Based on the true story of the sinking of the Essex in 1820, the film, In the Heart of the Sea, portrays the whale as a merciless monster that pushes its shipwrecked victims to the brink of madness. Did such a terrifying creature ever exist? Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution say it probably did - but 15 million years ago. They've identified an ancient genus of sperm whale that, unlike its modern cousins, had enormous teeth. "Modern sperm whales only have teeth in their lower jaw, partly because their main food source is squid," says Alex Boersma, lead author of the new research published in the open access journal PLoS One. "To see a fossil sperm whale like ours that has these big prominent teeth in both the lower and upper jaws suggests they were feeding on something very different - possibly other marine animals." The fossil was part of a collection amassed in the 1920s by Remington Kellogg, a palaeontologist who helped introduce protections for whales and became the first chairman of the International Whaling Commission. The specimen was placed in the vast stores of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington where staff noticed that the label was incorrect. It said the bones belonged to an extinct walrus instead of a sperm whale. Confusion reigned until 90 years later when Nick Pyenson, the curator of fossil marine mammals and research co-author, decided to take another look. But examining the fossil posed its own problems. It weighed around 300 pounds (140kg) and was thoroughly encased in rock. "We could see places where people had tried to excavate the bone and where it had gone wrong because it's very hard to do," says Pyenson. Fortunately, a relatively recent tool to science made things easier. The fossil was scanned using lasers and the 3D data taken from the surface enabled the two scientists to study detailed digital models that could be rotated without having to move the rock itself. "This specimen is huge and the first time we rolled it over to see the underside, it took four people and we sacrificed a couple of fingers," says Boersma. "Having that 3D model was crucial." It was also critical to establishing the fact that the fossil contained upper teeth. "The discovery was pretty late on in the process and we had already written most of the manuscript," says Boersma. "We were looking at the computer model and talking over the phone and Nick said, 'I think it has upper teeth'. "We had to re-evaluate our paper which was exciting and stressful at the same time because it opened up our research to new possibilities and was the moment we realised that this whale was different to anything else in the fossil records." And although the fossil was incomplete and fragmented, the 3D models also helped Boersma create artistic impressions of what it may have looked like in the flesh. "This is where art meets science," says Pyenson. "3D lets you be creative and work with the resources you have in a very

Summary: In Hollywood's version of the events that inspired the classic novel Moby Dick, a giant sperm whale terrorises the crew of a whaling ship and eventually destroys the vessel.


Media playback is not supported on this device Efimova, who was allowed to compete after appealing against a doping ban, took silver with Tutton fourth. "I would've preferred it to have been a completely clean Games," the 20-year-old Welsh swimmer said afterwards. "I couldn't help who was here. I'm not happy with it, but that's how it is." Rie Kaneto won Japan's seventh gold medal at Rio 2016 to beat Efimova into silver. China's Jinglin Shi won bronze, just six one-hundreths of a second ahead of fourth-placed Tutton. Her British team-mate Molly Renshaw, 20, finished sixth. "Being fourth is a bit gutting, no matter who is in front of you," Tutton added. "It's a great experience and I'm a bit disappointed to come fourth. I'm so close to a medal and that would have been a dream. "But just to get into the final is a great experience that I'll take on with me for years to come." "It was a bit gutting but it will make me tough in the long run and it just makes me more hungry for a medal so hopefully next time I'll get closer." Efimova, who said she was tired of answering questions about her doping past, defended her right to compete at Rio. She was banned for 16 months in 2013 after traces of an anabolic steroid were found in her system. Earlier this year she was given a provisional ban after testing positive for meldonium, but the International Swimming Federation lifted the suspension after advice from the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada). The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) has ruled that athletes cannot be banned from Rio on the basis that they have been previously sanctioned. "Cas considered my appeal and I won. If someone dislikes it and has a different opinion, they can go to CAS," she explained. "I am not for doping and I have never used it. The second case was completely not my fault. Everyone should have a second chance. When you drive and you are just issued a ticket, no-one puts you in jail." Media playback is not supported on this device Earlier, Ben Proud set a British record to reach the men's 50m freestyle final. Commonwealth champion Proud, 21, swam a time of 21.54 seconds to qualify fifth fastest for Friday's final (02:44 BST Saturday). Find out how to get into swimming with our special guide. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Great Britain's Chloe Tutton appeared to criticise controversial swimmer Yulia Efimova's presence in Rio after the Russian finished ahead of her in the 200m breaststroke.


Kymberley Holden, 27, of Codnor in Derbyshire, died in November 2014 from high levels of OxyNorm. She had been prescribed ten times the correct dosage by Dr Lawrence Axten, who has apologised for his error. Dr Axten told her inquest he unwittingly gave her a concentrated dose of the medication. Ms Holden was prescribed OxyNorm to help her deal with severe pain in her right leg and took three doses in the hours leading up to her death. Tests showed she died from oxycodone intoxication - the generic name for OxyNorm - and Devic's disease. Lalitha Vaithianathar, her consultant neurologist and a forensic toxicologist, told Nottingham Coroner's Court it was the dosing of liquid OxyNorm over a short period of time in the final hours that caused the respiratory depression that led to her death. Coroner Elizabeth Didcock said the prescription error did not cause the 27-year-old's death, but made a "significant contribution". She added she "did not have confidence that the GP practice understands fully the duty to report serious incidents nor the duties to co-operate with a coronial investigation". Ms Holden's father Stephen said after the inquest: "I found the conclusion was satisfactory and as good a conclusion as she could come to. "I understand ... there are more policies and procedures and changes to come to hopefully prevent this from happening to anybody else. "It has been a very long, very difficult and very trying time." Ian Dye, her boyfriend, said: "She was the love of my life "I hope the coroner's recommendations are followed. There was a lack of knowledge about certain controlled drugs and I hope that will improve in the future and prevent something like this happening again." The family said a civil case was being considered.

Summary: A prescription error "significantly contributed" to the death of a woman who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a coroner has ruled.


A combination of high tides and strong winds caused a storm surge which overtopped flood defences. Hundreds of properties were evacuated with residents moved to emergency shelters. The Environment Agency said the tide on Thursday that caused the damage had been the highest since 1953. More than 500 properties were evacuated in the village of Keadby, near Scunthorpe, after a hole opened up in the bank of the River Trent. The Environment Agency said about 50 buildings in the village flooded after high tides. Others were evacuated in nearby Burringham on Thursday. One Burringham resident said the village's main street was "like a river" when the water flooded over the riverbank. "It's a bit devastating really, the damage it's caused," he said. "I haven't seen anything like that before. "The banks were like paper, just floating away when it went." Up to 100 properties have been flooded in Reedness in the East Riding, with some residents taken to Goole leisure centre. Homes in Gunness, Amcotts and South Ferriby in North Lincolnshire have also been evacuated. In Hull, residents living on some streets in the city centre were also removed to safety. Some hotels and shops near the city's waterfront lost power and were flooded. Philip Woods, manager of the Ibis Hotel in Hull, said all of the ground floor area was under water. "The surge of the water came into the hotel came down the long corridor and came into the rooms," he said Road and rail links to Hull were also affected. Part of the A63 in the west of the city was closed on Friday morning after water from the Humber covered the carriageway. Rail services in Hull and parts of North Lincolnshire were suspended. Richard Hannigan, chief fire officer at Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, said firefighters had saved 181 people from flood water. "We've moved now from the rescue phase into the recovery phase," he said. "We're putting out our high-volume pumps to start pumping out the residual water that of course is trapped in by the sea defences." Firefighters have been pumping water away from Hessle foreshore next to the Humber Bridge. James Jackson who lives next to the bridge said he thought it would be at least six months until his flooded home was back to normal "There'll be no Christmas party or anything this year," he said. "It's just going to be trying to get a resemblance of life again."

Summary: People across northern Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire are cleaning up after extensive flooding along the Humber Estuary.


Amar Mehraj, 29, was one of four men who gang raped a 17-year-old girl while she was unconscious in July 2009 in Oldbury, West Midlands. He then left the country but was caught at Birmingham Airport in November. Police said Mehraj had been jailed for nine years and nine months after admitting taking part in the attack. Three other men were jailed in 2010. Det Con Mark Timmins of West Midlands Police said: "This was a sickening crime against a vulnerable young girl, who was plied with alcohol and drugs before being sexually abused. "Protecting young people from harm is a priority for West Midlands Police and partner agencies and we take reports of sexual offences extremely seriously. "This case just goes to show that we will never give up on bringing offenders to justice. "Thankfully, justice has finally caught up with Mehraj." Mehraj, of Giles Road, Oldbury, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, having admitted his role in the attack at an earlier hearing.

Summary: A man who fled to Pakistan after raping a teenage girl has been jailed after he was caught trying to return to the UK.


