Author Philip Pullman remembered her as "a warm and generous human being", while Tracy Chevalier said she was "a graceful, elegant writer and person." Dunmore won the first Orange Prize for women's fiction in 1996 for her novel A Spell of Winter. Publisher Penguin Random House said it was "devastated by the loss of one of our best-loved authors". Bloodaxe Books, which published Dunmore's first poetry collection, The Apple Fall in 1983, said it was "immensely saddened" by her passing. Born in the Yorkshire town of Beverley in 1952, Dunmore also wrote books for children, short stories and translations. Her most recent novel, Birdcage Walk, was published in March. Dunmore was diagnosed with cancer while writing her final novel and wrote movingly about her illness earlier this year. "The ground beneath my feet has never been more uncertain," she wrote in The Guardian. "But what is sure is... there is no vagueness about my mortality. "I may be ill but I'm also warm and sheltered, surrounded by family and friends." Dunmore also spoke about her illness on Radio 4's Open Book, saying she hoped her work would be read by her loved ones after her death. "One of the things that does please me is that my grandchildren will be able to get to know me... through reading my books," she told Mariella Frostrup. Penguin Random House, who announced Dunmore's death, said she was "an inspirational and generous author" known for "championing emerging voices and other established authors." Her editor, Selina Walker, remembered her as "an exceptional person and an exceptional novelist [with] a legacy of exceptional novels". Dunmore leaves behind her husband, Francis Charnley, three children/stepchildren and three grandchildren. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Tributes have been paid to the Orange Prize-winning writer Helen Dunmore, who has died of cancer at the age of 64.


"The president cannot suffer bright lights," George Charamba was quoted as saying by the state-run Herald newspaper. Mr Mugabe, 93, has been seen apparently sleeping at several events, leading to speculation about his fitness. He intends to stand in presidential elections next year. The president is currently receiving specialised medical treatment for his eyes in Singapore. Africa Live: More on this and other stories Mr Mugabe most recently appeared to fall asleep during a discussion panel about "fragile states" at a World Economic Forum meeting in South Africa earlier this month. There he stated that Zimbabwe was 'one of the most developed countries in Africa' "I feel like a failure when there is this reading that the president is sleeping in conferences - no," Mr Charamba said. He then compared Mr Mugabe to the anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, whose eyes were affected by years of working in a limestone quarry while imprisoned on Robben Island. "You were not allowed to even use flashes whenever he was in the room," Mr Charamba said.

Summary: Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe is not asleep when he closes his eyes for long periods during meetings but is resting his eyes, his spokesman says.


Media playback is not supported on this device Toronto, the first transatlantic sports team, won 14-6 against the amateur West Yorkshire side. Ryan Burroughs scored the Wolfpack's opening try, but the Halifax outfit took the lead after the break. Tries from Greg Worthington and Adam Sidlow sealed Toronto's victory, before Fui Fui Moi Moi was sent off late on. Media playback is not supported on this device Toronto start their League 1 season against London Skolars next weekend, but will play away fixtures in England until May because of Canada's weather, when English sides will then fly out to play them, with all their costs covered. This pattern will continue throughout the campaign in five-week blocks of Toronto playing in England and then teams travelling out to them. Former Leigh head coach Paul Rowley is in charge of the side, while their director of rugby is former Great Britain, Bradford and Wigan coach Brian Noble. The club hope to reach Super League in five years and grow the global appeal of the sport.

Summary: Newly established Canadian rugby league side Toronto Wolfpack have won their first-ever game, beating Siddal in the third round of the Challenge Cup.


Shortly before midday, the FTSE 100 index was up 41.56 points, or 0.6%, at 7,041.52. In Asian trade, the pound had sunk 6% against the dollar in a matter of minutes to $1.1841, before recovering. It is not clear what triggered the flash crash, with some blaming automated trading systems reacting to a news report. Sterling remained under pressure, and was still down 1.9%, more than 2 cents, against the dollar at $1.2378. The pound has been sliding all week, with traders nervous about how the UK's talks with the EU over leaving the bloc will progress. Last Sunday, Prime Minister Theresa May said she would trigger Article 50, the clause needed to start the exit process, by the end of March 2017. A fall in the pound is often seen as beneficial to the FTSE 100 as many of the companies in the index generate most of their revenues abroad. A weaker pound means overseas revenues are worth more when they are converted back into sterling. Mining companies were among the biggest gainers in the FTSE 100 on Friday. Shares in Randgold Resources rose 2.6% while BHP Billiton added 2.4%. Shares in housebuilders were coming under pressure, however, with Barratt Developments down 5% and Taylor Wimpey 4% lower. In the FTSE 250, shares in William Hill and Ladbrokes were both lower after a report in the Times said gambling companies could be banned from advertising on TV during the day.

Summary: London's main share index headed higher as the pound continued to slide on the foreign exchanges.


On Tuesday, Brazil's Attorney General Rodrigo Janot asked the Supreme Court to authorise an investigation against Ms Rousseff for obstruction of justice. Mr Janot also accused the former president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, of involvement in the scandal. Lula has denied any wrongdoing. The allegations were based on evidence given by Senator Delcidio do Amaral, who as part of a plea bargain agreed to testify against other suspects after being arrested last year. President Rousseff described Mr Amaral as a compulsive liar. "The accusations made by Senator Delcidio do Amaral are absolutely irresponsible and above all false," Ms Rousseff told journalists in Brasilia. "He has lied repeatedly since his arrest. He first accused Supreme Court judges. Than he reneged on those comments and he is now accusing me. I believe the Senator's credibility is rather precarious," she said. The allegations come as Ms Rousseff is already under immense political pressure. Senators are expected to vote next week on whether to start an impeachment trial against her over separate allegations. She is accused of illegally manipulating the federal budget ahead of her re-election in 2014, which she denies. If the Senate votes in favour of the trial going ahead, Mr Rousseff will be suspended for 180 days. Mr Janot also asked the Supreme Court to authorise an investigation into Lula for alleged corruption, accusing the former president of playing a key role in the Petrobras scheme. He said the corruption could not have taken place without the participation of the former leader, who served as Brazilian president between 2003 and 2011. He requested authorisation to investigate Lula and 29 other senior politicians, officials and businessmen. Prosecutors say the corruption scheme is estimated to have cost the company more than $2bn (Â£1.45bn). Part of the money, they say, was used to finance the electoral campaign of top Brazilian politicians. Several politicians, Petrobras executives and businessmen have been arrested and sentenced as part of the two-year investigation. Ms Rousseff served as the head of Petrobras for much of the period when the corruption took place, but she has not been implicated in the scandals.

Summary: Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff says accusations that she tried to block a major corruption investigation into state-owned oil company Petrobras are "false and irresponsible".


He said the Pakistani government could provide opportunities for talks between the Afghan High Peace Council and the militants. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that he wanted to help regional efforts to stabilise Afghanistan. Mr Karzai has extended his stay to allow talks with Pakistan to continue. The BBC's Charles Haviland in Islamabad says that his decision is a surprise development as the president seeks Mr Sharif's help in bringing the Afghan Taliban to the negotiating table. Officials say that the fact that Mr Karzai's talks in Islamabad will continue on Tuesday - when he will meet Mr Sharif again - indicates that so far they have gone well and that the two sides have something concrete to talk about. In their public statements after their talks, both Mr Sharif and Mr Karzai mentioned the problem of militant violence - although Mr Karzai focused much more on it. Lack of security was the main concern for both neighbouring countries, the president said. Three times in his brief speech Mr Karzai said that a joint fight against militancy was needed and that he pinned "great hopes" on the re-elected Mr Sharif, who came back to power in June. Afghanistan believes that Taliban safe havens in Pakistan are the main cause of increased violence in the country. Elements of Pakistan's intelligence service have long been accused of backing the Afghan Taliban and giving them refuge on Pakistani soil - something Islamabad strongly denies. Mr Karzai said that he wanted the Pakistani government to play a mediating role with the Taliban, with whom Pakistan has a high degree of influence. Speaking after the talks, he said that the two countries discussed the "joint fight against extremism and reconciliation and peace-building in Afghanistan with the expectation that the government of Pakistan will facilitate and [provide] help... to the peace process". "We hope that with this on top of our agenda we can move forward in bringing stability and peace to both countries," the president said. For his part the Pakistani prime minister said that Pakistan would extend all possible facilities for peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. "I assured President Karzai that we will continue to extend all possible facilitation to the international community's efforts for the realisation of this noble goal," he said. "Pakistan will also help reinforce regional efforts in support of [the] stabilisation of Afghanistan." He said Pakistan wanted a neighbour that was "peaceful, stable and united" and that the peace process had to be "inclusive, Afghan-owned and Afghan-led". The Taliban refuse to talk with Mr Karzai, dismissing him as a US puppet. One of Mr Karzai's main demands has been the release of high-profile Taliban prisoners held in Pakistan in the hope that this will help jump-start direct talks with insurgents. He is particularly eager for Taliban's second-in-command, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar who was arrested in Karachi in 2010, to be freed. Sources have told the BBC that in his case the Afghans would like him to be transferred to Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates. Mr

Summary: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has urged Pakistan "to facilitate peace talks" between his country and the Taliban during a visit to Islamabad.


Find out how you can join in and submit your images and videos below. If you are looking for inspiration, view some top tips from three of England's Big Picture photographers. If you have a picture you'd like to share, email us at england@bbc.co.uk, post it on Facebook or tweet it to @BBCEngland. You can also find us on Instagram - use #englandsbigpicture to share an image there. You can also see a recent archive of pictures on our England's Big Picture board on Pinterest. When emailing pictures, please make sure you include the following information: Please note that whilst we welcome all your pictures, we are more likely to use those which have been taken in the past week. If you submit a picture, you do so in accordance with the BBC's Terms and Conditions. In contributing to England's Big Picture you agree to grant us a royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to publish and otherwise use the material in any way that we want, and in any media worldwide. It's important to note, however, that you still own the copyright to everything you contribute to England's Big Picture, and that if your image is accepted, we will publish your name alongside. The BBC cannot guarantee that all pictures will be used and we reserve the right to edit your comments. At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws while collecting any kind of media.

