Comic Enterprises successfully argued in the High Court that 20th Century Fox's show breached its trademark right to The Glee Club name. The show's broadcaster appealed against the 2014 ruling, but appeal court judges dismissed their case. It is not yet clear whether the Glee show's name will have to be changed. The appeal court judges are now due to consider whether EU trademark law affects the ruling and therefore means no change is required. More updates on this and Birmingham and the Black Country Part of the film studio's argument was that it should not need to change the name, citing EU law which states a trademark must be "a sign", in the sense of being a single sign and capable of being "graphically represented". The show's name, it said, did not fall into this category. As a result, the judges have asked the two parties and the UK Intellectual Property Office to enter their submissions on the issue by Monday when they will consider whether to send the case to the European courts. The television show first aired in 2009 on the Fox Channel - part of Rupert Murdoch's media empire. Mark Tughan, owner of the comedy club chain, said he received an 80-page ruling from Lord Justice Lloyd Jones, Lady Justice Arden and Lord Justice Kitchin on Monday following the appeal hearing in November. Mr Tughan said the comedy club's trademark was registered in 1999 and that he started legal proceedings in 2011. The film studio is yet to comment on the appeal being thrown out. Mr Tughan, who tweeted his victory, told BBC News "I feel vindicated, not only for taking the case in the first place but now that two courts have come to the same conclusion about the infringement on my trademark. "One would hope that Fox would put down their weapons but they have shown no inkling of wanting to settle this." He added he was awarded some compensation from the High Court hearing but said he is yet to pursue what he feels he is entitled to. The Glee Club opened in Birmingham in 1994 and now has branches in Cardiff, Nottingham and Oxford.

Summary: The makers of hit TV show Glee have lost their appeal against a legal ruling that found in favour of a comedy club chain of the same name.


The Doha-based operation is owned by the Qatar government. Its main Arabic network is the leading pan-Arab TV news station. Al-Jazeera Arabic can be outspoken on subjects deemed as sensitive in the region, but avoids criticism of Qatar and its Gulf allies, specifically Saudi Arabia. It has faced curbs in several Arab countries where it has ruffled feathers. Al-Jazeera English launched in 2006. Other offshoots include Al-Jazeera Balkans, based in Bosnia, and US-based Al-Jazeera America. Al-Jazeera Network has more than 70 bureaux worldwide and employs around 3,000 staff. Domestic audiences are catered for by state-run TV and radio. The large expatriate population has access to media from their various home countries. Qatar has daily newspapers in Arabic and English. The main titles have links to the ruling family and there is little or no critical reporting of domestic or foreign policy affairs. BBC World Service radio in Arabic, Radio France Internationale, France's Arabic-language radio service Monte Carlo Doualiya, UAE-based MBC and Radio Sawa from the US are available on FM in Doha. Qatar has advanced internet infrastructure and is widely connected to the web. There were 2.2 million internet users by 2014 (Internetlivestats.com). Authorities filter political criticism, material deemed offensive to Islam, pornographic content and online privacy resources. The top social networks used in Qatar are Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summary: Influential pan-Arab and international TV broadcaster Al-Jazeera has raised Qatar's media profile.


The previously unknown case will place fresh pressure on the force, which last year was forced to apologise to seven women who had similar relationships. The woman in the latest case told BBC Newsnight she was a victim of "psychological torture". The Met would neither confirm nor deny the identity of the undercover officer. The woman, who is being referred to by the pseudonym Andrea to protect her identity, was friends with a group of left-wing political activists, mostly in the Socialist Party, who are thought to have been the target for long-term infiltration by the Met. The Socialist Party is a democratic political group to the left of the Labour Party that rejects violence. On Monday, she started legal action against the Metropolitan Police over the relationship, which lasted from 2002 to 2004. A joint investigation by BBC Newsnight and The Guardian has unmasked Andrea's former partner, who was pretending to be a left-wing political activist. He used the cover name Carlo Neri. The BBC knows his real name but is not publishing it to protect his family. Mr Neri proposed to Andrea in 2003 and she accepted. He was welcomed into her family and her parents, who lived in Scotland, viewed him as a future son-in-law. Andrea told Newsnight that the deception she suffered meant she was the victim of "psychological torture" authorised by the police. When he was living with Andrea undercover in central London, from November 2002 to May 2004, Mr Neri was married with a child. He had a double life and needed to invent reasons to be away from the flat he and his wife shared in Maida Vale. He showed Andrea photographs of a boy and said it was his son from a previous relationship. He said that his former partner had moved to Cornwall with the boy and he wanted to re-establish contact. Full story on Newsnight on Monday 18 January at 22:30 on BBC Two "He was probably away from home for four or five nights every fortnight and that would be due to work trips and every other weekend he would go to Cornwall to see his child," Andrea said. "As far as I was concerned, I was going to spend my life with this man and his life was my life. Having that strong relationship with a child is a really important thing." In fact there were no access trips to Cornwall. The photographs were of his real son who lived with his wife less than 10 miles away. It was just part of his cover story. When he was living with Andrea in Maida Vale, Mr Neri liked to make himself useful to her friends in the Socialist Party. He said he was a locksmith. "He quite often said people could improve their security of where they lived and again that seemed at the time to be hugely helpful. With hindsight there's a different perspective really because there's a huge amount of people's locks that someone had access to," Andrea said. Why the undercovering policing inquiry matters The key participants

Summary: An undercover Metropolitan Police officer proposed to an activist and lived with her for 18 months, the BBC has learned.


Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said there was no evidence to back up Iranian claims that it had shot down "Western spy drones". Another US official told Reuters news agency that drones had in the past gone down in the Gulf, but that the cause had always been mechanical failure. There has been no independent corroboration of the Iranian claim. The head of the Revolutionary Guards' air force wing, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said on Sunday that two "Western spy drones" had been shot down in the Gulf. He said "many" other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) had been shot down over an unspecified period but that this was the first time it had been reported. But Col Lapan said there were "no recent reports that would corroborate what the Revolutionary Guard said about unmanned aerial vehicles". The second official, speaking to Reuters on condition on anonymity, said one drone had crashed in the Gulf in early 2009 because of mechanical failings, but landed in international waters. "We have had cases in which UAVs have gone down in the Gulf ... but I don't have any indication (of a case) where a UAV has been taken down by hostile fire in the Gulf," the official said. The Revolutionary Guards were set up following the Islamic revolution in 1979, and its commanders have frequently delivered warnings to Israel. Last August Iran unveiled what it said was its first domestically built drone, the Karrar. It said it had a range of 1,000km (620 miles) and could carry two 250-pound (115kg) bombs, or a precision bomb of 500 pounds. The Fifth Fleet of the US navy is based in Bahrain, on the other side of the Gulf from Iran. Iranian commanders have threatened to block shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz if it is attacked.

Summary: The US has denied that any of its unmanned spy planes have been shot down by Iran.


The details of how much the basic income might be and who would be eligible for it are yet to be announced, but already there is widespread interest in how it might work. Prime Minister Juha Sipila has praised the idea. "For me, a basic income means simplifying the social security system," he said. The scheme is of particular interest to people without jobs. In Finland, they now number 280,000 - 10% of the workforce. With unemployment an increasing concern, four out of five Finns now are in favour of a basic income. "A basic income? Yes, I'd gladly have €1,000 (£700, $1,100) a month," says one man at a centre for the unemployed in Pori, near Finland's west coast. But the amount is unlikely to be anywhere near that high. He is the among the jobless who have come to an old, wooden building in city, where they can get cheap food, shop at a second-hand market, and take part in a variety of activities on offer. "It's a nice place to socialise," says another man sitting on a bench outside, enjoying the summer sun. People here have been out of work for a long time. "A basic income would encourage people to take a temporary job," says Paivi Hietikko, who helps out at the centre. Although she has no regular income at the moment, she does receive a payment for her work here. "Having a basic income would mean the bureaucracy I´ve encountered at the employment agency would decrease." 5.4 million people live in Finland 2.5 million are employed 10% of the workforce is unemployed 22.7% is the level of youth unemployment In Finland, taking on work can cost you money if you are unemployed. A paid temporary job means lower welfare benefits. And if that job comes from a low-wage sector, you lose out because there is a delay before the authorities allow your benefits to be restored once you have left the job. Many Finns nowadays have what are described as atypical working lives, in that few spend their entire lives in the same occupation and with the same employer. This fundamental change has prompted a need for reforms to the social security system. Supporters of the basic income believe it could offer an alternative to Finland's complex and costly benefit models. Paivi Hietikko certainly sees its potential advantages - but she also wonders whether it would deter people from looking for work. "The young especially might lose the motivation to look for a job, if it was, say, €700 a month. That would be too much," she says. This has become one of the main concerns surrounding the idea. But experts say it is too early to tell what the outcome would be. "What would be the impact of a basic income to employment in Finland - positive or negative? We can't really foresee how people would behave with a basic income," says Ohto Kanninen, from the Tank research centre. So the pilot project aims to get some answers. The prime minister has expressed support for a

Summary: The Finnish government is considering a pilot project that would see the state pay people a basic income regardless of whether they work.


