The Anglo-Dutch giant said profits on a current cost of supply measure (CCS) - which strips out price fluctuations - jumped to $3.4bn (Â£2.6bn) from $1bn last year. A 55% rise in oil prices in the first quarter of 2017 compared with a year earlier was the main driver of profits. Excluding one-off items, profits on the CCS measure were $3.86bn, up 136%. Shell joins rivals BP, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Total in reporting better-than-expected results. More than $1bn in cost savings and budget cuts made over the past three years from cost-cuts and assets sales have also helped to increase cash flow and boost profits. But Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden said the company would be making $25bn worth of investments this year in new oil and gas projects. "We continue to reshape Shell's portfolio and to transform the company," he said in a statement. Oil and gas production, known as upstream, rose 2% in the quarter to 3.752 million barrels of oil equivalent from 3.905 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. A number of new fields continued to ramp up output, particularly in Brazil and Kazakhstan. Earnings from refining, marketing and chemicals also rose 20% to $2.5bn. "We saw notable improvements in upstream and chemicals, which benefited from improved operational performance and better market conditions," Mr van Beurden said. Investors welcomed the results, marking Shell's shares up 3% at the start of trading. Energy producers across the world are reaping the benefits of higher oil prices, which have strongly increased their revenues and profits. Crude has recovered thanks to the Opec oil producers' cartel adhering to a production cut agreed late last year. However, the oil price has eased back recently.

Summary: Royal Dutch Shell's profits surged in the first three months of the year on the back of rising oil prices.


Mr Blackman is championing an e-petition demanding the change in Parliament, after it was signed by more than 120,000 people. Muslims and Hindus should have "the most important days in their faiths recognised in law", the petition says. The government has already rejected the e-petitioners' request. In its response to the petition, the government said: "We are very aware of the importance of these festivals which are widely celebrated in the UK. "Whilst we appreciate a new national holiday may benefit some communities and sectors, the cost to the economy remains considerable and any changes to the current arrangements would not take place without a full consultation." Mr Blackman pressed ministers to reconsider during a debate in the House of Commons' secondary debating chamber of Westminster Hall. He said the government's concern about cost was "valid". The MP for Harrow East said: "According to the Centre for Economics and Business Research, each public holiday costs Â£2.3bn per day due to a loss of retail, commercial services, and other industries. "So we're looking at an overall economic cost of just under Â£5bn if the Muslim faith and the Hindu faith were to be given one specified public holiday each, if the estimate is correct." But, he continued, the think tank had also estimated that annual output would be raised by Â£19bn "if all public holidays were scrapped". "That's not likely to happen. I can't believe any government would every dare to decide to cancel Christmas," Mr Blackman said. "So we can't make a case for or against further public holidays just on the basis of money. If we did, we wouldn't have any public holidays at all." There were "bigger considerations", he argued. "Wouldn't it be a statement that we as a nation embrace these religions, and the people who hold them dear, and we are ready to recognise their place in our society? "Creating these public holidays would be an important step towards promoting the understanding and tolerance of different faiths - not just at home, but abroad too. "We want other nations to look to the UK for a good example of positive integration, and for highly skilled prospective immigrants to consider coming to our country with a sense that their faith is a respected part of their identity." But Business Minister Jenny Willott was not persuaded by the MP's case. "We are very lucky in this country to have such a hugely diverse and mixed and vibrant society that we all benefit from," she told MPs. "Faith groups play a hugely important role in making life better for other people and making communities a better place for people to live." But she emphasised ministers' concern about cost, and concluded: "The government does not believe that there should be a public holiday to mark these particular occasions. "I know that will disappoint some people." If an e-petition gets 10,000 signatures, it is eligible for a written response from the government, which is published alongside the original petition on the government's e-petitions website. If it reaches as many as 100,000 signatures, a

Summary: The UK should show that it "embraces" the Muslim and Hindu faiths by making Eid and Diwali public holidays, Conservative MP Bob Blackman has said.


The proposal from Buckinghamshire councils includes a 15-mile (24km) tunnel from the M25 to Wendover. Current government plans include some tunnels but leaves about eight miles in exposed or partially-covered cuttings. HS2 said it had "considered" further tunnelling but stood by its plans. Plans for the HS2 between London and Birmingham and then to Manchester and Leeds have been developed by the government under holding company HS2 Ltd. It promises to reduce journey times between Birmingham and London from 81 to 49 minutes, and slash the trip to Manchester by an hour, to 68 minutes. The new Chilterns Long Tunnel Route report, produced by Peter Brett Associates, was commissioned by Chiltern District Council, Aylesbury Vale District Council, Buckinghamshire County Council and the Chilterns Conservation Board to look at alternative proposals. The group said the planned route through the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) would result in an "adverse and irreversible impact" on the landscape. HS2 Ltd's proposal includes about 13km (8 miles) in a tunnel from the M25 to Little Missenden and 12km (7.5 miles) on two viaducts, in two green tunnels and either on embankments or in cuttings. The new plan includes a 24.2km (15 mile) tunnel from the M25 to Wendover, the first 9km (5.5 miles) of which would follow the exact alignment of the government scheme. The report concluded a long tunnel was "technically feasible", would protect the landscape and "be a better route operationally". It is the second time the group has proposed a tunnel scheme but it said the latest proposal would have less impact on the countryside. The cost is estimated at Â£1.85bn, as opposed to the government's Â£1.45bn plan, but campaigners said this was "a small price to pay" to "preserve a beautiful and unique part of the countryside". HS2 spokesman Ben Ruse said the firm was "committed to protecting the environment" and a tunnel through the entire AONB had been "explored and given extensive consideration". He added: "However, we have clearly set out how the current proposals provide the best balance between route engineering design requirements, cost and the desire to minimise environmental impacts."

Summary: Plans for an HS2 tunnel under the Chilterns to protect the area have been announced by campaigners opposing existing proposals for the high-speed rail link.


The two victims, both 15, are being treated in hospital. One remains in a critical condition. The attack happened at Kingsdale Foundation School at about 15:30 GMT on Thursday. The teenager accused of attacking the pair has also been charged with grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon. He will appear at Camberwell Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

Summary: A 15-year-old boy has been charged with attempted murder after two pupils were stabbed at a school in Dulwich.


The report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found an average satisfaction score of 7.3 on a scale from nought to 10. UK teenagers had a below average satisfaction score of seven. But anxiety about exams and bullying remains a problem for many young people. And heavy internet use leaves many feeling lonely and less satisfied. The findings are based on a survey of 540,000 students internationally who also completed the OECD Pisa tests in science, mathematics and reading in 2015. The study reveals large variations in life satisfaction out of 48 OECD countries and partner nations. The highest levels of satisfaction were found in the Dominican Republic (8.5), Mexico (8.3) and Costa Rica (8.2), while the Asian countries or economies of Korea (6.4), Hong Kong (6.5), Macau (6.6) and Taiwan (6.6) recorded low levels of satisfaction. The UK took 38th place for life satisfaction, behind countries such as Russia (7.8), Bulgaria (7.4) and Estonia (7.5). The study found girls and disadvantaged students were less likely than boys and advantaged students to report high levels of life satisfaction. Despite reasonably high average levels of satisfaction, bullying was a significant problem for many youngsters, with a large proportion saying they had been victims. On average across OECD countries, about 11% of teenagers said they were frequently mocked, 7% were "left out of things" and 8% were the subject of hurtful rumours. Around 4% of students - approximately one child per class - reported that they were hit or pushed at least a few times per month. But the OECD research found less bullying in schools where students had positive relationships with their teachers. Exam stress was also a problem, with 59% of students saying they often worried that taking a test would be difficult and 66% saying they worried about getting poor grades. Across OECD countries, about 55% of students said they were very anxious before a test, even if they were well prepared for it. Girls had a tendency to worry more than boys, with girls in all 72 countries reporting greater levels of schoolwork-related anxiety than boys. The report found students spent more than two hours online during a typical weekday after school and more than three hours online during a typical weekend day. The majority said the internet was a great resource for obtaining information and more than half said they felt bad if no internet connection was available. Students who spent more than six hours online on weekdays outside of school hours were more likely to report that they were not satisfied with their life or that they felt lonely at school. They were also less proficient in science than students who spent fewer hours online. The OECD research found that between 2012 and 2015, the time teenagers spent online outside of school hours increased by at least 40 minutes a day on both weekdays and weekends. The study concluded that teenagers who felt part of a school community and had good relationships with their parents and teachers were more likely to perform better academically and be

Summary: Most 15-year-olds report being happy with their lives, an international study of students' well-being suggests.