Summary: Each day we feature a photograph sent in from across England.


They were called to the scene near Springholm at about 09:00. A short statement from Police Scotland said the death was not being treated as suspicious. The area had been cordoned off and the procurator fiscal informed of the incident.

Summary: Police have said the death of a man found in a car parked in a lay-by on the A75 is being treated as "unexplained".


The 26-year-old, who was with juniors Kelty Hearts, has signed for Edinburgh City in League Two. Thomson pleaded guilty in June 2011 to inappropriate conduct towards two underage girls over the internet. City noted his court conviction but said on Twitter they believed he deserved a second chance. "The club acknowledges Craig's previous conviction in 2011 for offences he committed in 2010 and does not condone his behaviour in any way," they said in a statement. "However, the club's board, management, playing staff and main sponsor collectively believe that Craig has completed his rehabilitation and we look forward to giving him the opportunity to return to playing in the SPFL." Thomson was loaned to Lithuanian clubs Kaunas and Suduva after being fined and placed on the sex offenders' register for five years but never played for Hearts again. After leaving Tynecastle officially in 2013, the former Scotland Under-21's potential move to Cyprus was swiftly cut short when prospective club Paphos discovered his conviction. But he has since played for East of Scotland junior sides Arniston Rangers, Newtongrange Star and Kelty, who won the Super League last season. Former Hearts manager Jim Jefferies, who is sporting director with Edinburgh City, stated the club would be making no further comment.

Summary: Former Hearts full-back Craig Thomson has returned to Scottish senior football for the first time since he was convicted of a sex offence.


About 200 homes lost electricity for about an hour after the accident near Eastington, Gloucestershire, Western Power said. Heaven Crawley, who was piloting the private flight, said poor light meant she had not seen the overhead cable suspended above a field. No-one was hurt in the crash, at 20:15 BST on Wednesday. "We were very lucky, we weren't that far from the ground," Ms Crawley said. The balloon had taken off from Aston Down, near Cirencester, and was trying to find a suitable place to land on the outskirts of Stroud. "We spotted this field and the lines on the way in but unfortunately because the sun was low, we saw the first dark line of the telephone but not the power lines behind it," said Ms Crawley. As she tried to land, she said, the bottom part of the balloon envelope struck the 6m (20ft) high cable. "Obviously if anything electric had hit the metal poles or the basket that has the gas in it, than potentially you're looking at a different scenario," she said. "But as it was we broke the cables and landed with very little damage."

Summary: Two people on board a hot-air balloon had a "lucky escape" when they crashed into an 11,000 volt power line.


Charles Sirleaf was among 46 officials suspended for not making the disclosure to anti-corruption officials, it said. He was one of three sons appointed to top posts by his mother following her re-election last year. Critics accuse Mrs Sirleaf, a Nobel Peace laureate, of nepotism. She has appointed her son, Fumba, as head of the National Security Agency and another son, Robert, as a senior adviser and chairman of the state-owned National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL). Robert Sirleaf is suing two local newspapers - the Independent and The Analyst - and opposition politician Jefferson Kogie for libel for suggesting that he has benefited financially from the posts. In a statement, Mrs Sirleaf's office said Charles Sirleaf and the other 45 officials would remain suspended until they declared their assets to the Anti-Corruption Commission. Other suspended officials include the presidency's Chief of Protocol David Anderson, Solicitor-General and Deputy Minister of Justice Micah Wilkins Wright and Deputy Director General for Broadcasting Ledgerhood Rennie. Mrs Sirleaf, who took power in 2005 at the end of 14 years of conflict, has repeatedly pledged to tackle corruption and to promote good governance in Liberia. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year, shortly before she was elected for a second term in polls marred by allegations of widespread rigging. Corruption remains a major obstacle to development in Liberia, where most people live in poverty despite the country being rich in mineral resources, analysts say.

Summary: Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has suspended one of her sons from the post of central bank deputy governor for failing to declare his assets, her office has said.


Last month Cornwall Council's Independent-Lib Dem cabinet voted to go ahead with the bid for Truro to secure the title in 2023. At the time the city's mayor said he had not been consulted about the plans. The decision will now face further scrutiny after Conservative councillors complained. More on the culture bid and other stories from Cornwall They claimed Truro started working on the bid too late and other interested cities, including Leeds and Milton Keynes, had been putting together detailed plans for several years. "We've been told for four years we've got no money, we're a 'no-money council' and you suddenly produce more than £500,000 for a bid to become the European Capital of Culture," said councillor Fiona Ferguson. "I think it's entirely unrealistic to spend money on this sort of thing. It's a vanity project." She claimed Brexit also meant any money invested in the project could be wasted, as the UK may no longer even be eligible to take part. However, in the past three non-EU cities have held the title, Istanbul in 2010, Stavanger in Norway in 2008 and Reykjavik, Iceland, in 2000. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which launched the contest in December, said it was continuing under the assumption a UK city will host the event in 2023. Cornwall Council said the cabinet's decision was being called in on the grounds that there was "inadequate consultation with stakeholders prior to the decision being made" and that there was not sufficient evidence "on which to base a decision".

Summary: A £500,000 bid for Truro to become European Capital of Culture has stalled amid claims it is a poorly-considered "vanity project".


The 23-year-old from Holywood would be eligible for selection by either Great Britain or Ireland at the 2016 Games in Rio. However, in a BBC documentary, he said he may opt out of the Games because he does not want to offend anyone. He said he was considering the options of playing for Britain or Ireland or not playing at all. "I just think being from where we're from, we're placed in a very difficult position," he said. "I feel Northern Irish and obviously being from Northern Ireland you have a connection to Ireland and a connection to the UK. "If I could and there was a Northern Irish team I'd play for Northern Ireland. "Play for one side or the other - or not play at all because I may upset too many peopleâ€¦ Those are my three options I'm considering very carefully." At the moment he has not made a definite decision but has admitted he regrets the Olympic furore of last year when a newspaper claimed he would prefer to play for Team GB in Brazil. "It was a moment, I don't want to say of weakness, but a moment of, I guess, frustration with it all," the County Down man said. "People tune in to watch me play on TV and feel like they are connected to me in some way. "I don't want to do repay them for their support with something they don't want me to do." In the documentary, McIlroy's tennis star girlfriend, Caroline Wozniacki, also gives a unique insight into the couple's relationship. "It's good that we both have our own separate careers," she said. "We know how the other is feeling and the drive to always want to improve at sport, but at the same time one of us isn't sitting at home waiting for the other. "People watch him play and win all these tournaments, but he hasn't changed a bit." The programme, which includes contributions from Tiger Woods, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell, charts a remarkable 2012 for McIlroy during which he became world number one, claimed a second Major Championship - the US PGA - and went on to top the money list on both sides of the Atlantic. McIlroy also explains the Ryder Cup drama when he almost missed his tee time for the match with America's Keegan Bradley. "I have never been as worried, as nervous or as panicked going to the golf course," he said. Rory: Being Number One will be screened on BBC1 on Thursday at 22:35 GMT.

Summary: World number one golfer Rory McIlroy has revealed that he may not play in the next Olympics.


Hairdresser Jermaine McBride and a customer were attacked at her home at Woodside Heights in the Waterside area on Thursday morning. Police have arrested two men, aged 32 and 37, in connection with the incident and the attempted robbery of a Credit Union in Donemana. Mrs McBride said she felt lucky to be alive. "He says: 'Give me your keys.' I said: 'I don't have any keys, my husband's got my keys,' and he just punched me in the face and I fell to the floor," she said. "Then he just got on top of me and kept punching me in the head and in the face. "I called the woman to phone the police but she couldn't because she was too nervous. "She was holding a brush against him and I ran over to the neighbour and knocked on the door, and by the time I came back he had taken her bag and sped off." The two men left the scene in the client's car, taking her handbag and mobile phone with them. Mrs McBride said the attack has left her in pain and afraid to leave her own home. "It was all so quick. He just pushed the door open and punched me and then I was on the floor. "He lifted my head by the hair and kept punching me and I was just thinking: 'I'm going to die.' "His eyes were bulging out of his head, he was just really really angry. "I was covered in blood, my whole face was covered in blood. "My nose is cracked and is really sore and my head's sore but it could have been worse. I really do feel unsafe in my home," she said. "I always thought I would be a bit braver in situations like that, but I just knew if I had have even answered that man back I think I would have been killed. "I'm trying to keep busy because every time I'm on my own I keep busting out in tears. I wouldn't stay in the house at the minute."

Summary: Two women have been badly beaten during a hijacking in Londonderry.


It comes after the Crown Office dropped two cases against gamekeepers, claiming the footage was inadmissible. Environment Committee chairman, Graeme Dey MSP, has written to prosecutors asking to explain their decision. Raptor persecution is a big problem and the task of catching those who kill the birds is even bigger. The difficulty is that the protected birds, such as eagles and hen harriers, tend to disappear in very remote parts of the country. The chance of two witnesses catching the perpetrator in the act is small. In the letter, Mr Dey said: "The committee has noted recent high profile instances where video evidence of alleged offences was available and not utilised, it has been suggested, on the grounds of admissibility. "The committee is therefore seeking clarity about the admissibility of evidence of wildlife crime." The letter asks which legislation and case law covers the admissibility of evidence and how prosecutors interpret that law to decide whether evidence is admissible. It also asks whether there is guidance on admissibility and what any guidance covers. The committee's chairman said: "These days, there's clearly an argument for the use of video, CCTV or even social media to be considered when a crime against any animal is alleged to have been committed. "And, as it's often the case that poaching or killing of wildlife occurs in some of the most remote areas in Scotland, these crimes can sometimes go under the radar because there is no one around to act as a witness. RSPB Scotland said it was disappointed that two recent cases had been dropped. Ian Thomson, the charity's head of investigations, said: "We welcome the ECCLR committee's letter to the Crown Office, seeking clarification about the decision-making processes in recent wildlife crime cases. "This clearly recognises the increasing and significant public concern that the courts did not have the opportunity to make their own judgement on the admissibility of the video evidence in these cases. "We look forward to the response from the Crown Office with interest."