He turned the country into one of the most repressive states in the world. The acting president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev - who has also held on to his position as prime minister - will almost certainly win. Uzbekistan has never had free and fair elections, and it is common for the incumbent to receive more than 90% of the vote. Although Mr Mirziyoyev is running for the first time, being acting president gives him access to so-called "administrative resources" - which are often used to guarantee a landslide victory on polling day. The three other candidates pose little challenge, even though two of them competed during the last election in 2015. The head of the Senate was supposed to become the interim leader after the death of Mr Karimov. But he opted out in favour of Mr Mirziyoyev - illustrating who holds real power. The leaders of neighbouring countries have also openly supported Mr Mirziyoyev's candidacy. Islam Karimov's eldest daughter, Gulnara Karimova, was once among the most powerful people in the country, and regarded as a possible successor to her father. But she fell from grace several years ago, when US and European authorities launched a corruption probe against her. Uzbekistan's prosecutors also named her in a separate investigation. In the aftermath, she disappeared from the public eye. Some local media even reported that she has been poisoned and buried in an unmarked grave. But her son, in a recent interview with the BBC, denied the rumours and claimed that she is still under house arrest in Tashkent. Islam Karimov Jr told BBC Uzbek that the authorities may try to "eliminate" Ms Karimova by poisoning her. "They are not interested in freeing her since they will have to answer a lot of questions then," he said. Local media reports also suggest that the sons-in-law of would-be president Shavkat Mirziyoyev have begun taking over businesses belonging to the family - in this case, from the husband of Karimov's other daughter, Lola Tillayeva-Karimova. BBC interview: 'Show the world my mum is alive' To boost his popularity, Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reversed some of the unpopular policies adopted during the rule of Islam Karimov, and has begun improving tense relations with neighbouring countries. He proposed and signed laws that have a clear populist agenda - on fighting corruption, improving protection of citizens' rights, and simplifying business registration. He also suggested liberalising currency transactions - one of the most hated policies - as people cannot freely exchange currency in Uzbekistan. But critics say these changes are just temporary moves to help Mirziyoyev gain legitimacy. Maintaining the current repressive system would ensure that he stays in power, in the same way Islam Karimov remained as president for nearly three decades. Once Mr Mirziyoyev fully consolidates power, analysts believe that he will use fear and coercion more openly in order to secure his presidency from any potential rivals. However, there could still be some economic changes. Uzbekistan wants to attract foreign investment - which would help to ease social discontent. The peaceful transition since the death of Islam Karimov suggests

Summary: Uzbekistan is voting to elect a new president following the death of Islam Karimov, the only leader the country has known since the fall of the Soviet Union.


Women's rights activists had long demanded that Article 522 of the penal code be repealed. Their campaign was supported by the Minister for Women's Affairs, Jean Oghassabian, who said the law was like something "from the Stone Age". Similar legislation has recently been swept away in both Tunisia and Jordan. States retaining a comparable loophole include Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya and Syria. Members of the Lebanese parliamentary committee for administration and justice agreed last December to submit a proposal to repeal Article 522. Prime Minister Saad Hariri expressed his support for the measure at the time, but it took until Wednesday for a vote to be held. Article 522 allowed for halting the prosecution or suspending the conviction of a person who had committed rape, kidnapping, or statutory rape if he married the victim. One activist said the law allowed "for a second assault on a rape survivor's rights in the name of 'honour' by trapping her in a marriage with her rapist". The women's rights group Abaad called the repeal of Article 522 a "triumph for the dignity of women" and thanked MPs for "strengthening the protection of women from all forms of violence". End of Twitter post by @AbaadMENA End of Twitter post by @monaeltahawy But Kafa, another local rights group, said it was only a "partial victory". A Facebook post warned that the effect of Article 522 "continues under Article 505, which involves sex with a minor who is 15 years of age, as it does through Article 518, which concerns the seduction of a minor with the promise of marriage". Mr Oghassabian expressed similar concerns, writing on Twitter: "While we welcome the repeal of Article 552 of the penal code, we have reservations regarding keeping Articles 505 and 518. There are no exceptions for escaping punishment for rape." The repeal came after years of campaigning by women's rights groups, including viral videos, a billboard showing a woman in a bloodied and torn gown with the caption "A white dress doesn't cover up rape", and an online petition. End of Twitter post by @lulualkhattaf In April, an art installation organised by Abaad saw 30 wedding dress strung up from nooses between the palm trees on Beirut's famous seafront. Activists also want Lebanon's parliament to address the issue of marital rape. Article 503 of the penal code defines the crime of rape as "forced sexual intercourse [against someone] who is not his wife by violence or threat". The 2014 law on domestic violence meanwhile makes threats or violence by a spouse to claim a "marital right to intercourse" a crime, but does not criminalize the non-consensual violation of physical integrity itself, according to Human Rights Watch.

Summary: Lebanon's parliament has scrapped a law under which a rapist could be exempt from punishment if he married his victim, state media report.


Ashley Talbot, 15, was struck by the bus at Maesteg School, Bridgend county, on 10 December. The Rev Bev Reaney read a written eulogy from Melanie Talbot to about 250 mourners at St Cynfelyn Church in Caerau on Tuesday. "I am sure he will remain in all our hearts forever," the tribute said. Ashley, a budding mechanic and motocross fan, was buried at Cymmer Cemetery in Croeserw. In her eulogy, Ms Talbot said: "Don't get me wrong, Ashley was no angel - but he was our angel. "Ashley was our son - handsome, funny, and no-one could love him more than we did as a family. " A coroner's hearing into Ashley's death has been opened and adjourned. A police and health and safety investigation into the incident is continuing. Ashley was hit by the school minibus as it was being driven to a rugby game by PE teacher Chris Brooks.

Summary: The mother of a Maesteg teenager who died after he was hit by a school minibus driven by a teacher described him as "our angel" at his funeral.


The Welsh side were beaten 33-27 but claimed two losing bonus points, as they did in November's defeat by Clermont Auvergne. Ospreys remain top of Pool 2, but Wales second row Jones was frustrated with the result. "It [two points] is still probably not enough if we're honest," said Jones. "We were the architects of our own downfall in the first half and in the grand scheme of the game really. "After we went behind we had to chase and that cost us at the end of the first half but then probably rewarded us in the early stages of the second half." Jones, 30, scored Ospreys' third try as they fought back from 30-15 down to cut Bordeaux's lead to 30-27. The visitors played an attacking and loose style of rugby throughout, which proved productive and costly in equal measure. Although they scored four tries to secure a bonus point, wayward Ospreys passes also led to two of Bordeaux's four scores. "You're damned if you do, damned if you don't," said Jones. "It's finding a happy medium. At times we were over-exuberant in the first half and a bit naive in the second. "We're not going to blame the powers that be but we feel a little bit hard done by, particularly with the number of times we visited their 22. "But then again we were the architects of our own downfall when we did do that." Ospreys are two points clear at the top of Pool 2, with second-placed Exeter away at Clermont Auvergne on Sunday. On his side's chances of reaching the quarter-finals, Jones added: "It's wide open really, so it should be good."

Summary: Ospreys were the "architects of their own downfall" in their European Champions Cup defeat at Bordeaux-Begles, says captain Alun Wyn Jones.


The Wales star has agreed a £300,000 per week, six-year deal after sealing an £85.3m (100m euros) move which eclipses the £80m Real paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009. "It's very important for Gareth to throw his heart and soul into this move. "He's got it all and ability-wise he is phenomenal. The only question is whether he's got the mental strength to cope with such a big transfer and the spotlight that will be immense in Spain. "But it's a fabulous opportunity for him and the important thing is he really needs to grasp it with both hands." Read more analysis from Gary Lineker and BBC Sport's chief football correspondent Phil McNulty "I have had six very happy years at Tottenham but it's the right time to say goodbye," said 24-year-old Bale. "We've had some special times together and I've loved every minute of it." Bale will have a medical and then be presented to the Real Madrid fans at the Bernabeu at 12:00 BST on Monday before speaking at a media conference. He added: "I am not sure there is ever a good time to leave a club where I felt settled and was playing the best football of my career to date. "I know many players talk of their desire to join the club of their boyhood dreams, but I can honestly say, this is my dream come true. "Tottenham will always be in my heart and I'm sure this season will be a successful one for them. "I am now looking forward to the next exciting chapter in my life, playing football for Real Madrid." Bale joined Spurs as a left-back for £10m from Southampton in 2007 and scored 26 goals last season as he was named both the Professional Footballers' Association's and Football Writers' player of the year. His representatives that he wanted to speak to the Spanish giants. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti's claim at the start of August that they were "in talks to find a solution" to the transfer angered Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas, but the clubs have now reached a settlement. After his side's 1-0 loss to Arsenal, Villas-Boas said: "Bale is a wonderful player. He is going to join Real Madrid so we wish him all the best. "He left us with some great memories from last season." Bale, who becomes Real Madrid's fifth signing of the summer, paid tribute to both Southampton and Tottenham for developing his career. He said: "I am well aware I would not be at the level I am today were it not for firstly Southampton and then Spurs standing by me during some of the tougher times and affording me the environment and support they have. "I would like to thank everyone at the club; the chairman, board, staff, coaches and players, and, most of all, the fantastic fans who I hope will understand this amazing career opportunity." Spurs have been busy in this transfer window, signing seven players for a total outlay approaching £105m. Brazil midfielder Paulinho has arrived from Corinthians for around

Summary: Real Madrid have broken the world transfer record to sign Tottenham forward Gareth Bale.


