The first minister has been reflecting on Scottish government proposals for a fresh ballot on the issue in the wake of the general election result. It saw the SNP lose 21 seats at Westminster after the party's share of the vote fell from 50% to 37%. But the party's 35 seats meant it remained the largest in Scotland. The first minister called in March for a second independence referendum to be held in the autumn of next year or spring of 2019, once the results of the Brexit deal are known. She has insisted a vote was needed to give Scots an alternative to a "hard Brexit" after nearly two-thirds of voters in Scotland backed the UK remaining in the EU. But she has faced calls from opposition parties to ditch her plans - while some figures from her own party have called on her timetable to be "parked". Ms Sturgeon discussed a referendum when her cabinet team met in Edinburgh on Tuesday morning. Her spokesman said afterwards: "There was a discussion led by the first minister on an independence referendum and related issues. "That forms part of the process she laid out after the election and she will continue to consult with government and party colleagues, and will lay out her views on the way forward in due course." When asked if this would be before Holyrood breaks up for the summer recess at the close of business on Thursday of next week, he stated: "I think it is likely before then." The spokesman added there was not "an exact timetable" for when any announcement would be made. In the immediate aftermath of the general election, Ms Sturgeon conceded her plans for a second independence referendum were "undoubtedly" a factor in the results. She said at the time: 'We will reflect on these results, we will listen to voters and we will consider very carefully the best way forward for Scotland, a way forward that is in the interests of all of Scotland." Scottish Secretary David Mundell said at the weekend that he can see "no circumstances" under which an independence referendum could be held before the Holyrood elections in 2021. Responding the comments by Ms Sturgeon's spokesman, Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said: "It's welcome that Nicola Sturgeon will set out her thinking in the next couple of weeks. "She now has to tell Scots what they want and need to hear - that plans for a second referendum on independence are unequivocally off the table." Labour and the Liberal Democrats also called on Ms Sturgeon to shelve her plans - arguing that another referendum was not wanted by most Scottish voters. And Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Will Rennie said: "After a clear message from the electorate a few weeks ago the first minister must take independence off the table or be seen to be ignoring the will of the people of Scotland."

Summary: Nicola Sturgeon is "likely" to make a statement on her independence referendum plans by the end of next week, her spokesman has said.


The 23-year-old scored 11 goals in 50 matches in all competitions last season as his side won the Ligue 1 title. United have so far added defender Victor Lindelof to their squad as they attempt to improve on last year's sixth place in the Premier League. "Manchester United is a great team and I would think about it," Fabinho said. "If [Manchester United manager Jose] Mourinho invites me it would be very tempting," he told Brazilian television channel Esporte Interativo. "But I would have to talk with my agent and Monaco to make the things right." Fabinho joined Monaco in 2013 on loan from Portuguese side Rio Ave and made his move permanent in 2015, when he also won the first of four caps for Brazil. But having claimed the Europa League, Mourinho is being linked with several players in order to build a squad capable of dealing with the added fixtures. Tottenham's Eric Dier and Nemanja Matic at Chelsea have been linked with a move to Old Trafford, as has Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata. United have strengthened their backroom staff in hiring Juventus scouting manager Javier Ribalta, who was at the Italian club with Morata. Ribalta worked on deals for Dani Alves and Sami Khedira while at Juventus, who have secured six straight league titles.

Summary: A move to Manchester United "would be very tempting", says Monaco midfielder Fabinho, who has been linked with the Old Trafford club.


The seven-hour standoff started after police tried to execute a warrant for the arrest of Korryn Gaines. Gaines, who was armed with a shotgun, was shot dead in her apartment while her 5-year-old son watched. Police said her followers on Facebook encouraged her not to give in. According to Facebook's policies, accounts can be suspended if law enforcement believe individuals are at risk of harm. Police Chief Jim Johnson has said their decision to request a de-activation was based upon the fact Gaines had a gun and a child was present during her standoff with officers. Gaines' social media accounts have been restored. But two videos are missing and are being withheld for violating Facebook's standards - which include a provision against inciting violence. Videos posted on Gaines' Instagram appear to show her talking to her son during the standoff. In one clip, Gaines questions her son about the situation unfolding outside, with a police officer visible through her open door. "What [are the police] trying to do?" she asks the boy. "They're trying to kill us,' he replies. Officers claim Gaines threatened to shoot them if they entered her apartment and that she fired shots several times. Gaines' mother, Rhonda Dormeus, told The Baltimore Sun her daughter ignored pleas to surrender. Ms Dormeus believes she might have been able to help calm her and end the situation peacefully had she been allowed to speak with her. Gaines had a history of mental health problems, including anxiety, her former doctor said in an interview. "I do feel like they didn't want to hurt her," Ms Dormeus said, referring to the police. "But I don't feel like they exhausted all the means of negotiation." The initial warrant for Gaines' arrest related to a traffic stop charge dating back to March.

Summary: A woman killed in a police standoff outside Baltimore tried to live stream the siege but authorities successfully had her social media accounts deactivated.


Kellingley Colliery is set to close in 2015 with the loss of about 700 jobs. Workers, MPs, and union leaders marched through Knottingley and held a rally at Kellingley Social Club. In August, Business Secretary Vince Cable said giving government funds to keep the mine open "wouldn't be good value for money". UK Coal announced plans in April for a managed closure of the colliery due to "extremely difficult trading conditions" and in September secured Â£4m from government to support the plan. Chris Kitchen, from the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), said: "Kellingley has about 30 years worth of coal and we know that we're going to be burning coal in this country to generate electricity... the majority of that now is imported. "It's not that we're trying to keep Kellingley open for some kind of historic reason, there's a use for the fuel and there's a use for the fuel going forward that's mined at Kellingley." A report prepared for the NUM said the mine could remain open until 2018 with help additional from the government. Labour MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford Yvette Cooper said: "If the government doesn't act fast it will be too late. "The cost of keeping Kellingley open is going up week after week because there's been no investment in new faces. Yet the government is just dragging its feet trying to kill off the pit by stealth." A government spokesman said: "We have now received a plan from the company and will look carefully at their proposal, bearing in mind that we must make sure that taxpayers receive value for money."

Summary: Miners at a North Yorkshire coal mine set to close this year have staged a rally to call on the government to provide funds to keep it open.


George Barker was found at the Double K Gym in Stable Lane, Bexley, south-east London, at about 09:40 GMT on Monday. Officers want to hear from anyone who saw, spoke or knows where the 24-year-old was during the weekend before. They specifically want to know where he spent Sunday evening into Monday and where he was before he went to the gym. Mr Barker, of South Darenth, in Kent, died of stab wounds to his chest and abdomen. He was the father of a week-old baby girl. Det Ch Insp Laurence Smith, who is leading the murder investigation, said Mr Barker had been a regular user of the gym and had arrived there at about 09:15, and was attacked shortly after. "Our enquiries so far have led me to believe that there were five men inside the gym who were waiting for George Barker to arrive. "Following the brutal assault on George the men left the gym and I am appealing to anyone who saw the men arriving in Stable Lane prior to the murder, or saw them leaving, to contact the police," he said. Det Ch Insp Smith added that he "retained an open mind as to the motive" for the killing.

Summary: Detectives investigating the murder of a man who was stabbed outside a gym are appealing for information regarding his movements prior to his death.


Mason has joined Championship rivals Wolves on a three-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee. Hudson played alongside Mason, who scored 22 goals in 60 league starts since joining Cardiff from Plymouth in 2011 "I wouldn't want to see him leave my squad," Huddersfield's Hudson said. Former Republic of Ireland Under-21 forward Mason had been a target for Wolves in the summer. "For me it's a strange one why they would need to sell to a rival club, especially another team looking to push into the play-offs," Hudson added. "I think he's a great player, his movement and the way he ghosts in and out of games. He always hits the target when he gets a chance. "If he's playing week in, week out I think he's probably going to be one of the top-scorers in the league." Wolves' Wales midfielder Dave Edwards, who will be out for 12 weeks after having surgery on a foot injury, says Mason would be a "much needed addition" to the squad. "We're a bit low on numbers at the moment, especially in the forward areas," Edwards told BBC Wales Sport. "I've always been impressed every time I've seen him. "I thought he played very well at Molineux a few weeks ago when we were beaten 3-1 [by Cardiff]. "He works hard for the team and hasn't got a bad goalscoring record either. He'll be great for us."

Summary: Former Cardiff City captain Mark Hudson does not understand why striker Joe Mason has been sold to Wolves.


The body of Wendy Mann, 26, was found on her kitchen floor in West Bromwich in August 2015. Leroy Sterling, 63, of Guns Lane, denies murder and the earlier attempted murder of her lover, Trevor Tyndale, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. Pathologists found multiple fractures in her neck, a pattern "commonly found in people strangled," the jury heard. Mark Haywood QC, prosecuting, told the court Ms Mann's brother became worried when he could not contact her. He went with his wife to his sister's first floor flat on Chapel Street where they found her body. More on this and other stories from Birmingham and the Black Country The prosecution alleges Mr Sterling attempted to murder Mr Tyndale on 11 July 2015 after learning of his ex-partner's relationship. The two men went drinking at Mr Sterling's flat where the prosecution claims the defendant attacked Mr Tyndale, 52, with a blow to the back of the head. Mr Sterling continued the attack, "forcing a knife into his neck, trying to choke him", the jury heard. The prosecution told the court Mr Tyndale managed to escape Mr Sterling's flat and later went to hospital where he had an emergency operation for his injuries. Mr Tyndale did not inform police about who attacked him fearing his affair would become known to his own wife, Mr Haywood claimed. The trial continues.