In a first half of few chances, Oldham's Ryan Flynn had a 20-yard shot turned over the bar by Simon Moore while the home side's best effort came from Mark Duffy whose free-kick was saved by Connor Ripley. Sharp saw his header deflected wide and Kieron Freeman had a shot blocked. Soon after the restart, Duffy also had an effort blocked while Sharp tried a first-time shot from inside the area which went over. Josh Law floated a free-kick just over for the Latics before the hosts took control of the game. Sharp produced an emphatic finish on 72 minutes after receiving the ball from Duffy on the right-hand side of the area. Away substitute Freddie Ladapo went close to equalising when his 25-yard volley forced Moore to tip the ball wide. But Sharp added a second two minutes from time to wrap up the points for the Blades, sweeping home the loose ball after Leon Clarke put Ripley under pressure from Duffy's cross. Report supplied by the Press Association Match ends, Sheffield United 2, Oldham Athletic 0. Second Half ends, Sheffield United 2, Oldham Athletic 0. Chris Basham (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Josh Law (Oldham Athletic). Billy Sharp (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Peter Clarke (Oldham Athletic). Substitution, Sheffield United. Stefan Scougall replaces Mark Duffy. Attempt missed. Leon Clarke (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Cameron Dummigan. Substitution, Sheffield United. Jake Wright replaces Paul Coutts. Goal! Sheffield United 2, Oldham Athletic 0. Billy Sharp (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Leon Clarke. Substitution, Oldham Athletic. Carl Winchester replaces Paul Green. Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Brian Wilson. Attempt saved. Mark Duffy (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Brian Wilson. Substitution, Oldham Athletic. Lee Croft replaces Charles Dunne. Corner, Oldham Athletic. Conceded by Simon Moore. Attempt saved. Freddie Ladapo (Oldham Athletic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Foul by Billy Sharp (Sheffield United). Peter Clarke (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Substitution, Oldham Athletic. Freddie Ladapo replaces Darius Osei. Goal! Sheffield United 1, Oldham Athletic 0. Billy Sharp (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mark Duffy. Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Cameron Dummigan. Ethan Ebanks-Landell (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Ethan Ebanks-Landell (Sheffield United). Paul Green (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. Billy Sharp (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Attempt missed. Jack O'Connell (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left following a set piece situation. Cameron

Summary: Two second-half goals from Billy Sharp gave high-flying Sheffield United victory over struggling Oldham Athletic.


It is up for six Razzies - including worst picture, worst director, worst actor and worst actress. Jupiter Ascending, Pixels, and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 also have six nods each for the Golden Raspberry Awards, to be announced next month. The awards launched in 1980 as a spoof of the Oscars. Nominees for the Razzies have been named the day before the Oscars shortlist is announced. Superhero film Fantastic Four, sci-fi adventure Jupiter Ascending, comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 and Adam Sandler's video game film Pixels complete the line-up for worst picture. Fifty Shades of Grey, the film version of EL James' erotic novel detailing the sadomasochistic affair between student Anastasia Steele and billionaire Christian Grey, is also nominated for worst screenplay. Its stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan are cited for worst screen combo. Sam Taylor-Johnson, nominated as worst director, has since pulled out of directing its planned two sequels. The next Fifty Shades film is due for release next year. Sandler is Razzie-nominated for a fifth consecutive year and could pick up awards for worst actor, for Pixels and The Cobbler, and worst screen combo, for "Adam Sandler and any pair of shoes" in the latter film. Eddie Redmayne, tipped for an Oscar nomination for his role in The Danish Girl, is in contention for worst supporting actor for playing villain Balem Abrasax in Jupiter Ascending. Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum are nominated for worst actress and worst actor for the Andy and Lana Wachowski-directed film. Oscar-winner Gwyneth Paltrow gets a worst actress nod for comedy heist Mortdecai - with co-star Johnny Depp scoring two nominations, for worst actor and worst screen combo for his partnership with his glued-on moustache. It isn't all bad news for the nominees however, with the Razzie Redeemer Awards rewarding previous Golden Raspberry recipients who have gone on to do good work in the past year. Nominees for that prize include Sylvester Stallone, for his Golden Globe-winning role as Rocky Balboa in Creed, director Elizabeth Banks for Pitch Perfect 2, M. Night Shyamalan for directing horror film The Visit and Will Smith for Concussion. The winners will be announced in Hollywood on 27 February - the day before the Oscars ceremony - having been voted for online by around 900 members of the Razzies committee. Those "honoured" for the worst films of the past 12 months will win a gold spray-painted trophy worth $4.97 (£3.44) if they bother turning up - but unlike the Oscars, the winners usually stay away. Sandra Bullock is among those who have attended the ceremony - showing up with DVDs of All About Steve to hand to the audience after being named worst actress in 2010.

Summary: The contenders for the worst films of the year have been announced, with Fifty Shades of Grey dominating the nominations.


Paterson, 59, who exaggerated or invented cancer risks in patients, was convicted of 17 counts of wounding with intent last month. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said his malpractice was "profoundly shocking". Baroness Lorely Burt, former Lib Dem MP for Solihull, called for any inquiry to be held in public. Paterson, from Altrincham, Greater Manchester, was convicted on 28 April following a nine-week trial which found he intentionally and unlawfully wounded 10 patients. He is due to be sentenced this month. Mr Hunt said Paterson "totally neglected" his duty of care for the patients he treated at two privately run West Midlands hospitals. "As a result I have agreed that, if returned to government, we will hold a comprehensive and focused inquiry to ensure that any lessons are learnt in the interests of ensuring patients are protected in future. "We will take any testimony from those affected, their families, and others who may wish to come forward." Baroness Burt said: "I'm sure the patients harmed by Paterson are all very grateful that the health secretary has announced an inquiry into the case, after they battled alone for years to get justice. "It's just a shame he never intervened on behalf of the private patients who had to go it alone through obstacle after obstacle." She said she hoped it would reveal why Paterson was allowed to operate for so long with impunity, but called for the inquiry to be held in public so a "bright light be shone into the way the NHS and private practice is being run which allows such things to happen". Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said Labour would support an inquiry into Paterson's "reprehensible actions". "Not only have his actions cost the public purse dearly, but they have devastated the lives of innocent people who deserved better," he said. "This unacceptable practice must never be repeated again." Victims have claimed Paterson had a "God complex" and jurors were told he performed "extensive, life-changing operations for no medically-justifiable reason". Ian Paterson: Surgeon was 'psychopathic like Shipman' Patient 'violated' by breast surgery The Heart of England NHS Trust has paid out almost Â£18m in damages and legal costs to hundreds of his former patients. These cases did not form part of the criminal proceedings. An independent report into his work in 2013, by lawyer Sir Ian Kennedy, found concerns dated back to 2003 but were not dealt with for four years. Later this year, 350 private patients who had unnecessary operations will seek compensation at the High Court, solicitors have said. Some former patients have been calling for a public inquiry into what he did and complained this week that they have been "airbrushed" out. 1,207 patients given a mastectomy, including "cleavage-sparing" operations 675 mastectomy patients have since died 68 of his surviving patients have seen their cancer return

Summary: The Conservatives have pledged to hold an inquiry into the actions of disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson, if the party is returned to power.


"You look for the deep characteristics. There's no need to concentrate on the appearance." For someone who has worked in the tea industry for more than 50 years, Anglo-Indian businessman Nirmal Sethia has lost none of his passion for the drink. Now in his 70s, he also still takes tea very seriously. "Tea is life," he says. "Tea is religion, tea is music." The co-founder and boss of upmarket brand Newby Teas, Mr Sethia's relationship with tea started in London after the end of World War Two. However, Mr Sethia, the son of a successful third-generation Indian businessman, initially just wanted to have fun in life. Looking back on his teenage years, he says: "I was a rebel. "I used to see all the boys smoking in London and wanted some of that. Smoking, and drinking, and girls looked exciting to me, even at 13." It was then that he told his father that he didn't want to go to school any more. "I knew that route wasn't for me. I didn't want to do exams, and wanted something more exciting." A chance encounter one day with someone who worked in a tea supplier led to Mr Sethia becoming an apprentice tea taster for one of the biggest tea merchants in London, something he believes was the hand of God guiding him. "It was my first lucky break," he says. "Divine intervention I suppose. "Someone I knew saw me smoking outside the tea offices, and seemed to see something in me. He worked there and introduced me to the boss." That first encounter on a London street in the late 1950s started a lifelong love affair with tea for Mr Sethia. He was soon working for one of biggest tea importers in the Republic of Ireland as a buyer in India, tasked with buying tea at auctions in Kolkata (formerly called Calcutta). His father was impressed with how his son had taken to working in the tea industry, and encouraged him to do more. So with his dad's support, the young Nirmal Sethia started his own business - Sethia Tea Estates - from the family's home in Kolkata, buying and selling teas from all over the world, for tea merchants the length and breadth of the UK and Republic of Ireland. By then tea had really taken over his life, and Mr Sethia bought a tea plantation in the north eastern Indian state of Assam. "I didn't have any money [left over]... I used to sleep on the veranda of one of the buildings in the tea garden and drink tea," he says. "I taught myself about the different characteristics and subtleties in flavour. I seemed to have a gift for tasting tea. I was able to distinguish and discern teas from different parts of India and beyond, something that impressed the buyers I met." Having made a success of his tea business, Mr Sethia's destiny took a different path in 1965 when he started his own company dealing in jute, a vegetable fibre used to make rope and bags. He says:

Summary: "Tea is like a beautiful woman," says Nirmal Sethia.


The arrangement will see Glasgow-based Clyde Space build two small satellites called CubeSats to observe the changing biology of the surface ocean. Scientists believe it has implications for the marine food chain, fisheries and climate scientists, among others. Clyde Space said the collaboration could be a "game changer". The project is being led by John M Morrison, Prof of Physics and Physical Oceanography at the University of North Carolina. It also involves scientists from other organisations such as Nasa and the Hawk Institute for Space Sciences. Clyde Space chief executive Craig Clark said: "We're extremely excited to be involved in this mission. "Previous missions have used large satellites which come with a big price attached whereas the CubeSats are flexible, low-cost and economically viable." Clyde Space specialises in producing small satellite, nanosatellite and CubeSat systems. It built the UKube-1 which was launched into space from Kazakhstan in July last year.

Summary: The company which designed and built Scotland's first satellite has teamed up with US-based scientists to develop new technology to study ocean biology.