Visitors are scouring its pebble beach for fossils and taking photos of the stripes of rock strata embedded in the surrounding cliffs - a visual reminder of millions of years of history. And they are all asking each other the same question: "What time is it?" The clocks on our phones have reset themselves to French time, and for the surprising number who are not wearing watches, the confusion is palpable. Then the phones start beeping. "Welcome to France!" read the incoming text messages. "Your roaming costs are..." Inadvertent roaming, as it is called, is surprisingly common in this part of the country, despite France itself being a fair distance away - there are 74 miles (119km) between Poole and Cherbourg, a popular ferry route. Visitors to the surrounding areas, including Portland near Weymouth, can find themselves suddenly connected to French networks, and, if they're not careful, run up their phone bills with every phone call, text and social network update being charged as if it was made from abroad. It's not only a problem along the south coast of England - residents and visitors along the borders of Northern Ireland face substantial issues with their phones connecting to Irish networks, often without them even realising it. In 2012 research carried out there by industry regulator Ofcom found that on average those affected were spending Â£300 a year each on accidental data roaming, and only 11% of them had thought to switch the service off on the phone itself. The worst affected areas were east and north County Londonderry - notably Portstewart, south County Armagh and south County Down. "The EU Roaming Regulation requires that mobile operators take reasonable steps to protect their customers from paying roaming charges for inadvertently accessed roaming services while situated in their home member state, and to make information available to their customers on how to avoid inadvertent roaming in border regions," said an Ofcom representative. With the EU looking to lower the existing cap on data roaming charges this summer, inadvertent roaming may soon become a less expensive accident - and for local residents it can be something of a mixed blessing. Daff Tambling lives in the popular walkers' haven of Worth Matravers, to the east of Lulworth. The village played a key role in the development of the use of radar during World War Two - but it is no longer a hotspot for communications technology. "On certain windowsills in certain weather conditions I can just about get enough UK signal to receive a text," she said. "The phone has to stay at the same angle." Ms Tambling estimates that most days she will end up with either a French connection - or nothing at all. "It preserves a stillness - there's something nostalgic and romantic about it. I quite like it on many levels," she added. "But when it gets irritating is when companies are increasingly relying on texting you. If you need to verify your PayPal account or change your email password... even with deliveries and doctors' appointments, they want to remind you

Summary: It's a beautiful spring day at Lulworth Cove, a striking part of the Jurassic Coast, which stretches across south Dorset and Devon in the UK.


The Scottish government is to introduce standardised testing at four separate stages in a child's school life. The Commission on School Reform warned that the assessments would give little beneficial information to teachers and parents. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon believes improving school attainment is an important goal for her government. In September, she said the tests in literacy and numeracy, which will be piloted next year and introduced in 2017, would provide reliable evidence of a child's progress but would not be the sole form of measurement. The new report has been published by the commission which was established by think tank Reform Scotland and the Centre for Scottish Public Policy. It examined the government's attainment plan, including the standardised assessments which would replace the various other systems used by different councils. Pupils will be tested four times - in Primaries 1, 4 and 7 and again in S3 at secondary school. The government hopes the assessments will provide better data to help drive up attainment in schools and close the gap between how well youngsters from relatively rich and poor backgrounds do. It insisted the assessments did not mark the return of "high stakes national testing" which were abolished more than 10 years ago. In its report, the commission said the tests could provide valuable information on how the education system was progressing and it stressed it was not opposed to the tests in principal. However, it warned: One concern of teaching unions was that data from the tests could be used by journalists, parents' groups and critics to produce league tables of school performance. The report suggested data should only be available at a council-wide and national level and that school data could be excluded from Freedom of Information to prevent it become readily available. Chairman of the commission, Keir Bloomer, said: "The government is right to try to improve the quality of information available about Scottish education. "The commission supports much of what is proposed and has no objection in principle to the proposed National Standardised Assessment. However, it is a mistake to suggest that the assessment will provide much information of direct benefit to parents and teachers. "The government should continue with its drive to introduce the assessment but it should change its emphasis to the gathering of local authority and national data as opposed to individual data. "The Scottish government is setting out to improve standards and that is admirable. However, it needs to exercise care with how its proposed assessment is used." Mr Bloomer is a former council director of education and played a part in shaping the development of Curriculum for Excellence. Other members include former Labour education minister Peter Peacock. Scotland's largest teachers union, the EIS, said it was hopeful the Scottish government would still act on its concerns about the assessments. General secretary Larry Flanagan said: "The EIS is engaged in a constructive dialogue with the Scottish government around the proposed National Improvement Framework. "Whilst we will continue to resist any reforms which are predicated on high stakes testing and competition between schools,

Summary: Planned new assessments in schools need to be handled "carefully", according to a major report on Scottish education.


The men are loyal to South Sudan's sacked Vice-President Riek Machar and crossed into the country with him in August following intense violence in the South Sudan's capital, Juba. The 750 men have been disarmed and cared for by the UN mission. But Congolese officials say they are now a security risk. They are being housed in UN camps in the volatile east of DR Congo, near the city of Goma in North Kivu province. The demand from DR Congo's government that the men be removed comes after a protest in Goma last Friday. The South Sudanese fighters have not been in any reported trouble since their arrival. But residents say they fear a repeat of the fallout of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda when perpetrators of the mass killings set up base in eastern DR Congo. "In April 1994, the population of North Kivu lived up to their legendary hospitality by welcoming Rwandan refugees," Jean Paul Lumbu Lumbu, an activist in Goma, said. "Unfortunately, the same refugees turned into those FDLR rebels and became executioners of North Kivu residents. That is why we deeply fear the gathering of South Sudanese rebels into camps." Correspondents say locals in Goma also fear the government of South Sudan, under President Salva Kiir, may exercise a "right of pursuit" across the border, exposing them to fresh conflict. The UN has confirmed that it has been contacted about the issue but has not commented on whether it will acting on the request to remove them by 10 October. Fighting between rival forces in Juba in July left hundreds of people dead less than a year after a peace deal was signed in South Sudan. Mr Machar, who had joined a unity government in April, was also aided by the UN in DR Congo and is now in residence in Sudan's capital, Khartoum. More on South Sudan's crisis:

Summary: The UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been given a week to fly hundreds of South Sudanese fighters out of the country.


The world number 324, who represented Australia until 2013, swept through the first set against the Argentine. Find out how to get into tennis in our special guide. The 27-year-old Briton then wasted four match points in the second set tie-break as Bagnis hit back to level. But Klein retained his composure and overturned a 5-2 deficit in the final set to win the match in the tie-break. Klein will play Portugal's Joao Sousa in the second round.

Summary: Briton Brydan Klein reached the second round of the Auckland Open with a 6-1 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-3) win over Facundo Bagnis - ranked 269 places above him.


Shiyi Ying, 25, was given permission to take to the stage towards the end of the ceremony at Southampton University to pop the question to Yu-Yen Ou, 24. He said: "Deep inside I know you are the only one I can share the rest of my life with," before she accepted. Vice-Chancellor Professor Don Nutbeam said it was "certainly a first" in his 25 years attending graduations. Both students were receiving their masters degrees. Mr Ying, from Beijing, had studied for an MSc International Management and Ms Ou, from Taipei, had studied MSc International Financial Markets. After Ms Ou said yes the couple hugged - prompting applause from fellow graduands, guests and staff gathered inside the theatre. Prof Nutbeam said: "I'd like to offer the couple huge congratulations and every best wish for the future."

Summary: A university student has proposed to his girlfriend during a graduation ceremony.


Media playback is not supported on this device Match referee Evan Boyce took no action at the time but notified the IFA's Disciplinary Committee regarding the incident following the Solitude game. It considered the correspondence together with video footage. Oman was charged with a breach of Article 18.11 of the Disciplinary Code (assault or battery of an opponent). Portadown were also fined £100 by the Disciplinary Committee. Cliftonville won 1-0 in what was Niall Currie's first game in charge as Portadown manager.

Summary: Portadown defender Ken Oman has been suspended for six matches for elbowing Cliftonville's Caoimhin Bonner in Saturday's Premiership fixture.


Lloyds shares fell more than 2% after it reported a fall in first-quarter profits, and ended the day down 1.6% Pre-tax profits at Lloyds nearly halved to Â£654m after it took a Â£790m charge related to high income bonds. The mining giant Anglo-American rose 8% after it said it had agreed the sale of its niobium and phosphates businesses to China Molybdenum for $1.5bn. Tullow Oil was the best performer on the FTSE 100 rising 11% as the oil price hit new highs for 2016 for the third day in a row. The Royal Bank of Scotland fell 4.4% after it said there was a "significant risk" that it would not meet the 2017 deadline to spin off the 316-branch Williams & Glyn business. The day had started with falls in most European markets as investors reacted to the surprise decision from the Bank of Japan not to ease monetary policy further. "The lack of action [from the Bank of Japan], perversely, proves that central bank stimulus still has the power to shock, both when it is tried and when it isn't," said Chris Beauchamp, senior market analyst at IG. The FTSE 100 ended just 2.5 points higher at 6322.40. On the currency markets, the pound edged up 0.4% against the dollar to $1.4597, and 0.25% against the euro to â‚¬1.2876.

Summary: (Close): The FTSE 100 clawed back its early falls as gains in mining stocks outweighed losses among banks.


