Prince Andrew said in a statement he wished to stop "speculation and innuendo" relating to his daughters. He said it was "complete fabrication" to suggest he wanted titles for any future husbands of the princesses. He added that continued speculation over a split between himself and Prince Charles was "pointless". "As a father, my wish for my daughters is for them to be modern, working, young women, who happen to be members of the Royal Family, and I am delighted to see them building their careers," the duke said. "When they do support the Royal Family in its work this is very much appreciated by my family and, most importantly, by those organisations and to those for whom their participation makes such a difference to their lives." While acknowledging there is "considerable interest" in the granddaughters of the Queen, Prince Andrew said he "cannot continue to stand by and have the media speculate on their futures based on my purported interventions, which are completely made up". The statement was issued via the duke's Twitter account. It came shortly after the princesses' mother, the Duchess of York, urged the media to "stop bullying the York family". She was speaking as Beatrice, 28, and Eugenie, 26, became patrons of the Teenage Cancer Trust charity. The duchess and the two princesses visited a specialist teen cancer unit in central London to mark the occasion, meeting young people with the disease. "Let's focus more on this and less on tittle-tattle gossip," said the duchess, who was divorced from Prince Andrew in 1996. By Peter Hunt, BBC royal correspondent Once, personal royal statements were vanishingly rare. Not anymore. After Prince Harry leapt to the aid of his girlfriend Meghan Markle, his uncle has used his personal Twitter account to defend his daughters. And it's significant that the princely views were disseminated this way and not through an official Buckingham Palace statement. There will be those at the palace who will have questioned the wisdom of this move. Not least because there has been tension between Prince Andrew and Prince Charles over the future king's plans to slim down the monarchy when his time comes. Read more from Peter Hunt The Duke of York's statement was issued in response to reports claiming he intended to persuade the Queen or Prince Charles to make any husbands of Eugenie or Beatrice earls. In October, there were claims of a row between Prince Andrew and his brother, said to have been sparked by a wish for his daughters to be given more significant roles within the royal family in future. The statement also comes just over a month after Prince Harry took the decision to issue a statement attacking the media for subjecting his actress girlfriend Meghan Markle to a "wave of abuse and harassment".

Summary: There is "no truth" in press claims of a split in the Royal Family over the future roles of Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, the Duke of York has said.


The Belfast woman claims she was 15 when she embarked on a sexual relationship with Mr McPeake. The 72-year-old denies 12 counts of sex offences against her. She made her claim during her third day in the witness box. The abuse is alleged to have happened from summer 2009 until February 2010. She alleged in Belfast Crown Court she became sexually involved with McPeake during a group trip to the Republic of Ireland, and that when the group returned to Belfast, her relationship with Mr McPeake progressed onto intercourse. The woman was questioned at length about the allegations she had made against Mr McPeake. When she was asked about an alleged pregnancy scare, the woman said she "panicked" as she was only 15 and that Mr McPeake had lost his temper when she told him. This, and all her other claims, have been refuted by Mr McPeake, who makes the case that no sexual activity occurred between him and the then schoolgirl in 2009 and 2010. A defence lawyer questioned the woman about her claims of sexual activity on two cross-border trips as well as alleged incidents she said occurred at the McPeake School of Music in Belfast, at another music workshop in the city and in his car. Telling the jury it was Mr McPeake's case there was no sexual activity, the lawyer accused the woman of being a disruptive influence during one of the cross-border trips, where she made a nuisance of herself and had to be chastised by Mr McPeake for her bad behaviour. This suggestion was rejected by the woman, who said that at that time they were in a relationship and she was in love with him. She was also asked about comments she made about wanting to wreck his life the way he had wrecked hers, and also comments she made to Mr McPeake's son via Facebook about his father. Breaking down in tears, the woman said she was "angry and hurt" about what Mr McPeake had done. She said: "All I wanted was an apology, to say he was sorry and that he was wrong. I just wanted an apology from him." When she was accused by the defence lawyer of making false allegations about Mr McPeake, she answered: "They are not false, they are true." And when she was told by the lawyer "I have to suggest to you there was no sexual activity between you and the defendant", she replied "there was." The trial is due to resume on Monday.

Summary: A 20-year-old woman who claims she was sexually abused by traditional Irish musician Francis McPeake has claimed in court he "lost his temper" when she told him she thought she might be pregnant.


Officers described the incident near Blairhill Station, in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, on Sunday night as "stupid and dangerous". The shopping trolley was hurled through overhead power lines which could have electrocuted the person. A train hit the trolley, but there was no serious damage to the vehicle or any injuries on board. British Transport Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact them. PC Mark Harrington said: "We believe the trolley was thrown onto the tracks before the train struck it. "It's incredible that whoever threw it was not electrocuted, as the trolley has gone between the overhead wires. "This was a stupid and dangerous thing to do and could have had very serious consequences, not only for the person throwing the trolley but also for the driver and all the passengers of the train that collided with it. "This happened in a residential area so it is likely that someone will have seen or heard people by the tracks around the time of the incident. "I would like to speak to anyone who has any information that could help with this investigation."

Summary: A person who threw a trolley onto train tracks is lucky to be alive, transport police have said.


Laura Davies, 21, was attacked near the Essex Horse and Pony Protection Society base in Basildon, where she lived and worked. Judge Charles Gratwicke described it as "a brutal and sick, callous killing". Jordan Taylor, 22, of Basildon, must serve a minimum of 23 years in jail for murdering Miss Davies just moments after she had ended their relationship. Follow live updates on this story and other Essex news Taylor had denied murder but was found guilty by a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday. Sentencing him to life in prison, Judge Gratwicke told Taylor: "The jury saw through your lies, and saw you for what you are - a devious, jealous and ruthless individual prepared to unleash extreme violence on anyone who crosses your path. "This was a brutal and sick, callous killing." During the eight-day trial the court heard Taylor and Miss Davies had been together since December 2014. He had moved into the flat which came with her job as a groom at the sanctuary. Miss Davies had told friends she planned to end the relationship on the evening of 3 July last year - the night she was murdered. The kitchen knife Taylor turned on Miss Davies had been used with such force it was bent to a 45-degree angle. The court heard Taylor claimed he stabbed her twice in self-defence after she attacked him. Things went "foggy" after that, he said. He said he could not remember most of the attack and denied murdering Miss Davies. However, the Crown Prosecution Service described it as a "vicious and sustained attack" carried out by Taylor while he was in a "jealous rage" after Miss Davies ended the relationship. Prosecutors said the attack on Miss Davies began in the flat in Pitsea Hall Lane, then continued outside as she fled in her pyjamas. Taylor had denied initially making "disfiguring" cuts to Miss Davies' face and left breast as "punishment" for trying to end the relationship, before eventually going on to kill her. CCTV footage showed Taylor attempting to hoist Miss Davies' near-lifeless body over a hedge out of view. He was found by police crouching in bushes near her body. Miss Davies died later that night in Basildon Hospital. Taylor was charged with her murder. The jury heard Taylor, a martial arts enthusiast, had tried to control a number of aspects of Miss Davies' life. Her mother Dyanne Lambert told the court he would not allow her daughter to wear short-sleeved or low-cut tops and the couple would often argue. "She became very quiet and didn't want to talk about what was going on," she said. Speaking after Taylor was sentenced, Mrs Lambert said: "Obviously nothing will bring our Laura back but we are glad that he will be off the streets for a very long time. "Twenty-three years is long, but it will not bring our baby back." Miss Davies' father, John Davies, said: "We've lost Laura forever and it's very hard to deal with. "We thank the justice system for all their work and for the sentence,

Summary: A man who murdered his girlfriend by stabbing her 80 times in a "jealous rage" has been jailed for life.


The boy's body was recovered from the River Ericht at Cally Bridge, near Blairgowrie, at about 12:35. He had been reported missing from a property in the nearby Milton of Drimmie area at 11:15. Police, firefighters, a water rescue unit and air ambulance were involved in the search. No details on the child's identity have been released. A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Around 11:15am today, police in Perthshire received a report of a two-year-old boy missing from a property in the Milton of Drimmie area, close to Bridge of Cally, in Perthshire. "Officers immediately launched a full search of the area, with assistance from the Police Scotland helicopter and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service personnel. "Around 12:35pm, the child was located in the River Ericht, close to the property. He was removed from the water by fire personnel and treated by paramedics, who had attended the scene with the air ambulance. "Tragically, the boy did not survive. His family are being supported by officers at this time." Deputy first minister John Swinney, who is MSP for Perthshire North, expressed his sympathy for the family. He tweeted: "Heartbreaking news from the River Ericht at Bridge of Cally. My deepest sympathies to everyone involved." Local councillor Liz Grant, who is provost of Perth and Kinross, said: "It will be absolutely devastating for the family and the community. "It is a very small community. Bridge of Cally is a small village. "The River Ericht is fast, the rivers are all fast coming down through that area, particularly at this time of year."

Summary: A two-year-old boy has been found dead in a river after being reported missing in Perthshire.


The 20-year-old has played three times for the Tractor Boys this term, all in the League Cup, scoring one goal. Yorwerth, a Wales Under-21 international, joined Ipswich this summer after leaving Cardiff City. He is eligible to make his debut for the Reds, who are currently one place off the bottom in League Two, in Tuesday's visit to Newport County. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: League Two strugglers Crawley Town have signed Ipswich Town defender Josh Yorwerth on a one-month loan deal.