Five men were jailed in March for the £400,000 spree of raids and burglaries across the east of England. About 140 officers from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and two other units swooped on properties linked to the men on Wednesday. It is thought the gang bought the goods with money from the robberies. Police seized an Audi A5, a pick-up truck, a caravan, quad bikes and heavy machinery including diggers from properties in Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, Potton in Bedfordshire and Upwell in Norfolk. Cannabis factories, with a combined street value between £18,000 and £54,000, were also discovered at the Potton and Upwell properties. Police said the properties were connected to Joseph Upton, John Smith and Albert Smith. Along with John Christopher Smith and Alfred Stanley, they were sentenced to 22 years for carrying out ram-raids at 12 banks in 2012 across Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. They stole more than £300,000 from cash machines and cars and jewellery more than £100,000 during burglaries. Damage caused in the ram-raids was estimated at costing about £250,000 to repair. The courts will eventually decide what goods the gang accumulated from their wrong-doing and if they should be confiscated. Det Ch Insp Chris Balmer, from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, which helped to serve the warrants, said the ram-raids affected "rural communities who lost their access to cash machines" and those who had "cars and machinery stolen by the gang in order to carry out the crimes". "We will continue to pursue criminals after they have been convicted at court in order to strip them of any assets they may have gained," he said.

Summary: Thousands of pounds' worth of cars and machinery have been seized by police from a ram-raid gang that used JCB diggers to rip out cash machines.


Fifty-one Syrian refugees arrived in Belfast last month under a government scheme, having been deemed as being at "real risk" in their home country. Employment and Learning Minister Stephen Farry said language classes would help people settling in Northern Ireland to "integrate into society". The lessons are expected to cost about Â£20,000 each year. A second group of refugees is expected to arrive in Northern Ireland before April, and they will be settled in Londonderry. The lessons will be provided at further education colleges, but would not apply to economic migrants. Mr Farry said it was in the "public interest" to help refugees settling in Northern Ireland. "The measures ensure that no one who comes to Northern Ireland seeking refuge from persecution or war is disadvantaged simply because of their immigration status," he added. He said the lessons would be offered to all people in Northern Ireland with refugee status. "Analysis indicates that demand for provision is relatively small so any additional costs will be affordable within the department's budget."

Summary: Refugees in Northern Ireland will be offered free English lessons, a Stormont minister has said.


He faces charges including hostage-taking, kidnapping and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction. Belmokhtar remains at large and the US is offering a $5m (Â£3.2m) reward for information leading to his arrest. Three US citizens were among at least 37 hostages killed when Algerian troops stormed the Tigantourine plant. Days earlier, gunmen had seized local and foreign workers at the complex. "Belmokhtar brought terror and blood to these innocent people and now we intend to bring Belmokhtar to justice," said Preet Bharara, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, in a statement. Profile: Al-Qaeda in North Africa The charges unveiled on Friday said Belmokhtar had appeared in an online video the day after the siege ended, claiming he had carried out the attack on behalf of al-Qaeda. George Venizelos, head of the FBI's New York office, said the charges "describe a fanatical jihadist leading an extremist vanguard of an extremist ideology''. Belmokhtar is a former leading figure in al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) but is now believed to head a group of militants known variously as the Signed-in-Blood Battalion, the Masked Men Brigade and the Khaled Abu al-Abbas Brigade. He was designated a foreign terrorist by the US Treasury Department in 2003. The hostage crisis began on 16 January when militants attacked two buses carrying foreign workers from the Tigantourine gas facility near In Amenas in eastern Algeria. The militants took foreign workers hostage at the gas complex, which was quickly surrounded by the Algerian army. Special forces stormed the living area on 19 January and the gas treatment plant two days later. At least 29 militants also died in the shoot-out.

Summary: US prosecutors have charged militant Islamist leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar over a deadly siege at an Algerian gas plant in January.


Dahl's daughter Lucy will accept the accolade on behalf of her father in a special episode of the children's TV show, to be aired on CBBC on Thursday. Dahl much-loved works include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and The Twits. Had he not died in 1990, the author would have been 100 on 13 September. Thursday's programme will see science presenter Greg Foot recreate Frobscottle - the favourite drink of the BFG, or Big Friendly Giant. The show will also feature a performance by the cast of the West End musical version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Only a handful of gold Blue Peter badges are given out each year, in recognition of bravery, inspiration, citizenship and outstanding achievements. Lucy Dahl said it was "extraordinary" and "truly amazing" for her father to receive the accolade. "When you read a book you create your own version of the story, and you create your own pictures in your own mind," she said. "Dad felt that reading books was one of the most important things a child could do, because he felt that imagination was so important." "Roald Dahl's literary magic continues to enchant generations of children and will do for years to come," Blue Peter editor Ewan Vinnicombe said. "Blue Peter is honoured to be able to celebrate his remarkable imagination in this special show." Previous recipients of the gold Blue Peter badge include US film-maker Steven Spielberg and the illustrator and children's author Chris Riddell. Schools across the UK marked Roald Dahl Day on Tuesday by asking pupils to dress up as their favourite characters from his books. Celebrations continue this weekend in Cardiff, which will be transformed into "The City of the Unexpected" in an arts event involving 6,000 participants. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Children's author Roald Dahl is to become the first person to be honoured posthumously with a gold Blue Peter badge.


Luke Davenport, 24, from Cambridge, was left in an induced coma after the collision in June. He is now home and undergoing rehabilitation to recover from multiple broken bones. Mr Davenport will be on the sidelines at the British Touring Car Championships in Norfolk on Sunday. He said the crash had not thwarted his dream of participating in the Le Mans 24-hour race one day. The incident on 10 June, at the Croft Circuit, in North Yorkshire, happened when Mr Davenport aquaplaned off the track. He was unable to restart the car and other drivers ended up colliding with Mr Davenport's driver's side door. Mr Davenport, who lives in Madingley, broke his left tibia, fibula and ankle, damaged ligaments in his right leg and broke his pelvis. He also broke four ribs, punctured both lungs and broke his collarbone. Mr Davenport, who dreamt of becoming a racing car driver from the age of seven, started physiotherapy this week. He said: "We are so fortunate that I'm going to make a full recovery. "There are a lot of stories of some big names in the sport who have come back from serious crashes to fuel the fire." Mr Davenport, who started karting before stepping up to touring cars in 2012, said being at Snetterton on Sunday will be "emotional". "It's Snetterton where I got my first drive, it's my local track and my friends and family were going to be there to watch. "Just when the car's got race-winning potential, I'm not going to be racing," said the Shredded Wheat Racing driver.

Summary: A touring car driver who was seriously injured in an 11-car pile-up is prepared for an "emotional" return to the racing scene.


Trinity chairman Michael Carter said in Sunday's Salford programme notes that 2017 is their final year at Belle Vue. The venue would not meet minimum ground standards for the top flight. "We believe Wakefield playing at Featherstone would be the best-possible fit for supporters," Rovers general manager Davide Longo said. "[Particularly] given the fact our stadium is situated less than five miles away." Longo said informal talks had been held between the clubs which, if successful, would see Trinity play home fixtures in the town in addition to their existing training agreement. "I think it goes without saying that our stadium meets minimum standards set by the Rugby Football League," he added. "And we are constantly making improvements to ensure it continues to develop as a high-quality facility - fit for top-flight and even international rugby league. "I, for one, sympathise a great deal with the Wakefield board of directors, staff, players and supporters, given the predicament they find themselves in. " It is not the first time Wakefield have considered moving on - with Dewsbury tipped as a destination - before an agreement to redevelop the site was completed. However, there has been no further development six months on and Trinity, who moved into the ground in 1895, have issued notice of their intentions to leave. Super League's minimum requirements for 2016 stipulate that grounds must have a minimum capacity of 5,000, with 2,000 of that seated. Belle Vue's capacity is just over 7,000 while Post Office Road has an 8,000 capacity. There are other requirements including media facilities, disabled access and provision as well as closed-circuit television and parking.

Summary: Featherstone Rovers have made a formal offer to Super League club Wakefield Trinity to ground-share at Post Office Road for at least 2018.


Lough Swilly lifeboat station is the first in Ireland to get the brand new Shannon Class lifeboat. The 2.4m euros (Â£1.8m) boat was built in England and is the smallest, fastest and lightest in the RNLI fleet. The boat was designed by Peter Eyre from Londonderry who was rescued by a Lough Swilly lifeboat when he was 14. Lough Swilly lifeboat operations manager John McCarter said it was an amazing new addition. "It is probably the most advanced lifeboat that has entered the lifeboat fleet. It is absolutely new and fully up to date oat that has immense capabilities and we're the first station in Ireland to receive one. "Indeed it's the first class of lifeboat to be named after an Irish river so it's a double first. It's an amazing bit of kit, we've had crews on it bringing it home and they are really over the moon on the capabilities the boat has and what an upgrade it will bring to the service here out of Lough Swilly. "Peter cut his teeth sailing in Lough Swilly and got the bug for the water and has done a lot of good work within the RNLI and is pretty much the chief designer of this Shannon class boat and we're delighted that that is also a great connection to Lough Swilly, Derry and the north west." Peter Eyre who is now an RNLI naval architect based in Poole, in England was instrumental in the development of the new lifeboat. Mr Eyre attended Foyle and Londonderry College before studying ship science at the University of Southampton. He began designing the hull form at the age of 24 in his spare time. He said his own experience with the RNLI as a teenager was the inspiration for the boat. "It was quite a stormy day on the Swilly and we were out sailing in our family yacht and lost the mast because of the strong winds and the Swilly crew came out to us and brought us to safety so that was my first foray with the RNLI. "This boat is much quicker than the one it replaces, it does 25 knots. Time is of essence for most of these rescues and it's also much safer for the crews especially in rough weather. "We would share a lot of the same base of suppliers with formula one so it's quite similar in the design approach using all the cutting edge technology available. I'm incredibly proud."