An overtime win over Fife Flyers on Saturday was followed by a penalty-shots victory over Belfast Giants as the Stars went the distance and claimed all points available. And after edging past title challengers Belfast, who clawed a 4-1 deficit to 4-4 to take the game into overtime, LeFebvre was understandably delighted. "It's a huge four-point weekend and that's three wins in a row for us now after getting past the hell of a hockey team in Belfast," a jubilant LeFebvre said. "We knew it was going to be a full 60-minute game against them, but full credit to our guys. We found a way to win in overtime against Fife and we did it in a shootout against Belfast. "It's two big wins and four points in a weekend and while Belfast put us under pressure late on, I'll look at that and any other negatives, when get back to work on Tuesday. I just want to enjoy this." Stars travelled to Fife Flyers looking for a top-eight spot and ended up going the distance with their Kirkcaldy rivals before taking both points in a 4-3 overtime win. Felix Poulin's first was an equaliser from Justin Fox, before the Fife man added a second, which was then cancelled out by Vinny Scarsella as the teams were tied at 2-2 after the first period. Joey Sides fired Stars in front in the second and the leveller from Brendan Brooks sent the game into overtime, where Poulin struck to clinch the two points. Stars hosted Belfast Giants on Sunday, a team in the thick of the Elite League title race and did it again, taking victory in penalty shots after a 4-4 draw. Mikael Lidhammar and Kevin Bruijsten put the Stars two up, with Jim Vandermeer pulling one back for the Giants before Bruijsten adding his second shortly after. The night got better for the home team when Scarsella fired home a penalty shot to make it 4-1, but Giants' Derrick Walser clawed one back shorthanded in the final minute of the second. The visitors got to within one of their hosts in the first minute of the third as Blair Riley scored with Belfast's second shorthanded goal to make it a nervy final period. Riley struck again with a couple of minutes to go to tie the game at 4-4, with Dundee hanging on as the game moved into overtime then penalty shots, where Lidhammar was the only success. Fife went to Edinburgh Capitals on Sunday and got back to winning ways as they completed a three point weekend to move to fifth in the Elite League table after winning 4-3. Matt Sisca and Justin Fox put them two up before Ian Schultz pulled one back for Edinburgh. Chase Schaber added a third, but Yevgeni Fyodorov pulled Caps to within one again. Carlo Finucci's late finish effectively sealed the points, although a late one from Fyodorov for his second made the scoreline most respectable for the Caps. The Capitals had two points in the bag from the weekend after visiting Braehead Clan

Summary: Dundee Stars head coach Marc LeFebvre hailed his team after picking up four Elite League points this weekend, but will worry about negatives later on.


The country's Football Association (CFA) is proposing the measure for loss-making clubs in order to try to curb the league's extravagant spending. Chinese clubs spent £331m during the country's winter transfer window, which was more than their English Premier League counterparts in January. The proceeds from the tax would go into a government-run fund. If enforced, the measure would in effect double the fee for any player. Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Chelsea striker Diego Costa are among the high-profile players to be linked with the Chinese Super League (CSL), with the transfer window open until 14 July. Media playback is not supported on this device In the last transfer window, Shanghai SIPG bought Brazil international Oscar for £60m from Chelsea, while Shanghai Shenhua spent £40m on Carlos Tevez. The Argentina striker signed a deal worth a reported £310,000 a week. At the time, a spokesperson for China's General Administration of Sport said clubs in the country were "burning money". Limits on the number foreign players in squads were put in place for the current season, which runs from March to November. Only three non-Chinese players can now be fielded in a fixture in a move the CFA hoped would tackle "irrational" spending. Costa was a target for Tianjin Quanjian but the club's owner, Shu Yuhui, said in January that a bid to sign the forward had been scuppered by new CSL rules limiting the number of foreign players. In each game next year, clubs will also have to field as many Chinese under-23 players as overseas players. BBC Sport's Simon Stone: The Chinese Super League transfer window has raised the potential for another massive deal being done for Wayne Rooney. A move to China is one of a number of options for Rooney, which also include remaining at United for the final year of his contract. However, he may wish to consider the fate of former team-mate Carlos Tevez, who joined Shanghai Shenhua on a mega deal earlier in the year. Neither the team nor Tevez are performing to expectations and when the Argentina international was spotted at a theme park after missing a game through injury this weekend, fans went on social media to condemn him, with one saying he has "the worst attitude in the team's history". Big money. Big demands.

Summary: Chinese Super League clubs face a 100% tax on signings as their mid-season transfer window opens on Monday.


Kayley Asher, 25, was attacked by Allitt while being treated at Grantham Hospital as a baby. She received £11,500 compensation but social security officials say she failed to notify them of this and must return benefits she has received. Her parents, Alan and Sharon, say they have "no intention" of giving the money back and are prepared to go to prison. Miss Asher, from Grantham, received an Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) for five years because she is unable to work and also a £120-a-week disability allowance. Her parents said they used that money for her day-to-day care and were given the £11,500 in compensation when she turned 18. However, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says she failed to declare the payout when applying for the ESA, which is a means-tested benefit. "We have never hidden the fact that Kayley had this money," said Mr Asher. "We always believed that compensation was for her future. It was awarded because she needs special care." Allitt was given 13 life sentences in 1993 for murdering four children and attacking nine others while working as a nurse at Grantham Hospital. It is believed she injected 13-month-old Miss Asher with air under her armpit, causing her to have two heart attacks. "The murderer had a go at her once and now the DWP are causing Kayley pain. It is totally wrong," said Mr Asher. "We have no idea what the future holds for us. "With a sum of money her future is secured if anything happens to her mum and I." He said they intended to appeal against the DWP's decision and would risk going to jail. A spokeswoman for the DWP said: "It is essential that claimants declare their income and savings accurately. This is to ensure that support is targeted at the people that need it most." She said other non-means tested benefits were available to Miss Asher.

Summary: A woman left brain damaged by killer nurse Beverley Allitt has been ordered to pay back £23,000 in benefits.


South West Trains said the line between Eastleigh and Fareham via Botley had been shut because of flooding. The B3354 Winchester Road in Botley was also closed after two trees came down, one on to a van - the driver was taken to hospital with a fractured sternum. Residents in Bishops Waltham and Botley have been warned to prepare for flooding, with more rainfall forecast. A flood warning has been issued by the The Environment Agency (EA) for the Upper River Hamble area including Durley Mill and Botley Mills. The (EA) said more than 50mm of rain had been recorded at Bishops Waltham overnight. Police have urged drivers not to risk driving through floodwater.

Summary: Heavy downpours have hit train services and left roads in parts of Hampshire impassable.


The 38-year-old sank 10 birdies but bogeys on the 10th and 15th prevented him building a bigger advantage. Compatriot Jamie Lovemark is in second place after shooting a round of 65. Five-time major winner Phil Mickleson, also American, climbed the leaderboard with a 66 and trails Dufner by six. Scotland's Martin Laird made the cut after a 69 moved him to 10 under par but England's Luke Donald (71) missed out.

Summary: American Jason Dufner heads into the final round of the CareerBuilder Challenge with a two-shot lead after carding an eight-under-par 64 in California.


One of those held is a former minister, Slobodan Milosavljevic. Two former interior ministry officials, several serving and former mayors, and a number of executives in state-owned firms were also detained. The move comes after Serbia opened talks to join the EU, which has long pressed Belgrade to tackle corruption. Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said the charges for those arrested included abuse of office, money laundering and other financial crimes. The alleged offences date back to 2004, involving the suspected embezzlement of 7.8bn dinars ($70m). Mr Stefanovic said police were searching for five more suspects. Another 39 are under investigation. A ministry statement said that Mr Milosavljevic was being charged with abuse of office when Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management from May 2007 to July 2008 and when head of the Chamber of Commerce, from 2004 to 2007. Former head of the government's anti-corruption agency, Zorana Markovic, was also detained. Many of those arrested are from the opposition Democratic Party. Its leader said the detentions were politically motivated. Tackling corruption and organised crime will be high on the agenda of the Serbia-EU accession negotiations, which began on 14 December.

Summary: Police in Serbia have arrested about 80 people in what has been described as the country's biggest anti-corruption investigation in decades.


The pro-Leave justice secretary said there were "risks to our future" whatever the outcome of the poll. David Cameron and George Osborne say people will be worse off and that there is "no turning back" if the UK leaves. In his Andrew Marr Show interview, Mr Gove also said he "shuddered" when he saw UKIP's "breaking point" poster showing a queue of asylum seekers. UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who launched the poster last week, described it as "a statement about the whole of the European Union". But Mr Gove said: "I thought it was the wrong thing to do." He said he believed in free speech and did not want to "deny anyone a platform", adding that people would only support helping refugees if they felt the government could control migration numbers. Mr Gove was interviewed as the EU referendum campaign restarted after being suspended following the death of Labour MP Jo Cox. He said leaving would be an opportunity for the UK to establish itself as a "progressive beacon to the world". How trade and the UK's economy are affected by membership of the EU. The Remain campaign has said such an outcome would be a "gamble" but Mr Gove rejected this term. "Whether we vote to leave or remain there are risks to our future, there are challenges in the global economy," he said. "My view is that those challenges will be easier to meet, those risks will be less if we vote to leave because we will have control of the economic levers, we will have control over money we send to the European Union, we will have control over our own laws, and as a result we will be able to deal with whatever the world throws at us." Vote Leave has set out a string of policies it wants to see enacted if it wins Thursday's referendum, including extra cash for the NHS and cutting VAT on fuel bills, in what has been seen an alternative manifesto for life outside the EU. Mr Gove said it was a "clear outline of the things that we could achieve if we leave" and that he would say to David Cameron "now is the time for us to implement these proposals". He also defended his campaign's claims about Turkish membership of the EU. The Remain campaign says the UK has a veto on whether Turkey is able to join, and David Cameron has said it would be "literally decades" before Turkey was considered ready to join. But Mr Gove said both the UK government and the EU supported Turkish accession. He defended Vote Leave's references to the birth rate in Turkey, saying it was important to take into account the number of people that could come to the UK. And despite being on different sides to David Cameron and George Osborne in the EU debate, he strongly defended both men's record. The PM, meanwhile, has said the UK faces an "existential choice" in the EU referendum. "Are we going to choose Nigel Farage's vision - one which takes Britain backwards;

Summary: The UK can "deal with whatever the world throws at us" if it votes to leave the EU, Michael Gove says.


