David Cameron has promised Scotland new powers over tax, spending and welfare - as well as promising voters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that they too will have a greater say in the way they are governed. Lord Smith of Kelvin, who was in charge of Glasgow's Commonwealth Games, will now oversee the negotiation process, based on new promises made by the Better Together campaign during the Scottish referendum, and known as "Devo-max". Under those promises, Scottish taxpayers can now expect bigger - and earlier - changes than they previously thought. A timetable has already been agreed to devolve some tax powers. These could be introduced soon after the general election in May 2015. The powers would allow Holyrood to raise a further Â£2bn in revenues, and have even greater control over income tax than has already been planned. The Scottish Parliament already has powers to alter the amount of income tax people pay, by up to 3p in the pound. To date it has not used this power. But from April 2016, when the Scotland Act (2012) is expected to become law, Holyrood is due to have greater power. It will be able to alter the tax rate by up to 10p in the pound. The UK's basic rate of tax is currently 20%. But under the Scotland Act, that rate could be cut to 10%, or increased to 30% north of the border. The higher rate of tax is currently 40% - which Scotland could cut to 30%, or increase to 50%. The top rate of 45% could be cut to 35%, or increased to 55%, in Scotland. The Act requires that if one tax rate is altered, the other rates must move in tandem. In other words, if the basic rate were to be cut by 5%, the other rates would have to be cut by 5% as well. However, these changes are likely to be overtaken by the UK government's promise of changes to tax, spending and welfare. Despite David Cameron's announcement after the referendum result, the main Westminster parties are not yet agreed on what extra tax-raising powers should now be devolved to Scotland. Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats would like to cede virtually all control over income tax to the Scottish Parliament, including rates and bands. However, a study for the Conservatives, chaired by Lord Strathclyde, suggested that Westminster should still have control of the amount that people can earn before paying tax - the personal allowance. The Tories have also suggested that Scotland might have some control over VAT receipts. Labour wants to give the Scottish Parliament less extensive tax-raising powers. It suggests allowing Holyrood to increase tax rates by up to 15p in the pound. So the 20% basic rate could be increased to 35%. Members of the Scottish Parliament could also decide to reduce the 45% rate, providing they cut the basic rate as well. But until detailed discussions between the parties begin, many of these proposals are far from clear. Even then, compromises are likely before they are implemented.

Summary: Scotland has voted to remain part of the United Kingdom, but Scots can still expect significant changes in the taxes they will pay, and the welfare benefits they will receive, as soon as next year.


Tony Tyler called for drone regulations to be put in place before any serious accidents occur. He said the threat posed by unmanned aerial vehicles is still evolving. "I am as excited as you are about the prospect of having pizza delivered by a drone," he told a conference in Singapore. "But we cannot allow [drones] to be a hindrance or safety threat to commercial aviation," said Mr Tyler, director-general of the International Air Transport Association. "The issue is real. We have plenty of pilot reports of drones where they were not expected, particularly at low altitudes around airports," he added. "There is no denying that there is a real and growing threat to the safety of civilian aircraft [coming from drones]. "We need a sensible approach to regulation and a pragmatic method of enforcement for those who disregard rules and regulations and put others in danger." Drones were recently involved in four serious near-misses at UK airports, the UK Air Proximity Board said in January. The board, which investigates near-miss incidents in UK airspace, said a drone had come very close to colliding with a Boeing 737 that had taken off from Stansted airport. IATA's primary concern is drones flying at low altitudes near airports that could threaten planes taking off or landing, Rob Eagles of Iata said. Aviation regulators also want to make sure that the radio spectrum used to control the drones does not interfere with air traffic control systems, he said. In December the US government set up a registration system for Americans who own drones. Anyone who has a drone must register with the Federal Aviation Administration before the device takes its first flight. Owners have until Friday to register their details or face being fined. The move comes after several reported incidents of drones hindering emergency services' efforts in fighting fires and other dangers.

Summary: Drones flown by the general public are "a real and growing threat" to civilian aircraft, the head of aviation trade body Iata has warned.


The spread-betting tycoon said it was "odds on" - and he urged those thinking about defecting to get in touch with him "for the sake of the country". A UKIP source has also told BBC News the party is talking to five to 10 Labour MPs about possible defection. But this was firmly denied by Labour, who accused UKIP of mischief-making. Mr Carswell officially resigned as an MP on Friday, a day after he announced he was quitting the Conservatives and would fight a subsequent by-election as a UKIP candidate because he did not believe David Cameron was "serious" about reforming Britain's relationship with Europe. The prime minister described the move as "slightly bizarre", telling reporters that Mr Carswell was one of those who wanted to leave the EU irrespective of the outcome of negotiations he was confident would lead to a better deal for Britain in Europe. "He fought as a Conservative in 2010 when we didn't have a commitment to an in-out referendum and he has left the Conservative Party at a time we do have a commitment to an in-out referendum - that is a question for him to explain rather than me." Mr Carswell's defection prompted a flurry of speculation that other Eurosceptic backbenchers would jump ship - fuelled by Mr Wheeler's revelation that he had discussed the possibility with eight of them in recent years, although he declined to name names. He told BBC News he had approached 10 Tory MPs and eight had agreed to meet him secretly for lunch at his favourite Italian restaurant in Mayfair. They did not include Mr Carswell, he revealed, adding that UKIP leader Nigel Farage had handled that defection personally, and he had not always directly asked them to defect, just inquired whether they wanted to meet Mr Farage. Asked by BBC Radio 4's Becky Milligan, if any of them had been tempted to defect, he said: "I am sure they will be tempted but the question is whether they give into that temptation." Asked about the likelihood of other defections before the general election, he said: "If I had to put money on, one way or another, before I knew the result of this by-election, I would say odds on, more likely than not but only just." MPs wanting to discuss their future should contact him in the strictest of confidence, added the former Tory donor. "For the sake of the country they should defect because we are doing the right thing for the country and the Conservative Party are doing the wrong thing," he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One. A senior UKIP source also told Becky Milligan that the party was talking to five to ten Labour MPs about possibly changing affiliation. The MPs in question, the source said, were "deeply unhappy with their party, and feel that people are fed up being patronised by the Labour glitterati". But Labour firmly denied any of its MPs were in talks with UKIP or considering defection. Shadow defence secretary Vernon Coaker said: "I'm not about to jump

Summary: Further Conservative MPs are "more likely than not" to follow Douglas Carswell to UKIP, the party's treasurer Stuart Wheeler has told the BBC.


Tony Lloyd was responding to the UK Statistics Authority's findings that policing faces a £160m real-term cut in funding in 2015-16 and 2016-17. The figures are in apparent contrast to Mr Osborne's Spending Review pledge. A spokesman for the Treasury said they "completely reject any suggestion the public had been misled". Mr Lloyd, who is also Greater Manchester's police and crime commissioner, said the Authority's findings had called the chancellor's promise into question. He said: "This analysis exposes the weakness of the chancellor's pledge to protect local policing, after years of cuts, and is an embarrassment for him and the government. "I have said from the start that this is still a 'cuts budget'. This year we face a cut of £8.5m cut from our budget. That's on top of the £180m already cut from GMP and the 2,000 police officers that have disappeared from our streets. "To try and make the sums add up I have had no choice but to ask local people to contribute more to maintain their police service, but the additional £3.5m raised from council tax is still not enough to meet the shortfall as we try and find savings of £70m. "The Chancellor needs to redo his sums and make good on his promise protect our police service." The Treasury said the widely reported comments by Sir Andrew Dilnot, the chairman of the UK Statistics Authority, do not provide the full picture and exclude elements such as the police precept. A spokesman said: "The government has been completely clear that we are committed to funding the forces that keep our country safe, which is why we have protected overall police spending in real terms with an increase of £900m cash by 2019-20 to maintain strong frontline policing. "This is on top of an extra £500 million extra funding for the counter terrorism budget."

Summary: Greater Manchester's mayor has called for Chancellor George Osborne to apologise for "wrongly claiming there would be no cuts to local policing".


The Dow Jones closed at 18,116.04, down 105 points, or 0.6%, while the broader S&P 500 dropped 13 points, or 0.6%, to 2091.5. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 16 points, or 0.3%, to 4,994.73. The dollar rose against the euro by 0.2% to â‚¬0.9154. The dollar's rise can hurt large US companies' profits, as they get less from their overseas earnings after currency conversions. Additionally, the dollar's strength makes it harder for companies to compete with foreign rivals, which may be able to offer similar products more cheaply. There was some welcome economic data on Tuesday, which showed US consumer prices had rebounded in February, but this failed to lift Wall Street. The Consumer Price Index rose by 0.2% last month, after fuel prices increased for the first time since June. The monthly rise follows three consecutive months of declines, including a 0.7% drop in January. On an annual basis, prices in February were unchanged from a year earlier. Analysts said investors were wary of shares because of the possible impact of the stronger dollar on companies' profits. "Right now, we are a bit of in a waiting pattern and the big news is going to be when these earnings reports start to hit in April," Peter Jankovskis, co-chief investment officer at OakBrook Investments, told Reuters.

Summary: (Close): The main US share indexes all fell on Tuesday as investors continued to fret about the effect of the strong dollar on corporate results.