The Australian and Malaysian governments say the search will now focus on an area 1,100km (684 miles) north-east of the previous zone. The move was based on further analysis of radar data that showed the plane was going faster, thus using more fuel. The Beijing-bound airliner disappeared on 8 March with 239 people on board. Malaysian officials have concluded that, based on satellite data, it flew into the sea somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean. So far no trace of it has been found. Search efforts had until Friday morning focused on an area some 2,500km (1,550 miles) to the south-west of the Australian city of Perth. Did previous photos show plane debris? Using satellite images, several nations have identified objects floating in the sea in that search area, but these have not been located and there is no evidence that they are related to the plane. John Young, general manager of Amsa's emergency response division, said that teams had "moved on" from that area based on the new information. Acting Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that the fact that the search area had moved did not discount the earlier satellite images of possible debris further south. "Because of ocean drift, this new search area could still be consistent with the potential objects identified by various satellite images over the past week," Mr Hussein said. A statement from Amsa - which is co-ordinating the search - said the new information had come from the international investigation team in Malaysia. This was based on "continuing analysis of radar data between the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca before radar contact was lost", Amsa said. "It indicated that the aircraft was travelling faster than previously estimated, resulting in increased fuel usage and reducing the possible distance the aircraft travelled south into the Indian Ocean." It said that the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) had determined that this was "the most credible lead to where debris may be located". The new search area is about 1,850km west of Perth and covers some 319,000 sq km (123,000 sq miles). Mr Young, of Amsa, said it represented the "best estimate of the area in which the aircraft is likely to have entered the ocean" and took account of possible drift. The new search area was outside the "roaring forties" bad weather zone, meaning conditions were likely to be better. Aircraft would also be able to spend more time in the area because it was closer to land, Mr Young said. The potential flight path could be the subject of further refinement as investigations continued, Amsa said, adding that satellites would now focus on the new area. Amsa said nine military aircraft would be scouring the area on Friday, with a civilian aircraft acting as a communications relay. What we know The search for flight MH370 Five ships from China and one from Australia were also relocating to that area. One Chinese patrol ship was already at the scene, Amsa said. Mr Young said the shift to a new search area did not mean the

Summary: The search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has moved to a new part of the Indian Ocean due to a "credible lead".


But back in the Indian Ocean island nation, many Tamils are either too scared of official retribution, or too apathetic to mark the second 27 November commemoration since the rebels' defeat last year. The Sri Lankan government has meanwhile been busy destroying the war graves and other memorials for the 20,000 insurgents killed during the three-decade conflict. One such cemetery has been turned into a playground; another in Jaffna was converted into an army camp. And no-one knows what has happened to the records scrupulously kept by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who are thought to have financially supported the bereaved families. Suresh Premachandiran, an MP from northern Jaffna, says his party, the Tamil National Alliance, has tried in vain to stop the demolition of war cemeteries. "Destroying graves is unacceptable," he said. "Those people who were buried there are humans. They fought for the Tamil people." He continued: "Recently when some Tamil civilians lit lamps to mark a Hindu festival in Kilinochchi, the local police thought they were trying to pay homage to the LTTE war dead and beat up them up." In the past, large numbers of Tamils visited these war graves. In many places, cultural programmes would also take place. But now they're not sure what to do. "Those who lost their relatives would like to remember them," says Selva, a resident of Colombo, who did not want his full name published. "But if they do any kind of public display - like garlanding the photos of people in LTTE uniform, they will be arrested." Sri Lanka's deputy high commissioner in the UK, P M Amza, defended his government's decision to demolish war graves, labelling them a rebel propaganda tool. "We consider the LTTE a terrorist organisation," he said. "We feel all those associated with it form part of terrorism. "There is no evidence to show the LTTE represented collective Tamil aspiration. They have killed many Tamil leaders." Human rights groups say both government forces and the rebels committed crimes against humanity during the conflict. The LTTE were accused of recruiting children and firing at fleeing civilians during the final weeks of war. It is an established fact that the LTTE killed thousands of Tamil youths who joined other armed groups in the early years of the rebellion. But many Tamils who are outspoken about the government's alleged war crimes say little about the charges against the LTTE. For many in the diaspora across the world, Heroes' Day is an opportunity to gather and reaffirm their loyalty to the Tamil Tigers. Large gatherings are planned in Britain, Canada, Switzerland, France and Australia. Sam Krishna, media co-ordinator of the British Tamil Forum, said: "In addition to remembering those who sacrificed their lives for the Tamil cause, we will use the occasion to focus on the war crimes. "We will once again press for an independent inquiry." Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, killed on the last day of the conflict in May 2009, traditionally marked Heroes' Day with a speech outlining his agenda for the year ahead, and the

Summary: Around the world, Sri Lanka's diaspora Tamils are meeting to mark Maveerar Naal (Heroes' Day) and remember those who died during the failed insurgency.


The excerpts, released on Monday, excluded the names of gunman Omar Mateen as well as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the so-called Islamic State (IS). Mateen, who killed 49 people at a gay Orlando nightclub, described himself as an "Islamic soldier" and pledged allegiance to al-Baghdadi during his phone calls to authorities. But in the first version of the transcript, any reference to IS or their leader was removed. For example: Police: What's your name? Mateen: My name is I pledge allegiance to [omitted]. The decision to omit the names sparked outrage among Twitter users including US House Speaker Paul Ryan. The Wisconsin Republican denounced the decision to redact as "preposterous" and called on the Obama administration to release the full transcript "so the public is clear-eyed about who did this, and why". "We know the shooter was a radical Islamist extremist inspired by Isis. We also know he intentionally targeted the LGBT community," Mr Ryan said in a statement, referring to IS. Other users expressed outrage over the decision to remove IS from the text. The Department of Justice released a statement later on Monday defending the redaction. Officials said they wanted to remain sensitive to the victims, their families and the ongoing investigation, while also not providing "the killer or terrorist organisations with a publicity platform for hateful propaganda". "Unfortunately, the unreleased portions of the transcript that named the terrorist organisations and leaders have caused an unnecessary distraction from the hard work that the FBI and our law enforcement partners have been doing to investigate this heinous crime," the statement said, before releasing the full transcript of Mateen's first 50-second phone call. The other calls he made were not released. Mateen first called a 911 dispatcher about 30 minutes after he began shooting. During the call, Mateen spoke Arabic and praised "God the Merciful". In a later phone call, he told a negotiator to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq and that was why he was "out here right now", according to the FBI transcript. Mateen also told negotiators he had an explosive vest similar to the kind used by terrorists "in France," making a reference to the November terror attack in Paris. But no vests were found. "[Mateen] does not represent the religion of Islam, but a perverted view," said Ron Hopper, the FBI assistant special agent in charge. "Part of the redacting is meant to not give credence to individuals who have done terrorist attacks in the past," he said. "We're not going to propagate their violent rhetoric."

Summary: The Department of Justice has re-issued a fuller transcript of one of the Orlando gunman's 911 calls without redactions, after facing a wave of online backlash for omitting certain words.


There was also a record number of EU citizens coming to live in Britain with the figure standing at 284,000. Net migration - immigration minus emigration - was the second-highest number on record. Immigration minister Robert Goodwill said the government was "committed to getting net migration down". Most of the period covered by the figures was before the EU referendum, but they also include one week after the poll. The ONS says the net migration figure is similar to the previous year, although it was up slightly on the 12 months ending in March, when it stood at 326,000. Immigration to the UK has also risen to a record level with 650,000 migrants in the year to June. Net migration from the EU was the highest figure on record with the number standing at 189,000. Mr Goodwill said the British people had sent out a "clear message" they want more control on immigration and the government was committed to getting numbers down to "the tens of thousands". He added: "That is why reducing the number of migrants coming to the UK will be a key priority of our negotiations to leave the EU." Figures show 311,000 people came to live in the UK for work-related reasons. But the ONS said there was a "statistically significant" rise in the number of people who were "looking for work", 130,000, compared to 107,000 last year, as opposed to those who had a definite job to go to. By Danny Shaw, BBC Home Affairs correspondent The latest ONS figures have brought the government no Christmas cheer. Immigration remains at historically high levels - and its target to get net migration to less than 100,000 remains a long way off. Ministers hope the numbers will come down once they're able to exert more control over EU migration, currently at a record 284,000, when the UK leaves the Union. However, that all depends on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations: will there be new restrictions on the ability of EU citizens to move freely from state to state? One approach that might be considered is to limit travel to those who've got a firm offer of employment. It won't have escaped the Home Office's notice that 82,000 EU migrants hadn't secured a job when they came to Britain - they arrived in order to look for work. The ONS says that's a statistically significant increase of 21,000 on a year ago - and a record high. Labour MP and chair of the home affairs select committee Yvette Cooper said the number of low-skilled workers coming to the UK was "too high" and her party "should be talking about immigration" as it was a concern for people right across the country. She said the figures show the government's approach to immigration was not working and it also needed to look at different types of immigration. For the first time, Romania tops the list for the country with the most number of migrants to the UK in 2015 - with 54,000 people coming to live in Britain. China was in

Summary: Net migration has stayed near record levels, standing at 335,000 in the year to June, the Office for National Statistics has said.


These colourful lizards can scamper rapidly up walls, scuttle along ceilings and even hang upside down on polished glass. Yet the secret of their amazing climbing ability remained a mystery until relatively recently. The underside of a gecko's foot looks like a tyre tread and is covered in millions of microscopic hairs. Each hair splits into hundreds of tips just 200 billionths of a metre wide. The secret of this lizard's adhesion turns out to be the relatively weak intermolecular forces that draw materials together any time they get close. These van der Waals forces nevertheless explain how a gecko can support its own body weight on just one finger, and a single gecko hair can lift the weight of an ant. To un-stick, the gecko pulls its foot away at a different angle. "What we're talking about is something that is about as sticky as sticky tape - it's not crazy glue," says Prof Kellar Autumn, who became intrigued by gecko adhesion after being funded to develop climbing robots by the US military. Prof Autumn, from Lewis & Clark College in Oregon, added: "What is special about it is that it is controllable. And its controllability is based on geometry and physics, not chemistry." The effort to uncover the mechanisms behind gecko climbing has already yielded synthetic material that sticks in the same way. Stick, peel and re-stick a piece of existing adhesive tape several times and it quickly loses its clingy properties. Prof Autumn and Mark Cutkosky, from Stanford University, compared natural and polymer-based synthetic gecko hairs using a machine that simulated gecko climbing. This showed both versions could be re-used some 30,000 times without losing their stickiness. Synthetic adhesives could yield transformative applications in robotics, industry, medicine, sports and clothing. But one possible use always comes up in any popular discussion: could they allow humans to scale walls like Spider-Man? In 2007, physicist and engineer Nicola Pugno, from Turin Polytechnic in Italy, calculated that a person wearing gloves and boots made of carbon nanotubes and structured to mimic gecko feet could indeed cling safely to a wall or a ceiling. Challenges would include wear and tear and the propensity for dirt particles to collect and inhibit stickiness. The suit would have to work on every kind of surface and for long periods of time. But Prof Pugno says: "We are not very far, in my opinion, from a kind of Spider-Man suit." Prof Metin Sitti, from Carnegie Mellon University, says the idea is "not impossible". Selecting a lightweight person and applying the adhesive to many parts of the suit (not just the feet and hands) would improve the chances of success, he explains. But, he comments: "We get questions like: 'Can you carry a one-tonne weight'. And we say: 'Maybe, but that's not our biggest advantage'." A. The toes of geckos are covered in ridge-like lamellae, producing a tyre tread pattern B. Millions of microscopic hairs, or setae, cover each toe. These are only as long as two diameters of a human hair C. Each seta ends in up

Summary: Geckos are among the superheroes of the animal world.


Parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates have launched a final legal challenge at the European Court of Human Rights after a Supreme Court challenge failed. European judges said doctors were required to keep the 10-month-old alive until they had passed judgement. Specialists at Great Ormond Street believe he has no chance of survival. Charlie has been in intensive care in hospital since October last year. His doctors said he cannot hear, move, cry or swallow and that his lungs only go up and down because he is on a machine that does it for him. Judges in Strasbourg, France, had previously ruled an interim measure to keep him alive should remain in place until midnight on 19 June. The new extension lasts until a final ruling is made. A spokesperson said the court "will treat the application with the utmost urgency" but have not indicated when the final judgement will be made. Charlie's parents, from Bedfont, west London, have raised Â£1.3m on a crowdfunding site to pay for an experimental treatment in the US. In April a High Court judge ruled against the trip to America and said Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity. Three Court of Appeal judges upheld the ruling in May and three Supreme Court justices have dismissed a further challenge by the parents. Charlie is thought to be one of 16 children in the world to have mitochondrial depletion syndrome, a condition which causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage.

Summary: Terminally-ill baby Charlie Gard must continue to receive life support until judges make a ruling on whether he should undergo a trial treatment.


The patents include one that relates to the front face of the iPhone and one for touch-screen technology. It is another win for Apple, after it was awarded $1.05bn (£652m) in damages by a jury in a separate case in August. The ITC can block the import of products into the US. The judge's ruling will go in front of a full commission, which is scheduled to conclude its investigation in February. Judge Thomas Pender agreed that Samsung violated four of Apple's patents, but was not in violation of two others listed by Apple in the complaint. Three of the patents are related to software features, while one covers Apple's hardware. However, the Samsung products in this case do not include its latest devices, limiting the impact of a potential import ban into the US. Samsung has repeatedly argued that any sales ban would limit choice and raise prices for consumers in the US. Apple and Samsung have bought legal cases against each other in more than 10 countries, each accusing the other of violating patents, as the two battle for market share in the hugely lucrative mobile industry.

Summary: A US International Trade Commission judge, in a preliminary ruling, said Samsung infringed four of Apple's intellectual property patents.


After a year of music lessons, the reading scores of nine and 10-year-olds held steady compared to a dip seen in those who were not taught any music. Another group of musically-trained children were found to be better at processing sounds and language. The research is being presented to the American Psychological Association. The research was led by Dr Nina Kraus at Northwestern University and involved hundreds of children at high schools in impoverished areas of Chicago and Los Angeles. Her research had previously highlighted that learning music could improve the concentration, memory and focus of children in the classroom by improving their neural functions. But much of the research had focused on the impact of music lessons on relatively affluent children. In this study, Dr Kraus found that giving children regular group music lessons for five or more hours a week prevented any decline in reading skills, which would normally be expected in poorer areas. Another group of teenage schoolchildren, from a poor area of Chicago, took part in band practice or choir practice every day at school as part of a music project. Researchers recorded their brainwaves to assess how they responded to speech sounds. After two years of musical training, the results showed the musical group was faster and more accurate at distinguishing one sound from another, particularly when there was background noise, compared to a group that did not participate in any musical activity. Dr Kraus said this showed music could have a positive impact on the brain, which could also help learning, but it was not a quick fix. "Research has shown that there are differences in the brains of children raised in impoverished environments that affect their ability to learn," he explained. "While more affluent students do better in school than children from lower income backgrounds, we are finding that musical training can alter the nervous system to create a better learner and help offset this academic gap." All the children had similar IQs and reading ability at the start of the study. Dr Kraus said music appeared to remodel the brain to improve the connections between sounds and meaning, the process by which babies learn to speak. Children growing up in poorer areas with poorly-educated mothers are more likely to have 'noisier brains', she said. This is because they are less likely to know and recognise a wide range of words and are therefore less able to respond to sounds and language. "Music automatically sharpens the nervous system's response to sounds," Dr Kraus explained. The children participating in the study were part of the Harmony Project, which provides instruments and free music tuition for American schoolchildren in certain deprived urban areas.

Summary: Learning to sing or play a musical instrument can help disadvantaged children improve their reading skills, US research suggests.


Three months of work will begin on 8 August on both carriageways of the M74 from J2A Fullarton to J6 Hamilton. Four months of work will begin on both carriageways of the M8 in mid-August from J8 Baillieston to J10 Easterhouse. The M73 will be similarly affected for six weeks from mid-September, between J1 Maryville and J2 Baillieston. The work is part of an ongoing £500m works programme to improve Scotland's motorway network. Graeme Reid, Project Manager for the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project, said: "Transport Scotland is working with the contractor to ensure these works are completed as quickly as possible. "While we're doing everything we can to minimise the disruption, delays will be inevitable, so we're asking motorists to check the Transport Scotland and Traffic Scotland websites for updates on these key routes, to plan their journeys in advance and to look at taking an alternative route if possible." The £500m project aims to upgrade central Scotland's busy motorways and significantly reduce congestion. It has been estimated that the road improvements could reduce the average daily car commute between Glasgow and Edinburgh by 20 minutes.

Summary: Drivers are being warned to expect months of "significant delays" on central Scotland's motorways as work begins to install new signage gantries.


Ian "Jacko" Roberts, 54, of Acrefair, near Wrexham, was in Toulouse for the historic 3-0 win against Russia. But on Monday, he will return to hospital for treatment on a tumour in his nasal passage. He said of the game: "The atmosphere was amazing...exceptional." The win means Wales qualified for the second round, with their next game to be played in Paris on Saturday. And Mr Roberts, a father-of-one, said he got to meet former Wales international players turned pundits Robbie Savage and John Hartson, who has had cancer, at his hotel in Toulouse. "I was having a bit of a talk to John Hartson and he was giving me the arm around the shoulder. It was really good," he added. Two weeks ago Mr Roberts finished 12 sessions of chemotherapy and is about to begin radiation treatment. The carpenter and joiner, who sings for Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir, was captured singing the national anthem by Hartson who tweeted the footage before the Russia game. He said it had been brilliant watching the team in France, adding: "Especially after all the years where we have had the heartbreaks, all them times when we failed to qualify. "It was actually the morning of the Andorra game [a Euro 2016 qualifier which Wales won 2-0 in October] I was told I had the tumour in the nasal passage. "For all the winter I didn't know I was coming [to France] until the Wednesday before. "And my friends have all got me tickets. They've all chipped in money for me to come because obviously I've been out of work for a while." Mr Roberts said it has been hard travelling but he has had a great time with his friends, including Gareth Roberts, 55, originally of Bangor but now living in Chester. Mr Roberts said he has met lots of footballers and stars through his singing but it is nice for his son, Thomas, 14, to see him mingling with such big names.

Summary: A football fan who has taken a break from his cancer treatment to follow Wales in France in Euro 2016 said it has been "amazing".


Richard Westwood, 72, from Surrey, and Leonard Hawkes, 69, from Berkshire, have been summonsed to Chester Magistrates on 2 December, police said. They will both face one count each of indecent assault relating to an incident in Chester in 1968. The Tremeloes formed in 1958 and first charted in the UK in July 1963 with a version of Twist and Shout. The band went on to have a string of hits throughout the 60's, including a number one with Silence Is Golden. Guitarist and vocalist Rick Westwood left in 2012 and bass player and vocalist Len 'Chip' Hawkes, left in 1988.

Summary: Two former members of 1960s band The Tremeloes have been accused of historical indecent assault.


Making them vote may halt declining election turnouts and could "kick start the habit of a lifetime", the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said. In 2010, 44% of 18 to 24-year-olds voted, with the "younger and poorer" least likely to vote, it suggested. The UK risks "sleepwalking into a more divided democracy" unless there is reform, the IPPR's Mat Lawrence said. "The working class and the young have less input into political decision-making processes, with lower rates of participation and representation than older and more affluent citizens," the IPPR report suggested. Such inequalities undermined the "legitimacy and effectiveness" of democracy, the report claimed, saying it was unlikely the trend would be reversed in next month's general election. At the 1970 general election, the gap between the proportion of 18-24 year olds and over-65s who voted was 18%. However, at the 2010 general election, the gap had risen to 32% - with 76% of over-65s voting, compared to 44% of 18-24 year olds. "Long-run decline in voter turnout in the UK is being driven by the relative collapse in participation among the young and the less well-off - not by a uniform decline in turnout among all groups," Mr Lawrence added. "A distinctive non-voting population, generally younger and poorer, heightens political inequality by giving some groups far greater influence at the ballot box." The report comes after the voting age was reduced to 16 for the Scottish independence referendum, in September - when 109,593 16 and 17-year-olds registered to vote. Mr Lawrence said the high turnout at the referendum, as well as the rise of grassroots groups, provided reasons for optimism. Broadcaster and author Rick Edwards told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he supported the proposal, saying "something drastic needs to happen" to encourage young people to vote. But he said there would have to be a "none of the above" option on ballot papers, to allow voters to express their dissatisfaction. "The problem is politicians are more interested in serving the interests of the demographic who vote more because they are interested in winning their votes and keeping their votes. "Therefore what is happening is that young people are getting marginalised and their interests aren't being served as they should be," he added. He said that if young people felt they were not being spoken to, or were not being paid any attention by politicians, they would be even less likely to vote.

