The French-born ex-AS Monaco left-back, 20, has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal, with the option of an extra year. He becomes the second attacking full-back to join Blues in as many days after right-sided player Emilio Nsue's move from Middlesbrough on Wednesday. "He is very highly rated in Italy and one we have kept an eye on," Blues boss Gianfranco Zola told BBC WM. "Juventus and Torino are following him, so he is a valuable player. Everyone speaks so highly of him. "I am sure we can do something with him that might make him a complete player. He is one of those that maybe in a few years we are selling to a big club. He has the potential to reach the top." Keita, who is Blues' fourth signing of the January window following the arrivals of Lukas Jutkiewicz, Craig Gardner and Nsue. made 67 league appearances for Virtus, who he joined in 2014. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.

Summary: Birmingham City have signed Cheick Keita from Italian Serie B outfit Virtus Entella for an undisclosed fee.


The world champion headed Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg by 0.377 seconds, with Williams' Valtteri Bottas third, 0.661secs off the pace. But Hamilton also brushed the wall twice at Turn Three on the slippery street track. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was the first driver to crash, hitting the barrier at the difficult Turn 15. Ricciardo lost control on the exit of the left-hander, one of the corners highlighted by leading drivers as a safety concern in the build-up to the race. Rosberg and McLaren's Jenson Button said they were concerned about the lack of run-off at Turns Three, Seven and 15 - and Ricciardo hit the impact-absorbing barrier that protects the wall at a corner where the exit drops off downhill at a slight negative camber. The incident, which tore off his right rear wheel and suspension, brought out the red flag with 22 minutes of the session remaining. It capped a difficult day for Red Bull, after Ricciardo's team-mate Max Verstappen managed only seven laps before being stopped by an oil leak caused by a clutch problem, according to team boss Christian Horner. The session restarted for 13 minutes and Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz immediately had a much smaller-scale accident at the same place - the Spaniard locked up on the way in, was heading for the escape road, decided to have a go at making the corner and then caught his front wing on the barriers, breaking its mountings. Hamilton almost suffered the same fate as Ricciardo, after hitting the wall side-on, on two consecutive flying laps. Both times, Hamilton got away with it, although the second incident led to him locking his brakes and damaging his set of tyres, bringing his session to an end. Earlier, the world champion, who is nine points behind Rosberg in the championship after winning the past two races, put on an impressive performance over the first half-hour of the session. As is often the case, he went much faster much earlier than Rosberg in unfamiliar conditions - his first flying lap was 1.4secs quicker than the German's, despite Hamilton not even having walked around the track beforehand, and done only six laps on the simulator. After four flying laps, Hamilton was 0.926secs quicker than Rosberg, and then lowered his time again by nearly another second, after which his team-mate finally got to within 0.3secs of him. When both drivers swapped the soft tyre for the faster super-soft, Hamilton was again faster on both his flying laps, before the incidents with the wall. Bottas was the fastest driver to use soft tyres to set his best time, while McLaren's Fernando Alonso, an official ambassador for the race, was an unexpected fourth, also on the soft tyre. The Spaniard was a second faster than team-mate Button in seventh, although some of that margin may have been down to the Spaniard getting a slipstream down the straight from Esteban Gutierrez's Haas. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Force India's Sergio Perez split the McLarens, with Williams' Felipe Massa eighth from Sainz and Force India's Nico Hulkenberg. European Grand Prix

Summary: Lewis Hamilton set the pace in first practice at the inaugural European Grand Prix at Baku in Azerbaijan.


It is estimated the new law could raise up to Â£1m a year for the Welsh NHS. The bill's sponsor, Labour AM Mick Antoniw, said it would help people whose lives had been blighted by "this terrible disease". The insurance industry has raised concerns, questioning whether the move is within the assembly's powers. Before becoming an assembly member, Mr Antoniw was a solicitor at the legal firm which has acted for many asbestos victims and their families. Speaking before the bill was passed, he said: "It is only right that medical costs incurred by the NHS should be recovered from those who caused the disease and used to give more support to asbestos victims and their families - for example, a cancer nurse costs Â£50,000 per annum. "We could employ an additional 20 cancer nurses or a mixture of cancer nurses and counsellors or additional research into the cause and treatment of asbestos disease. "It is my belief this new Welsh law can make a significant improvement to the quality of life of those whose life is blighted by this terrible disease." Last December assembly Presiding Officer Rosemary Butler certified that the bill was within the institution's powers, but admitted it was a "finely balanced" decision on some aspects of the legislation. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) wrote to her and the secretary of state for Wales with a number of what it called "serious concerns" about the bill's lawfulness.

Summary: A bill to recover the costs of treating Welsh asbestos patients from businesses or insurers has been passed by assembly members.


Cdr Sarah West, 42, took charge of Type 23 frigate HMS Portland in May 2012, but left her vessel last month. A Royal Navy spokesman said Cdr West had now been "removed from command" but gave no further details saying it was an "internal matter". She would be reappointed to another post, the spokesman added. Cdr West had been on board Plymouth-based HMS Portland on a deployment since January. Last month, the Ministry of Defence confirmed it was "aware of an allegation of a breach of the code of social conduct" on board the ship, which it said it was "treating seriously". The code governs personal relationships, which are not permitted if they compromise operational effectiveness. Confirming her removal, a Royal Navy spokesman said the case was an "internal matter between the individual and her senior officers". "Cdr West will continue to serve in the Royal Navy and she will be reappointed to a post where her skills and experience can be used to best effect," the spokesman added. The spokesman said Cdr West's second-in-command had taken over the running of HMS Portland. When she took up her post in May 2012, Cdr West said it was "definitely the highlight of my 16 years in the Royal Navy so far". Cdr West, who grew up in Lincolnshire and joined the Royal Navy in 1995, previously commanded four minesweepers. There has been no confirmation that Cdr West had a relationship with a fellow officer.

Summary: The first female commander of a major Royal Navy warship has been removed from her post following allegations of an affair with one of her officers.


Michael Redpath, 62, was pulled from the burning property in Albion Street, Swindon, but died in hospital as a result of smoke inhalation and burn injuries, Winchester Crown Court heard. Patricia Louise Hindle, 31, from Swindon, will be sentenced on Friday. Supt Sean Memory said Mr Redpath's final moments "must have been terrifying". Speaking after Hindle was convicted, he described how she "ran away from the scene and made attempts to cover up her crime by disposing of his keys and bank cards". "Today the court found that she did kill him and that she intended to kill him." Hindle, of Crombey Street, carried out the fatal attack in September 2014.

Summary: A woman has been found guilty of murdering a man by setting a house on fire and locking him inside.


The 22-year-old 14th seed went down 6-3 1-6 6-4 6-1 in the first round in New York. Kyrgios looked to have taken control of the match before he hurt his shoulder in the third set. "One serve and my arm's totally dead," he told the physio while receiving treatment. "I don't know what to do. It's so dead and numb, it's incredibly weak. I wasn't feeling it at all, and all of a sudden, bang, with one serve." After dropping the first set to Millman, the world number 235, it appeared as though Kyrgios was on his way to victory when he took the second 6-1. However, the contest changed dramatically with Kyrgios serving at 1-1 in the third, at one point asking a ball boy to help him stretch his right arm. To add to his frustration, Kyrgios was given a warning for an audible obscenity and, after losing the third set, penalised a point for violently smashing his racquet. "My forehand's painful, it's just so annoying," he told the trainer. When fully fit, Kyrgios has shown the kind of form this year that has made him tipped as a possible Grand Slam champion, taking a rampant Federer to a final set tie-break in Miami and reaching his first Masters final in Cincinnati this month. "I don't know what to do, I really don't," he added on court. "I'm feeling good, I finally had a good week last week, playing a good match, middle of the third set against an Aussie, and bang - that's it." Millman goes on to face Tunisia's Malek Jaziri or Thiago Monteiro of Brazil in the second round. "I know Nick's shoulder deteriorated as the match went on, so it's a victory, but slightly hollow," said Millan. "I feel for him."

Summary: Australia's Nick Kyrgios struggled with a shoulder injury as he lost to compatriot John Millman at the US Open - admitting: "I don't know what to do."


Fathi Zeidan, nicknamed "Zorro", was the Fatah movement's security chief in the Mieh Mieh Palestinian refugee camp. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, which occurred in nearby Ein el-Hilweh camp. However, Fatah gunmen have recently been involved in clashes with rival factions in Ein el-Hillweh. One man was killed earlier this month when one dispute escalated. Lebanese security officials say the bomb that killed Mr Zeidan was placed inside his car and he would have died instantly. About 450,000 Palestinians are registered with the UN as refugees in Lebanon, and most live in 12 official camps that mainly fall outside the jurisdiction of the Lebanese security services.

Summary: A local Palestinian official has been killed in a car bomb explosion near the south Lebanese port city of Sidon, Lebanese security officials say.


The men, a 27-year-old Algerian and a 22-year-old Nigerian, were arrested last month on suspicion of planning a terror attack. A gun and a flag of the so-called Islamic State were found at their homes during police raids in the central city of GÃ¶ttingen. But the men have never been charged. The criminal proceedings were dropped because police never established whether the suspects had planned to carry out an attack. Police say the two men are "dangerous". Lower Saxony Interior Minister Boris Pistorius said the deportations would take place as soon as possible, and certainly before mid-April. He said discussions were already under way with Algeria and Nigeria to facilitate this, and the two men would be subject to a "life-long re-entry ban", preventing their return to Germany. It was not immediately clear if the two men would appeal against the decision. Germany determines citizenship by the nationalities of one or both parents and also a person's place of birth. The country has been on high alert since the Berlin Christmas market attack on 19 December, that left 12 people dead and dozens injured.

Summary: Germany says it will deport two men born in the country but whose parents are foreign - the first such case in German history.