Pleas for leniency from the inmates, families and diplomats were rejected by President Joko Widodo. But the execution of a Filipina who was also on death row was unexpectedly postponed. Another death row convict, a Frenchmen, was not executed because he still has an outstanding legal complaint over the rejection of his clemency appeal. Who are the prisoners and how did they end up on death row? Sukumaran, 34, was an Australian citizen, born in London. In 2006, a court in Bali found him guilty of being the ringleader of the Bali Nine - a group of Australians arrested in Bali with more than 18lb (8.3kg) of heroin. He was given the death penalty in 2006, and his plea for clemency was rejected in December 2014. His advocates claimed he had reformed since entering prison, teaching other inmates English and art. He also became an accomplished artist himself. However, all attempts to appeal against his sentence failed. Chan, 31, was an Australian who was given the death penalty along with Myuran Sukumaran. He was arrested in Ngurah Rai airport in Bali in April 2005. A court found him guilty of planning the smuggling of 18lb heroin with the group known as the Bali Nine. His plea for clemency was rejected in January 2015. Like Sukumaran, other legal challenges all failed. His supporters claimed he had turned over a new leaf and and ran Bible study classes in Bali's Kerobokan jail. There is some confusion surrounding Anderson's nationality. Initial reports said he was Ghanaian, but it was later reported he had travelled to Indonesia on a false passport and was in fact Nigerian. He was arrested in Jakarta in 2003, and a court gave him the death penalty. His clemency appeal was rejected in January 2015. Badarudin was the only Indonesian citizen amongst the group. He was born in Palembang and was found guilty of the possession of 129lb of marijuana. He was arrested in December 2000 and a year later was given the death sentence. His appeal for clemency was rejected in January 2015. Salami appeared to be a Nigerian holding a Spanish passport. He was believed to be Jamiu Owolabi Abashin, but entered Indonesia using a Spanish passport with the name Raheem Agbaje Salami. Salami was caught with 11lb of heroin inside his suitcase in Surabaya airport on 2 September 1998. A court in Surabaya gave him a life sentence in April 1999, which was reduced by the High Court to 20 years. Salami appealed and the Supreme Court gave him a death sentence. His clemency application was rejected on 5 January 2015. He tried to challenge the rejection of his clemency but the challenge failed. Gularte was a Brazilian citizen born on 31 May 1972. A court in Banten gave him the death penalty in February 2005 on charges of possessing 13.2lb of heroin that was hidden in a surf-board. He was arrested in July 2004 in Sukarno Hatta airport in Jakarta. His clemency application was rejected in January 2015. His planned execution raised concern among activists because his family

Summary: Eight prisoners convicted of drug offences in Indonesia have been executed by firing squad.


Developer Allied London bought the Quay Street site in a joint venture with Manchester City Council and plan to build flats, shops and offices there. The ITV soap was filmed there from 1982 until January 2014, when production moved to MediaCityUK at Salford Quays. Manchester City Council's planning committee voted to approve the redevelopment at a meeting on Thursday. The move comes despite more than 2,000 people signing an online petition in the hope of preventing the set from being knocked down. Campaigners had particularly called on developers to retain the Victorian terrace featuring the Rovers Return Inn and the soap's corner shop in their regeneration of the 13-acre site. English Heritage rejected the application for listed status for the old Granada Studios site made by an anonymous individual in 2012 because it was not considered sufficiently historic. The development will form part of the wider St Johns area, which is also set to feature a new Â£110m theatre and arts venue called The Factory.

Summary: The former Coronation Street set in Manchester is to be demolished, despite a campaign to save it.


Gul, 32, has not played for his country at one-day level since April 2015. Pakistan face two ODIs against Ireland in Dublin, on 18 and 20 August, before a five-match series against England, starting in Southampton on 24 August. Opening batsman Sami Aslam, 20, who scored two half centuries in the third Test against England last week, received his first call-up. Paceman Hasan Ali, 22, is the other new face in the squad. Gul, who has taken 173 wickets in 126 ODIs, played in Pakistan's World T20 warm-up games in early 2016, but failed to make the final squad. Pakistan ODI squad: Azhar Ali (capt), Sharjeel Khan, Sami Aslam, Mohammad Hafeez, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmad, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Umar Gul, Imad Wasim, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Nawaz.

Summary: Pakistan have recalled fast bowler Umar Gul for their one-day international series against England and Ireland.


The broadcaster received 118 complaints about the Channel's coverage of the four-hour service on Saturday. The corporation said it was "part of the News Channel function to be there when major stories take place". Another 34 complaints were received from people upset that the service had been interrupted. Live coverage of the service began at 17:00 GMT and continued until just before 20:30 GMT, with the BBC continuing to report on the story afterwards. "The News Channel's coverage of Whitney Houston's funeral reflected the significant interest in her sudden death as well as acknowledging the impact she had as a global recording artist," said the corporation in a statement. It acknowledged that "some people felt there was too much coverage" but said BBC One's teatime bulletin, radio bulletins and other services had still given viewers "the best access to the day's other news stories". Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and R Kelly performed at the service, which took place in Newark, New Jersey. Actor Kevin Costner, who starred with Houston in The Bodyguard, gave a eulogy. The 48-year-old singer was found in a bath in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on 11 February. The cause of her death will remain unclear until the results of the toxicology tests are announced.

Summary: The BBC has defended its coverage of Whitney Houston's funeral on its News Channel following complaints from viewers about its duration.


Her death certificate said in January that the 60-year-old, best known for her role as Princess Leia, had suffered a cardiac arrest. But in a statement the LA coroner said the exact cause was unknown. Sleep apnoea is a common condition in which a person stops breathing during sleep, either for a few seconds or minutes. As well as listing sleep apnoea as a cause of death, the coroner's statement cited other factors, including heart disease and drug use. In a statement released to People magazine after the coroner's ruling, Fisher's daughter Lourd said: "My mom battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life. She ultimately died of it. "She was purposefully open in all of her work about the social stigmas surrounding these diseases." Her manner of death would be listed as undetermined, the coroner's statement said. Fisher had been on tour promoting her book The Princess Diarist when she was taken ill on a flight from London to Los Angeles on 23 December. She never regained consciousness and died on 27 December at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Centre. Her mother, actress Debbie Reynolds, died the following day. The daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher made her film debut opposite Warren Beatty in 1975's Shampoo. She also appeared in The Blues Brothers, When Harry Met Sally and Hannah and Her Sisters, and provided the voice of Peter Griffin's boss Angela in the adult animated sitcom Family Guy. But her enduring fame is thanks to her role as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy. She will appear in the latest Star Wars sequel, The Last Jedi, which is to be released in December.

Summary: Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher died from sleep apnoea and "other factors", the Los Angeles County coroner says.


The deal for Pearson, 24, who scored nine goals in 51 appearances in all competitions last season, is a record for an Accrington sale. The versatile defender is Barnsley's 11th summer signing ahead of their Championship season-opener on Saturday. "Matty has some exceptional qualities that we feel we can work with and make better," boss Paul Heckingbottom said. Pearson began his career with Blackburn Rovers and played for Rochdale and Halifax Town before joining Stanley in May 2015, going on to make 103 appearances. Barnsley begin their Championship campaign at Bristol City on Saturday. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Barnsley have signed defender Matty Pearson from Accrington Stanley on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.


Sandy Cooper was one of three people chosen to represent the Elgin City North ward in last week's election. He tendered his resignation in a letter to the council's chief executive. When contacted by BBC Scotland and asked about his decision, Mr Cooper said: "It's just not for me." The by-election will be held on 13 July, with the count the following day. Moray Council said Mr Cooper's nomination papers contained no party or political affiliation.

Summary: A date for a by-election after a new councillor resigned only days after being elected in Moray has been set.


The "Spy Booth" artwork, which depicts three figures "snooping" on a telephone box, appeared in Hewlett Road in April. Hekmat Kaveh, who wants to buy it, has applied for the work, satellite dish and phone booth to be included in the property's Grade II* listed status. He said: "It's a way of securing it and making it a criminal offence to remove without listed building consent." The piece appeared five months ago and is about three miles from government listening post GCHQ. Since then campaigners have been fighting to keep the artwork in place on the corner of Fairview Road and Hewlett Road. "The application includes the phone booth and the working satellite dish to make sure these two things are not removed without listed building consent," said Mr Kaveh, who is hoping to buy the house and turn it into a "Spy Museum". "But you can't put a working satellite dish on a listed building, so to get around the council's rules I've said we will disconnect it." If the application is approved, it would mean any unauthorised work affecting the listed mural would be a criminal offence. In June, the owners of the house claimed the artwork had been sold and workmen arrived to remove it. But Cheltenham Borough Council issued a temporary stop notice preventing further removal work from taking place on the Grade II* listed building. A spokesman for the council said: "As yet, we haven't received an application for listed building consent for the Cheltenham Banksy but we will be happy to discuss details if and when this is received."

Summary: A Banksy mural on the wall of a Cheltenham house could be listed under a bid being submitted to the council.


Helen Winter told an employment tribunal she had used MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy, on "several occasions" and let two young clients stay at her flat. She is also accused of offering MDMA to one of the young people and taking it in front of them, which she denies. She could face being struck off. Ms Winter admitted she was guilty of misconduct and that her fitness to practice is impaired at a hearing at the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPS). She also admitted testing positive for cocaine in a routine drugs test for Kids Company in 2014. Kids Company collapsed in August amid claims of financial mismanagement and has faced a series of damaging allegations since then. The charity, which is now under the control of administrators, is being investigated by officers from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse team of the Metropolitan Police Service. Daniel Mansell, the presenting officer, told the HCPS hearing concerns were raised in Kids Company about the registrant's drug use and "inappropriate interaction with service users". He said Ms Winter went to the Hidden club in Vauxhall, south London, with her colleague Nicci Shall in January 2014 having purchased some MDMA on the way. Ms Shall told the hearing they were in the toilet when they saw the two young people known as Client C and Client D, both in their early 20s. It is alleged she offered the drug to Client C, who accepted - which Ms Winter denies. Ms Shall told the hearing: "Helen Winter offered client C and me a dab of MDMA, which I declined. Helen Winter and client C consumed the MDMA." She said that after she left the club she felt "awful" about what she had witnessed and wanted to tell her boss, but was persuaded not to with Dr Winter telling her the clients had "had a good time and nothing had come of it". She told the hearing: "I went to colleagues and they advised me not to take it any further. I stupidly followed their advice and I regret that." An internal investigation was carried out after she reported the matter to the charity's chief executive, Camilla Batmanghelidjh, but she raised concerns about the accuracy of the subsequent report. She said: "I do not feel that the investigation report, compiled by witness B, accurately reflects my account of events. "I challenged the accuracy of the report but was informed by Kids Company that it was an internal document and should remain confidential."