Summary: A new RNLI lifeboat designed by a man who was saved by the service as a teenager has arrived in County Donegal.


Wilson, Blues attack coach Matt Sherratt and Scarlets backs coach Stephen Jones will join tour head coach Robin McBryde in Tonga and Samoa. "It's a great opportunity and I think we [Sherratt and I] will both come back as better coaches," said Wilson. "[It] will hopefully benefit Cardiff Blues as well." Wilson continued: "It was an honour to be asked. I'm not thinking about anything at the moment other than doing my job here at Cardiff Blues and at the end of the season I'll start thinking about the tour and the opportunity that presents." Former Wales Under-20s head coach Wilson joined Cardiff Blues from Bristol in 2015 having previously worked with Scarlets and Newport Gwent Dragons. Wilson admits he had to think hard before accepting the role. "It was more a discussion with my wife than anything else because it falls during our time off when we're away from Cardiff Blues, but it's a great opportunity for me," he added. "We'll also be organising pre-season so it'll be a busy time. But for me personally, with where I am with my career, it was a great opportunity I wanted to take with both hands, and also I hope I'll come back to Cardiff Blues better for the experience." Formerly a scrum coach, Wilson is expecting to primarily to work with Wales' forwards in Tonga and Samoa. "Obviously my area is set-piece and forward play and that will be a heavy part of the role," he said. "It's all happened quite quickly and we've had the rough discussions around it, but they're ongoing."

Summary: Cardiff Blues head coach Danny Wilson says his experience with Wales on next summer's two-Test tour of the Pacific Islands will improve him as a coach.


Three drivers had sued Uber, arguing they were employees of the company. Being classed as contractors meant they had not been able to claim expenses or receive tips, they claimed. Uber said few current drivers would qualify for the lawsuit, while the judge estimated the number of eligible drivers could be in the hundreds. The lawsuit had sought to include the 160,000 drivers who had worked for Uber in California since 2009. The ruling by US District Judge Edward Chen means that Uber drivers in California can sue as a group over whether they should have received tips. Shannon Liss-Riordan, a lawyer representing drivers in the case, said that contrary to Uber's argument, "many thousands" would be eligible to participate in the legal action. "This decision is a major victory for Uber drivers," she said. Lonnie Giamela, a labour lawyer in Los Angeles who has been following the case, said the ruling "sets the stage for a trial and a legal battle that will have dramatic implications for Uber's business model as well as more generally how independent contractors are viewed under California law". Judge Chen rejected Uber's argument that there was no typical Uber driver, saying there was little evidence for that claim. He said the drivers had much in common, including that Uber sets their pay, uses feedback from customers to evaluate them and could fire them. The judge also found there was "no basis" to support Uber's claim "that some innumerable legion of drivers prefer to remain independent contractors rather than become employees". An ultimate finding that drivers were employees could threaten Uber's business model by forcing it to make social security contributions and thus raising its costs. Its use of contractors has kept costs low and allowed the company to undercut traditional cab operators, sparking protests by taxi drivers in cities including London, Paris and Rio de Janiero. In June, a California labour commissioner ruled that an Uber driver was an employee, not a contractor. Uber has appealed against that decision. Meanwhile, a woman who was suing Uber over an alleged rape by a driver in India has withdrawn her lawsuit. The passenger, who reported being raped and beaten after hailing a ride with the Uber driver in Delhi last year, sued the company in a US federal court in January, claiming the company failed to maintain basic safety procedures. Uber had argued in court filings that the woman sued the wrong corporate entity as the driver had a contract with Uber BV, a Netherlands-based entity with no US operations. The court filing did not disclose any details about how the case was settled, and representatives for Uber and the woman both declined to comment.

Summary: A judge has allowed Uber drivers in California to take legal action to determine whether they are contractors or employees.


The company reported revenue of almost $2.8bn (Â£2.1) in the three months to 30 June, up from $1.3bn during the same period last year. Losses increased to $336m, compared with $293m last year. But investors were encouraged by the firm's prospects and shares rose by more than 7% in after-hours trading. Tesla, which also has a solar energy division, said almost $2.3bn in revenue during the quarter came from the firm's automotive unit - roughly the same as in the previous quarter, but 93% higher than the same period in 2016. However, the company's costs, including for research and development and sales, also rose contributing to the 15% rise in its losses for the quarter. Tesla is preparing to ramp up car production, as it rolls out its most affordable ($35,000) car yet for the mass market. Tesla told shareholders it expects revenue to grow "significantly" in the second half of the year, while expenses hold steady. The firm delivered more than 47,000 of its earlier high-end Model S and Model X cars in the first half of 2017, growth of more than 50% from the prior year. Since it rolled out its latest car, Model 3, to a small group last week, it is averaging more than 1,800 reservations for the car a day, adding to the more than 400,000 orders that are already placed. So far, demand for the new make isn't cannibalising interest in the older models, chief executive Elon Musk added. "July was one of our best months ever," he said. "Who knows if this will continue, but all indications are that it will, so that's very exciting." The firm hopes to make 5,000 of the Model 3 cars per week by the end of 2017. The firm plans to eventually make more than 500,000 a year at its Fremont factory - or about 10,000 per week. Elon Musk's company is spending big to make sure the target of 50,000 Model 3s by the end of the year isn't missed. Production of the "affordable" ($35,000) car being on schedule is critical to the company's future - perhaps even the future of Mr Musk himself as he seeks to court even more money for outlandish projects. That's why Tesla burned through over $1bn in the last quarter, as analysts had anticipated. There are half a million pre-orders for the Model 3, and Mr Musk said the company is facing "manufacturing hell" to get them all made. According to the latest projections, Tesla thinks it's on course to keep customers happy. Any wavering on that goal would send the stock price south. For now, things are on track.

Summary: Electric car-maker Tesla quarterly revenues have more than doubled helped by higher deliveries of its upmarket vehicles but its losses also grew.


Parts of Madeira Terraces, have been fenced off since summer after warnings the Victorian structure could collapse. Council leader Warren Morgan revealed in a Facebook post the authority has applied for Â£50,000 from the government's coastal revival fund. Homeless people had been sleeping under the arches. Mr Morgan said: "It is the preliminary step of the restoration process and whilst it does not detail our plans, I hope that it shows that a process, however slow, is underway." The concern with the structure surrounds the corrosion of steel beams embedded in concrete which supports the deck of the terraces. It was announced in October that more fencing was to be installed after rough sleepers were discovered. At the time, Mr Morgan said the site would be secured and staff would help people find safer accommodation.

Summary: Brighton's crumbling seafront arches may be restored after the council revealed it has applied for funding to help redevelop the site.


The Glasgow Kelvin MSP Sandra White is proposing legislation which would also make it illegal for vehicles to double park. Her bill won unanimous support, but is unlikely to complete its passage through Parliament before the election. The SNP government has pledged to legislate to tackle irresponsible parking if it returns to power after the May poll. The Footway Parking and Double Parking (Scotland) Bill would make it illegal to park on pavements and dropped kerbs, and restrict double parking on roads. It gained broad support from the public during consultation. When Ms White's bill was originally introduced to the Scottish Parliament in May last year it was unclear whether Holyrood or Westminster has the power to legislate. The powers have now been agreed as part of the package of further powers included in the Scotland Bill. Ms White said she was "delighted" the bill had passed the first stage of the parliamentary process. She added: "Reckless parking can make life extraordinarily difficult for those with mobility or sight issues as well as many other pedestrians. It's right that we make it clear that bad parking is unacceptable. "After raising this issue for several years I am glad that we now have the power to act."

Summary: MSPs have voted in principle to make it an offence to park on pavements.


The celebrated US fashion designer was found dead in her New York flat on Monday in an apparent suicide. Sir Mick earlier said he failed "to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way". In a statement on their website, the band thanked fans for their support. They said: "The Rolling Stones are deeply sorry and disappointed to announce the postponement of the rest of their 14 On Fire tour of Australia and New Zealand following the death of L'Wren Scott. "Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood wish to thank all of their fans for their support at this difficult time and hope that they will fully understand the reason for this announcement. "The Rolling Stones are planning to reschedule these postponed shows at a later date." The British rock band had been due to begin the tour in Perth on Wednesday, having flown in to the Western Australian city on Sunday. On his website, Sir Mick, who started dating Scott in 2001, said they had spent "many wonderful years together". He described his partner as having "had great presence" and said "her talent was much admired, not least by me". Sir Mick added: "I have been touched by the tributes that people have paid to her, and also the personal messages of support that I have received. I will never forget her." Scott, 49, was found by her assistant at 10:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Monday. Ninety minutes earlier, Scott had sent her assistant a text message asking her to come to her Manhattan apartment, without specifying the reason why, the Associated Press news agency reported. Police said there was no sign of foul play and no note has been found. Supermodel Naomi Campbell, Vogue editor Anna Wintour and singer Madonna were among those who were fans of the designer. The former model founded her own high-end fashion label in 2006 and created a more affordable line of clothes with Banana Republic. She was also a costume consultant on films including Ocean's Thirteen and Eyes Wide Shut. Wintour described Scott as "a total perfectionist... always unbelievably generous, gracious, kind and so much fun." Madonna wrote in a statement: "This is a horrible and tragic loss. I'm so upset. I loved L'Wren's work and she was always so generous with me." Actress Nicole Kidman, said to be a friend of many years, was "heartbroken and in shock right now and unable to say anything", according to a spokeswoman. Bianca Jagger, one of Sir Mick's former wives, tweeted: "Heartbroken to learn of the loss of the lovely and talented L'Wren Scott. My thoughts and prayers are with her family. May she rest in peace." The UK's Press Complaints Commission (PCC) told the BBC it had received a small number of complaints from the public over images published which apparently showed an upset Sir Mick at the time he was told Scott had died. It is understood the singer has not yet complained personally, but the PCC said it would deal with the

Summary: The Rolling Stones have postponed their Australia and New Zealand tour after the death of Sir Mick Jagger's girlfriend L'Wren Scott.