Summary: A mother-of-three was strangled by her ex-partner after she began a new relationship, a court has heard.


The singer sought damages from the force, and the BBC, over media coverage of a police raid on his home in 2014. On Friday, lawyers told High Court judge Mr Justice Mann that Sir Cliff and the force had come to terms. The BBC, which is still disputing the claim for damages, said it "had a duty to report" the investigation. Sir Cliff said live BBC coverage of the police search of his home in Sunningdale, Berkshire, invaded his privacy. He sought "very substantial" compensation from both South Yorkshire Police and the BBC. In a statement on Friday, a BBC spokesman said: "The BBC's responsibility is to report news stories that are in the public interest." The corporation said the "extensive disclosure of historical child sexual abuse" by other celebrities made the investigation - and a subsequent police decision to search his home - a worthy news story. "A search happened, and because it did, the BBC reported it - just as any other media organisation would have and did," the spokesman said. South Yorkshire Police had already apologised "wholeheartedly for the additional anxiety caused". The force learned of the sex offence allegations in July 2014, searching Sir Cliff's Berkshire flat the following month. In June 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service announced Sir Cliff would face no charges. The star's lawyers said he suffered "profound and long-lasting" damage from coverage of the search, and from being publicly named as a suspected sex offender. They also say South Yorkshire Police contravened guidance on "relationships with the media".

Summary: Sir Cliff Richard and South Yorkshire Police have settled a legal fight over reports naming him as a suspected sex offender.


The suspended Uefa president, 60, was banned by the world governing body's ethics committee in December, along with its president Sepp Blatter. Both were found guilty of breaches surrounding a £1.3m ($2m) "disloyal payment" to Platini. Blatter's appeal against his own ban is due to be heard on Tuesday. The former France international and the Swiss have both denied any wrongdoing. Platini was also fined £54,000 ($80,000) after being found guilty of breaching Fifa's code of ethics. Both Platini and Blatter said the payment was made following a verbal agreement between the pair when the Frenchman worked for Blatter from 1998 to 2002, though it was not paid until nine years later. The Fifa appeals committee, which is chaired by president of the Bermuda Football Association Larry Mussenden, has the power to reduce, increase or overturn the ban. The ethics committee's investigatory chamber has confirmed it is appealing against the sanctions imposed on Platini and Blatter on the grounds that they are too lenient. Uefa said last month that it will not hold an election for its presidency until Platini's appeals process has been concluded. Platini had at one stage been favourite to succeed Blatter as Fifa president, but the opening of ethics proceedings against him and subsequent ban ended any chance of that happening. Fifa's presidential election is due to take place on 26 February. On Friday, the committee banned the governing body's former secretary general Jerome Valcke for 12 years for multiple breaches of the code of ethics.

Summary: Michel Platini's appeal against his eight-year ban from all football-related activity will be heard by Fifa's appeals committee on Monday.


Residents will be moved from their homes in the south-western province of Guizhou to prevent interference with the telescope's electromagnetism. The project's lead scientists told China's state news agency that the telescope would further the search for intelligent life in the universe. It will dwarf the world's current largest such telescope in Puerto Rico. The 500m-wide Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) is due to be operational this year. Provincial officials have vowed to relocate 9,110 residents living within five kilometres of the listening device by September, the official Xinhua news agency said. The relocations will "create a sound electromagnetic wave environment", the news agency cited regional official Li Yuecheng as saying. Residents will reportedly receive 12,000 yuan (Â£1,280; $1,800) in subsidies for their troubles, with some getting extra support for housing, it said. FAST, built at a cost of 1.2bn yuan, will dwarf the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico as the world's largest radio telescope, which is about 300m in diameter. Wu Xiangping, director-general of the Chinese Astronomical Society, said the telescope's high level of sensitivity "will help us to search for intelligent life outside of the galaxy", Xinhua reported. In the past China has relocated hundreds of thousands of people to make way for large infrastructure projects such as dams and canals. Many have complained of poor compensation. As well as upping investment in astronomy, Beijing is accelerating its multi-billion-dollar space exploration programme, with plans for a permanent orbiting station by 2020.

Summary: China is preparing to relocate nearly 10,000 people to make way for the world's largest radio telescope.


The club said the 25-year-old would be out for "a number of weeks". Forrester sustained the injury in the Scottish Challenge Cup final win over Peterhead on Sunday. Earlier this week, he signed a new contract to stay at Ibrox until 2019 after helping Rangers win the Championship.

Summary: Rangers winger Harry Forrester will miss Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic after a scan revealed he has a hairline fracture of the leg.


Two of them did not march to police lines at the junction of Woodvale Road and Woodvale Parade on 12 July, the point at which the Parades Commission said the parade must stop. In the previous three years, the Orange Order arrived in force, with hundreds of members, supporters and bandsmen. But, on Tuesday, fewer than 20 members of Ballysillan lodge, and a small number of supporters, arrived at a police barrier erected across the road. They clearly expected the other lodges to join them, and waited for an hour and a quarter for them to do so. The assembled media were told repeatedly by Orange, loyalist and police sources that Ligoniel True Blues and the Earl of Erne lodges were on their way. But they never came. At 20:30 BST, looking visibly frustrated, members of Ballysillan LOL 1891 walked away from police lines and dispersed. The lodge and the Orange Order have since rejected any suggestion it was deliberately left out on a limb for opposing a deal with a nationalist residents' group in Ardoyne to end the parade dispute. The proposed deal collapsed earlier this month after Ballysillan made it clear it would not back it, while the others said they would. Gerald Solinas, a spokesman for Ballysillan, said it was simply because the other lodges would not have made it to the police barrier before the 20:30 BST cut-off point imposed by the parades commission. The Orange Order has backed this claim and insisted what happened was not the result of a deliberate decision to isolate Ballysillan. But the BBC has established that a deliberate decision was taken to keep the three lodges apart. There are more than 100 lodges within Belfast County Grand Lodge Each of them is a member of one of nine districts. Traditionally all lodges within each district walk together. However, that has not happened in north Belfast since this disputed parade was prevented from completing its return leg past the Ardoyne shop fronts in July 2013. Since then, the three lodges involved in the dispute have marched together in solidarity, despite being members of different districts. Ballysillan LOL 1891 is member of District Number Three, Ligoniel True Blues LOL 1932 part of Number One, and the Earl of Erne LOL 647 is a member of District Number Four. In the three previous years the lodges were given special allowances by their governing body, Belfast County Grand Lodge, to walk together close to the head of the Twelfth parade. That changed this year. Instead, the lodges decided they would parade as part of their own districts, and not together. Each year one of the districts leads the parade. This year it was the turn of District Number Three, so Ballysillan helped lead the way. The other districts then followed in numerical order, with the Earl of Erne, District Number Four, directly behind them. Districts five, six, seven, eight and nine then followed, before going back to District Number One, which meant Ligoneil was towards the back of the parade. The Orange Order claim that the

Summary: Tuesday marked the first time since a stand-off over a disputed Orange Order parade in Belfast started in July 2013, that the three lodges involved have not spoken with one voice.


The festival showcases films on climbing, mountain biking, skiing, kayaking and adventure travel. The tour's Scottish destinations are Edinburgh on Saturday, Inverness on 12 and 13 February, Pitlochry on 14 February and Glasgow on 10 May. The films include The Ridge - featuring Skye-born cyclist Danny MacAskill - Sun Dog, Touch, All My Own Stunts, Arctic Swell and Wild Women: Faith Dickey and Into the Empty Quarter.

Summary: Canada's Banff Mountain Film Festival is about to begin its latest world tour, which includes dates and venues in the UK and Ireland.


Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Hayes said the Ms Pinkney was "an incredibly strong candidate". If she is approved, Pinkney will take over from Andy Marsh. Ms Pinkney is currently the Deputy Chief Constable of Sussex Police. Hampshire is currently being run by acting chief constable Graham McNulty. She said: "I am delighted to have been selected as the preferred candidate, and it will be an honour to have the opportunity of serving alongside them." She received the Queen's Police Medal in the 2016 New Year's Honours List. Mr Hayes added: "Olivia was an incredibly strong candidate and will bring a wealth of operational experience and strategic leadership to the chief constable role."

Summary: Hampshire could have its first female Chief Constable by 11 March after Olivia Pinkney has been named the force's preferred candidate.


