The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said that 80% of passengers do not claim compensation. It wants clearer forms, a national publicity campaign, and better staff training, to encourage claims. In response, the train operating companies promised to take action to improve the compensation process. The ORR was responding to a so-called "super-complaint" by the consumer group Which? Which? had complained in December 2015 that millions of people were being left out of pocket by the system. Under the law, the ORR had 90 days to respond. "We want all passengers to be able to claim the compensation they are entitled to. The information they receive needs to be better and the process must be clearer and simpler," said ORR chief executive Joanna Whittington. Now the ORR is proposing: Which? said the proposals were a step in the right direction. "But this alone will not be enough to solve the problem for passengers in the long term," said Richard Lloyd, the organisation's executive director. "The government must now ensure that the rail regulator has all the powers and duties it needs to be a consumer watchdog with real teeth." Click here for more information The Rail Delivery Group, which represents operating companies, said it would be making the necessary changes. "There is always room for improvement and we know that we can do more to give our customers an even better deal," said Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, which represents the operators. "We will address all of the regulator's recommendations." It promised a new National Rail Enquiries website, with links to individual train companies and their compensation schemes. It also said there would be better communication on social media, with barcodes on posters to enable people to claim on their smartphones. Since last July, passengers have been entitled to compensation in cash, rather than through vouchers. Different train operators still have different agreements on compensation, but generally passengers qualify if their train is delayed by more than 30 minutes. So-called "Delay Repay" is gradually being introduced across the network, which means that compensation will be paid regardless of what caused the delay. From April, all but four operators will be signed up to the scheme. In addition some operators, including Virgin and C2C, make automatic refunds in certain circumstances.

Summary: Millions of rail passengers should be given more help to claim money back when their train is delayed, the industry regulator has recommended.


Shiromini Satkunarajah, 20, had been taken to a detention centre after being refused asylum. She was supposed to be on a plane on Tuesday, but 30,000 people signed a petition, Arfon MP Hywel Williams said. The Home Office said she could stay on an "exceptional" basis. Miss Satkunarajah was born in Sri Lanka, but fled conflict there with her parents when she was 12. While her father has since died, Mr Williams said she and her mother have been "battling through the bureaucratic process to get the right to stay". This has involved attending Caernarfon police station every week while she studies for an electrical engineering degree - which was where she was detained in a cell for three days. Mr Williams added others "overstay for years", but Miss Satkunarajah was "picked up" for doing what the authorities asked of her. Speaking to BBC Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales programme, he said: "They are picking off the easy ones because they are following the rules. "She was easy to identify as was her mum. She turned up (at the police station) and they took her away." But he pointed to a "huge wave of support", saying more than 30,000 people signed a petition and letters were written by prominent figures. In the House of Commons on Tuesday, Mr Williams accused the Home Office of "dithering", criticising it for failing to give the case timely consideration. An 11th hour reprieve followed. "In the light of the circumstances of this case, the immigration minister agreed that both Miss Satkunarajah and her mother should be allowed to stay in the UK on an exceptional basis while Miss Satkunarajah completes her studies," the Home Office said. She is due to finish the course this summer, with Mr Williams saying she is predicted to get a first class honours degree. Solicitor Raja Rajeswaran Uruthiravinayagan has now got involved in the case after public attention over the weekend. "We were in the process of filing an emergency judicial review when we got indication the deportation had been deferred," he said. "Shiromini and her mother have only been released on 'temporary admission'. "This doesn't mean she's been given formal leave to stay in the UK. What we have to do now is send a pre-action protocol letter to the Home Secretary and give her 14 days to reply and consider the decision." NUS Wales deputy president Carmen Smith said she was "overjoyed" by the decision. She added: "I remain of the steadfast view that deporting Shiromini would have been an absolutely disgusting thing to do. "It is imperative that we value people, their skills, experiences, and cultures, whoever they are and wherever they come from."

Summary: A Bangor University student threatened with deportation was "picked off" because she was "following the rules and easy to identify", her local MP said.


2 February 2016 Last updated at 15:09 GMT School kids have been submitting their questions for the British astronaut. Hundreds have travelled to the World Museum in Liverpool to see the live stream, and others are watching from classrooms around the country. Tim is expected to be live at 2.30 to answer their questions.

Summary: Tim Peake is preparing to talk to hundreds of school pupils in a live webcast from the International Space Station.


The infant, still with her umbilical cord attached, was found in a black bag by a member of the public in Marston, Oxford, on 29 February. The baby was discovered with no signs of injury and a coroner recorded that she was stillborn. Police said they wanted to find out if her family had any religious beliefs. Det Con Sarah Danzelman, from Thames Valley Police, issued a direct appeal to the baby's mother to get in contact with her. She said: "Shortly we will be arranging for a funeral for your little girl and we want to make sure she is laid to rest in an appropriate way in line with any beliefs you have. "We are very keen to give your baby a name - a name that means something to you. Please let us know what her name is." She added that the funeral service, which has not been given a date yet, would be open to anyone who wished to pay their respects.

Summary: Police have appealed to the mother of a baby girl found dead on a footpath to tell them the child's name ahead of her funeral.


The six men and one woman deny servitude and forced labour charges, at Luton Crown Court. Police found men living in squalor at the Green Acres caravan park in Bedfordshire last September. The Connors controlled and exploited the homeless people, making large amounts of money, prosecutors claim. The seven each deny charges of conspiring to hold a person in servitude and conspiracy to require a person to perform forced or compulsory labour. The charges relate to eight alleged victims. The accused are: James John Connors (Big Jim), 34; Johnny Connors, 28; Tommy Connors (Junior), 26; James (Jimmy) Connors, 24; Patrick Connors, 20; Josie Connors, 30; and Tommy Connors (senior), 52. When police raided the caravan park they found 13 male workers who were not part of the extended Connors family. Victims were recruited from homeless centres, soup kitchens or simply off the streets and made to carry out daily physical labour, the court was told. One of the workers told police he saw the site as "like a concentration camp", the trial heard. The alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was living on benefits in Brighton when he was recruited from a day centre by Tommy Connors Snr and two of his sons, it was claimed. The Connors offered him a job, Â£50 in cash and a roof over his head and took him to a site in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, where Tommy Connors Snr was living, it is alleged. Prosecutor Frances Oldham QC said: "At first he had been treated OK and given pocket money to buy cigarettes, biscuits and crisps. "After a while the travellers' treatment of (him) changed. Tommy Snr would hit him in the face for no reason when in a temper." Some days he was given "no food at all", or just biscuits and crisps to snack on, the court heard. The labourers were not allowed to leave work to get something to eat, it was alleged. The Connors are alleged to have coerced their labourers into working for their block paving business for up to 19 hours a day, six days a week. Sundays were left free for further work by way of door-to-door selling, prosecutors said. Ms Oldham said: "Men were targeted because they were vulnerable, and kept on sites like camps under orders not to leave. "Their heads were shaved. They were paid little or nothing for their work. They were on occasions verbally abused and on occasions beaten. "They may not in the strict sense have been slaves but they were not free men. "The evidence suggests that the Connors family made very substantial amounts of money through the exploitation of the servitude and forced labour of their workers." Most of the workers managed to escape at some point but were afraid of being "recaptured", the court heard. Another alleged victim told police he had suffered "seven years of abuse, starvation and torture," the court heard. "There was no respect," he claimed. "They treated me like a slave, and that's putting it mildly." Ms Oldham told the court the

Summary: Seven people from one traveller family abused and beat vulnerable men who were kept in captivity and made to work without pay, a court has heard.