Recordings released on paid-subscription platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal will now qualify. Nominees previously had to be available on a CD, or downloadable. Grammy members will also vote in fewer categories, the Recording Academy announced. The changes will come into force in time for next February's awards. Bill Freimuth, the Academy's senior vice president of awards, said: "We noticed that there were a number of higher-profile artists who were choosing - for philosophical reasons as much as anything - to release their music through streaming-only, and we did not want to be exclusionary toward them." Some musicians, including Prince and Beyonce, have released debuts exclusively on Tidal, before then releasing them on iTunes and other platforms. Grammy members will also have the number of categories they can vote in reduced from 20 to 15. However all members will still be able to vote in the top four categories: album of the year, song of the year, record of the year and best new artist. Other changes include an update for the best new artist category. Rules now allow a performer who releases at least five singles to qualify. Previously, acts had to release an album to be eligible. Acts can qualify for best new artist until they have released three albums or 30 singles. The best rap/sung collaboration, which was given to rap and R&B acts who team up on a track, is being renamed to best rap/sung performance, and can now be given to solo acts. Best blues album has also been split into two categories: best traditional blues album and best contemporary blues album. Freimuth added: "The effort here is to protect the integrity of the Grammy Awards, and so sometimes that means typing up some rules, and sometimes that means loosening up some rules, sometimes that means contracting a category, sometimes that means adding a category." This year's awards saw Taylor Swift's 1989 win the coveted album of the year award. The singer - who is the first woman to win the award twice - also won best pop vocal album and best music video, for her track Bad Blood. Rapper Kendrick Lamar won the most prizes on the night with five awards. British singer Ed Sheeran also won his first two Grammys for song of the year and best pop solo performance, for his number one hit Thinking Out Loud. Songs need to have been released between 1 October 2015 and 30 September 2016 to be eligible for next year's awards. The nominations will be announced on 6 December.

Summary: Songs released only on streaming services are to be eligible for Grammy nominations for the first time, as part of changes to the music awards' rules.


Images appeared to show Drissa Traore, Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill and Jeremy Balmy taking the legal high, commonly known as laughing gas, via balloons. Swindon suspended the trio on 7 April and, following a club investigation, a statement said: "Swindon Town now consider this matter to be closed. "The three first-team players have been fined for their actions." The statement added: "The trio acknowledge that their actions were wrong and would like to apologise to their team mates, the club's staff and the supporters. "They are keen to move on from this issue and get back to training to help the team as quickly as possible. All three will be considered for selection once again this weekend." Head coach Luke Williams told BBC Wiltshire: "They will be available (on Saturday) because they will have served their suspension time but the boys will have to earn their right to be back in the matchday squad. "I should think there's a level of conditioning that they've now lost because they have not been training for a fortnight, so they'll have to be re-conditioned. "They'll have to show in training every day that they're desperately trying to make up for what they've done." Swindon host Chesterfield in League One on Saturday.

Summary: Swindon Town have fined three players after they appeared to inhale nitrous oxide in a live social media video.


A recording, which a US website claims was Gibson on the phone to Oksana Grigorieva, has emerged. He is allegedly heard verbally abusing her. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said officers will "review" the recordings as part of an investigation. A spokesman for Gibson has declined to comment on the claims. "Anything that is connected to the case we will investigate," Mr Whitmore said. Last week, RadarOnline.com posted a recording which it claimed was Gibson. A man can be heard telling Grigorieva he thought she was dressing too provocatively using explicit and offensive language. At one point, Grigorieva accuses the man of "hitting a woman when she's holding a child in her hands". He replies that she "deserved it". Gibson and Grigorieva are currently battling each other for custody of their 8-month-old daughter. The Lethal Weapon and Braveheart star previously hit headlines over an angry outburst in 2006. Then, a leaked police report quoted him making anti-Semitic comments to a Jewish police officer, who was arresting him for drink driving.

Summary: US police have said they are evaluating claims that Hollywood star Mel Gibson allegedly hit his ex-girlfriend.


Network Rail said the railway station would be shut between 30 September and 22 October so passenger capacity can be increased. It is part of the rail management company and Liverpool City Region's Â£340m project to upgrade 10 railways. A spokesman for Network Rail said disruption would be "kept to a minimum" and most services would run to and from Liverpool South Parkway instead. Annual passenger numbers at Lime Street station are forecast to double in peak periods by 2043, said Network Rail, and these improvements will enable it to cater for the increased capacity. The work will see two new platforms created, existing platforms remodelled, overhead line equipment to power electric trains installed and tracks upgraded. The six train companies which serve Liverpool have been working on a plan for more than a year to keep customers moving. Network Rail said bus replacement services would be offered when necessary and passengers would be guided to alternative city centre stations. The company's spokesman said the renovation was "the biggest upgrade of the station since the 19th Century". "It will provide passengers with faster, more frequent and reliable train services by 2019," he added. Liverpool Lime Street was closed for a week for emergency repair work after a wall collapsed on to the tracks on 28 February. The work is not related to the damage caused by 200 tonnes of debris which fell on tracks in the approach to the station, said Network Rail. Source Network Rail

Summary: Liverpool Lime Street is to close for three weeks for a major refurbishment.


The first concerns rates - the locally collected property tax paid by businesses and households. The political crisis means the NI Executive has not set its part of the bill, known as the regional rate. James Brokenshire had promised to bring forward legislation to enable a regional rate to be set if there was no political deal by 18 April. That legislation could be passed as early as this week. The bigger issue is the Northern Ireland budget. The executive failed to agree a budget for 2017-18 and so civil servants have been using emergency financial powers since the start of the financial year. However, officials believe that state of affairs is only sustainable for a few months at most. That has led to speculation that Mr Brokenshire could use the House of Commons to pass a Northern Ireland budget. Welfare reform is being cited as a precedent where Westminster legislated for Northern Ireland despite welfare being a devolved power. If Mr Brokenshire is to take that step he will have to move quickly.

Summary: Northern Ireland has two pressing financial issues on which the Secretary of State could act before parliament is dissolved in early May.


The star joined forces with her cousin, Senator Charles Schumer, to unveil a set of proposals for more stringent background checks on gun buyers. "The time is now for American people to rally for these changes," she said. President Obama recently said the failure to pass gun safety laws was the greatest frustration of his presidency. His comments came on 23 July, just hours before a gunman opened fire on a movie theatre in Lafayette, Louisiana, killing two women and injuring nine other patrons, before taking his own life. John Houser, 59, legally purchased his semi-automatic 40-calibre handgun in Alabama in 2014, following a background check that failed to reveal he had a history of psychiatric problems and had been the subject of domestic violence complaints. Schumer, whose film was playing at the cinema, said the incident sickened her. "I've thought about these victims each day since the tragedy," she said at a news conference at the senator's office in New York. "People say, 'Well, you're never going to be able to stop crazy people from doing crazy things,' but they're wrong. There is a way to stop them," she added. Senator Schumer, a New York democrat, wants to improve background checks by creating financial incentives for states that submit information to a database the FBI uses to screen gun buyers. His bill would also create penalties for states that fail to submit records to the database. He stressed that the proposals were about strengthening the background check system, not putting new restrictions on buyers. He also urged Congress to provide full funding to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which faces a proposed 4.4% cut of $159m (Â£101m). But with gun ownership a contentious issue in US politics, the senator acknowledged he would struggle to get his bill passed into law. "We're up against a powerful lobby, so having people like Amy - who people respect and listen to - is a great antidote," he said. "She reaches people that, frankly, I would never reach." Schumer, who is known for her raunchy, no-holds-barred sketch show on Comedy Central, said she expected backlash for speaking out about guns, but would not back down. "I'll handle it the way I've handled it the last 10 years," she said. "I've had death threats and a lot of hate directed toward me. But I want to be proud of the way I'm living and what I stand for." The star, who refused to use Houser's name, added: "Unless something is done and done soon, dangerous people will continue to get their hands on guns. "We know what can happen when they do. I was heartbroken when I heard about Columbine and Sandy Hook and Aurora and so many other names of places that are seared into our memories. And I was heartbroken again when I heard about Lafayette. "We'll never know why people choose to do these painful things, but sadly we always find out how. How the shooter got their gun. It's often something that shouldn't have happened in the first place.

Summary: Comedian Amy Schumer has called for tougher gun control laws in the US, after two women were shot dead at a screening of her movie, Trainwreck.


Brathwaite, 22, had only one Test wicket and three first-class scalps to his name before this game, but captured 6-29 with his part-time off-spin. That helped bowl Sri Lanka out for 206, setting West Indies 244 to win. Brathwaite was then lbw for three with the tourists 20-1 when rain ended play. The Bajan right-hander had only bowled in six of his previous 23 Tests since his debut in 2011, taking a solitary wicket against India in Kolkata for an overall Test bowling average of 137. His previous first-class bowling figures were equally forgettable, with three wickets at an average of 67 in 81 games. But after he came on with Sri Lanka 146-4 to share the spin workload with Devendra Bishoo and debutant Jomel Warrican, Brathwaite took the last six wickets including home skipper Angelo Mathews, who was ninth out for 46. With rain preventing any play after tea, Sri Lanka lead the two-Test series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Galle by an innings.

Summary: West Indies' Kraigg Brathwaite achieved the best Test bowling figures by an opening batsman for more than half a century on day three of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.