Training has been fairly intermittent for me recently due to a torn ligament in my big toe after blocking a shot at Accrington a few weeks ago. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory tablets have been a necessity to continue my season, so I totally understood the manager's decision for me not to start the game. The game against AFC Wimbledon the week before had been disappointing, and playing through injury is tough enough, but when results go against you it magnifies any weakness that you have. We were 1-0 down at York when I got the call to go on. Coming on at that scoreline is obviously the scenario where you are desperate to help your team score the equaliser. I had scored a few during the week in training, so I had a positive mindset when I entered the field of play. Anthony Stewart hit a shot from just inside York's penalty area and I took a chance on the goalkeeper palming it towards me. Thankfully that was what happened and I was able to dive at the ball and head it in for the equaliser. At the same time, a York defender tried to volley the ball clear but I was able to get there first. Unfortunately for me, the York defender connected with my arm instead of the ball and a further twist is that the player in question, Dave Winfield, is a really good friend of mine. Midway through the celebration I suddenly realised that my arm was extremely painful. I tried not to give it too much thought, though, as the only thing I could think about was not losing the point that we had just earned for ourselves. There was also the chance that we might be able to snatch a late winner. The pain was starting to really intensify but we had used all of our substitutes, so the option of going off had been taken away. There was no way that I was going to leave my team-mates with 10 men whilst I was still able to run so I just had to grit my teeth and get on with it. Plus, although it was extremely painful, I did not realise that it was broken and the last thing I wanted to do was walk off with a bruised arm! I was so relieved when the referee blew the final whistle and I could not wait to get off the pitch. I headed straight for the Royal Berkshire Hospital as soon as we got back and left there at four o'clock in the morning with my arm in a cast. I had broken the ulna bone in my right arm and it might have finished my season. I spoke to Dave both after the game and again on Sunday. He feels bad but we are adults playing a contact sport and these things happen. He did not mean for it to happen. I am now fairly useless at home as I am unable to help my wife with my daughter. I hate not being independent so

Summary: I have been involved in some incident-packed match days and seen most things during close to 12 and a half years at Wycombe Wanderers, but breaking my arm while scoring in Saturday's game at York City was a new one - even for me.


National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guidance urges medics to consider sepsis early on when treating any patients unwell with infections. The problem, caused when the body's immune system overreacts to infection, leads to 44,000 UK deaths a year. But experts estimate between 5,000 and 13,000 could be avoided. Sepsis can lead to severe organ failure, shock and death if not treated early enough. But initial symptoms - such as a rapid breathing or feeling generally unwell - can be vague, making it difficult to set apart from other conditions. In its first guidance on the issue, NICE acknowledges it is a complex medical problem. But the health watchdog says GPs, paramedics and hospital staff must make "Could this be sepsis?" the first consideration for anyone unwell with an infection - in much the same way that medics consider the possibility of a heart attack for patients with chest pain. Prof Mark Baker, from NICE, told the BBC: "The problem with those patients who died unnecessarily of sepsis is that staff did not think about it soon enough." He added: "This is complicated medicine. "It requires a depth of thought and experience and a way of examining patients which isn't always there - particularly because of time pressures and partly because we have got used to implementing guidelines without thinking." Cornwall mother Melissa Mead, whose one-year-old son William died from sepsis in 2014 after potential signs of the condition were missed by NHS 111 staff and GPs, welcomed the move. She added: "This could not come any sooner. Sadly we have been touched in very real terms by sepsis and could not agree more that clinicians need to start asking: 'Could this be sepsis?'" Sepsis happens when the body's immune system - the way the body responds to bugs and germs - goes into overdrive. The initial problem can be quite mild and start anywhere - from a cut on the finger to a chest or urine infection, for example. But when the immune system overreacts, this can lead to an unintended but catastrophic attack on the body. If left untreated, this sets off a cascade of reactions - from shock to organ failure and even death. There is a lot of research going on to attempt to find out what exactly triggers this sometimes fatal reaction. Read more: Why can sepsis be so hard to spot? Meanwhile, Dr Maureen Baker, of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "The diagnosis of sepsis is a huge worry for GPs, as initial symptoms can be similar to common viral illnesses, so we welcome any guidance or support to help us identify it as early as possible." The guidelines say patients with possible sepsis should be sent to hospital in an ambulance and treated urgently by senior staff. Separately, NHS Improvement has launched an initiative to tackle children's health. It encourages parents to speak up if their child's health is deteriorating and urges staff to work more closely with parents. Dr Mike Durkin, NHS national director of patient safety, said: "Time and time

Summary: Suspected sepsis in patients must be treated as an emergency in the same way as heart attacks are, England's health watchdog says.


Dustin Diamond, 37, faces charges of felony second-degree recklessly endangering safety, disorderly conduct, and carrying a concealed weapon. The fight is said to have happened on Thursday in Port Washington, Wisconsin, while Diamond was with his fiancee. Crime reports say the pair had been to several bars before they got into a row with two men and another woman. The fight took place at the Grand Avenue Saloon. When police caught up with the couple's car near the bar, Diamond told police he had a "pen" in his hand when he grabbed one of the men, according to the criminal complaint. Officers found a switchblade knife in the car - the point of it appeared to be covered in blood. Reports say that Diamond later told police he accidentally stabbed the man while he was trying to defend his fiancee - 27-year-old Amanda Schutz. She also faces a charge of disorderly conduct. Diamond appeared in Ozaukee County court on Friday and his bail was set at $10,000 (Â£6,425). His next hearing is set for 29 December. Police said the man who was stabbed was injured in the armpit but is not thought to be seriously hurt. Representatives for Diamond have not yet commented and the actor is yet to release a formal statement. Saved by the Bell aired during the 1990s and followed the lives of a group of high school students. Since the show ended, Diamond has been sued a number of times for failure to pay taxes and in foreclosure proceedings following missed mortgage payments. He has appeared on reality TV shows, made a sex tape and made a documentary called The Unauthorised Saved by the Bell Story. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: The actor who played Screech in US TV show Saved by the Bell has been charged with stabbing a man in a bar fight.


Daniel Sanzone was jailed for life after shaking two-week-old Joshua Millinson in Wolverhampton in 2015. However, there was no evidence injuries that caused his death could have been anticipated, a safeguarding board said. But it said staff were not questioning enough of the "concerning history" given by his parents. Read more news for Birmingham and the Black Country The review looked at two visits to New Cross Hospital's emergency unit by Joshua with Sanzone and the baby's mother, Zoe Howell, before the fatal shaking incident at their home in Pendeford. Sanzone's trial had heard a nurse and a junior doctor assessed Joshua and found no swelling and no pain but later bone experts suggested he had suffered some leg fractures at this point. However, the review found the fracture would have been very hard to identify in a baby so small and no X-ray was taken. But the report said the conclusion that there were no safeguarding concerns was "reached too quickly" on a second emergency department visit. It added although the evidence was "it was carried out competently, too much reliance was placed on the medical examination" of Joshua, which proved normal, and "insufficient account was taken of the concerning and inconsistent history given by his parents". The review, commissioned by the Wolverhampton Safeguarding Children Board, made a total of 12 recommendations on how various public bodies could improve their practices. It said the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust should review safeguarding arrangements in the New Cross Hospital emergency department and in antenatal services. Wolverhampton City Council should also audit the effectiveness of local authority child and family assessment, the report said. It added the National Probation Service in the Midlands should ensure risk assessments "are updated when there is a change in the circumstances of a supervised offender which may indicate a heightened possible risk to vulnerable children or adults". Board chair Alan Coe said the report identified "a number of ways in which, in similar circumstances, more opportunities might be taken that could enable professionals to better coordinate and share information and to identify potential risks". He said: "Actions are being taken, including the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust implementing new guidance for Emergency Duty staff about children who present with unexplained or inconsistently explained injuries, reviewing procedures in maternity services and updating training accordingly. "[They also include] the council ensuring social care professionals clearly understand their responsibilities around pre-birth assessments and referrals and the National Probation Service ensuring that assessments are updated when there is a change of circumstances involving a supervised offender which may indicate a risk to others." In November, Sanzone, 23, was convicted of murder and sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison. Ms Howell was cleared of child cruelty and causing or allowing Joshua's death.

Summary: Hospital staff were too quick to assume there were no safeguarding concerns in the case of a baby who died after being shaken by his father, a report says.


The director of Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice threw the switch around 21:30 BST after rapper Professor Green played to the crowds. The free event took place on the promenade at The Headlands Arena in front of the Tower. Burton, 58, used Blackpool for scenes in his latest film. "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children." "To be given the town's highest honour is incredible and I'm really excited. I'm sure it will be a wonderful show," he said. The California-born film director achieved fame directing blockbusters including Corpse Bride, Planet of the Apes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland. Describing himself as Blackpool Pleasure Beach's "biggest fan", Burton chose to shoot scenes in Blackpool for The Killers' music videos Here with Me and Battle Born. The Illuminations end on 15 November.

Summary: Hollywood director Tim Burton has switched on this year's Blackpool Illuminations.