Here are some accounts from people at the pilgrimage, including BBC journalists who witnessed the crush. "Where I'm standing, here in the centre of Mina city, I can see dead bodies wrapped in white cloth. Police have barricaded the area so I couldn't count them, but dead bodies stretch as far as my eyes can see. "Surrounding the area some relatives are hanging around in mourning and other pilgrims who are in the tent city in Mina are also coming round to see the bodies and also to sympathise and mourn. Police officials are stopping people from passing through the area while they deal with all the dead bodies, while ambulances are moving in and out. "Because of the lack of access, we don't know what the ambulances are doing. Helicopters are hovering over the area where the bodies are being kept." "My group and I went there very early in the morning because we knew it would be too crowded. "After the throwing-the-stone ritual we walked back to our tent. It was already packed, difficult to move and also difficult to breath. People were everywhere, forcefully trying to get their way further. "People were starting to fall. I saw an Indonesian being cared for by paramedics. More people fell, or lay down, I thought because they were caught by heat, I'm not sure. Thanks to God, we managed to get to our tent at about 9am. Much later I heard about the stampede. It is horrible. The news left me in shock." "I was in the crowd and most people, I would say 90%, are very peaceful. Then you get the young people and the heat is quite unrelenting as well. People want to do it quickly, they want to finish and, because it would get hot, people were pushing. "I can't believe what happened. It's tragic. At the end of the day [we have to] put up our hands and ask Allah for mercy." "I was at the centre of the stampede," Mr Bamidele told the Vanguard newspaper. "Saudi police and traffic officials who used to control movement were not available. In fact it was after the stampede that they arrived. I managed to escape unhurt." "There was crowding. The police had closed all entrances and exits to the pilgrims' camp, leaving only one. "I saw dead bodies in front of me and injuries and suffocation. We removed the victims with the police. They [the police] don't even know the roads and the places around here." "People were going towards the direction of throwing the stones while others were coming in the opposite direction. Then it became chaotic and suddenly people started going down. There were people from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Senegal among other nationalities. People were just climbing on top of others in order to move to a safer place and that's how some people died. "People were chanting Allah's name while others were crying, including children and infants. People fell on the ground seeking help but there was no-one to give them a helping hand. "Everybody seemed

Summary: A stampede during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia has killed at least 700 people and injured more than 860.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 12 January 2015 Last updated at 22:04 GMT The accounts were hacked by a group claiming to support Islamic State, while President Obama was giving a speech on cybersecurity. Mr Earnest said that officials were monitoring the hack, but cautioned "there is a pretty significant difference between what is a large data breach and the hacking of a Twitter account". The accounts, which usually provide updates on strikes against IS, have now been suspended.

Summary: White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has played down the significance of a hack involving the Twitter and YouTube accounts of US military command.


Nhial Deng Nhial told the BBC Sudanese forces had invaded the town of Jau, which was in the south. He urged the international community to intervene and said he hoped full-scale hostilities could still be avoided. South Sudan seceded from the north in July following years of civil war in which some 1.5m people died. The border between the north and south has not yet been officially designated. Since July Khartoum and Juba have accused each other of supporting rebels in the border areas. Mr Deng Nhial said the clashes in Jau, which he said was a town in Unity state, were the biggest threat to peace since South Sudan's independence. "Although there have been frequent aerial bombardments of different places in the Republic of South Sudan, we think that Khartoum has raised this offensive to an entirely new level by committing ground forces to cross into the Republic of South Sudan," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. "We are still very much committed to the principle of dialogue with Khartoum - we are still hopeful that we can pull back from the brink of outright war." Earlier, Col Philip Aguer, spokesman for South Sudan's army - the South People's Liberation Army (SPLA) - told the BBC that Khartoum had used tanks and long-range artillery in the offensive on Jau, which started on Saturday. • Blue Nile and South Kordofan have not had popular consultations about their future, due before the split • Abyei has not held a referendum on whether to join north or south, due before the split • Sharing oil revenues • Exact border demarcation Antonov aircraft had also bombed the area, he said. Southern troops had now recaptured the town, but Sudanese soldiers were still in South Sudan, he said. "This is a war situation and if they don't withdraw, the SPLA will force them out," Col Aguer told the AFP news agency. Across the border in the state of South Kordofan, Sudan's army has for several months been battling rebels, who once fought against Khartoum during the civil war. South Kordofan is one of several border areas which failed to hold popular consultations about their future ahead of South Sudan's independence. Mr Deng Nhial denied accusations that his government was supporting the rebels in the northern border areas, known as the SPLM-North. "We had been associated with the SPLM-North during the years of our struggle. After independence we severed all military ties with our units in the north and we didn't provide any additional equipment," he said. The foreign minister said it was important that the border be properly demarcated. "Khartoum continues to drag its feet although we are agreed that close to 80% of the border is no longer in dispute," he said. "This in our mind raises serious suspicions."

Summary: South Sudan's foreign minister has warned his country is on the brink of war with Sudan following days of fierce fighting along the border.


The masked gang broke into Michael Spiers shop in Taunton on 2 March, leaving two staff members traumatised. The men, from London, were jailed for a total of 23 years at Taunton Crown Court after admitting robbery. The raid culminated in an 80-mile police pursuit that ended with the robbers jumping into a river. Reece Francis, 24, Louis Kelly, 35, Steven Shields, 32, all from London, and Charles Johnstone, 27, of no fixed address, were sentenced on Friday. Three of the men received six-year sentences and the other five years. Recorder Peter Towler said it had been "sophisticated" and "well organised", but there was no physical violence. The court heard how the robbers threatened two men from an adjoining shop who tried to intervene, before driving off up the M5 and M4. The police pursuit ended near Swindon, when the men crashed their vehicle before running across fields into a river.

Summary: Four men who smashed their way into a jewellery shop and stole watches worth £13,500 have been jailed for a total of 23 years.


Allan Richards, 53, from Thaxted Road, Birmingham, served with the force for 31 years and is charged with committing the crimes against boys aged 11-18 between 1983 and 2013. He also faces two counts of misconduct in public office. West Midlands Police said it had referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The former officer has been charged with a series of sexual assaults, indecent assaults and sexual touching. The force said the charges of misconduct in public office related to alleged misuse of police powers to sexually exploit boys while he was a serving police officer. Mr Richards was a police constable between 1980 and 2011. He is due to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday.

Summary: A former West Midlands Police officer has been charged with more than 30 child sex offences.


The Land and Lakes plans were agreed after a £20m deal to mitigate the impact of the development on Holyhead. It will see a leisure park with 500 lodges and cottages at Penrhos Coastal Park, a further 315 lodges at Cae Glas, and 320 homes in the Kingsland area. Some of the new accommodation will house workers if a new Wylfa nuclear power plant is built on the island. "This was the largest planning application ever to be considered by the Isle of Anglesey county council," said chief executive Gwynne Jones. "The terms agreed with Land and Lakes will bring in excess of £20m to mitigate the possible impacts an application of this scale will have on the area. "Importantly, environmental concerns raised will also be addressed and will be the subject of appropriate remediation." The original application for the Land and Lakes development was first put forward in 2011, following the closure of the giant Anglesey Aluminium plant in the town. Controversially, the first part of the plans will see a holiday village built on part of the Penrhos Coastal Park, which was owned by the former metal plant. The planning proposals were initially agreed in 2013, but it has taken since then to thrash out the deal on what is known as a 106 agreement. It makes developers pay back into a community to cover the costs of providing additional school places, doctors and council support services. It also ensures the bill for any additional environmental work is picked up by the developers. The island's head of economic regeneration, Dylan J Williams added: "We're hopeful that the Land and Lakes project will bring long term economic benefits for the island as a whole and will represent a positive step in the sustainable transformation of our economy. "We now look forward to working with Land and Lakes to ensure people and businesses can take advantage."

Summary: A £120m holiday village and houses on Anglesey which could bring about 600 jobs has been given the final go-ahead.


The 34-year-old captain needed just 54 balls to reach his 12th century in a majestic display against Australia on the first day of the second Test. It beat the mark of 56 balls set by West Indies great Sir Viv Richards against England in 1986, and equalled by Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq in 2014. "I was trying to hit every ball for four or six," said McCullum. "Viv was my idol growing up, he was an incredible cricketer. I'm almost a little bit of embarrassed to go past him, to be honest." New Zealand, who lost the opening game of the two-Test series, were 32-3 at one point on day one in Christchurch, but recovered to 370 all out before Australia closed on 57-1. McCullum had a big piece of luck on 39, when he sliced James Pattinson to Mitchell Marsh. But umpire Richard Kettleborough requested a replay which showed Pattinson had bowled a no-ball. McCullum had reached 82 from 48 balls when Josh Hazlewood came on to bowl and, after failing to score from the first two balls of the over, the skipper turned on the power, hitting a six, followed by three fours, to give him the record. He finally fell for 145 off 79 balls when he was caught by Nathan Lyon off Pattinson. Have you added the new Top Story alerts in the BBC Sport app? Simply head to the menu in the app - and don't forget you can also add alerts for the Six Nations, cricket scores, your football team and more.

Summary: Brendon McCullum scored the fastest Test century in his 101st and final match for New Zealand before retiring.


The logo quickly made headlines - it was dubbed "the wildest tourism slogan ever" by one news outlet - with critics variously hailing it as hilarious or distasteful. It bellows "See You in the Northern Territories", but uses acronyms throughout. "Well this is a bold strategy for a travel campaign," one person tweeted. But despite appearances, it is not an official campaign - as the actual NT tourism authority soon made clear. "Tourism NT is aware of inappropriate use of our trademarked Brolga logo. We are in no way affiliated with these promotions," it tweeted. The creators of the ad, NTOfficial.com, released a statement describing themselves as "an independent underground campaign" promoting the NT to young people. But they added they were also responsible for selling all the merchandise on the site. However, debate continued around the slogan's possible effectiveness for promoting the Northern Territory, which has experienced declining tourism numbers since 2000. The word the ad plays on is generally considered misogynistic and highly offensive. But in Australia, it is often not taken as seriously as in other English-speaking countries, sometimes being used almost affectionately. "Love the new ad", said one tweet. "If you need me, I'll be in the #NorthernTerritory," said another. But not all were impressed. "Words fail me are you people out of your minds with a slogan like that!!!??? Shows a serious lack of national maturity to say the least," wrote Ben Grego. Michelle Doherty said: "Stupid especially at a first glance if you don't know what CU stand for." Associate Prof Con Stavros, a marketing expert from RMIT University in Melbourne, said social media would ultimately judge the slogan, but he was not sure about it. "It's very confronting so I suspect it's probably crossed that line between edgy and acceptable," he said. Tourism NT would be watching the response very closely, he said. "It's not a bad position to be in. If it doesn't cross the line, they don't have to take ownership - but can say it helped," he said Was there any chance they were in on the stunt? "No, it's not normal in marketing that you send off some kind of rogue element, some dark ops thing," he said. "That's more for the movies."