Lalmatia Club were dismissed for 88 in 14 overs on Tuesday before bowler Sujon Mahmud sent down just four legitimate deliveries, despite bowling 20 balls. Three deliveries were no-balls and 13 were wides - all of which raced to the boundary, costing his side 80 runs. The four legal deliveries were hit for 12 runs by Axiom opener Mustafizur Rahman - not the Bangladesh Test bowler of the same name - as they completed a 10-wicket win in 0.4 overs. Club secretary Adnan Rahman said the deliveries were part of a protest against poor umpiring in the Dhaka Second Division League, and that his team's captain was not allowed to see the coin after the toss. The Bangladesh Cricket Board, which organises club cricket in Dhaka, told AFP they had asked match officials to submit a report before launching a formal investigation. The most runs conceded in a Test innings is Australian left-arm wrist-spinner Chuck Fleetwood-Smith's 1-298, which came from 87 overs against England in 1938.

Summary: A Bangladeshi cricket team conceded 92 runs in the space of four balls to deliberately lose a match in a protest over umpiring.


The union is fighting plans by Southern owner Govia Thameslink (GTR) to turn conductors into "on-board supervisors", with drivers taking over responsibility for opening and closing carriage doors. Services have been disrupted for months due to industrial action. Southern said the action was "unnecessary, unjustified and futile". Passenger service director Alex Foulds said: "Passengers and staff will once again be appalled by the RMT's decision to hold yet another strike. "We are moving forward with our plans for the benefit of customers after nine months of fruitless attempts to reach an agreement." Changes to the role of guards were imposed by the company from Sunday. Mr Foulds added: "We have guaranteed all our onboard staff a job until the end of the franchise, as valued members of our future operation, with no reduction in salary." The RMT has held a series of one-day strikes since April after balloting 393 members. Earlier this month, thousands of Southern passengers faced disruption during a five-day strike, which was then suspended after three days to allow fresh talks. Nearly 1,000 services across the network, which operates from Sussex and Surrey to London, Kent, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire, were cancelled on each of the strike days. Staff shortages, blamed by the company on high levels of sickness absence, have also resulted in delays and cancellations to trains. Commuters and other passengers have staged demonstrations to protest at the level of service, with some saying they have had to change their way of working to accommodate the disruption. The RMT union said the announcement of new strike dates were "after the company walked away from talks and opted instead to bulldoze through the roll out of the new operational arrangements from last Sunday without any serious attempt to secure agreement". Describing it as a "flagrant disregard for the safety and security of passengers and staff alike", the union said industrial action would begin at 00:01 BST on Wednesday 7 September and continue until 23:59 BST on Thursday 8 September. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "This action has been forced on us by the arrogance and inaction of the Govia Thameslink and the government who have made it clear that they have no interest in resolving this dispute or in tackling the daily chaos on Southern. "Instead they have begun the process of bulldozing through the drive towards wholesale Driver Only Operation without agreement and without any concern for the impact on safety, security and disability access." He added: "Our fight is with the company and the government who have dragged this franchise into total meltdown. "We share the anger and frustration of passengers and we cannot sit back while jobs and safety are compromised on these dangerously overcrowded trains." Mr Foulds said claims safety was at risk were untrue. "The independent rail safety body has said so, and nearly half our trains run without conductors already." Mr Cash has called for fresh talks to be held as "an urgent priority".

Summary: Workers on Southern trains are to stage a 48-hour strike on 7 and 8 September in the continuing dispute over the role of guards, the RMT union has announced.


Helicopters involved in Nato's Joint Warrior exercise have landed at RAF St Athan. Parachute regiment 2 Para Battle Group will practice assaults at training areas in Caerwent, Monmouthshire and Pembrey, Carmarthenshire. In total, around 13,000 NATO personnel from 14 countries are taking part.

Summary: Around 1,500 troops have converged on the Vale of Glamorgan in what is believed to be one of the largest military exercises held in Wales.


Plans to employ a marksman to shoot the pied wagtail at the Great Yarmouth store were put on hold after TV star Chris Packham tweeted his opposition. The British Trust for Ornithology said it had been caught, with Mr Packham tweeting a photo of the "renegade". Tesco said shooting the bird was only considered as a last resort. Natural England granted the firm a licence to shoot the wagtail earlier this month on the grounds of public health after it was spotted in the shop's aisles. But Mr Packham, who presents BBC Springwatch, used his Twitter account to urge Tesco to get in touch with the BTO instead, to attempt to catch the bird safely. Tesco said many attempts to catch it had failed, but tweeted it was "happy to liaise with BTO and explore other options". The BTO confirmed it had been caught earlier after putting up a giant net in the store. Pied wagtails are typically 18cm (7in) long and weigh 21g (three-quarters of an ounce). There are 470,000 breeding pairs in the UK. They are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act, with anybody who kills one without a licence facing a Â£5,000 fine.

Summary: A small bird that earned a last minute reprieve after supermarket giant Tesco retracted a bid to shoot it has been caught and released.


Thousands of people visited the blue flag beach over the weekend to enjoy the sunshine. Independent Councillor Niamh Kennedy said there were only four bins on the 3km stretch of coastline and this created "mayhem". The beach is a popular destination for visitors from Northern Ireland. Local people collected the rubbish from the beach on Sunday and Monday after visitors had left. The refuse left behind included deck chairs, barbecues, food waste, glass bottles and nappies. Paul Diver, from the Sandhouse Hotel in Rossnowlagh, said the majority of people that visit the area "behave impeccably". "A bigger issue is traffic and the lack of toilet facilities, there were three portaloos and our hotel became the public toilets for the weekend," he added. Cllr Kennedy agreed that a lack of toilets and traffic management at the site were causing problems. "Once the sun comes out it's bedlam," she said. "Cars are allowed on the beach-but there is a safety issue." "The cars were blocking the entrance, then the tide comes in and there's a big scramble, every year there are cars destroyed." She added: "If there was something serious you would never get an ambulance down." Last year cars got caught out by the tide at Rossnowlagh beach. Cllr Kennedy said council resources were insufficient to properly look after the beach. "The resources are not there," she said. "It will be a community effort to try and address the issues, but council will have to help and back them up." She warned: "The beach could lose its blue flag status if this keeps up." The council said the amount of litter left on the beach was "extremely disappointing". "Donegal County Councils Litter Management team had a presence on Rossnowlagh beach over the weekend and they carried out clean ups on Tuesday and Wednesday," it said in a statement. The council said that its traffic management plan had been reviewed and they are working with the local community."

Summary: A Donegal councillor has complained after visitors to Rossnowlagh beach last weekend left "huge amounts" of rubbish behind.


An Egyptian-led team said on Saturday that the information was found on a cockpit flight recording. But the investigative committee said it was too early to say where or why the fire broke out. All 66 people on board died when flight MS804, flying from Paris to Cairo, crashed on 19 May. The new information appears to back up evidence from the flight recorder of smoke in the cabin. Recovered wreckage also showed signs of high temperature damage and soot on the jet's front section. Automated electronic messages sent out by the plane had shown smoke detectors going off in a toilet and in the avionics area below the cockpit, minutes before the plane disappeared. No distress call was made from the plane prior to the crash. Egyptian investigators have not ruled out any reasons for the crash, including terrorism, particularly as such catastrophic fires on passenger planes are so rare. The data recorders were taken to Paris after being found, and the cockpit voice recorder was in need of considerable repair. The investigative committee also said on Saturday that a research ship, the John Lethbridge, had finished its search for human remains, which have been transferred to Cairo for identification.

Summary: An audio recording made on board an EgyptAir flight that crashed in the Mediterranean Sea in May discusses a fire, investigators say.


The Tigers, who sit third in the Premiership behind Saracens and Exeter, suffered a shock loss to struggling Newcastle on Friday. "The team that played at the weekend was good enough [to win]," Cockerill told BBC Radio Leicester. "We know that the players we put on Friday can perform better." Their next opponents Harlequins are only a point behind them despite having won two fewer games. Cockerill says Leicester have gone back to basics in training as they look to pick up their first league win in the three weeks. "We revisited some of those fundamentals this week in training," he said. "We have to work hard, get our mindset and attitude right. "In sport sometimes you don't play as well as you would like to and in a scientific world, sport is not an exact science."

Summary: Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has said his side are "far from a crisis point" but need to get their "mindset and attitude right".


British Transport Police (BTP) said there were 150 fewer incidents recorded in 2014/15, but sex attacks rose by 16% from 19 to 22. Overall, 1,172 crimes were reported - down on 1,322 the previous year. BTP said crime in Wales remained low, but there was still much for the force to do. Supt Andy Morgan, sub divisional commander for Wales, said sex crime figures in the region were the lowest of any of BTP's eight areas. He said although it was concerning so many people were affected by this type of crime, the force had expected to see a rise after launching its Report It To Stop It campaign, which encourages victims to come forward. The force said there were 42 fewer theft offences last year and instances where cables were stolen were down from 102 last year to 53 this year. As a result, the number of travel minutes lost to the offence is down by 87% nationally since 2008/09. Violent offences also decreased in Wales, at a time when there was an 8% rise across Britain. The force said it had put more officers on night trains to deter problem behaviour and it was enhancing its CCTV coverage by trialling the use of body-worn cameras. The report said there were 16 deaths on the tracks in Wales last year and BTP had introduced a hotline for staff to alert emergency services when staff are concerned about a person planning to harm themselves.

Summary: Crime on the railways fell by 11% in Wales last year, while the number of sexual offences reported rose, new figures show.