BitTorrent Sync uses peer-to-peer technology to send information between users' PCs. It eliminates the need to upload data to a third party's computer servers, as is the case with services such as Dropbox, Google Drive and SkyDrive. But one analyst said businesses were unlikely to be tempted by the idea. Davies Murphy Group's Chris Green said companies would worry about their lack of control over the new process even though it did not rely on a third-party's data centre to update what might be sensitive files. But he said it might appeal to some members of the public for private use. BitTorrent is an eight-year old San Francisco-based company offering a range of free-to-use products designed to make it easy and quick to send large files over the internet. They work by co-ordinating the process so that devices downloading material also share small pieces of already-accessed data with others in order to share the load. Although the technology has become associated with media piracy due to its use by some media-sharing sites, BitTorrent itself is a legal company that makes money by licensing its technology and brands to business customers. It began testing the new tool at the start of the year. The facility is categorised as alpha - signalling it is still being tested and may be unstable - but the firm announced on its blog that it was now ready to invite the public to try it out. It suggested users might find it quicker and more private than the alternatives. "Since Sync is based on P2P [peer-to-peer technology] and doesn't require a pit-stop in the cloud, you can transfer files at the maximum speed supported by your network," it said. "Your information is never stored on a server in the cloud; your data is protected by encrypted keys. Your files belong to you, and stay on the devices of your choice." To prevent unauthorised access to shared data, the software generates a private key for each synched folder on the original device. This is made up of at least 32 characters and must be entered into all the other devices to which the information is sent to in order for the files to be accessible. One of the benefits of synching software is that it allows a user to ensure any changes made to a document on one machine are copied to all their other devices. In its current state, BitTorrent Sync achieves this by noting the change and then copying the whole updated file to other computers, replacing any earlier version. This means it may be less efficient in some cases than some of the cloud-based services that can detect which parts of a file have been changed and only copy over those bits of the data. However, BitTorrent has indicated that it too hopes to introduce "differential sync" later this year. The technology has the potential to disrupt the nascent file-synching industry. Although Dropbox, Google, Microsoft, Apple, SugarSync and others offer a limited amount of free storage on their services, they make money by charging customers who

Summary: Developers of the BitTorrent file-sharing process have opened an experimental data-synchronising tool up to the public.


It was a repeat of the Lingfield Oaks Trial 1-2 as the 14-1 winner beat Architecture, ridden by Frankie Dettori for Hugo Palmer. Harlequeen was third, with Turret Rocks in fourth place. Earlier, the £1,000 purchase Mrs Danvers scooped a first prize of nearly £123,000 by winning the Super Sprint at Newbury. Seventh Heaven, a daughter of prolific stallion Galileo, put behind her a below-par display at Epsom to give O'Brien his fifth success in the fillies' Classic. However, his main hope - the Ribblesdale Stakes winner Even Song - was well-beaten despite being sent off the 4-5 favourite. Mrs Danvers retained her unbeaten record when defeating 22 rivals at Newbury. Jockey Luke Morris pushed the Jonathan Portman-trained filly to the front two furlongs out and the 9-2 joint-favourite won by one and a quarter lengths, with Stormy Clouds second and Clem Fandango third.

Summary: Seventh Heaven, ridden by Seamie Heffernan, sprang a surprise to win the Irish Oaks for trainer Aidan O'Brien.


It has been reported that the Pirates of the Caribbean actor will also have a brief cameo in the first film, a spin-off from the Harry Potter Franchise. It is not yet known what role Depp will play in the fantasy series, which will revolve around a fictional author mentioned in the Harry Potter stories. The first Fantastic Beasts film opens in the UK and US on 18 November. Depp is known for playing Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, which will continue next year with a fifth instalment. The 53-year-old was seen earlier this year reprising his role as The Mad Hatter in Alice Through the Looking Glass, a sequel to 2010's Alice in Wonderland. Last month Harry Potter creator JK Rowling revealed she had planned scripts for a total of five Fantastic Beasts films. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Holliday Grainger has joined the cast of a TV series based on Rowling's Robert Galbraith crime novels. The British actress will play Robin, the assistant to private detective Cormoran Strike, in the BBC One adaptation, which is set to begin shooting this month. Rowling, who has written three novels under her Robert Galbraith pseudonym, said she "couldn't be more delighted" about Grainger's casting. Grainger, who appeared earlier this year in Coast Guard drama The Finest Hours, said her character's "strength and intelligence" would be "a joy to explore". War and Peace actor Tom Burke will play Strike in the seven hour-long dramas to be drawn from Rowling's Career of Evil, The Silkworm and The Cuckoo's Calling books. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Johnny Depp is set to have a role in the second Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film, due out in 2018.


The adult male rhino was shot dead and its horn was cut off. Just hours earlier, the royal couple came within 50 yards (metres) of a rare one-horned rhino during their safari. The 430 sq km (166 sq mile) park, in the north-eastern state of Assam, is home to the world's largest concentration of one-horned rhinos. Wildlife poachers pose the biggest threat to the animals, killing them for their horns. The animal is currently listed as "vulnerable" by conservation groups. Seven rhinos have already been killed in 2016, while 20 were poached in 2015. Kaziranga is estimated to be home to 2,400 one-horned rhinos out of a global population of 3,300. The national park is also home to elephants, water buffalo, the endangered swamp deer and tigers.

Summary: A rhino was killed by poachers in India's Kaziranga national park on the same day the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge toured the sanctuary.


The two parties have reached a mutually satisfactory agreement and the legal case has been dropped, according to a statement given to Screen Daily. They producers had claimed her last-minute departure caused delays on the Natalie Portman-starring Western. The Scottish film-maker had previously denied reports she was being sued. Ramsay's last film, an adaptation of the novel We Need to Talk About Kevin, starring Tilda Swinton, premiered to critical acclaim in competition in Cannes in 2011. The film also earned her a Bafta nomination and the best director prize at the British Independent Film Awards. Jane Got a Gun will tell the story of a woman who asks an ex-lover for help in saving her husband from a gang who want him dead. Jude Law and Bradley Cooper also left the production shortly after Ramsay. The film will now be directed by Gavin O'Connor, with a cast including Ewan McGregor and Joel Edgerton. "Jane Got a Gun Production LLC and Lynne Ramsay announce the pending civil action and all other disputes between the parties associated with Jane Got a Gun Motion Picture have been resolved privately and to their mutual satisfaction," said the statement published by Screen Daily. It was not revealed whether the resolution involved a financial settlement. Ramsay herself has yet to comment. Several sources claimed the disagreements involved delays and control of the film's final cut, with the Hollywood Reporter claiming Ramsay had not been presented with an approved schedule, script or budget days before shooting was set to begin. In November, the Hollywood Reporter also published court papers, in which it was claimed Ramsay "was repeatedly under the influence of alcohol, was abusive to members of the cast and crew and was generally disruptive". Ramsay later issued a statement saying she had not been served with that particular lawsuit. "The allegations as recently reported are simply false," the statement added. "Lynne looks forward to presenting the truth about this situation in the proper forum."

Summary: Director Lynne Ramsay has settled a legal dispute with the producers of the film Jane Got a Gun, which she quit days before shooting began last year.


Security forces were deployed on Monday morning and heavy gunfire was heard in the streets The Ninjas were a major anti-government force in the 1997-99 civil war. The violence comes weeks after Denis Sassou Nguesso won a third presidential term in a poll that the opposition said was marred by "massive fraud". At least one police station and a government building were attacked in the Makelekele district. The Ninjas were loyal to former Prime Minister Bernard Kolelas, the father of Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas, who stood in the presidential election in March and got 15% of the vote. Mr Sassou Nguesso, in power for more than 30 years, won the election with 60% of the vote. Reuters news agency reports that on Monday morning young opposition supporters were chanting "Sassou, leave!" in Makelekele , which is in the south of the capital city.

Summary: The Congolese government has blamed attacks on government buildings in the capital, Brazzaville, on the Ninja militia group.


Habibur Chowdhury, paid Mohammed Manik just over half the minimum wage to work a 72-hour week. Chowdhury's Ashiana restaurant was raided in June 2015 following a tip-off about illegal immigrants working there. He later told police he had nothing to do with the restaurant and claimed not to know who Mr Manik was. His defence agent described 60-year-old Chowdhury as "wilfully blind" when it came to checking the Bangladeshi national's papers. Mr Manik told Home Office investigators he "felt exploited" by Chowdhury. Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson previously told Dundee Sheriff Court that Mr Manik had applied for asylum but had been refused. She said: "He couldn't support himself and was living in Glasgow. "He explained his predicament to a friend who put him in touch with the accused who offered him a job in Dundee." The court was told Mr Manik was paid cash to work six days a week for 12 hours a day. Miss Robertson said: "He was paid £300 a week regardless of how much he worked." Chowdhury, of Dundee, admitted employing someone who had not been granted leave to enter or remain in the UK. Sheriff Alastair Brown imposed a restriction of liberty order confining Chowdhury to his home address from 19:00 to 07:00 every day for six months. Sheriff Brown said: "It seems reasonably clear that the UK government and a significant proportion of the UK public is exercised about immigration. "The laws are there to protect the vulnerable. "The picture I get from your record, this offence and your attitude to the social workers preparing reports in this case is of a man who regards regulatory rules with an arrogant attitude that they don't apply to him unless he so chooses."

Summary: A Dundee restaurateur who paid a failed asylum seeker £4 an hour to run his kitchen has been placed on a six-month curfew.


More than £100m is being spent on redeveloping Auckland Castle in Bishop Auckland and creating an open-air historical show called Kynren. The Ernst & Young report, commissioned by the Auckland Castle Trust, suggests the projects will attract 430,000 visitors a year by 2020. Kynren is due to open on 2 July. Report author David Smith, said: "The potential economic output for the town, County Durham, and the wider North East is considerable. "It is refreshing that this regeneration of a historically important market town will be based on predominantly private sector funding. "The figures in the report are prudent. But we took the view of what could be the optimum outcome, and we said up to £20m a year for the expected total economic impact of all the planned projects. "However, if they get the support from visitors, retailers and other businesses, then it could be far more." David Ronn, managing director of the Auckland Castle Trust, said: "This is the first time we've had hard economic data on what the advantages will be. "The vision since the trust took over Auckland Castle in 2012 has always been to create job and business opportunities for this area. "The purpose of the independent report is to be clear about what those benefits will be, and to encourage support from those who have an interest in the county and the town."

Summary: The redevelopment of a County Durham town could generate £20m a year for the region's economy and create more than 400 jobs, a report says.