Summary: A provocative Australian advertisement has swept the internet, sparking assumptions that the Northern Territory (NT) has unleashed a startling new tourism campaign.


The 19th Century life-size carvings are modelled in the style of Spanish Conquistadors - bare-chested, wearing animal skins and carrying a club. They are estimated sell for up to £5,000 at 1818 Auctioneers on 5 June. Valuations expert David Brookes said he had never seen anything like them in a 35-year career and would love to know where they were made and how they ended up in the modern house near Ulverston. He described the carvings, which were possibly made in the Black Forest region of Germany, as detailed and skilfully done. "Beyond that, they are a complete mystery and one that we could do with solving", he said. "We know the Victorians loved their busts and statues; everything from knights in armour, angels and lions to athletes wrestling serpents. "They were collected by the wealthy and the middle classes to decorate their homes and, in the case of these two soldiers, to make a grand statement possibly either side of a doorway of the foot of a staircase. "I have asked colleagues and antique buyers for their opinions but nothing has come of it other than a bit of excitement and further speculation. "I would love to know where they were made, and by whom, and how they came to find their home in a modern house near Ulverston. Unfortunately that story has been lost with the owner."

Summary: Two statues found during a Cumbrian house clearance have baffled experts.


People duck in and out of noodle joints, fast food chains and convenience stores before heading home to the warren of apartments nestled in the estate's nineteen tower blocks. But 10 years ago, this densely populated Hong Kong apartment complex, home to 19,000 people, was an eerie ghost town. Two hundred residents had contracted a deadly respiratory disease, now known as Sars, within a week and no-one knew how it was spreading. Rats and cockroaches were touted by the press as possible culprits. "Taxi drivers refused to come here," Yip Hing Kwok, a long-time resident and now a local councillor, recalls of the deadly 2003 outbreak. Alarm turned to panic on March 31 when residents of block E, which experienced the densest concentration of cases, woke up to find that they were unable to leave their building as police and medical staff clad in protective suits enforced an emergency quarantine order. Police were ordered to chase down those who had already left and residents were later moved to two holiday camps. "We tried to improve the cleaning of the estate but the number of cases kept increasing," says Mr Yip, who did not live in the blighted block. "The situation was uncontrollable." Amoy Gardens played an unwanted starring role in the 2003 Sars epidemic that infected 8,096 worldwide, and killed 744. The disease, from the same family of viruses as the common cold, emerged in southern China at the end of 2002. It was carried to Hong Kong by a doctor, whose one-night stay in the Metropole Hotel resulted in seven other guests being infected. These guests then jumped on planes, spreading Sars around the world. While the disease appeared to spread fast, the number of people killed by the virus was relatively small, especially compared with the half a million people who died of influenza in the same year. But these facts were not known until the disease had come under control in the summer. In March and early April of 2003, as the epidemic seemed to spiral out of control, Hong Kong was a city gripped by fear. Surgical masks became hot commodities and the city's usually crowded shopping malls, restaurants and mass transport emptied. Expats fled, schools closed and those who could worked from home. Back then, working as a reporter in the city, I recall being urged by a contact to head straight for the airport as Hong Kong was to be declared an infectious port and sealed from the outside world. A teenager was later arrested in what turned out to be an April Fool's Day stunt. On the same day, a hugely popular singer and actor, Leslie Cheung, committed suicide by jumping from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in the middle of the financial district, plunging an already anxious Hong Kong into mourning. Sars stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and was the name given to the respiratory disease by the WHO on March 15, 2003. Like the common cold, it belongs to the coronavirus family. Scientists think the disease jumped from civet

Summary: Bathed in low evening light, Amoy Gardens is a hive of activity.


Amanda Watts, 43, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, pleaded guilty in September to misconduct in public office. She revealed details of Michael's time in Highpoint South Prison, which led to five stories in the Sun. An Old Bailey judge said her job had demanded "loyalty and discretion", but she had set a "bad example". Watts was arrested under Operation Elveden, a Metropolitan Police investigation into alleged inappropriate payments by journalists to police and other public officials. Michael was jailed for eight weeks in September 2010 for crashing his Range Rover while under the influence of cannabis. He spent the last part of his sentence at HMP Highpoint South, the category C prison in Suffolk where Watts worked. Judge John Bevan QC said her offence had been aggravated because she had handed over information about a private prison visit by a friend of the singer, who was "famous for being a flawed idol". She also provided the Sun with a sketch of the singer's room, indicating a large tree outside the perimeter of the jail where a photographer was subsequently found to be lurking. Det Ch Supt Gordon Briggs, the officer in charge of Operation Elveden, said: "Watts sold confidential information, which she had gained through the course of her job, to a newspaper. "When public officials behave in this way and breach the trust and confidence placed in them, they undermine the trust placed in public servants to act with honesty and integrity." Earlier, in mitigation, Watts's lawyer Stephen Dyble argued she should receive a suspended sentence as she was in a "fragile state" and suffered from chronic autoimmune disease, lupus. He said she had left the prison service in 2012 suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after being hit in the face by a urine and faeces "bomb" thrown by an inmate. Mr Dyble said the money from the Sun was not spent on "the high life", but instead helped her husband pay legal fees as he attempted to get access to his children. Watts accepted she had breached Michael's confidentiality and that despite his "fall from grace", he was still entitled to privacy, her lawyer added. She was also ordered to pay Â£800 in costs and comply with a confiscation order of Â£2,999.

Summary: A former prison officer has been jailed for 12 months after admitting selling stories about singer George Michael to the Sun newspaper for Â£2,150.


Black, who was convicted of murdering four young girls across the UK, died in Maghaberry prison last month. The detectives were in Northern Ireland last week to question Barry McCarney who is serving life for the murder of 15 month old Millie Martin in 2009. They questioned McCarney twice over three days, for four hours each time. After Black's death in January, McCarney told prison authorities that the paedophile had confessed several murders to him. Although Black was convicted of four child killings, he never admitted any of them. Timeline of Robert Black's killings The only crime which Black admitted to was the abduction of a girl in his native Scotland when he was caught red-handed. The BBC understands Black and McCarney became close while they were both housed in Maghaberry prison's hospital wing. Black is suspected of at least 12 other unsolved child murders, including that of Genette Tate in Devon in 1978. She disappeared while riding her bicycle on her newspaper round. Her body has never been found. Detectives from Devon and Cornwall Police were close to charging Black with her murder when he died. The force, however, has not confirmed if the detectives who visited McCarney came from there. Meanwhile, in a separate development, a former RUC detective who said he found the crucial piece of evidence which helped convict Black of Jennifer Cardy's murder has been speaking to the BBC. He said he found a petrol receipt which proved Black was less than a mile from Jennifer's house on the day she disappeared. That was 16 years before Black stood trial for Jennifer's murder and a delay which the former officer said was unacceptable. "We went to the headquarters at Shell at Worthenshaw and it was there we sat in the room with monitors and we were looking for Robert Black's signature coming up where he had got petrol. "Whenever we found the receipt that he was only less than a mile from McKee's Dam on the Hillsborough Road where he got petrol. "We were able to tie him down that he was in Northern Ireland at the time Jennifer Cardy went missing."

Summary: Claims that serial child killer Robert Black confessed several more killings to a prisoner in Northern Ireland are being examined by English police.