The proposed space, part of the Central Square scheme near Cardiff Central rail station, would see the St David's House building on Wood Street demolished. Three fully-let office buildings and a transport interchange, including office and residential units, have already been given the go-ahead. Cardiff council's cabinet discussed the public space plan on Thursday. Councillors gave the authority permission to dispose of leasehold interest in land north of Wood Street to enable the 270,000 sq ft (25,083 sq m) office block and square to be built. The proposal will also include a new office development, which could accommodate 3,000 jobs, on the site of the old Western Mail and Echo building on Park Street. The new BBC Wales Cymru headquarters, at the heart of the new Central Square development, is already under construction while a new transport hub has been given full planning permission. Council leader Phil Bale said: "As anyone can see, the transformation on the south side of Wood Street facing the railway station is well under way with the BBC Wales HQ and No 2 Central Square beginning to take shape alongside No 1 Central Square which has been open for over a year. "Now there are some really exciting plans coming forward for the north side of Wood Street on the old Western Mail and Echo site, which has been empty for several years, and on the St David's House site which fronts Wood Street." Councillor Elizabeth Clark, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition on Cardiff council, said: "The Labour run Cardiff council need to provide more detail on the use of the public square. "For example, how will pedestrians, cyclists and the proposed metro be accommodated? It's important to get all this right."

Summary: A new public square has been proposed as part of plans for the next phase of Cardiff city centre's regeneration.


Officials described the findings as a "fire alarm". But they warned that there are major problems with the way the data is collected. The statistics are part of a drive to make the NHS more transparent in the wake of the Stafford Hospital scandal. Neglect and abuse at Stafford Hospital led to hundreds of unnecessary deaths between 2005 and 2008 and prompted a public inquiry. While officials called the Risk Adjusted Mortality Index (Rami) a "fire alarm", they warned that problems gathering the data made it difficult to interpret the figures. Data is collected across the UK and a score of 100 is considered normal. When an NHS organisation scores more than 100 it could be an indicator that the number of patients who are dying is higher than should be expected. A Labour MP who is advising the prime minister on how the NHS handles complaints said she was shocked by the mortality rate at Wales' biggest hospital. In the most recent batch of data, the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff has the highest score of any Welsh hospital at 128. David Cameron appointed Ann Clwyd as an advisor after the Cynon Valley MP complained about the standard of care her husband Owen Roberts received before he died at UHW. Patients and their families had written to her about their experiences at the UHW and other hospitals, she said. She added: "I hope this will act as a warning signal to the Welsh government to check on the quality of care that is being offered to patients in these hospitals. "I am determined to find out the reason for the high death rate at UHW, especially as my husband is now one of these statistics." Dr Graham Shortland, medical director for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said: "We have confidence in our staff and the care and treatment they provide and we are reassured by what we are being told by other accepted systems and methods of reviewing quality and safety. "However, we are in no way complacent about this and work is already underway to further scrutinise this data and any link to the coding problems that we are currently tackling." A programme of detailed patient case-note reviews will be expanded, he said. Betsan Powys: RAMI: Ropey And Muddled Information? During the most recent period recorded, five out of six local health boards in Wales had scores higher than 100. However, officials warned that higher scores may be due to problems gathering data, rather than lapses in the quality of patient care. The Rami takes into account other factors about patients, including their underlying health, social factors and their lifestyles. The way the data is collected is known as coding. Welsh government officials say that coding in Welsh hospitals has not been as good as in the English NHS. Other annual adjustments to the index make it difficult to compare mortality rates from year to year. The Welsh government uses Rami scores as one way of measuring performance in the NHS. However, it says Rami cannot be

Summary: Eleven out of 17 district general hospitals in Wales have higher death rates than should be expected, according to statistics published by the Welsh government.


Tests by Southampton University found people's walking patterns - their gait - are so different they could be used to identify individuals. Researchers used a multi-biometric tunnel with 12 synchronised cameras to capture and translate 25 subjects' gaits to build unique 3D images. It is hoped the technique could be used for a variety of purposes, including security monitoring at airports. 'Extreme clothing changes' Darko Matovski, who led the investigation, said: "We have shown for the first time that gait can be used as a reliable biometric trait over time." The team believes the technique could be used in airport immigration halls where "a simple corridor with cameras" would be enough to identify large flows of people. Mr Matovski, from the university's school of electronics and computer science, added: "A bank robber may wear a mask so you can't see his face, wear gloves so you can't get fingerprints, wear a hat so you can't get DNA evidence - but he still has to walk into the bank and you can identify him from the walk." With almost 2,000 walking sequences recorded in a database, Mr Matovski claims a 95% success rate. Gait can also be measured at a distance - an advantage over other forms of biometric identification. However researchers found that "extreme changes" in clothing can affect recognition levels.

Summary: Criminals could be tracked down by the way they walk, a study has claimed.


The success put the Clarets second, with Middlesbrough not in action and Brighton thrashed 4-1 by Cardiff City. Vokes gave them the lead from the spot in the first half after debutant Lloyd Doyley brought down George Boyd. Rotherham frustrated the hosts for much of the game but Arfield ended lingering fightback hopes with a late second. Joe Newell had the Millers' best chance in a rare raid forward, but failed to beat goalkeeper Tom Heaton from close range. Sean Dyche's side dominated but did not fully capitalise on the chances that came their way, with Andre Gray's header brushing the crossbar and goalkeeper Lee Camp making good saves from Boyd and Stephen Ward to keep the score down. Burnley are now unbeaten in nine Championship games, but the size of Warnock's task in dragging Rotherham out of danger was evident as they mustered just one shot on target at Turf Moor. The defeat left the visitors third from bottom and five points adrift of MK Dons, the team immediately above them. Burnley manager Sean Dyche: "It was hard work. Neil (Warnock) being Neil has got a new group and has got a bit of fervour to them. They came here, I imagine, with no expectation and tried to play on that. "They broke the game up and it was a disjointed game. But as ever, I like the fact we can win games in different ways. "We have won it outrightly with the chances with have made, we have deserved victory." Rotherham manager Neil Warnock: "I am really happy, they can't be too down. "You don't play Burnley every week. We have got some tough games but teams that we will play against will have some tough games. "We are looking forward to the challenge." Have you added News Alerts in the BBC Sport app? Simply head to the My Alerts menu in the app - and don't forget you can also add score alerts for your favourite football team, the Six Nations, and more. Match ends, Burnley 2, Rotherham United 0. Second Half ends, Burnley 2, Rotherham United 0. Sam Vokes (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Greg Halford (Rotherham United). Attempt missed. Sam Vokes (Burnley) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Stephen Ward with a cross. Substitution, Burnley. Matthew Taylor replaces George Boyd. Substitution, Burnley. Rouwen Hennings replaces Andre Gray. Stephen Ward (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Jonson Clarke-Harris (Rotherham United). Goal! Burnley 2, Rotherham United 0. Scott Arfield (Burnley) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Andre Gray. Richard Smallwood (Rotherham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Scott Arfield (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Richard Smallwood (Rotherham United). Attempt missed. Richard Smallwood (Rotherham United) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Foul by George Boyd (Burnley). Jonson Clarke-Harris (Rotherham United) wins a free kick on the

Summary: Goals from Sam Vokes and Scott Arfield sealed a Championship victory for Burnley to extend Neil Warnock's wait for a first win as Rotherham boss.


Oxfordshire County Council wants to widen roads, upgrade paths and cycle lanes and install traffic lights at the John Radcliffe Hospital junction. Headington residents are concerned the work will cause disruption. Councillor David Nimmo Smith said it was "time to deal" with the area's traffic problems. Drop in sessions for people to view the plans will take place this week. Work is expected to start next summer with completion in spring 2018. Meanwhile work at the busy Cutteslowe and Wolvercote roundabouts is due to start this month and will take about 16 months. The council has warned of "major" travel delays.

Summary: Plans for a £12.5m scheme aimed at cutting congestion in Oxford have been put out to consultation.


Daniel Swift sent explicit pictures to the 14-year-old and arranged for her to travel to Lincoln to meet him for sex. He was caught when those behind the sting detained him and called police. Swift, 47, of Princess Street, admitted charges of attempting to sexually communicate with a child and attempting to meet a child following grooming. He was ordered to be detained in a secure psychiatric unit after Lincoln Crown Court heard he had been treated for over 25 years for mental health problems and had been diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. Richard Thatcher, prosecuting, told the court: "This case arises through the defendant's contact through social media with, as he believed her to be, a 14-year-old girl called Emma. "She was actually an adult woman who had set up that alter ego on social media," he said. The court heard he first made contact with 'Emma' in April when she told him her age. "He began by asking if she wanted a daddy to look after her," Mr Thatcher told the court. "There was a conversation as to whether this involved him becoming involved with her mother. He told her 'Daddy loves his little girls not their mummies'." The court heard Swift went on to send an image of his penis as well as explicit videos. He made it clear he wanted to have sex and at one point he suggested a foursome with Emma, her 10-year-old sister and 14-year-old cousin. Judge Simon Hirst also imposed a sexual harm prevention order and placed Swift on the sexual offences register for five years.

Summary: A man who groomed and arranged to meet what he believed to be a young school girl was trapped by internet vigilantes, a court has heard.


John Harrington, 51, said he slapped Terry Hutchinson, 64, and it was not malicious but "playful". Mr Hutchinson fell to the ground at West Herts Golf Club and suffered a brain injury, it is alleged. Mr Harrington, of High Street in Redbourn, denies manslaughter at Luton Crown Court. Mr Hutchinson had moved to Thailand where he married and returned to visit friends. He was treated at the scene and taken to St Mary's Hospital in London, where he died on 27 May last year after three days of treatment. Prosecutor Robert O'Sullivan QC said: "Mr Harrington did not intend to kill Terry Hutchinson. He is charged with manslaughter. "The prosecution say he deliberately and unlawfully assaulted Mr Hutchinson and that assault was a significant cause of his death." Mr Hutchinson had been drinking in the Red Lion in Bushey before being driven to Mr Harrington's pub, The Bull in Redbourn, the court heard. Later another friend joined them and they were taken to the golf club where members of Mr Harrington's extended family were attending the wedding reception. Mr O'Sullivan said: "There was a fair bit of banter on the part of Mr Harrington. "What may have started out as drunken high spirits concluded with the defendant assaulting Mr Hutchinson with such force he went to the ground immediately and did not get up." Mr Harrington told police: "I think I slapped him. I don't think I punched him. It was an open hand, not a fist. It was a playful slap." The case continues.

