italian champions Juventus.
Yes, we're talking about Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola. The pair are coming to Manchester to take charge at two of the world's most famous clubs next season. Pep was announced as Man City manager in February, while Jose is to take the top job at Manchester United after Louis van Gaal's sacking. Let's look at why footy fans can't wait for the summer. Who's Jose? Portuguese, former Chelsea boss who has won the Premier League three times with the London club. Who's Pep? Spanish, current Bayern Munich manager, has spent most of his career as a player, and then manager, at Barcelona. Both men are famed for being fiercely competitive, as well as super stylish. Jose's known for his passion and entertaining humour - calling himself the "Special One". Pep, on the other hand, is known for being cool, calm and collected. The pair first met at Barcelona more than 20 years ago - when Guardiola was a player and Mourinho worked there. They later became coaching arch rivals in Spain's La Liga - Pep managed Barca between 2008 and 2012, whilst Jose was the top boss at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013. Both of their trophy cabinets are pretty full... Guardiola has won six league titles - three times with Barca in Spain and three times with Bayern Munich in Germany. Mourinho has gone one better. He has seven league titles to his name - with Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Porto. When it comes to the Champions League, they've both won twice. Guardiola won with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011. But he missed out in 2010 because of Mourinho, when his side Inter Milan beat Barca in the semi-finals. Ouch. Mourinho also won the Champions League back in 2004 with underdogs Porto, who actually beat Man United in the quarter-finals. "Whatever team he goes to he will be successful. For me, it's almost a certainty." Former Barca player Eidur Gudjohnsen on Pep "He has always been a leader. Even when he was playing... as a kid, he was the one orchestrating things, taking the lead." Pep's dad on his son "The fans at Man United demand entertaining football and I'm sure Mourinho will come and try and give it." Man United legend Paul Scholes on Jose "Mourinho is one of those people who knows how to beat Guardiola's tactics." Former Porto striker Benni McCarthy
Two huge names... Two massive English football teams... One city... One super exciting season to come.
They beat top seeds Joachim Gerard of Belgium and France's Stephane Houdet 6-1 6-4 on Sunday. But Grand Slam winners, Britain's Jordanne Whiley and Japan's Yui Kamiji, were beaten in the women's decider. GB's Andy Lapthorne and Jamie Burdekin lost in the quad doubles final. Reid and Jeremiasz, who were runners-up at Wimbledon this year, conceded just one game in the opening set and then went 4-3 ahead in the second before wrapping up victory. "I'm really pleased to win the title after coming close last year," said the Scot, who is now set to become doubles world number one. "This week also gives me added confidence for next month's Singles Masters in London. I really want to add the singles equivalent in front of a home crowd." Whiley and Kamiji missed out on making it a hat-trick of titles when they lost 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 to Dutch pair Jiske Griffioen and Aniek van Koot. Lapthorne and Burdekin were beaten 6-4 3-6 6-3 by American top seeds Nick Taylor and David Wagner.
Britain's Gordon Reid and French partner Michael Jeremiasz claimed victory in the men's final at the Wheelchair Doubles Masters in California.
The Hollywood athlete impressed in winning the 110m hurdles at Sunday's Irish Championships in Santry in a season's best time of 13.89. Portaferry's Ciara Mageann will compete in the 1500 and 800m while sprinter Amy Foster goes in the 100m. Christine McMahon (400m) and Kerry O'Flaherty (3000m steeplechase) are also in the Irish team. Mageean was another NI winner in Santry, securing 1500m victory in 4:24.33 and almost two seconds ahead of Rio steeplechase qualifier Sara Treacy. Foster and fellow Northern Ireland athlete Paralympic star Jason Smyth were 100m winners.
Hurdler Ben Reynolds has been selected in the Ireland team for the European Champions in Amsterdam next month.