The bosses involved include Oliver Schmidt, who was in charge of VW's US environmental regulatory compliance office from 2012 until March 2015. He was arrested on Saturday on charges that he took part in a conspiracy to defraud the US and VW customers. Volkswagen said it could not comment on an "ongoing" legal matter. A complaint to the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) against VW at the end of last year, accuses the carmaker of deliberately misleading regulators about cheating US pollution tests by means of so-called "defeat devices". The complaint said Mr Schmidt and others gave a presentation to VW's executive management on or about 27 July 2015. "In the presentation, VW employees assured VW executive management that US regulators were not aware of the defeat device," the complaint said. "Rather than advocate for disclosure of the defeat device to US regulators, VW executive management authorised its continued concealment." Separately, VW owners in the UK are seeking several thousand pounds in compensation over the scandal. By the summer of 2015, the complaint from the FBI said US regulators knew that emissions from VW diesel vehicles were "substantially higher" when they were being driven on the road than when being tested. The affidavit said Mr Schmidt - who was the general manager in charge of VW's Environmental and Engineering Office between 2012 and March 2015 - knew the discrepancy was because VW had "intentionally installed software in the diesel vehicles it sold in the US from 2009 through 2015 designed to detect and cheat US emissions tests". In 2015, Mr Schmidt travelled to the US to talk to US regulators about the discrepancy. The filing says that during these talks, Mr Schmidt "intended to, and did, deceive and mislead US regulators" by saying the difference in the emission levels was not because of deliberate cheating. The affidavit cites two VW employees who said that in a presentation to VW's executive management in Germany, "VW employees [including Mr Schmidt] assured VW executive management that US regulators were not aware of the defeat devices - that is the engines' ability to distinguish between the dynamometer and road mode. "Rather than advocate for disclosure of the defeat device to US regulators, VW executive management authorised its continued concealment. " VW said it would not be "appropriate to comment on any ongoing investigations or to discuss personnel matters". "Volkswagen continues to cooperate with the Department of Justice as we work to resolve remaining matters in the United States," it said. Meanwhile, in the UK, lawyers said 10,000 VW owners had already expressed an interest in suing VW. They estimated that owners could get "several thousand" pounds in compensation. Harcus Sinclair is applying for a group litigation order - which is similar to a US class action lawsuit - in the High Court later this month. The legal action is aimed at securing compensation for people who own or have previously owned one of the vehicles. In the UK around 1.2 million diesel engine cars

Summary: VW executives knew about emissions cheating two months before the scandal broke, but chose not to tell US regulators, according to court papers.


Ten Greek medical associations lodged a complaint at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and were backed by the European Commission. The ECJ ruled in their favour, against Greek law. The court said that Greek doctors "may have to work more than 24 consecutive hours and even up to 32 hours". Greek healthcare has suffered major budget cuts under the EU bailout rules. In 2008-2012 the cut in healthcare spending totalled 25%, a European Parliament report says. According to the Athens government, the Greek healthcare system is short of 4,500 doctors as well as other medical and paramedical staff. But Michael Vlastarakos, President of the Panhellenic Medical Association, said another 5,000 doctors and 15,000 nurses were needed. In the public sector, where most people are cared for, doctors never get 11 hours' rest in a 24-hour period. Normally you get six to eight hours. In my hospital when you have a night shift you are off the next day, so you don't continue working. But provincial hospitals may have on-call every day - it depends how many doctors there are in each department, and many have a lack of doctors. They may do more than 24 hours continuously. In the financial crisis more people are coming to the public service to be seen and waiting lists for surgery have increased. Waiting times have lengthened between a normal appointment and surgery, and that creates much stress for everyone. They are not replacing medical staff who are on sick leave or who retire. Heavily indebted Greece has drastically cut public spending, to make savings demanded by its international creditors - the EU and International Monetary Fund - in three bailouts since 2010. The ECJ said Greek law violated the EU Working Time Directive, which stipulates that: 10% of GDP went on healthcare in 2009 4% of GDP is the expected spend for 2015 22% decline in allocated hospital funding in 2015 5,000 more doctors needed 15,000 more nurses needed On-call duty extended the time Greek doctors are required to be at work, the ECJ said. The ruling also criticised the Greek practice of postponing the 24-hour rest period for a week after the end of a doctor's on-call period. The working time rules do not apply to the private sector - but most Greeks use the public healthcare system. The economic think-tank OECD says Greece has the lowest number of nurses per 1,000 population in Europe.

Summary: The EU's top court says Greece is violating EU law by allowing doctors to work long hours without adequate rest.


Khan is jumping two weight classes to fight for his rival's WBC middleweight title, at a catchweight of 155lb. The 29-year-old Briton believes his superior speed will be decisive. "For the first time I'm fighting someone who is heavier and also a bigger name, but that will bring the best out in me," said Khan. "Normally I'm the one who is supposed to win the fight and that puts a lot of pressure on you. This time I don't feel that pressure." Khan, who weighed in at 147lb for his last contest, says he has felt "strong and explosive" during training and believes he may be fighting at his ideal weight. "A lot of people think I won't be strong or big enough for this guy," he said. "But at middleweight I will get to hold onto my muscle and my strength. "The speed is still there too - I've not lost it by putting on more muscle. "If I was just going to stand there and trade, this would not be a good fight for me. But guys who move well give Canelo big problems. And that is what I do." Alvarez and Khan came face to face at a news conference in London on Monday. Their three-city promotional tour will also take in New York and Los Angeles. Their fight will take place at the new 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena, just off the Las Vegas Strip. Khan has not been in a world title fight since he was knocked out by Danny Garcia in 2012 and has had only three fights as a welterweight. It was, therefore, a big shock when he announced he was stepping up to face Mexican superstar Alvarez, who has been campaigning at light-middleweight since 2010. Alvarez, whose only defeat in 48 pro fights was against Floyd Mayweather in 2013, beat Puerto Rican great Miguel Cotto in his last fight to secure the WBC middleweight title. However, that fight was at a catchweight of 155lb - only one pound above the light-middleweight limit - an arrangement that will be repeated against Khan. But Khan was sceptical about Alvarez's claim he would only weigh 165lb on fight night, and speculated his opponent would be at least eight pounds heavier. Alvarez, who turned pro as a 15-year-old in 2005, said he was surprised Khan took the fight, but added he expected his rival to give him problems. "He's one of the top fighters in the world, very fast and with great boxing ability. There will be some very difficult rounds for me," said Alvarez. "But at the same time he's aggressive and likes to fight. That's good for me, because I like to fight as well." Former six-weight world champion Oscar de la Hoya, who promotes Alvarez, said the fight reminded him of the 1987 classic between Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler, in which the former's speed trumped the latter's size and power. "In fights between speed and power, speed normally prevails," said De la Hoya, who also confirmed there was a rematch clause in the contract, which

Summary: Amir Khan says being an underdog for the first time as a professional will motivate him against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in Las Vegas on 7 May.


A government order means poultry must be kept indoors until the end of February or kept away from wild birds. The H5N8 bird flu strain has been found in poultry in Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Carmarthenshire and North Yorkshire. Under current EU rules, products from poultry housed for less than 12 weeks can be still marketed as free-range. This 12-week allowance for birds housed owing to avian flu will come to an end on 28 February. The rules also affects products which contain free-range egg, such as mayonnaise. Daniel Winter runs Trinity Farm in Nottinghamshire, where he keeps a small flock of about 100 free-range hens. He needed to build a new covered enclosure for them, costing Â£1,000. "If it should continue for months, then we'll end up losing the free-range label," he said. His business is trying to avoid putting up the price of their eggs. "We've been swallowing the cost, hoping it would end, but at some point, we are going to have to start looking at passing the cost on," he said. Ruth Mason, chief food chain adviser at the NFU, said: "Plans need to be put in place in terms of how eggs can be marketed and how they should be positioned. "It is very logistically difficult for the industry to move overnight from calling one product free-range to calling it 'barn' or whatever that might be. "We may well get to a place where we have a free-range packaging that has a sticker over it that explains the birds have been housed, so it may say 'free-range, however, birds are currently housed due to avian influenza'." Barn eggs are traditionally cheaper in the shops than free-range eggs. A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "We have taken swift action to limit the spread of the disease, with restrictions around affected premises and wider measures in place across the country, including a legal requirement for all poultry keepers to keep their birds housed or otherwise separate from wild birds. This must be coupled with good bio-security. "All measures will be kept under review based on the best available evidence, and we are working closely with the industry on next steps." Similar restrictions have been introduced in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. You can hear more on this story on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours

Summary: The National Farmers' Union is calling for clarity on what will happen to free-range labelling if restrictions owing to avian flu continue.


Lauri Love, who has Asperger's syndrome, is appealing against the order signed last week by the home secretary. The 31-year-old from Suffolk is accused of hacking into the FBI, the US central bank and Nasa. His US attorney is concerned over how much time would be spent on remand. Tor Ekeland, who is based in Brooklyn, told the BBC: "Theoretically if he is convicted in the US it is possible he could spend the rest of his life in prison." Mr Love from Stradishall has said previously he fears he would kill himself if extradited to the US. Mr Ekeland said: "I think my number one concern is that he would spend a lot of time in pre-trial detention. It could take one to two years to come to trial. "I have dealt with cases that have taken years." He said people imprisoned in the US on suicide watch will be put in solitary confinement which he said "makes no sense at all". "I've had one client stripped naked on suicide watch with the lights on in his cell 24/7," he said. "The prison system in the UK is more more humane than in the US - it is not a system (in the US) at all interested in rehabilitating people." Mr Ekeland said he was "obviously disappointed" by the home secretary 's decision, and added: "I am hopeful the High Court (in the UK, which Mr Love is set to make an appeal) will see things differently." Mr Love was first arrested at his home in 2013. He had computer equipment seized by British police, but the UK investigation into him was dropped.