Summary: Young people should be forced to vote in the first election after they turn 18, a centre-left think tank has said.


Eleven million documents held by the Panama-based company Mossack Fonseca were leaked to German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, then shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). In Russia, the three main pro-Kremlin TV channels have not reported the story so far. This is quite typical behaviour for Russia's mainstream broadcasters, which often steer clear of controversial topics involving Russian leaders. The leak reveals a suspected money-laundering ring run by a Russian bank and involving close associates of President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations: "Even though Vladimir Putin is not explicitly mentioned anywhere, it is obvious for us that our president has been and will be the main target." The story is covered by privately owned business channel RBK and independent digital news channel Dozhd TV - sources that seldom shy away from major international stories that cast Russia in an unfavourable light. The ICIJ report was released late on Sunday night in Moscow, missing print deadlines for newspapers. But the ICIJ's Russian partner, the opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta, featured a seven-page hard copy report and a large online version on its website. Since then, most of the popular online news sources have included reports on the story. There has been plenty of chatter on social media. The hashtag #panamapapers has been in and out of the Top 10 Twitter trends for Russia since Sunday evening. It seems the story has underwhelmed many Russian bloggers, who were not surprised to learn about potential large-scale corruption. There have been plenty of sarcastic jokes about the alleged sums involved. In Germany, Munich's Sueddeutsche Zeitung - which originally received the documents - has the online headline "Putin's rich friends - the trail of the secret money". The heavyweight Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung says "Panama's state prosecutors investigate offshore firms", while Berlin's Die Welt reports on "The billion-dollar trails of a global affair". The tabloid Bild says "Data leak reveals shady transactions worth billions". China's press is quiet on allegations that the Panama Papers involve Chinese nationals, partly because it is a national holiday, the Qingming Festival. News outlets have reported the story, omitting any mention of China being involved. However, it appears that dialogue on the papers is now being censored, as features on the Sina and NetEase web portals have been removed. There are indications that Weibo social media users want to talk about it, with thousands of posters attempting to discuss the story using the hashtag #PanamaPapers. Weibo shows that more than 2,000 users have used this hashtag, but posts using it appear currently unavailable to view. A search of "Panama" on verified media accounts brings up no results, suggesting that the microblog's moderators wish to limit people from searching for this term. Independent Hong Kong papers, meanwhile, highlight the involvement of the families of a senior Chinese official and a prominent figure. Arabic news websites and online version of dailies have picked up the story, although regional TV channels have yet to report on it. Egyptian dailies are leading with revelations about the family of former President Hosni Mubarak.

Summary: Media from Moscow to Beijing are reporting the Panama Papers leak, with some outlets omitting names of local politicians and prominent figures who figure in them.


Pee Wee Pumps, which makes soft shoes for infants, describes its products as "cool" and "diva defining". But pictures of the fashion range posted online have led to criticism on social media sites. The shoes, which have collapsible heels and pointed toes, are available for infants up to six months old. In the latest post on the company's Facebook page, an infant in heels sits astride a miniature motorbike with the caption: "This little #Diva, defining cool posing in her #PeeWeePumps." The image was criticised by a number the site's users, who suggested it was "wrong" and "disgusting" to portray infants in such a way. It comes amid growing concern at what is seen as the sexualisation of children. "This is not ok," wrote Melissa Balinski. Another commenter, Jen, said that "promoting products for babies this way is just sick". Other promotional images for Pee Wee Pumps products include babies wearing bead necklaces, sequin dresses and tutus. The range of shoes, which features styles made from red satin and leopard-skin material, have repeatedly met mixed responses from Facebook users. "I will definitely avoid this brand," wrote Barrow, commenting on a picture of a baby in "black pump classics". "This is horrid," added Flory. But some users left positive comments, remarking how the shoes made the infants "look adorable". "Too cute," wrote Latoyia. The Pee Wee Pumps website displays a range of designs, labelled "Swanky", "Wild Child" and "Diva". "She'll make a statement in this bold, red hue," reads the product description alongside a design labelled "Sassy". The company came under fire earlier this month from UK campaign group Let Clothes Be Clothes, which posted images of the product range for infants with the warning "beware, the photos are shocking". "I will definitely avoid this brand," wrote Owen. "That's disturbing. Even without the heels the pics would be not even remotely okay," wrote Eva. Another user, Natasha, added to the campaign group's post: "Should be banned." Pee Wee Pumps is based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. The founder, Michele Holbrook, wrote in a statement on the company website that her products "are not intended for walking, but rather to meet the current and ever-growing popular demand for 'high-fashion' in infant apparel".

Summary: A US footwear company has sparked outrage among consumers and campaign groups over a range of high heeled shoes for babies.


Passengers said it was "chaotic", with huge crowds snaking around corridors and a lack of senior staff. Airport operator BAA said UK Border Agency's service was "completely unacceptable" but queues were easing. The agency blamed the Easter holiday for the length of the queues. BAA said queues began easing after 13:00 BST with passengers in Terminal 5 having to wait the longest - 31 minutes for EU passengers and 51 minutes for Non-EU citizens. The shortest waiting time was in Terminal 4, where it took four minutes for passengers from the EU to clear the checks and two minutes for non-EU nationals. BAA said on Friday the longest wait passengers had was 77 minutes at Terminal 3, 75 minutes at Terminal 4, and 54 minutes at Terminals 5 and 1, with non-EU passengers facing the longest wait at the time. Matthew Donaldson, 38, from Lincolnshire, who arrived on a flight from Cape Town in South Africa at about 06:30, said he had to wait for an hour and 45 minutes to leave passport control at Terminal 5. He said: "It was complete chaos. Half the escalators were closed to slow down the crowds and when we got to passport control there were snaking queues. "They gave no reason and there were no senior staff there. "It was erratic to say the least." George Galanopoulos, founder of London Executive Aviation which runs private jets, wrote on Twitter: "Just landed at Heathrow T5... total chaos! Embarrassing for London." Simon Baugh, director of media relations at BAA, said the earlier situation at passport control, which is managed by the UK Border Force, the section of the UK Border Agency in charge of entry to the UK, was "fairly typical" but "completely unacceptable". He said: "It's the UK's reputation and BAA's that suffers. There's no need for it. "It's entirely about the level of resourcing the government needs to put in place." A UK Border Agency spokeswoman said: "We will not compromise border security but we always aim to keep disruption to a minimum by using our staff flexibly to meet demand." She said there were extra workers at the border over the Easter period. Culture Select Committee chairman John Whittingdale outlined his committee's concerns about the airport's service in a letter to Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Jeremy Hunt which was made public this week. The letter, dated 21 March, said waits in excess of an hour might deter tourists from returning to the UK. The government sets BAA targets for processing departing passengers through security but no contractual service level agreements are in place for arriving passengers, said Mr Baugh. He said the Home Office sets an "aspirational" waiting time of no longer than 45 minutes for non-EU passengers and 25 minutes for EU passengers. Mr Baugh said: "That bears no relation to customer experience."

Summary: Passengers have faced waits of more than an hour at passport control at London's Heathrow Airport two days after it was revealed MPs warned it may struggle to cope during the Olympics.


At first sight, with billions in subsidies, you might think that every farmer would automatically want to keep the cash flowing and therefore choose to stay in. But it's not so simple. In 2014, the most recent year with confirmed figures, UK farms received Â£3.19bn. The average payment was Â£17,735. The highest was almost Â£2m. For many farmers, particularly those working marginal land such as hills with poor soil, the subsidies act as a lifeline. Mark Williams runs a farm perched on steep slopes near Welshpool in Wales with a spectacular view over the Severn Valley. Sitting on his quad bike, a flock of sheep grazing nearby, he describes the payments as essential to keep communities like his going. He says hill farming is very difficult and that the margins on beef and sheep alone are very tight, "so the subsidy is very important to protect those farms". But travel the short distance from the Welsh uplands to the rich soils of Shropshire near Telford and you hear a very different story. Bruce Udale and his daughter Isabel Moseley, who grow animal feed on their 1,200 acres, are both determined to leave the EU. This is farming on an industrial scale, with huge fields and impressive machinery. We watch a giant tractor extend two vast arms to spray a bright green crop of wheat. The farm attracts tens of thousands of pounds in CAP payments, but Bruce and Isabel are convinced that British farmers would be better off without them. In their view, the subsidies swirling through the agricultural economy artificially inflate prices which means - according to Bruce - that the payments are not worth as much as they sound. "If we don't have subsidies", he says, "I believe our costs would come down. Land values would probably come down, rents would certainly come down, machinery costs would come down because a lot of these things are priced at what the market thinks we've got in our pockets. "So the loss would not be as great as many people think." And, because the payments come from the EU via the UK government, there is notorious bureaucracy. Isabel says it's hugely time-consuming and she resents it. "For our children's future we should take things back in hand, make our own rules and regulations in Great Britain for our benefit. "Now we have Brussels making our decisions. Yes, we have a slight input, but we can't change anyone's minds." On his hill farm, Mark Williams has an answer to that. "If they think there's going to be any less regulation, the UK is not going to revoke sheep tagging, they're not going to revoke the licences, they're not going to revoke the burial of livestock. "We're still going to have to put up with all of that." What about access to markets? Of the UK's agricultural exports, just over 63% went to the EU with about 36% going to the rest of the world. Mark says that makes the EU a crucial outlet. "Over 90% of British beef and lamb ends up in

Summary: Behind the quiet tapestry of farmland stretching across the UK is a turbulent debate over Britain's membership of the European Union.