Crafted in the shape of the letter Y for Yorkshire, the trophy will be handed to the winner of the inaugural event, which runs from 1 to 3 May. It has been designed and made by Thomas Fattorini Ltd - a company originally founded in Yorkshire in 1827. Earlier this month, Sir Bradley Wiggins confirmed his intention to ride in the race. The trophy was unveiled at Brudenell Primary School in Leeds earlier. Tom Fattorini, director of sales and marketing, said: "We do business internationally, supplying trophies to the likes of FIFA, and when we were invited to support the production of the Tour de Yorkshire trophy and medals we felt it was a perfect fit given our Yorkshire history." The Tour will begin on 1 May with a stage from Bridlington to Scarborough, followed by Selby to York on 2 May, and Wakefield to Leeds on 3 May. There will be more than 500km (310 miles) of racing through Yorkshire over the three days.

Summary: The trophy to be presented to the winner of the Tour de Yorkshire has been unveiled.


Ecologists from the National Trust plan to release the new colony into Malham Tarn, England's highest freshwater lake. It will be the first time voles have been in high Yorkshire Dales in 50 years. Vole numbers have dropped by almost 90% in recent decades, and they have become one of the UK's most threatened mammals. The animals being released have been bred in captivity and will be introduced in batches over five days. They will spend two days in cages along the banks of the lake, before the cage doors are opened on the third day. Ecologists will place apples and carrots on floating rafts near the cages to tempt the voles out into their new environment. Once fully introduced into the wild, they will largely eat grass, reeds and roots. Roisin Black, a National Trust ranger at Malham Tarn, said: "In the rest of Europe, water voles are common. In Britain, the creatures are incredibly rare. "We know water voles have thrived at Malham Tarn in the past and thanks to work by the National Trust, the habitat here is perfect for water voles again." The UK's water vole population was decimated in the 1960s, largely by American mink that had escaped from fur farms. Water voles live in burrows dug into banks along slow-moving rivers, streams or ditches. The population has been unable to recover, largely due its natural habitat being destroyed by intensive farming, pollution and flood plains being concreted over. Mink have not been seen in the region of Malham Tarn for 10 years. Rangers say they will closely monitor the area for any signs of the predators by setting devices that can capture their footprints. Ecologists hope the voles being released at Malham Tarn will improve the local ecosystem, saying their burrowing should provide the space for rare species of moss and liverwort to thrive. They will also be food for struggling predators such as barn owls and otters. National Trust rangers will monitor the colony over the coming year. They should produce between two and five litters every year, with up to eight pups in each litter. If the water voles in the reintroduction project flourish, ecologists say they plan to breed and release another 100 next year.

Summary: About 100 water voles are to be released in the Yorkshire Dales.


The pilgrims had been travelling through Mastung in Balochistan province on their way to the Iranian border when the attack happened. Several other people were injured, some critically, Pakistani media reported. No group has admitted carrying out the attack but police say they believe the motive was sectarian. Sunni and Shia extremists have frequently clashed and launched attacks on each other over the past 20 years. Bus driver Khushal Khan said his vehicle was stopped by eight to 10 men driving in two jeeps that came from the opposite direction. Mr Khan said the men ordered everybody out of the bus and made them stand in a line before spraying them with AK-47 rifle bursts. Women and children were among the 45 passengers. He said some managed to run away but others were shot. Six passengers who were injured were taken away for treatment. Police said the bus had come from the provincial capital Quetta and was heading for the border town of Taftan. It was the deadliest attack against Shias in Pakistan since a suicide bomber killed at least 57 people at a Shia rally in Quetta in September 2010. Shia Muslims are a minority in Pakistan. At least 13 people were killed when a suicide bomber struck in the car park of a Shia mosque in Quetta - capital of Balochistan province - during the Eid festival at the end of last month. The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that responsibility for most attacks has been claimed by the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) sectarian outfit, a predominantly Punjabi group with links to al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Police in Balochistan have over the years arrested a number of LJ activists in connection with these attacks. Some of them have been sentenced to death or imprisonment by the courts. Our correspondent says both police and the Shia community believe the mastermind behind most of the recent attacks was an LJ commander, Osman Saifullah, who was arrested in 2006 but escaped from a maximum security anti-terrorism prison in the cantonment area of Quetta in 2008. Buses leave Quetta every day to carry pilgrims to the Shia holy sites in western Iran and parts of southern Iraq. They have been a target for many attacks by sectarian militants in recent years.

Summary: At least 26 Shia Muslim pilgrims have been killed by a group of gunmen who opened fire on a bus in western Pakistan, officials said.


They say diesel emissions have been poorly controlled. And indoor air pollution has been overlooked. Tobacco still poses the biggest indoor threat, but wood-burning stoves, cleaning products and air fresheners can contribute. Mould and mildew in poorly ventilated rooms can also cause illness. "Being indoors can offer some protection against outdoor air pollution, but it can also expose us to other air pollution sources," the report says. "There is now good awareness of the risks from badly maintained gas appliances, radioactive radon gas and second-hand tobacco smoke, but indoors we can also be exposed to NO2 [nitrogen dioxide] from gas cooking and solvents that slowly seep from plastics, paints and furnishings. "The lemon-and-pine scents that we use to make our homes smell fresh can react chemically to generate air pollutants, and ozone-based air fresheners can also cause indoor air pollution." Co-author Prof Jonathan Grigg said there was now clear evidence that air pollution - largely from factories and traffic - was linked to heart disease and lung problems, including asthma. "As NHS costs continue to escalate due to poor public health - asthma alone costs the NHS an estimated Â£1bn a year - it is essential that policy makers consider the effects of long-term exposure on our children and the public purse," he said. Prof Grigg said the public could also help by: Drivers 'exposed to highest levels of pollution' Prof Stephen Holgate, asthma expert at Southampton University and chairman of the reporting group, warned against complacency. "We all have a part to play to cut environmental pollution. We can't see it, smell it or taste it, which is why people do not necessarily think we have a problem," he said. Is there a danger from scented products? "When you see cars piling up on the way to school taking their children, the fumes directly from the vehicle in front are being vented straight into the car behind, and exposing their child - and yet we are ignoring this," he added. Prof Holgate called for authorities to monitor pollution levels more closely, build new homes away from busy roads and consider closing particularly polluted roads at certain times. He also advised people to open and close windows in the home several times a day. "It's amazing that we are now living in these tight, sealed homes that we are frightened of opening the window and letting a bit of fresh air in," he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme. A spokesman from the Chemical Industries Association said: "This report should be seen as a significant contribution to an important debate. Chemical and pharmaceutical businesses take their responsibilities extremely seriously in both the production and use of their products, with due regard to the health of their employees and the public at large. "Improving air quality is central to that responsibility and we will continue to be proactive in meeting our regulatory requirements and delivering innovative solutions that seek to minimise the risks of exposure."

Summary: Outdoor air pollution is contributing to about 40,000 early deaths a year in the UK, say the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Paediatrics and Child Health.


Alistair Darby, who is currently chief operating officer at Marston's, will take up the top job at M&B in October. He will become M&B's first permanent chief executive since Adam Fowle resigned back in March 2011. M&G owns the All Bar One, Harvester, Toby Carvery and O'Neills chains, with more than 1,500 outlets overall. Mr Alistair Darby will take over the chief executive role from Bob Ivell who has been combining it with his position as chairman on a stand-in basis since October of last year. Mr Ivell said the appointment of Mr Darby had followed an "extensive and rigorous" search process. He added: "I am confident that we have secured the right person for the role and that drawing on his wealth of operational and brand experience."

Summary: Pub and restaurant group Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has appointed the director of a rival company as its new chief executive.


The Spanish midfielder, 30, joined Watford from Fiorentina on a four-and-a-half-year deal in January 2016. He played 17 times in all competitions during his first season. But in August 2016 he moved to Valencia on a season-long loan, returning to Spain where he had previously played for Atletico Madrid, Valladolid, Mallorca and Celta Vigo. Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng currently sit 11th of the 16 teams in the Chinese Super League after 16 games of the season. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Mario Suarez has left Watford to join Chinese side Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng FC for an undisclosed fee.


The 5m (16ft) wide, 3m (10ft) deep crater appeared on Saturday night under the northbound carriageway near the Gateshead MetroCentre. The road, which carries about 90,000 vehicles a day, was immediately closed between junctions 67 and 68. Highways England said repairs had been completed and the road had reopened. The hole was thought to be related to former mine workings. Tyne Tunnel tolls on the nearby A19, which were suspended during the repair process, are now back in force. The latest travel news can be found here.

Summary: A sinkhole which opened up on the A1 on Tyneside and brought delays to tens of thousands of motorists has been repaired, highways officials have said.


Residents claim they have seen gangs wielding weapons speed through pedestrianised areas near Thomas's Battersea School in south-west London. CCTV footage shows them weaving among restaurant tables, threatening diners and passers-by. Prince George is due to start the Â£6,110 a year school in September. "There are break-ins every night, residents are being terrorised every other day either by riding on pavements or at people," said one local, who was too scared to be identified. "When police are called their response is 'there's nothing we can do'." "The police don't chase them so it's almost a licence to commit crime," said another resident, who also wanted to remain anonymous. Staff at Thomas's declined to comment on the moped incidents or on any security measures being put in place. CCTV footage gathered by the Press Association from business website LondonLovesBusiness.com shows one incident where thieves on a motorbike tried to kick someone off their bicycle before breaking in to a car directly outside the school on Battersea High Street. Residents said the gangs, who are believed to live locally, hide their faces with balaclavas and are dressed in black. The vehicles are believed to be stolen and the number plates are either blacked out or removed. Insp Guy Osborne, of the Battersea Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said Wandsworth Police were "very aware" of moped-enabled crime, and called the issue "a borough priority". He said officers were giving crime prevention advice and were working with moped manufacturers to make them harder to steal. He added that incidents involving weapons had not been reported. Moped-crime is a London-wide issue which is increasing. A BBC investigation found that crime involving mopeds in the city had increased by more than 600% between 2014-16. On Friday, moped gangs armed with hammers were photographed outside the BBC's Broadcasting House in central London and on Sunday, the Met released footage of a gang knocking down and breaking the leg of a tourist as they tried to steal his watch.