Summary: The lawyer for a man facing extradition over US government computer hacking claimed he could be detained in jail for years before his trial.


It follows an incident in which a member of staff was threatened with what was believed to be a firearm at the shop in Frizington in October. Paul Roger Farish, 18, of Moor Place, Frizington, appeared before West Cumbria magistrates charged with robbery and possessing an imitation firearm. He was remanded to appear before Carlisle Crown Court on 7 December. A second man, aged 19, who was also arrested, has been released on police bail until 14 December.

Summary: A man has been charged with robbing a post office in Cumbria.


The UN usually decides to call off search and rescue attempts between five and seven days after a disaster, once no-one has been saved for a day or two - but people have been known to survive for much longer. In 1995, Park Seung Hyun was pulled from the wreckage of a collapsed supermarket in Seoul, South Korea, 16 days after it collapsed and in January 2004, Shahr-Banu Mazandarani, an Iranian woman in her 90s was rescued after nine days buried in the rubble of her home after the Bam earthquake. In one extraordinary case in December 2005, a 40-year-old woman was found buried in what had been her kitchen in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, more than two months after an earthquake hit the region. Doctors said it was a miracle that Naqsha Bibi had survived so long in a space so small she could not move. Julie Ryan, a co-ordinator with UK-based group International Rescue Corps (IRC), says that survival largely depends on what happens the moment the quake first hits. "The ideal situation is you have become trapped and entombed but have some sort of oxygen supply from the outside world, are not injured and also have some sort of access to water," she told the BBC. "You have usually managed to get yourselves into some sort of void where you are enclosed by the building but it doesn't injure you." She said an IRC team rescued three boys who had been buried in the ruins of their school for five days after the earthquake in Pakistan in 2005. "They were laid flat on backs next to each other, with the ceiling touching their noses but totally unhurt," she said. Another boy alongside them had died. After so long in the dark, rescue teams had to cover the boys' eyes as they pulled them out, to protect them from the strong sunlight. Dr Tejsrhi Shah of Medecins Sans Frontieres says many of those injured in earthquakes are so badly hurt they would not reach medical care. But she says that if people are trapped, "just the immobility will reduce your chance of survival". Being unable to move or having injuries to limbs can lead to crush syndrome, she says, where blood flow to the limbs is disrupted. When the crush is removed, a build-up of toxins floods the body and it is unable to cope. Earthquake rescue: How survivors are found "It causes renal damage and shock, people are in agony with the pain and have a high risk of developing renal failure if don't get urgent medical care," she said. Dr Shah says there are reports of people surviving in rubble even longer than two weeks, but such cases are "incredibly rare". "The chances of getting someone out alive decreases with each day," she says. Being trapped in a confined space also means a rising temperature and an increase in carbon dioxide, which, if it reaches too high a level, leads to suffocation. Search teams monitor for rising levels of CO2 in a building - a rise means someone is trapped

Summary: The BBC's Anna Jones examines how people survive in the rubble after an earthquake - and what dictates the duration of search operations.


The Care Quality Commission found three-quarters of the 79 hospital trusts visited under its new inspection regime so far had safety problems. Over 40% of care and nursing homes and home care services and one in three GP services also had problems with safety. Lack of staff - in terms of skills and numbers - was identified as a major issue. The way medicines were managed and how mistakes were investigated and learnt from were also highlighted. Among the individual cases flagged up were: The findings - contained in the CQC's annual report - are effectively a mid-term update of the new tougher Ofsted-style inspection regime. They cover the first 14 months of the inspection programme, which was launched in April 2014 and is expected to be largely completed by April 2016. So far more than 5,000 organisations have been inspected - nearly half of hospitals, 17% of care services and 11% of GP surgeries and out-of-hours providers. However, those deemed most at risk have been predominantly targeted first, so the level of failure is not necessarily representative of the overall sector. 5,439 organisations inspected 14 months into 24-month inspection programme 47% of hospitals inspected 17% of social care services 11% of GP services During the inspections, CQC experts look at a range of different issues, including the quality of management, whether staff are caring and safety. Each organisation - from GP surgery to hospital - gets a rating for each, resulting in an overall rating of inadequate, requires improvement, good or outstanding. The results of these are widely published throughout the year, whereas this report looks at some of the common problems identified during the whole process. Of all the issues looked at, the CQC said most concerns had been raised about safety. Some 13% of hospitals were judged unsafe, 10% of social care services and 6% of GP services. Once those judged to be not safe enough are included, it brings the numbers with safety problems to 74% for hospitals, 43% for social care services and 31% for GPs. The report said improving leadership was the key to tackling the problems. David Behan, CQC chief executive, told Radio 4's Today programme: "What we know from our report and from other research is that the leadership of an organisation sets the culture of that organisation. "If the leadership says the important things around here are quality and safety, then that's what people attend to." Royal College of Nursing general secretary Janet Davies believes financial problems are a major factor - last week it was revealed trusts had already racked up a deficit of nearly £1bn in the first three months of this financial year, greater than the overspend for the whole of 2014-15. She added nursing care, whether in hospitals, care homes or the community, depended on having the right number of staff with the right skills and support. She added: "There must be more investment in training nurses, keeping nurses and listening to nurses." Katherine Rake, chief executive of Healthwatch England, the patient watchdog, said it was vital to learn

Summary: Safety across the NHS and care sectors in England is a "significant concern", with particular problems in hospitals, inspectors are warning.


Queen Charlotte's gold and diamond ring, a bracelet with Queen Victoria's portrait and a pair of gold, diamond and pearl Tiffany opera glasses are among the exhibits. They go on display at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Friday. It will be the first time the items have been on show in Scotland. The exhibition, called Gold, explores and celebrates the rare precious metal through more than 60 items from across the Royal Collection - one of the largest and most important art collections in the world. Over millennia and across different cultures, the material has often been used to represent and reflect royal wealth and power, and many of the sacred and ceremonial items associated with the coronations of British monarchs incorporate gold. One of the most elaborate accessories to go on display at The Queen's Gallery is a pair of opera glasses presented as a wedding gift to King George V and Queen Mary in 1893 when they were Duke and Duchess of York. Tiffany & Co was well-known for its production of luxury goods, but opera glasses made of gold were particularly rare. The glasses are also adorned with pearls and rose-cut diamonds. One of the earliest items of jewellery in the exhibition is a 16th century commesso, a cameo combined with gold to create a pendant. The piece is in the form of a female bust dressed in a tunic and turban, and is decorated with ruby, garnet, emerald and amethyst. It was recorded on a list of "curiosities" belonging to Queen Caroline, consort of George II. Exhibition-goers can also view an engraved gold bracelet, made by royal goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell and dating from 1839, which incorporates a miniature portrait of Queen Victoria. Also on show is a gold and diamond-set "keeper ring", which served as a guard to a wedding ring, and was presented to Queen Charlotte by George III on their wedding day in 1761. It is displayed alongside a gold and diamond ring also belonging to Queen Charlotte. Kathryn Jones, exhibition curator of the Royal Collection Trust, said: "These works of art show the personal associations that royal consorts have had with jewelled gold across several generations. "We are delighted to display them for the first time in Scotland as part of this exhibition of items from the Royal Collection crafted from this rare and precious material." One of the centrepieces of the exhibition will be a gilded manuscript based on a best-selling book by Queen Victoria in which she reveals her thoughts on surviving a carriage accident and tasting haggis for the first time. Compiled from the monarch's diaries, the book - entitled More Leaves From The Journal Of A Life In The Highlands, From 1862 To 1882 - provides a glimpse into the royal author's life at Balmoral. It became an instant hit with readers after being published in 1884 and the following year a Persian translation covered in dazzling gold illumination was created for presentation to the queen.

Summary: Jewellery that sheds light on the tastes of six generations of queens is to go on show at an exhibition celebrating the qualities of gold.


The fast bowler, 29, had been missing since 6 September when allegations were first made about him and his wife. The court has rejected the bail petition submitted by Hossain and has sent him to jail, a day after his wife was arrested by police. The country's cricket board has suspended him from playing cricket. Both he and his wife deny the charges. Hossain's lawyer, Kazi Nazibullah Hiru, told the AFP news agency: "We appealed to the court that Shahadat should be released on bail for the greater interest of the country. "We pleaded that he is not guilty as he was not present on the day the girl was allegedly beaten." Initially, Hossain went to the police on Sunday, 6 September, saying his maid had gone missing. However, when the girl was taken to police, after she was found alone later that day, she told them she had suffered torture and abuse from Hossain and his wife. Doctors say the girl had extensive injuries indicating abuse, including a broken leg and a black eye. When the police went to the couple's house to question them, neither were there. Hossain is a medium-fast bowler who is arguably one of Bangladesh's most famous player. He has played for the Tigers since 2005. He has taken 70 wickets in 36 Tests and 47 wickets in 79 one-day internationals, with best figures of 6-27. Domestically, he plays for Dhaka Division. Hossain last played for Bangladesh in a Test match against Pakistan in May, when he twisted his right knee and was ruled out action for six months. He was the first Bangladesh player to have his name added to the Lord's honours board when he took 5-98 against England in May 2010.