Konta, who won 21 of her previous 22 matches and beat world number two Simona Halep on Wednesday, served for a place in the last four in the decider. However American Williams, 35, won four games on the trot to set up a semi-final against Roberta Vinci. Konta's form will see the 24-year-old take over as British number one. She started the year 150th in the world but is now 66th and will next week pass compatriot Heather Watson in the rankings. Williams, the current world number 24, has won seven Grand Slams since turning professional in October 1994. "I went on court to win and to do my best," said Konta. "I gave my all. It just wasn't enough. "I lost to a pretty incredible champion. She played an incredible match. I just feel very fortunate that I got to share the court with her." Konta made Williams work hard for the victory, becoming the first person to take a set off her at the Wuhan Open after losing the first. She then led 5-3 in the final set and looked on course to record another upset at the tournament. However Williams drew upon all of her experience to grind out the victory, coming out on top in a breathtaking final game that saw the crowd applaud midway through one particularly impressive rally. "Johanna played so well. She has had a wonderful summer," said Williams. "It seemed like I was finished but I felt the energy from the crowd."

Summary: Britain's Johanna Konta was beaten 6-4 3-6 7-5 by former world number one Venus Williams in the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open.


The blaze broke out at a building of five apartments on Beverley Road at about 06:00 GMT, the fire service said. The 31-year-old victim was rescued from a ground floor property and taken to Hull Royal Infirmary where he later died. Humberside Police said the fire was not being treated as arson and described the man's death as "non-suspicious but unexplained". More on this and other local stories from across East Yorkshire Two firefighters also suffered minor injuries, Humberside Fire and Rescue said. Resident Vitalijus Lisauskas, who lives in the top floor flat, said he believed the explosion was a result of a gas leak. "The fire was in one of the downstairs flats and luckily we exited out of the building as it happened," he said. "Then it just exploded... knocking off the window and the one above it as well. "It looked like a fireball, in a split second it went boom." His neighbour, who would only give his name as John, said: "All I heard was a loud crash. "I'm quite a heavy sleeper so I went back to sleep and then the next thing you know I've got the fire brigade knocking and banging on my window telling me I need to get out." The scene is near Hull and East Riding Institute of the Blind (HERIB). Beverley Road was closed between Alexandra Street and Queens Road for up to three hours while a cordon was in place around the property.

Summary: A man has died following a fire and explosion at a flat in Hull.


Please click on this page for the latest listings. Fixtures and start times are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made.

Summary: The BBC has extensive live athletics coverage across TV, desktop, mobile, tablet and app.


Sarah Champion faced a backlash after writing in the Sun that "Britain has a problem with British Pakistani men raping and exploiting white girls". The Rotherham MP quit as shadow equalities minister and apologised for her "extremely poor choice of words". The Labour leader denied claims he had sacked Ms Champion for speaking out. He told BBC Manchester: "Child exploitation is wrong. Child abuse is wrong. It is a crime, and it has to be dealt with. "But you cannot blame an entire community, an entire nation or an entire ethnic community. You have to deal with it for the crime of what it is." Asked if he had sacked Ms Champion over her comments, he said: "Look, she resigned and I accepted the resignation, so, clearly, I think it's right thing to do and I thank her for her work." Communities Secretary Sajid Javid accused Mr Corbyn of stifling debate. The Conservative minister said in a tweet: "Corbyn wrong to sack Sarah Champion. We need an honest open debate on child sexual exploitation, including racial motivation." Business Minister Margot James said she was "enraged" by the Labour leader's "treatment of Sarah Champion". She wrote on her Facebook page that the Rotherham MP's comments "might have been hard hitting, but that doesn't make them any less true". The Conservative MP for Stourbridge added: "There needs to be a discussion about how we overcome the cultural attitudes towards women that have contributed to these crimes; and to the ways in which they were covered up for so long. "There has been a disgraceful history of shouting down brave Labour women MPs who have stood up to community pressures in Northern cities like Keighley (just google former MP Ann Cryer) and Rotherham in exposing these crimes, of which the appalling treatment of Sarah Champion is yet another chapter." Conservative former Children's Minister Tim Loughton said he did not know if Ms Champion had been sacked or not - but he accused Mr Corbyn of being "deaf to a problem that is happening in our country". The Equality and Human Rights Commission said it was a "real shame" that Ms Champion had resigned because of "over-sensitivity about language". Labour's shadow justice minister, Yasmin Qureshi, refused to be drawn on whether it was right that Ms Champion had stepped down. "I think you need to ask Sarah that question," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "Of course we should deal with abuse wherever it occurs and we should ask ourselves as to what we can do to ensure these things don't happen." Ms Champion's article was written after 17 men were convicted of forcing girls in Newcastle to have sex. The men, who were mostly British-born, were of Iraqi, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Iranian and Turkish heritage. In interviews following the convictions, the Labour MP said such crimes involved "predominately Pakistani men" and a fear of being called racist was hampering the authorities' investigations. She then wrote the Sun article, which also included the line: "These people are predators, and the common denominator is their ethnic

Summary: Jeremy Corbyn has said it is wrong to blame "an entire ethnic community" for child abuse after one of his frontbench team quit over a press article.


Spanish Trade Secretary Jaime Garcia Legaz said the EU would intervene over Argentina's seizure of the controlling stake in YPF from Spanish firm Repsol. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also offered support. But Argentine officials said they were not worried by possible reprisals over the nationalisation. Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner announced the measure on Monday, saying she was asserting sovereignty over Argentina's energy resources. Her government is taking 51% of YPF, wiping out Repsol's 57.4% majority stake. The move has wide support in Argentina but has provoked outrage in Spain, which has threatened reprisals. The Spanish government will consider what measures to take at a cabinet meeting on Friday, and has also been rallying international support. "There are going to be very clear interventions on the part of the European Union," Trade Secretary Jaime Garcia Legaz said, without revealing further details. It is not clear what any reprisals might involve. EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss the issue at a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said Spain would also raise the issue with the IMF, the World Bank and the G-20. "We will try to pressurise Argentina so that it sees that this road is going nowhere," he said after meeting Hillary Clinton. He added that Spain and the US had agreed to work together to "re-establish international legality". But the Argentine government says it will not back down in its decision to nationalise YPF, which it says is a lawful action taken in the national interest. "The government takes its decisions thinking about the Argentine people and not what the US or the Spanish government think," Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo said. "We are not worried about any kind of reprisals," he added. Repsol has said it wants around $10bn for its stake in YPF, but Argentina has said it does not accept that valuation. It says YPF did not invest enough to increase output from its oil fields, forcing Argentina to rely on imports. YPF, Argentina's biggest oil company, was privatised in 1993. Last year it announced huge new finds of shale oil and gas.

Summary: Spain says it is rallying international support against Argentina's nationalisation of the oil firm, YPF.


Staff have been told the posts will go by March and will mainly affect management and head office roles in Manchester and Stockport. Deputy chief executive Liam Coleman said the cost reductions were "critical" as it continues its three-year plan to rebuild the business. The bank almost collapsed in 2013 and it expects to continue to be loss-making until the end of next year. Mr Coleman said: "These cost reductions are critical to progressing our turnaround and delivering a cost base which supports a sustainable core bank." He said it would continue to consult colleagues and trade unions on the proposals over the coming weeks. "We have made progress in turning the bank around since 2013, but have always been clear that the bank's recovery is a difficult journey." He said the business would not make a profit this year or next year while it continues its "turnaround plan in a challenging economic environment". Rob MacGregor, national officer at trade union Unite, said: "The speed and breadth of these cuts will hit the Co-operative Bank's much cherished customer service and with it the bank's unique selling point. "Compulsory redundancies are anathema to all trade unions, but the timing of this exercise just before Christmas is a real blow to our members." He said the union would be supporting members and pressing the bank to reconsider the cuts where possible. The bank was owned by the Co-operative Group until 2013, when a Â£1.5bn hole was discovered in its finances. The group had to go to outside investors to support the Co-op Bank, which is now 80% owned by US hedge funds, with the remainder held by the Co-op Group.

Summary: Co-operative Bank is cutting 200 jobs as it looks to continue its recovery.