Summary: A psychologist working at Kids Company has admitted taking illegal drugs in the company of young people she met through the charity.


Gary Gallacher was 13 years old when he began his campaign of terror and degradation in 1995. He threatened his victims with a knife before beating and raping them, the High Court in Edinburgh heard. Judge Lady Scott warned Gallacher, who is now 34, he would only be released when he no longer posed a threat to the public. She told him: "You have no remorse. You blame your victims and you do not care about the harm you have inflicted. You take no responsibility. You have apparently no wish to change. "You have been convicted on 25 charges, involving three victims, which constituted a very serious and sustained course of conduct consisting of physical and sexual violence." His trial earlier this year heard how Gallacher, who has a history of violence, had first struck in Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow. He continued to offend for 17 years while living across the city and later in Ayrshire. His crimes did not stop until 2012. His first victim told how Gallacher had bound her hands with her school tie and raped her, despite her protestations that she was too young to have sex. During another attack, Gallacher held a knife to her neck and told her she belonged to him. Gallacher's second victim, who was also a teenager at the time, told his trial how she was slapped, punched, kicked, stamped on and pulled by the hair. He also brandished a knife at her and repeatedly struck her with it, leaving her with scars. Gallacher's third victim told his trial how he had assaulted her on her 17th birthday and had also bitten and throttled her. Lady Scott imposed an order for lifelong restriction on Gallacher and warned him he faced imprisonment for an indefinite period. The judge ordered he must serve at least five years in jail but told him there was no guarantee he would be released at the end of that period. Hearing that he posed a high risk of reoffending, she said he would only be freed when he no longer posed a threat to the public. In sentencing, the judge said she had taken into account that he was a child when his first offences took place and that he suffered from a muscle-wasting disease. Gallacher was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. Det Insp Gillian Faulds, who led the investigation, said: "Gary Gallacher is a very dangerous individual who carried out a campaign of violence on three partners who will no doubt be affected by the experience for the rest of their lives. "Despite the horrific abuse the women suffered, they managed to find the strength to speak to police and testify in court to ensure that he was held to account. I would like to thank the women for their bravery in coming forward."

Summary: A violent rapist who first struck as a teenager more than 20 years ago has been jailed for life.


In a statement, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it was an "exceptionally busy" night. Crews stopped a bonfire spreading to an apartment block near Belfast's Sandy Row, but the heat cracked its windows. Bonfires are traditionally lit in loyalist areas on 11 July, marking the Twelfth of July commemorations. Between 18:00 BST on Tuesday and 01:00 BST on Wednesday, NIFRS dealt with a total of 213 emergency calls. During its busiest period, its regional control centre handled one 999 call every minute. Assistant chief fire officer Alan Walmsley told BBC Radio Ulster that the two most serious bonfire-related incidents were both in Belfast. They were at Wellwood Street, off Sandy Row, and at the Bloomfield Walk/Ravenscroft Avenue site in the east of the city. Mr Walmsley said glazing was badly damaged when the Sandy Row bonfire came "very close" to a ten-storey apartment block in Wellwood Street. A number of residents who were inside the Victoria Place flats at the time called the fire service amid fears about the heat of the bonfire. "All the glazing [on the apartment block] facing the bonfire has been damaged and cracked," said Mr Walmsley. "If our crews had not been on the scene working so hard, there is no doubt that fire would have spread into that building." Lucy Ryan was inside the apartment complex at the time. She told BBC News NI: "We were standing on the first floor, looking out onto the bonfire and saw it all collapse. "Obviously we felt the heat and we saw the fire was literally coming right over to the building, so we were like 'right, we have to get out'. "We just left down the stairwell and as we were leaving to get out, that's where we saw all the windows were cracked." Earlier this week, Belfast City Council withheld funding earmarked for a children's street party in Sandy Row, reportedly over concerns about the height of the bonfire. On Wednesday morning, part of Wellwood Street was closed due to safety concerns over the damaged building. The Trafficwatch Northern Ireland service said a lane closure "is likely to be in place in the street for a number of days between Great Victoria Street and Sandy Row". Overall, firefighters were deployed to a total of 133 incidents overnight, which was a rise of nearly 50% on the same period in 2016. Despite this, the fire service said it "maintained normal service delivery throughout the evening, attending a range of operational incidents including property fires, special service calls and other emergency incidents". Mr Walmsley said: "Our crews worked extremely hard last night in extremely punishing conditions and I would just like to place on record my thanks to them." He said two fire crews were attacked as they left the scene of a bonfires in Belfast and Larne, County Antrim. "After working so hard at Wellwood Street for a number of hours to protect properties, as our crews were leaving one of our appliances came under attack by local youths. "The same situation happened in

Summary: Firefighters responded to 40 bonfire-related incidents across Northern Ireland overnight, an increase of 21% on the Eleventh Night last year.


Roedd ei brawd yn gofyn iddi gysylltu gyda'r awdurdodau i gael help. Roedd Gareth yn un o nifer gafodd eu dal ynghanol yr ymosodiadau sydd wedi eu disgrifio gan yr heddlu fel rhai "terfysgol". Fe ddaeth un o'r ymosodwyr mewn i'r bwyty gyda chyllell. Neges destun gafodd Llinos i ddechrau. "O'n i yn teimlo yn sâl...I feddwl mae mrawd i reit ynghanol y sefyllfa yma, mae jest yn hynod o frawychus." Fe ffoniodd hi'r heddlu a siarad gyda swyddogion Heddlu De Cymru. Roedden nhw wedyn yn trio cysylltu gyda Heddlu'r Met. Ar yr un pryd roedd hi'n anfon negeseuon at Gareth. "O'n i jest yn adrodd yn ôl i'm mrawd i, jest yn dweud mae'r heddlu yn dweud bod ti yn neud y peth iawn. "Arhoswch yn fanna, arhoswch yn saff, peidiwch dod allan tan mae'r heddlu yn cyrraedd. Arhoswch yn dawel, trowch ffôn chi ffwrdd. Ac mae'r heddlu ar y ffordd." Mae'n dweud bod y profiad wedi bod yn "swreal". "Pan mae rhywun ti'n caru mewn sefyllfa mor fregus a ti ddim cweit yn siŵr beth sydd yn digwydd, mae o jest yn uffernol o scary. "Ti ddim yn gwybod be i wneud. Ti ddim yn gwybod sut maen nhw mynd i ymateb. "O'n i ddim yn gwybod beth oedd y peth cywir i ddweud wrtho fo, i aros yna neu i fynd." Roedd cael cyngor gan yr heddlu yn gysur meddai a gweld bod nifer o swyddogion o gwmpas yr ardal yn ceisio helpu'r cyhoedd. Fe wnaeth hi siarad gydag o wedyn ar ôl iddyn nhw fynd i'r ysbyty. "Mae o wedi bod yn lwcus. Mae o yn sylweddoli hynna a'r peth pwysig oedd gadael i bobl wybod bod nhw yn saff."

Summary: Cafodd Llinos Griffin neges gan ei brawd, Gareth, nos Sadwrn yn dweud ei fod wedi cloi ei hun mewn tŷ bach yn Borough, Llundain am ei fod yn ofni am ei fywyd.


The warning by Age UK and Carers UK came as the charities released figures showing there were 1.2m carers over 65 - a 25% rise in the past decade. The biggest increase though has been seen in the over 85s, with the numbers more than doubling to 87,000. The charities said these older carers needed better support. This issue includes NHS funding, GP access and social care, particularly of older people. Policy guide: Where the parties stand The majority of carers over 65 are looking after a partner, although some are looking after elderly parents, or grandchildren, or relations with disabilities, according to the charities. The research by the charities - based on Census data from 2001 and 2011 and their own analysis - estimated the care provided by older carers was worth Â£15bn a year. It warned that despite the growth in numbers, few of the older carers were being offered support by the state. Last year just over 175,000 were given assessments by their local councils. One in three carers aged 65 to 74 provide over 50 hours of care a week, but for the over 85s group that rises to more than half. More than half of the younger age group said they were not in good health, compared to 40% of those who do not have caring responsibilities. Feelings of depression and anxiety were cited by one in three carers aged 65 to 74 and nearly half of the older age group. The BBC has launched an online guide to the care system for the over-65s. The "care calculator" covers residential care and the support provided in people's own homes, for tasks such as washing and dressing. Users can submit their postcode and find out how much each service costs where they live in the UK. There is also a dedicated BBC Cost of Care website, with news stories, analysis and video. Dave, 90, is typical of the generation of older people who find themselves caring for loved ones. The former tram driver has been looking after his wife Ethel, who has poor eyesight and limited mobility, for the last 20 years. He does not get any help. "We like to be independent and between us we manage to get by. We just accept this as the way it is. You just get on with it don't you?" Carers UK chief executive Helena Herklots said: "Caring is something that touches all of us at some point in our lives but this research shows that the number of older people are caring for others at a time when they are more likely to need care themselves. "Action is needed to ensure that older carers have the support they need so they don't have to care alone." Councillor Izzi Seccombe, of the Local Government Association, said: "Councils recognise that informal carers do a challenging job in very difficult circumstances." She said local authorities were doing their best to support them and she urged carers to come forward for help, saying that they did not always realise they were entitled to

Summary: The number of older carers in England is rising, with signs the pressures of looking after loved ones is damaging their health, research suggests.