Summary: Moped gangs armed with machetes have been terrorising people in the streets close to Prince George's future primary school, locals have said.


The incident happened earlier outside an Edinburgh University building where a student occupation is underway. A report will be sent to the procurator fiscal. It follows footage posted on social media showing an altercation between a security guard and a student. The university said it "deeply regretted the unfortunate incident". About 30 students have been occupying a university building in protest at its "failure to commit" to divestment from fossil fuels. Eric Lai, one of the occupiers inside, said: "We have been repeatedly told that the university supports our right to protest, but that couldn't feel further from the truth." "The university have posted dozens of guards to the doors, and have now taken to intimidation and violence to shut us up. It is hard to imagine a more inappropriate way to handle student protest." "The university need to immediately change their approach, allowing open access to the building and engaging with the politics of why we're here, rather than just covering their ears to both the demands of students and staff, and the desperate urgency of tackling climate change. "Until they move their money out of fossil fuels, we're going nowhere." An Edinburgh University spokesman said: "The university is aware of, and deeply regrets, the unfortunate incident that is currently being played on social media. The matter is now in the hands of the police. "We continue to support the right of students to peacefully and lawfully demonstrate and the University is using private security outside its buildings in Chambers Street in order to secure the safety of staff and students during the occupation." "We are constantly reviewing our security arrangements to make sure that they are appropriate to the circumstances in what is an evolving situation."

Summary: Two men have been arrested by police in connection with a disturbance in Chambers Street in Edinburgh.


The 19-year-old son of Saints director of rugby Jim scored a try in his first two matches for Saints and has made a total of nine appearances. Fellow backs Tom Collins, George Furbank, Rory Hutchinson, Sam Olver and Howard Packman have also signed deals. As have forwards Will Allman, Sion Bennett, James Fish, Lewis Ludlam, Alex Moon, Jordan Onojaife and Josh Peters. Of the group, England Under-20 wing Collins, 21, is the most experienced in a Saints shirt, having made 27 first-team appearances. Scotland Under-20 centre Hutchinson, 20; England Under-20s 21-year-old fly-half Olver; England Under-20 wing Packman, 20 and England Under-20 second row Onojaife, 20, are the others in the group to have played for Northampton's first team. "The Saints academy is doing its job, identifying and bringing through local talent. "There are some highly-rated players in that group - some who've already made an impact in the first team such as Tom Collins and Harry Mallinder. "The challenge for the club and the players is for more of them to make the step up now and break into the match-day 23 - something which has been difficult this season without an Anglo-Welsh Cup."

Summary: Northampton Saints centre Harry Mallinder is among 13 youngsters to sign new deals with the club.


Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said his party would oppose it, unless they were promised a second referendum on the UK's Brexit deal with EU leaders. Several Labour MPs are also willing to vote against it, despite the Labour Party pledging not to do so. The government says Lib Dem and Labour MPs are "trying to thwart and reverse the referendum result". With the support of Conservative MPs and the support or abstention of most Labour MPs, the bill is well placed to pass through the Commons. But the opposition of some MPs is likely to embolden critics in the House of Lords. The Liberal Democrats have long called for a referendum on the outcome of the government's negotiations with EU, but only now have they said they will definitely vote against Article 50 if their demand is not met. Mr Farron, whose party has eight MPs in the Commons, told BBC Radio 4's Today: "Article 50 would proceed but only if there is a referendum on the terms of the deal and if the British people are not respected then, yes, that is a red line and we would vote against the government." For Labour, shadow minister Catherine West, former leadership contender Owen Smith and south London MP Helen Hayes all made clear they were prepared to vote against Article 50 - which begins formal exit negotiations with the EU - if amendments were not accepted. Former Labour minister David Lammy and shadow transport minister Daniel Zeichner have said they would oppose Article 50. Opposition whip Thangam Debbonaire said she would also vote against it, if a vote were held imminently. The SNP's 54 MPs may join them. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said they will not vote for anything that undermines the will of the Scottish people, and has previously said they will vote against a bill to write EU provisions into British law to prepare for Brexit. Dulwich Labour MP Hayes said she was prepared to defy Labour whips to oppose the measure unless the government promised a second referendum. She said: "I had somebody in my surgery last week who was in tears because of Brexit and I see genuine distress amongst my constituents about what this path means. "I would not be representing them if I voted to trigger Article 50 on the basis of no information from the government about the path that they would then take us on." In posts on Twitter and Facebook earlier this week, shadow Foreign Office minister Catherine West wrote: "As I have said before, I stand with the people of Hornsey & Wood Green, and I will vote against Brexit in Parliament." Owen Smith confirmed to Today that if his bid for a second referendum failed, he was likely to oppose the bill. The SDLP's three MPs will also oppose the measure. Ministers said MPs voting against Article 50 would effectively be trying to re-run the referendum in the hope of a "different answer". "Parliament voted by a margin of six to one to put the decision on whether to

Summary: Liberal Democrat, some Labour and SDLP MPs have told the BBC they are prepared to vote against triggering Article 50.


The 35-year-old, who missed the second half of last season with a knee injury, has committed to Swiss Indoors until 2019. Federer, who returned to action in January, won his first Grand Slam title since 2012 and his 18th in total with victory in the Australian Open. "Playing in Basel is always a highlight of the year," he said. He has won Swiss Indoors seven times since making his debut in the tournament in 1998. He is scheduled to return to action next week at the Dubai Duty Free Championships. "If I am spared again by the injuries, I am convinced that I am still capable of beating the best players in the world in the big tournaments," he said in January. Tennis correspondent Russell Fuller Federer's first appearance in his home tournament was in 1998, where as a 17-year-old he was beaten in straight sets by Andre Agassi. There is, of course, no guarantee Federer will be on the Order of Play in 2019, but this is another reminder of his long-term thinking. He missed the last six months of 2016, not just to allow his knee to recover, but also with preservation of his body in mind. At one stage, the conversation revolved around whether Federer would make it to the Rio Olympics. It is time to start the debate about Tokyo. Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Roger Federer has signed a three-year deal to play at his hometown event in Basel until the age of 38.


Plaid is cooperating with Labour's minority government from opposition. Ms Wood said there was "ongoing discussion" about whether it was better to formally share power, with members genuinely torn over the "dilemma". But Plaid Cymru AM Neil McEvoy said that the agreed official position was against coalition and "reports to the contrary surprise me". The South Wales Central AM is due to speak at a fringe meeting at Plaid Cymru's conference on Saturday in opposition to joining Labour in the Welsh Government. But Ms Wood told BBC Wales that her party was "actively considering this all the time". "This question of how best Plaid Cymru can play a role that protects Wales' best interests," she said. "We have taken the view thus far that we can use this minority government situation to get as many of our manifesto commitments through and to influence other aspects like legislation, like the debate on Brexit. "But we have also taken the view that the government deserves opposition as well and scrutiny and we can't afford to leave it just to the parties of the right to do that." "That could change as time goes on, but as things stand at the moment the compact has served us well and the fact that we've managed to deliver Â£119m worth of our commitments in the budget shows that it's working quite well for us at the moment." The compact was the agreement Plaid made with Labour to allow Carwyn Jones to return as first minister, a week after he and Ms Wood were deadlocked in a vote to take the top job. The two parties have a "good working relationship", she said, but there remained big differences between them over Brexit. Ms Wood added: "I think people [in Plaid] are genuinely torn between the two views of whether or not they [Labour] are so bad at governing that we should be in there helping them, or they are doing such a bad job they need to be held to account with a strong opposition. This is the dilemma. "I think that's the conundrum for most members." Simon Thomas, who represented Plaid Cymru in the compact negotiations, stressed what he saw as the success of the arrangement, while accepting that some in his party were pushing for a place in government. The Mid and West Wales AM said: "Though there's always been, and always will be in Welsh politics, discussion about coalitions we have an actual relationship with the Welsh Government which I want to see work because I think it's delivered in the budget process. "I think we need to maintain that going forward as the most appropriate method for challenging the government and holding them to account whilst, of course, not being in coalition with them." Plaid will use its conference in Llangollen to demonstrate t secured concessions in this week's draft budget including more money for higher education and medical training. As a result, Plaid plans to abstain on voting on the budget, which will allow the Labour-led Welsh Government's spending plans to pass. However,

Summary: Plaid Cymru is "actively considering" whether to seek a coalition with Labour, leader Leanne Wood has said.