The house, which is now a museum in Haworth, West Yorkshire, reopens after a refurbishment on Friday. "It's closer than it's ever looked to how it would have done in the Bronte period," said Bronte Parsonage Museum collections manager Ann Dinsdale. "Charlotte put her stamp on the house, and there's quite a lot of colour." Researchers from the University of Lincoln examined sections of the walls, and in some places found 18 layers of paint and wallpaper dating back to the sisters' habitation in the mid-19th Century. Source: BBC History "They came up with the strata, all the layers of paints that had been used over the years in the parsonage and they were able to work out which was the Bronte period," Mrs Dinsdale said. "All the historic rooms, which are part of the original parsonage, have been completely redecorated." Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte lived with their father and brother in the parsonage. Enduring literary masterpieces written there include Charlotte's Jane Eyre and Emily's Wuthering Heights. The sisters are particularly remembered for their depictions of the surrounding bleak landscape and their characters' emotional turmoil. "I think people are possibly going to be quite surprised when they visit the parsonage," Mrs Dinsdale added. "People have this image of [it] being quite austere with white and grey walls. Actually, it's very clear that they did experiment with colour."

Summary: The former home of the Bronte sisters has been returned to the design of the authors' era after researchers found fragments of its original decor.


In March 2015 the Ulster Unionists proudly unveiled a pact with the DUP covering four constituencies. Mike Nesbitt said the aim was to "get the pro union vote out". The SDLP denounced the tactic as a "sectarian carve up". In February 2017, the Ulster Unionist leader told the BBC's Sunday Politics that he would be giving the SDLP candidate in East Belfast his second preference. The SDLP leader Colum Eastwood didn't return the favour quite so emphatically, but did tell Mark Carruthers he would be giving the Ulster Unionists a transfer vote at some unspecified point on his ballot paper in Foyle. So what's changed? First, Westminster elections, where the winner takes it all, are a different beast from Assembly polls. In a Stormont contest, voters get multiple chances to influence the outcome. Moreover, in the intervening two years we have seen both the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP moving into official opposition mode. The Ulster Unionist leader has loudly proclaimed his "Vote Mike, Get Colum" strategy. Then to cap it all the DUP Sinn FÃ©in led executive fell apart amidst mutual recriminations over the grossly mismanaged Renewable Heat Incentive scheme. If this election really is, as Mike Nesbitt would like to portray it, a referendum on the RHI scandal, then no-one should be surprised. Why shouldn't the opposition advise its voters to back their respective parties with the aim of pushing the old governing partners out, or at least weakening their hand in future negotiations? However Northern Ireland elections are never that simple. Traditional unionist and nationalist voting habits die hard. In some seats Mr Nesbitt's candidates will no doubt be living in hope that the generosity of other unionists will see them returned in the later stages of a count. In this context, it's easy to understand the decision by the veteran Newry and Armagh MLA Danny Kennedy to advise his voters to transfer to other unionists, even if it does jar with his leader's attitude. So the DUP and TUV have been quick to accuse the Ulster Unionist leader of being - as Arlene Foster puts it in the Belfast Telegraph - "personally supportive of voting in a way that helps to elect nationalists, who will take their election as an endorsement of support for their United Ireland position". Mike Nesbitt replies that the RHI scandal was not an "orange" or "green" issue and that it wouldn't make sense for him to back a DUP candidate in whom he has no confidence, like the outgoing Stormont Speaker Robin Newton. So is this election a referendum on the Renewable Heat Incentive, a chance to pick your negotiators for wider talks on issues like Brexit and the Troubles' legacy, or - like so many past elections - a mini border poll? Come 3 March we shall be able to judge the answer a little better by analysing not just the voters' first choices, but also by looking to see whose advice they take on where their later preferences should go.

Summary: If a week can be a long time in politics, then two years is an eternity.


Along the tracks, another crowd is gathering - each person on his own, separated by a modest distance. They are among the 48% of Indians who do not have access to proper sanitation. Coming from a slum close-by, they squat among the few trees and bushes along the railway tracks and defecate in the open. To many, this is a daily morning ritual despite the hazards of contracting diseases such as diarrhoea and hepatitis. It can be even more hazardous for women since each time a woman uses the outdoors to relieve herself, she faces a danger of sexual assault. Recently two teenage girls from the state of Uttar Pradesh were gang-raped and found hanging from a tree after they left their village home to go to the toilet. Their house, like hundreds of millions of others in the country, did not have any facilities. A new World Health Organisation (WHO) report says more than half a billion people in India still "continue to defecate in gutters, behind bushes or in open water bodies, with no dignity or privacy". Access to sanitation is a challenge that India's politicians want to tackle - both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promised to put an end to open defecation in their 2014 general election manifestos. During his campaign, Narendra Modi, BJP's newly-elected prime minister, promised: "Toilets first, temples later". And former rural development minister Jairam Ramesh of the Congress party had stressed that "practicing good hygiene is as important as performing good puja" (act of worship in Hinduism). India's government offers cash incentives to subsidise construction of toilets. It has also initiated hygiene and sanitation awareness campaigns, such as the "No Toilet, No Bride" slogan launched in the state of Haryana in 2005, urging brides to reject a groom if he did not have a lavatory at home. The Gates Foundation too has offered grants to create latrines that are not connected to water, sewer or electricity and to improve the treatment of human waste. The exhibits at a recent "toilet fair" organised by the Foundation in Delhi included a lavatory with a photovoltaic roof-top that powers a reactor breaking down excrements into fertiliser, and another one which came equipped with an automatic sterilisation system and a generator turning the moisture into water. Apart from poverty and lack of lavatories, one of the reasons often cited to explain open defecation in India is the ingrained cultural norm making the practice socially accepted in some parts of the society. "Just building toilets is not going to solve the problem, because open defecation is a practice acquired from the time you learn how to walk. When you grow up in an environment where everyone does it, even if later in life you have access to proper sanitation, you will revert back to it," says Sue Coates, chief of Wash (water, sanitation and hygiene) at Unicef. India will be free of open defecation only when "every Indian household, every village, every part of Indian society will accept the need to use toilets and commit to

Summary: It's early morning and local commuters are queuing up for tickets at the Kirti Nagar railway station in the Indian capital, Delhi.


Police cars, ambulances and fire engines were involved in at least 3,636 crashes between April 2011 and March 2016. North Wales Police recorded the most incidents of those who responded, but the majority involved minor damage. The Welsh Ambulance Service said a crash on a 999 call could be "catastrophic". North Wales Police 1,506 Welsh Ambulance Service 735 Dyfed-Powys Police 567 South Wales fire 313 North Wales fire 280 Mid and West Wales fire 235 Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed North Wales Police officers were involved in 331 collisions in 2015-16 - down from 361 the previous year. The force was criticised last April when officers used a police car to deliberately run over and kill a dog which was loose on the A55 in Conwy. It reportedly cost the force Â£1,561.48 to repair the car involved but it said the majority of its reported collisions in the past five years were for minor damage. Stephen Roberts, North Wales Police's head of facilities and fleet department, said: "The majority of North Wales Police vehicles are in constant use, responding swiftly and effectively to challenging and emergency situations. Our fleet of 557 vehicles cover vast distances in all weather and road conditions. "For the period in question all incidents were reported. This includes minor scrapes or damage to vehicles which accounted for 74% of incidents during 2015. "Prior to 2015, we did not distinguish between collisions and minor damage." The Welsh Ambulance Service recorded the second highest number of incidents - 150 of which happened while on an emergency call. Incidents since April included a driver who died following a crash between two ambulances on the A499 in Gwynedd. Andrew Challenger, head of driver trainer at Welsh Ambulance Service, said emergency drivers were trained to anticipate risks and respond to hazards on the road. He said people often panicked when they saw emergency vehicles, but urged them to stay calm and advised them to find a safe place to pull in to allow them to pass. Dyfed-Powys Police, which provided information from 2012 to 2015 only, said 75 of its crashes happened while officers were attending emergency calls. A total of 26 people were injured in collisions involving the force's vehicles, including 19 officers. Gwent Police and South Wales Police would not provide figures. Among the collisions involving fire service vehicles was a crash between and car and a fire engine in Swansea in 2013. Of the crashes recorded by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, 156 happened on emergency call-outs. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue said its incidents were a mix of attending or returning from incidents, routine activities or damage found during vehicle checks.

Summary: There have been more than 3,500 crashes involving emergency service vehicles in the past five years.


Dover rise to third while Wrexham are now six points off the top five after Ricky Modeste's second half winner proved decisive in a tense contest. Modeste fired home off the post after Sam Magri's effort in a game low on quality chances. James Gray hit the crossbar as Wrexham pushed for an equaliser, while Simon Heslop also came close. Wrexham manager Gary Mills told BBC Radio Wales: "It's a disappointing day for us and we never really got going. I've said to the players that there's no point in us looking at that now, the final whistle's gone. "We've got four games left . It's tougher but still doable and we've got to win on Tuesday at Guiseley. "If we win on Tuesday then we got to Tranmere to beat them to go above them and that's as simple as it is. We battle on."

Summary: Dover maintained their National League promotion push at the expense of Wrexham at the Racecourse Stadium.