Nemia Kenatale and Leone Nakarawa, plus two penalty tries, helped the Pacific Islanders lead 26-10 at half-time, earning a bonus point before the break. Uruguay had not scored a World Cup try since 2003, but Carlos Arboleya and Agustin Ormaechea crossed in each half. Fiji eased away in the final quarter with three more tries, as Uruguay were reduced to 14 men as Ormaechea saw red. Uruguay now travel to Manchester for their final pool match on Saturday against hosts England, who have also already been eliminated from the tournament. Fiji always faced a tough task to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for a third time, having been drawn alongside Australia, England and Wales in the 'Group of Death'. But there were encouraging signs in each of the three defeats against their illustrious opponents, with their trademark brand of rugby - unpredictable and free-flowing - complemented by tighter defence. It meant they were expected to brush aside a Uruguayan side who had looked out of their depth in crushing defeats against Wales and Australia. However, Fiji produced a patchy performance against the South Americans. Moments of attacking brilliance, particularly when second row Nakarawa dummied his way through to run in from 30 metres, were countered by lapses in concentration at the back. Nevertheless, it was more than enough to earn a well-deserved first win of the tournament as Tevita Cavubati, Kini Murimurivalu and Nemani Nadolo crossed in the final 20 minutes. Following two try-less defeats against Wales and Australia, Uruguay coach Pablo Lemoine set his team the task of scoring their first of the tournament against Pool A's other tier-two side. In fact, Uruguay had not scored a World Cup try since 2003 - when Lemoine himself crossed the line in the 111-13 defeat by England. And they managed to end that barren run when hooker Arboleya battered his way over the line from close range. The moment sparked wild celebrations among the Uruguay camp - and the biggest cheer of the night from a record 30,048 crowd at a rain-soaked Stadium MK. It gave Los Teros, who qualified for the first time since 2003 by beating play-off opponents Russia, renewed confidence against a Fijian side who have now conceded a try in each of their 28 World Cup matches. Uruguay managed to double their try tally when Ormaechea spotted a gap to dive over after team-mate Andres Vilaseca kicked forward on the chase. Scrum-half Ormaechea will miss Uruguay's final match against England on Saturday after becoming the first player to be sent off at the 2015 World Cup. The 24-year-old was sin-binned for an illegal tackle leading to Fiji's first penalty try, then received a red card for reacting angrily to Cavubati's score. Uruguay coach Pablo Lemoine: "I am really proud of my team, it was a fantastic performance but we made two or three mistakes which cost us. I am pleased to see my record go and it is fantastic to score two tries. I think we were unlucky not to score more. "I watched the TMO after Ormaechea's red

Summary: Fiji ended an encouraging World Cup campaign with a seven-try win over Pool A minnows Uruguay in Milton Keynes.


The foxhound was deliberately run over near Conwy in February after police could not bring it under control. The review said no action should be taken against the officers involved. But it also recommended the force should introduce new procedures for dealing with similar incidents in future. Traffic police drove at the dog at high speed on the dual carriageway between Llanfairfechan roundabout and the Conwy tunnel in the early hours of 22 February. Firearms officers were sent to the scene, but there was concern they would not be able to get a safe shot. The dog had gone missing from a hunt and police said the owner supported the force's decision. The force voluntarily referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission because of the level of public concern. The IPCC determined that North Wales Police should continue with its own investigation and advised on the makeup of the review panel, which included a vet, a representative of the RSPCA and a senior officer from the Metropolitan Police's Dog Support Unit. The review has also recommended that patrol vehicles should carry slip leads and nets, which may have helped in this case. Officers should get expert advice from dog handlers and vets if a similar situation happens again, it said. Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Pritchard said: "It is regrettable that the dog died in this way and I fully understand the level of public concern. "I am grateful to the panel who gave their time and expertise to carefully consider all aspects of the incident and for their diligence in coming to their conclusions and recommendations, which along with the learning points are being put in place by the force."

Summary: Officers were justified in using a patrol car to kill a dog running loose on the A55, a review for North Wales Police has said.


They said in advance of their trip that if necessary, they would take the search into their own hands. All debris thought to be from the plane has so far been found in east Africa. The plane disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014 with 239 people on board. It is thought that missing jet is most likely to have crashed into the southern Indian Ocean. Campaigner Grace Subathirai Nathan, whose mother was on the plane, is making the self-funded journey with six other MH370 relatives - three from Malaysia, two from China and one from France. "It has fallen into our hands to take on this search upon ourselves," she told reporters at Kuala Lumpur airport. "After repeated requests for mobilisation of a search along the east African coastline, nothing has been done to date." The families of those on board the flight say that the search for wreckage has not been systematic and that some possible findings appear to have been ignored. The search for MH370 has concentrated off Australia's west coast, but no debris has been found there. It is due to be suspended early next year unless it makes a significant new discovery. So far, at least six pieces have been found in east Africa that are considered certain or highly likely to have come from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight. The relatives say they will hand out brochures when in Madagascar that will provide advice to villagers on how to recognise aircraft debris. Their trip will last until 11 December, a statement posted on Facebook by the group Voice 370 said. Voice 370 said last month that it had "no other choice except to take it upon ourselves to do something to find answers and closure". Malaysia is in charge of co-ordinating the collection of any suspected debris, most of which has been sent to Australia for examination. The Malaysian authorities in September responded to criticism of delays in retrieving suspected debris, arguing that they were acting on possible discoveries and that everyone should "allow the experts to conduct the verification processes".

Summary: Relatives of those who died on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 are travelling to Madagascar to lobby for the search for debris from the missing aircraft to be expanded.


Aberdeen engineer Sean Sangerman, 25, caught the incident on his dash cam on the B9119 near Garlogie on Monday morning. It showed the oncoming vehicle - believed to be a dark blue Nissan Qashqai - with only a small circle of snow cleared from the windscreen. Police Scotland has been made aware of the footage. Mr Sangerman said: "I have no idea what would cause someone to put themselves and other road users at risk in such a dangerous and reckless manner. "What they are doing is outrageously silly and dangerous - there is no way that they are able to see the road properly through a gap of that size. "They would have been driving almost blindly in conditions that were quite treacherous - snow, ice, slippy roads and so on." The number plate could not be made out in the footage. The Highway Code states that before motorists set off they must be able to see, so all snow and ice must be cleared from windows.

Summary: A motorist was filmed driving with the windscreen almost completely obscured by snow in Aberdeenshire.


Captain John Rankin got the Doonhamers off to the perfect start with a seventh-minute opener from the edge of the area. Derek Lyle then turned in from close range following a corner. Jean-Yves Mvoto gave Rovers hope with a 61st-minute header but John Hughes' side could not find a way back. Home goalkeeper Lee Robinson made a couple of good saves to deny Rovers midfielder Chris Johnston, before Ryan Hardie spurned the chance to level when his header cleared the crossbar. Match ends, Queen of the South 2, Raith Rovers 1. Second Half ends, Queen of the South 2, Raith Rovers 1. Attempt missed. John Rankin (Queen of the South) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left from a direct free kick. Jim Atkinson (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Iain Davidson (Raith Rovers). Substitution, Queen of the South. Ross Fergusson replaces Stephen Dobbie. Iain Davidson (Raith Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Iain Davidson (Raith Rovers). Kyle Jacobs (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Jason Thomson (Raith Rovers). Lyndon Dykes (Queen of the South) wins a free kick on the right wing. Attempt missed. Declan McManus (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Attempt saved. Darren Brownlie (Queen of the South) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Declan McManus. Substitution, Queen of the South. Daniel Carmichael replaces Dom Thomas. Attempt missed. Ryan Hardie (Raith Rovers) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Attempt saved. Chris Johnston (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Attempt saved. Declan McManus (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Declan McManus. Attempt blocked. Dom Thomas (Queen of the South) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Foul by Ross Callachan (Raith Rovers). Kyle Jacobs (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Craig Barr (Raith Rovers). Lyndon Dykes (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Iain Davidson (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Stephen Dobbie (Queen of the South). Substitution, Raith Rovers. Chris Johnston replaces Ryan Stevenson. Foul by John Rankin (Queen of the South). Mark Stewart (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Attempt saved. Dom Thomas (Queen of the South) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Jean-Yves Mvoto. Substitution, Queen of the South. Lyndon Dykes replaces Derek Lyle. Corner, Raith Rovers. Conceded by Darren Brownlie. Foul by Dom Thomas (Queen of the South). Declan

Summary: Queen of the South kept their slim play-off hopes alive with a win against Raith Rovers, who remain without a win in 16 games in all competitions.


United are reported to have agreed an £18.9m fee for the keeper and Sir Alex Ferguson hopes to wrap up a deal soon. Former United forward Forlan told BBC Sport: "David will become a top player because he has a lot of ability. "But he's only just had his first full season as Atletico's number one and is a young guy with little experience." Last month, Ferguson said he regarded De Gea as the natural replacement for Edwin van der Sar, who retired after United's Champions League final defeat by Barcelona, and admitted he had been tracking the Spaniard for "quite a while". De Gea is currently playing for Spain at the European Under-21 Championships in Denmark, and says he wants to wait until the end of the tournament before signing a deal with United. Forlan, 32, who played for United from 2002 to 2004, has been hugely impressed with De Gea since the Spaniard forced his way into Atletico's team towards the end of the 2009/10 season. "There's no doubt that David will become a very, very good player, because he has the talent," Forlan said. "He is tall, strong on crosses, a good shot stopper and distributes the ball very well. "I suppose he is similar to Van der Sar in a lot of ways. Even though he is very young, he gives a lot of confidence to his defenders and has a lot of talent." Forlan joined United for £7.5m from Argentine side Independiente, but failed to cement a regular starting place at the club. He famously went 27 games before scoring for his new side and only hit the net 10 times in 63 games before moving to Villarreal. David is from a little town outside Madrid, has been at Atletico since he was very young and doesn't speak any languages other than Spanish He admitted he does have concerns that De Gea, who came through the youth ranks at Atletico, could become homesick in Manchester. "You never know for sure whether a player will adapt to a new country until he gets there," the Uruguayan said. "It's true that I was also young when I joined United, just 22, but you can't compare our situations. "I knew the language and had already left my country, having moved to Independiente when I was only 19. So it was not such a big step for me to go to United. "David is from a little town outside Madrid and has been at Atletico since he was very young. He doesn't speak any languages other than Spanish. He is going over with his girlfriend and family though, which will help." Forlan revealed that De Gea had been hungry for insights into life with the English champions. "I told him that Manchester United is a great place to experience as a player and that I had a great time there," he added. "The manager and staff are fantastic and the fans were always very supportive of me, even when I wasn't scoring. I made some good friends there and settled in

Summary: Diego Forlan expects his Atletico Madrid team-mate David de Gea to be a big hit at Manchester United - if he can adapt to life in England.