Summary: Holyrood's environment committee has intervened in the growing row over the use of video evidence in trials involving wildlife crime.


The aim of the research is to develop a more efficient way of producing meat than rearing animals. At a major science meeting in Canada, Prof Mark Post said synthetic meat could reduce the environmental footprint of meat by up to 60%. "We would gain a tremendous amount in terms of resources," he said. Professor Post's group at Maastricht University in the Netherlands has grown small pieces of muscle about 2cm long, 1cm wide and about a mm thick. They are off-white and resemble strips of calamari in appearance. These strips will be mixed with blood and artificially grown fat to produce a hamburger by the autumn. The cost of producing the hamburger will be Â£200,000 but Professor Post says that once the principle has been demonstrated, production techniques will be improved and costs will come down. At a news conference, Prof Post said he was even planning to ask celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal to cook it. "The reason we are doing this is not to show a viable product but to show that in reality we can do this," he told BBC News. "From then on, we need to spend a whole lot of work and money to make the process efficient and then cost effective." So why use such high tech methods to produce meat when livestock production methods have done the job effectively for thousands of years? It is because most food scientists believe that current methods of food production are unsustainable. Some estimate that food production will have to double within the next 50 years to meet the requirements of a growing population. During this period, climate change, water shortages and greater urbanisation will make it more difficult to produce food. Prof Sean Smukler from the University of British Columbia said keeping pace with demand for meat from Asia and Africa will be particularly hard as demand from these regions will shoot up as living standards rise. He thinks that lab grown meat could be a good solution. "It will help reduce land pressures," he told BBC News. "Anything that stops more wild land being converted to agricultural land is a good thing. We're already reaching a critical point in availability of arable land," he said. Lab-grown meat could eventually become more efficient than producing meat the old fashioned way, according to Prof Post. Currently, 100g of vegetable protein has to be fed to pigs or cows to produce 15g of animal protein, an efficiency of 15%. He believes that synthetic meat could be produced with an equivalent energy efficiency of 50%. So what is the synthetic burger likely to taste like? "In the beginning it will taste bland," says Prof Post. "I think we will need to work on the flavour separately by trying to figure out which components of the meat actually produce the taste and analyse what the composition of the strip is and whether we can change that." Prof Post also said that if the technology took off, it would reduce the number of animals that were factory farmed and slaughtered. But David Steele,

Summary: Dutch scientists have used stem cells to create strips of muscle tissue with the aim of producing the first lab-grown hamburger later this year.


This is the first time that a US head of state will be given this honour by India and reflects, more than anything else, the degree of comfort that Delhi has in its relations with Washington. India, traditionally, has invited its Republic Day guests who will not attract controversy at home and come from countries with whom it has close strategic relations. Thus the heads of neither Pakistan nor China have been invited on the first count. While no Latin American leaders have ever come for the second reason. It says something about how difficult Indo-US relations have been that it has taken over seven decades for Delhi to invite the US president to participate in a ceremony marking its emergence as a full-fledged constitutional democracy. While there is much focus on what diplomats call the "deliverables" - substantive agreements and deals - that will emerge from the meeting, the likelihood is that the symbolism will be much greater than the substance on this visit. Mr Obama and Mr Modi held a fruitful summit in September last year and the present invitation was extended seemingly on the spur of the moment by Mr Modi when the two met on sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Myanmar (Burma) last November. This has meant, officials on both sides admit, relatively little time to put together a substantial agenda. A better measure of the Republic Day summit's agenda will be the areas the bilateral talks will focus on - defence, energy and counter-terrorism. These are all in the sensitive zone of most governments and the depth of the discussion in each of these underlines how close the two countries have become. In defence, the spearhead of the relationship is less the business of selling and buying arms than attempts by India and the US to jointly develop and produce a new generation of weaponry. This idea has been kicked around for several years between the two countries, struggling to overcome political and bureaucratic resistance within both capitals. The expectation is that at least one, if not more, such deals will be signed later this month. A few dozen possible technologies and weapon systems have been offered by the US. India is particularly interested in drones, carrier technology and so on that enhance its ability to project its air and naval power. In energy, the two governments are looking at contending interests - improving the supply of fossil fuels and inhibiting climate change. Mr Modi and Mr Obama are relatively unusual among world leaders in their personal belief that global warming is an issue of overriding importance. The US has thus been a strong supporter - though with some commercial opportunities in mind - of the Indian government's ambitious plans for renewable energy, especially solar. The September Indo-US summit was shot through with green energy. Mr Obama would like Mr Modi to give binding commitments on India's carbon emissions, even ones as broad as the ones China agreed to recently. But India has a troubled fossil fuel dependent power generation sector. It is looking increasingly

Summary: The most significant aspect of the US President, Barack Obama's upcoming summit with the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is that Mr Obama will be the chief guest at India's Republic Day celebrations.


Christopher Blaikie, 24, stabbed Claire Mazzucchi in the neck with a knife during a field trip to study the behaviour of animals. A court heard the psychology student became agitated and had been suffering obsessive thoughts before the attack on 30 March last year. Judge Lord Turnbull described it as a "difficult" case. A court was told former Stirling University student Blaikie was admitted to hospital on a voluntary basis because he had been experiencing obsessive thoughts. However, he was not diagnosed with Asperger syndrome until he was admitted to the State Hospital in Carstairs following the offence. Ms Mazzucchi, 22, had been living in the same flat as Blaikie but had left because she felt uneasy. During the lunch break Blaikie started banging his cutlery, then walked over to Ms Mazzucchi's table where he put his right hand over her face and put her in a headlock. After making stabbing motions, he struck her once on the left hand side of her neck with a knife. Another student got up and pulled Blaikie away from Ms Mazzucchi, who was severely injured and needed surgery. Defence lawyer Lorenzo Alonzi said: "We have a man who has no previous record and who was under considerable stress at that time and who had even identified that he was in a stressful condition and had attempted to get help. "Regrettably, the help that he did get didn't quite reach the mark." Lord Turnbull jailed Blaikie for two years at the High Court in Aberdeen and ordered him to be the subject of a supervised release order after his term of imprisonment.

Summary: A man who attempted to murder his classmate at Blair Drummond Safari Park has been jailed for two years.


Govia Thameslink (GTR) took over the Southern rail franchise in 2015 and its contract with the Department for Transport (DfT) runs until 2021. Southern has been locked in industrial disputes with its staff. The Transport for All campaign group said the government should have done more to ease disruption. The DfT said it could not comment. A DfT spokesman said it was unable to do so while legal proceedings were ongoing. Non-profit group Transport for All, which campaigns for travellers with disabilities and older travellers, has joined the Association of British Commuters (ABC) in requesting a judicial review into the DfT's handling of the Southern disputes, particularly in respect of the impact on older travellers and travellers with disabilities. ABC applied for the review in January and is awaiting a decision from the Royal Court of Justice about whether it may proceed. A spokesman for the campaigners said: "Accessible public transport is a lifeline to inclusion for many disabled people who disproportionally rely on it to go about their everyday lives. "The Southern rail crisis caused disruption and misery to disabled and older people, leaving many unable to travel to work and increasingly isolated. Yet throughout the strikes the DfT has remained silent." Christopher Stapleton commutes from Balham in south London to Victoria in his wheelchair. He said: "On roughly two-thirds of my journeys, when I arrive at Victoria there is no one there to assist me with a ramp, even though the staff at my home station have phoned ahead to let Southern Rail staff at Victoria know. "So I end up stuck on the train. "The effect of Southern's unreliable assistance is that every train journey becomes horribly stressful, and every time I arrive at my destination I have a tight knot of anxiety in my stomach - will there be someone with a ramp to assist me?" A spokesman for Southern said: "We aim to give excellent assistance and are very sorry to hear about these passenger experiences. "Over 440,000 journeys were made on Southern with disability railcards last year and only a tiny fraction resulted in a complaint that assistance was not provided. "We regularly carry out call-back surveys with disabled passengers and 'mystery shop' so that we can look at what we can change to improve."

Summary: Campaigners have applied for a judicial review into the government's handling of the Southern rail crisis.


Healthwatch Oxfordshire also highlights staff fears that "workforce pressures" are making it harder for them to deliver acceptable levels of care. Its report, written with Age UK, was based on 161 patients and 57 staff completing questionnaires, as well as six focus groups and 10 case studies. The majority of patients were still treated with dignity, the report added. Patients with communication difficulties and dementia were particularly unhappy with their care. One patient, who had suffered a stroke, said she was left for hours in her own excrement. She said: "I was sedated and my health needs were neglected." Another described finding her mother-in-law, who has Alzheimer's, "soaked, dirty" and ignored by nurses. Their report said that, in a small number of cases, their experiences were "shocking". A woman who suffers from trigeminal neuralgia, a condition which causes severe facial pain, said that while she was normally treated with respect, on one occasion she was called "unclean" by a staff member when she was in too much pain to wash. Healthwatch also found people were often reluctant to complain and did not always feel properly involved in decisions about their care. But 93% of patients who responded said they had been treated with dignity or respect "some of the time", "most of the time" or "always". While patients were receiving "a high level of dignity in their care", Healthwatch chief executive Rachel Coney said there was "still much that can be improved about how people are treated". The report, written in partnership with charity Age UK, said the county's care organisations have made commitments to improve. These include drawing up formal dignity standards, reviewing staff training, and involving patients more in decision making.