The New York real estate mogul has posted a consistently commanding lead in presidential preference polls in the state, which holds its primary election just two weeks after Iowa and New Hampshire. He's made more than a dozen trips there, drawing crowds in the thousands, while the gatherings of his competitors pull in hundreds at best. In fact, across the South - in states like Mississippi, Florida, Texas, Georgia and North Carolina - Mr Trump has been immensely popular. Last August, the candidate gave a speech at a football stadium in Mobile, Alabama, that drew an estimated crowd of 30,000 - orders of magnitude above what any other Republican has tallied. It all makes for a rather unusual attraction, given that Southerners can look askance at brash Northerners like Trump, whom they often derisively refer to as Yankees. Four years ago, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich - from neighbouring Georgia - shocked eventual nominee Mitt Romney with a double-digit win in South Carolina. In 2008, Mike Huckabee - a former governor of Arkansas - dominated the Deep South, taking five states. Rudy Giuliani, the last New Yorker to mount a serious campaign for the Republican nomination, was trounced in South Carolina and Florida, and killed his campaign before the other Southern states voted. But as Donald Trump stood in a packed basketball arena on Friday in Rock Hill, South Carolina - the state where the first shots of the US Civil War were fired - it appeared clear that the New York businessman's appeal transcends accents and upbringing. "He'll take the South," said Thomas Goodson of Harksville, South Carolina. "No doubt about it." He added that he found the candidate's New York bluntness refreshing. "He tells you like it is, and it hits you right, square between the eyes." Goodson was one of a crowd of more than 6,000 cheering for Mr Trump that night, and the candidate basked in the adoration. "South Carolina is a special place," Mr Trump said to cheers. "They're all saying how well I do in South Carolina, like, beyond any place. I want to just thank you." He pointed to one man standing near the front of the stage. "This guy, he's been to 10 of my rallies," he said. "He's like a brother to me, this one." Mr Trump spoke for nearly an hour - despite repeated interruptions from protesters - with his usual string of derisive comments about his political opponents and calls for a strong US foreign policy, a border wall with Mexico and a temporary prohibition of Muslims entering the country. "They say my tone isn't nice," he said. "They're killing us all over the world. Who the hell cares? We've got to have a tough tone." Patty Teter of York, South Carolina, said that she didn't find Mr Trump's tough tone, delivered in his sharp New York accent, at all disagreeable. "Contrary to popular belief, Southerners are a lot tougher than we look," she said, adding that Mr Trump's carnival-style rally - complete with popcorn concessions and souvenir vendors - was

Summary: When Donald Trump takes the stage at the Republican debate in Charleston, South Carolina, on Thursday night, he'll have an unlikely home field advantage.


The victim, who is in his 40s, sustained head injuries in the attack outside a licensed premises in Flax Street at about 05:25 BST. He was taken to hospital and a police spokesman said he is "said to be in a critical but stable condition". Det Insp Heather Whoriskey appealed to anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward with information.

Summary: A man is critically ill after he was attacked by a number of people in an overnight assault in north Belfast.


The show's creator, Ryan Murphy, tweeted the announcement saying: "Kathy Bates is running the Hotel. â€ª#AHSSeason5." It's unclear exactly what her job will be, but it sounds like she'll be in charge of the hotel. The 66-year-old actress played lead roles in previous seasons American Horror Story: Coven and American Horror Show: Freak Show. Chloe Sevigny, Lady Gaga, Wes Bentley, Matt Bomer and Cheyenne Jackson all have parts in the fifth series. Kathy Bates played a bearded lady, Ethel Darling in Freak Show and won an Emmy for her role in Coven playing Madame Delphine Lalaurie. The actress is arguably best known for her role as a psychopathic nurse in Misery in 1990 for which she won the best actress Academy Award and a Golden Globe. She later received two more Oscar nominations for 1998's Primary Colors and 2002's About Schmidt. Filming for AHS: Hotel is expected to begin in the next few months with the premiere in October. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Kathy Bates is to star in the new series of American Horror Story: Hotel.


Timothy Smith, 57, was pushed during the robbery in The Drive, Hullbridge, at about 23:00 GMT on 19 March. He fell heavily on to a low level wall and suffered a serious brain injury. He died two days later. A 50-year-old man from Southend has been detained on suspicion of murder, robbery and possessing a firearm. Detectives are appealing for anyone who saw a Ford transit van in or near Ferry Road, or two men at or near a bus stop on Ferry Road in Hullbridge on 19 March between 19:00 and 23:00 GMT, to contact them.

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of committing a murder during an armed robbery in Essex.


Footage from the area shows a huge column of lava and ash being sent several kilometres into the air. The authorities have declared a red alert and evacuated more than 4,000 people within a 20km (12 mile) radius. The Calbuco volcano is one of the most active in Chile, but its eruption took officials in the area by surprise. Alejandro Verges, an emergency director for the region, said Calbuco had not been under any special form of observation. Calbuco eruption: your pictures The inhabitants of the nearby town of Ensenada - along with residents from two other smaller communities - have been ordered to evacuate their homes. Schools in the area have been shut and some flights cancelled. The nearby city of Puerto Montt - a gateway to the popular Patagonia region - has already been blanketed in a cloud of ash. TV footage showed traffic jams in the city and long queues at petrol stations. The nearby town of Puerto Varas was also under a state of alert. Mayor Gervoy Paredes said residents were "very, very frightened". "I had never seen this before. It scares you in the beginning. You start to wonder what is going to happen to you," said one unnamed woman. "Everyone starts to think about gathering water and I don't know what. We got together with the neighbours to see what we would do and wait for news over the radio because we knew that they were evacuating Ensenada and other places near the volcano." Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo called on people affected to "remain calm and stay informed". Neighbouring Argentina has also put emergency measures in place for the city of Bariloche - about 100km from Calbuco - where ash clouds are expected. Residents there have been warned to stay indoors. Chile has the second largest chain of volcanoes in the world after Indonesia, with about 500 that are potentially active. It is southern Chile's second volcanic eruption in as many months. In March, the Villarrica volcano erupted in the early hours of the morning, spewing ash and lava. The authorities say this latest eruption is more serious.

Summary: The Calbuco volcano in southern Chile has erupted twice in the space of a few hours - having lain dormant for decades.


Voting was extended three times as crowds reportedly flocked to polling stations. Turnout was said to be high. Iranians have been electing a new parliament and Assembly of Experts, a clerical body that appoints the Supreme Leader. Reformists are hoping to gain influence in the conservative-dominated bodies. But of 12,000 people who registered as candidates, only half were allowed to stand, including just 200 moderates. The outcome could affect reformist President Hassan Rouhani's chances of re-election in 2017. What is the Assembly of Experts? Iran elections: Five things to know Elections highlight divisions Punchy politics on social media Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for a big turnout to "disappoint" the country's enemies. "Whoever likes Iran and its dignity, greatness and glory should vote," he said after casting his ballot. State TV said polling stations had closed at 23:45 (20:15 GMT), more than five hours after the scheduled closing time of 18:00. The parliamentary elections are to choose 290 MPs for four-year terms. Voters will also select 88 clerics to the Assembly of Experts, who serve eight-year terms. Members of the new Assembly might end up choosing the successor to Ayatollah Khamenei, who is 76 and has suffered ill-health. Some 55 million people were eligible to vote. BBC Persian's Ali Hamedani says the economy has been a key issue in this election. With sanctions lifted and Western investors beginning to return to Iran, there are high hopes for an improvement in daily life, he says. Reformists and moderates say they are targeting greater foreign investment which, our correspondent says, will drive jobs for young people. More than half of Iranians are under 35 but the youth unemployment rate is 25%, more than two and a half times the national average. However, conservatives say strong economic growth is more likely to come from domestic production in what they describe as a "resistance economy" that draws on the ideals of the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Results for the Assembly of Experts are expected over the weekend. The results of the parliamentary election could take longer and it is likely to go to a second round in April. Candidates need 25% of the vote to win outright and there are an average of 17 candidates per seat.

Summary: Polls have closed in Iran's first election since a deal with world powers over the country's nuclear programme and the lifting of sanctions.