It said Mr Russell would lead the Scottish government's negotiations with Westminster over "our future relationship with the EU". Mr Russell has been given the title of Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe. He has previously held the environment, culture and education briefs. But he has been out of the Scottish cabinet since Nicola Sturgeon replaced Alex Salmond as first minister in November 2014. Ms Sturgeon said the appointment, which is subject to approval by Holyrood when it returns next month, was an indication of the importance she was placing on the negotiations. She added: "We already have an agreement with the new prime minister that the Scottish government should be fully involved in the development of the UK government's position ahead of Article 50 being triggered and beyond, and that options to protect Scotland's relationship with Europe will form part of these discussions. "By putting a dedicated and experienced minister at their centre, it will ensure that Scotland's voice is heard loudly and clearly. I am confident that Michael Russell will make strong and constructive representation to the UK government throughout this process." The first minister said External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop and Europe Minister Alasdair Allan would continue to lead discussions with EU institutions and member states. She added: "Derek Mackay will continue to have overall responsibility for the constitution, including overseeing preparations for a new independence referendum bill should that prove to be the best or only way to protect Scotland's interests." Mr Russell was previously Minister for Environment from 2007 until 2009 and then served as Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution before moving to the role of Cabinet Secretary for Education which he held until November 2014. He said he was "delighted and honoured" to accept the new role. He added: "Following the overwhelming vote in Scotland to remain in the EU, it is essential that Scotland comes together to defend our national interest. Accordingly in these discussions, it is important that the nation speaks, as much as possible, with one voice. "I will therefore want to listen and learn from the widest range of individuals, communities, organisations and companies about their hopes and fears for the future." Mr Russell, who will report directly to the first minister, is expected to attend the second meeting of the EU Standing Council next week.

Summary: Michael Russell has been appointed as the Scottish government's new minister with responsibility for Brexit negotiations with the UK government.


Mark Duffus, 41, from Forres in Moray, was among at least seven people who died in a suicide attack on the Kabul base of a logistics firm supplying Nato forces in Afghanistan. He was employed by international security management group Blue Hackle. Five guards, four of them Nepali, were among those killed in the gun and bomb attack, which happened early on Tuesday. In his profile on the LinkedIn social media website, Mr Duffus said he had been employed by Blue Hackle since 2005, and was working as a site security manager. He had previously served in the armed forces for nine years. The Kabul police chief told the BBC the four insurgents, who were all killed, had a truck full of explosives. Smoke was seen rising above the scene of the attack in the north of the city. Reports suggested the bombers' vehicle was stopped outside the facility by guards. When the explosives were detonated, gunmen began shooting at guards in a 30-minute battle, officials said. As well as the Nepali guards, two Afghan truck drivers who were waiting to enter the compound were killed and an Afghan guard. Kabul police chief Gen Ayub Salangi said all four attackers were killed and the blast from the truck left a large crater in the ground. This is the latest in a series of attacks on targets in the Afghan capital in recent months. Moray SNP MP Angus Robertson said: "The loss of anybody whether military or civilian in a conflict is terrible for their family, friends and the wider community. "My sympathies are very much with those family and friends in Forres and elsewhere at this sad time."

Summary: A Scottish security contractor has been killed in Afghanistan.


Speaking during a visit to communist Vietnam and talks with its leaders, Mr Obama said the move removed a "lingering vestige of the Cold War". The US is trying to bolster its relationship with its Pacific allies, as China asserts territorial claims. But Mr Obama said the embargo decision was not related to US policy on China. "It's based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalisation with Vietnam," he said in Hanoi. Vietnam is one of several countries in the region involved in maritime disputes with China. The US insists on the right to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. In 2014, a row over a Chinese oil rig near the Paracel islands led to clashes between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels and anti-China riots in Vietnam. Why Vietnam wants US weapons Beijing's new South China Sea islands High hopes for Obama visit White House officials had indicated the arms ban, in force since 1984, would be lifted only if human rights in Vietnam improved. "Sales will need to still meet strict requirements, including those related to human rights, but this change will ensure that Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself," Mr Obama said after talks with President Tran Dai Quang. Vietnam had been arguing for an end to the embargo, which was partially lifted in 2014. President Obama's easing of all remaining restrictions on arms sales to Vietnam is powerfully symbolic. But what does it mean in practice? Up to now, Vietnam has relied on Russia to supply most of its defence equipment, a legacy of the Cold War, when they were allies. The government would certainly like to diversify its sources, and is looking at a number of potential alternative suppliers. But it won't be rushing into the arms of US manufacturers just yet. One reason is that a lot of US technology may be too sophisticated and expensive for Vietnam's needs. And while Vietnam's defence spending, which has doubled over the past decade, is driven by the rivalry with its giant neighbour China, it will not want to antagonise China by seeking state-of-the-art US weapons that might alter the military balance. Another reason is the complicated process of procuring US weapons. In his announcement, Mr Obama said any military contracts would still be subject to provisos on human rights, and given the Vietnamese government's poor human rights record that might hold up possible arms sales in Congress. The greatest potential for US sales probably lies in areas like military surveillance systems and coastal defence. Vietnam would welcome technology that helps it track Chinese naval forces. The partial lifting of the embargo two years ago was with the specific aim of improving US sales in this area, yet Vietnam is taking its time to decide what it most wants to buy. Mr Obama's visit comes 41 years after the end of the Vietnam War in which the US sought to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. Several million Vietnamese - civilians, communist fighters and South

Summary: President Barack Obama has announced the US is fully lifting its embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam, its one-time enemy.


Media playback is not supported on this device Wednesday's match in Lyon will be Wales' first in the last four of a major tournament. Coleman hopes Wales, appearing at a first competition since the 1958 World Cup, will become regular qualifiers. "People think the end of this tournament is the end of this journey, but it's not," he said. "It's part of the journey. The experience this group of boys will get from this, they'll be here long after I'm here. This success is part of the learning process. "When I looked at the group we were in the tournament, I thought we were capable of getting out of the group. "You never know who you'll get in the last 16, and then the quarter-final. I thought that was a possibility. I told the players that, that I genuinely believed we arrive at that stage. "I didn't know what would happen after that, if I'm honest. But we've got a good team." By guiding Wales to a brilliant 3-1 win over Belgium in last Friday's quarter-final, Coleman has already overseen his country's greatest footballing achievement. They venture into the unknown on Wednesday with their first semi-final, whereas Portugal will be appearing in the last four of a major tournament for the seventh time. Fernando Santos' side are the bookmakers' favourites in Lyon, though they have yet to win a game in 90 minutes in France. They will inevitably look to captain and record goal-scorer Cristiano Ronaldo for inspiration, and his duel with Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale has been the subject of much attention in the build-up to the game. Another Real player, centre-back Pepe, could have an important role to play as Portugal aim to subdue the threat of Bale, who is second in the Euro 2016 scoring charts with three goals. Pepe returned to training on Tuesday having struggled with a thigh injury and, with the defender's confrontational style in mind, Coleman was asked about potential gamesmanship from Portugal. "Our boys will know about the opposition. We do our homework on every team. We know their players individually and collectively, we know what to expect," he said. "You call it gamesmanship, but sometimes it's being streetwise at this level. We've got better at that. "We used to be far too honest. I'd look at what players used to do to us, and us in the same situations, and we'd be miles behind. "Sometimes it's not pretty, or even ugly, and you can see it as negative. But anything you need to do to stay in the game, do it. It's streetwise, football smart. We've got a lot better at that in the last few years."

Summary: Chris Coleman believes there is more to come from his Wales side regardless of the result of their historic Euro 2016 semi-final against Portugal.


Researchers assessing the results of nearly 200 studies say sperm counts among men from North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, seem to have halved in less than 40 years. Some experts are sceptical of the Human Reproduction Update findings. But lead researcher Dr Hagai Levine said he was "very worried" about what might happen in the future. The assessment, one of the largest ever undertaken, brings together the results of 185 studies between 1973 and 2011. Dr Levine, an epidemiologist, told the BBC that if the trend continued humans would become extinct. "If we will not change the ways that we are living and the environment and the chemicals that we are exposed to, I am very worried about what will happen in the future," he said. "Eventually we may have a problem, and with reproduction in general, and it may be the extinction of the human species." Scientists not involved in the study have praised the quality of the research but say that it may be premature to come to such a conclusion. Dr Levine, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, found a 52.4% decline in sperm concentration, and a 59.3% decline in total sperm count in men from North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The study also indicates the rate of decline among men living in these countries is continuing and possibly even increasing. In contrast, no significant decline was seen in South America, Asia and Africa, but the researchers point out that far fewer studies have been conducted on these continents. However, Dr Levine is concerned that eventually sperm counts could fall in these places too. Many previous studies have indicated similar sharp declines in sperm count in developed economies, but sceptics say that a large proportion of them have been flawed. Some have investigated a relatively small number of men, or included only men who attend fertility clinics and are, in any case, more likely to have low sperm counts. There is also concern that studies that claim to show a decline in sperm counts are more likely to get published in scientific journals than those that do not. Another difficulty is that early methods of counting sperm may have overestimated the true count. Taken together these factors may have created a false view of falling sperm counts. But the researchers claim to have accounted for some of these deficiencies, leaving some doubters, such as Prof Allan Pacey of Sheffield University, less sceptical. He said: "I've never been particularly convinced by the many studies published so far claiming that human sperm counts have declined in the recent past." "However, the study today by Dr Levine and his colleagues deals head-on with many of the deficiencies of previous studies." But Prof Pacey believes that although the new study has reduced the possibility of errors it does not entirely remove them. So, he says, the results should be treated with caution. "The debate has not yet been resolved and there is clearly much work still to be done. "However, the paper does represent a step forward in the

Summary: Humans could become extinct if sperm counts in men continue to fall at current rates, a doctor has warned.


The 21-year-old woman, who police said was a sex worker, was found early on Wednesday in Springwell Road, off Water Lane, in Holbeck. She was taken to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment, but died a short time later. A 38-year-old man was later arrested and questioned by officers investigating the death. West Yorkshire Police said the woman's identity was known, but her family had not yet been informed. Det Supt Simon Atkinson said they wanted to hear from anyone who was in the Springwell Road area between 20:00 GMT on Tuesday and 01:30 on Wednesday. He added: "We can confirm that the victim was a sex worker and the incident has taken place in the managed area where sex workers operate within a defined area during set hours. "We are therefore appealing to anyone involved in any aspect of sex work in the managed area in Holbeck to let us know anything they have seen or heard that could assist the investigation."