Summary: "Shocking" cases of patients not being treated with dignity in care have been uncovered by a health watchdog.


Hawkins, 24, finished ninth in the Rio Olympic final in August in only his third attempt at the distance. "We are delighted to confirm Callum's selection," British Athletics performance director Neil Black said. "We can already see his talent, finishing eighth at the London Marathon then a brilliant ninth place in Rio." In October, Hawkins became the first Scot to win the Great Scottish Run since 1983, setting a Scottish half-marathon record in the process with his time of 60 minutes 22 seconds.

Summary: Scottish marathon runner Callum Hawkins has become the first athlete selected for the British team at the London 2017 IAAF World Championships.


It was able to destroy or disrupt the growth of neural progenitor cells, which build the brain and nervous system, in lab tests. The discovery, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, adds weight to claims that Zika is causing brain abnormalities in babies. However, the US researchers caution this is not yet the conclusive link. There have been more than 4,800 confirmed and suspected cases of babies born with small brains - microcephaly - in Brazil. It is widely thought that the Zika outbreak is to blame, but this has not been scientifically confirmed. The team from the Johns Hopkins, Florida State and Emory universities infected a range of tissue samples with Zika virus for two hours and then analysed the samples three days later. The virus was able to infect up to 90% of neural progenitor cells in a sample leading to nearly a third of cells dying and the growth of the rest being disrupted. A similar effect in a developing brain could have devastating results. The virus was able to infect only 10% of other tissue types tested including more advanced brain cells, kidney cells and embryonic stem cells. Prof Guo-li Ming, one of the researchers, said the findings were significant and represented a first step to understanding the link between microcephaly and Zika. She told the BBC News website: "Neural progenitor cells are especially vulnerable to the Zika virus. "They are giving rise to the cortex - the primary part [of the brain] that shows reduced volume in microcephaly. "But this research does not provide the direct evidence that Zika virus is the cause for microcephaly." She said studies looking at brain organoids or animal studies were still needed. David Shukman, Science editor, BBC News In the overcrowded hospitals of Recife, the teeming Brazilian city at the epicentre of the crisis, medics have long assumed that the Zika virus is to blame. In a sweltering waiting room last month, where anxious mothers were clutching babies with abnormally small heads, Dr Angela Rocha told me that she was convinced of the link. In a normal year, she said, she might see five suspected cases of microcephaly while in the previous few months she had seen more than 200. When I asked whether it would be wise to wait for a full scientific analysis with peer-reviewed conclusions, she looked at me with scorn. With so many cases, and more in prospect after the next rainy season, we do not have time to wait, she said. It is unclear why these cells should be so vulnerable, but it appears they do not mount an immune response to Zika infection. While not definitive, the study adds to mounting evidence including Zika being discovered in the brains of dead babies as well as in amniotic fluid. Brain development researcher Dr Madeline Lancaster, from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, said the study was a "significant step forward". She told the BBC News website: "The effect they see could well explain the surge in microcephaly and it opens the door for many further

Summary: Zika virus kills the type of tissue found in the developing brain, researchers have shown.


The force said 30 million indecent images were seized and 77 people had been charged during Operation Lattise. The charges include rape, sharing indecent images of children and grooming for sexual purposes. Of the 523 potential victims, some as young as three, 122 have been referred to child protection services. The operation, which involved 134 separate investigations, was carried out between the 6 June and 15 July. Police said child victims had been found after the homes of 83 suspects were searched and 547 computers and other devices seized during the five-week operation. Almost 400 charges have been brought so far, including rape, sharing indecent images of children, grooming for sexual purposes, sexual extortion, indecent communication with children, possession of a firearm, bestiality and drugs offences. In one instance, a computer that featured 10 million images depicting child abuse was found. Police Scotland said it would take four full-time officers six months just to view the number of images uncovered. 30 million Images of abuse recovered 523 potential child victims 122 referred to child protection 83 suspects' homes searched 77 people arrested and charged Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham, who led the investigation, said: "This is not sexting in terms of people sending abusive messages to each other. "This is children being sexually abused and these images being shared. "It is about real victims in Scotland and elsewhere. It's about these horrific acts which ruin people's lives and we need to make sure that stops." Mr Graham called on parents and carers to be "alert" but not alarmed and said there were people in society who used technology to identify children who may be vulnerable to exploitation. The investigation involved officers analysing in excess of 100,000 online chat logs. Examination of one device led officers to conclude that one adult suspect had been sexually communicating with more than 110 children and young people. Det Insp Andy McWilliam, who was also involved in the investigation, said that new technology meant there was no way for perpetrators to hide or erase what they had done online. He said: "Whether they throw the computer in the bath or not, we can find what they have looked at. And we can use covert technology to identify who you are and where you are. "These individuals want to be wherever children are. They are using websites, chatrooms and forums. "These men - and it is predominantly men - are using the profiles of younger children to groom them and offend against them." Police are also working with young people and parents to help raise awareness of the potential dangers of the internet. They said a key aim was to prevent abuse from happening in the first place. Figures from Police Scotland have shown that the number of recorded offences are growing each year. In 2014-15, there were 23 offences of grooming children for the purposes of sexual offences. Last year it was 50 - an increase of 117%. The offence of taking, distributing or possessing indecent images of children increased from 605 in 2014-15 to 645. NSPCC

Summary: More than 500 children have been identified as potential victims of online sexual abuse during a major investigation by Police Scotland.


The Ferrari driver was penalised 10 seconds for moving while in the braking zone while defending from Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo late in the race. The 29-year-old also had two penalty points added to his racing licence. Vettel had been promoted to third after Ricciardo's team-mate Max Verstappen was penalised for cutting a corner. Four-time champion Vettel had indicated after the race that he realised there may be a problem with his defence against Ricciardo. "I want to look at it again; he [Ricciardo] told me to. I am fighting hard and am supposed to give him just enough room," Vettel said. "I know Daniel is sometimes optimistic going for a gap. I knew he would go for it whatever the cost. I tried to defend; we made contact. That is not ideal. That's why I want to look at it again. "If there was something, I will talk to him. Before that, Max was brake-testing me into the first two corners. I was very upset with the fact Max held me up and didn't move and made me run into Daniel." Ricciardo said before learning of the penalty: "He doesn't deserve to be up there. I thought I had every right to be there but he kept closing the door under braking. I was frustrated with that." The rule Vettel broke was only introduced specifically at last week's US Grand Prix. Media playback is not supported on this device It was a rule clarification issued by race director Charlie Whiting on a specific issue that has caused controversy this year because many drivers felt Verstappen had transgressed their gentleman's agreement not to move under braking. Ironically, Vettel was one of the prime critics of Verstappen's driving. The new clarification states: "Any change of direction under braking which results in another driver having to take evasive action will be considered abnormal and hence potentially dangerous to other drivers. Any such move will be reported to the stewards." Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Sebastian Vettel lost third place in the Mexican Grand Prix after becoming the first driver to be punished under a new dangerous driving rule.


Social media users tweeted #FireCobert in a demand for the TV host to be sacked for a "homophobic" slur made on his CBS programme The Late Show on Monday in reference to relations between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Speaking on The Late Show on Wednesday, Mr Colbert said that he would change "some of the words" in the monologue but did not regret it. Not everyone has accepted the olive branch however. In his anti-Trump rant on Monday, Mr Colbert jokingly referred to sexual relations between President Trump and President Putin, using a phrase that is considered by some people as offensive. One Trump supporter who took part in #GaysForTrump, tweeted on Wednesday that Colbert's original rant was "homophobic" and "disgusting", while many others called for him to be fired. Some defended him, saying people who criticised Colbert for offensive speech while simultaneously attacking political correctness were hypocritical. Stephen Colbert lambasted for 'homophobic attack' on Trump On Wednesday, Colbert addressed the backlash. After checking he still had a job, asking: "Am I still the host?", Mr Colbert justified his monologue: "I was a little upset with Donald Trump for insulting a friend of mine, so... I had a few choice insults for the president in return. I don't regret that". To rapturous applause, the host quipped: "I believe he can take care of himself. I have jokes, he has the launch codes - it's a fair fight." However, Mr Colbert then backtracked, explaining that while he would "do it again", he would change some of the words used in the monologue. Admitting that some of his words had been unnecessarily "crude", he offered an olive branch to the LGBT community, saying: "Anyone who expresses their love for another person in their own way is, to me, an American hero." Many Trump supporters continued to find fault with the comedian and did not appear to be satisfied with Colbert's statement. "Stephen Colbert's rant against Trump was a disgrace," tweeted Joseph Winters on Thursday morning. But others continued to question the commitment of anti-Colbert tweets to the cause of LGBT rights: "It's really rich that the people who are calling Colbert a homophobe are the Trump voters who are actively working against gay rights," tweeted Tammie Willis. Written by the UGC and Social News team

Summary: US comedian Stephen Colbert has said he has no regrets but that with hindsight he "would change a few words" in his viral monologue that attracted accusations of homophobia this week.