The victim's body was found on Saturday near the Fiveways Junction, three miles south of East Harling, Norfolk. He died from multiple stab wounds to his neck and head, a post-mortem examination showed. The murder weapon has not yet been found. Police said he was a father-of-two who lived in a nearby village. More news from Norfolk Norfolk Police said the victim was "well-mannered, well-natured and well-liked". His two dogs were found near where his body was found. The motive for the killing remains "unclear", said police. Norfolk Police has set up a mobile police station at the scene and a cordon remains in place. Norfolk's County Policing Commander, Ch Supt Mike Fawcett, said: "I fully understand that residents will be shocked and concerned that a murder with this level of brutality can happen to an elderly man going about his daily business in our county. "I would like to reassure the public that dedicated teams are investigating the incident whilst uniformed officers remain on scene and in the local area to provide a visible policing presence." The man's body was found at about 10:45 BST on Saturday.
Police have stepped up their presence in a village after an 83-year-old man was stabbed to death while out walking his two dogs.
They were among 32 men - comprising 30 members of the kingdom's Shia Muslim minority, an Iranian national and an Afghan - put on trial in February. Prosecutors accused them of treason, setting up a spy ring, and passing on sensitive data on military zones. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran have escalated in the past year. Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic relations with Shia-led Iran in January following the storming of its embassy in Tehran by protesters angered by the execution of the prominent Saudi Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Saudi officials insisted Nimr was guilty of terrorism offences, but Iran's supreme leader said he had been executed solely for his criticism of the Sunni monarchy. The regional powers also back opposing sides in the wars in Syria and Yemen. Amnesty International said the trial of the 32 men was "grossly unfair". Taha al-Hajji, a lawyer who represented most of the defendants, told the human rights group that his clients were detained between 2013 and 2014 without an arrest warrant and held for almost three months in secret. Some told the court they were threatened with solitary confinement and that they would be banned from having contact with their families if they did not sign "confession" documents. After nearly three years in custody without charge or trial, the defendants were brought before the secretive Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh in February, where they were handed a list of charges that was almost 100 pages long. Some met their lawyers for the first time, Mr Hajji said. Several of the lawyers subsequently complained that they were not allowed to visit their clients, view evidence, and prepare their defences adequately. "Sentencing 15 people to death after a farcical trial which flouted basic fair trial standards is a slap in the face for justice," said Samah Hadid, deputy director for campaigns at Amnesty's Beirut office. "The entire legal proceedings in this case have made a mockery of justice." At the start of the trial, it was reported that the defendants included several well-known figures in the Shia community who were not involved in politics, including an elderly university professor, a paediatrician, a banker and two clerics. But Saudi media said on Tuesday that many were former employees of the defence and interior ministries. Most were from Eastern Province, home to the majority of Saudi Arabia's Shia. Shia make up 10 to 15% of the kingdom's 28 million population, and many assert that they suffer systematic discrimination in public education, the justice system, government employment and religious freedom. Dissent is rarely tolerated, and between 2011 and 2013 more than 20 people were shot dead by security forces and hundreds more detained during protests by Shia calling for an end to discrimination. Shootings and petrol bomb attacks also killed several police officers.
A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced 15 people to death for spying for Iran and handed 15 others prison terms ranging from six months to 25 years.
At least 2,000 people gathered outside to uphold the city's centuries-old right to guard the jewels of its patron saint, San Gennaro (Saint Januarius). Waving white handkerchiefs, they shouted "Hands off San Gennaro". Interior Minister Angelino Alfano's decree reclassifies the treasure as religious, not secular, property. Supporters of the city's claim to the treasure fear that the decree will open the way to the special council which manages the jewels - the Deputation - losing control to the Roman Catholic Church. The jewels, which were donated by kings and aristocrats after a series of disasters gripped Naples in the 16th Century, are considered one of the world's most valuable collections. They are dedicated to San Gennaro, a 4th Century Christian martyr whose miraculous preserved blood is said to be conserved in a glass vial in the cathedral. The city of Naples retained control of the treasure because the chapel inside the cathedral dedicated to the saint was built with city funds, not Church money. "We're protecting a centuries-old institution, we will not stand for interference from either the Church or the government," Paolo Jorio, director of the San Gennaro museum where the jewels are kept, told AFP news agency. However, the Italian government argues that the council should be the same as any other caretaker body which manages religious buildings, and wants to give four of the Deputation's 13 seats to the Church.