Later this month, the city will launch a new public bicycle hire scheme, following the lead of London, Dublin, Paris, Madrid, and Milan, where similar initiatives have proven popular. But already one of the bicycle docking stations has been vandalised just two days after its installation, and some critics are arguing that cycling infrastructure in Belfast is not sufficient to allow users to bike safely. So is the city really ready for the Belfast Bikes scheme, and will it catch on? Belfast City Council, which is behind the scheme, says almost 600 people have already registered their interest ahead of the launch on 26 April. Three hundred bicycles will be available to hire between 06:00 and midnight each day from 30 locations dotted around the city. The council is expecting the bikes to be used by the city's residents, commuters, students and tourists. Anne Madden, of sustainable transport charity Sustrans, says the scheme is proof that Belfast is catching up with cycling-friendly cities across the world. "The bike has come of age in Belfast and about time, too, " she says. "More people are turning to the bike as a way of getting around and for health and fitness. "Cycling Ulster, the governing body for cycling in here, have told us they've seen a seven-fold increase in their membership in the last five years." Belfast businessman Conor Devine says he has been waiting for two years for the scheme launch in the city, having seen the success of the Dublin model. "The scheme works really well in Dublin - people have embraced it, it's very normal and there are bikes everywhere," he says. "So it's about time. It's a great thing and it just shows you where the city has come from in the last 20-odd years. "I imagine there will be good take-up. I think in 12 to 18 months' time it'll be something we will be very used to." Commentator Jude Collins, a cyclist in the past, says he "loves the idea", but has grave concerns about the dangers of biking in Belfast. "It sounds wonderful and it's flourishing in Dublin, Paris and other cities throughout the world," he says. "But it's the safety of it. I'd be afraid to cycle in Belfast. Will there be the secure bike routes for people to use the scheme?" While Anne Madden agrees to some extent, she explains that Sustrans has recently provided cycle training to over 200 people in preparation for the scheme's introduction. "Cycling in Belfast has, until recently, not been properly catered for. Feeling safer comes with better infrastructure - it is slightly chicken-and-egg." Anne Doherty, from Belfast City Council, says Belfast Bikes has created employment, and while it will not be profitable initially, the council hopes that will change by the end of its six-year plan. A sponsorship deal will provide Â£300,000 over three years, while the council will cover the operating costs of Â£400,000 per year. Funding from the Department of Regional Development has allowed for the initial 30 stations. If the scheme proves a success, it could

Summary: The cycling revolution has begun and now Belfast is hoping to join in.


The data was posted on a procurement website, revealing details such as health conditions and social care needs. Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) said it had "done everything we can" to remove the online material. The victims of the breach had been informed and an investigation is under way, the authority added. The council uses online procurement portals to post notices when urgent residential or non-residential care was needed for people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities or mental health needs. But staff had attached personal "pen pictures" of adults requiring such urgent help to notices available to the public on the supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk portal, dating from the start of 2017. The council's chief executive Pete Bungard "sincerely apologised" for the error, and said staff had already been retrained while an internal investigation was carried out. A spokeswoman for the authority said GCC had "worked with the procurement websites and search engines" and added she was "confident the council has done everything it can to remove the information". Earlier this year, GCC launched an investigation after it unwittingly revealed details online of a Â£500m contract for a controversial incinerator project.

Summary: A council has apologised to 14 vulnerable adults whose personal details were published online.


The Alaskan fishing village taking on 'Godzilla'. By Matt McGrath Alaska is a vast wilderness of natural beauty. But it also holds more coal than all the other US states put together. As world leaders prepare to gather for a major climate change summit, plans to build an open coal mine that would cover 78 sq km (30 sq miles) surrounding a valued Alaskan river could be coming to a head. Read the feature Chernobyl: Containing the worst nuclear accident. By David Shukman BBC science editor David Shukman inspected the colossal dome being constructed to house the crippled Chernobyl nuclear power station. Radiation immediately above the reactor is still too intense for the new enclosure to be built where it is needed. So engineers had to come up with an innovative solution. Read the feature Big year ahead for James Webb telescope. By Jonathan Amos It's been a long time in the making, but the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope is about to be assembled. The spectacular new observatory, designed to find the "first light" to shine in the universe, is taking shape ahead of a planned launch in 2018. Read the feature Is the world ready for GM animals? By Paul Rincon The use of genetically engineered animals could revolutionise whole areas of public health and agriculture, according to advocates. But is the world ready for modified mosquitoes and GM salmon? Read the feature Large Hadron Collider: A quest to break physics. By Jonathan Webb As the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) gears up for its revamped second run, hurling particles together with more energy than ever before, physicists there are impatient. They want this next round of collisions to shake their discipline to its core. Read the feature The hunt for Albert Einstein's missing waves. By Rebecca Morelle The Advanced Virgo experiment will search for Albert Einstein's "missing waves". If it's a success, one of Einstein's greatest predictions will have been directly observed for the first time. But if it fails, the laws of physics might have to be reconsidered. Read the feature

Summary: A festive collection of the best science and environment reads this year.


The former Sunderland player, who denies two counts of sexual activity with a child, has begun giving evidence in his trial at Bradford Crown Court. Mr Johnson admits "passionately" kissing the teenager at the centre of the case and an offence of grooming. Replying to questions from his defence barrister, Mr Johnson, 28, also admitted he had texted "other women". Orlando Pownall QC defending, asked Mr Johnson: "You pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and meeting a child following sexual grooming. Did you accept kissing (the girl)?" The footballer said: "Yes." Mr Pownall continued: "Did you digitally interfere with her or indulge in oral sex with her?" The winger, capped 12 times by England, answered: "No, I never." Mr Johnson told the jury he knew kissing the girl was an offence but said he did not realise that communicating with her with the intention of kissing her prior to meeting was also an offence. The court heard Mr Johnson accepted the girl as a friend on Facebook and exchanged telephone numbers because she had been asking for signed shirts. Mr Pownall asked: "Were you contemplating any kind of sexual encounter with her?" Mr Johnson replied: "No." When asked why he told her not to tell anyone she was messaging him, he said: "Loads of reasons - I had a girlfriend, I knew what could be made of speaking to a girl that age, I didn't want her to tell her friends and them to come and ask me for shirts as well." Earlier, the court heard that Mr Johnson made a prepared statement to police in which he accepted the "stupidity" of his actions and apologised to the girl. Daniel Thomas, junior prosecutor in the case, said Mr Johnson admitted kissing the girl "fully on the lips" during the meeting in his Range Rover on 30 January last year but denied more serious allegations. He said his initial meetings with the girl were "platonic in nature" and she would regularly approach him and request signed shirts. He said Mr Johnson described his actions as "wholly unacceptable" and said he withdrew from any further contact with the girl because of her age and his own personal situation. In the statement, Mr Johnson said: "She's a child and ought to have been safe in my company." Mr Johnson told jurors that it was the girl who suggested they meet in a car park to exchange a football shirt and he said he wanted to do it while it was dark so neither he nor his black Range Rover would be identified. He admitted some of the messages they exchanged were "flirty" and he was ashamed of himself, blaming boredom for some sent while he was away in a hotel. He also admitted he was attracted to the girl and asked her to delete their messages "just to be safe". Mr Johnson also accepted searching for the age of consent online but said it was unrelated to the girl and he was simply following up on changing room conversations held with foreign players

Summary: England footballer Adam Johnson has told a jury he "wasn't a good person to his girlfriend or his daughter".


The notorious 18th Century Welsh privateer, Black Bart, signed a pirate code promising that crippled members of his crew could leave the ship with a share of the treasure as a pension. What they did with the booty was up to them. No-one expected them to use it all up buying an annuity. No-one stopped them from giving cash to whoever they chose to give it to. Similarly, 100 days ago, the chancellor gave current savers the right to do what they wanted with their pension pots once they made landfall on the wrong side of 55 years of age. The move has prompted a wave of interest, with hundreds of thousands a week phoning up to find out more. Many have discovered that exercising their freedoms is a frustrating process, fraught with delays. But according to the Treasury more than 85,000 people have dipped into their pension plans so far, cashing in £1.3bn. Are they like the wary ex-pirates who had to hide their treasure chests and keep a low profile, knowing that any carousing would attract the attention of the King's officers? They are not. These are the ones who have celebrated with a dream holiday or bought a new car or ordered a kitchen extension, although some - more sensibly - have paid off mortgages and other debts. The average withdrawal is just over £15,000, probably not much different in value to the 800 pieces of eight promised by Black Bart. Now the insurers who manage pensions have revealed more about the choices being made. What appears to be happening is that those with small pension pots, of only a few thousand pounds, are rushing to cash them in. Those with larger pots are more likely to buy an income for their retirement. But there has been a 75% drop in purchases of old-style annuities. Instead, in the first two months of the freedoms £720m was spent on income drawdown policies, which give you a regular income plus the ability to dip into the underlying cash when you need it. Some will take that as an encouraging sign that the over-55s are taking more care with substantial pension plans which really could provide an income for life. Source: HM Treasury/ABI Even so these are shark-infested waters. People have to watch out for high charges and scam merchants. They have to think about tax as well, because the chancellor is entitled to his share of the treasure. Pension income has always been taxable, but the revenue can be brought forward by decades if people dip into their funds. The first 25% withdrawn is tax-free, but after that you pay normal income tax. Some who cash in large sums could find they are pushed into the 40% tax bracket. Pension experts are forecasting that excitement about the reforms will result in a tax windfall for the Treasury this year of hundreds of millions of pounds. Not to imply, of course, that there is any likeness between George Osborne and Black Bart the pirate, who met his end in 1722 in a

Summary: In a way the pension freedoms you hear so much about have taken us back to the old pirate days when some of the first pensions were paid.


Ganesan Nimalaruban died and several other inmates, all Tamil Tiger suspects, were reportedly injured after a failed prison mutiny in the north. The authorities deny mistreating him, saying he died of a heart attack. They say that the prisoners were working with Tamil separatists abroad. Human rights lawyers working with the parents of Mr Nimalaruban have lodged a petition over the death at the Supreme Court. They want to overturn a court ruling that he must be cremated near the capital, Colombo. His grieving mother and father say they would prefer to give him the last rites in their home district, Vavuniya in northern Sri Lanka. They reject assertions by the authorities that such a funeral would be a security risk. It was in the Vavuniya prison that 32 inmates who are Tamil Tiger suspects took three prison guards hostage in late June, holding them for 19 hours in a protest against prisoner transfers. The siege was successfully broken and all the prisoners relocated. But rights campaigners and Tamil MPs say the prison authorities and police worked with other inmates to exact a terrible revenge, attacking them with stones and weapons, physically throwing them or breaking their legs. Nimalaruban's parents said his body was covered in blood. The authorities deny all the accusations. At least one other prisoner is reported to be in a coma and in hospital.