The man in his 30s was found with serious head injuries in Haig Avenue, Chatham at about 22.55 BST on Tuesday. Police believe he was attacked during a disturbance in Glencoe Road and Magpie Hall Road, minutes earlier. A 26-year-old local man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder remains in custody. Kent Police have also held a 27-year-old woman, also from the town, on suspicion of assisting an offender. Det Insp Ivan Beasley said: "The victim remains in a very serious condition in hospital with life-threatening injuries."

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was critically injured in a "disturbance" involving several people.


City had effectively been building a home waiting for Guardiola to move in and the man any club in the world would want in charge was finally ready to take up residence after leaving Bayern Munich. What was not part of the plan was a slump in form that raises the possibility of Guardiola taking charge with City in the Europa League - a prospect that must now be considered as Manchester United closed to within a point of Pellegrini's fourth-placed side with a 1-0 win at Etihad Stadium on Sunday. What has been happening to City's season to leave them in this perilous position? This is an easy accusation to make and can be supported by the fact City have won only three games out of 11 since Guardiola's arrival was confirmed in an announcement in February - but is it actually true? City have won a trophy - the Capital One Cup at Wembley against Liverpool - since then and it would be doing Pellegrini's squad a kindness to suggest they have only become indifferent and below-par since it became known Guardiola was on his way. They have also made club history by reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time with victory over two legs against Dynamo Kiev - but the signs of decline were in evidence well before 1 February. Manchester City have not been at their best for any period since they began the season with five straight Premier League wins. They had already lost five league games before the Guardiola announcement was made. City won their first three away games in the Premier League but only two of the next 11 and have not won back-to-back league games in five months. The rot set in long before they started getting ready to put Guardiola's name on the manager's office door. It is hard to believe City's players have been dwelling on the Spaniard's arrival during games and in an uncharacteristically prickly post-match media conference after the United loss, Pellegrini was at pains to deflect suggestions Guardiola was providing an unwelcome distraction. He said: "I don't think I have lost any control. The attitude of the team was excellent. I repeat - I am happy with attitude of the players." Guardiola's impending arrival may have focused minds on City's shortcomings - but this was a team showing signs of struggle and decline well before he was confirmed as Pellegrini's successor. Manchester City are only one point ahead of Manchester United and West Ham even though they still lie fourth, and 15 points behind leaders Leicester City having played a game less. The rest of the season is not about winning the title but finishing in the top four - an embarrassing state of affairs for a club with City's aspirations and scale of ambition. And perhaps the most tell-tale statistic of why they are where they are comes in their record against the current top eight. City have played 11 matches against them, winning only one, drawing three and losing seven for a meagre

Summary: When Manchester City announced that Pep Guardiola - the world's most coveted and celebrated manager - would succeed Manuel Pellegrini in the summer, there was not a cloud on the club's horizon.


Media playback is not supported on this device The four-time Olympic champion returned to the velodrome last year in a bid to qualify for his fifth Olympics. "It's an evidence-based selection he's involved in," Sutton told BBC Sport. "Brad has to go out and produce in London which will determine whether he makes the road to Rio or not." Wiggins, 35, is set to team up with Mark Cavendish in the non-Olympic madison at the Worlds, which run from 2-6 March and will be broadcast live on the BBC. Wiggins, who has won seven Olympic medals on the track and road, will also race in the four-man team pursuit, which is his target for Rio. As for Cavendish, who partnered Wiggins to win the madison at the 2008 World Championships, the 30-year-old aims to represent Britain in the six-event omnium at this summer's Olympics. "As things stand right now, he'll be on the start line in London," Sutton said of Wiggins. "There are six guys in the mix at this moment in time. Brad's one of the strong guys in that group." Sutton believes that the 2012 Tour de France winner can rise to the occasion in front of a home crowd. "Like everybody else, Brad is definitely under pressure, but Brad's the ultimate professional," he said. "Brad would de-select himself if he didn't think he could do the job, but I'm quite sure he can." Sutton added that selection for Rio was far from settled. "There's a foot in the door for anybody who goes to London," he said.

Summary: Sir Bradley Wiggins "must produce" at March's World Championships in London if he is to make the track team for the Rio Olympics, says British Cycling's technical director Shane Sutton.


The offence occurred in the first-round, second-leg match against Rwanda, which Uganda won 2-1 to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory. However, Uganda's Aheebwa James had different dates of birth on his passport and his inter-clubs licence. Rwanda have been reinstated and will take on Egypt in the second round. The Rwandan Football Federation had challenged the eligibility of Tumwesigye Frank, Aheebwa James, Lwalirwa Halid and Kizza Martin. Only James was found to have different birth dates: 19/5/1998 on the passport, and 27/3/1997 on his Confederation of African Football Inter-clubs licence. Although both dates place James within the age limit for the competition, the rules state that both dates must match.

Summary: Uganda have been disqualified from qualifying for the 2017 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations for fielding an ineligible player.


Police were called to Deerhurst House, on Haymerle Road, in Peckham, on Friday afternoon. The man, aged in his 20s, was treated by paramedics but died at the scene. His family have been told and a post-mortem examination will be held on Sunday. Scotland Yard said no arrests had been made and appealed for witnesses to contact the force.

Summary: A man has been stabbed to death outside a block of flats in south London.


Kenneth Starks, of Strachur in Argyll and Bute, was also put on the sex offenders register for 18 months. A prevention order was placed on him, restricting him from approaching or being alone with children under 16. Starks was previously found guilty of three charges of sexual assault at the DG One leisure centre in 2014. He was convicted of swimming towards children in the pool and touching them. The retired teacher was also found guilty of a breach of the peace.

Summary: A 64-year-old man found guilty of sexually assaulting youngsters in a Dumfries swimming pool has been ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.


Media playback is not supported on this device Robertson pointed to the spot - allowing County to tie the game - after Alex Schalk dived in the box, with no contact from the Danish defender. Rodgers revealed the Scottish FA's head of refereeing, John Fleming, called him this week to discuss the incident. "I really respected that - he didn't have to," the Celtic boss said. "Don Robertson doesn't have to ring me or apologise to me, John Fleming did that. "All I would say to Don Robertson is make sure you apologise to Erik Sviatchenko, because it wasn't a penalty. But I'm sure he will learn from it - we've seen enough poor decisions in the Champions League over the last week or so. "We have to help referees and help them become better because mistakes happen, but in circumstances like that you have to get them right or you lose the trust of the players." Schalk accepted a two-match suspension for simulation, while Robertson will be one of the officials behind the goal for Celtic's Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers on Sunday. Rodgers, who labelled the penalty award a "horrendous" decision, has no issue with his involvement. "Do I think he should be involved in Sunday's game? Listen, we will all make mistakes but he needs to get back out on the field and as long as he doesn't make the same one as he did in the match against Ross County, then I'll be happy enough," Rodgers said. "You have to respect that you don't have the facilities up here that they have in other countries, in particular down south. They're not full-time. The guys up here, I think they're doing their very, very best to educate referees, put them out there in order to perform. So you probably don't have a massive pool of referees that you can put into a game such as this here. "Don's qualified into the Uefa panel now, so he's going to make mistakes, you always hope they're never costly, but he's got to go again. And if he's involved this weekend, then good for him."

Summary: Brendan Rodgers says referee Don Robertson should apologise to Erik Sviatchenko for awarding a penalty that cost Celtic victory over Ross County.


The 18-year-old has played 18 games since making his debut in the 2-0 loss to Leeds in January and made his first start against Rotherham a week later. Brereton came off the bench to score his first Forest goal in the dramatic 2-1 win over Aston Villa in February. "It is a great club to be at and I can't wait to find out what the future holds," he told the club website. "It was good to break through into the first team. It was tough as well but people believed in me and I was given my opportunity and thankfully I took it." Brereton joined Forest from Stoke in 2015 and is an England Under-19 international. Colin Fray, BBC Radio Nottingham's Forest correspondent After a summer of positivity so far for Forest fans following the takeover by Evangelos Marinakis, this is more news that they wanted to hear. Brereton burst brilliantly onto the first-team scene in 2016-17, and there was concern that he might be stolen away from Forest by one of the host of Premier League clubs that have been linked with him. There is huge excitement about Brereton as a player. He already has pace and power in abundance, he is a menace to defenders and has proved he can make the step up to senior level in terms of goalscoring too. His injury-time winner against Villa was one of the highlights of last season. To get his new contract finalised is another very positive step by the new owners. Brereton is one of the most exciting talents to have played for the club for years. Happy Forest fans can now look forward to watching him develop for a few more seasons or, at worst, seeing the club receive a major transfer fee if he does leave.

Summary: Teenage Nottingham Forest striker Ben Brereton has signed a new contract which will keep him at club until 2021.