Prabir Mukherjee was the curator at Eden Gardens, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). India were playing England and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had suggested a spinning track be prepared for the Test match. Pitch preparation is not an exact science; in the past, "spinning" tracks have been prepared where the seamers have run through the Indian batting, while "flat" tracks have been prepared where the fast bowlers have wreaked havoc. The Indian curator's favourite technique for a spinning track is to leave it underprepared. Spin has been India's strength for so long that it is a cliche now. Yet visiting spinners have often been more successful than India's best - from Richie Benaud and Ashley Mallett to Lance Gibbs and Derek Underwood, and more recently, Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann. It is neither illegal nor unethical to prepare a wicket to suit the home team's bowlers. It would be foolish to do otherwise. If Jim Laker could claim 19 wickets on a dry Old Trafford wicket nearly half a century ago, part of the credit should go to his captain Peter May, who persuaded the groundsman into not watering the pitch in advance. Was that unethical? Or illegal? The illegal and the unethical co-exist in sport. On the cricket field, it is illegal to overstep when bowling - umpires call a 'no ball' immediately - but it isn't unethical. It is unethical to claim a catch when you know that the ball has hit the ground, but it isn't illegal. No-one minds a three-day Test as long as the battle between bat and ball is fascinating. The curator is subject to a set of opposing demands. A quick win for the home side versus a full five-day match which is what television demands. The latter are often boring run feasts. The toss can ruin the best-laid plans of curators. Had South Africa made in the first innings the same score they did in the second, Nagpur might have had a different story to tell in the ongoing series against India. South Africa made more in the fourth innings than India did in the third. The tracks at Mohali and Nagpur for the current series have not been minefields or square turners. True, they aided spin early, but they were the allies of batsman willing to stay and play. That 40 was the highest score in four innings at Nagpur was not so much an indictment of the pitch as of the batsmen's technique. No-one expects tracks in seamer-friendly England to be like the pace-friendly ones in Australia or South Africa. Cricket's - in fact, any sport's - charm lies in the variety and range of its settings. Conditions change, challenges differ. Overcoming the opposition by conquering the conditions is the essence of the game. Uniformity - of pitches, grounds, weather - is neither possible nor desirable. The South Africans have had to deal with difficult pitches, not impossible ones. Batting techniques have been tested, and not just those of the visitors. Indians, who presumably ought to be happier in home conditions have displayed the

Summary: Three years ago, an 83-year-old man called the then Indian cricket captain "immoral".


A British judge was being stopped from awarding what were expected to be substantial damages against someone for a serious libel because of an 11th-hour claim that the rules of the European Parliament did not allow him to do so. Except in this case, being heard on 17 May, the EU trump card was being played by Jane Collins who is a UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber. She is claiming that as an elected Member of the European Parliament she enjoys a blanket immunity from any legal action taken against her. It must have been the one of the most unlikely defences ever put to London's Royal Courts of Justice in the 124 years since the building was opened by Queen Victoria. Here was an outspoken opponent of Britain's membership of the European Union trying to escape potentially ruinous damages by appealing for help from one of the Brussels institutions she absolutely detests. The irony was not lost on the three South Yorkshire Labour MPs she had libelled who were sitting a few metres away from her. "The judge today was set to decide on the damages she must pay for her deeply damaging and totally baseless allegations," they said in a joint statement issued later. "But instead the court was confronted by the absurd irony of a UKIP MEP claiming EU sovereignty and immunity as an MEP from action in the British courts." The three MPs, Sarah Champion, John Healey and Sir Kevin Barron, whose neighbouring constituencies cover Rotherham, had been accused by Jane Collins of "knowing all about" the scandal of 1,400 cases of grooming and rape of young girls in the town and doing nothing to intervene. The allegations were made in a speech Jane Collins made at the UKIP conference held at Doncaster Racecourse in September 2014 and broadcast live on the BBC Parliament Channel. At the time Ms Collins had been selected as the candidate to stand against Sarah Champion in her Rotherham seat at the upcoming General Election. At a previous hearing in 2015 the High Court threw out the UKIP legal team's defence that the speech should be treated as routine political comment and ruled her intention had clearly been libellous. It had taken a year to get Jane Collins back in court for the Judge, Mr Justice Welby, to assess the level of costs and damages. The judge said he thought it "improbable" immunity from paying up would be granted but he suspended proceedings until the European Parliament had had an opportunity to investigate her application. Legal immunity for MEPs has existed under European law since 1965 but in very limited circumstances. It is similar to the "parliamentary privilege" enjoyed by UK MPs who are free to make any comments they want in speeches made in the House of Commons with no fear of legal action being taken against them. What UK MPs say outside the chamber has no legal protection at all. A committee of MEPs in Brussels are now expected to take several months to decide whether the European version

Summary: The event unfolding in front of me should have been enough to send steam shooting out of the ears of any self-respecting UK Independence Party supporter.


James Brindley, 26, died on Aldridge High Street in the West Midlands on 23 June after an evening out with friends. Aaron Kahrod, 20, from Walsall Road, Aldridge, and a 17-year-old boy appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court. The pair were remanded in custody to appear at the city's crown court on Monday. Read more news from Birmingham and the Black Country

Summary: A man and a teenager have appeared in court charged with murder after a man was stabbed to death.


Kevin McKay, of Aberdeen, charged his clients VAT but lied on his HMRC tax returns. He claimed his company IPPS was making less than 10% of its actual sales. The security guard then transferred large sums of money from his business bank to his personal account then sent money abroad. More than £100,000 was switched to a Romanian bank in September 2010 after accumulating in his savings account over several weeks. During his trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, McKay claimed to have looked after pop star Britney Spears and members of the Saudi royal family during his career as a bodyguard. The court heard IPPS security guards provided mobile patrols at President Trump's golf course on the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire. A total of 136 visits were listed on an invoice between 2008 and 2009. Other invoices from other firms showed that incorrect figures were submitted for some quarters to HMRC. The court heard McKay's ex-wife Susan was initially charged with an offence relating to the reckless submission of VAT returns, but the case against her was later dropped. Last month, a jury of nine men and six women found McKay guilty of being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of VAT worth £419,799 between August 2008 and May 2014. He was also found guilty, following a six-day trial, of removing criminal property from Scotland by transferring £100,473.98 into a Romanian bank account. The account belonged to the mother of a woman McKay was in a relationship with. McKay was sentenced to three years in prison for the VAT fraud with an additional year in prison for removing criminal property abroad. Cheryl Burr, assistant director of HMRC's fraud investigation service, HMRC: "Tax evasion robs the public purse of vital funds. "The vast majority play by the rules and pay their dues, but some like McKay attempt to undermine the system by evading VAT to line their own pockets and gain an unfair advantage over legitimate businesses. Our actions put a stop to that."

Summary: The owner of a security firm hired by Donald Trump's Aberdeenshire golf business has been jailed for four years over a £400,000 VAT fraud.


The resulting footage is part of a project using hi-tech scanning methods to explore animals' anatomy. It took 132 hours for the snake to fully digest the rat, the scientists said. Their work has revealed other strange insights into python digestion. They presented the study at the Society for Experimental Biology's annual meeting in Prague, Czech Republic. The researchers carried out a computer tomography or CT scan of an anaesthetised 5kg Burmese python one hour after it had devoured the rat whole. They also used a technique called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the creature's internal organs. By using contrast agents, the scientists were able to highlight specific organs and make them appear in different colours. A series of MRI images revealed the gradual disappearance of the rat's body. At the same time, the snake's intestine expanded, its gall bladder shrank and its heart increased in volume by 25%. The researchers, Henrik Lauridsen and Kasper Hansen, both from Aarhus University in Denmark, explained that the increase in the size of the snake's heart was probably associated with the energy it needed to digest its meal. "It's a sit and wait predator," explained Mr Lauridsen. "It fasts for months and then eats a really large meal. "It can eat the equivalent of up to 50% of its own bodyweight, and in order to get the energy out of the meal, it has to restart the intestinal system very fast." The researchers, who are both based at the university's Department of Zoophysiology and the MR Research Centre at Aarhus, say that their approach has several advantages over the "subjective and sometimes misleading" interpretations of dissections. Dissection induces changes, explained Dr Hansen. "For example, after opening the dense bone of a turtle shell, the lungs will collapse due to the change in pressure. "And to use these techniques you don't have to kill the animal," he added. "We can do this using live animals and revisit the results over and over again." The images, they say, will be valuable tools in future studies of animal anatomy for both research and education. As part of the project, they have produced similarly spectacular images of several other species, including frogs, alligators, turtles, swamp eels and bearded dragons.

Summary: Scientists have used the latest imaging techniques to look inside a python that had just swallowed a rat whole.


Gog the Yorkshire terrier became well known in Leicester because her owner Monti Shortt dresses her in clothes and pushes her around in the buggy. But the pooch was taken when the owner, who has cancer, quickly popped into the Haymarket Shopping Centre on Friday. She left Gog in her buggy outside and CCTV shows a woman wheeling it away. Ms Shortt, 69, said she needs to get her pet back urgently because Gog needs surgery on her knees costing over Â£1,000. "I haven't been without her since I've had her," said Ms Shortt. More on this and other stories in Leicestershire "We come into town regularly and she lights everybody's day up. "People say they love seeing her and hundreds of people have taken pictures of her." Gog was wearing a jumper, spotty baby vest and ribbons in her hair when she was stolen. She is five years old and Ms Shortt has owned her since just before she was seven weeks old. Ms Shortt uses the buggy to help her carry things and Gog sometimes sits inside. Leicestershire Police is examining CCTV of the theft, which happened in Humberstone Gate at about 14:50 GMT on Friday. Ms Shortt's coat, bag and inhalers were also in the stolen buggy but she is only concerned about getting Gog back.

Summary: A dog that became a local celebrity has been wheeled off in a buggy by a mystery woman, sparking a hunt for the animal's return.