Summary: A murder inquiry has begun after the death of a woman found seriously injured in Leeds.


Mr Bondevik, who said he was travelling on his diplomatic passport, was held for about an hour. He said his passport also indicates he is a former prime minister. Immigration officials told him it was unrelated to President Trump's temporary ban on Iranian nationals. Instead, he was told it related to a 2015 law which places extra restrictions on countries that are part of the US visa waiver programme, according to an interview with ABC7 news. But Mr Bondevik said he has never had an issue travelling to the US with the same document before Mr Trump's order. During his 2014 Iran trip, he spoke against extremism at an international conference on behalf of human rights organisation The Oslo Centre, of which he is president. Iran is one of the seven countries affected by the controversial executive order from the new president. "I was surprised, and I was provoked," he said, suggesting that the mention of Iran had made him "stick out". "There is no reason to be afraid of a former head of government who has been on official visits several times to this country, including in the White House," he told Norwegian broadcaster TV2. The former prime minister was flying to the US to attend the national prayer breakfast event in Washington - which President Donald Trump also attended.

Summary: The former prime minister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik, said he was detained at a US airport earlier this week because he had visited Iran in 2014.


Ricci Gallagher, 46, died in hospital a week after being injured at the farmhouse in Little Burstead, Essex. It is owned by Richard Glanville, the ex-chief financial officer of a fashion firm that owned Oasis and Warehouse. Mr Glanville and another man have been questioned on suspicion of attempted murder. Both have been bailed. The victim's wife, Linda, said they had been excited about building their new home in the village, which they had moved into a week before. "Ricci was a very kind, considerate person with a great zest for life and was liked by all who met him," she said. "He was easy-going and good fun. "Ricci and I had a very happy marriage and were excited about the new phase in our lives with the move to Little Burstead." Mr Gallagher had reported a fire at his home about half a mile away in Blind Lane, minutes before police were called to the farmhouse on Sudburys Farm Road on 30 July. Police said they were linking the incidents and were investigating why Mr Gallagher had been at the farmhouse. It is understood one line of inquiry is Mr Glanville may have found Mr Gallagher inside the house. "The tragic events that have unfolded from the day of the fire at our home... have left me and my family devastated," said Mrs Gallagher. "I would ask for anyone who can help the police to do so... and finally ask that we now be left to come to terms with this terrible tragedy and grieve in private." Officers are particularly keen to trace the drivers of a lorry and a Vauxhall car seen between 09:00 and 09:30 BST on 30 July.

Summary: The widow of a man who died after being found injured at an ex-fashion executive's home has said they had been "excited" about their move to the area.


Media playback is not supported on this device The former England midfielder, 34, will play for the Major League Soccer club after his contract at Anfield expires. "We were aggressive in our pursuit of Steven and look forward to his contributions on and off the field," Galaxy president Chris Klein said. "I'm very excited to begin the next chapter of my career in the United States," Gerrard added. Media playback is not supported on this device "The Galaxy are the most successful club in MLS history and I'm looking forward to competing for more championships in the years to come. "One of the reasons I chose them was because of the success they've had recently. I want to add some medals and trophies to my collection." Gerrard, who has won 10 trophies at Liverpool, including the Champions League in 2005, becomes the second England captain to join LA Galaxy, after David Beckham played for them between 2007 and 2012. "We're very pleased to acquire a player of Steven's calibre, experience and character," said head coach and general manager Bruce Arena. "He is one of the most decorated players in the world and will join our team with a wealth of success playing at the highest level of the sport. "Steven will be an excellent example to our young players and we're excited to add him and his leadership to an already-talented roster."

Summary: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will join Los Angeles Galaxy in July, the American side have confirmed.


Police Scotland said the recovery was made after an intelligence-led operation in the Guild Street area on Tuesday. Jian Lin, 39, of no fixed abode, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Wednesday on a drugs charge. He made no plea and was remanded in custody.

Summary: A man has appeared in court after cannabis with an estimated street value of £90,000 was seized in Aberdeen.


From the moment it premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Bande de Filles, or Girlhood, was a homegrown hit. The film - "a work of cinematic art" according to The Guardian - made more than Â£1m (1,346 euros) at the French box office, was nominated for four prestigious Cesar awards and secured an international film release. Girlhood is the story of a black teenager, Marieme, who lives in the vast banlieues, or suburbs, of Paris. With a dead-end future in front of her, she forms a relationship with a group of other young girls. None of its leads, including Parisienne Karidja Toure who plays Marieme, had ever acted before - a consequence, says director Celine Sciamma, of her not being able to find enough professional black actresses for the roles. "We were looking for four months," she recalls, "with a casting director and two assistants. We basically went everywhere. "We went to agencies, but there were very few black girls. And then we went in to theatre classes and high schools, but we met most of our cast randomly on the street. "We had to invent a group, with its alchemy and energy. But we also needed girls with wit, who were able to improvise, because some of the scenes required it. "All the girls are non-professionals, whereas all the boys had already been on screen. That says something about the representation of black women in cinema." Toure, 21, was asked to audition as she sat outside a restaurant in Paris's 14th arrondissement. "At first I thought the casting process was a little strange," she admits. "But there aren't many black actresses in Paris, so they had to do it that way. You know, black teenagers in Paris, boys and girls, don't watch French movies. "When you watch French films, you don't see many black characters. So we boycott them, and watch American movies instead. "During the casting there were around 300 girls, who all have dreams about being actresses. But I guess we don't really believe we can do it, because we don't see many others doing it." Like Richard Linklater's Oscar-winning Boyhood, Girlhood is a coming-of-age movie. The circumstances, though, are vastly different. Sciamma grew up in the Paris suburbs herself and says she was writing "from the things I know - that there are people who have such energy, but they are not given a vision of who they should be." Told by her teacher to stop studying and get a job, Marieme plays truant with her new group of friends and becomes a gang fighter. Soon, footage of her beating up other girls is filmed and put on to social media. "It's very true to life," says Toure. "If you know the suburbs, you know you have the same gangs, the same fights - every French teenager can relate to it. "Even when I read the script, there were similarities to my life. I've been followed in stores by shop security guards who are told to do it just because I am black. "My own teacher told

Summary: The director and lead actress of a film about female teenagers that has been an award-winning hit across the Channel say they hope it will pave the way for more French films about young black women.


M&S ended 4.4% higher after like-for-like general merchandising sales rose 0.7% in the three months to March 30. Bottling company Coca Cola HBC topped the risers, closing up 4.6%. The benchmark FTSE 100 closed up almost 24 points, or 0.35%, at 6,833.46. M&S saw overall sales rise by 1.9% over the quarter, with like-for-like food sales also up 0.7%. Online sales jumped nearly 14%, returning M&S.com to growth. The biggest blue-chip faller was BHP Biliton, shedding 2.6%, while fellow miners Antofagasta and Anglo American also slipped 2.1% and 1.9% respectively. Outside the main index, drug company BTG finished up 4.8% after raising its annual revenue forecast, while Telecom Plus was the top riser on the FTSE 250, adding 4.9%. Electrocomponents shed almost 3.6%, leaving it as the biggest faller on the 250. On the currency markets, the pound was down slightly against the dollar at $1.4844, while against the euro, it was down almost 1% at â‚¬1.3655.

Summary: (Close): Marks & Spencer was among the biggest risers on the FTSE 100 on the last day of trading before the Easter break after the retailer announced a rise in non-food sales for the first time in almost four years.


On market days, stalls cover the square of my local town in front of the old abbey and the car parks are full. Wander through the tight streets and it's hard to see that anything is different - it looks and feels the same as it always has - but a silent revolution is under way. Since 2010, national spending on local government has halved and all of our communities are having to make do with less. In Selby, the police cells and magistrates court have been closed, CCTV and bus services have been cut back, street wardens have been axed and many of the street lights turn off at midnight. And a voluntary army is at work. On the outskirts of the town, Terry Heselton manages a team of volunteers who run Barlby library - which would have closed without their efforts. "Most people would prefer it if the council could carry on providing the library service, but in the real world that's simply not going to happen," he says. Nationally, the number of library volunteers has almost doubled since 2010. It is a new model of civic provision and it brings savings, but Terry says he had doubts. "Your initial reaction as a group of volunteers is 'we're taking people's jobs, aren't we?' And I'm sure there are some people who still think that, but at the end of the day, I think we now know year-on-year, there's increasing cuts. We're never going to go back to running things the way they used to be." North Yorkshire County Council funds many of the services in Selby, but its spending power is shrinking by a third. The council has already saved £116m and it says it has done what it can to protect frontline services, with 60% of the savings found in the back office and more than 100 managers leaving. Gary Fielding has to make the figures work. He says the first cuts were genuine efficiency improvements, but it's got harder. "You go for the low-hanging fruit, you then grasp for the medium-height fruit and we're now getting the stepladders out and really climbing up that tree," he says. "We will always provide essential services to the most vulnerable, but change has got to happen - even on frontline services." Eighty-year-old Jean Collins volunteers in the Age UK Selby District offices in the town centre. The council used to pay for workers at the charity to visit isolated elderly people in their homes as part of a befriending scheme, but funding has now been redistributed to other Age UK organisations in Yorkshire and other befriending services in the town. The charity can now only afford to pay for a phone line in the office. One person affected by the changes is 87-year-old Betty McIntyre, who lives on her own in the village of Brayton, just outside Selby. She had a fall last year and has been confined to a chair in her living room for seven months. In one recent call, she told Jean: "I've been crying my eyes out

Summary: Selby is a tidy market town sitting in the flat, open countryside south of York.