Captain Jennings gave Wrexham the lead against the run of play with a looping header from Blaine Hudson's cross. Dominic Vose had two chances to extend the lead while Joe Devera hit the post on his Boreham Wood debut. James Russell kept the home side in the game, making crucial saves to deny Dominic Vose and substitute Mark Carrington. The victory sees Gary Mills's side move up to third in the table and five points behind leaders Forest Green, who lost 4-1 at Macclesfield. Wrexham manager Gary Mills told BBC Radio Wales: "I love the one nils, especially away from home. It should have been four or five. It could have come back to bite us. "It's the league we're in - it's difficult. We lost on Tuesday and we've gone again here and picked up a result. It's important when you lose to bounce back. "It's not easy when you have a disappointment like the other night because we shouldn't have lost the game and we've come here and put it right." Match ends, Boreham Wood 0, Wrexham 1. Second Half ends, Boreham Wood 0, Wrexham 1. Foul by Matt Whichelow (Boreham Wood). Blaine Hudson (Wrexham) wins a free kick. Corner, Boreham Wood. Attempt missed. Rob Evans (Wrexham) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Substitution, Boreham Wood. Matt Whichelow replaces Charlie MacDonald. Attempt missed. Adriano Moke (Wrexham) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Corner, Boreham Wood. Corner, Wrexham. Attempt saved. Mark Carrington (Wrexham) header from the centre of the box is saved. Substitution, Wrexham. Lee Fowler replaces Dominic Vose. Attempt missed. Luke Howell (Boreham Wood) header from the centre of the box is too high. Corner, Boreham Wood. Foul by Jamal Fyfield (Wrexham). Charlie MacDonald (Boreham Wood) wins a free kick. Foul by Connor Jennings (Wrexham). Conor Clifford (Boreham Wood) wins a free kick. Attempt missed. Dominic Vose (Wrexham) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. Corner, Wrexham. Offside, Wrexham. Kayden Jackson tries a through ball, but Kayden Jackson is caught offside. Foul by Charlie MacDonald (Boreham Wood). Jamal Fyfield (Wrexham) wins a free kick. Substitution, Boreham Wood. Junior Morias replaces Sam Cox. Substitution, Wrexham. Mark Carrington replaces James Gray. Corner, Wrexham. Attempt saved. Sean Newton (Wrexham) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved. Substitution, Wrexham. Kayden Jackson replaces Wes York. Attempt saved. Dominic Vose (Wrexham) right footed shot from outside the box is saved. Foul by Billy Clifford (Boreham Wood). Dominic Vose (Wrexham) wins a free kick. Attempt missed. Conor Clifford (Boreham Wood) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Connor Jennings (Wrexham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Connor Jennings (Wrexham). Luke Howell (Boreham Wood) wins a free kick. Sam Cox (Boreham Wood) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Sam Cox (Boreham Wood). Dominic Vose (Wrexham) wins a free kick. Substitution, Boreham Wood. Billy Clifford replaces Josh Hill. Second Half begins Boreham Wood

Summary: Connor Jennings scored the only goal of the game as Wrexham beat Boreham Wood in the National League.


All of the managerial movements for October will appear below, followed by the full list of each club, league-by-league. To read the list for September, visit the ins and outs page.

Summary: BBC Sport tracks all the manager ins and outs as well as listing all the current bosses in the Premier League, Scottish Premiership, English Football League and National League.


The idea is to create a pyramid for club cricket that will raise standards on and off the pitch. Andrew Watson, an executive director on the Yorkshire Cricket Board, was one of the key thinkers behind the decision. "We had a national playing survey for three years," he said. "Stronger players and the stronger clubs wanted more competitive cricket and the other players from other leagues wanted more regional cricket, so they didn't have to travel so far. We engaged every league in Yorkshire with that." Under the old system, there were two premier leagues - the North Yorkshire League and the South Durham League. The Yorkshire league has been split into two to form Yorkshire League North and Yorkshire League South, with the Bradford League added in. There are then partner leagues beneath these and promotion and relegation are both possible. The clubs are now coming to the end of their first year under this system. The top two teams from each of the premier leagues will feature in an end-of-season champion of champions play-off, with the final taking place in Abu Dhabi in October. One long-standing club affected by this change is Pudsey Congs - former player and club spokesperson Ralph Middlebrook believes the move will bridge the gap between league cricketers and professionals, as clubs that win promotion to one of the premier leagues must also meet ECB ground standards. "The standard of cricket is going to improve and the standard of pitches is going to improve," said Middlebrook. "There are certain factors that are mandatory on clubs. You must have under-11s, under-13s, under-15s. You must have covers. You must have Clubmark, which is the ECB standard for everything, from child welfare through to development plans. "It's going to give people who are keen to be professionals the chance to go to a club that's on the verge of the first-class game. "And it's not just about excellence. It's about the other clubs lower down being able to find their own level." He continued: "If you just want to be a local club, with people in the locality playing and supporting cricket in their area, you can do that. Not all clubs want to be Premier League clubs with the professional standards they would have to provide. "If you're thinking of being a pro, you'd better go to a decent club with a decent pitch and see if you can hack it." Ringing these changes could be difficult for sides with limited resources, but the Yorkshire Cricket Board have a support network in place for clubs facing the transition. There are five development managers and 10 community officers in Yorkshire, and Cricket Development Groups can help clubs work towards Clubmark. There are talks in place to look at implementing this system throughout the country. "I think ECB and cricket nationally is watching Yorkshire," Watson explained. "We have got 12% of all cricket in the country, so we're the biggest output area. To reorganise the leagues as we've done has taken a lot of discussions - it's taken over 200

Summary: Amateur cricket in Yorkshire received a major overhaul in 2016 with the launch of the new Yorkshire Premier Cricket system.


The Pilgrims have won nine of their last 10 league games and are five points clear at the top of League Two. Last season's beaten play-off finalists beat Yeovil 4-1 on 1 October and have not lost in the league since 13 August. "I've seen us in training and I've seen us perform and I still think we've got another gear in us," summer signing Bradley told BBC South West. After last season's disappointment at Wembley, manager Derek Adams added 14 new signings and two more players on loan. Former Crawley captain Bradley continued: "We're definitely capable of promotion. "I've been part of different League Two squads up and down the country and I can tell you that if we play to our potential every week, we continue to listen to the manager and take on instructions, then this team is more than capable of automatic promotion. "I wasn't here last season and don't have any reminders about Wembley and what happened. "I don't care about that if I'm honest, all I care about is keeping clean sheets and making sure this club is getting where it needs to be. At the minute that's where we are - top of the table and on course for a successful season."

Summary: Plymouth Argyle defender Sonny Bradley says the League Two leaders still have better performances in them.


The non-native corn snake was spotted by a "shocked" council worker as he sorted through the rubble in a remote area off Mill Lane in Setchey, Norfolk. It is now being cared for at the RSPCA's East Winch centre. Manager Alison Charles said "abandoning" the snake was a "callous way to treat a pet". Tim Borodka, who found the reptile on Friday, said: "It gave me quite a shock when I suddenly saw the snake slither away from me. "I have come across lizards and wild grass snakes before, but nothing like this." Ms Charles said the snake would have been unlikely to survive in the wild if Mr Borodka had not put it in a box and taken it to the King's Lynn rescue centre. "The snake was found so far from any homes and amongst fly-tipped rubbish so it seems likely that it was abandoned." Corn snakes are native to parts of North America and can grow up to 6ft (1.8m). The 3ft (0.9m) snake that slithered past Mr Borodka will eventually be rehomed at a specialist centre. "We would encourage people who are thinking about taking on an exotic pet to research the needs of the particular species thoroughly and ensure they can meet them at all times," Ms Charles added. Last year the RSPCA was called in to collect 807 exotic pet snakes. More than 450 of these were thought to be former pets that had either escaped or been deliberately dumped or released.

Summary: An exotic snake had a lucky escape after apparently being fly-tipped at the side of a road with a pile of kitchen cupboards.


The film follows versions of the three previous books in the Narnia series. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe came out in 2005, followed by Prince Caspian in 2008 and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010. Sony-owned TriStar Pictures is joining The Mark Gordon Company, The CS Lewis Company and Entertainment One to make the film, according to Deadline. Together, the previous three films in the Chronicles of Narnia series have made more than $1.58 billion (Â£1.2 billion) at the worldwide box office. David Magee, Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Finding Neverland and Life of Pi, is reportedly working on the script. According to Mark Gordon, the film will "introduce this new, magical chapter of the Narnia franchise to fans around the world, both old and new." The Silver Chair sees Eustace Scrubb - the character Will Poulter played in Voyage of the Dawn Treader - return to Narnia. There he and a classmate, Jill Pole, embark on a quest to find a lost prince who is being held captive deep underground. Doctor Who actor Tom Baker and Star Wars' Warwick Davis were among the cast of a six-part BBC adaptation first shown in 1990. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: CS Lewis's magical realm of Narnia is to return to the big screen with a film of his 1953 novel, The Silver Chair.


Adults are regarded as having allowed organ donation unless they have opted out. In the last year, there have been 160 organs transplanted and 39 were through deemed consent. Wales' Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said numbers were encouraging and the change had been "good news". In 2016, up to September, there were 42 deceased organ donors, broadly in line with previous years. A woman who had a double-lung transplant last Christmas has written an emotional thank-you letter to her donor's family - as Wales marks the anniversary of a major new law. Although numbers of donors naturally fluctuate year on year, the Welsh Government says it is confident that earlier hopes of a 25% increase in the number of donors will be reached in future. "There's a much greater awareness of organ donation itself," Mr Gething said. "More people are having those conversations with their loved ones about whether they want to opt in or to simply leave it as a point of deemed consent. "It makes a real difference then to have that conversation at that point in time when it becomes a possibility and makes it much easier for health staff too." He said on its own measures it had been a success but there was still more to be done and it could be several years before the full impact of the law change was apparent. 160 organ transplants in Wales 39 organs from patients under deemed consent 226 patients on transplant list - Sept 2016 6% have opted out of the system Consultant Dr Chris Hingston, clinical lead for organ donation at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, said: "We've seen a big impact at the bedside in terms of families approaching us to ask about organ donation, but equally families when we asked them if their loved ones wished to become a donor actually know the wishes. "Even if that's not to become a donor, so they're refusing, but they're confident that that's the right decision for their loved ones. "As a clinician that's all I ever wanted - that there wasn't a grey area where there's indecision and difficulty for families." Bill, 67, [whose surname we are not using] was admitted to the critical care unit at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff after suffering a stroke and a fall. His daughter Karen said: "Dad had talked about organ donation. "It's the last serious conversation that we'd had, not knowing that in a few weeks time, that was going to have to happen. "It was his decision and I wasn't going to challenge it because it was his decision. "I think I would have coped with it a lot worse if I hadn't have had the transplant to focus on. "It's like he still had a job to do, even though he couldn't do anything, he was still doing something. "He was looking after those organs before they could be given to somebody else. "It's made losing him easier, because it's like something good has come out of it, and I can't think of any

Summary: More organs are being donated and more lives saved a year after Wales became the only nation in the UK to introduce a new donation law, say ministers.