The horses got stuck in mud as they were being ridden on a beach by the slipway near Quail Holme Road, Knott End at about 10:30 BST on Sunday. The Fleetwood-Knott End ferry and two kayakers helped with the rescue operation along with RNLI, coastguards and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. HM Coastguard Fleetwood said the horses were rescued "in the nick of time". Read more on Pinterest about animals having lucky escapes The coastguard said on its Facebook page the ferry to transport the rescue team over the river "saving a good 30 minute dash". It added: "After a huge effort both horses were saved from drowning. "Excellent multi agency teamwork, 2 relieved riders and 2 very excited horses when they were reunited." One of the coastguards said: "I will be shouting the horses name in my sleep tonight. It was unbelievable the sound both horses made when they met afterwards they were very pleased to see each other to say the least." Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service warned of the dangers of the riding by the edge of the water. It said: "We don't want anyone going riding out there because it's extremely soft sand." Sue Carr who said her daughter owns one of the horses thanked emergency services involved in the rescue on Facebook. She said: "Can't thank you enough. We were so terrified. That horse is my daughter's baby. Endlessly in your debt." For more stories about animal rescues follow BBC England's Pinterest board

Summary: Two horses have been saved from drowning in rising tides near Fleetwood, Lancashire.


Members of the exporters' group Opec, together with some other oil producers, are meeting in Qatar on Sunday to discuss freezing output. They want to push up the price of crude oil, which is less than half what it was in June 2014 In previous episodes of falling prices, Opec has been much quicker to respond, often cutting output. The agenda for the meeting in Doha, the capital of Qatar, is a freeze in production. No cuts in other words, just a commitment to no more increases. But even that possibility has given some support in recent weeks to the price of oil. The low it reached earlier this year was about $27 a barrel for Brent crude oil, one of the leading international market prices. This week it has been very close to $45. That is to a large extent due to traders considering the possibility that some oil producers are close to taking some sort of action to push prices higher. It's worth emphasising that even at current levels the price of oil is far below where it was as recently as June 2014 - when it reached $115. The fall has hurt many oil producing countries. Earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund said it had damaged financial stability and the government finances in many of them. The meeting is not formally an Opec event, though all or very nearly all the group's members will be represented. There will also be some non-members, notably Russia. The decision to hold this meeting, with a rather unusual group of attendees, reflects the oil exporters' persistent concerns about the level of prices and a feeling that any action needs to involve more than just the members of Opec. Two of the world's leading producers are not going to be there: the US and China. Both countries have large oil production industries, but they use nearly all of it themselves, and have to import extra to meet their own needs. Their economies overall tend to benefit from cheaper oil so they don't have a shared interest with those who will be turning up in Doha. Still, there is more than enough oil production that will be represented there to make a substantial difference to the global market if the participants chose to take strong action. What many oil analysts say, however, is that they aren't talking about action that is going to achieve much. In the past, Opec has often managed to agree and deliver cuts in production. This time all that's on the table is a potential agreement to refrain from further increases. Among the countries attending there is certainly a good deal of support for the idea. But one important player, an Opec member, is determined to increase its production: Iran. As the country emerges from western sanctions, the Iranian government wants to regain the share of the market that it lost as a result of those restrictions on its international sales. Iran is not even sending its oil minister Bijan Zanganeh to the meeting, although another senior official is expected

Summary: The world's leading oil exporters could be finally about to take action following the fall in prices.


The National Audit Office (NAO), which scrutinises government spending, said plans for 16 routes were on hold. The schemes being "reconsidered" to make sure they are "deliverable and affordable" are part of an £11.4bn investment announced in 2014. Neither the NAO or Department for Transport have said which are at risk. Highways England, which is responsible for major roads, has identified the 16 schemes that could be cancelled, delayed or redesigned, the NAO said. The NAO concluded that several problems were created by the plans being drawn up in just 17 months in order to publish them before the May 2015 general election. The equivalent rail planning takes about 30 months. The spending watchdog also claimed the Department for Transport (DfT) chose projects without knowing enough about whether they represented the best use of taxpayers' money. The Five-year Road Investment Strategy featured 112 major projects to begin before 2020, such as smart motorway upgrades and converting single-carriageway A-roads to dual carriageways. The overall plan includes: Edmund King, president of the AA, said motorists would be frustrated about delayed upgrades and that the public should be told which of the plans have stalled "so that they know if they are stuck on a road to nowhere". The director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, Steve Gooding said: "Highways England has had a mountain to climb in gearing up for the scale of work involved, so it shouldn't surprise us that in some respects it is still in the foothills." Among the major plans are: A further 54 schemes are scheduled to start in 2019-20, which would cause significant disruption to motorists, increase prices and put pressure on resources at Highways England, the NAO said. Its report stated that by August last year the amount by which forecast costs exceeded available funding had reached £841m. But Highways England chief executive Jim O'Sullivan said he was confident the organisation would complete the work without overspending, and a "delivery plan" would be published in June. The DfT said it would consider the findings of the report.

Summary: Upgrades to some of England's busiest roads, including a controversial tunnel past Stonehenge, could be scrapped because they are not value for money.


The former van driver sold 214,000 copies of his single Something I Need, which was originally recorded by US pop band OneRepublic. His nearest rivals were Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, whose song Uptown Funk dropped one place to number two. Shortly after it was announced, Haenow thanked his fans on Twitter, saying: "You guys are amazing!" Speaking about his chart success he said: "It's an incredible end to my year. I'm absolutely shocked, I can't believe it. "I'm gonna go and have a few good drinks with my mates - definitely more than a few good drinks - to celebrate." The top-selling album in the run-up to Christmas was Ed Sheeran's X, which shifted more than 214,000 copies last week - the most it has sold in a seven-day period. X - pronounced "multiply" - was already the UK's biggest-selling album of the year, excluding compilations. The singles chart also saw a high entry for novelty act The Wealdstone Raider. The 48-year-old, whose real name is Gordon Hill, became famous when he was discreetly recorded at a football match, pint in hand, shouting "you've got no fans" to opponents of his football club, Wealdstone FC. After being uploaded to YouTube, the video went viral, amassing more than eight million views. His single, called Got No Fans, is raising money for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, Autism Concern and Wealdstone Raiders Youth FC. It entered the chart at number five. For the first time, streaming data counted towards the Christmas chart, benefitting acts like Mariah Carey and The Pogues, whose seasonal standards climbed back up the top 40. Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You reached number 18, while The Pogues' Fairytale of New York - boosted by download sales - reached number 11. But the biggest beneficiary of the new chart rules was Ronson, who broke the all-time record for the most streamed track in a single week. Uptown Funk was listened to almost 2.34 million times last week, smashing Sheeran's previous record of 1.72 million streams, set in November. Band Aid 30, at one point considered to be a strong contender to top the Christmas charts, ended up in 17th place.

Summary: X Factor winner Ben Haenow has won the race for the Christmas number one, the Official Charts Company has announced.


Alpha Foxtrot, affectionately known as Foxy, was the last of the fleet to fly when the jet was withdrawn from service in 2003, and displaying it at the airfield was only ever a temporary solution. Concorde enthusiasts are keen to see the aircraft indoors, protected from the elements, and back on display as soon as possible. But the decision rests with Airbus and British Airways (BA) who are currently considering two separate business plans for museums to house the jet. So how vital is it to get a roof over the plane? Ben Lord, chairman of the Save Concorde Group, which submitted its plan for a museum in June 2011, said he was expecting a decision "any day". The group would like to see Foxy fly again in the future, but Mr Lord said this could only happen if the aircraft was looked after indoors. "Obviously the long-term thinking is if it's indoors, nice and dry, where engineers can get easier access, ultimately that enhances the prospect of it flying again," he said. "But the aircraft is still exposed to the elements. Largely it's causing corrosion issues. People could argue that it was outside all the time when it was in service, but when it's flying the outside skin heats up to 127C so it was keeping it dry. "Being exposed to harsh winters and rainy conditions isn't good for it. "The shameful part of it all is it will be nine years in November. By now it should be under cover." The Concorde Trust has been working on plans for an indoor museum for some years, but hit a snag in May last year when their bid for £2.9m from the Heritage lottery Fund was turned down. The trust has since submitted revised plans. Project director Lloyd Burnell said the trust was working with the Bristol Aero Collection (BAC) on plans for a museum. "It needs to be undercover for the preservation of the aircraft. Aircraft are not designed to sit around," he said. Another reason they want it indoors is so the museum can also display the BAC - exhibits charting 100 years of the city's aviation history. "We submitted plans to the Heritage Lottery Fund last year. That total scheme was £9m and the application was for £2.9m. They were turned down. We continued to work on alternative proposals with a number of major stakeholders," Mr Burnell said. "The Concorde Trust and BAC work as a single organisation as Concorde is part of the Bristol aviation heritage collection - arguably the most well-known, the centrepiece of the collection - and it all needs to stay together." But Mr Burnell was tight-lipped about what their plans involved. "It's very easy to over-promise which leads to levels of expectation. We are not going to do that," he said. Of the fleet being kept in the UK, Foxy is not the only Concorde being kept outside. One is on display alongside a runway at Heathrow Airport, while another is outside at Brooklands Museum in Weybridge. Conditions also vary with those being displayed

Summary: More than 18 months have passed since the Concorde at Filton, near Bristol, was closed to the public.


Small Business Saturday is in its third year, and aims to encourage people to spend locally rather than with international chains. There are around five million small firms in the UK which employ half of the country's workforce. The government said it wanted to help "cut red tape" for small businesses. Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Small Business Saturday is an opportunity to come together and generate a real boost for small firms in the run-up to Christmas. "Having grown up above the family shop myself, I'm proud of the UK's small businesses, providing jobs and security for millions of people and making a huge contribution to our economy." Any firm with fewer than 50 employees is considered a small business. In Britain 99% of all companies are in that category - employing 12.4 million people. Last year UK traders took Â£504m on the day from an estimated 16.5 million people - a 20% increase in footfall on 2013. But day-to-day small firms face a battle competing with big companies who can offer lower prices and have more resources to deal with issues such as administration, tax and staffing. The Federation of Small businesses said that for every pound spent at an independent company, around 70p stays in the local economy.