Summary: Bangladesh cricketer Shahadat Hossain has turned himself in to face charges of torturing an 11-year-old housemaid.


Officials said that a suicide bomber blew up a car in the city of Dammam in Eastern Province. The Islamic State (IS) group has said that it was behind the attack in a statement released on social media. At least 21 people were killed in a similar incident one week ago, when a suicide bomber struck during Friday prayers at a Shia mosque. The attack at the Imam Ali mosque in the village of al-Qadeeh was the first to be claimed by the Saudi branch of IS, which was formally established last November. In Dammam on Friday, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive device outside the al-Anoud mosque in a busy neighbourhood. The two suicide bombs in seven days against Shia mosques are intended to inflame sectarian tension, the same tactic that IS uses in Iraq and elsewhere. With a Saudi air campaign against Shia rebels in Yemen and a ratcheting up of the confrontation between the Saudis and Iran across the region, the jihadists are seizing the opportunity to sow more hatred. Hardline Saudi preachers have long denounced the Shia, and that rhetoric has only grown fiercer. The Shia have called on the authorities to stem the flow of hate speech. King Salman has promised to crush the militants and many Saudis have been expressing their solidarity with the Shia. IS still has a very long way to go in its aim of destabilising Saudi Arabia through its sectarian divide, but it is using the only method it knows - sectarian violence. A witness told Reuters news agency that he had seen a "quick explosion" and that he had been told that men had prevented the attacker from getting inside the mosque. Security forces had become suspicious of a man in a car near the mosque and had gone to investigate it. It exploded as they approached the vehicle, according to the Saudi Press Agency, SPA. One of those killed is believed to have been the driver of the car. In a statement published online, IS said "a soldier of the Caliphate" was behind the attack on the Shia community. It identified the bomber as Abu Jandal al-Jazrawi. Saudi Arabia has previously been threatened by IS. It is part of a US-led coalition against IS in Syria and Iraq. The Saudis are also leading a coalition of Arab states in an air campaign against Shia rebels in Yemen. The country's large Shia Muslim minority is mainly based in the Eastern Province, and there have been sporadic protests by Shia there to call for more rights.

Summary: A bomb has exploded outside a Shia mosque in Saudi Arabia, reportedly killing at least four people.


A new scheme called Flood Re has been designed to cut bills for those whose homes are in danger of flooding. Up to now, thousands of householders have been paying large additional premiums to make sure their homes and possessions are protected. About 350,000 homes could benefit - although thousands will be excluded. The cost will ultimately fall on ordinary policy-holders, who will pay an extra Â£10.50 on their premiums on average. As many as 15,000 homeowners made insurance claims for storm and flood damage last winter. Insurance companies should now be able to lower premiums, as they can pass on the flood risk element of policies to the reinsurer Flood Re. Householders who are eligible will also see their policy excesses - the amount they have to pay towards a claim - capped at Â£250. Previously, some people had to pay several thousand pounds towards repairs. However, houses built since 2009 will not be covered by the scheme. This was done to discourage developers from building on land at risk of flooding. Businesses are also excluded, as are landlords who take out insurance policies on homes they do not occupy themselves. The scheme has also been criticised by a group of climate change experts, who said it did not offer good value for money. "It achieves very poor value for money because it is trying to subsidise the costs of flooding, rather than addressing the causes and trying to prevent flooding in the first place," said Daniel Johns, head of adaptation on the Climate Change Committee (CCC). Initially 17 insurance companies are taking part in the scheme. If necessary, they can pass on any flood risk to Flood Re, which has been funded by the insurance industry as a whole. Its costs will be covered by an industry levy of Â£180m a year. Most insurance companies are expected to pass on that cost to their customers, raising average bills by around 2%. But Brendan McCafferty, chief executive of Flood Re, said flood-risk consumers should benefit from greater choice and more competition. "This should make flood cover more affordable and accessible to those in high flood risk areas over time," he said. However, consumers will not need to contact Flood Re directly, as this will be done by existing insurance companies. Shira Kimmerling, whose home in Hebden Bridge was flooded on Boxing Day 2015, was previously unable to afford insurance. But she told the BBC that, under the Flood Re scheme, she would now be able to pay for cover. "I think it's wonderful news," she told the Today programme on Radio 4. "But after all, it's not a very sustainable and cost-effective plan in the long term. We need to invest in flood resilience." Those who have already taken out household policies are being advised by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to talk to their providers. If they want to switch to a cheaper policy, they should ask if it is possible to avoid cancellation charges. But the ABI also said there was no rush to change policies immediately. One

Summary: Homeowners living in high flood-risk areas of the UK should now be able to save hundreds of pounds on their insurance premiums.


And with economic wobbles around the world - like here in China - George Osborne dramatically warned today that he might have to make further spending cuts when he stands at the despatch box on 16 March. It's just been confirmed that the size of the British economy is smaller than had been thought, and Britain is - however mildly - very likely to be affected by the slowdown in other countries. The chancellor wants to keep to his self-imposed rule of getting the books into surplus by the end of the Parliament. He could relax that rule and slow down the pace of the cuts but that's not what appears to be on his agenda. Instead, it seems he'd rather find the money somewhere. He wouldn't say where he'd look for cuts, but you can assume departments ministers have already pledged to protect will be safe from further austerity. That of course means potentially tighter squeezes elsewhere. Mr Osborne ruled out significant tax rises and don't anticipate that he is looking to make dramatic increases to the level of cuts. He said his first target will be further efficiencies in Whitehall. But there is no sign whatsoever that the chancellor and this government will be able to leave behind the spending squeeze that defined so much of their early years in charge.

Summary: If coping with internal struggles over the European Union wasn't enough, the government has a Budget to contend with within the next three weeks.


The historic vote on the first day of this year's gathering in Edinburgh draws a line under a row which has split the Kirk for nine years. Commissioners voted by 339 votes to 215 in favour of the move. The decision means that same sex civil marriage will be permitted for ministers. However, they will not themselves be allowed to conduct gay weddings within the church. Last year, the assembly agreed that ministers could enter into civil partnerships. The Very Rev John Chalmers, principal clerk to the General Assembly, said: "We had a debate which made very clear that we were not interfering with our theological definition of marriage and were not going to the place where ministers or deacons could themselves be conducting same-sex marriages. "It is an entirely different discussion. "Today's decision means it will be possible for Kirk sessions and congregations to depart from the traditional understanding of marriage to call not only potentially a minister in a civil partnership but one who is in a same-sex marriage. "In some ways we crossed the Rubicon last year when it was agreed that Kirk sessions could call someone in a civil partnership and for many people what today was about was simply tidying up and making the law of the church consistent with Scots law." He added: "Today I think people came to this decision with their minds on law and practice and not on theology and future practice." Colin Macfarlane, director of charity Stonewall Scotland, said: "Today's result is great news for the Kirk and a progressive move forward. "Empowering ministers to live their lives with honesty and integrity sends a powerful signal to faith communities and society as a whole." Rev David Robertson, Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, said it was "saddened" by the decision. The decision means the Kirk adopts a position which maintains a traditional view of marriage between a man and woman, but allows individual congregations to "opt out" if they wish to appoint a minister or a deacon in a same-sex marriage or a civil partnership. Any wider consideration of the theological understanding of same-sex marriage will not take place until the Theological Forum presents its report to the Kirk next year. These latest changes will differentiate the church from the Church of England, which bans clergy from being married to partners of the same sex and does not allow gay church weddings. Other topics to be discussed at the six-day assembly include the European Union referendum, corporal punishment of children, climate change and the refugee crisis. Members will also discuss exploring ways of promoting the Church through the internet and social media, including a proposal to develop online congregations. The assembly will also consider changing the date of the gathering to June to allow more young people to attend without disrupting their exams. On Wednesday the Archbishop of Canterbury will become the first head of the Church of England to take part in a debate at the general assembly. The Most Reverend Justin Welby will speak to a landmark report, which

Summary: The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has voted to allow ministers to continue to serve if they are in a gay marriage.