Media playback is not supported on this device Marler apologised to Lee, who is from a Traveller background, at half-time during England's Six Nations win. Traveller campaigner Shay Clipson said Marler should be banned. "It's not just in sport, I think it's in every aspect of life where people get so PC and just make massive issues about things," said coach Gatland. "It was just one of those things, a little bit of banter. We've accepted that and we've accepted his apology. Just move on. "Fifteen or 20 years ago, those things were sorted out with fists and stuff." The comment by Marler, 25, is under investigation by Six Nations officials. Clipson, the founder of the National Alliance of Gypsy, Traveller and Roma Women, told BBC Radio 5 live that the Harlequins prop "cannot make mistakes like that and expect to just say sorry and walk away". She added that the public had to imagine what the reaction would have been had a black or Asian player been subject to that sort of derogatory remark. Marler has been cited for a separate incident of foul play involving another Wales prop, Rob Evans. A previous Welsh Rugby Union statement said: "We're disappointed by the comment made and pleased Joe Marler apologised." On Monday, assistant coach Rob Howley commented: "As players and coaches, there's banter in the game, but I think there's no place for that." Marler's comment was heard by television viewers after being picked up on referee Craig Joubert's microphone. "In modern sport, players have got to be aware that there are microphones everywhere and you have to act accordingly," said Gatland.

Summary: Warren Gatland says the "Gypsy boy" comment aimed at Samson Lee by Joe Marler was "banter" and insists Wales have no issue with the England prop.


The victim was found with gunshot injuries in Markham Avenue at around 21:00 GMT on Monday and died later at Leeds General Infirmary. West Yorkshire Police said three men aged 17, 19 and 20 had been arrested on suspicion of murder. Two boys aged 15 and 16 were detained on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. Detectives found the victim's Vauxhall Astra abandoned in Pasture Road, near to Back Airlie Avenue. Det Ch Insp Steve Snow said the force believed the man was deliberately targeted and the shooting took place near to where the car was found.

Summary: Five people have been arrested after a 33-year-old man was shot in the Harehills area of Leeds.


Lukasz Robert Pawlowski of Pembroke Dock, appeared for sentence at the Pembrokeshire court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to sexual assault. He was airlifted to Swansea's Morriston Hospital and is said to be recovering. Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed they have arrested a 33-year-old man on suspicion of possession of an article with a blade or point. It is understood he lost consciousness and bled heavily after cutting himself. The court was closed after the incident but reopened on Thursday.

Summary: A sex attacker who cut his own throat in the dock at Haverfordwest Magistrates' Court has been arrested.


Media playback is not supported on this device Saturday's defeat was their first loss at home in seven years - and their first to the British and Irish Lions in 24. And while they were beaten by Ireland as recently as November, that was in the relative anonymity of the American city of Chicago, not in their own backyard. The Kiwi public is loyal, but expectant. The All Blacks are meant to win, even with 14 men. So how have they reacted to defeat? Minutes after the final whistle at the Westpac Stadium, as the Lions fans flocked deliriously into the Wellington evening, callers to Radio Sport NZ were jamming the airwaves. "I hope you aren't going to make excuses - the Lions were too good," cried Owen, the first to have his say. "I wonder if this would have been the Lions' night, even if Sonny Bill Williams had stayed on the field," reflected presenter Matthew Buck, who revelled in the sheer vibrancy of the occasion, as opposed to stewing in defeat. "They were desperate," agreed expert summariser Ross Bond, who praised the Lions' inspired defence and smothering back row. The next morning, the Herald on Sunday splashed on the Lions "roaring back" to square the series, with the Star majoring on the key flashpoint in the game - the red card to Williams and the influence of referee Jerome Garces. The player ratings in the Herald caused a stir, with the irrepressible Lions lock Maro Itoje given a 4/10. Online ratings later had Itoje as a more realistic 9/10. "The Lions were numerically and tactically superior," Marc Hinton wrote in The Press, and this sense of acceptance is echoed across the Kiwi media and public, albeit coupled with a fierce desire to restore normality in the Eden Park decider. Support for the All Blacks permeates every level of New Zealand society, male and female, young and old. At St Joseph's Primary School in Queenstown, in the heart of Otago, the children are still coming to terms with the hurt of defeat. Aged between 10 and 11, they struggle to recall the last time the All Blacks were beaten on home soil. "We normally win - it doesn't feel that good when we lose," was the reaction of 11-year-old Thomas, who says he dreams of one day becoming an All Black and following his hero Ben Smith. "I felt like throwing the table at the TV - but they deserved it." But disappointment turns to confidence when looking ahead to Saturday's decisive Test. "We'll win 70-30 on Saturday," insists 10-year-old Samuel. "You are dreaming," retorts his friend Mason, who opts for a more realistic scoreline - though the All Blacks still come out on top, of course. On the flight from Queenstown to Auckland, stewardess Trudie insists the Auckland weather will be much more to the All Blacks' liking this weekend. "Beauden is usually such a good kicker," she laments, referring to the three kickable penalties missed by fly-half Beauden Barrett at Westpac Stadium. However, while New Zealanders have reacted with

Summary: The All Blacks don't lose very often, especially in New Zealand.


The yellow-browed warbler was tagged at Pembrey Burrows nature reserve, only the fifth ever recorded in the county. The birds, known for their "strikingly loud" song, are more commonly found on the east coast of England with 600 recorded this autumn. Easterly winds this autumn are said to be the reason behind the bird's visit to the reserve. Yellow-browed warblers breed in Siberia and winter in south-east Asia. Licensed bird ringer and volunteer ranger Paul Aubrey said the visitor was a highlight of an unexpectedly mild and bright autumnal period.

Summary: A bird that makes its home over 3,500 miles away in Siberia has made a rare visit to Carmarthenshire.


The 11-10 favourite beat Le Mercurey by three and a quarter lengths, with Bristol De Mai disappointing in third. Tizzard, who also trains Thistlecrack and Cue Card, has three of the first four in the Gold Cup betting. Ballyandy landed the Betfair Hurdle and Altior also won to cement his place as favourite for Cheltenham's Arkle Chase. Aidan Coleman was a late call-up for Native River after regular jockey Richard Johnson pulled out because of illness. But it was business as usual for the Hennessy Gold Cup and Welsh National winner, who is now 4-1 (from 9-2) for the Gold Cup behind 7-4 favourite Thistlecrack, with Cue Card and Djakadam at about 7-1 Coleman said of Native River: "He's just the perfect racehorse and (it was) very nice to have a sit on him and I wish them all the best for the future." Paul Nicholls said his runner-up Le Mercurey had run well to get close to a horse he considers will win the Gold Cup on 17 March. The champion trainer believes Le Mercurey will be a Grand National contender in the future, but will this year aim him at the Betway Bowl at Aintree. Last year's Cheltenham Champion Bumper victor Ballyandy, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, won for the first time over hurdles as he beat Nicholls' Movewiththetimes. Nicky Henderson's Altior coasted home by 13 lengths from Fox Norton in the Betfair Exchange Chase, registered as the Game Spirit Chase. BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght One of those days where it's hard to come up with a lead story but Altior's success in the old Game Spirit Chase probably shaded it. Last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner looks even more supreme this year, and this was the smoothest of performances, all the more meritorious because it came on unfavourably soft going. He's rightly a hotter and hotter favourite for the Arkle (his pretty much certain target said Nicky Henderson), and he'll be a Festival banker for many. Native River's style is all about stamina and toughing it out, and he'll set a big test for all-comers in the Gold Cup.

Summary: Native River enhanced his Cheltenham Gold Cup credentials with a comfortable win for trainer Colin Tizzard in the Denman Chase at Newbury.


Mr Ghani said IS was "not an Afghan phenomenon" and its atrocities had "alienated the people".

Summary: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has promised to "bury" the so-called Islamic State (IS) militant group, whose local offshoot has clashed with government forces and Taliban fighters, in an exclusive interview.


Police said a man, 27, from Birmingham, who was earlier in custody, and a 39-year-old woman who was on bail have been released with no further action. Four people died and 50 were injured when Khalid Masood drove his car into pedestrians before stabbing a police officer. He was shot dead by police. Fourteen people remain in hospital. PC Keith Palmer was guarding Parliament when he was stabbed by Masood. He was unarmed, but the Metropolitan Police have confirmed that he was wearing a protective vest. A post-mortem examination heard that there was no obvious evidence the vest had been damaged or penetrated, but it had been cut off when emergency first aid was given, the Met said. It added that the coroner had requested that the provisional cause of death was not released at this stage. Eleven people were initially arrested over the incident. In a statement, the Met Police said the 39-year-old woman who was arrested in east London on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts had been released. Another women, aged 32, who was arrested in Manchester, remains on police bail while police continue their inquiries, it said. The 58-year-old, who is still in custody, was arrested in Birmingham the morning after the attack under the Terrorism Act, meaning officers can hold him for up to two weeks. Police are trying to establish whether Masood acted alone inspired by terrorist propaganda or if others supported him. They are also looking into whether he used the encrypted messaging service WhatsApp to send a message two minutes before he struck. Masood's other victims were Aysha Frade, who was in her 40s and worked at a London sixth-form college, US tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, and retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, from south London. Janine Roebuck, a friend of 75-year-old Mr Rhodes, said he was "immensely proud" to have cleaned the windows at Chartwell - the Kent home of Sir Winston Churchill - for "many years". "He was exceptionally fit for a man of his age. I would turn around and he had bounded up the ladder like someone half his age," she told BBC News. "I am filled with huge sorrow that his life has been snatched from him in such an untimely manner." The attack has brought into question security levels at Parliament, prompting a review by police and Parliamentary authorities. Lord Blair, a former Met Police Commissioner who was in charge during the 2005 London bombings, said he was "absolutely certain that there will have to be changes" to the area near the entrance gates where PC Palmer was stabbed. He refused to criticise officers for leaving the gates unguarded immediately after the attack, saying "at that moment they were behaving as human beings". "That incident will have gripped them completely. They will know that the cavalry of the serious armed officers are on their way," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. London attack: The victims The path from violent crime to killer The Metropolitan Police said Masood, 52, who had previous criminal convictions but none for terrorism, had

Summary: A 58-year-old man is still being held by police over the Westminster attack, as two others are released without charge.