Summary: A pub landlord killed an old friend with a single punch on the way to a wedding reception near Watford in Hertfordshire, a court has heard.


But the objects are just some of the Mary Rose artefacts which have gone on display at Swansea University. Researchers have been examining the artefacts from Henry VIII's warship, which was raised in 1982, to discover more about the ship's crew. Their work has revealed that many of those who perished when the boat sank in 1545 were "superb athletes". Sport physiologist Dr Nick Owen said the skeletons and objects raised with the Mary Rose have given them a "wealth of information". "The abnormalities in some of the crew's radius bones shows that they'd have been supreme athletes," Dr Owen said. "Today an Olympic bow has 48 lbs of tension, but to fire a Mary Rose bolt (arrow) would have taken well over 100 lbs." Dr Owen believes that as well as providing a glimpse into the past, his team's discoveries can offer an insight into the injuries of modern athletes. "You can see similar abnormalities in elite tennis and squash players," he said. "Top sportsmen are singled out for elite training from such a young age. "The cream of archers on the Mary Rose would have been in training since they were seven years old." Dr Owen's team, including scientists from the University of Bradford, have already succeeded in creating an online 3D image of some of the sailors, which can be remotely studied by scientists. The next challenge is to see what lies inside the bones. "Once we can conduct Micro CT scans, we'll be able to see what changes being one of Henry VIII's elite archers caused internally," Dr Owen explained. "These very fine scans will help us discover how their lifestyle and diet affected their bone structure from the inside." The Mary Rose artefacts are on display to mark the university's research and innovation awards evening.

Summary: A boot, some old skeletons and a block of wood might not sound like the type of thing to entice you to Swansea.


Owners Hanwha Chemical Corp said the blast happened during welding work to expand a waste water disposal facility. "Gas from the waste water, which had piled up inside the tank, was apparently ignited by the welding torch", a fire official told AFP. An investigation into whether negligence was the cause of the explosion is under way. The plant makes polyvinyl chloride used in wide range of products, such as cling film.

Summary: At least four people have been killed in South Korea in an explosion at a chemical plant in the city of Ulsan.


A 24-hour tube strike is due to go ahead after unions rejected a "new deal" from Transport for London (TfL). But Sadiq Khan has instructed TfL "to continue negotiating". Workers from the RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) unions are scheduled to walk out from 18:00 GMT. The strike is expected to cause mass station closures. Tube strike guide: What you need to know The Labour mayor said TfL's negotiating team would "be available around the clock to resolve this dispute". Calling the strike "pointless" Mr Khan said TfL's offer would "ensure station safety and staffing levels across the Tube network". Steve Griffiths, chief operating officer for London Underground (LU), said the process had already begun to hire 200 extra station staff. "Taking into account existing vacancies and natural turnover this means that over 600 staff will be recruited for stations this year." The biggest rail union, the RMT, had walked out of talks at conciliation service Acas on Saturday. On Sunday, the TSSA announced it had rejected the deal after consulting its members overnight. TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said the new deal would not "restore Tube safety levels" with the "urgency that is now needed". The offer was made after RMT left the meeting, a point the RMT disputes. In a message to its members, RMT regional organiser John Leach said the talks had "failed" and the strike would go ahead. Talks between both unions and London Underground (LU) had previously broken down on Friday afternoon. No details of the latest deal were revealed but Mr Leach told members of the RMT that LU had "given exactly the same offer again" during Saturday's last-ditch talks. "This is just not acceptable. The unsafe practices and pressure on staff and passengers have to be resisted and will be," he said. Transport for London (TfL) previously said it would address the recommendations of a recent report, which found the closure of ticket offices had caused "significant issues" for Tube passengers.

Summary: The Mayor of London has called for "last-ditch" talks to avert a strike on the London Underground hours before it is due to begin.


It has been a year since Northern Ireland's 26 councils were reduced to 11 - with the new bodies given wider responsibilities. Fiona McCandless told the BBC's Inside Business programme the Planning Service was pleased with the transition. "The councils were sufficiently resourced to deal with the applications transferred to them," she said. "They had the necessary skills and resources to deal with that. "Time have proven that the backlog cases that the department previously dealt with have been really significantly reduced. "The councils now are dealing with the cases that have been submitted, more since 1 April last year." You can hear more on Inside Business on Radio Ulster at 13:30 BST on Sunday.

Summary: The chief planning officer has said the transfer of planning powers to the new super councils has been a success.


The move follows the case of a Thai surrogate mother who said an Australian couple rejected the baby she carried when they found he had Down's syndrome. The couple, who took home the boy's twin sister, have strongly denied the claim. Thai police say couples with surrogate children now need a court order before they can leave with the children. Thailand's military government is rushing through a new law aimed at banning commercial surrogacy. However, Australian surrogacy agencies believe there are more than 100 couples still awaiting the birth of children to surrogate mothers in Thailand. A Thai immigration official told the BBC that one same-sex couple with a baby was stopped from leaving Bangkok airport on Thursday because they lacked documentation to prove they were the legal guardians. Australian broadcaster ABC said three other couples were also believed to have been stopped from leaving Thailand with surrogate babies. The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says Thailand has become the favoured destination for many Westerners seeking surrogate mothers. But while commercial surrogacy is not technically illegal in Thailand, it does violate the code of the Medical Council which regulates doctors and hospitals, he adds. Earlier this week, Australian couple David and Wendy Farnell denied that they had rejected baby Gammy, now seven months old, when it became clear he had Down's Syndrome. They said that Thai surrogate mother Pattharamon Chanbua, 21, had refused to hand him over and also threatened to keep his twin sister. It also emerged that David Farnell had been convicted in the 1990s of multiple sex offences against young girls. Mr Farnell insisted that Gammy's sister, Pipah, was not at risk of harm from him. Ms Chanbua, who has two other children, said the couple had asked her to have an abortion when she was told of the baby boy's condition. She said she refused, as it was against her Buddhist beliefs. David Farnell denied asking the mother to have an abortion and said that by the time they found out about the baby's condition, it was too late in the pregnancy to abort the foetus.

Summary: Thailand has imposed new restrictions on taking children born to surrogate parents out of the country.


Since it opened in 1984, it has closed 174 times. The barrier reached the record for the highest number of times closed in a single season on Tuesday. This winter has been the wettest since records began, with the South East receiving double the amount of rainfall expected in a normal winter. The Environment Agency called this year's number of closures a "blip". The Agency is not anticipating closing it again over the forthcoming tides, but will continue to monitor river and tide levels closely and will operate once again if required. The barrier's operation manager Andy Batchelor said: "The long term plan for the barrier recognises that we will use it on average more frequently year-by-year and we are still forecasting not to need a replacement until 2070." The Agency's guidance says the barrier should not be closed more than 50 times a year, however a spokesman said this would only be a concern if it was a regular occurrence.

Summary: The Thames Barrier has closed for a record 50th time this winter, making it the busiest period in its history.


Lt Gen HR McMaster told ABC News there was consensus with China that this was a situation that "could not continue". The comments come after a failed missile test launch by North Korea and a massive military parade. President Trump had earlier said China was "working with us" on the issue. Beijing, Pyongyang's biggest ally, has come under pressure from Washington to exert more pressure on its neighbour. Sunday's comments appear to be the first confirmation that both countries are working together on how to deal with the North Korean issue. Gen McMaster, who was in the Afghan capital, Kabul, said the latest launch "fits a pattern of provocative and destabilising and threatening behaviour". "The president has made clear that he will not accept the United States and its allies and partners in the region being under threat from this hostile regime with nuclear weapons," he said. "I think there's an international consensus now, including the Chinese and the Chinese leadership, that this is a situation that just can't continue." President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed North Korea during a meeting last week. Mr Xi offered co-operation on "communication and co-ordination", the BBC's Robin Brant in Shanghai reports. Earlier on Sunday, South Korean and US military officials said a North Korean missile had detonated soon after launch. The US Pacific Command said it believed it to be a ballistic missile. Investigations were continuing, but one unnamed US official said it was unlikely to have been an intercontinental (ICBM) missile. Ballistic missiles follow high trajectories and are initially powered and guided, but fall to their target under gravity. ICBMs follow a sub-orbital trajectory, others stay within the atmosphere. North Korea's aim is to be able to put a nuclear warhead on an ICBM that can reach targets around the world. Pyongyang has claimed to have miniaturised nuclear warheads for use on missiles, though experts have cast doubt on that given the lack of evidence. The state has already conducted five nuclear tests and a series of missile launches in contravention of UN resolutions. It has suffered test failures in the past but they have not deterred its development programme. Meanwhile, US Vice-President Mike Pence is on a 10-day tour of Asia intended to reassure allies of US commitment to their security. In the South Korean capital, Seoul, Mr Pence called the failed launch a "provocation". He is set to discuss North Korea with acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson meanwhile issued another warning to North Korea after its failed missile launch. "They must stop these belligerent acts and comply with UN resolutions," he said. On Friday, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned that the situation in the region was escalating, and that "conflict could break out at any moment". Adding to the tension in the Korean peninsula, a US aircraft carrier group is steaming towards the region.

Summary: The US and China are working on a "range of options" on North Korea, the US top security adviser has said, as tensions mount over the country's nuclear and missile programmes.