Summary: The parents of a prisoner who died in obscure circumstances in Sri Lanka are locked in a battle with officials who say his body cannot be taken to his home town for the last rites.


The government says GPs must try harder to stay open from 08:00 to 20:00, seven days a week, so fewer patients are forced to seek care at hospitals. It warned GPs risk losing extra funding if they fail to meet their commitments to longer surgery opening times. But the BMA and Labour said underfunding of the NHS was to blame. Dr Chaand Nagpaul of the BMA told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We have got a very serious problem that we don't have the capacity in general practice. "The crisis in the NHS won't be solved by scapegoating or deflecting blame on to GPs." One in three GP practices were reporting unfilled vacancies, while eight in 10 said they were unable to provide safe care, he added. Why bother with seven-day GP opening? Patient films A&E corridor bed 'chaos' Leak shows full extent of NHS crisis Pressure on A&E was down to seriously-ill patients, he said, not access to GPs, and the government needed an emergency plan to tackle NHS under-resourcing. Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said the "whole of general practice and primary care" was "close to the precipice" after being "under-funded and under-resourced for a decade". 32,628 GPs in England 5,000 more planned for 2020 1 in 3 considering retirement in next five years 13% of GP training places went unfilled last year Surgeries are currently expected to open between the core hours of 08:00 and 18:30, Monday to Friday. Extra funding is available to those offering appointments outside those hours. Downing Street said surgeries should do more to ensure they offered appointments in the evening and at weekends. "Most GPs do a fantastic job, and have their patients' interests firmly at heart," it said. "However, it is increasingly clear that a large number of surgeries are not providing the access that patients need - and that patients are suffering as a result because they are then forced to go to A&E to seek care. "It's also bad for hospitals, who then face additional pressure on their services." The government highlighted October 2015 figures from the National Audit Office (NAO), which showed that 46% of GP surgeries closed at some point during core hours, and 18% closed at or before 15:00 on at least one weekday. Three-quarters of those that closed early were receiving extra funding in 2015-16 to provide access outside of core hours, the NAO said. More than four in 10 hospitals in England declared a major alert in the first week of the new year. The director of acute care for NHS England, Professor Keith Willett, has estimated that 30% of patients attending A&E would be better cared for elsewhere in the system, the government said. Downing Street said the prime minister wanted to help reduce pressures on hospitals in a number of ways: Dr Matt Owen, from Manchester, qualified as a GP three years ago. "I would say demand for a seven-day week is actually not high. "I do work extended hours on the weekend. On Sundays, it is not uncommon

Summary: The doctors' union, the BMA, has accused the government of making GPs in England scapegoats for the pressure on A&E departments.


Victor Mlotshwa, 27, told the court how he was forced into a coffin, allegedly by farmers Theo Martins Jackson and Willem Oosthuizen. The pair deny several charges including kidnapping, attempted murder and possession of an illegal firearm. The case has caused outrage in South Africa and highlighted racial tensions in the town's farming communities. A video of the incident was shown in court, in which Mr Mlotshwa was heard crying and pleading. He told the Middleburg High Court that his mother had sent him to Middleburg, a small farming town, to buy stock for her shop, when he came across one of the suspects while using a foot path as a short-cut through the farm. Mr Mlotshwa only reported the matter after footage of the alleged assault in August 2016 emerged on YouTube months later. "I thought these men were going to kill me. They were kicking me with their boots and pressing me down," he told a packed courtroom. Local papers report that gasps could be heard in the courtroom when a two-minute video of the assault was played, while some people walked out. Mr Mlotshwa was heard pleading for his life, explaining that he had not stolen and copper cables as they accused him of doing. He gave a detailed account of how the men bound him with cable ties, beat him and threatened to shoot him if he did not get into the wooden coffin as he was told. In a court affidavit, the pair, who are out on bail, said they didn't mean to harm him but merely wanted to "teach him a lesson". The trial continues on Friday.

Summary: The victim in South Africa's coffin assault case has broken down during the trial of his alleged attackers.


Internal emails obtained by ABC under the Freedom of Information act show officers were to do "status checks" of suspected illegal immigrants. Operation Fortitude was cancelled in August after a public outcry and accusations of racial profiling. The ABF at the time blamed a "clumsily worded" media release for the furore. Senior officials have since apologised for the "public confusion, concern and distress" caused by the operation, which had been planned as part of a general crime crackdown involving several security agencies. The emails obtained by ABC's 7:30 programme show that six ABF officers were to carry out checks at the taxi ranks on Flinders Street and Southern Cross Station. The documents state that special "talking points" were also provided to the officers by the immigration authorities. These instructed that when asked about who the operation was targeting, the officers should reply: "We will be speaking with any individual we cross paths with." The initial public statement from the ABF in August said a "diverse team of transport and enforcement agencies" would be operating in Melbourne. "You need to be aware of the conditions of your visa; if you commit visa fraud you should know it's only a matter of time before you're caught out." The ABF later issued a "clarifying statement", saying: "[We] will not be 'stopping people at random' in Melbourne to 'check people's papers' as reported in media." "The ABF does not and will not stop people at random in the streets and does not target on the basis of race, religion, or ethnicity." But Operation Fortitude was aborted only hours after it was announced, as hundreds of people responded to a social media outcry by holding a protest rally near Flinders Street station. Earlier this week, Immigration Secretary Mike Pezzullo told a Senate committee: "It is clear that the media release issued that morning was very badly worded and gave rise to the impression that the ABF has general powers of questioning people in the street." "It does not, and I apologise for the impression that was wrongly created. We certainly don't rely on racial profiling at all."

Summary: The Australian Border Force (ABF) had planned random checks at Melbourne taxi ranks as part of an aborted visa fraud operation, local media report.


Scarlet flew back into the lives of the Underhill family when she found nine-year-old Shannon during lunch break. The talkative African Grey swooped into the playground of Llangewydd Junior School, Bridgend, a quarter of a mile from the family's Laleston home. "I was nearly crying I was so happy," said Shannon, whose mother called the parrot's return a miracle. She and her family had feared they would never see Scarlet again. The bird escaped from her cage at the family home on Saturday. When a teacher approached Shannon in the playground following Scarlet's arrival, the bird squawked: "Do you want a kiss?" The school then called Shannon's father, Mark, and four-year-old Scarlet greeted him with the words "Hello daddy". Shannon's mother Emma said: "After Scarlet was gone for more than 24 hours we never ever expected to get her back. "But then I got a call from the school. "I could not believe it and I said 'you must be joking' but the secretary told me 'no, she's sitting here right here on Shannon's shoulder." School administration officer Charlotte Jury said: "I like to think she wanted to go home, and she found Shannon - the person who could take her there."

Summary: A missing parrot turned up two days after it disappeared by landing on the shoulder of its young owner at school.


The fire started in a bin in a nearby underpass, according to a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS). They said the fire broke through into a tunnel and set fire to the dental building, run by Queen's University. The building sustained smoke damage and some damage to its pipework, but there are no reports of injuries. The blaze was reported about 20:20 BST on Thursday. The NIFRS sent at least four fire engines to the scene, along with a team who specialise in dealing with hazardous materials. The fire has been extinguished but a cordon was put in place for public safety.

Summary: A fire has damaged a dental building close to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.


Wales host the showpiece event on Saturday, 3 June, at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Speaking to BBC Wales, chief executive Jonathan Ford said he "would love the FAW to be considered in the future to host these major events". He also said Wales' run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 has boosted their standing in the game. Hundreds of millions of people around the world are expected to tune in to watch the Champions League final live. Ford said the FAW had built up its credentials in hosting major tournaments and matches, and he wanted more. "We do not want it to just stop there in June," he explained. "We would like to continue to do it." Wales has already hosted the Uefa under-19s Women's championship in 2013 and the Super Cup final in 2014, but the Champions League final is a giant step up, with estimates it will generate £45m for the local economy. "We are at the business end now," Mr Ford said. "We have got a team of 12 people at the FAW working full time on it, and in Wales alone there are probably several hundred people working on it. "That will go up when Uefa are over here and if you add in the volunteers and the people working in the stadium then you are probably talking about four to five thousand people who will work this event. "There is a lot of work being done to make sure this is successful and to make sure we utilise it to achieve the objectives we have with football." Hundreds of thousands of spectators - with and without tickets - are expected to travel to south Wales in the days leading up to the final, with the FAW, police, governments and local authorities involved in a huge logistics exercise. Details of road closures and restrictions in the Welsh capital are yet to be officially published, but significant disruption is expected. Major sporting events in the Welsh capital have been dogged by transport problems in the past, down in part to capacity issues at Cardiff Central railway station and pinch-points on the M4 at the Second Severn Crossing and Brynglas Tunnels in Newport. BBC Wales has been told that 10% of the UK's entire rolling stock of coaches will be used to bring fans in and out of Cardiff on the day of the final and 21 intercity trains will be in place after the match to take supporters from Cardiff back to London. Wales take on Ireland in a World Cup qualifier on Friday, still unbeaten in their group, but needing a win to improve their chances of qualifying for the finals in Russia next year.

Summary: The Football Association of Wales is considering a future bid to host another Champions League final.