Irish, currently bottom of the table, trail the Falcons by four points. With four points for a win, plus potential bonus points for tries and losing margins, the Falcons could form a points buffer with two games to play. "We want to play in these games because it's exciting and it brings out the best in people," Wilson told BBC Sport. "We're professional rugby players and we get paid to perform in these high pressure environments. Nobody wants to play in dead rubbers, just turning up and playing." Newcastle are expecting a large crowd at Kingston Park, with 5,000 tickets sold by the beginning of the week. The importance of retaining top-flight rugby in the north east is not lost on the squad, who have had almost two weeks to contemplate the match during the European break. "It's been bigged up to be a big game and rightly so," Wilson added. "With the gap at the bottom it is a big game and no getting away, but these are the games we want to play in." While the precarious position of both sides has helped sell tickets, the Falcons can feel disappointed to still be in the battle against drop after their mid-season revival. Six straight home wins after the turn of the year, four of them in the league, lifted Dean Richards' side up the table. But narrow defeats since then by Worcester, Bath and Wasps have placed jeopardy on their place in the elite. "There's a sense of frustration that we're in the position we are," Wilson added. "I think if you look back six or seven weeks, we were on the back of six wins on the bounce at home where we beat Bath, Quins, Leicester and Northampton - we didn't think we'd be in this situation. "It shows how competitive the Premiership is, and you can't take any team lightly but we know we can compete with the best teams. "It's a case of knowing we've got to perform. It's not rocket science, just doing the simple things really."

Summary: Newcastle Falcons are relishing the importance of Sunday's bottom-two Premiership showdown with London Irish, says back row Mark Wilson.


The club said revenue fell year-on-year by more than 30% to £31.3m for the six months to the end of December. Pre-tax profits also fell substantially, from £21.3m to £6.6m. Celtic were knocked out of the Champions League in August after losing to Slovenian side Maribor. They are currently playing in the UEFA Europa League. The club also cited lower gains from the sale of players as a reason for the poorer trading performance. Revenues from multimedia and other commercial activities fell from £19.5m to less than £8m, while merchandising revenues also dropped. In a statement, chairman Ian Bankier said: "As in previous years, the second half is expected to be more challenging in terms of financial performance with fewer home matches scheduled and no certainty on any further gains on the disposal of player registrations. "Our strategy remains to live within our means. "The football environment in Scotland continues to be challenging and we must operate within it in a fashion that does not unduly risk the long term future of this great club. "Our key focus for the remainder of the year will be to build on the progress we have made in the first half of the season and to deliver silverware from competing in the three domestic competitions and remain competitive in the UEFA Europa League."

Summary: Celtic have attributed a sharp fall in revenue and profits to their early exit from the UEFA Champions League.


The Briton has struggled with injury over the past 18 months and missed the 2015 Doha World Championships. He returned to form by setting the world's best time this year - 10.68 seconds - in July, but says Jarryd Wallace is the leading contender. "In my eyes he's the one to beat," Peacock, 23, told BBC Sport. "I went into London 2012 as clear fastest; it's a very a different pressure this time, but I'm more relaxed." The final of the Games' blue riband event is held on Friday night (23:59) and is stacked with talented sprinters despite the loss of USA's multiple world champion Richard Browne to injury, and the absence of Oscar Pistorius, who is serving six years in jail for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Aside from American Wallace, who has run 10.71, German Felix Streng (10.89) and Amu Fourie of South Africa (11.00) have also performed well this season. Brazil's Paralympic pin-up Alan Fonteles Oliveira is also being backed by some to recapture the form which saw him become a triple world champion in 2013. Media playback is not supported on this device "The sport has moved on hugely in the last four years, it's evolving and people seem to be getting faster," said Peacock. "There were two people sub-11 seconds in 2012 and now there's at least six the last year so it'll definitely be a different experience to London." Peacock's injury struggles were caused by problems with the connection between the stump in his amputated right leg and the carbon fibre blade. After taking time out to heal, and adapt his running technique, the sprinter says he is ready to produce his best form. "I took so much confidence and experience from 2012 which was so special, but I then had some losses in 2014 and missing the Worlds in 2015 was really difficult. "But that taught me quite a lot about myself and I know how to deal with the pressure now." ParalympicsGB have been set a target of 121 medals, one more than they secured at London 2012. Peacock believes the squad can take confidence from the achievements of Team GB, who won two more Olympic medals in Rio than at London 2012. "GB winning so many Olympic medals was great and watching someone like [cyclist] Jason Kenny really stuck with me," he said. "It made me really remember the importance of the confidence factor; knowing what you're capable of and knowing you can win which is something we'll all draw on." Peacock also feels that, despite a slow start to ticket sales and concerns about budget cuts by the organising committee, the event will be a success. "Come the day the Games open, people will be really surprised," he said. "When they see the performances of British athletes, going out getting gold medals it will all be forgotten about. "The Paralympics nailed it for Britain in 2012 and what I want now is for 2016 to nail the Americas. "I want the people of South America to see what Paralympic sport is about -

Summary: London Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock insists he is not the favourite for the T44 100m crown in Rio, despite being ranked world number one.


Jamaica's Bolt, an eight-time Olympic gold medallist, will be the star attraction at the first Nitro Athletics event in Melbourne on Saturday. It includes both traditional and new events, such as the elimination mile. "This will be track and field as it's never been seen before," said Bolt. The 30-year-old learned last week he would have to hand back one of his nine Olympic gold medals after Jamaican team-mate Nesta Carter tested positive for a banned substance. Bolt said at the time: "I'm not happy, but it's just one of those things that happen in life." He is now preparing to captain the All-Stars in an event he says will bring "something different" to world athletics. Lord Coe, head of athletics' governing body, said: "Athletics, in its traditional form, remains the cornerstone of the Olympic Games. "However, we need innovation and more opportunities for our athletes to interact with fans and show their personalities." Athletics Australia president Mark Arbib says it is "the sports entertainment product track and field needs to move athletics beyond the existing format of one-day athletics meets". Find out how to get into athletics with our inclusive guide. He believes it will be a "game-changer", an event showcasing a mix of power, endurance, technique and teamwork disciplines across sprints, distance, field and Para-athletics events. Cue mixed events, medley relays and target javelin, with countdown clocks, athletes wearing microphones and fluorescent blocks and batons. Points are awarded for each of the 12 events, as the six teams compete over three one-day meetings at Melbourne's Lakeside Stadium. Four-time Olympic 400m medallist Christine Ohuruogu will lead the England team against Bolt's All-Stars, Australia, New Zealand, China and Japan. "I really do think Nitro is going to be a huge success and I think everybody around the world is watching to see how it goes," said the 32-year-old two-time world champion. Middle-distance runner Michael Rimmer and sprinter Bianca Williams are among those competing alongside Ohuruogu, while Bolt's team will include his Jamaican relay team-mates Asafa Powell and Michael Frater. "It is going to be great, going to be something different. Like cricket and Twenty20," added Bolt, who confirmed he has no plans to extend his career beyond this year's World Championships in London "I feel it will catch on. It's going to bring a lot of excitement to the sport."

Summary: England will provide one of five teams competing against Usain Bolt's All-Stars in a new athletics event IAAF president Lord Coe says will "revolutionise" the sport.


Police Scotland said the drugs were seized in Church Place on Monday. The men, aged 25 and 28, and the woman, 39, were arrested and charged. They have since appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court. Detectives urged anyone with information about the sale and supply of illegal substances to contact them.

Summary: Two men and a woman have appeared in court after heroin with an estimated value of about £250,000 was recovered in Falkirk.


People visit the temple throughout the day to pray to the kuman for good fortune, lighting incense sticks and kneeling before the garishly-coloured figures. Some buy lottery tickets, and run their hands along the trunk of a fallen ironwood tree, festooned with coloured scarves and smoothed by years of handling. They believe they can see the winning number in the faded grain of the wood. Thais, like many people in South East Asia, are superstitious. But the monks at the temple have found their doll collection growing recently, as people have quietly left behind child-sized figures, known as luk thep, or 'child angels'. The monks have moved them to a small room in a tower, where, like the kuman, they are served the red fizzy drinks they are believed to prefer. "Each person has their own beliefs", one of the monks, Phra Prasit Warayan told me, "but the belief in the power of luk thep is very strong. When things go well for the owner, they worship them, but when things turn bad, they abandon them. Because they are afraid of what might happen, they leave them here, because they know we accept them, and the abbot is always careful to put them in an appropriate place." The dolls look incongruous in the temple, in their formal children's clothing and with their wide-eyed, Western features. But how did the luk thep craze start? And is it just a continuation of the kuman belief, that inanimate objects can be inhabited by a ghost, or spirit? I hoped to find that answer at a dazzling pink house in a gated community in another suburb. A chubby, blond doll's head sits on a shrine, next to offerings of food and water. Various other limbs lay drying outside after being given a special cream massage. In one room, two young women sat surrounded by different parts of doll's anatomies, carefully applying nail varnish, nose studs and weaving real human hair into soft, plastic scalps. The dolls are often given yantra - Buddhist tattoos - and are filled with rice, a symbol of prosperity. In the next room Mananya Boonmi lovingly brushes the hair of her favourite doll, Pet. She has collected these dolls for fourteen years, but she did not always see them as she does now, as living beings, who will reward their owners with good fortune - as long as they are looked after as if they are a human child. She believes she was one of the earliest believers in luk thep. She says she was selling small souvenirs around four years ago, when she had the feeling that one of her dolls, Ploy, was trying to help. She began to treat the doll like a real child, and her business took off. She says she was also able to overcome difficulties she was having raising her son. "We can rely on luk thep mentally", she says. "They make us happy, as if they are alive, and we can carry them around with us. I love dressing them up, and talking to them.