The British actor plays Martin Luther King in the film about the 1965 campaign in Selma, Alabama, for equal voting rights for African-Americans. The film, out in the UK next week, has been lauded by critics but received no Bafta nominations. The film received two Oscar nominations - for best picture and best original song. "When it's the best reviewed film of the year, and it's a film of this significance, and you have British company Pathe producing it, and you have four Brits as the main characters of the film, you expect to be nominated for Baftas," Oyelowo told the BBC. "When that doesn't happen it sends an odd message." The Oxford-born actor, who now lives in Los Angeles, said he was proud to be a British actor and it was meaningful to him to have his work well-received in the UK. "For me, you keep it moving, you go on to the next thing, you have to, but I would not say that it is something you just brush off, and go 'OK, that's just happenstance'. It's disappointing." Selma has been a long-term project for Oyelowo, who first came across the script when he relocated to LA in 2007. He is best known to British TV viewers for his role as MI5 officer Danny Hunter in Spooks. His recent film appearances include Interstellar, A Most Violent Year, The Butler, Jack Reacher, The Paperboy and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Earlier this week Oyelowo attended Selma's European premiere in London. He was joined on the red carpet by co-stars Tom Wilkinson, who plays President Lyndon Johnson; Colman Domingo, who plays civil rights leader Ralph Abernathy; and director Ava DuVernay. DuVernay, who Oyelowo brought on board to make the film, said at the premiere that it was a "shame" that Bafta voters had not acknowledged his performance. "He's one of the brightest stars to come out of Britain of any colour. But particularly around this performance, that's so transformative, so important, so immersive. I'd have liked to have seen him get that." When the Oscar nominations were announced, a week after the Baftas, there was widespread surprise that both Oyelowo and DuVernay missed out in the acting and directing categories. Oyelowo told the BBC that he would be at the Oscars ceremony in Hollywood, on 22 February, to support the film in its best picture nomination. "We're not underplaying at all that achievement," he said.

Summary: Former Spooks star David Oyelowo has expressed disappointment at the way Bafta has snubbed his new film Selma.


Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said that it was a case of "the sooner, the better". Theresa May is seeking the support of the DUP's 10 MPs after losing her majority in the general election. Both sides have been talking, but have not confirmed a deal to support a Conservative minority government. Sir Jeffrey said that the prime minister had been "moving this process forward" and was "engaged". He added: "I'll say this about Ulster men and Ulster women, we're no pushover." Sir Jeffrey, the MP for Lagan Valley, was speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today after sources told the BBC that the DUP is seeking £2bn in extra funding for Northern Ireland in return for supporting the Conservatives. He described the reported figures as "wide of the mark" and "nonsense". "We're talking about funding across a range of issues, certainly some money for health and education and some money for our infrastructure, but certainly the scale that we're talking about is nowhere near what's being speculated in the media." He said that would "become evident" when the agreement is published. Sir Jeffrey also rejected criticisms that the agreement would affect the British government's neutrality in Northern Ireland's peace process. "The deal relates to how we operate in Westminster, let me be clear on this - we're not asking the government to take sides on the devolution debate in Northern Ireland. "We're not seeking to drag the politics of Northern Ireland onto the national stage. I've read stuff about parading and other things, none of this will feature (in an agreement)." Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has poured cold water on reports that his party was seeking an extra £2bn in health and infrastructure spending to support a minority Conservative government. That was - according to the Lagan Valley MP - "wild speculation" and "wide of the mark". However, the sources for those reports were reliable. So is it possible the DUP is now seeking to manage down the expectations of its supporters? Read more here. His comments came after political parties in Northern Ireland raised concerns that ongoing DUP-Tory talks are undermining the negotiations on restoring devolution at Stormont. The government has set a 29 June deadline for a Stormont deal but parties are frustrated that the delay in an agreement at Westminster could affect the chances of a deal in Northern Ireland. DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds told MPs on Wednesday evening that his party wants to see the Stormont Executive up and running as quickly as possible. However, Colum Eastwood, leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), claimed the "chaotic talks" between the DUP and the Conservatives were holding Northern Ireland politics to ransom. "We're all, of course, a bit preoccupied by what's going on - or not going on - in London and it's quite clear that the DUP and Tory Party aren't quite sure what they're doing, but they need to get on with it, because it is affecting the process here," Mr Eastwood said. "If people think that anyone is going to sign a deal here without knowing

Summary: There is a "very good" chance the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Conservatives will agree a parliamentary deal by next week, a DUP MP has said.


Lauri Love, who has Asperger's syndrome, worries he will be sentenced to up to 99 years. "If I went into a US prison, I don't think I'd leave again," he told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme. A judge will announce next week whether Mr Love, from Stradishall, Suffolk, should be extradited. Mr Love, who could face trials in three different US states, is accused of hacking into the FBI, the US central bank and the country's missile defence agency. He said the US prison system was "poor" at handling people with psychological conditions, who faced widespread bullying. "The way that mental health is dealt with in America is not in any way therapeutic," he said. "I have Asperger's and I have depression, so suicide is a real risk. "And if I get a 99-year sentence, it's an absurd length of time, meaning I would die in prison anyway." Mr Love calculates this could be the total combined sentence length if he is found guilty of hacking offences in each of New Jersey, Virginia and New York. The Federal Bureau of Prisons says it works to provide education to staff and inmates on suicide prevention. Mr Love told Victoria Derbyshire he could be "bullied" into accepting a plea bargain in the US - receiving a shorter sentence in return for admitting one or more of the alleged offences. "The threat of what might happen to me is always in the background," he said. "I've been scratching my face as a nervous reaction, which has exacerbated my eczema." Mr Love, 31, was first arrested at home in 2013 and had computer equipment seized by British police, who then released him on bail. He was not charged in the UK, where the investigation into him was dropped. In England and Wales, the maximum sentence for a computer crime such as those of which Mr Love is accused is two years and eight months. His defence team argues that his depression and Asperger's syndrome - a form of autism - mean he should not be sent abroad, but US prosecutors say he is using his mental health issues as an excuse to escape justice. "That's offensive to me, as someone who has had problems with mental health for all of my life," Mr Love said. "I really feel for my parents, who have the worry and the stress of this. It's been very difficult for them." In 2012. the then Home Secretary, Theresa May, blocked the extradition to the US of Gary McKinnon, a UK hacker with mental health issue, saying he was a suicide risk. Since then, the law has changed, so judges rather than politicians decide on extraditions. Mr Love's case is regarded as the first real test of the new law. A judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court will announce her decision on whether to extradite Mr Love on 16 September. Mr Love said he was "guardedly optimistic" he would be allowed to remain in the UK. The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the

Summary: A British man wanted in the US for allegedly hacking into government computers says he fears dying in jail if he is extradited.


Private domiciliary care firms commissioned by local authorities say there is a recruitment crisis due to competition from hospitals and supermarkets. The UK Homecare Association said there was a "real sense of desperation". Public Health Minister Rebecca Evans said action would be taken. Colin Angel - of the UK Homecare Association, the body which represents care companies - told the Week In Week Out programme many of his members were really struggling. "What we hear in Wales is a real sense of desperation from some providers trying to work out how they can remain in business on the sorts of rates that they are being paid by local councils," he said. "And I think in some parts of Wales, particularly rural areas, we may see care providers handing back work or going out of business even more quickly than in the rest of the country. And that's something that I hope the Welsh Government is going to take seriously." Private domiciliary care firms provide 13 million hours of care every year in Wales. One care company in North Wales "reluctantly" pulled out of providing care to Conwy council, saying it could not supply the care required for the money the council was prepared to pay. Thirteen of the Wales' 22 local authorities said they had seen contracts handed back to them, when asked by BBC Wales. The proportion with returned contracts - 59% - compares to a UK average of 48%. Cymorth Llaw has provided domiciliary care in north Wales for 17 years and company boss Ken Hogg said it was getting more and more challenging. While the company is not in danger of going bust, profits have been falling. "There will be difficult decisions to be made. We've made difficult decisions in the past," Mr Hogg said. "We have to stop this crisis in social care and we have to make these professional carers feel valued, not only valued members of society, but also the remuneration that they deserve." Last year the company pulled out of providing care in Conwy - which initially paid £14.20 an hour for care. Conwy offered to raise that to £15.00, but the company decided they had no choice but to give up the contract. "We didn't think that we could provide this level of service for that cost, for that amount of money that Conwy were offering. And we were very, very reluctant to leave, but we had to leave, it was as simple as that," Mr Hogg added. Conwy council said it was committed to supporting vulnerable people in communities, despite facing financial challenges. Care worker Amanda Hopewell, of Cymorth Llaw, is paid £7.55 per hour - just above the national living wage. She is on a zero-hours contract, which means the hours she works are not guaranteed. She said she struggled to make ends meet. "I did look into buying a house about four years ago, but because I didn't have a contract they wouldn't allow me to buy a house or anything like that," she said. "It's hard. You see all your

Summary: Firms caring for thousands of people living at home in Wales are facing tough financial pressures to stay open, a care companies body has said.


The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said Mr Wells would not be charged in connection with the incident on 23 April in Downpatrick. Mr Wells welcomed the decision as "an important step forward". In a statement, the PPS said it was decided that the case did not meet the test for prosecution. "Following a careful consideration of all the available evidence provided to the PPS by the PSNI, it has been decided that the case does not meet the test for prosecution," the PPS statement said. "Potential offences were considered under the Public Order (NI) Order 1987, in particular an offence under article nine (stirring up hatred). "Included in the evidence examined by prosecutors was a 30 second video clip which was widely circulated on social media after the event was staged in Downpatrick. "The police also provided a longer transcript of a recording of the entirety of the man's comments. "On examining the available evidence for the incident reported, in particular the entirety of the transcript of the man's comments, it was concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove that any offence was committed." In a statement, Mr Wells said he had been "vindicated" by the decision. "This matter has been hanging over me for some time and so I am obviously delighted to have the air cleared," he said. "It was seized upon by opponents of myself and my party and used against us in an entirely unreasonable manner. "There are many aspects of this incident, and the subsequent campaign, that continue to raise significant cause for concern and which merit further investigation."

Summary: The DUP MLA Jim Wells will not be prosecuted for comments he made about gay marriage during a hustings event for the Westminster election.