Journalist Ben Jacobs tweeted that Mr Gianforte had "body slammed" him, breaking his glasses. The front runner's campaign said that Mr Jacobs had initiated the incident by grabbing Mr Gianforte's wrist. But other journalists said they saw the reporter show no physical aggression. The incident took place on Wednesday, the eve of a special election to fill a vacant seat in the House of Representatives. The Guardian released an audio recording of the clash, in which crashing sounds can be heard when Mr Jacobs presses the candidate for a response to a question. Mr Gianforte then shouts "I'm sick and tired of you guys" and tells the reporter to "get the hell out of here". Alicia Acuna of Fox News was in the room with two colleagues preparing for a television interview with Mr Gianforte at the time. She said Mr Jacobs entered the room, put a voice recorder up to Mr Gianforte's face and asked about the Congressional Budget Office report on the American Health Care Act. When Mr Jacobs persisted, "Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him", she wrote. "Faith, Keith and I watched in disbelief as Gianforte then began punching the reporter. As Gianforte moved on top of Jacobs, he began yelling something to the effect of, "I'm sick and tired of this!", she added. "At no point did any of us who witnessed this assault see Jacobs show any form of physical aggression toward Gianforte," she said. Mr Jacobs later told MSNBC he then went to a hospital to have his elbow X-rayed, because he landed on it during the incident. He said he believed the campaign staff were unhappy about previous dealings with Guardian colleagues. Three of the state's largest newspapers, the Billings Gazette, the Helena Independent Record, and the Missoulian, have since their endorsements of Mr Gianforte. "We are also sick and tired - of Gianforte's incessant attacks on the free press," said the Independent Record. The Missoulian noted that as the eyewitness report came from right-wing Fox News, the incident could not be construed as liberal "fake news". Mr Gianforte's campaign spokesman said Mr Jacobs entered the office without permission and "aggressively shoved a recorder in Greg's face and began asking badgering questions". The candidate, "attempted to grab the phone", then "Jacobs grabbed Greg's wrist and spun away from Greg, pushing them both to the ground", Shane Scanlon wrote in a statement. "It's unfortunate that this aggressive behaviour from a liberal journalist created this scene at our campaign volunteer BBQ," he added. Gallatin County Sheriff's Office said that after an investigation a citation was issued to Greg Gianforte on Wednesday night for misdemeanour assault. This is a lesser offence than felony assault, for which "the nature of the injuries did not meet the statutory elements", Sheriff Brian Gootkin said. The maximum penalty for the offence is a $500 (Â£385) fine and a six-month jail term. Records show that Sheriff Gootkin has donated $250 to Mr Gianforte's congressional campaign. The vacancy in Montana arose after President

Summary: The Republican candidate in a special congressional election in Montana, Greg Gianforte, has been charged with a misdemeanour for assaulting a Guardian reporter.


And the National Trust, which holds one of the world's biggest collections, has started cataloguing every scrap in its collection. Members have been meeting at the trust's Erddig Hall, Wrexham, where there is already an extensive collection with the oldest dated to the early 1700s. "We care for paper in all sorts of contexts," said Joanne Hodgson, assistant house steward at Erddig. "It's on walls, ceilings, inside boxes and cupboards, fragments that have been found behind water pipes and skirting boards, and even a miniature collection in our dolls' house. "We also have one of the oldest exactly dated wallpapers at Erddig date stamped 1714." The wallpaper working group is trying to decide how best to catalogue its wallpaper given most of its examples remain in situ. Erddig's grand rooms are lined with early examples of wallpaper from China, inventors of the fashion for wall lining 2,000 years ago and which was later taken on by the French. But it is below the stairs, in the servants' quarters, where there are equally impressive examples, even though these were considered "cheap" examples from the 19th and 20th Century.

Summary: Whether it is wood chip or William Morris, there are many forms of wallpaper.


Aged between five and 13, they appeared to have drunk a bottle of pesticide, officials say. Police have not ruled out suicide. The parents of the three girls and a boy had reportedly left the village, near Bijie city, in search of work. The area is one of the poorest in the country and has seen previous deaths of abandoned children. Chinese state media report that the mother of the four siblings left three years ago, followed by their father in March. The children had reportedly dropped out of school a month ago, according to the Xinhua news agency. It added that their only food was corn and preserved meat. The mass urban migration of Chinese parents looking for work has led to millions of children being left behind in villages; many of them are cared for by grandparents. Correspondents say that such children can be highly vulnerable. Three years ago there was a national outcry after five abandoned children died in Bijie. The children had suffocated inside a rubbish bin where they were sheltering, after apparently lighting a fire to keep warm. Chinese officials have said that at least 80 million people live below the poverty line, surviving on less than $1 (Â£0.65) a day.

Summary: Police are investigating the apparent pesticide poisoning of four abandoned siblings in rural south-west China.


The accusations come via a formal complaint in the US by consumer groups. They, along with several EU bodies, are calling for investigations into the manufacturers. Genesis Toys, which makes the products, has not responded to a request for comment. Nuance Communications, the firm that provides speech recognition software for the products, said it takes data privacy seriously. The firm is a subject of the US complaint, filed with the Federal Trade Commission, but said it had "adhered to our policy with respect to the voice data collected through the toys referred to in the complaint". "Nuance does not share voice data collected from or on behalf of any of our customers with any of our other customers," spokesman Richard Mack said. In addition to the data protection concerns, a hack allowing strangers to speak directly to children via the My Friend Cayla doll is still possible. The Norwegian Consumer Council also assessed the toys and their terms and conditions. They found the products lacking and potentially in breach of advertising regulations. "It's quite disturbing because the company reserves the right to direct marketing towards kids," said Finn Myrstad, technical director of digital services at the council. In January 2015, the BBC and security researcher Ken Munro, at Pen Test Partners, revealed the vulnerability in Cayla's software that allowed the doll to be hacked. And Mr Myrstad said it appeared the problem had not yet been fixed, nearly two years later. According to the US complaint, the doll prompts children to provide personal data verbally - including their parents' names, the name of their school and the place where they live. It also says the toys allow unauthorised Bluetooth connections from any phone or tablet within 50ft (15m). The Norwegian Consumer Council has now filed its own complaints to three authorities in Norway, including the consumer protection ombudsman. Further complaints from other bodies are to be filed in France, Sweden, Greece, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands. Mr Myrstad added that he was concerned the manufacturers also reserved the right to change the terms and conditions at any time. "We think this is particularly worrying because we're dealing with recordings of voice - kids' data," he told the BBC. "How the data's collected how it's stored and shared - all of that appears to be almost entirely unregulated," said Rik Ferguson, a researcher at security firm Trend Micro. "And the parents are certainly not made aware in any comprehensible fashion of the extent of data that's collected or how it may be used in the future."

Summary: The makers of the i-Que and Cayla smart toys have been accused of subjecting children to "ongoing surveillance" and posing an "imminent and immediate threat" to their safety and security.


Massey, 22, has signed until 2017, while 22-year-old Eastman has agreed a deal until 2016 and Kent, 18, will stay with the League One side until 2018. All three have featured prominently this term, with teenager Kent making his first senior start in August. "It's been a long journey to get to where I am and I can't thank everyone enough," he told BBC Essex. "I'm feeling comfortable in the team and I'm getting used to my surroundings. "Once I started playing a few games I think the club wanted to reward me. I couldn't turn it down - I love playing here." Young U's midfielder Sammie Smzodics also signed a contract until 2018 last week.

Summary: Colchester United have handed new deals to striker Gavin Massey and defenders Tom Eastman and Frankie Kent.


She was cut free from the wreckage by firefighters and was airlifted to hospital. The accident happened at about 10:10. The emergency services have also been dealing with a collision involving a lorry and a car on the A96 near Inverness. There were no details at this stage on any casualties. The lorry ended up in a field during the accident near the Barn Church Road junction. The incidents follow two separate accidents in the Highlands on Thursday. A male biker was airlifted to hospital after he was involved in a collision with another vehicle on the A835 north of Ullapool in Wester Ross. A man was injured in Lochaber after his lorry overturned on A82 near the Corran Ferry terminal.

Summary: A woman has died after a one-vehicle crash on the A87 near Broadford on Skye.


Gordon Irvine, of Broxburn, lifted cash from the back of the ATM at the Lochee branch of Santander before depositing it into his own account. The 33-year-old spent the money on a car and foreign holidays, and gave £250 to a customer before sleeping with her. He was found guilty after a trial at Dundee Sheriff Court and will be sentenced next month. Irvine's lawyer described the crime as "the craziest embezzlement you will ever come across", while prosecutors said he was "living a Walter Mitty lifestyle". The father-of-two paid for trips to New York, Lanzarote and Rio de Janiero in cash - although he could not go on the trip to Brazil because he could not get the time off work. He paid £6,900 for a car, fitted his flat with a pool table and three 50-inch televisions, and investigators found £41,000 in his bank account when he was caught. When one female customer complained about a £25 charge on her account, he credited her £250 before asking to come round to her home that night and sleeping with her. Irvine's accounts were frozen when he was suspended in June 2013. He resigned the following month. He denied a charge of embezzling £89,340 from the Lochee High Street bank between November 2010 and June 2011, but the jury returned a majority verdict of guilty. Sheriff Alistair Carmichael remanded Irvine in custody until his sentencing hearing next month. He said: "You have been found guilty by the jury of a serious charge of embezzling from a bank where you were in a position of trust. "Given the nature of what you have been convicted of, I'm not sure I can trust you to turn up and as a result you will be remanded in custody meantime."

Summary: A Dundee bank manager has been found guilty of embezzling £90,000 from his own branch.