The former first lady and widow of former President Hafez al-Assad died in hospital, the presidency tweeted. Reports say she was ill for many years and travelled frequently to Germany for treatment before 2012, when she was blacklisted by the EU. Marrying Hafez in 1957, she had five children, three of them still alive. The rise of the Assads She was born into a wealthy family from Syria's Alawite minority from Latakia and rarely appeared in public after her marriage. However, she is believed to have stayed close to Bashar and the other children. She was later reported to have left Syria to join her daughter Bushra in the United Arab Emirates. Bushra moved there after a bomb killed her husband, Deputy Defence Minister Assef Shawkat, in 2012. Mrs Assad is survived by Bashar, Bushra and Bashar's younger brother Maher, a general in the Syrian army. Bashar's older brother Bassel, who had been groomed to take over the presidency, died in a car accident in 1994. The other brother, Majd, died of an unspecified illness in 2009, according to state media.

Summary: The mother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Anisa, has died at the age of 86 in the capital Damascus, his office announced.


It will determine whether irregularities were committed and the election should be held again. Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer narrowly lost to the former leader of the Greens, Alexander Van der Bellen, by less than a percentage point. The court heard from about 90 witnesses during two weeks of public hearings. The Freedom Party argues that the way postal votes were handled was among numerous irregularities that culminated in its defeat to the Greens by just under 31,000 votes. It says that postal ballots were illegally handled in 94 out of 117 districts. Austrian far right challenges presidential poll result Is Europe lurching to the far right? Europe's nationalist surge, country by country Is populism a threat to Europe's economies? If elected Mr Hofer would have been the first far-right head of state of an EU country, Preliminary results in the vote count suggested he had a narrow lead but that disappeared after about 700,000 postal votes were counted. The party also claims it has evidence that under-16s and foreigners were allowed to vote. Mr Van der Bellen was eventually declared the winner of the largely ceremonial post with 50.3% of the vote against Mr Hofer's 49.7%. The president elect is due to be sworn in on 8 July. His lawyer insisted that any irregularities that did exist had a negligible impact on the ballot. Correspondents say that if the Constitutional Court disagrees with him, the election would be invalidated - a move that would send shockwaves throughout the country. Such a ruling would also mean that Austria would be compelled to hold another vote in the coming months. If a new election is ordered, departing President Heinz Fischer will be replaced on a temporary basis by three parliamentary officials, including Mr Hofer.

Summary: Austria's Constitutional Court is due to rule on the far-right Freedom Party's challenge to the result of last month's presidential run-off vote.


Both panellists wrote articles attacking the other in the aftermath of the BBC show. On his blog, comedian and campaigner Brand called the UKIP leader an "an end of the pier, end of the road, end of days politician". Mr Farage wrote on the Independent website that Brand had been exposed as a "messiah with feet of clay". The two men were joined on Thursday night's show by Conservative Communities Minister Penny Mordaunt, shadow international development secretary Mary Creagh, and Times columnist Camilla Cavendish. In an often heated debate, with members of the audience yelling at each other and the panel, Brand called Mr Farage a "pound shop Enoch Powell" during a section on immigration, with the UKIP leader responding by saying he believed the UK was "overcrowded". The barbs did not stop when filming ended, as Mr Farage said the performance of the "sometime comedian turned banker-basher" had been "limp". He wrote: "Mr Brand will swan around and tout long-discredited, even conspiratorial, theories about the City of London, and 'who owns politicians' - but actually he had very little to give." For his part, Brand said Mr Farage was "worse than stagnant, he is a tribute act, he is a nostalgic spasm for a Britain that never was; an infinite cricket green with no-one from the colonies to raise the game, grammar schools on every corner and shamed women breastfeeding under giant parasols". The breastfeeding reference followed a row over Mr Farage's suggestion that some venues might ask mothers to "perhaps sit in a corner" to feed their babies. Both men praised the audience of Question Time, which was filmed in Canterbury. Brand, who was urged to stand for Parliament by one man in the crowd. added: "The only worthwhile sentiments, be they raging or insightful, come from the audience". Other questions focused on the NHS, grammar schools and trust in politicians. The programme was watched by an average of 3.5 million viewers, with the audience peaking at 4.6 million at the start. This was nearly a million higher than the previous week's episode, but well below the 7.9 million viewers who watched ex-BNP leader Nick Griffin's appearance on the show in 2009. The encounter also triggered plenty of debate on social media, with 106,000 tweets during the show - compared with 22,000 the week before.

Summary: Russell Brand and Nigel Farage have continued to trade insults following their Question Time clash.


Karen Williams and Patty King said the musician was given "foreign substances to induce his premature death" by his business manager Laverne Toney. Lawyers for King's estate said the claims are unfounded and disrespectful. Nevada's Clark County Coroner said it would investigate with the Las Vegas Police Department's homicide division. "At this point, we don't have evidence that these allegations of foul play will be substantiated," Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg said. "However, we are taking them very seriously and will be conducting a thorough investigation. "We are co-ordinating our investigative efforts with the homicide division of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. I expect the investigation will take a minimum of six to eight weeks." However a statement from the Las Vegas Police Department said: "Until such time as the Clark County Coroner determines Mr King's death to be from other than natural causes, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is not moving forward with any investigation." King died in his sleep at his Las Vegas home on 14 May, aged 89. At the time, his doctor and the coroner said he had died of a series of small strokes connected to his Type 2 diabetes. But the guitarist's daughters alleged that King's personal assistant Myron Johnson and Toney gave him medication to induce diabetic shock. The women added that "King was sequestered from all family members" in the week before his death, and that Toney and Johnson were the only people with him. Toney, who is the executor of King's estate, shrugged off the daughters' claims. "They've been making allegations all along. What's new?" she told the Associated Press. A lawyer for King's estate also dismissed the accusations as "ridiculous". "I hope they have a factual basis that they can demonstrate for their defamatory and libellous allegations," Brent Bryson said in a statement. Earlier this year, Patty King, Karen Williams and a third daughter, Rita Washington, went to court accusing Toney of neglect, but the case was dismissed because of a lack of evidence. King was born on 16 September 1925 to sharecroppers and worked in the cotton fields as a child before picking up the guitar. Considered one of the world's greatest players, he was known for his sharp single notes and vibrato on the electric guitar he christened Lucille. Known for songs such as The Thrill Is Gone, Three O'Clock Blues and Darlin' You Know I Love You, he influenced generations of guitar players, and was inducted to both the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was married twice and had 15 natural and adopted children, 11 of whom are still alive. His funeral is scheduled to be held on Friday in Mississippi. The Clark County coroner said his investigation would not delay the service.

Summary: US authorities are investigating the death of blues legend BB King after two of his daughters claimed he was poisoned.


Lloyds Banking Group said the faults were not caused by any external upgrade work or cyber attack. Many customers found their debit cards were declined and about 3,500 ATMs were not working for three hours. The technical fault has now been fixed, and the banking group has apologised to those affected. The hardware failure came on a normal day for the banking group, it said. "We were in 'business as usual' mode - and there was no maintenance or update activity on the system at the time," said a spokeswoman for Lloyds. By Kevin PeacheyPersonal finance reporter, BBC News This is not the first bank to suffer from a computer failure, and it certainly won't be the last. New technology will put even more strain on the banks' creaking IT systems, which were built to run a very different banking system decades ago. So how do we cope as consumers? The irony is that the more we embrace the digital wallet, the more emergency cash we may need to carry for when these systems crash. "We are working with our suppliers to understand what caused the hardware failure, but there is no evidence that it was as a result of an external intervention or attack on our systems. "We continually review and update our systems as necessary and make significant investment to do this." The chief executive of TSB, Paul Pester, said on Sunday that its customers' debit card transactions had been affected after problems with two out of seven IT servers. He tweeted an apology and replied to some comments personally. Lloyds Banking Group serves about 30 million customers and is the largest retail banking group in the UK. TSB has about five million UK customers and is in the process of being split from Lloyds Banking Group. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the City watchdog, said it had been in contact with Lloyds and would be updated on how customers had been affected. Not everyone who tried to use their cards suffered problems, and Lloyds said that online customers were unaffected. UK banks have suffered a series of IT problems over the past few years. In December, an estimated 750,000 customers at the Royal Bank of Scotland group were unable to use their credit and debit cards for several hours. Leanne Seaward, 29, from Verwood in Dorset, said she discovered she had problems when she went to pay for her weekly supermarket shop at about 16.15 GMT on Sunday. "It was a little embarrassing, I put my card in and it kept saying transaction void. I thought it was because I am in the process of switching banks, so assumed they might have closed my account without telling me. "Luckily I had my husband with me so he was able to pay, but if I was getting petrol and on my own it could have been a completely different matter." Your experiences A week later, NatWest - which is part of the group - said that it was hit by a cyber attack. A deliberate attempt to disrupt services by

Summary: A hardware failure was the cause of the shutdown of some Halifax, Lloyds, Bank of Scotland and TSB cash machines and debit cards on Sunday.


Bale, 26, has not played since injuring his calf in Real Madrid's 5-1 win against Sporting Gijon on 17 January. Liverpool expect Allen, 25, to be out "for a while" with a hamstring injury. Wales assistant manager Osian Roberts is "hopeful" Bale will be fit but said: "The most important thing is the injury clears up because it can re-occur." Bale is expected to miss Real's Champions League game against Roma on Wednesday after suffering a minor setback in his recovery. "Time will tell over the next two or three weeks how that develops as Gareth steps up his rehab, and we'll take it from there," added Roberts. "He's got some key games coming up for Real Madrid and it's important for us that he's fully fit for such an important tournament in the summer. "Both ourselves and his club will have Gareth's best interests at heart. It's important that the injury fully heals and he doesn't come back too early." Wales host Northern Ireland at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday 24 March before facing Ukraine in Kiev four days later as part of their preparations for Euro 2016. Allen is likely to miss Liverpool's League Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday 28 February after his penalty against Stoke in the semi-final shootout secured their place at Wembley. "Joe has been unlucky with injuries. As far as the friendlies are concerned it's going to be tight. Time will tell," said Roberts. "There's no need to rush him back. We know what Joe can do. "The important thing is that the injury is fully healed and he can have a run of games before the end of the season." Roberts was speaking at a Football Association of Wales grassroots coaching conference at Dragon Park in Newport.