James Johnston & Co of Elgin said turnover rose from £58.6m in 2014 to £66.6m last year. Operating profit rose from £2.27m to £8m, supported by an exceptional gain of £4.1m on the sale of a property in London. The firm said sales growth was generated by increased sales to luxury brands in the UK and France. It also benefited from growth in sales of its own branded products through its UK retail outlets, while wholesale gains were driven by Japan and the Middle East. The company has manufacturing plants in Elgin and Hawick. It runs several shops in the UK, including a flagship store in New Bond Street, London, which opened in December last year. In 2015, it employed an average of 943 employees - up from 829 in 2014.

Summary: The company behind Scottish cashmere brand Johnstons of Elgin has reported a sharp rise in sales and profits.


Espionage - the stealing of secrets - is a well-trodden path for both sides, but far more sensitive is the notion of subversion, trying to influence political life by sowing dissent and supporting opposition. Both Russia and the West claim the other has been practising subversion for at least a century. Russian subversion is the talk of Washington at the moment, but Moscow has its own narrative. It begins 100 years ago, when Britain was determined to roll back the 1917 Bolshevik revolution. Enter a colourful array of characters linked to MI6, notably Sir Paul Dukes and Sidney Reilly ("Ace of Spies"). But it is the Lockhart Plot which is particularly remembered in Russia - although barely known in Britain. Named after British diplomat Robert Bruce Lockhart, who was stationed in Moscow, it involved paying Latvian soldiers to launch a counter-coup. "The shadow of these events still hangs over our relations," says Prof Evgeny Sergeev, from the Russian State University for Humanities. "It was used by Soviet propaganda as the symbol of all those evil intentions to overthrow the Bolshevik government." The Bolshevik government's reaction was to strengthen its secret police to protect against outside interference and to send its spies abroad to discern the plans of others. Back in Britain during the 1920s, the government feared worldwide Bolshevik revolution. Concerns centred on The All Russian Trade Co-operative Society (Arcos) in London. Britain's intelligence services were convinced it was not only a nest of spies but the epicentre of subversive activity - spreading propaganda and supporting strikes, amid fears that "Moscow gold" was supporting "terrorist groups" in the British Empire. A message from the Communist International known as the Zinoviev letter helped fuel that idea - even though it was fake. Arcos was closed in a chaotic raid, but it was not long before Soviet intelligence pulled off one of its greatest coups - recruiting a group of Cambridge graduates who would work their way into the heart of the British establishment. Britain also seems to have had its own plans. In 1937, Fitzroy Maclean took up a diplomatic posting in Moscow, witnessing the show trials in which Stalin purged his opponents and travelling widely across the Soviet Union. This gave him an idea which he wrote up on his return to the Foreign Office in 1939. Oddly, his memo - originally marked Top Secret - has appeared and disappeared from the British archives in recent years. But Moscow had known about the content for decades. I learned this from Todor Boyadjiev, a retired deputy head of Bulgarian intelligence, who says Russian colleagues showed him the memo and further plans based on it. Boyadjiev says MI6 developed a plan codenamed Lyautey, named after a French general. The story goes that the general asked his gardener to plant some trees to provide shade. The gardener protested they would take decades to grow, to which the General replied there was no time to lose. Britain's Lyautey plan, Boyadjiev says, was a long-term effort to fragment the Soviet Union by stirring up unrest among religious

Summary: The claim that the Kremlin sought to influence America's presidential election is only the latest chapter in a much longer story of mistrust between Russia and the West.


The 29-year-old Rangers captain was called up on Tuesday but will not travel for the World Cup qualifying campaign opener. Manager Gordon Strachan will make no further additions. Celtic's Leigh Griffiths and Kieran Tierney dropped out of the original squad with knocks, along with midfielders James McArthur and Kevin McDonald. Hearts forward Tony Watt was drafted in at the same time as Wallace, who won the last of his eight caps in 2013. Hull's Andy Robertson is now the only recognised left-back in the squad of 24 for Sunday's game at the Ta'Qali Stadium. Striker Griffiths came off injured after scoring in Celtic's 4-1 defeat of Aberdeen on Saturday. The 26-year-old netted 40 times last season and has seven goals so far this term but has yet to score in seven appearances for Scotland. Steven Fletcher, yet to score for new club Sheffield Wednesday, was Scotland's main striker in their unsuccessful Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, while Chris Martin and Steven Naismith also featured in attack for Gordon Strachan's side. That trio and Watt make up the forward contingent of Strachan's revised squad. Midfielder Robert Snodgrass is optimistic about being fit, despite a painful collision with a goalpost during Hull City's defeat by Manchester United at the weekend. It will be Scotland's first game since midfielder and captain Scott Brown retired from international football. West Brom's Darren Fletcher - a former national team skipper - could resume the armband duties. Strachan's pool also includes winger Oliver Burke, who joined German side RB Leipzig from Nottingham Forest on Sunday in a £13m deal - making him the most expensive Scottish player.

Summary: Full-back Lee Wallace has withdrawn from the Scotland squad to face Malta.


Officers were called to the Ferry Road property at about 09:50 on Wednesday. The baby boy was taken to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in the city, where he died a short time later. A Police Scotland spokesman, said: "Police in Edinburgh were called to Ferry Road around 9.50am on Wednesday October 12 following a report of concern for a nine-day-old baby." He said: "The baby was taken to the sick kids hospital, where he was sadly pronounced dead a short time later. "Inquiries into the full circumstances surrounding the death are ongoing and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal." The death is being treated as unexplained.

Summary: A nine-day-old baby has died in hospital after police were called to an address in Edinburgh.


The Subsea Power Hub (SPH) is being tested by Aberdeen based EC-OG at Shapinsay Sound, Orkney. The company said the system is "performing in line with technical predictions". The unit will be left to operate autonomously over the summer months while it is checked using wireless data monitoring. EC-OG said the SPH is a ground-breaking hybrid drive system which uses a marine energy convertor to produce energy which is stored in a lithium-based unit. Engineering director Robert Cowman said: "Although the weather was not on our side, we were still able to successfully complete the installation and commence testing ahead of schedule. "The system is performing very well and I'm pleased at how quickly the results are correlating with the theoretical basis for the test. Having a vertical axis turbine, means that the SPH is operating effectively in these unpredictable, sporadic flow conditions. "Thanks go to the EC-OG team as well as those who have helped us at EMEC, Leask Marine, Castle View and Scottish Enterprise."

Summary: A new ocean current energy system has been successfully deployed, according to the company behind it.


Nelson Cheung and his wife Winnie, 57, had been driving along the Caddy Road, near Randalstown, on Wednesday when their car was forced off the road. The couple, from the Ballymena area, were attacked and had money stolen. Mr Cheung died from stab wounds. Police have renewed their appeal for information. A 30-year-old man is being questioned about the murder. A 31-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man who were arrested on Thursday have been released unconditionally. Det Ch Insp Eamonn Corrigan said: "Mr Cheung was a well-liked and well-known man who ran a Chinese restaurant in Randalstown." He said that while Mrs Cheung had been discharged from hospital, she was "understandably anguished following the murder of her husband". After their car was forced off the road by two other vehicles, Mrs Cheung had managed to raise the alarm at a nearby house just after midnight on Thursday. When police arrived at the scene a short time later, they discovered Mr Cheung's body. Police have said a hate crime is not suspected. The detective said: "I would appeal for information from the public, specifically anyone who saw vehicles moving along Caddy Road between 11:30pm on Wednesday night and 1pm on Thursday morning. "I am also interested in speaking with anyone who may have noticed a black Seat Toledo car, registration number OE62 FRF, in the Randalstown area from around 9pm to midnight on Wednesday 7 January." The Caddy Road has now been reopened following the murder.

Summary: Police have released the name of a 65-year-old Chinese restaurant owner murdered in County Antrim.


The team will be given access to all the witnesses to the attack, but the Press Trust of India news agency said they would not be able to interview security personnel. India accused Pakistan-based group Jaish-e-Mohammad of carrying out the assault in January. Seven Indian soldiers and six militants were killed in the attack. This is the first time that Pakistani intelligence and police officials have travelled to India to investigate a militant attack. The Pakistan team's visit came after Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj met Pakistan's foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of a regional meeting in Nepal. In February, police in Pakistan registered a complaint against "unknown persons" over the Pathankot attack. An official of the interior ministry of Pakistan had filed the complaint, which mentioned some Pakistani mobile numbers provided by Indian authorities. The United Jihad Council (UJC) - a coalition of more than a dozen militant groups fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir - said they carried out the attack. The claim was met with scepticism - the UJC's core members are not known to have carried out attacks outside Indian-administered Kashmir. Indian security officials instead blamed Jaish-e-Mohammed. Started by Masood Azhar, the Islamist militant group has been blamed for attacks on Indian soil in the past, including one in 2001 on the Indian parliament which took the nuclear-armed rivals to the brink of war.

Summary: A five-member team from Pakistan is in India to investigate a deadly militant attack on an air force base.


It's a condition that affects the way you live your life and see the world around you. Our presenter Rosie was born with autism. She says even though living with it is difficult, it makes her unique and who she is. As well as telling her own story, you'll find out how Ben, Tony and Lenny are affected by the condition. Lots of children with autism get bullied at school and can find it hard to get jobs when they grow up. In our special film Rosie wants to tell the world what autism is and what it's like to live with it.

Summary: Newsround has made a special programme about autism.