The Mid-Ulster Mail reports that Maud Kells from Cookstown was escorted on flights by two nurses, but that there were no other special measures in place for her journey. Ms Kells was shot twice in the shoulder by bandits at her home in Mulita in the north east of the DRC last month. She has served in DRC since 1968. Ms Kells received an OBE in the New Year Honours List. She spends half of the year in DRC and the other half in Cookstown. The Mid-Ulster Mail reports that she is not staying at her home in Cookstown. Ms Kells was originally a missionary nurse and now works for the WEC International mission agency.

Summary: A County Tyrone missionary who was injured after being shot in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has returned to Northern Ireland.


Amond, 28, scored 33 goals last season for Grimsby as they won promotion through the National League play-offs. "There were a lot of clubs in for him but we're delighted that we've managed to tempt him to The Vic," said boss Craig Hignett. Former Chelsea trainee Woods, 26, joined in 2014 from Harrogate Town and has signed an undisclosed deal. He has made 42 league starts for the club over two seasons, having missed the latter stages of 2014-15 with injuries to his ankle and fibula. "Michael is a terrific player and I am delighted we have managed to get him sorted," added Hignett. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Hartlepool United have signed striker Padraig Amond and agreed a new deal with midfielder Michael Woods.


The officer had posed as the boss of a courier firm to infiltrate the group known as the Three Musketeers, the Old Bailey heard. Naweed Ali, 29, from Sparkhill, Birmingham, is on trial along with three other men from the West Midlands. The four deny preparing terrorist acts. They were arrested on 26 August after a partially-constructed pipe bomb, machete and imitation gun were discovered by security services in Mr Ali's car. Both Mr Ali, of Evelyn Road, and his co-accused Khobaib Hussain, 25, also of Evelyn Road, have previous convictions for attending a terror training camp. See more stories from across Birmingham and the Black Country here The Old Bailey heard Mr Ali had been employed by the officer - described in court only as "Vincent" - to deliver parcels. On his first day, Mr Ali's Seat Leon was parked at a depot in Birmingham city centre while he went to Luton to deliver a parcel, the court heard. Cross-examining, Stephen Kamlish QC suggested the officer had planted a bag of incriminating evidence in Mr Ali's car before MI5 arrived to bug it. Mr Kamlish, for Mr Ali, said to Vincent: "You had until he left the car and MI5 came in, to plant a bag of incriminating items in his car. This was your only opportunity - yes or no?" The officer said: "That's a interesting work of fiction. I'm afraid nothing you have just said to me makes any sense to me whatsoever. So no." At a previous hearing, Vincent told jurors that during a search of Mr Ali's car, what appeared to be a pipe bomb and a handgun were found inside a JD Sports bag. He told jurors he and another officer had eased the contents of the bag on to a ground sheet and carried it into a different room. On Monday, Mr Kamlish asked the officer why he had put his hand in the bag and pulled out what he thought was a "live bomb" after the secret services had been told to leave the depot. Vincent said it was a "calculated risk" and added: "I'm not a bomb disposal expert but I know what a pipe bomb looks like. "This was a fast-moving, difficult situation and difficult decisions had to be made and that difficult decision was made." The barrister told Vincent he had known it was not a real bomb "because you put it there". Asked if he planted the device, Vincent said: "I would never be involved in anything like that, have never, and will never." Mr Ali and Mr Hussain, Mohibur Rahman, 32, of High Lane, Stoke-on-Trent, and Tahir Aziz, 38, of Wulstan Road, also in Stoke, deny the charges. The trial continues.

Summary: An undercover officer has described a claim in court that he planted a bomb in the car of a convicted terrorist as an "interesting work of fiction".


The operation took place on Saturday night near Menaka in eastern Mali. Arms and vehicles were seized during the four-hour fire fight, the ministry said in a statement (in French). The al-Murabitoun group says it was behind the attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako in November. It says it was working with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). The Macina Liberation Front from central Mali has also claimed responsibility and there has also been speculation that the gunmen were from Somalia. On Monday the government of Mali declared a 10-day state of alert because of renewed security concerns. Africa Live: BBC news updates Mali not geared up to combat terrorist threat World's most dangerous peacekeeping mission Africa blighted by multiple Jihadist threats In its statement, the defence ministry said members of France's anti-Islamist Barkhane force had "neutralised" 10 terrorists - meaning they were killed or captured. It said al-Murabitoun was "responsible for many attacks on civilians of Mali and Niger, as well as local army forces and international forces". Northern Mali was captured by groups who claimed an independent Islamic state in 2012. They were ousted in a French-led military operation which began in January 2013, but correspondents say militant groups have become more active in southern Mali this year. Twenty-four people, including two attackers, died in the hotel siege last month. More than half of the victims were foreign nationals. Militancy in Mali Mali attack: The unanswered questions In pictures: Mali hotel attack

Summary: French forces in Mali have killed or captured 10 members of an Islamist group which claimed responsibility for a hotel massacre last month, the defence ministry in Paris says.


The referee inspected the surface just before 19:00 GMT and deemed it unplayable. No new date has yet been set for the game to be played.

Summary: Tuesday's National League game between Boreham Wood and Braintree Town has been postponed because of a frozen pitch at Meadow Park.


Mr Varoufakis, 53, is not only a well-respected political economist, but a charismatic man and natural charmer. A few weeks after his appointment, he has become something of a global celebrity. That is hardly surprising for Greeks - after all, Mr Varoufakis got more votes than any other candidate in the 25 January general election that swept the leftist Syriza party into power. In the wake of victory he immediately embarked on a European tour that took him to London, Paris, Rome and Berlin. The sight of a shaven-headed, athletic minister refusing to tuck his shirt into his trousers or wear a tie - even while visiting 11 Downing Street - fascinated business reporters, fashion editors and gossip columnists. Even the German media - among Greece's sternest critics - seemed impressed. ZDF television anchor Marietta Slomka said "he is someone you could imagine starring in a film like Die Hard 6", and conservative daily Die Welt ran the headline "What makes Yanis Varoufakis a sex icon". In his home country, a new word was coined - "Varoufitses" - to describe women who idolise Mr Varoufakis. At the time of writing, Mr Varoufakis had 128,000 Twitter followers, a number of devoted fan pages on Facebook, and he has inspired a video game "Syrizaman Vs Troika". His eurozone colleagues may not find him quite so charming. In his first meeting with them on 11 February he refused to approve a common statement by the Eurogroup that implied Athens would seek an extension of its bailout. "Simple logic dictates that if you cannot even conceive the possibility of leaving a negotiation, then it is preferable never to enter one," he wrote in a blog entry back in May 2010. Varoufakis soundbites Mr Varoufakis showed signs of defiance and non-conformism from a very early age. That includes deliberately misspelling his name Yanis, writing it with only one "n" since elementary school. "I had an aesthetic problem with the double "n"," he said. "So I decided to write my name with one. My teacher gave me a bad grade, which made me very angry and I've kept writing my name with one "n" ever since." Mr Varoufakis was born on 24 March 1961 in Athens. He is a graduate of the Moraitis private school, which has nurtured many members of Greece's political and economic elite. His father, 89-year-old Giorgos Varoufakis, is chairman of Halyvourgiki, a Greek industrial giant. This background of relative privilege did not prevent Mr Varoufakis from becoming a libertarian Marxist, who has said that "Karl Marx was responsible for framing my perspective of the world we live in, from my childhood to this day". After receiving his doctorate from the University of Essex he spent a couple of years teaching there and at the University of East Anglia. But Margaret Thatcher's third election victory in 1987 proved too much to bear for Mr Varoufakis, who started to "plan his escape" from Britain. His escape destination was not Greece, but Australia, where he taught economics at the University of Sydney. He finally returned to Athens

Summary: Greece's left-wing Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis is leading the offensive to persuade the nation's creditors to end austerity and forgive part of its debt.


The Scottish government included funding for the scheme in its budget following criticism of rail services. Fares will rise in 2017, but Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said passengers with monthly or annual season tickets will get a week's worth of free travel. Scottish Labour, which has called for a freeze on all rail fares, said the plans do not go far enough. They said the "vast majority" of passengers would still face record fares in January. Finance Secretary Derek Mackay announced the plans during his budget statement, where he claimed a full freeze would be too expensive and would hit investment in the rail network. The government said its plans could deliver greater savings for customers with annual or monthly season tickets even with fares set to rise in 2017, and said further deals would be announced for other passengers. Mr Yousaf said he was confident ScotRail could deliver "the service we expect", after a "particularly challenging" year of delays and disruptions on the network. He said: "Passengers rightly deserve an efficient and value for money rail network. "By offering a 'free week' we can in many instances match or even provide better savings for passengers than if we offered a fares freeze. "And as service improvements and investment also impact on those across the country who do not use season tickets, we will put in place a number of promotions and fare offers throughout the year to ensure they also benefit from this investment." An example cited by the government was that the cost of annual and monthly season tickets between Glasgow and Edinburgh will go up by £72 and £82.80 in 2017 respectively, while they claim the 'free week' plan would see regular travellers save £95.50. ScotRail will designate a specific period in 2017 during which the free travel will be available. The group's managing director Phil Verster said the network was undergoing its biggest upgrade since Victorian times. He said: "Our customers have been incredibly patient during the big projects like Winchburgh Tunnel last year and Queen Street Tunnel earlier this year. "The free week of travel for our season ticket holders is a 'thank you for your patience' while we work to deliver a rail network that all of Scotland can be proud of." However opposition parties said the measures do not go far enough. Labour's transport spokesman Neil Bibby said the government had been "forced" into concessions by pressure from politicians and passengers - but said the plans didn't "hit the mark". He said: "Labour's fare freeze policy would have benefited every ScotRail passenger - the SNP's policy won't. "After all the delays and disruption people have had to put up with on the railways, no passenger should face a fare hike in the New Year. "The bottom line is that fares will still rise to record levels in January for the vast majority of passengers as planned. It is insulting to ask passengers to pay a penny more for the shocking ScotRail service they have been receiving."