The news came after US equity firm Blackstone said it was selling a Sydney office building to the group for A$415m ($327m; £218m). Gold Fields House is in the city's prime central business district and overlooks the Sydney Harbour. The firm said it plans to build a luxury hotel as well as residential and retail outlets in the area. "We look forward to creating a new Sydney landmark," said Dalian Wanda in a statement on Monday. Wanda group is backed by Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin and is the country's largest property conglomerate. The recent announcement is the latest in a series of international acquisitions for the Chinese firm. It has already agreed to invest nearly $2bn in London and Madrid hotels and properties in the last two years, according to Reuters. Last week, Wanda said it was buying a 20% stake in Spanish football club Atletico Madrid for €45m ($52m; £34m) - making it the first Chinese company to invest in a top European football club. The group also owns US cinema chain AMC and luxury British yachtmaker Sunseeker. Hong Kong listed shares of Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties were up 3.4% after the deal was announced.

Summary: Chinese property giant Dalian Wanda is set to invest $1bn (£667m) in a development near Sydney Harbour.


The League Two club applied to build an 11,000-seater stadium - that could be expanded to hold 20,000 - on the site of Wimbledon greyhound stadium. Merton Borough Council had recommended it for approval and councillors unanimously approved the plans. The original Wimbledon club left Plough Lane in 1991 because of legislation requiring all-seater stadiums. Wimbledon FC, as it was known then, shared Crystal Palace's Selhurst Park until 2003 when it was given permission to relocate about 70 miles (112km) north to Milton Keynes and was later renamed MK Dons. Many fans protested against the move and decided to form AFC Wimbledon as a non-League club. The side rose back to league status and currently plays at Kingsmeadow in Kingston upon Thames, The AFC Wimbledon Supporters Trust has agreed to sell its lease at Kingsmeadow to Premier League Chelsea to help fund the new stadium. The Plough Lane planning application that has been approved also includes 602 residential units, along with retail and commercial space and a leisure club. AFC Wimbledon's chief executive Erik Samuelson said in a message on the supporters' trust website: "This is an important step in a journey we started some years ago. "We have a long way to go and many major hurdles to clear but we want to build a stadium that is embedded in the community and operate it in an inclusive way." The Greyhound Board of Great Britain, which grants greyhound racing licenses, said it was worried about the future of the sport in London if the Wimbledon track goes. A spokesman said: "Wimbledon is the last track within the M25 and we think it is important there is a track here in London, because greyhound racing is still the fifth most popular sport in this country."

Summary: AFC Wimbledon has been given permission to build a new stadium close to its spiritual home in Plough Lane.


Its debut was the second biggest April opening in history, behind only Furious 7's $147.2m (£104m) launch in 2015. According to the studio, Jon Favreau's film also made an estimated $136.1m (£96m) outside the US and Canada. Comedy sequel Barbershop: The Next Cut came a distant second, with opening weekend takings of $20.2m (£14.2m). Disney has achieved success of late with transforming its classic cartoons into live-action remakes, including Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty makeover Maleficent. The Jungle Book is is a mixture of live action featuring Neel Sethi as Mowgli, with the rest of the footage created with animation. It features computer-generated versions of such familiar characters as Baloo the bear, Kaa the snake and Shere Khan the tiger. Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson and Idris Elba lend their voices to the roles, with Christopher Walken and Sir Ben Kingsley voicing other characters. Slapstick comedy The Boss slipped to third place in its second weekend in cinemas, taking $10.2m (£7.2m) between Friday and Sunday. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Disney animation Zootopia - released as Zootropolis in the UK - round out this week's top five.

Summary: Disney's new version of The Jungle Book has taken a big bite out of the US box office, topping it with $103.6m (£73.1m) in its opening weekend.


The change, introduced on 1 May, means google.ps now displays "Palestine" in Arabic and English under Google's logo. Using the word Palestine is controversial for some. Israeli policy is that the borders of a Palestinian state are yet to be agreed. In November, the UN gave Palestine the status of "non-member observer state". The decision by the General Assembly was strongly opposed by Israel and the United States. Previously, Palestine only had "observer entity" status. It followed an unsuccessful Palestinian bid to join the international body as a full member state in 2011 because of a lack of support in the UN Security Council. Palestinians in general seek recognition for the state they are trying to establish and the adoption of the name Palestine. Israel considers any formal use of the word Palestine as pre-judging the outcome of currently stalled peace talks. In much of Israel's official terminology the West Bank is referred to as Judea and Samaria. In a statement given to the BBC on Friday, Google spokesman Nathan Tyler said: "We're changing the name 'Palestinian Territories' to 'Palestine' across our products. We consult a number of sources and authorities when naming countries. "In this case, we are following the lead of the UN, Icann [the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers], ISO [International Organisation for Standardisation] and other international organisations." The Palestinian Authority (PA) welcomed Google's decision. "This is a step in the right direction, a timely step and one that encourages others to join in and give the right definition and name for Palestine instead of Palestinian territories," Dr Sabri Saidam, advisor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, told the BBC. "Most of the traffic that happens now happens in the virtual world and this means putting Palestine on the virtual map as well as on the geographic maps," he added. Dr Saidam said that since the UN vote on 29 November, the PA had written to international companies, including Google, asking them to replace their usage of "Palestinian Territories" with "Palestine".

Summary: Internet giant Google has changed the tagline on the homepage of its Palestinian edition from "Palestinian Territories" to "Palestine".


The 13 Premier League clubs in the fourth round made 98 changes to their line-ups, an average of 7.5 per team. Championship sides facing lower-league opposition also rotated players, with Leeds making 10 changes, while Brighton and Newcastle made nine. "Clubs care about money while fans care about trophies. That's very unfortunate," Shearer told BBC Sport. "It's just crazy, I don't understand it. I'm all for bringing kids into the team but not seven or eight of them. Six rounds from the third round to the final, it's not asking a lot is it?" The rotation of players in the cup competition proved a talking point as Liverpool made nine changes and were beaten at Anfield by Wolverhampton Wanderers. On Sunday, Premier League sides Hull and Watford both rotated their squads and were knocked out by Championship Fulham and League One Millwall respectively, while an unfamiliar-looking Leeds were eliminated by non-league Sutton. However, seven top-flight sides who made five or more changes to their starting line-ups did make it through to the last 16. On Twitter, Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp showed a "lack of knowledge of the depth in English football and respect". Match of the Day pundit Phil Neville believes the changes are "making the FA Cup better", adding: "It's been fantastic to see the upsets so far. Jurgen Klopp has to find out about those kids. He has a massive academy. If you don't play them, you don't know." Premier League sides have made an average 2.06 changes to their side from one league fixture to the next this season, a much lower figure than the average of 7.5 made over the FA Cup fourth-round weekend. But 14 clubs from the top tier are scheduled to play again in the league on Tuesday, with the remaining six in action 24 hours later. Southampton boss Claude Puel - who made 10 changes in defeat at Arsenal - said he would "do the same again". Watford's Walter Mazzarri - who made seven changes for the loss at Millwall - said he was "sorry" and referenced a focus on Tuesday's Premier League trip to Arsenal, adding: "I want a team that in the next 16 games fights for every ball." But former Arsenal striker Ian Wright said he could not understand Mazzarri's move, with Watford 14th in the league. "I don't know what else they are playing for," said Wright. After defeat at non-league Sutton United, Leeds United boss Garry Monk admitted his rotation "backfired" as he kept an eye on getting the "balance right" for Wednesday's Championship fixture at Blackburn. There are now just seven Premier League teams guaranteed a fifth-round spot, while Leicester will contest a replay with Derby. At this stage in 2015-16 and 2014-15, 10 were left in the competition. Managers often like to use the line that "we take each game as it comes". But as the season enters February, with key fixtures, a busy Easter period and league run-ins on the horizon, it seems many of them are looking

Summary: Clubs making wholesale changes are "cheating fans" out of an FA Cup run, according to BBC pundit Alan Shearer.


The Welsh region top Pool Two after beating Grenoble 59-7 away on 9 December - a third successive bonus-point win. "We've got to keep our focus in terms of not being complacent," warned backs coach Gruff Rees. Wing Hanno Dirksen and Canada forward Tyler Ardron could return from injury. Dirksen has been out since May with a knee injury, and will play in the British and Irish Cup if he does not make the senior squad. Ardron has been missing for more than two months with a thumb injury. "There'll be a big aspect of rotation, but a healthy share of players who played last weekend will figure again," Rees added. "There are players who need their load to be managed, people like Alun Wyn [Jones] and Justin Tipuric get the week off and there'll probably be a couple of others." Tipuric's absence means Sam Underhill is likely to make only his third start of the season, after missing the opening weeks with a shoulder injury. The 20-year-old was touted as a potential England call-up if he had been fit- although coach Eddie Jones would have had to bend RFU rules about not picking players based outside England. "It was [flattering], but you don't want to get ahead of yourself because any international call-up is a reward for performance," said Underhill. "I think it's out of my hands, if it happens it happens and if it doesn't, it doesn't. "[England] isn't the only option, but it's my ambition. It's where I grew up, where I played rugby as a kid. I'm an England fan, I enjoy supporting them, so that's my ambition."