On a green surface and in damp, overcast conditions, Australia fell to 8-4 and 17-5 after losing the toss. Vernon Philander took 5-21, Kyle Abbott 3-41 and though Steve Smith ended 48 not out, Australia slumped to their lowest home total against the Proteas. South Africa reached 171-5 by the close for a lead of 86 - Hashim Amla hitting 47, while Mitchell Starc has 3-49. The tourists, without injured skipper AB de Villiers and pace spearhead Dale Steyn, already lead the three-Test series 1-0. This Test is the first time since both made their debuts against England in December 2004 that South Africa have played without either of them. In the absence of Steyn, Philander tore through the Australia top order, starting with David Warner edging a drive to a delivery so wide he could barely reach it. Joe Burns was lbw to Abbott and, after Usman Khawaja and Adam Voges edged behind the wicket, debutant Callum Ferguson was run out by a direct hit from substitute fielder Dane Vilas for three. From five wickets down, Australia needed captain Smith to get past their lowest home total of 58, but they were still shot out for the worst score in a Hobart Test. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Australia were bowled out for only 85 on the first day of the second Test against South Africa at Hobart.


Officer Phil O'Neill did not consider the fact he could not see Daniel Adewole an emergency situation and returned 18 minutes later. The 16-year-old, who had epilepsy, was later found unresponsive in his cell at Cookham Wood in Rochester. Asked if he thought he should have gone back sooner, Mr O'Neill said: "I do." Another officer, Sharon Bignell, told the inquest she had not unlocked Daniel's cell because the teenager "could have been hiding" and could have attacked her. The inquest, being carried out by coroner Patricia Harding, continues.

Summary: A prison officer went for a cigarette when he could not find a teenager who was supposed to be in his cell, an inquest heard.


Last month Oldham denied reports they were set to offer the 26-year-old a contract, or let him train with them, but it is believed they have now had a change of heart. Striker Evans has been without a club since he left prison in October. The Wales international served half of a five-year term for raping a woman in a hotel in May 2011. An online petition against Oldham signing Evans was set up on Sunday and had been signed by almost 19,000 people by 23:30 GMT. Former Oldham player Rick Holden told BBC Radio 5 live he was "not comfortable at all" with the possibility of Evans joining the Latics. "It's one of those crimes that will never go away," said Holden, who played 189 games for Oldham between 1989 and 1993. "I don't see how the chap can survive given the ferocity of football up and down the land." Holden, who played 189 games for Oldham between 1989 and 1993, said the club were "courting controversy", but added that they had "a history of taking on these difficult challenges". Earlier on Sunday, Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor had revealed that an unnamed club would hold a news conference regarding Evans on Monday, although he added that the player has yet to be signed. "We've had a number of steps forward and a number of steps back. I'm not going to count my chickens," Taylor told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme. "If a club are looking to sign him they need to be 100% committed." If Oldham were to sign Evans it would not be the first time they have signed a striker who had served a prison sentence. In 2007 they signed Lee Hughes after he had served half of a six-year prison term for causing death by dangerous driving. In November, Oldham chairman Simon Corney told BBC Radio Manchester that he felt people should be given a "second chance". "I believe in the law of the land and my understanding is Ched went away and did his time in prison," he said. "I know this is an argument people don't like but if he was an electrician and came out of jail he is entitled to work again. "But we have the fact he's a role model. It is a dangerous topic to discuss but we do have to make sure we make the right decision." On Evans's release from prison, Sheffield United offered him use of their training facilities. However, the Blades withdrew the offer after a backlash from supporters and club patrons, while more than 160,000 people signed a petition protesting against his return. Hartlepool also ruled out signing Evans after manager Ronnie Moore suggested he was considering a deal for the Welshman. Taylor added: "Evans is a footballer. He wants to return to society as a footballer, so he does need an employer to take him on." Evans maintains his innocence, and an investigation into his conviction by the Criminal Cases Review Commission is under way.

Summary: Convicted rapist Ched Evans has been in talks about signing for League One club Oldham, BBC Sport understands.


Mr Trudeau emphasised the benefits of Canada-US trade on jobs and the economy in an interview with NBC News. It is a well-worn message for Mr Trudeau, but one he is keen to promote before North American Free Trade Agreement talks launch. Mr Trudeau spoke to the network from New York as he attended Canadian show Come From Away on Broadway. The musical production is based on the true story of how the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, welcomed some 7,000 air travellers stranded in the days after the 9/11 terror attacks when the US closed its airspace. It recently opened in New York City after a successful run in Canada, and its heart-warming storyline was the perfect medium to help transmit Mr Trudeau's message of the importance of the longstanding ties between the two countries. In remarks before the show, Mr Trudeau said: "We have a friendship between our two countries that are like no other". His press secretary said on Thursday that "we embrace the opportunity to highlight how we are there for each other in times of need". The audience on Wednesday was filled with political glitterati, included Ivanka Trump as a guest, who sat near to UN ambassador Nikki Haley and Mr Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau during the evening's entertainment. Mr Trudeau and Ms Trump had met previously when she helped host a summit on women business leaders and entrepreneurs when the Canadian prime minister visited Washington earlier this year. Mr Trudeau told NBC's Tom Brokaw that there is an opportunity to improve the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) in trade talks. US President Donald Trump wants to renegotiate Nafta, a 1994 trade deal that includes Canada and Mexico. In February, the president said the trade relationship between the two countries only needed "tweaking" - a word Mr Trudeau clearly remembers. "(Nafta) has led to a lot of great jobs for a whole lot of people on both sides of the border and I very much take him at his word when he talks about just making a few tweaks," he told the network. "Because that's what we're always happy to do." Trade relations with the US are crucial for Canada and Mr Trudeau and his ministers have repeatedly hammered home statistics over the past few months that underscore the importance of Canada to American commerce. Nearly nine million US jobs depend on trade and investment from Canada, while Canada is the top customer for 35 US states. US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is expected to trigger notification to the US Congress to start the Nafta renegotiation by the end of March.

Summary: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking his pro-trade message directly to Americans.


Police were called to reports the Stagecoach bus had hit the bridge at Chapel Hill, near the train station, shortly before 14:00 BST. Two people were on board the bus at the time, but were not injured. Chapel Hill has been reopened. Network Rail said train services between Basingstoke and London, which use the bridge, had not been affected.

Summary: The roof of a double decker bus has been torn off after it struck a railway bridge in Basingstoke.


Dame Angela, 89, won best supporting actress for the role of eccentric medium Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit. The Kinks-inspired musical Sunny Afternoon and drama A View From the Bridge both won multiple awards. Hosted by Lenny Henry, the Oliviers ceremony took place at London's Royal Opera House on Sunday night. Accepting her statuette, Dame Angela said: "All these years of waiting. I am so infinitely grateful to have this baby in my hands." The Murder, She Wrote star, who was born in east London in 1925, recalled how she started her stage career in "a lovely play" with Dame Peggy Ashcroft, the title of which she couldn't recall. "I can't remember a lot of things these days - except I can remember my lines," she joked. She added: "Here I am creeping up to 90 and feeling like a million dollars because I'm in London in this magnificent hall with all you - my roots, where I began." The actress's star turn in Blithe Spirit took place at the Gielgud Theatre where her mother, actress Moyna Macgill, made her debut on the same stage in 1918 - when the theatre was known as The Globe. The best actor prize went to Mark Strong, for his brooding performance in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, which enjoyed a sell-out run at Wyndham's Theatre and might soon transfer to Broadway. The role of tragic hero Eddie Carbone had lured Strong back to the stage after 12 years in film. "What's been amazing about doing this play is the young people who that came to see it who all wanted to talk about what they were seeing," he said. "Thousands of years have gone by and we still have this thing called live theatre - and the reason is that we need to be able to compare ourselves to what we see up there and judge ourselves as human beings." The play, originally staged at London's Young Vic, also won best revival and best director award for Ivo Van Hove. Penelope Wilton won best actress for Taken at Midnight in which she played the mother of a young German lawyer imprisoned by the Nazis. Accepting her award, she said it was a story "that needed to be told again". "It has a resonance today even though it was about a man who died in 1937 - it's about the importance of democracy and freedom of speech." Joe Penhall's play Sunny Afternoon, which transferred to the West End from London's Hampstead Theatre, was crowned best new musical. Stars John Dagleish and George Maguire - who play The Kinks brothers Ray and Dave Davies - were awarded best actor and best supporting actor in the musical category. Ray Davies received a special outstanding achievement award for the Sunny Afternoon score. Picking up his award, Davies described The Kinks as "four of the unlikeliest pop stars you've ever seen". He said: "When you write songs you write about people. Without people we have no plays we have no films. People are the source of my material.

Summary: Dame Angela Lansbury said she felt "like a million dollars" after winning her first Olivier Award for her first West End role in nearly 40 years.


Henry Duncan worked in a commercial bank before taking up the ministry in Ruthwell Parish at the turn of the 19th Century. He started his "penny bank" to give parishioners access to savings and interest for the first time. The model was soon adopted around the globe. In 19th Century rural Scotland personal banking was beyond the means of most. All of a sudden somebody in Scotland was giving away free money - the word spread very quickly as you could imagine Commercial banks demanded Â£10 to open an account - unimaginable savings for farm workers and domestic servants paid a fraction of that per year. In Ruthwell, a country parish 10 miles south east of Dumfries, the kirk minister Henry Duncan decided he could change that. He had worked for three years for a bank in Liverpool before turning to the ministry. The cottage where he opened his savings bank - initially for one hour a week on a Thursday evening - is maintained today as a museum by the TSB. Curator Mhairi Hastings said: "The first account here at Ruthwell you could open with sixpence. "That brought it into the affordability for ordinary folk like farm workers and servants. "It gave them the security of somewhere to put their money so they didn't have to hide it somewhere around their house - under their bed or in their sock drawer." Ms Hastings said there was another benefit of using the savings bank which proved popular. "It also gave them access to interest because Henry took the money from Ruthwell and redeposited into a commercial bank," she said. "He got between 5% and 6% interest from them and he paid out between 4% and 5%. "So, all of a sudden somebody in Scotland was giving away free money - the word spread very quickly as you could imagine." The model created by Duncan was copied quickly around the UK and, before long, around the world. Who was Henry Duncan? Source: Savings Banks Museum Last year, Dave Dewar from Dunoon chanced upon the museum. He runs an historical theatre group called Cultural Connections and was so inspired by Duncan and his many life achievements that he wrote a play. "He's an incredible man and he's largely an unsung hero - people don't know much about him," he said. "He didn't just start the savings bank movement worldwide. He was a geologist, an artist and a newspaper publisher - he owned one of the local newspapers here. "He was, as they say in Scotland, a man of many parts." Henry Duncan, The Banker Who Cared premiered on Thursday night in Ruthwell church where Duncan preached for more than four decades. "This is where it all started, in this church, so it is an honour really to do it in Henry Duncan's church," Mr Dewar said.