Summary: A £3m package of "targeted discounts" for Scottish rail passengers with season tickets has been announced.


A 16-month project will start on Tuesday to reconfigure and "increase capacity" of junction 28 of the M4 near Tredegar Park at Newport. The adjacent roundabouts at Bassaleg on Forge Road and Pont Ebbw at Tredegar Park's entrance will also be upgraded. The Welsh Government wants to "reduce delays" in the area. Permanent traffic lights will be installed at the neighbouring roundabouts which will have "smart signalling" so the they will "be synced to ensure the smoothest and quickest traffic flow". Two lanes will be built through the middle of junction 28 to allow traffic from the eastbound carriageway of the M4 to access the Southern Distributor Road (SDR) around Newport without going around the roundabout. Improvements will also be made on the Pont Ebbw roundabout to ease traffic flow on the SDR. There are fears the project, which is expected to be completed in July 2018, could increase congestion while the construction work is taking place. But the Welsh Government said: "Existing junction traffic capacity will be maintained during peak hours - prior to 09:30 GMT and after 15:30 during weekdays - throughout the construction phase, albeit the lanes will be narrower in order to provide working room. "Off-peak lane closures will be utilised between 09:30 and 15:30 to facilitate the works when traffic flows are lighter."

Summary: A regular congestion hotspot on the M4 is to get a £13.7m upgrade in a bid to ease rush hour traffic problems.


But there was one sport notably absent from the party - swimming. When their competition began a week earlier the British team were aiming to beat the three medals (two golds and a bronze) that they achieved in the pool in Beijing four years ago. This was backed by strong performances at last year's world championships, but Hannah Miley, Ellen Gandy, Fran Halsall and double world open water champion Keri-Anne Payne all failed to deliver on their pre-Games podium potential. Michael Jamieson claimed a stunning silver in the 200m breaststroke and Rebecca Adlington delivered two bronze medals, but the British camp had little else to celebrate. BBC Sport assesses the performances of the British team in London. When a swimmer as experienced as Adlington admits that at times she found the passionate home support "overwhelming" it's easy to imagine that other British swimmers suffered anxieties. "With home advantage we're seeing people running, jumping, shooting out of their skins - if we're finding it a problem then the management need to look at that," said Athens bronze medallist and BBC analyst Steve Parry. Media playback is not supported on this device But British Swimming performance director Michael Scott said it was not something for which they could easily prepare. "There's not a mechanism, they have never stood in front of a crowd like this before," said Scott. "We can do all the training and all of the preparation, but the first time they get to experience it is when they walk out here. "Sometimes it's broader than the crowd, it's the public expectation, but our swimmers need to learn how to cope with that." Although there were near-misses - Halsall was denied 50m bronze by 0.08 seconds, while Elizabeth Simmonds and the men's 4x100m relay team both came fourth - too many swimmers failed to achieve either their personal best or even their fastest time this season. "I'm not here to make excuses, we had hoped to get more," Scott told BBC Sport. "We have to understand the reasons why we didn't convert final positions and we need to address them going forward." I was so confident [in GB swimmers] I had a little bet with Kelly Sotherton that we'd get more medals than the athletes Put simply, medals means money and without hitting their minimum target of five, British Swimming puts itself in significant danger of a cut from the £25.1m they have received over the last four years. The £264m UK Sport divides between all Olympic sports is expected to remain the same for the Rio 2016 campaign, but with the likes of judo and canoeing performing well in London, they can expect a larger slice of the funding pie. Parry admits he is concerned. "UK Sport operate a very objective system based on your targeted medals and how many you achieve. "The fact of the matter is that there are loads of other sports that are doing extremely well and there's only one pot of a certain size." Since Beijing, British Swimming has invested heavily in five International Training Centres

Summary: It was dubbed "Super Saturday" after Great Britain enjoyed their most successful day at the Olympics for more than 100 years.


Having taken part in the show's 2015 Christmas special alongside Peter Capaldi and Alex Kingston, Lucas will reprise the role of River Song's former assistant Nardole. "I'm chuffed to bits that Nardole is returning to the Tardis for some more adventures," Lucas said. The star will appear in the opening episode of series 10, which begins filming in Cardiff on 20 June. Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, added he was "delighted and slightly amazed to be welcoming Matt Lucas back on to the Tardis - and this time it's not just for Christmas, he's sticking around". "One of the greatest comedy talents on planet Earth is being unleashed on all of time and space." Capaldi will return as The Doctor while Pearl Mackie replaces Jenna Coleman as his new companion, Bill, in her first major television role. Lucas said he was looking forward to reprising his role in the sci-fi drama because he "loved acting with Peter and I'm excited to work with Pearl". Also announced to be joining the series this year is Jekyll & Hyde and Sherlock star Stephanie Hyam. Doctor Who will return to BBC One with a December Christmas special followed by a new series in 2017.

Summary: Matt Lucas is set to return to Doctor Who for its 10th series.


Swansea council is showcasing proposals for the civic centre and St David's shopping centre sites. Under the plans, a retail and leisure complex would be built on the St David's site with a walkway over the main road leading to the current civic centre site. That would have public spaces, tourist attractions and homes. It follows a similar presentation in London's financial district last week.

Summary: More than 140 specialist developers and agents will arrive in Swansea to see a vision of the city centre's future.


Jack Galsworthy, from Cornwall, and Freddie Wright, from Gloucestershire, both 21, are one week into their 3,000 mile challenge and their "morale is high" after initial seasickness. The pair are aiming to raise Â£150,000 for the Brain Research Trust. They caught and ate tuna which they had as sushi for Christmas dinner, their team said. They will be rowing two hours on and two hours off for three months in the race from La Gomera to Antigua, as part of the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge. Two days from the nearest support team, they risk facing 40ft waves, sharks, howling winds, blisters, salt-rashes, sunstroke and sleep deprivation. The Atlantic Castaways team spokeswoman Alexandra Durnford, said they were suffering badly from sea sickness at first but have now recovered and "morale is high". "They tried their luck at a bit of fishing and managed to catch a very small tuna and had sushi I would imagine as there are no cooking supplies on board, so they did have a very special Christmas lunch, just an unusual one," she said. The duo are expected to lose at least 15% of their body weight during the challenge, which they hope to complete in 90 days time.

Summary: Two university students have begun their bid to become the youngest pair ever to row across the Atlantic Ocean.


George Bender, 68, took his own life on October 14. He had spent much of the past decade locked in negotiations with CSG (Coal Seam Gas) companies who wanted to drill 18 wells on his properties. Encroaching gas exploration across Australia has pitted miners against farmers, who fear the environmental and health impact of CSG. Mr Bender's daughter Helen made an emotional plea on this subject on live television panel show Q&A. "On Saturday we buried my father," Helen Bender said. "When will farmers be given the right to say no to CSG companies?" She spoke about how the issue had disillusioned her father: "One of the last things my father said, 'No one is listening, why am I wasting my time?'" she said. In response to her comments Australia's rural health minister said she wanted laws to allow farmers to refuse miners onto their land. Senator Fiona Nash said the "simple answer" to the complex issue would be legislative change to empower farmers. Helen Bender's name then began trending on social media sites, a reflection of the potency of the debate among the Australian public. However, Federal Opposition Minister for Rural Affairs Joel Fitzgibbon who was also on the panel on the show said that Australia had enjoyed "enormous wealth through the extraction of coal and iron ore and other commodities, and now CSG". He added that it was a complex policy area and that responsibility for mining leases lies with individual state governments. "In my view to be honest [it] is not going to change anytime soon because the extraction of those resources is too significant to the national economy," Mr Fitzgibbon replied. One report said that the CSG sector had seen growth in jobs, income and consumption in Queensland which is the centre of much of the industry in Australia.

Summary: An emotional plea by the daughter of an anti-natural gas campaigner who took his own life has re-ignited a debate about the rights of farmers.


That was a sequence resulting in the end of manager Ron Atkinson's reign and ushered in the Sir Alex Ferguson era. The season ended with United in 11th place. They currently stand in ninth position, 13 points adrift of leaders and Premier League title favourites Chelsea, having won just three times in the league. Van Gaal admits it was "stupid" to ask observers to assess him after three months and there is no question the formidable coach who led the Netherlands to the World Cup semi-final will be given time to put his stamp on Old Trafford. So, after 10 games and a sixth defeat in the last seven Premier League derbies, here are 10 talking points from the early months under Van Gaal. There are few more self-assured characters in the world game than Van Gaal, his confidence and sheer force of personality a formidable ally to his undoubted coaching prowess. If his predecessor David Moyes often seemed worn down and surprised by the sheer scale of Manchester United, Van Gaal believes this is his natural environment. Despite a stuttering start, Van Gaal is convinced United are "close - but not close enough" to Chelsea and Manchester City after a 1-1 draw with Jose Mourinho's side and a narrow defeat at the reigning champions. Van Gaal is a charismatic figure, brutally honest and open in his assessments. Media playback is not supported on this device The Dutchman praised his side's "incredible willpower" for mounting a late threat with 10 men after Chris Smalling's red card - but also had no hesitation in condemning the defender's sending off as "stupid" and "not so smart". He is outwardly, and no doubt inwardly, as confident as ever in his approach and his conviction that he will get it right. An uncertain start has done nothing to dent that iron-clad self-belief. Van Gaal's attempt to restructure United's squad after last season's failures under Moyes came in the shape of a £150m investment as phase one of his rebuilding programme. No-one can deny, however, that he has been badly hampered by injuries to those he hopes would form the bedrock of his new United team. The sight of £16m defender Marcos Rojo being taken off on a stretcher will have been another body blow to Van Gaal. He was already without £28m midfielder Ander Herrera after a rib injury, while left-back Luke Shaw missed the start of the season and striker Radamel Falcao was missing at Etihad Stadium. Add to this injuries to Phil Jones and Jonny Evans, while Michael Carrick has only just returned, and it is only right that Van Gaal's start must be judged in this context. United's squad has done nothing to dispel the feeling that it is heavily front loaded - packed with attacking intent but short on the nuts and bolts of defence that can lock games down. The comparison about putting the roof on a house before the foundations were secure has been made. Angel Di Maria and Falcao were talents that embroidered the likes of Wayne Rooney and

Summary: Manchester United's 1-0 derby defeat by Manchester City left new manager Louis van Gaal presiding over the club's worst start to a season since 1986-87.