The largest US bank by assets posted a net income of $6.8bn (Â£4.5bn), up from $5.5bn during the same period last year. But it said that net revenue was $23.5bn, down from $25bn compared with the year before. The bank also reported $1.3bn in legal costs for the period. Banks have been under pressure to cut costs and hold more capital in reserve in case of future financial shocks. JP Morgan also said that it received tax benefits of $2.2bn in the period. The bank also reported that sales of its loan products had increased by 15% year-on-year, and that the balance of those loans had gone up 13%. JP Morgan's chief executive Jamie Dimon said in a statement: "We had decent results this quarter. "We saw the impact of a challenging global environment... We continue to focus on our commitments, optimize our balance sheet and manage our expenses." In a conference call, the firm pointed to the higher cost of regulation as a factor that would "tap down profit for a while".

Summary: Wall Street banking giant JP Morgan Chase reported higher profits in the three months to September but still missed analysts' expectations.


The 40-year-old joined Twitter in 2011 and often interacts with fans through his personal account. "They have no clue how to run a football club," MacAnthony told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. "No disrespect to them, yes they buy a season ticket, but they're not in a position where they have to make a decision that affects people's lives." He continued: "You're talking about the hundreds of people who work for you, you're talking about the family of the player, you're talking about the player himself, the after-effect if you don't do business. "It's all about how you handle that, I've always felt I've got that right." MacAnthony, who is celebrating 10 years as Posh chairman, has been most hurt by criticism of his transfer policy, with fans often accusing him of selling the club's best players. "I was getting it last year with Conor Washington, they were hammering him, he was one of my favourite players and I thought he would come good," said MacAnthony. "When I got £2.8m from QPR for him I felt like tweeting a picture of the agreement and going with two fingers to all the people who had, non-stop, had a go. "In other words: 'I know what I'm doing, back off, if you think you know what you're doing go buy a football club.'" Despite his public run-ins with angry fans on social media, MacAnthony has no plans to delete his account. "Winners never quit, quitters never win," he said. "I wouldn't change it, I love it, it's great fun. You do get trolled, you do get hammered, there are the ups and the downs." And MacAnthony has reiterated his pledge to secure promotion from League One this season. "I'm giving it everything this season," he added. "We're going up, there is no tomorrow, it has to be now and it has to be this season. "You could say that puts a lot of pressure on the players and the manager, they're all aware, they know what they need to do. It's time to stand up and be counted, let's get out of this league. "There is no looking back for me after this season. I'm only talking about Championship football." Listen to an extended interview with Darragh MacAnthony via the BBC iPlayer.

Summary: Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has spoken about supporters who criticise his running of the club.


IVF should be offered after two years of failed attempts, not the current three, says the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. And the upper age limit should rise from 39 to 42 in England and Wales. Some fertility experts fear the guidelines may not lead to changes because they are not binding. In the past, NHS trusts have struggled to find the money to meet the IVF recommendations. A report in 2011, showed one in four NHS trusts offered the full three cycles. Each round costs Â£3,000. Around one in every seven heterosexual couples in the UK who are trying for a baby experience problems conceiving a child. In 2011, nearly 14,000 women became pregnant through IVF. The new guidelines, which apply to England and Wales only, state that women aged between 40 and 42 should be offered one cycle of IVF as long as it is their first time and they have enough eggs. The age limit for NHS-funded fertility treatment is 38 in Scotland and 39 in Northern Ireland, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. Tim Child, who helped devise the guidelines and is the director of the Oxford Fertility Unit, said the decision was not taken lightly. "When a woman reaches her mid-30s her fertility begins to decline, even more so from her late 30s. "However, many women do conceive naturally in the 40 to 42 year age group. But for those who can't, and who have been diagnosed with the medical condition of infertility, then improvement in IVF success rates over the last decade mean that we are now able to offer cost-effective treatment with a single IVF cycle." Medical advances mean this age group has similar success rates to that of younger women when the original guidelines were introduced in 2004. The update still recommends women under 40 are offered three cycles of IVF. Some fertility experts raised concerns that the expanded recommendations may not happen in reality. Dr Sue Avery, a spokesperson for the British Fertility Society and from Birmingham Women's Fertility Centre, told the BBC: "It's good that there's the possibility there, but the funding does not match. "I can't see any prospect of it happening immediately. Our biggest concern is hanging on to the funding we've got." The guidelines also introduced rules designed to significantly reduce the number of twins and triplets being born. Multiple births, a consequence of implanting more than one embryo to increase the odds of success, are one of the biggest risks associated with IVF for both mother and child. Twins tend to be born smaller and earlier - triplets even more so. Women under the age of 37 should have only one embryo transferred in their first cycle. Subsequent cycles, and cycles in older women, can consider implanting two embryos. Most couples should no longer be offered intrauterine insemination on the NHS, as its results are no better than sex. However, when there is not an option - such as same sex couples and patients with certain disabilities - it would still be an option.

Summary: Couples struggling to have a baby should get fertility treatment more quickly and older women should gain access to IVF, new NHS guidelines say.


The Â£28m project includes proposals for a major industrial and commercial development at Exxon Mobil's former site in Bowling. A road would also be built to provide an alternative route in and out of West Dunbartonshire. The outline business case for the project will be presented to West Dunbartonshire Council on Wednesday. The proposals form part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal. The plans would see West Dunbartonshire Council pay Â£3.8m towards the overall cost, with the rest funded by the UK and Scottish governments. The project is expected to support up to 690 full-time jobs and generate about Â£19m each year for the West of Scotland economy. If the outline business case is approved, it will then be presented to the council's City Deal Cabinet in April. Infrastructure work could begin in early 2021 and be completed in early 2024. Richard Cairns, West Dunbartonshire Council's strategic director for regeneration, environment and growth, said: "The presenting of the outline business case to council marks another big step forward for what is a key regeneration priority for West Dunbartonshire. "The future for the Exxon site is an exciting one that we believe will bring about real change for the better in terms of jobs and the economy."

Summary: Plans to redevelop a former oil terminal in West Dunbartonshire could take a step forward this week.


The RAF aerobatic team were one of the star attractions at the airshow, which took place at the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune. Other attractions included the Swiss Air Force PC-7 team and the Norwegian Air Force's Historical Squadron. They were joined by a 1930s Bucker Jungmann, which was used by the German Luftwaffe and the Japanese air force. Pilot Gavin Hunter and a a friend rebuilt the biplane after buying it six years ago in Stuttgart, Germany, where it had spent nearly half a century being stored in pieces in a garage. More than 10,000 visitors were expected to attend the annual event, which will also featured displays from Battle of Britain aircraft, the Black Cats helicopter display team, a Catalina flying boat and three bi-planes - a Fairey Swordfish, a Stolp Starduster and Mr Hunter's Bucker Jungmann. The Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron features 1950s fighter jets including a Mig-15 and two de Havilland Vampires.

Summary: The Red Arrows have headlined Scotland's National Airshow in East Lothian.


The 26-year-old, who joined the Hammers from Pachuca for £12m in 2014, had held talks with Swansea on Wednesday. But he will now link up with the Toffees on his return from international duty with Ecuador. Valencia had made six appearances this season but was facing competition from new Hammers signing Simone Zaza. Meanwhile, Everton have signed Sheffield United forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal. The 19-year-old made 11 league appearances for the Blades, failing to score. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Everton have signed West Ham striker Enner Valencia on a season-long loan, with the option of a permanent £14.5m move next summer.


The 37-year-old victim was walking in the Downfine Walk area of the Turf Lodge estate when he was approached by two men near the Holy Trinity Centre. They dragged him through an alleyway before shooting him once in each calf and once in the thigh. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The attack happened at about 18:30 GMT on Friday. Police have appealed for witnesses to contact them. A 15-year-old boy was shot in the leg in the nearby Ballymurphy estate on Thursday morning. SDLP Councillor Tim Attwood said: "This is the second vicious gun attack in west Belfast in two days, following the shooting of a teenager in Ballymurphy on Thursday. "The cowardly men, wearing hoods, engaged in these attacks have no place in our community. "Everybody who believes in human rights and justice must condemn these attacks and give their unequivocal backing to the PSNI in their efforts to police our communities."

Summary: A man has been shot three times in the legs in west Belfast.


The company's roots date back to the 1930s, when Greece's National Radio Foundation was set up. The many decades of history behind ERT have made it a well-established national institution respected by many. It began airing television programmes in the 1960s, remaining the country's only TV broadcaster until the advent of private TV channels in 1989. Since then, ERT has undergone several major overhauls to keep up with fierce private competition. These efforts were not entirely successful, and a fall in the company's ratings in the mid-1990s triggered a long-running debate about its cost and efficiency. Eighty per cent of the company's funding came from a licence fee included in electricity bills, and some of it was sourced from advertising revenue. Many Greeks objected to funding ERT through the licence fee, claiming that the company was too unpopular and too expensive. The broadcaster was also criticised for its openly pro-government reporting, especially since the start of the financial crisis in 2009. At the time of closing, ERT operated three main TV channels and more than a dozen national and local radio stations. ERT World TV catered for the Greek diaspora across the globe. The company's programming included news as well as factual and entertainment programmes. It claimed to broadcast more highbrow programmes - such as world cinema and documentaries - compared to the generally more light-hearted entertainment offered by its privately-owned rivals. The company's audience share in 2013 was relatively low at below 20%, with most Greeks preferring commercial broadcasters. The government's surprise decision to shut down ERT was, however, met with fierce criticism from the public. Even though most agreed that a restructuring and cost-savings were required at the company, its immediate closure was branded "dictatorial" by some. While most Greeks will continue getting their news and entertainment from private TV and radio stations, those in the east and some islands - where signal coverage is poor - may have to rely on Turkish broadcasters across the border. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. For more reports from BBC Monitoring, click here. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

Summary: On 11 June, the government in Athens unexpectedly announced it was suspending the country's Radio and Television Company, abbreviated to ERT in Greek, as part of drastic budget cuts.