Concern that control over a priceless treasure in Naples is being passed to the Church has sparked a protest at the Italian city's cathedral.
It's not just that satellite imagery has revealed the night sky is 83% darker because so much infrastructure has been destroyed, and millions forced to flee their homes . It's not just that UN Security Council resolutions - urging armed forces to protect civilians and allow greater access for humanitarian aid - have largely been ignored. It's not just that Syrian leaders on all sides of a bitter and brutal divide still don't genuinely subscribe to the mantra that "there is no military solution." None of their outside allies, providing military or moral or financial support, are pushing them to accept it either. It's also that hope is draining from so many Syrians, no matter what side they're on, that this nightmare will be over any time soon. No-one expected it would last so very long and cost so very much. You see it in the eyes of millions of Syrian children and exhausted parents, displaced from their homes, or forced into exile, who now realise their dream of going home, going to school, was just that - a dream. You see it in the anguish of young educated Syrians who, four years ago, were stirred by the tantalising prospect of peaceful political change. They gambled almost everything, including their future, on this shimmering prize, and now anguish that they lost almost everything in return. "We have all the international institutions we need to resolve this crisis," Lord Michael Williams, a former Mideast envoy, recently told me with palpable regret. He points to the experience of international efforts in the Bosnia war of the 1990s. All available instruments of international intervention, including military force, and international justice in the form of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, were deployed in the name of humanitarian principles. This week Lord Williams writes that when it comes to Syria "it is daunting to write that there is a slim prospect of international intervention, and if truth be told, even less of international justice". Even humanitarian obligations under the 1951 International Refugee Convention are not being honoured. "Western countries, with the honourable exception of Sweden, have taken fewer refugees from the Syrian war than almost any other conflict in the past 100 years," Lord Williams adds. Germany also stands ahead of other Western nations with its pledge to take in 20,000 Syrians. Britain has agreed to accept 500, and has so far accepted less than 100. Hence, there is the urgent question with its barely concealed anger: "What will it take?" That's the unprecedented banner headline of a statement signed by more than 20 heads of international agencies - including even UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. The UN's humanitarian envoy, Valerie Amos, who repeatedly implored a divided UN Security Council to do more, spoke in a recent interview of "a stain on the international community". "It may take at least another five years," concedes another senior UN official involved in frustrating efforts to try to bring an end to this devastating downward spiral. The worst East-West crisis since the end of the Cold War is now making it ever more difficult to achieve the kind of co-operation that allowed the US and Russia to at least reach a deal in 2013 on eliminating Syria's chemical weapons. Washington's priorities now are the fight against the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria, as well as critical negotiations with Iran over a nuclear deal. "They're just not interested anymore," remarks a Washington-based Syrian activist, who has been shuttling between US government offices and rebel-held areas of Syria since the first years of this conflict. "Syria doesn't have a Merkel and Hollande making this crisis a priority," comments Justin Forsyth, Chief Executive of Save the Children, in a reference to the dogged, if only partially successful, European efforts to resolve the crisis with Russia over Ukraine. The optimists say "if and when there is a nuclear deal" the West will then focus on working with Iran, arguably the Syrian government's most important ally, to put pressure on President Assad. But for Tehran and Moscow, the ominous reach of IS forces, as well as the growing sway of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front, only reinforces their view that to move against President Assad now is to move towards an even more chaotic future. Many suspect Western governments also harbour this anxiety, even if they still insist President Assad is "part of the problem, not the solution". "We will be prepared to look at other options when the time is right," one senior Iranian official told me late last year. "But now is not the time." Western political and military leaders still talk about supporting the "moderate Syrian opposition" - even though forces armed by the West and some Gulf allies are steadily losing ground on the battlefield. "We're coming under pressure to talk to al-Nusra," a Western intelligence official tells me with a grimace about a group under UN Security Council sanctions and on the US list of terrorist groups. Russia and Egypt recently embarked on some still unconvincing efforts to relaunch a political process. The UN's focus has been narrowed to a possible "freeze" in hostilities in one district in one divided city, Aleppo, and a temporary suspension of government bombardment across the city. "It's a pilot project," the UN's third envoy in four years Staffan de Mistura told me recently. "We want people to see the benefits... and we have to start somewhere". Under political fire from all sides, the veteran UN troubleshooter holds up his own reminder of the darkness that is now Syria - a tome of a book, with a pitch black cover, entitled #100,000Names. Pages and pages that list the dead cover less than half the number of Syrians who have lost their lives so far. It's this sad catalogue of abuse that leads many Syrians to say they can never accept a role for President Assad and other leading members of his regime, in any future order. But those who back him see in this book a story of an opposition backed by powerful Arab and Western states with their own agendas for Syria. There was a rare bright spark this month when the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees was able to get agreement from all sides to resume distribution of food and medical supplies to besieged Yarmouk, just south of Damascus, after a hiatus of more than three months. But like most of the world's work on Syria, it simply didn't cover the needs of so many people desperate for food, water, medical care, and most of all freedom. And it's all too fragile, all too hostage to the vagaries of this war. And like much of Syria, it's just one small bright light in a big dark hole.