Play began 80 minutes late after rain with the tourists 66 runs behind and they lost Kraigg Brathwaite (8) to Charlie Hartley's fourth ball. Kieran Powell (23) and Shai Hope (30) both spent time in the middle while Shimron Hetmyer made an unbeaten 43. However, lightning and bad light forced the players off at 17:00 BST. The West Indies face Derbyshire on Friday in their final warm-up match before they begin their three-Test series against England at Edgbaston on 17 August.

Summary: The West Indies drew their tour match with Kent as weather impacted on their hopes of more batting practice on the final day in Canterbury.


In a series of tests, researcher Ann Smet, of the University of St Andrews, offered the animals a choice between two identical buckets, then pointed at the one containing a hidden treat. From the first trial, the elephants chose the correct bucket. The results are published in the journal Current Biology. The scientists worked with captive elephants at a lodge in Zimbabwe. Prof Richard Byrne, a co-author on the research, said the elephants had been rescued from culling operations and trained for riding. "They specifically train the elephants to respond to vocal cues. They don't use any gestures at all," said Prof Byrne. "The idea is that the handler can walk behind the elephant and just tell it what to do with words." Mud bath: Why elephants enjoy a good wallow Despite this, the animals seemed to grasp the meaning of pointing from the outset. This makes them the only non-human animals to understand the gesture without being trained to do so. In previous studies, Prof Byrne said, our closest primate cousins, the chimpanzees, proved to be "hopeless" at at similar task. Ms Smet added that she had been impressed by the animals' apparently innate understanding of the gesture. "Of course we had hoped that the elephants would be able to learn to follow human pointing, or we wouldn't have done the experiment in the first place," she said. "But it was really surprising that they didn't seem to have to learn anything. "It seems that understanding pointing is an ability elephants just possess naturally and they are cognitively much more like us than has been realised." Source: BBC Nature Watch how elephants use mud as a sunblock Prof Byrne said studying elephants helped build a map of part of the evolutionary tree that is very distant from humans. "They're so unrelated to us," he told BBC News. "So if we find human-like abilities in an animal like an elephant, that hasn't shared a common ancestor with people for more than 100 million years , we can be pretty sure that it's evolved completely separately, by what's called convergent evolution." The researchers said their findings might explain how elephants have successfully been tamed and have "historically had a close bond with humans, in spite of being potentially dangerous and unmanageable due to their great size". But the scientists added the results could be a hint that the animals gesture to one another in the wild with their "highly controllable trunks". Ms Smet told BBC News: "The next step [in our research] is to test whether when an elephant extends its trunk upwards and outwards - as they regularly do, such as when detecting a predator, this functions as a point."

Summary: African elephants have demonstrated what appears to be an instinctive understanding of human gestures, according to UK scientists.


The riverboat had left the city of Iquitos on Wednesday with around 30 tourists on board to see towns along the river, local media reported. When the boat anchored in the middle of the river for one stop, the gunmen boarded it and stole goods worth around $20,000 (Â£15,000). None of the tourists, most of them American, were hurt. The robbery happened early in the morning. The gunmen arrived on a small boat and boarded the riverboat, threatening the crew and tourists with small calibre weapons. The boat's captain was hit with a pistol handle but was not seriously injured. None of the rest of the crew were hurt. The police arrived soon after the incident and all the tourists were evacuated to a safe location.

Summary: Eight masked gunmen in Peru have robbed tourists enjoying a luxury riverboat cruise on the Amazon.


Bob McAllister narrowly escaped death himself by collapsing to the ground and 'playing dead' after a bullet grazed his forehead. Bob and his friend Hector McMillan were missionaries working in Congo during the chaos that followed the country's independence from Belgium in 1960. In July 1964, Bob, Hector, their wives and children and other missionaries were taken hostage and held for four months in the city of Stanleyville (now known as Kisangi). On 24 November 1964, the defeated rebel leadership ordered its troops to flee and kill as many white people as they could. "Hector and I were taken outside," says Bob. "As we were walking out, they suddenly opened fire on Hector and he was killed by four bullets in the back. "Then they turned their guns on me and opened fire in all directions. "One bullet grazed me on the forehead and I threw myself down and played dead and they passed me by. "Hector's children witnessed his murder." Bob, his family and the rest of the hostages were eventually rescued, but they had to leave Hector's body behind. Bob's daughter Ruth remembers the terrifying journey to freedom. "I remember being in the jeep and a Cuban man had me perched on one knee and a machine gun on the other," she says. "He was shooting all over the road and I remember feeling the hot shells falling on my body." "They sped us to the airport as fast as possible," adds Bob. "The plane was laden with stretchers. It was just taking off when a rebel shot at us puncturing a fuel tank and the pilot just about got us to safety." The McAllisters spent three decades living and working in Congo. Hector McMillan was not the only friend the family lost during that time. His late wife Alma's best friend Ruby Gray from Dromara was murdered along with five other missionaries, close to the town of Banalia. Says Bob's youngest son David: "The killing of the six missionaries was very savage. "They weren't carried out by gun, these were machete and spear killings. None of us can understand why. "Some of the missionaries' bodies were thrown in the river and eaten by crocodiles. "Local people say that when they threw Ruby into the river after she had been speared, she wasn't dead. And as she was sinking, she raised her hands and her last words were 'Glory to God'". In 2014, Bob, now 90, returned to Congo with his eldest son Billy and daughter Ruth to visit Hector's grave and attend a memorial service in Banalia to honour the six missionaries, including Ruby, who were murdered by Simba rebels. The Simbas had emerged out of the chaos that followed Congo's independence. The movement's leaders aspired to a communist state, but most of their followers were illiterate tribesmen steeped in black magic and witchcraft who were simply looking for the better life they had been promised after independence. The McAllister's trip is documented in BBC One Northern Ireland programme, A Deadly Mission: Belfast to Congo, which will be broadcast

Summary: A Belfast man has recalled how his best friend was shot dead in front of him by a firing squad of Congolese rebels in 1964.


Norris was convicted of murdering four elderly women and attempting to kill a fifth, by poisoning them with insulin. The 37-year-old, of Glasgow, has protested his innocence since his conviction in 2008. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has now been sent evidence of the possibility of hypoglycaemia in older non-diabetic patients. Two years after BBC Scotland first exposed weaknesses in the prosecution, the new scientific evidence casts further doubt on the conviction. Norris had been accused of going on a murderous rampage at the Leeds hospitals in which he worked, because he disliked old people. Despite no direct evidence linking him to any of the patients, he was on shift when they all had similar hypoglycaemic episodes - when the blood sugar drops to dangerously low levels. Four women, Bridget Bourke, Irene Crooks, Ethel Hall and Doris Ludlam, died - while a fifth, Vera Wilby, recovered from the hypoglycaemic episode, and died later from unconnected causes. None was diabetic. The prosecution argued that spontaneously-occurring hypoglycaemia was so rare that a cluster of five cases must mean foul play. The jury accepted this, and Norris was sentenced to life with a minimum 30-year tariff. But BBC Scotland investigated his case and in 2011 produced a programme which cast serious doubt on the conviction. Professor Vincent Marks, a world-renowned insulin poisoning expert, told me at the time that hypoglycaemia in non-diabetics was much more common than first thought. We also uncovered evidence of other similar cases of hypoglycaemia which occurred in the hospital where Norris worked but while he was off duty. The programme's evidence suggested there could have been natural reasons for the deaths. Norris's lawyer believes the cases used against Norris were "cherry-picked' by police. The evidence was submitted to the CCRC. Now, a new book - The Case of Colin Norris - has uncovered further evidence. It has been co-written by the producer on the programme Louise Shorter and veteran miscarriage campaigner Paul May, and published by miscarriage group Inside Justice. The new evidence comes from the geriatric medicine department at Rotherham General Hospital and the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire postgraduate medical school, which has published a review that concludes "hypoglycaemia is not uncommon in hospitalised non-diabetic older people" with other serious conditions. June Morrison, Norris's mother, has campaigned tirelessly on behalf of her son, and now hopes the fresh evidence will result in the case being sent to the appeal court. She told me: "People say I brought up a monster. But if I had the least bit of doubt about his innocence I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing. "I do believe the system will eventually prove there has been a victim of a miscarriage of justice. I do believe that will happen. I've got to believe that." Paul May, who has worked on some of the biggest miscarriages-of-justice cases in recent times, said: "I chaired the London-based campaign for the Birmingham Six. At the time of their arrest, police said to them 'it's not us, it's the scientists' who stated that some of the Six handled explosives. "Three

Summary: Fresh evidence has emerged which challenges the conviction of so-called "Angel of Death" nurse Colin Norris.