Summary: Shoppers across the UK are being encouraged to buy from independent stores on Saturday as part of a campaign to boost high streets.


The crash happened on the A18 Mountain Road, in the vicinity of the Mountain Box, at about 07:50 GMT. Police said the man was driving towards Ramsey in a white Citroen Berlingo when it was in collision with a blue Ford Transit coming the other way. The Transit driver was taken to hospital but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Det Insp Mark Newey said the family of the driver who died have been informed. The road was closed for several hours following the crash and witnesses are asked to contact police headquarters.

Summary: A 22-year-old man has died after the van he was driving was in collision with another van in the Isle of Man.


This Central American nation has often been in the middle of events with an impact far beyond its borders, from the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal to the country's many political storms. Even so, people here have reacted with surprise - and indignation - after seeing their country's name linked to a hashtag that is shaking the world. For many locals, to talk about #PanamaPapers is in itself an injustice, as the name tarnishes the whole country with an alleged complicity in international tax evasion. They claim the accusations should instead be directed at a minuscule segment of their society. And anyway, they insist, the Panamanian companies involved were not doing anything different to firms in other financial capitals across the world. Panama is indeed a large and sophisticated offshore financial centre, whose companies help manage, in one way or another, large fortunes from all corners of the planet. But how does all of that money impact the everyday life of normal Panamanians? For a visitor, the prosperity of parts of the country is evident from the moment the plane flies over the capital, affording the first glimpse of Panama City from above. The city centre is so ostentatious that a Trump luxury hotel tower, 284 metres high and until 2012 the tallest building in Latin America, goes almost unnoticed among the dozens of skyscrapers crowding the horizon. Some people say it reminds them of Dubai, others say it looks like Miami. Panama City has done a good job in attracting cash to the country, home to just four million people and with relatively few natural resources other than its geographic location. The financial sector is key to the country's wealth, representing around 7% of GDP. And in a business where reputation is everything, many fear the effect the scandal could have on the industry's future growth. But Rafael, the taxi driver who takes me from the airport into the city centre, does not necessarily see it as his problem. He views it as a quarrel among elites. "It is a white people's dance," he says disdainfully. He will not give me his full name, objecting that "you never know who you are talking to". But after a few minutes of conversation, he acknowledges his own life has been closely affected by the financial industry's ups and downs. He says he worked with one of the many Western banks that came to Panama during the 1970s boom, when Latin America was awash in petrodollars and the country helped manage many of the region's fortunes. But in the 1980s the petrodollars vanished. Panama was stigmatised as a money laundering centre for drug cartels, the bank left, and he ended up without a job. The financial sector eventually recovered and is now a central part of the economy, together with the Panama Canal, helping the country become more prosperous than most of its neighbours. With this wellbeing threatened, it is no wonder that political and business leaders in Panama treat the scandal as little less than an act of foreign aggression against

Summary: Although a very small country, Panama is used to getting attention, for reasons good and bad.


The Welsh Government said it wants to understand what its focus should be for improvements. But whether restructuring of Betsi Cadwaladr health board features would depend on what the public says. A government spokesman disputed Welsh Tory criticism over whether a deadline to start the exercise had been missed. The health board, which serves north Wales, was put into special measures in 2015 after a report found "institutional abuse" at a mental health unit. A spokesman for the Welsh Government said: "One of the key objectives is to engage with staff, patients and communities to understand what matters most to them and what the focus should be to deliver improved outcomes in health services. "The first phase involves discussions with partners and regional stakeholders and this work commenced in August. The second phase will take place in the autumn and will involve digital and community engagement with the public." He said it would "depend on the views and responses provided if restructuring features". First Minister Carwyn Jones had hinted the health board could be broken up after the 2016 assembly election. But the Welsh Labour assembly manifesto vowed "no top-down, large-scale reorganisation" of the NHS under the next Welsh Labour Government - the same document said it would review the board's "governance structure if necessary". Welsh Labour promised in its manifesto before May's assembly poll that it would hold "discussions with people in north Wales about the future of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board" in "the first 100 days of the new assembly term". Aberconwy Tory AM, Janet Finch-Saunders, said it was "a deadline the Welsh Labour Government really ought to have met". "One would have hoped that engaging with the public would have been an immediate priority for the government which led the health board into special measures in the first place," she said. A Welsh Government spokesman said in response: "These comments undermine the positive progress made by the board in delivering improvements since they were put in special measures." He said: "Contrary to comments from the Conservatives, that process has already begun and a second phase will take place in the autumn that will involve engagement with the public as we want to know what, in their health service, matters to them the most."

Summary: Members of the public in north Wales are to be asked their views on the future of their region's health service this autumn.


The US firm already dominates the action-cam market, having sold more than $363m (Â£233m) worth of goods over the first three months of the year. The Hero4 Session benefits from being waterproof without needing a special case, but cannot go as deep as models fitted with separate housings. One expert said the firm risked having a "confusing" choice of products. GoPro is marketing the new camera as being 50% smaller and 40% lighter than other Hero4 models. It is: Although the new camcorder may appear to have lower specifications than the firm's other options, GoPro suggests that its compact form coupled with a new dual-microphone system - designed to better handle wind noise - should appeal to customers intending to use it on a regular basis. "We challenged ourselves to produce the smallest, lightest, most convenient GoPro possible," said the firm's founder Nicholas Woodman. "Sound quality is as important as image quality and we're very excited about the stunning audio advancements we've made." Costing Â£330, the Hero4 Session is only outpriced by the company's top-end Hero4 Black. One tech industry watcher said it would probably have "niche" appeal, but added that GoPro's current line-up risked bewildering consumers. "GoPro owns so much of the market that this is about trying to scoop up whatever is left," said James Trew, deputy managing editor of the Engadget news site. "It used to have just three cameras - good, better and best - and you paid for the one you thought was your level. "Now, in an effort to grow, I think there is a risk that it will start confusing customers, especially when the price of the Session is very similar to what are, on paper, better products. "But there will be some people it will call out to - for instance, people who might think this looks better on their helmet." GoPro faces a growing number of rivals, with EE, Xiaomi, Garmin and HTC among companies to have launched their own action cameras over recent months. The California-based firm notes, however, that it currently accounts for all of the US's top five best-selling products in the digital camera/camcorder category, according to data published by market research firm NPD. Even so, Mr Trew suggested that executives might feel they need to prove they are not complacent. "GoPro went public last year so they have a whole new set of pressures to deal with," he explained. "I think that's part of why we're now seeing more different stuff - including 360-degree camera mounts, virtual reality systems and broadcast technologies - to illustrate that it is staying ahead of the game in the face of increased competition."

Summary: GoPro has announced a new camera that is smaller and lighter than its earlier models.


A fire, started by a spilled oil lamp, swept through Exhall pit near Bedworth on 21 September, 1915, threatening the lives of the 375 men working there. The majority of the men were led to safety through a ventilation shaft by the man in charge underground. A circle of 14 trees, one for each man who died, has been planted around a granite memorial. The memorial, in St. Giles Meadow, was unveiled by the High Sherriff of Warwickshire.

Summary: A memorial has been dedicated to 14 men who died in a Warwickshire mining disaster a century ago.


Scotland's ancient universities elect rectors to chair their governing bodies and champion students' interests. Speaking at his inauguration, TV executive Steve Morrison said the new Higher Education Governance Bill could lead to their removal. The Scottish government said it had no plans to abolish the role of rector. The position of rector is an ancient one and in many respects often ceremonial. The rector of Edinburgh University presides over the institution's governing body. Inevitably, some rectors play a largely symbolic role - in 2014 students at Glasgow University elected whistleblower Edward Snowdon who is currently claiming asylum in Russia - and on occasions, celebrities and public figures have been elected. Other rectors, however, are in a position to try to be proactive champions of the students' interests. Rectors are elected at the four ancient universities - Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Aberdeen - and also at Dundee. The University of the Highlands and Islands has a rector although the role there is different . In his inauguration speech, Mr Morrison said he believed other Scottish higher education institutions should follow Edinburgh's example and warned proposed changes to the way universities are governed could end the role of the rector.. One proposal in the bill is to directly elect the chairs of each university's governing body, but some critics claim these elections could involve people other than students and staff. Mr Morrison said: "Every student and every member of staff, academic and non-academic, has the right to vote for the rector who presides over the governing body of the university - that is our inclusive Edinburgh model. "I respectfully propose that every Scottish higher education institution should follow this example when electing the chair." The Scottish government insisted it did not intent to abolish the position of rector at universities. A spokesman said: "The Scottish government recognises the contribution made by rectors. Over the summer, we have been talking to all higher education stakeholders, including current rectors, about their views on how a model for elected chairs of court might work in practice. "As the Higher Education Bill progresses through parliament, we will continue to listen to all constructive views and suggestions made." The Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill would require governing bodies to include at least two members directly elected by staff, and two members each nominated by trade unions, students' unions and alumni associations. The proposal that the chairs of the governing bodies be chosen through an election has proved controversial and led to claims that it could involve voters from outside the university. Critics have also argued that trade union representatives could be torn between the interests of their members and the interests of the institution. As well as a rector, Edinburgh University also has a vice convener who chairs several of the university's most important committees and helps hold the Principal to account. Mr Morrison is a graduate of Edinburgh University and was the first student to run to become rector in the 1960s. He later became the director of programmes and then chief executive of Granada Television. He

Summary: The new rector of Edinburgh University has warned that government plans for a shake-up in how universities are governed could threaten the role.