Summary: A play on the life of the Dumfriesshire minister who started the world's first savings bank has been premiered in the church where he preached.


But it's classed as a chemical weapon internationally and is banned for use in war. For this reason critics have questioned its use on the streets and say it can be lethal. Police see it as safer than using force and live rounds. It's not actually a gas. It's a liquid at room temperature and is mixed with other substances to form an aerosol. When it's fired, solid particles are dispersed into the air with the appearance of a smoke cloud. It works by irritating the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth and lungs - basically, the bits of your body that are responsible for absorption and secretion. There are many different types of tear gas. The most common form is CS gas or to use its full name, o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile. The CS is taken from the initials of the inventors Corson and Staughton. It is usually fired in a canister to disperse crowds and large gatherings of people, perceived as a threat. Typical symptoms begin about 30 seconds after exposure. You can get a watery, burning sensation in the eyes, breathing difficulties, chest pain, skin irritation and temporary blindness. Professor Alastair Hay, who studies the impact of chemical weapons at the University of Leeds, says that while it is considered a safer option, deaths can sometimes occur. This is often as a result of people being restrained by police where breathing is restricted or when they are subsequently unable to breathe fresh air. Physical exertions such as running and repeated exposure to tear gas can make the symptoms worse. The effects can be even more damaging if a person has asthma or other respiratory issues already. People have also been known to be injured by the metal canisters used to fire the gas into a crowd. The most commonly used remedy is pouring milk over the face. The symptoms usually disappear by themselves after about 30 minutes. Fresh air and steady breathing help reduce the impact of the gas. Blowing your nose, coughing and spitting are also thought to help. Rubbing your eyes can make the symptoms much worse. The chemicals will stay on skin and in clothes, so taking a lukewarm shower and washing the clothes will help prevent any long-term effects. It is prohibited to use any form of tear gas in war under the Chemical Weapons Convention as it is classified as a chemical weapon. However law enforcement teams around the world use it on civilians. Police in the UK are regularly trained in the use of CS spray. They are told they can deploy it only "when they feel that the offender poses a risk to themselves and/or the police officers and others in the vicinity." It is illegal to buy or possess CS gas in the UK, but it is available as a form of self-defence in many other countries including the United States and some European nations. Being in possession of it in the UK is punishable with a minimum of six months in jail to a maximum of 10 years. You can, however,

Summary: Tear gas has been used in many countries in 2014 and most recently in Ferguson in America to control people protesting over Michael Brown's shooting.


"I have the all clear as regards my prostate cancer," he said "That has been the case for quite a time now." The 80-year-old former chat show host revealed he was receiving radiotherapy for the condition in 2013. Two years on, he said he still needed to have regular tests and have the "occasional" blood transfusion. The transfusions, he told the BBC, are "to deal with a problem with anaemia which I have always had and which was exacerbated by the radiotherapy. "Hopefully the gap between transfusions will get longer and maybe finally disappear altogether," he went on. "Otherwise I am feeling well and still have the odd gentle workout." BBC News asked Sir Michael for an update on his condition after he was quoted in the Daily Mail as saying his doctors had "got rid of the cancer". The broadcaster, known to many as Parky, was diagnosed after a routine health check in May 2013 but said at the time he would be "around for a while yet". Sir Michael's television career spanned 50 years and saw him interview high-profile guests such as Muhammad Ali and Sir Elton John. He announced his retirement in 2007.

Summary: Broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson has confirmed he has been given an all-clear by doctors after two years of treatment for prostate cancer.


She was brought into the trauma centre of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) by the police in the early hours of last Wednesday. When I walk in to the nursery, accompanied by her paediatrician Dr Jeeva Sankar, she is awake and fixes her eyes on me. "This is our baby," the paediatrician says. A white band on her left wrist describes her as "unknown female". A full-term healthy baby, her tiny face is perfectly formed and it is impossible to not fall in love with her. "She is beautiful," I say. Veena Bahri, the head nurse, laughs: "Everyone says that." As we stand there chatting, the baby begins to bawl. She is hungry. A nurse picks her up, comforts her. She brings out a small steel cup with a long beak, fills it with milk and starts to feed her. The crying stops instantly. With her belly full, she is calm again. Once she is put down on the bed, she rolls her left hand into a fist and sucks on her fingers. A few minutes later, she yawns. "She's going to sleep now," says Dr Jeeva Sankar. While all the other babies in the nursery are being lovingly held by their parents, this one lies alone. She came into the world "unwanted" and stares at an uncertain future. "We received an anonymous call just after 01:00 informing us that a baby was lying on the pavement in Munirka district of south Delhi. The person who called us had been alerted by the baby's crying," police official Somnath Paruthi told the BBC. When police reached the spot, they found the infant inside a plastic bag, without any clothes, distressed and crying. The winter season is just kicking off in Delhi and in the past couple of weeks, the night temperatures have dipped. To keep the baby warm, a woman constable wrapped her up in a piece of cloth and they rushed her to the hospital. "When she arrived, she was somewhat cold and her blood sugar was low," said Dr Vinod Kumar Paul, who heads the neo-natal department at AIIMS. Her medical file suggests she is now perfectly healthy. There were no signs of any external injury or abuse. "We have given her all the mandatory vaccines and since we know nothing about her history, we are testing her for any infections or birth defects," Dr Paul says, adding that he expects to find nothing wrong with her. "The baby's fine, she's happy, she's eating well, smiling." In the next few days, when all her test results are in, the hospital would declare her fit to be discharged, Dr Paul said. She would then be produced before a child welfare committee of the state government which would place her in the care of an accredited welfare home. The committee would also order the police to try and track down her parents within a fixed time and if the parents are not found, the baby would be put up for adoption. After her story was published in Indian newspapers, Mr

Summary: An incubator in the nursery of India's premier medical institute in Delhi has been home to a tiny infant for the past few days.


The news that captain Jean de Villiers, who subsequently announced his retirement from the game, had been invalided out of the World Cup having broken his jaw in their powerhouse victory over Samoa on Saturday came as no surprise to anybody who saw the state the centre was in when he left the field. Nobody from the Scottish camp will admit it, but they must have quietly revelled in what they saw at Villa Park. The attrition was incessant, as everybody knew it would be. The Samoans didn't just hit hard, they hit often and, on occasion, hit dangerously. There is a strong element of the kamikaze about Samoa in the collision. Their unique delights await the Scots, whose coach Vern Cotter could have been excused if he basked in the brutality of the battle while counting the Springbok casualties as they happened. The wince-inducing moments didn't begin and end with De Villiers. In restoring some of the dignity lost in their defeat by Japan, the Springboks shipped some serious physical punishment. When asked later how long his casualty list was, coach Heyneke Meyer turned the question back on the questioner. "How long have you got?" he asked. "How long does this press conference last?" In the countdown to the Scotland game on Saturday, Meyer has a potential crisis in his midfield. De Villiers is out and his midfield partner, Damian de Allende, is a doubt with an ankle injury. De Allende was forced off early in the second half against the Samoans and was replaced by the young rapier Jesse Kriel, who, in turn, went off after getting a bang in the face and was replaced by De Villiers, the captain forced to retake the field despite the pain he must have been in. It's too early for the medics to make a definitive call on De Allende and Kriel but already Jan Serfontein, the Bulls centre, is on his way to Newcastle to meet up with the Springboks. There is speculation now of an emergency Springbok midfield for the Scotland game - Handre Pollard, a 10, could be put in at 12 instead of De Villiers and either JP Pietersen, a try-scoring wing against Samoa, or Bryan Habana, his world-class opposite wing, could be selected at 13. All of this is a concern for the South Africans, but underlying it is the enormous relief that came with Saturday's performance. They might be bruised, but the clear message from Birmingham is that the Boks are back. To listen to Meyer and the totemic Victor Matfield in the aftermath was to know what kind of week the Springboks endured after the loss to Japan. This was heart-on-the-sleeve stuff in the news conference, not to mention on the pitch. It was painfully honest and emotional at times. At one point Meyer thanked the Lord for blessing his players and staff with the strength to get through the turbulence. What was deeply impressive about the Boks in dismissing the Samoans was their controlled fury. Clearly they were an angry team. Clearly they were under

Summary: For South Africa, salvation came at a cost.


Juan Jasso was told to "get back to Africa" after tackling the trio for using foul language on the Metrolink tram. Beer was also flicked at him. Aaron Cauchi, 19, Robert Molloy, 20, and a boy, 16, had been "looking for trouble" when they abused Mr Jasso and two other people on 28 June. Their abuse of Mr Jasso was filmed by a passenger and was widely viewed. Joseph O'Connor, prosecuting at Manchester Magistrates' Court, said the racist attack came just five days after the EU referendum. He said that this resulted in a 41% increase in hate crime, according to government statistics. Trouble first began about 07:45 BST when a passenger heard "disgusting, vile abuse" on the tram packed with mothers with babies, schoolchildren and commuters, the court heard. After the trio got off the tram following the confrontation with Mr Jasso, they surrounded Alistair Lambert, "with their chests stuck out and shoulders back, striking him with a cigarette lighter to intimidate him, said Mr O'Connor. Shortly after, Andrew Guest was cycling to work when he passed the trio and one or more spat in his face and down his body, the court heard. Cauchi, of no fixed address, was charged with two public order offences and assault over what happened on the tram, and two assaults later in Trafford. Molloy, of no fixed address, was charged with racially aggravated assault, common assault and using threatening words or behaviour. The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named, was charged with using threatening words or behaviour and common assault. They are due to be sentenced on Tuesday.