The government - not your party - has the machine, the power, to set the agenda. Resources are scarce, expertise often dependent on goodwill. Even if, like Jeremy Corbyn you have just achieved a thumping victory, controlling events is impossible and pulling together a party where hardly any of your colleagues agree with you makes that job harder still. Yes, the scale of his success means he is safe from challengers for now. But having turned down any major public appearances or chances to tell the public more of his plans today, he has spent the afternoon holed up in the Palace of Westminster. His ambition to unite the party is characterised by his first objective, putting together a shadow cabinet that is not just packed with left wingers. But although Corbyn has been discussing the team with one of his disappointed rivals, Andy Burnham, and other senior figures like former cabinet minister Lord Falconer, there are already signs of trouble. There is anxiety over his potential appointment of his close friend and campaign manager, John McDonnell. One senior MP told me that would be a "declaration of war". Others are pressing for the job to go to a woman, most likely Angela Eagle. Although many former shadow ministers have already walked away, standby for the emergence of the Make it Work Brigade - those in the middle of the party who will take a job in Corbyn's team to stand their ground. For Labour MPs this has been a mind-bending 24 hours - it will take a long time to acclimatise to having someone they consider to be on the fringes, in charge. But after yesterday, together with his massed ranks of supporters, in charge he most certainly is.

Summary: There is a long list of very good reasons why being leader of the opposition is known as the hardest job in British politics.


The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) described the actress as a "class act" after her speech at the ceremony on Sunday night. Streep criticised President-elect Donald Trump and said: "We need the principled press to hold power to account." Lorenzo Soria, the president of the HFPA, has now endorsed Streep. "As an organisation of journalists, the HFPA stands by your defence of free expression and we reject any calls for censorship," he wrote on Twitter, addressing the actress. "We thank you for your unwavering support for the arts." Streep has also been contacted by several fellow actors who offered their support of what she had said. One was Robert De Niro, who told the actress in a letter: "What you said was great. It needed to be said, and you said it beautifully. "I have so much respect for you that you did it while the world was celebrating your achievements. I share your sentiments about punks and bullies. Enough is enough." He added: "You, with your elegance and intelligence, have a powerful voice - one that inspires others to speak up as they should so their voices will be heard too. It is so important that we ALL speak up." It is not the first time De Niro has made his dislike of Mr Trump clear - prior to his election the actor released a video in which he described the president-elect as an "idiot" and a "fool". Viola Davis, who introduced Streep at the Golden Globes, said after the ceremony: "She's earned the right to say that, and I think all of us felt a sigh of relief. "Sometimes you need the first person to dive in there and have the courage and the bravery to give a mouthpiece to what we were all feeling." At the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Streep received the Cecil B DeMille Award for outstanding contribution to entertainment. In her acceptance speech, Streep made reference to Mr Trump's imitation of a disabled reporter during the US presidential campaign trail last year. She also spoke of the need for the principled press to hold Mr Trump to account over the next four years. Mr Trump responded by tweeting: "Meryl Streep, one of the most overrated actresses in Hollywood, doesn't know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes. She is a Hillary flunky who lost big." Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: The organisation behind the Golden Globe Awards has praised Meryl Streep for her championing of the press.


9 June 2014 Last updated at 06:55 BST Is the NHS better since devolution and has the Welsh government delivered on its promises? Firstly Dr Alan Rees, of the Royal College of Physicians, said there has been huge improvements over recent decades but the health service has been a victim of its own success. Plaid Cymru health spokesperson Elin Jones AM argues that the NHS and health boards have failed to manage their finances. Dr Tony Calland, of the British Medical Association, said the Welsh government had done its best but had underestimated the problems.

Summary: It is 15 years since the National Assembly started in Wales and BBC Wales is looking at what devolution has meant for the NHS in Wales.


But the movie, directed by Australian Justin Kurzel and which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this weekend, has a new interpretation of Shakespeare's tragic hero and why he sets out on his doomed path to power. "He's suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder," claims Michael Fassbender. "I'm aware that it's a completely modern interpretation of his actions and it's only now we know what the condition is, we were just as puzzled by soldiers returning from World War One with PTSD, society didn't know what to do with them. "I had never thought of Macbeth in that way, but Justin nudged me and said, 'it's obvious, isn't it' and it fell into place. It's actually in the text, in the banquet scene, where he sees the ghost of Banquo, Lady Macbeth has to step in and say, 'he's known to have these bouts and fits.' "To me it all makes sense - you can't be away at war, all the time, killing people, you don't see your wife, it's in the text that they've lost at least one child, and it was the key to Macbeth for me - I understood his hallucinations, the erratic behaviour, the fits of madness. Strange how Shakespeare understood post-traumatic stress too. "And to counter-balance it, I see Lady Macbeth not as the ambitious and power-hungry villainess of history, but someone who is desperately trying to reconnect with her husband and thinks that perhaps if they carry out this enormous act of murder together, it will reconnect them. I find it a more interesting theory than the power-crazy woman. It's less about power and more about filling a void." Macbeth has been adapted several times for TV and film, including by Orson Welles in 1948, when Welles starred in the title role, and most famously, by Roman Polanski in 1971, months after the murder of his wife, Sharon Tate, at the hands of Charles Manson's gang. This may have set the seal on the traditional superstition among actors that mentioning the name Macbeth is unlucky; Fassbender refers to it by "that name" and says that "strange things" happened among the crew during shooting. "It very quickly became 'the Scottish play' for us, " he says. "But the worst luck we had was the weather. That was terrible." Justin Kurzel, who made his directing debut in 2011 with independent hit The Snowtown murders, adds that there was "a supernatural element to filming in Skye in January, it seemed to be a place where spirits walk". "We just wanted a very traditional Macbeth - one that would fit in 11th Century Scotland, not a modern re-imagining of it, set in New York or London, so that's where we went - and it poured down nearly every day of the shoot. I'm amazed the crew didn't desert us, having to carry equipment up and down the mountains every day, and these poor extras just standing in the rain in their wool costumes. "However unlucky it might be though, we're all reuniting - myself, Marion and Michael - for the film

Summary: "The Scottish play" - as William Shakespeare's Macbeth is known among actors - has become "the Scottish film" starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard as the infamous couple who murder their way to the throne of Scotland.


More than 1,500 firefighters tackled blazes which had sprung up in scrubland north of the city, injuring three people. Homes were destroyed in the nearby town of Vitrolles and hundreds of residents were evacuated. Fires have also been raging in mainland Portugal and on the island of Madeira. Three people were killed on the holiday island and more than 1,000 were forced from their homes. The French fires took hold on Wednesday afternoon and spread over more than 3,300 hectares (8,150 acres) of scrubland and wooded areas. According to AFP news agency, three residents and four firefighters were injured, some seriously, in fires across the region. The firefighters were hurt battling a blaze further west in Herault, when their vehicle was surrounded by flames. Vitrolles, about 25km (15 miles) north of Marseille, was the town worst affected. "Everything burned, the house, the car... there is nothing left," a resident of Vitrolles told BFM-TV. Other towns affected included Pennes-Mirabeau, Saint-Victoret, Fos-sur-Mer and Rognac, where the main fire started. Palls of thick smoke which rose from Vitrolles and Pennes-Mirabeau were drifting over Marseille on Wednesday. Marseille airport, which redirected incoming flights to make way for firefighting aircraft, said the situation was gradually getting back to normal by midday on Thursday. But it warned that some roads to the airport remained closed and advised travellers to use trains. Marseille's Deputy Mayor, Julien Ruas, said firebreaks had been created to protect northern neighbourhoods. Fires are frequent in summer in south-eastern France but it is rare for them to threaten urban areas. On Madeira, the flames encroached on the capital Funchal and are blamed for the deaths of three elderly people whose homes caught light. A fourth death was reported on the Portuguese mainland as wildfires raged in central regions.

Summary: Firefighters have contained wildfires in southern France which threatened the city of Marseille but remain on alert as more windy conditions are expected.


That is the view of a range of very senior business people and marketing gurus to whom I have spoken. One said: "This is a nightmare for them - the reputational damage is huge". So why aren't these huge and powerful global companies doing what the UK culture secretary John Whittingdale has asked, and following the lead of Visa - which said it would review its sponsorship deal if Fifa does not clean up its act? Well, part of the answer is implicit even in the less mild sabre-rattling of Visa. Because it is striking that even Visa only said it might review its commercial relationship with Fifa, not that it was doing so. The point, according to well-placed executives, is that Coca Cola, Hyundai, Budweiser, McDonald's, Gazprom and Visa (among others) have signed legally binding contracts. So they may not be able to get out of the contracts without paying spectacular damages - given that they are each believed to be paying Fifa up to $200m (Â£130m) over four years for the marketing opportunities associated with the World Cup. "They are all asking their lawyers to examine whether they have 'moral' clauses in their contracts, which would allow them to get out because of Fifa's behaviour," said a businessman with links to the sponsors. There is another point, though - put to me by a member of one of the sponsor's boards - which is that the World Cup is "the best sponsorship opportunity on the planet". How so? Well, association football is arguably the world's most global sport - though the Olympics and Formula One also have serious worldwide reach. And the World Cup allows the sponsors to get their names in front of hundreds of millions of consumers, both in the rich West and in the faster-growing economies of Asia and South America. What I am told makes World Cup sponsorship particularly special is that Fifa is far less prescriptive about how the sponsoring companies promote their brands and conduct their marketing than the Olympic Organising Committee. "Fifa is the least anal and controlling of its sponsors," said a marketing executive. "And that is highly prized." Or to put it another way, although all the sponsors want to be seen to be doing the "right thing" by putting pressure on Fifa to reform, they are fearful that if they completely incinerate their relationships with the World Cup, they may simply be providing a precious and rare marketing opportunity to their bitterest rivals.

Summary: The Fifa scandal is an "absolute disaster" for the multinationals who sponsor it - because they cannot escape taint from the perceived lapses of football's supreme governing body.