Summary: Wales are unsure if forward Gareth Bale and midfielder Joe Allen will be fit for their friendly matches against Northern Ireland and Ukraine in March.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 19 June 2015 Last updated at 12:11 BST Drone footage produced by Chester Unlocked has revealed hidden craftsmanship such as the Chester Imp carving high up in one of its windows. Other iconic landmarks in the city will be filmed throughout the year.

Summary: A history project has given a glimpse of Chester cathedral which has not been seen for centuries.


The scheme, called Project Griffin, is aimed at workers in busy or crowded places, including the hospitality industry and the health service. It will outline the threat of terrorism and teach people what to do if they are caught up in a terrorist incident. It will also help them recognise and report suspicious activity. The industry self-delivery scheme has been rolled out by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), with the aim of reaching one million people across the UK. Police Scotland is inviting public limited companies and key public sector partners to register for the scheme. Local counter-terrorism advisors will provide briefings to trainers from registered companies and organisations, who will be able to feed the information back to colleagues. Police Scotland has called for increased vigilance from Scottish communities, in particular the public and business sectors, following recent high-profile terrorist attacks in Europe. Last week, it announced plans to increase its number of armed police officers by about a third following warnings the country would not be able to cope with a major terror attack. However, the force stressed there was no specific terror threat to Scotland. Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins, from Police Scotland's operational support division, said: "The threat level for the United Kingdom against international terrorism remains at severe. "This means the threat of an attack is considered to be highly likely. "The threat level to the United Kingdom from Northern Ireland related terrorism was raised on 11 May from moderate to substantial. This means an attack is a strong possibility. "Businesses and organisations can play a crucial role in keeping staff and the public safe through the Project Griffin self-delivery scheme. "Companies are best placed to explain to their staff what action they can take to enhance security and how to respond if the worst happens. I would urge companies and partners to sign up." Police Scotland has included a "Red Stop Button" on most pages of its website to enable people to report the presence of terrorist or extremist material, or discussions online. Ch Insp Ronnie Megaughin, deputy director of the Scottish Business Resilience Centre, said: "This extension of Project Griffin, which will enable a greater number of businesses to ensure their staff are sufficiently aware and prepared for an act of terrorism, is most welcome. "Whilst being prepared and knowing what to do is vital, it is equally important that as many people as possible who work in busy places are aware of the threat and are better equipped to recognise and report suspicious activity. "Self-delivery of Project Griffin modules will enable businesses to contribute to the safety of their own staff and also to the wider safety of the public."

Summary: Scottish businesses and organisations are being urged to sign up for a scheme to keep their staff and the public safe in the event of a terrorist attack.


Following a judicial review, Lord Jones said ministers reached their decision on SSE's Stronelairg project "in breach of environmental obligations". Landscape charity the John Muir Trust sought the review after the wind farm was given planning consent last year. The trust said the turbines would "destroy the character" of wild land. Stuart Brooks, the John Muir Trust's chief executive, said the charity was "delighted" with the review's result. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland and National Trust for Scotland have also welcomed the judicial review. SSE said it was "disappointed". The court heard that Scottish Natural Heritage had objected in principle to the wind farm's proposed site. Lord Jones said: "If the ministers did take into consideration SNH's objection in principle to any wind farm development at Stronelairg, they have given no reason for rejecting it, and the decision is defective on that account." The public was also denied an opportunity to comment on a revised planning application for the proposed wind farm, the judge said. He said the government's decision to give consent should be set aside. Energy Minister Fergus Ewing granted permission for SSE Renewables' project in July last year. It was said at that time the wind farm could generate enough electricity to power 114,000 homes. The operators also said it would bring Â£30m-worth of benefits to the region. However, the John Muir Trust said the development would "destroy the character" of an area of wild land in the Monadhliath Mountains. It lodged a petition to the Court of Session asking for a judicial review of his decision. SSE had sought permission for up to 83 turbines at Stronelairg near its Glendoe hydro electric scheme above Fort Augustus. However, in April 2013, Highland councillors voted 11 to three in favour of raising no objection on the understanding the project was reduced to 67 turbines. Following the judicial review, Mr Brooks said: "This is great news for all those who love Scotland's wild land and wish to see it protected. "A financial appeal brought a tremendous level of support from over a thousand well-wishers, allowing the trust to proceed. "Lord Jones has now decided the trust's court action was well-founded." A spokesperson for SSE said: "We are disappointed with the result of the judicial review of the consent decision for Stronelairg wind farm. "We will now review the judgement in detail and consider our options accordingly."

Summary: A judge at the Court of Session has said the Scottish government's decision to approve a 67-turbine wind farm near Fort Augustus was "defective".


Chris Sane left South Gloucestershire Council days before it emerged the cost of building the North Fringe to Hengrove route had risen £4.6m since November. Amid months of traffic delays, the construction bill is now £16m higher than forecast two years ago. Mr Sane resigned on 30 June for "personal reasons", the council said. "We can confirm that Chris Sane has now left South Gloucestershire Council, with effect from 30 June," a spokeswoman said. "Alternative arrangements have been put in place to cover this role in the interim." Earlier this week, a report to the council's cabinet authored by the now former head of transport revealed construction delays were behind the rising costs of the MetroBus route, which runs from Cribbs Causeway to the north of Bristol, through the city centre to Hengrove in south Bristol. South Gloucestershire will need to spend an extra £9.8m above its original £30.5m contribution to the scheme to cover the increased costs. The report recommended the extra cash is taken from the highways maintenance budget over the next 10 years. Commuters have been enduring roadworks associated with the scheme in the city centre, on the M32 and various other locations in South Gloucestershire.

Summary: The man in charge of delivering a major part of Bristol's MetroBus network has resigned from his role.


Martina Zupan, a fourth-year product design student, designed and produced the product called "Colleggtion". The process to make the disposable circular plate with tearaway cutlery currently has a patent pending. Ms Zupan, 26, hopes to develop her idea into a business when she finishes her studies. The product is one of hundreds of exhibits at Edinburgh Napier's More Than A Degree Show. The student believes her tableware could help highlight the opportunities that upcycling waste eggshells can bring. Ms Zupan said: "The idea literally came to me one day as I was making scrambled eggs in the house and after some extensive research I found that despite eggshells carrying a range of beneficial components, very little was actually being done to upcycle waste product. "I tested eggshell powder in a range of formats - including adding it to muffins, into plaster for egg cups and even cement and other resins but it was the tableware idea that really caught my imagination." She added: "I think I've managed to produce a sophisticated product that has the potential to highlight a new method of producing sustainable tableware and cutlery - it's been really exciting to work on." Richard Firth, programme leader for the product design course, said: "Martina's commitment, determination and drive to try and try again has been rewarded in a design project that is truly unique with the potential to achieve real change with regard to how we think about materials, design our products and how we engage with producing our products within the 21st Century." Edinburgh Napier's More Than A Degree Show is an annual showcase of creative talent from its School of Arts and Creative Industries and School of Computing. The exhibition runs at the university's Merchiston campus and is open to the public from 19-28 May.

Summary: An Edinburgh Napier University student has created a range of tableware made from upcycled eggshells.


She inherited the East Londonderry seat from David McClarty after his untimely death from cancer, following in his footsteps as a liberal unionist working hard on the bread and butter concerns of her constituents. She was perhaps best known for a speech during last year's Stormont crisis, in which she pronounced that the House of Cards was falling down and hoped the "jokers at the top" would never get back up. Having secured a seat via the assembly's co-option system, some whispered that Ms Sugden wouldn't survive her first election. But she proved the doubters wrong, getting 3.270 first preference votes and ensuring the Ulster Unionist party didn't make a comeback. It might have been assumed that she would dedicate herself to consolidating her position as a grassroots politician, and when the Ulster Unionists announced they were going into opposition, she spoke approvingly of the move. But then Alliance decided to dig their heels in around a demand for reforms to Stormont's controversial petition of concern vetoes, and the DUP and Sinn FÃ©in started to look in a different direction for a justice minister. In contrast to Alliance, Ms Sugden did not present Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness with a five-point wish list. Sitting in her new ministerial office, she told me she didn't think that was appropriate. Instead, she hopes to achieve change incrementally by building relationships with her new executive colleagues. For example, she wants Stormont politicians to have an "open and fair discussion" about the fact that Northern Ireland women are still travelling to Great Britain to have abortions, and hopes to achieve "some constructive change". Similarly on same sex marriage, I asked if she would now bear some responsibility if the DUP vetoes another Assembly motion, given that Alliance had been looking for such vetoes to be radically restricted. Ms Sugden acknowledges she would be disappointed, but again believes that a "subtle approach" is more likely to pay dividends. She promises to have conversations with her executive colleagues "behind closed doors" in an effort to get them to change their minds on the issue. She knows there may be occasions on which the two big parties are tempted to overrule her. But she says that if they do so, it will impact on them as she was their nominee for the job, and she vows not to be a "sitting duck" for either the DUP or Sinn FÃ©in. It's no secret the last few days have been very difficult ones for the 29-year-old MLA. Not only has she faced a political dilemma, but her family has been dealing with the trauma of a motorcycle accident which left her brother-in-law very seriously injured. As the daughter of a prison officer, she knows about the need to take security precautions, but she describes the inevitable risks of taking the justice post as "life changing". Ms Sugden describes the last week as perhaps the toughest of her life. But flicking through her "first day brief", she hopes to move forward on a more positive note.