Summary: Three young males who racially abused a US army veteran on a Manchester tram have admitted going on a "rampage".


Like all such launches, the test took place in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. Pyongyang's press release, issued a day later, indicated that the missile - the Pukguksong-2 - was of the same type as one test-fired from a submarine off the east coast in August 2016. Unlike North Korea's other long-range land-based missiles, the system tested on 12 February used solid fuel. Until now, the country's comparable land-based missile systems have been liquid-fuelled. Pyongyang also announced that the launch vehicle carrying the new missile is indigenously made and uses a continuous or "caterpillar" track, rather than wheels with tyres. Previously North Korea has imported and modified foreign-made trucks to transport and launch its missiles. A domestic manufacturing capability will negate the need to convince or fool foreign suppliers into selling these vehicles. Continuous track also suggests that North Korea's intention may be to take the missiles off-road, making it more difficult to detect imminent launches. Missiles using liquid fuel require greater preparation time than those using solid fuel. They also require a larger constellation of support vehicles to accompany each launch vehicle. Both of these considerations make it more likely that an enemy might detect the missile in time to conduct a pre-emptive strike. Solid fuel substantially reduces this vulnerability. North Korea will be able to roll these systems out of concealed storage and launch them with minimal preparation, drastically shrinking the time that an adversary would have to find and kill the missile. The capability thus represents a major step forward for North Korea. There are two ways to launch missiles from their supporting vehicle's canister. In "hot" launches, the missile's engines propel it upward out of the canister, while in "cold" launches, the missile is ejected from the canister using compressed gas before its engines ignite. A cold eject approach spares the launch vehicle from damage from the missile's ignition, making it possible to reload it and reuse. Kim Jong-un has hit the gas pedal on North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. In the past 13 months he has conducted two nuclear tests and launched over 20 ballistic missiles, including from a submarine. The demonstration of a long-range, solid-fuelled, land-based system is a continuation of this disturbing trend and one of the first significant foreign policy challenges that US President Donald Trump will be forced to grapple with.

Summary: On the morning of 12 February, North Korea conducted a ballistic missile test launch from Banghyon air base near the west coast of the country.


Bernadette Marjoram will take over the role held by Pete Leonard, who was responsible for communities, housing and infrastructure. His duties included overseeing Hazlehead Crematorium. Baby and adult ashes were mixed together at the crematorium and given back to relatives of the adult. The parents of infants were told there were no ashes. BBC Scotland revealed in 2013 that no ashes had been offered to the families of infants cremated in Aberdeen over a five-year period. It followed similar revelations about Mortonhall crematorium in Edinburgh, which had been secretly burying baby ashes for decades. A report into the scandal by Dame Elish Angiolini described the practices as "abhorrent". It is understood an internal report, shown to councillors in August but then taken back by officials, was heavily critical of Mr Leonard's department in handling the scandal. Mr Leonard did not attend the council meeting which discussed his department's conduct. He has not been back at work since, and is on sick leave. The council confirmed that Bernadette Marjoram had now been appointed to the role of interim director for communities, housing and infrastructure.

Summary: An interim director has been put in place at an Aberdeen City Council department criticised over the baby ashes scandal earlier this year.


Mr Macintosh and party deputy leader Kezia Dugdale have confirmed that they are standing for leadership of the party when Jim Murphy quits next month. The Eastwood MSP said his supporters were being "bullied and intimidated" into withdrawing their backing. Scottish Labour said the leadership contest would be conducted "fairly". A spokesman said Mr Macintosh had since withdrawn his allegations about the party. However, Mr Macintosh insisted his comments still stood but had not been aimed at party staff. He has not named those he thinks are responsible. Scottish Labour general secretary Brian Roy said: "I have spoken to Ken Macintosh and he has withdrawn his allegations about the party. The leadership contest in Scotland will be conducted fairly and openly." In response, Mr Macintosh said: "I am not withdrawing anything. I clarified with Brian [Roy] that the allegations are not against party staff, but against the machine politics which have too much influence in the Labour Party." Mr Macintosh, the party's social justice spokesman, ran for party leadership against Johann Lamont almost four years ago and is likely to need nominations from six or seven MSPs to be a candidate in this leadership contest. Ms Dugdale, who is widely regarded as the "obvious person" to take on the job, confirmed her leadership bid on Friday. But he claims his backers are coming under "incredible pressure to withdraw their support". "I want to have a contest but I've found the whole weight of the party machine yet again turning against me trying to close down a contest," he told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme. "All the people that have been trying to support me, the party machine has turned on them, and they are being put under incredible pressure to withdraw their support. They are being bullied and being intimidated and pressurised not to support me so we don't have a contest. "I wouldn't even have put my head above the parapet if I didn't know I had that support." Mr Macintosh, who won a majority of member votes in the last leadership contest, said the three-college system used by the Labour Party to elect leaders was "ridiculous". "I want the members to take control of the party," he said. "We need to move to one member, one vote." He called for a quick contest, before the summer if possible, that is "fair and democratic". By BBC Scotland political correspondent Glenn Campbell Kezia Dugdale already has the backing of twenty Labour MSPs for her bid to become Scottish party leader. That's more than half the Labour team at Holyrood. Many of them would like her elected unopposed. Yet when she announced her intention to stand, Ms Dugdale said she would "absolutely" welcome a contest. Ken MacIntosh is offering that challenge. He is likely to require the support of six or seven MSPs to become a candidate. But he claims his supporters are being "bullied and intimidated" by what he calls the "party machine" in an attempt to avoid a contest. He has not been more specific. There are certainly those who

Summary: Scottish Labour MSP Ken Macintosh has told BBC Scotland the "party machine" is bullying his supporters in an attempt to avoid a leadership contest.


Parliament voted to oust conservative Prime Minister Janez Jansa, after smaller parties left his coalition. He was accused by the anti-corruption watchdog in January of tax irregularities and has been struggling to implement austerity measures to combat the country's financial crisis. MPs asked opposition leader Alenka Bratusek to form a new government. She will become the first woman to lead Slovenia since its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Mr Jansa was elected a year ago, but his government has struggled to contain the country's economic problems. Slovenia joined the European Union in 2004 and the eurozone in 2007, but its banking sector was hit hard by the financial crisis and the eurozone crisis that followed. It is currently in a deep recession, with unemployment at more than 12% and GDP expected to shrink by a further 2% this year. There is speculation that Slovenia will be forced to request an international bailout, as it needs to repay 2bn euros (Â£1.7bn; $2.6bn) of debt in the coming months. Mr Jansa has faced corruption allegations, but also growing public anger and protests over austerity measures. Ms Bratusek, who has previously worked in the finance ministry, has voiced her opposition to austerity, saying her priority will be "growth and jobs". She also plans to avoid requesting a Greece-style bailout. "I say it clear, there will be no Greek scenario in Slovenia," she told parliament.

Summary: The government of Slovenia, beset by economic turmoil and allegations of corruption, has fallen.


The centre-back's existing deal was due to expire at the end of the upcoming season. Morrison, 26, joined the Bluebirds from Reading in 2014, having previously played for Swindon and Huddersfield. He has made 120 appearances and scored 13 goals for Cardiff, who rejected a bid for him from fellow Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in June.

Summary: Cardiff City captain Sean Morrison has signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until 2020.


Philando Castile was shot in his car in St Paul, Minnesota, on Wednesday as he reached for his driving licence, his girlfriend said in a Facebook Live video taken during the aftermath. His death follows that of Alton Sterling, who was shot dead by police during an incident in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Tuesday. What do we know about the two victims? The 32-year-old had worked in the canteen of a school in St Paul for more than 10 years, his uncle Clarence told media in Minnesota. The JJ Hill Montessori Magnet School in the city listed Mr Castile as a cafeteria supervisor on its website. On his Facebook page, Clarence later re-posted comments by a Minnesota bishop, Divar Kemp, calling Philando Castile "an a1 genuine man who was killed because he obeyed what the officer asked him". Mr Castile's cousin, Antonio Johnson, told the Star Tribune newspaper his cousin had graduated with honours from St Paul Central High School. Mr Castile was "a black individual driving in Falcon Heights who was immediately criminally profiled and he lost his life over it tonight", he said. He added that Mr Castile was "very non-confrontational" and "a real upstanding citizen". The Star Tribune said Mr Castile had only minor offences on his criminal record. Little is publicly known about Mr Sterling, 37. The father of five sold CDs and DVDs in the car park in which he died, family members told media in Louisiana. "If you asked Alton for the shirt off his back, he'd give it to you," his aunt, Lorna, told The Advocate newspaper. "Alton would give you the world." One broadcaster, 9News, said Mr Sterling had a long criminal record, that included several battery, drug, and burglary charges. It said he was also arrested in 2009 for resisting an officer and illegally carrying a weapon. But Lorna Sterling said her brother had sought to earn a living after his last conviction in 2011.

Summary: Two black men have been shot dead by police in the US this week, the latest in a line of similar incidents, many of which have led to protests.