A dark shadow falls across Syria as a punishing war enters its fifth year.
The typical price of £260,000 grew at the fastest rate for nearly four years. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said prices rose strongly across the UK, with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all picking up pace. London, where prices were up 18.7%, remains the driving force behind the housing revival. But excluding London and the South East of England, the cost of a home was still 6.3% higher than 12 months before. The governor of the Bank of England said he would take prompt action, if action was needed. Writing in the Bank's annual report, Mark Carney said: "We will not hesitate to take further proportionate and graduated action as warranted," Carney said. He added that the Bank's Financial Policy Committee, which is meeting today, had announced measures in November to reduce stimulus to the housing market." In March, the ONS calculated that the annual rate of increase had fallen back slightly to 8%, so the April figures shows the market accelerating once again. April house price inflation was 10.4% in England, 3.3% in Wales, 4.8% in Scotland and 2.6% in Northern Ireland - all higher than the previous month. First-time buyers continue to experience more rapid price increases than people moving house. A rise in London house prices of 18.7% in the year to April is more than 20 times as fast as the average rise in pay (up 0.9%). Even if you strip out London and the south-east of England, prices nationally are up 6.3%. BBC housing calculator We need a reliable measure of what house price inflation is doing to the cost of living. Do we have it? Not exactly. The ONS leaves housing costs out of its Consumer Price Index on the grounds that a house is an asset, not something you consume. But for many people - especially younger people - housing costs are by far their biggest single cost. The ONS answer until now has been to produce another statistic, CPIH, which includes housing costs. Yet, even as house prices roared away, CPIH didn't rise but actually dropped, from 1.6% to 1.4%. How? Because it measures owner-occupiers' housing costs by looking at what they would pay if they rented. Not the mortgages people actually pay. And the numbers assume that housing costs make up just 15% of the average expenditure. But ask young people whether they spend just 15% on housing - and you'll get a funny look. Many older people may have paid off their mortgages. The statistics mask gaping differences between the generations. Perhaps younger people could use an alternative measure of the cost of living that reflects their reality - where housing costs are by far the biggest burden. Campbell Robb, the chief executive of Shelter, said: "Each rise in prices means more people stuck living in their childhood bedrooms, or trapped in the cycle of moving from one expensive rented home to the next. "This is a problem that the government can fix. We need a new generation of quality part-buy, part-rent homes, and to make sure that small builders can get hold of the land and finance necessary to build them. The ONS reports its figures a month later than other organisations, though the calculation is based on the widest sample of mortgages. The Halifax has already estimated May's year-on-year increase at 8.7%. The Nationwide building society said May saw an annual rise of more than 11%, although it suggested that the market might be coming off the boil. Last week, Chancellor George Osborne announced plans to give the Bank of England the power to impose a cap on home loans related to income or the value of the house. At present, the Bank can advise on such a cap, but not impose it. The new power should be in place before the end of this Parliament in 2015, the chancellor said.
House price increases accelerated in April, rising by 9.9% compared with the same month a year ago, according to official figures.