Summary: Until the Assembly broke for the election campaign, Claire Sugden was an occupant of what used to be called the "naughty corner".


Rebecca Allen, director of Education Datalab, says research has found "incredibly reliable" marking available overseas costing Â£2 to Â£3 per hour. Dr Allen says there needed to be more radical approaches to cutting workload. But heads' leader Brian Lightman said he would have "serious concerns" about regularly outsourcing marking. Mr Lightman, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union, said: "Marking of pupils' work is an integral part of the professional duties of a teacher." Dr Allen, speaking at an Education Media Centre event, suggested that even though all political parties backed the idea of cutting workload for teachers, there were few practical measures to achieve this and "radically different ways" should be considered. She said schools should consider re-thinking some of the most time-consuming activities, such as marking pupils' work. "We've got to look elsewhere. We can't just say things like 'paperwork'. I think we need to be realistic and think in radical ways about things like marking," said Dr Allen, who is also reader in the economics of education at the UCL Institute of Education. Marking remained popular with parents and was seen as providing evidence for inspections and so teachers were likely to remain under pressure to carry on with large amounts of marking. As such she suggested that there needed to be more imaginative ways of tackling the workload. One approach could be to "outsource marking". She said research projects had found accurate marking could be carried out overseas, in countries such as India, for about Â£3 per hour or less. Another approach likely to be explored was using computer technology, she said. There have already been some experiments with outsourcing the marking of vocational qualifications, with candidates' answers being scanned into a computer system in the UK to be checked by staff in India. But heads' leader Mr Lightman said: "Whilst we would agree that technology can, in appropriate cases be used to process some assessments, I would have serious concerns about outsourcing routine marking. "Teachers need to see pupils' work themselves so that they can fully understand the degree to which their pupils have understood what has been taught. "Schools must be resourced adequately to provide them with the time to do this. "The unnecessary workload surrounding marking has been caused by a high stakes accountability system which places teachers under intense pressure to provide 'evidence' to justify their assessment decisions." Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "Teachers don't just look at the rightness or wrongness of the student's answer - they want to understand and support the student's learning process. Outsourcing doesn't help at all with assessment for learning." Teachers' unions have frequently complained that excessive workload is one of the major problems for the teaching profession. It has been blamed as a barrier for recruiting teachers and a reason for those leaving the profession. And earlier this year, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg promised that they wanted to find "decisive measures" to "tackle the root causes of unnecessary teacher workload".

Summary: Teachers could reduce their workload by outsourcing the marking of pupils' school work to staff overseas, suggests a leading education researcher.


The UN says the arms were part of legitimate consignment for its mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Drugs tests carried out on a substance found around some of the UN vehicles were negative, the police said. The vehicles were allowed to be reloaded on board before the ship left, but the police have retained the arms. The rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, which were among the weapons found inside the UN vehicles, would be delivered under Kenyan escort to Indian peacekeepers in DR Congo, Mombasa County police commander Francis Wanjohi said. He said it would be too dangerous for the MV Hoegh Transporter to continue its journey if it was common knowledge there were weapons aboard, because of the threat of piracy. The ship had been sailing from Mumbai in India, but its final destination is unknown. The BBC's Ferdinand Omondi in Mombasa says the dramatic midnight raid on the vessel after it had docked on Thursday night involved several elite Kenya police units, including the narcotics squad and the criminal investigation department. The whole port was shut down and people asked to leave as it searched the ship, he says. The UN's Nairobi office said the misunderstanding over the weapons, often stored in vehicles for to avoid damage in transit, was down to a clerical error. It said although the weapons were not declared in the manifest, a separate declaration accompanying the military vehicles was attached. A UN spokesman further explained new vehicles often had anti-humidity powder put around tyres for long shipments. Hoegh Autoliners, the owners of the ship, were contemplating suing the state for damages and defamation, a lawyer representing them in Kenya, said. "The hullabaloo was so much ado about nothing," Cliff Ombeta told Kenya's Star newspaper. UN's mission in DR Congo is one of the organisation's biggest peacekeeping operations, with nearly 20,000 personnel.

Summary: A Norwegian ship detained in Kenya's Mombasa port for more than a week on suspicion of carrying drugs and illegal weapons has been released.


In an unexpected decision, the BOJ eased monetary policy on worries that lower oil prices would affect consumer prices. The central bank will increase the pace at which it expands base money to 80 trillion yen ($726bn; Â£454bn) a year, instead of 60-70 trillion yen. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed up 4.8% at 16,413.76 after the news. It had hit a seven-year high of 16,455.84 in mid-afternoon trade after rising by more than 5%. The dollar rose 1.2% to 110.68 yen, the highest since January 2008. Several pieces of data out of Japan in the morning showing a weaker economy also failed to dent investor sentiment. The country's annual core consumer inflation eased for a second straight month in September, while its jobless rate rose in the same period. Household spending also fell more than expected last month, adding to evidence that the central bank would probably maintain its massive stimulus programme. Asian shares, meanwhile, were already up after positive economic data from the US showed strength in the world's largest economy. Data showed the US economy grew at an annual rate of 3.5% in the third quarter. The news came a day after the Federal Reserve announced the end of its monetary stimulus programme. Greater China shares followed the uptrend, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng index closing up 1.25% at 23,998.06 points. On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite closed up 1.3% at 2,420.9 points. In Australia, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed up 0.9% at 5,526.60 points, following Wall Street's gains overnight. Shares in heavyweight miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto rose 0.8% and 1.8% respectively. In South Korea, the Kospi was up 0.3% at 1,964.43 points.

Summary: Japan led Asian shares higher after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) surprised markets by announcing more stimulus measures.


Manager Archibald has guided the Jags to finishes of 10th, ninth and eighth over the last three campaigns. "On and off the pitch, he's had a big influence," striker Doolan told BBC Scotland. "It's no surprise that people are taking notice of that and hopefully we can keep hold of him." Archibald is no longer on the short-list for the managerial vacancy at English League One outfit Shrewsbury and Doolan is pleased the 38-year-old decided he had "unfinished business" at Firhill. "Alan is a massive figure round the club and he symbolises all that's good about Partick Thistle," he said. "He's built something here that's long-lasting." Doolan is unconcerned about his own lack of league goals so far this season. The 29-year-old scored against Airdrieonians in the Scottish League Cup in August, but none have followed in the Premiership. "I'm there to score goals and that's what I've done year in, year out," said Doolan. "You pull on your experience from years gone past and there have always been times when you haven't scored - it's nothing to panic about." Doolan's strike-rate has reached double figures in each of his last six years at Firhill. The former Auchinleck Talbot man had only scored twice at this stage last season but went on to net another 12 before the end of the 2015-16 campaign. Thistle are still waiting on their first Premiership win since beating Inverness Caledonian Thistle on the opening day of the league season. In what is their fourth consecutive season in the top flight, the Maryhill men are 11th in the Premiership - level on six points with bottom club Dundee - but Doolan feels it is far too early to read anything into that position. "Look at the league table; it's so tight," he said ahead of the weekend game with Ross County. "One win and the full outlook of the season can change, so we're going into Saturday with high hopes. "We've set standards across the years that we've been in the Premier League and it's up to us to maintain those standards and surpass them. "It's testament to the club that now we're not considered the yo-yo team."

Summary: Kris Doolan has stressed the importance to Partick Thistle of holding on to Alan Archibald after a failed approach from English club Shrewsbury Town.


BBC Radio Norfolk's Nick Conrad made the comments during a phone-in about the ex-Sheffield United footballer. The comments provoked 46 complaints and the BBC and the presenter apologised. Watchdog Ofcom said his comments "were offensive" and "not justified by the context of the show" but the BBC had taken steps to limit the offence. Evans, a Welsh international, was jailed in April 2012 for raping a 19-year-old woman at a North Wales hotel. Speaking on his mid-morning programme last November, Conrad said he thought women "need to be more aware of a man's sexual desire" and "it's very difficult for many men to say no when they are whipped up into a bit of a storm". "If you don't wish to give out the wrong signals it's best probably to keep your knickers on and not get into bed with him," he said. Ofcom investigated the comments that "victims of rape could be 'partially responsible' for the crime committed against them", in relation to news about convicted rapist Ched Evans. "Having carefully reviewed all the material, Ofcom found Conrad's comments were offensive and weren't justified by the context of the show," a spokesman said. He said the BBC "took steps to limit offence" in the programme by including a "significant" live contribution from a representative of the End Violence Against Women Coalition. Conrad apologised later making it clear "women and victims were in no way to blame". After Ofcom announced its decision, a BBC spokesman said: "We note the findings." At the time, a spokesman described Conrad's comments as "very ill-judged". Evans was released last year after serving half of his sentence. He apologised "for the effects" of his actions in 2011 shortly after Oldham Athletic withdrew their offer to sign him as a player in January. The club decided against the deal following threats made to sponsors, staff and fans. Evans continues to maintain his innocence over his rape conviction.

Summary: A BBC presenter who said women should "keep their knickers on" during a live debate about convicted rapist Ched Evans will face no action by Ofcom.