The organisers say more than 3,000 people took part, in spite of a heavy security presence. The government says the protest was illegal. Activists from Bahrain's Shia Muslim majority have been demonstrating against the kingdom's ruling Sunni monarchy since last February. Thursday's march in the centre of Manama was led by a prominent human rights activist, Nabeel Rajab. "We are using the streets peacefully. We are marching for our rights," he told the BBC. One activist tweeted: "Manama is filled with tear gas, protesters running in all directions, followed by shooting and riot police." A government official confirmed to the BBC that the authorities had acted to disperse the march. "Security forces warned those involved and requested them to disperse, but after they disobeyed orders the security forces took the necessary legal measures," the official said. Excessive force Bahrain's Shia Muslim majority has long complained of discrimination and human rights abuses at the hands of security police. The Interior Ministry was heavily criticised in a report by an independent committee of experts released in November. It found that the security police had used excessive force and had systematically tortured detainees while suppressing pro-democracy protests that began in February 2011. More than 40 people were killed during the violence. The report, commissioned by the king, was seen as an attempt to defuse tensions between the government and the predominantly Shia protesters. Ahead of the latest march, the government said it would rebuild 12 Shia mosques that were demolished during last year's unrest.

Summary: Security police have used tear gas and stun grenades to break up an anti-government march in Bahrain's capital, Manama.


Chuck Erickson has been shooting deer for forty years. "The kids start hunting round here about the age of eight - supervised by an adult of course," he tells me. Chuck uses his late father's old hunting rifle. Chuck is 56; the gun is older than he is. He's killed dozens of deer with it over the decades, and the heads of the finest antlered bucks are displayed on the walls of his farmhouse. "We used to hunt for meat," he says, "but now we're mostly trophy hunters." He thinks around 30% of the population in this part of the state get out into the woods to hunt deer at this time of year. This is Donald Trump country now - blue collar, plain-speaking, patriotic. It is a short drive from Chuck's farm to the former steel city of Johnstown. As you pass through its outskirts you see streets of boarded up houses. The city centre is scarred by the derelict buildings of a once great industry. This is steel and coal territory. But those industries were swept away in the age of global markets and open borders. Donald Trump promised to reverse that dereliction and bring industry back to America. "We have the best steel-making coal and there's none getting out of the ground," Chuck told me. "That process to make steel can come back to our shores and that would be tremendous for everybody. "I think he [Donald Trump] can probably bring that back in the first hundred days of his administration." He believes that the Trump victory is the start of the re-industrialisation of the United States. Mr Trump's promise to build barriers to reverse this long industrial decline is a retreat to economic nationalism, to protectionism. It turns the page on a forty-year western economic orthodoxy - the liberal market consensus of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. And Donald Trump's victory finds its British echo in the vote, in June, to leave the European Union. In the old industrial heartlands of England and Wales, traditional Labour voters defied their party's advice and voted decisively for the Leave side. The economic revolution that both the US and the UK went through in the 1980s did make both countries richer, in the sense that aggregate wealth grew. It wasn't supposed to matter that that new wealth would be unevenly shared, that inequality would also grow, because wealth at the top would trickle down; a rising economic tide would lift all boats. But not all boats were lifted. There is an irony in this: that the two countries which pursued the deregulating, globalising, free-market reform agenda most vigorously are now the first two countries to have rebelled against open borders. Ferdinand Mount was a senior adviser to Margaret Thatcher in the early part of her premiership. He ran the Number 10 Policy Unit at the time of the 1983 general election - the second of the three that she won. "It was a transatlantic borrowing really," he told me. "It was Ronald Reagan who believed that a rising tide would lift

Summary: In late November, in the forests of Western Pennsylvania, the deer hunting season begins.


Wardrobes, beds, sofas, lamps and other pieces from the Athletes' Village in Dalmarnock will be handed over to Glasgow Housing Association (GHA). It will then be passed on to people and charities helping to furnish homes. About 36,000 items are to be distributed after the Games. Some of the furniture will have been used by the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins, Mo Farah, Eilidh Child and possibly Usain Bolt. It includes items that were previously used at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and relocated for use in Glasgow alongside newly-manufactured furniture such as folding chairs and tables. The plan to pass them on to GHA is part of the legacy programme from Glasgow 2014. About 700 houses in the Athletes' Village will be sold or rented after the Games, and a new 120-bed care home for the elderly will also be established on the site. Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg said: "It's fantastic that the furniture used by the athletes and officials during the Games this summer is going to be distributed to families in need in Glasgow. "Sustainability is very high on Glasgow 2014's agenda and this is a tangible benefit from the Games to the great people of this city, following the excitement of the sporting events themselves." Twelve new training positions at GHA will be created to move and refurbish furniture items. Olga Clayton, director at Wheatley Group, which runs GHA, said: "We're delighted to support the Commonwealth Games coming to Glasgow and to do our bit to provide a lasting legacy for the people of this city. "We know many people are finding it difficult financially in these tough times. "This project will make a big difference to thousands of adults, families and groups who need help to make their house a home."

Summary: Furniture used by some of the world's top athletes during the Commonwealth Games is to be distributed to vulnerable families in Glasgow at the end of the event.


Many researchers thought ministers would sit on this controversial issue. Instead, the chief medical officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, has announced that draft regulations will be published within months. She predicts that couples affected by mitochondrial disease could benefit from the treatment within two years, enabling them to have healthy children. So why is this such a significant moment? Firstly the UK will become the first country to allow the technique, aimed at preventing a range of potentially deadly genetic disorders. This will underline Britain's pioneering role in genetics and IVF stretching back to both the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953 and the birth of Louise Brown, the world's first test tube baby, in 1978. Secondly, the technique itself will result in babies with DNA from three people - two women and a man - and this genetic alteration will be passed down the generations. Once babies have been born using this technique, there will be no going back. A permanent and novel genetic change to members of the human race will have been made. That might sound pretty worrying, and talk of three people's DNA mixed together seems a bit ghoulish at first glance. So is this science overstepping the mark? A public consultation conducted by the fertility regulator, the HFEA, found there was broad support for the technique, once the details had been explained. So let's look briefly at the science. Mitochondria are the energy factories of cells. They contain a tiny bit of DNA and just 37 genes, sitting outside the nucleus which has more than 20,000 genes - including all the crucial genetic material from both parents. Mitochondrial disorders are always passed down the maternal line in the egg, so the technique being pioneered by Prof Doug Turnbull and his team at Newcastle University involves using healthy donor eggs. Put briefly, conventional IVF is performed and then, after fertilisation, the pro-nuclei of the father and mother - you can see them clearly as the two round balls inside the glass tube in the picture above - are sucked out of the developing embryo. This leaves behind the faulty mitochondria. The parents' genetic material is then injected into a healthy donor egg which has had its pro-nuclei removed but still has healthy mitochondria. The scientists believe the resulting embryo should develop normally. It means all the crucial parental genes will be retained, plus a tiny amount of DNA from the female donor. So how much DNA from the second woman is there? There is 1.05 metres of DNA in the nucleus and 0.0054 mm of DNA in our mitochondria. Let's put that another way. If you imagine the DNA in your nucleus - remember this is all the important stuff which makes us what we are - and stretched it from Trafalgar Square to Prof Turnbull's laboratory in Newcastle, you'd have a double helix of 282 miles. Now if you laid all the DNA from the mitochondria alongside it, it would stretch from Trafalgar Square, barely round the corner to the National Portrait Gallery - just

Summary: The decision of the government to support a ground-breaking technique for preventing serious genetic disease is a bold step for science and society.


Cory Schenkel said on Facebook that his grandfather died on Sunday morning in the city of Boise, Idaho. Kennedy won an Oscar in 1968 for Best Supporting Actor in Cool Hand Luke. As well as the Naked Gun comedies, he also made memorable appearances in Earthquake and Airport 1975. Mr Schenkel said the veteran actor had been in poor health since the death of his wife, Joan, more than a year ago, and had been in a hospice for the past month. Kennedy's daughter, Shannon Kennedy Sullivan, said on Facebook that she hoped people would "remember all the stories he told and the dumb jokes he loved to tell". "He could always get a laugh and I will miss those but will cherish the little strips of paper he use to write them on when the family would go out to dinner." Kennedy was born on 18 February 1925 in New York where his father worked as a musician and his mother was a dancer. He served with the US infantry during World War Two, winning several decorations, and in the 1950s he worked for Armed Forces Radio and Television before moving to Hollywood. The 6ft 4in actor quickly became well known for playing tough-guy characters. Mark Wahlberg, the lead in Kennedy's final film, 2014's The Gambler, and Mia Farrow, who starred alongside him in the 1978 film Death On The Nile, were among those who paid tribute to him. Talk show host Larry King, Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane and actor and comedian Albert Brooks also shared their thoughts.

Summary: US actor George Kennedy, who starred in movies including Cool Hand Luke and the Naked Gun series, has died at the age of 91, his grandson has announced.


David Rees, who chairs the assembly's health committee, said it was "unable to reach a consensus view" on the idea. The five Labour members supported curbs on e-cigarettes, claiming their use "normalises" smoking behaviour. The idea was opposed by four opposition AMs, while Plaid Cymru's Elin Jones suggested imposing less stringent restrictions than those on tobacco. As the Labour Welsh government does not have an outright majority in the Senedd, it will need some opposition support to get the measure passed as part of the Public Health (Wales) Bill. The plan, intended to come into force in 2017 and the first in the UK, has divided opinion among health and medical groups. Some anti-smoking campaigners have opposed restrictions, saying e-cigarettes help smokers kick the habit. But Health Minister Mark Drakeford has said it is a "balance of risk", claiming restrictions on e-cigarettes will deter children from smoking. In a report on Monday, the committee said it agreed with the bill's other proposals, including a licensing scheme for tattoo and piercing parlours, and a ban on intimate piercings for under 16s.

Summary: Plans to ban the use of e-cigarettes in enclosed public places have divided a group of AMs looking at the proposal.