The 36-year-old, who rejected a new contract with Partick Thistle, has signed a two-year deal. He takes over coaching duties from Neil Alexander, who has joined Aberdeen. Head coach Robbie Neilson said: "He'll primarily be a coach, but he'll be registered as a player too and I know he'll be ready if called upon." Alexander, two years older than Gallacher, had been Hearts' first choice last season but was released this summer. Jack Hamilton was given his chance at the end of the season, but Neilson is likely to look for another goalkeeper to challenge the 22-year-old. Gallacher, who joined Thistle from Ross County in 2013 but only made one appearance for Hearts' Scottish Premiership rivals last season, will also challenge for a place. "He's a vastly experienced goalkeeper and is a good goalkeeper coach too, having spent time in that role at Partick Thistle," said Neilson of the former Norwich City, Dunfermline Athletic and St Mirren man on Hearts' website. "I'm sure Jack and the other goalkeepers at the club will benefit greatly from Paul's knowledge." Meanwhile, defender Faycal Rherras has admitted that he has joined Hearts in the hope it is a stepping stone to English football. The Belgian-born Moroccan 23-year-old signed a three-year contract this week after leaving Sint-Truiden. "My dream is to play in England and I know that in Scotland the league is similar in physicality and the style of football that is played in England," he said. "This move is a chance for me to do well and adapt to those characteristics."

Summary: Goalkeeper Paul Gallacher has joined Hearts as a player-coach, but the Tynecastle club are continuing their search for another shot-stopper.


Police Scotland said it was informed about the find at 15:40 on Sunday. The beach esplanade was expected to be closed "for some time" as a public safety precaution. The road has been shut from the roundabout with the Beach Ballroom, the junction with Park Road and the junction with King Street.

Summary: Roads have been closed around Aberdeen beach following the discovery of an ordnance device.


For a man supposedly worth millions, you would not know it by his boots. When the BBC interviewed Col Gaddafi in March, I was expecting the meeting to take place at a secret desert pavilion. Instead it was a seaside restaurant in central Tripoli. His eyes were hidden behind gold Cartier sunglasses. His flowing brown robes gave off the light scent of sandalwood. "I don't like money," he said. "I have a tent". One look at his black cowboy boots and you would think he was telling the truth. The soles were cracked and pitted, the heels worn. Last week, when I walked around his Bab al-Aziziya compound on the day it fell, I saw where the money had gone. He had a tent like no other tent in the world. But by the end of the day it was just ashes. The next image shows the last big demonstration in the Tripoli area of Tajoura before the authorities cracked down with pre-dawn raids and mass arrests. It was just after prayers one Friday in March. I went back the following week when the BBC team broke away from their government minders at the Rixos Hotel. There was no demonstration. The anti-Gaddafi graffiti had been painted over and the local imam told us many young people had been taken away during the night. Soon after we turned up, government heavies arrived in minivans to take us away. This was the last time journalists were able to move easily around the capital before it fell five months later. The next audience with Col Gaddafi was on 2 March, the anniversary of the "establishment of the people's authority". This is when Col Gaddafi says he handed over all power to the people, so he could not technically stand down. The crowd was delighted, the rest of us bemused because he arrived in a brand new golf buggy, its front seat draped with a white sheepskin rug. He talked for three hours. Occasionally he allowed some chants and cheers, and then tapped his microphone, at which the crowd promptly shut up. The last time I saw Col Gaddafi, he was driving his buggy towards a lamp post. But his security team cleared a path and he drove off with two secret service types clinging to the back. This was one of the government soldiers who had taken back the town of Zawiya, near Tripoli, from the rebels. The fighting was brutal as was the treatment of those arrested by the authorities. Some BBC colleagues were detained for 24 hours and subjected to mock executions. When journalists did get in, it was by media bus under strict supervision of the authorities, but the green-and-white bunting could not hide the scale of the destruction. The makeshift cemetery in the town square, where the rebels had buried their fallen fighters, had been bulldozed. The rebels winning it back proved to be a turning point in the war. The man below was typical of the rebel fighters on the eastern front outside Ajdabiya in April. They were mostly disorganised

Summary: BBC's Middle East Bureau Editor Paul Danahar reflects on six months of covering the Libyan uprising from both sides of the conflict, using pictures of some of his more memorable moments.


Mohammed Sidique Khan, Shehzad Tanweer and Hasib Hussain, along with a fourth man Germaine Lindsay, detonated bombs in London killing 52 people in 2005. Qari Asim, of the Leeds Makkah Mosque, said their families were still in "this sense of shock and disbelief". He said an event retracing their steps would take place over the weekend. Mr Asim, whose mosque is in the Hyde Park area of Leeds, said: "Ten years on and the Muslim community, and the wider community, we are all still looking for answers, we are all still trying to find out what are the factors and what is the evidence that leads to radicalisation. "The families of those three men who came from Leeds and blew themselves up in London, they are still looking for answers because to them they would never have imagined that their young men would do something like that and they're still going through this sense of shock and disbelief." He said the three were described as "ordinary young men, they were gentlemen, they were good to talk to, they were very friendly people effectively", he said. "How can three young men, living their ordinary lives, become so radicalised? Can be so motivated that they can take their own lives but also take the lives of others?" This weekend a group of young people from different faiths are to travel from Leeds to London retracing the steps of the three bombers. The Leeds Peace Ambassadors will undertake a "peace journey" to mark the 10th anniversary of the bombings, hoping to inspire unity among different faiths. Fifty-two people died and hundreds were injured when bombs exploded on three Tubes and a bus. Thirteen victims were killed on the bus at Tavistock Square, 26 died in a bombing at Russell Square on the Piccadilly line; six died in an explosion at Edgware Road on the Circle Line; and seven died at Aldgate on the Circle Line.

Summary: The families of three 7 July suicide bombers are still looking for answers 10 years on, an imam from their home city of Leeds has said.


Seema Malhotra formally complained to Commons Speaker John Bercow, saying the "privacy, security and confidentiality" of her MP's office had been violated. She also said her staff had felt "harassed, intimidated and insecure". A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said an aide had been checking when the office would be vacated, and denied intimidation. Ms Malhotra resigned as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury last month in protest at Mr Corbyn's leadership and is now backing leadership challenger Owen Smith. In a statement, Ms Malhotra said staff working for Mr Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell had gained "unauthorised entry into my office in parliament". The MP for Feltham and Heston described several incidents when people from the leader's office used digital keys to open the office door. "The implications of this are extremely serious," she said. "This is a breach of parliamentary privilege and is a violation of the privacy, security and confidentiality of a member of parliament's office. "Furthermore, my staff, including an intern, who have always been courteous and open, have felt harassed, intimidated and insecure and decided themselves it would be best to not leave anyone alone in the office." She has complained to Mr Bercow and to Mr Corbyn and called for a formal investigation. A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said accusations Karie Murphy - the Labour leader's office manager - had intimidated anyone were "untrue". He said Ms Murphy had been checking to see if the office had been vacated by Ms Malhotra following her resignation. "As an office manager on the leader of the opposition's floor, Karie has a key to open all offices. She accessed the office in question to confirm when it would be vacated. "It is a month since Seema Malhotra resigned as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, and the office is intended for the person holding that position." BBC political correspondent Carol Walker said the incident was "another extraordinary twist in Labour's increasingly bitter internal battle". The complaint comes after more than 40 female Labour MPs wrote to Mr Corbyn saying he had failed to do enough to prevent "disgusting" threats against members. The group of female MPs - including former shadow ministers Heidi Alexander, Paula Sherriff and Kerry McCarthy - say intimidation has been carried out in Mr Corbyn's name. Speaking on Saturday, Mr Corbyn condemned abuse among members, saying "it has no place in our party". He said: "I don't do personal abuse, I don't respond to personal abuse, I condemn any abuse from others." Meanwhile, leadership rival Mr Smith said his wife, Liz, had been a victim of online abuse and claimed there was now a level of abuse, anti-Semitism and misogyny in Labour that was not there before Mr Corbyn became leader. "My wife stood recently for a community councillor position in the village where we live in South Wales and was subject to a torrent of online abuse. It's a community council position." He added: "I think it's just absolutely unacceptable." Mr Corbyn is facing a challenge from the former shadow work and pensions secretary, after

Summary: A former Labour shadow cabinet minister has accused an aide to leader Jeremy Corbyn of entering her parliamentary office without permission.


Leeds, playing under head coach Thomas Christiansen for the first time, went ahead through Phillips' smart finish. Last season's top scorer Chris Wood then headed in for 2-0, only for Bolton forward Gary Madine to nod home. But Phillips' tap-in quickly restored Leeds' two-goal lead, and they held on despite Adam Le Fondre's penalty. The former Reading front man smashed his spot-kick down the middle, with Conor Shaughnessy having fouled Madine almost immediately after coming on. But the headlines belonged to 21-year-old Phillips, who doubled his career tally for Leeds during the first half to put the visitors in control. New Zealand forward Wood, who scored 30 goals last season as Leeds narrowly missed out on the play-offs, also opened his account with a clinical header in off the underside of the bar. But there will be some concern over the fitness of defenders Gaetano Berardi and Matthew Pennington, who were both forced off injured prior to half-time. Bolton, promoted from League One in May, were direct throughout but struggled to create anything clear-cut from open play - and also lost midfielder Josh Vela through injury at the end of the game.

Summary: Kalvin Phillips scored twice as Leeds United opened their 2017-18 Championship campaign with victory at Bolton Wanderers.