Summary: Ospreys will rest Wales forwards Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric for the home European Challenge Cup game against Grenoble on Saturday.


A large number of rail operators are not running any services, with only a limited service operating on others. Labour said that in opposition the Tories had "attacked the Boxing Day rail shutdown", but done nothing about it while in government. The Department for Transport said it was for train operators to decide on the level of service on specific days. Rail operators that are not running services on Boxing Day include Arriva Trains Wales, c2C, CrossCountry, East Midlands, Grand Central, Great Northern, Great Western, London Midland, Northern Rail, South West, Thameslink, TransPennine Express and Virgin. The Christmas period also sees 200 sets of rail engineering works being carried out, with London, Manchester and Cardiff among the cities hit, and Heathrow Express is also suspended for six days. Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said: "Tory ministers' handling of the Boxing Day rail standstill is making it much harder for families and friends to visit one another this Christmas break. "In opposition the Tories attacked the Boxing Day rail shutdown. They've now had more than six years to do something about it but haven't. "Their lack of action, even despite the chaos of previous years, gives the impression they don't really care about it at all. The Tory hypocrisy on this issue is astounding." A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "Deciding the level of service on specific days is a matter for train operators. "But we know some passengers want to travel on Boxing Day, and that's why we have worked with the rail industry to ensure there are limited services on some franchises on that day, and that the scope for Boxing Day services is considered when we are planning future franchises. "Network Rail and train companies have ensured that a large part of the railway will remain open over the Christmas/New Year period and alternative routes are provided where the lines are closed for essential engineering work, and that these are communicated properly to the public." Travellers are also being urged to check weather conditions before setting off as Storm Conor descends on northern parts of the UK. A yellow "be aware" warning has been issued for western and northern Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England. After a lull following disruption caused by Storm Barbara, high winds and snow are expected to sweep across parts of northern Scotland, peaking on Boxing Day when gusts could reach 90mph.

Summary: Labour has accused the Conservatives of "hypocrisy" over the Boxing Day "standstill" on the rail network.


The 26-year-old centre-back makes the move from Portuguese top-flight club subject to international clearance. Igor Rossi told Hearts' website: "I am a leader, I play aggressively, with passion, and I like the ball at my feet to play from the back. "From what I have seen, this is the Hearts way." Igor Rossi spent four years in Portugal after moving from Brazilian club Internacional, where he was part of the side that won the 2010 Copa Libertadores. But he only made two starts and two substitute appearances for their first team last season, while he made 10 appearances for Maritimo's second string in the Portuguese second tier. Igor Rossi revealed that Hearts' director of football, Craig Levein, was pivotal in bringing him to Robbie Neilson's side. "I had seen Scottish sides in Europe, particularly Celtic and the Scottish national side, and, when I was aware of Hearts' interest, I read up quite a bit about them and saw that they won the league by a huge margin over Rangers, so I was very impressed," he said. "Robbie was very impressive and he explained to me his ambition for the club, where he expects us to be in the future and how he wants the team to play. "Craig also spoke very well to me and I was immediately convinced that I should come to Edinburgh and play for the Hearts. "I believe I will bring good experience from my five years playing in the Portuguese Division 1 and in the Europa League. "I want to help the club challenge in every tournament we play in and I want to help my new team-mates. "I'm also hoping to score some goals as I'm good in the air."

Summary: Hearts have added to their defensive options with the signing of Igor Rossi Branco on a one-year deal after the Brazilian's exit from Maritimo.


The Duke of Rothesay will be joined by newly elected MSPs, diplomats and church leaders at St Giles' Cathedral. The service traditionally takes place on the evening before the first sitting of a new parliamentary term. This year's ceremony includes a humanist blessing for the first time. The Prince will meet with Holyrood's party leaders after the service. The Reverend Calum MacLeod, minister of St Giles' Cathedral will lead the evening service, and Dr Angus Morrison, moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, will deliver a sermon. Guests will be greeted by music from a quartet of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland, while musicians from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland will perform during the service, as will the cathedral's choir. Departing Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick, who will make a reading during the event, said it would be a "modern" service including representatives of "many faiths". She said: "It is an honour to take part in a tradition as historic as the Kirking of the Scottish Parliament, a ceremony which was resumed when Parliament reconvened in 1999. "It will be my pleasure to welcome His Royal Highness the Duke of Rothesay." Humanist Society Scotland chief executive Gordon MacRae said he was "delighted" that there would be representation for non-religious people at the service for the first time. He said: "As Scottish society changes it is only fair and proper that representatives from the large group in society that seek to lead ethical and fulfilling lives without religion are included in the country's important ceremonies." The new session of the Scottish Parliament will formally begin on Thursday, when MSPs will be sworn in by Ms Marwick in the Holyrood chamber. An election will then be held to choose a new presiding officer, with the formation of a government and the election of a first minister the following week.

Summary: Prince Charles is to attend an interfaith service for the Kirking of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.


The world number five was the 2013 runner-up and he proved it was no fluke by reaching the final four at last year's World Championship. And he told BBC Sport staying in a cottage a short drive away from Sheffield has helped him stay calm prior to another attempt at winning snooker's showpiece event. "It is ideal really," said Hawkins, who needed to call on all his powers of relaxation as he saw a 9-4 lead slowly whittled away in his 10-9 first-round win over Matthew Selt. "It's in the countryside, it has unbelievable views and on a lovely day it feels perfect - away from all the hustle and bustle of Sheffield and the snooker-mania. "I get fed up with staying in hotels and if you are going to be here for a week or two you want to be as comfortable as possible. "I stumbled across it a couple of years ago online and as long as I am playing at the Crucible I will always try to stay there." The eagerly awaited tranquil trip was very nearly a mini-break this year, with Hawkins coming perilously close to wasting his money before finally shaking off Selt's comeback. Avoiding defeat in that match means Ronnie O'Sullivan remains the only man to have beaten Hawkins at the Crucible since 2012. But the run to the 2013 final, where he lost 18-12, and last year's 17-7 defeat in the last four mean that although the title still eludes him, Hawkins did at least get full value from his countryside retreat. And the Kent-based, London-born left-hander said this season's tough Sheffield opener may do him some good - as long as there is no repeat when he starts his second-round, three-session match against Mark Allen on Friday. "It gives me a lot of confidence and shows I can do it under the utmost pressure," the 'Hawk' said. "I just hope I just don't have to do it again. "If you can get through the first couple of rounds playing really well and get through quite easy, and conserve some energy for the later rounds, then it is a massive advantage. "Last year I came through some really tough battles and when I played Ronnie in the semi-finals I was absolutely wiped out. "I had nothing left in the tank whatsoever. It was the first time I have ever felt like that. "I went quite far behind and just wanted him to finish me off. I just couldn't wait to get out of there. It's mentally draining and not a nice feeling to have." At least Hawkins had three full days off after Monday's nerve-jangling win over Selt. And the 36-year-old is guaranteed to be match sharp when he faces world number 12 Allen. He knows he needs to be, against one of the most attacking players on the circuit. "It just gets tougher and tougher from now on," said Hawkins, who has only beaten the Northern Irishman once in nine previous meetings. That win was in their last encounter, a 5-1 success at the

Summary: Barry Hawkins says the picturesque serenity of the Derbyshire countryside has helped him relax and find his best form at the Crucible.


The President's press secretary, Jay Carney, has said that he welcomed the Prime Minister's call for Britain to remain in the European Union, adding that the US believed the UK was stronger for being in the EU, and the EU was stronger for having the UK as a member. In the modern version of the special relationship, what Carney called the essential relationship, Britain is valued as an ally precisely because it is one of the leaders of the biggest economy in the world. Some in Washington think Mr Cameron's speech threatens that role and introduce more unnecessary uncertainty to an already uncertain world. Until recently, the promise of a referendum from Mr Cameron was seen in Washington as just another phase in the rocky relationship between the UK and continental Europeans. But now alarm bells are ringing. The White House doesn't care about the EU's internal organisation, and Europe is hardly its biggest concern anyway, but Mr Cameron's promise is definitely an unwanted irritation. Assistant Secretary of State for European affairs Phil Gordon has been unusually blunt. He is publicly saying that referendums could turn countries inwards. "We have a growing relationship with the EU as an institution, which has an increasing voice in the world, and we want to see a strong British voice in that EU. That is in America's interests. We welcome an outward-looking EU with Britain in it," he said. President Obama repeated this view in a phone call to Mr Cameron. The Americans are worried for several reasons. They fear the debate that will rage for the next few years will undermine Britain's voice in the EU and diminish its power. Indeed, insiders say that has already happened - they find other EU members aren't taking Britain seriously. While US officials would agree with Mr Cameron's push for a more competitive, less rule-bound Europe, they fear he will now be less able to achieve it. There is internal politics too. There is an argument inside the administration over whether or not to seek a free-trade agreement with the EU. Those who want to go ahead may fear their position has been undermined. They may feel that Mr Cameron has given ammunition to those who argue it is not worth the bother. Some suggest it would be an irony if such a deal was negotiated - and Britain found itself outside the new free-trade area. Although the prime minister clearly intends to sell a deal that keeps Britain inside the EU there are fears that he will fail. The Obama administration values the European Union as an ally that largely shares its vision, and acts with it in the Middle East, over Iran and North Africa. Officials will fret over the next few years that Britain really could leave and that would badly weaken the EU. At the risk of hurting British egos, they simply don't see Britain - especially with a declining defence budget - as anything more than a medium-sized power in its own right. As one insider put it to me: "At the moment

Summary: The Obama administration has made no bones about it - it wants a strong Britain within a strong Europe.