The London-based musician beat eight-year-old magician Issy Simpson and comedian Daliso Chaponda to become the winner of the ITV talent show. The 32-year-old won £250,000 in prize money and an appearance at the Royal Variety Performance. ITV moved the final of the show forward by a day to avoid a clash with Ariana Grande's benefit concert for the Manchester bombing victims on Sunday. Myers had previously supported artists such rapper Kanye West. His performance in the final took in a variety of musical styles and included drumming. He fell to the floor after presenters Ant and Dec broke the news he had received the most votes from the public. Judge Simon Cowell said: "As a talent, as a person, Tokio right now, this was the most important thing for him, I'm thrilled for him." Teenage singer Sarah Ikumu had been chosen as the judges' wildcard choice for the final. The other acts taking part were: magician Matt Edwards, The Missing People Choir, singing pensioners the Pensionalities, dance act MerseyGirls, comedian Ned Woodman, singer Kyle Tomlinson, and magic double act DNA.

Summary: Pianist Tokio Myers has been named winner of Britain's Got Talent.


Lutz Bachmann, 43, is accused of inciting racial hatred in Facebook posts, in which he called refugees "cattle", "scumbags" and "filth". Pegida's rallies have attracted thousands of supporters in Germany. Separately, police arrested five suspects near Dresden accused of attacking migrant hostels and plotting far-right, anti-immigrant terror. Tuesday's police raid in Freital, involving a GSG9 anti-terror unit, was not linked to the trial. Investigators suspect four men and a woman, aged from 18 to 40, of far-right violence against migrants. Three other men were arrested last November. The group is suspected of targeting refugee accommodation in Freital and a left-wing housing project in Dresden with explosive devices in attacks last autumn. Investigators found a cache of banned firecrackers considered so dangerous that the group is suspected of attempted murder. The group is also linked to attacks on a left-wing councillor's car as well as a party office in Dresden. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said authorities had dealt a "powerful blow to a regional right-wing terrorist group". Lutz Bachmann's trial was being held amid tight security in Dresden. The Pegida founder claims it is politically motivated and wore large, rectangular dark glasses in an apparent swipe at German censorship rules. Outside court, supporters held banners reading "Shame on you! Acquit Bachmann" while opponents shouted "Bachmann behind bars". The movement has spread to numerous countries since its launch in the eastern German city in 2014. There were 1,005 attacks on refugee homes in Germany last year - five times more than in 2014. Mr Bachmann has several previous convictions and has served time in jail before. In 1998 he was sentenced to three years and eight months for several burglaries, but he then fled to South Africa. After extradition, for an invalid visa, he served 14 months in jail in Dresden. In 2010 he was given a two-year suspended sentence for possession of cocaine. Pegida was prominent in demonstrations in Cologne in January after numerous complaints of sexual assaults against women in the city on New Year's Eve. The attacks were largely blamed on people from North Africa who entered Germany illegally or have sought asylum. No trials involving suspects from the Cologne assaults have taken place. Pegida's anti-immigration demonstrations have often been met by counter protests. The court says Mr Bachmann "disrupted public order" through his comments, which constituted an "attack on the dignity" of refugees. If found guilty, he could face between three months and five years in prison.

Summary: The founder of Germany's anti-Islamist Pegida movement has gone on trial in Dresden on hate speech charges.


Andrew Bedford, 27, from Huntingdon, was last seen at 18:20 BST on Friday, 28 September 1990 at Factory Bank, off Great Whyte, Ramsey. Three people were arrested at the time but no-one was charged. Specialist equipment is being used to identify disturbances in the earth near Stocking Fen Road in Ramsey. The investigation into Mr Bedford's disappearance was re-launched as a murder inquiry on Friday. Police now believe he was shot dead sometime during the evening he was last seen. Det Sgt Gordon Blair said: "New intelligence has allowed us to pinpoint this area [Stocking Fen Road] as a viable place to search with a view to recovering potential evidence. "This could include evidence of how Andrew was killed or where his remains are today." Mr Bedford was last seen eating a takeaway in a light blue Ford Cortina car. He was wearing overalls, a khaki jumper, jeans and trainers. He was described as 5ft 8in (1.72m), medium build with mousey blond, curly, shoulder-length hair and had a number of tattoos. The prime suspect for the shooting is now dead, "but others who were involved have never been brought to justice", a police spokesman said.

Summary: Officers investigating a cold case murder of a Cambridgeshire man 25 years ago have started digging an area near to where he was last seen alive.


The tourist attraction on the city's waterfront went to the High Court in 2013 to recover costs to fix problems with the steps, terraces and ceilings. It said it was necessary to shut the museum from 31 December until the end of February for the "safety and security of collections and visitors". The £72m museum opened in 2011. It features Ken Dodd's tickling sticks, the skeleton of the 1900 Grand National winner and rare Beatles artefacts. The museum said it has attracted 4m visitors since it opened.

Summary: The Museum of Liverpool is to close for two months for "essential works" to rectify construction and design issues with the building.


You need only look at the looming prospect of (yet another) Bush-Clinton US presidential contest in 2016 to see that there must be something in the idea. And so it is in Saudi Arabia. But, in true Saudi Arabian style, the family business involves a much bigger family and the money involved is that much greater. The bad news, however, is that the family business is set in a dodgy and ever more violent neighbourhood. On top of that, some other long-running family businesses in the area (think Gaddafi and Mubarak) have gone down the pan rather suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly. The critics and enemies of Saudi Arabia's ruling family, and they have plenty both in and out of the country, had been predicting for a while that when King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz died, which he did on Friday, there would be a real possibility of chaos. They had expected the fissures and disputes between rival factions within the ruling family to spill out into the wider world - but that has not happened. And, for now at least, the ruling family have shown that when it comes to it, they know exactly what needs to be done to hang on to power. Saudi Arabia's old ruler was buried and a new king installed on the throne in quick time. And the country declared it was business as usual. Well, not quite. Negotiations between members of the Saudi Arabia's first family about who gets what job must make the fraught negotiations in 2010 to form a coalition government in the UK seem like a walk in the park. The key thing to note is King Salman's appointment of his half-brother, Prince Muqrin, as Crown Prince and next in line to the throne. Prince Muqrin is a former head of Saudi Arabia's intelligence agency and the youngest surviving son of the country's founder. The confirmation of Mohammed bin Nayef as Deputy Crown Prince is another important signal and an attempt to seal the deal for the next generation of grandsons all vying for position in the future. But it's too early to tell what will happen, and the intrigue about the long-term succession will continue. As the past few years across the Middle East have shown, there are no guarantees. Family politics aside, the challenges for the Saudi Arabian rulers continue to multiply, at home and abroad. At home, there are no signs that anyone has found a long-term answer to the country's economic and social problems. Unemployment rates are high and the population is growing, with the young in particular restless and hungry for change. Far too many Saudi Arabians rely on government jobs to make their way, and the country's human rights record continues to attract opprobrium worldwide. Women's rights, or more accurately non-rights, also remain a festering sore, with the ban on women drivers just one item in a long list of restrictions. Meanwhile, beyond the centre of power in Riyadh, things continue to deteriorate from the Saudi Arabian point of view. There are problems with the Shia minority in

Summary: Power is, in many ways, a family business.


Three women and a man were treated for the effects of breathing in smoke following the fire in Murrayburn Green, Sighthill, on Sunday night. It is thought abandoned furniture was deliberately set alight in the building's common close at about 21:00. Two of the woman were taken to hospital for medical checks. A total of eight homes had been evacuated. Police said they were keen to speak to anyone who could help them trace those responsible. Insp David Ferguson of Corstorphine Police Station said: "Thankfully no-one was seriously injured in this incident but it could have been much worse. "I am keen to hear from anyone who was in the area around 21:00 on Sunday night and who might have information that can assist us with our inquiries. "I'd also like to remind residents not to leave items of furniture or rubbish in communal areas where they can be a target for fire-raising."

Summary: A blaze at a block of flats in an Edinburgh housing estate was started deliberately, police believe.


The Cambridge University medical student, 29, left Blues for Racing 92 in 2013 and joined Quins this season. He was preparing for the Varsity match when Quins posted a bonus-point win at Cardiff Arms Park in November. "If you're playing against Jamie, you make your tackles," said Wilson. Roberts was British and Irish Lions man of the series in their 2-1 Test defeat by South Africa in 2009. The 6ft 4in, 17st 4lb centre also starred as the Lions beat Australia 2-1 in 2013 in a career that has seen him win 74 Wales caps. "It'll be great for the players to shake hands and catch up with him before and after the game, but during the game it's business as usual." Quins also recruited former Ospreys and Wales tight-head prop Adam Jones from Blues before the 2015-16 campaign. Wilson added: "Our boys will be extremely motivated with a few links there, Adam Jones as well from last year." Harlequins have four bonus-point wins and need only a point from the encounter at the Stoop to top the group. They took the extra point in the last minute at the Arms Park, with a try from Danny Care thwarting Blues' hopes of a dramatic late win. "It's obviously a huge challenge to go to Harlequins and get a win in front of their home crowd, but the boys want to put right the performance at home against a Harlequins side that deserved the win," said Wilson. "Since then we've improved out performances with four wins out of five." Blues had a weekend off before the match with the postponement of their fixture against Munster, while Harlequins inflicted a first Premiership defeat of the season on Saracens. Wilson believes the the break will have benefited his side and they will travel "with confidence that we've played some good rugby to get the results we've had recently". He added: "If we can perform to that level, we can cause Harlequins a headache." Wales captain Sam Warburton, fellow flanker Ellis Jenkins and Wales full-back-fly-half Gareth Anscombe could all return from injury for Blues.

Summary: Cardiff Blues' tackling will have to be up to the mark against Harlequins' Wales star Jamie Roberts in their European Challenge Cup away match on Sunday, says head coach Danny Wilson.