Summary: Situated in the nondescript outer western suburbs of Bangkok, Sawang Arom temple is already well known for its collection of kuman - plastic child-dolls in historic costumes, usually clutching a bag of gold, and believed to be inhabited by the ghost of an unborn foetus.


About 12 students stormed the offices of LSE director, Sir Howard Davies Students and 150 held a rally outside. The LSE says it is reconsidering links with Libya "as a matter of urgency". But the students demanded the university paid back the £300,000 it had accepted of a £1.5m grant from a charity wing of the regime. The grant was pledged in 2009 by the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation. The funds have so far been used to develop a research programme on North Africa, focused on politics, economics and society. The student demonstrators called on the LSE management to "repay" the £300,000 already spent by creating a scholarship fund for underprivileged Libyan students. The students also urged the university to revoke the LSE alumni status of Libyan leader Col Gaddafi's second son Saif al-Islam, who studied at the university from 2003 to 2008, gaining both a Master of Science degree and a doctorate. They called for a public commitment that no grants from officials "of such oppressive regimes" would be accepted in the future, as well as a public statement denouncing the recent "gross violations of human rights" by the Gaddafi regime. One of the protesters, Ashok Kumar, who is also education officer for the LSE students' union, said: "I think it's reprehensible that the university continues to benefit from money that was stolen from the Libyan people and it's only right to return it to the people who are now being murdered in the streets fighting for their freedom." The money should be returned either as scholarships to underprivileged students, or "to the families of those who have been murdered and who continue to be murdered", he said. In a statement, the university said the LSE Director "noted the message" from the students. "He shares the students' revulsion at the recent violence and gross violations of human rights in Libya, and much regrets the association of the School's name with Saif Gaddafi and the actions of the Libyan regime. "The School's statement of 21 February made clear that School engagement with the present Libyan authorities, covering a number of programmes, has already finished or has been stopped following the events of the weekend of 19-20 February." The university said no more of the £1.5m donation from the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation would be accepted. It said about half of the £300,000 already accepted had been spent and its council would now consider what to do with the remaining funds, taking into account the views of LSE students. The LSE's review of its links with Libya follows a speech made by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi on Sunday, in which he said the regime in Libya would stand firm. He warned of civil war, talked of "rivers of blood" and rejected foreign intervention. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi wrote his doctoral dissertation on the role of civil society in the democratisation of global governance institutions.

Summary: Students at the London School of Economics have staged a protest against the university's association with the regime in Libya.


Children were given a probiotic, with a peanut protein, daily for 18 months. When tested one month later, 80% could tolerate peanuts without any allergic symptoms and after four years, 70% of them were still able to eat peanuts without suffering any side-effects. Food allergies have risen dramatically in recent decades, with peanut allergy one of the most deadly. Lead researcher Prof Mimi Tang, of Murdoch Childrens Research Institute in Melbourne, said half the children were consuming peanuts regularly while others were only eating them infrequently. "The importance of this finding is that these children were able to eat peanuts like children who don't have peanut allergy and still maintain their tolerant state, protected against reactions to peanuts," she said. Prof Tang said it was the first time a treatment for peanut allergy had been shown to be effective for this long. The probiotic used is called Lactobacillus rhamnosus, which has been associated with preventing certain allergic symptoms. The Australian research team now wants to assess whether the treatment has improved the children's quality of life, as some 250 million people worldwide are affected by food allergy - a number which has more than trebled in the last 20 years. Peanut allergy, which is one of the most common causes of death from food allergy, has increased at the greatest rate. Prof Tang said the findings, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, suggest "the exciting possibility that tolerance is a realistic target for treating food allergy". She added: "This is a major step forward in identifying an effective treatment to address the food allergy problem in Western societies."

Summary: An oral treatment for peanut allergy is still effective four years after it was administered, a study has found.


The 25-year-old junior doctor's car was found on Friday 12 February at Ansteys Cove near Torquay, the town where she worked. A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said there was "no structured search going on". However, they said police would continue to perform "intermittent shore line searches". The BBC understands that a note was found in Dr Polge's car. It is believed its contents were mainly related to personal issues, but there was a passing reference to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. On Thursday, Mr Hunt confirmed the government would impose a new contract on junior doctors in England. It is understood Dr Polge had been an active campaigner against plans to change working hours and conditions for junior doctors, and in January posted a new Facebook profile picture, featuring the hashtag #NotFairNotSafe. Police said her disappearance was "totally out of character" and concerns for her welfare were rising. Friday 12 February - Rose Polge's car is found in a car park near Ansteys Cove in Torbay Saturday 13 February - The family and boyfriend of Dr Polge join more than 100 people searching the area around Ansteys Cove Sunday 14 February - Torbay Hospital confirmed that Rose Polge works there as a junior doctor. "We will do whatever we can to support the authorities," a statement said. Monday 15 February - Colin Smith, from Royston Hockey Club where Dr Polge used to play, said: "We just don't know what we can do." Tuesday 16 February - Dr Polge's family release a statement saying they are "overwhelmed" by the support from her friends and colleagues More than 100 people have been involved in the search operation, including Dr Polge's boyfriend and her family. A district councillor for the village of Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, where Dr Polge's parents live, said he had no doubt the community would "rally round". Councillor Jose Hales said: "My heart goes out to the family at this terrible time. The pain and worry they must be feeling is unimaginable." Police are appealing for the public to contact them with any information or sightings of Dr Polge.

Summary: The search for missing junior doctor Rose Polge has been scaled back, almost a week after she disappeared.


Media playback is not supported on this device Defending champion McIlroy posted a one-over-par 73 to end on one over, five shots short of the cut mark. Rank outsiders Im and Hebert both shot rounds of 67 to lie 13 under and retain the one-shot lead they held over the chasing pack after the first round. Spaniard Jon Rahm is one behind on 12 under after also firing a 67. Frenchman Hebert and American Im were among the early starters on Friday and registered seven birdies and six birdies respectively in their five-under-par rounds in testing wet and windy conditions. New Zealander Ryan Fox and English duo Matthew Southgate and Oliver Fisher are well in contention on 11 under, with American Paul Peterson also challenging strongly on 10 under. McIlroy began the tournament with a disappointing level-par round in benign conditions on Thursday and needed a bright start to Friday's second round to reignite his hopes of making the last two days. A bogey at his first hole of the day, the par-three 10th, saw the world number four immediately drop a shot, before carding three birdies and a second bogey on the remainder of his opening nine. The Northern Irishman picked up a shot at the fourth hole but a bogey at the sixth and a double bogey at the eighth sealed his fate as he was forced to watch playing partners Rahm and Hideki Matsuyama make their mark near the top of the leaderboard. "I felt like I was battling well, two under through 13, and with another par five coming up, but bogey at the sixth took the wind out of my sails," said McIlroy, who showed his frustration by slamming his driver to the ground after a poor drive at the 16th. "My short game, in general, it's just silly mistakes," he said. "I'm just not being very efficient with my scoring and that's why I'm making it difficult for myself. Just need to tidy up the short game a little bit; I feel like the long game is there." The four-time major winner will compete in next week's Scottish Open before heading down to Royal Birkdale for The Open Championship. "Obviously, I might have a few commitments here this weekend, but I need to practice," he said. "I need to get sharp and get ready for next week and ultimately for The Open in a couple week's time." World number two Matsuyama is well placed on nine under, the same score as fellow Japanese player Hideto Tanihara, who recorded the lowest score of the day with a 65. Paul Dunne is best placed of the Irish contingent on eight under, along with others, including Jamie Donaldson and Soren Kjeldsen, two of 11 former Irish Open winners in the field. Major champions Padraig Harrington and Justin Rose, plus last week's French Open winner Tommy Fleetwood, are among a group still well on touch on seven under. Among those to miss the cut was local hero Graeme McDowell, who slumped to a six at the 18th, a double bogey

Summary: Rory McIlroy missed the cut at the Irish Open for the fourth time in five years as Daniel Im and Benjamin Hebert led after day two at Portstewart.


From the birth of package holidays to Walkers crisps and even the discovery of a celebrated king - there's more to the city of Leicester than just a Champions League football team. Here are nine colourful facts about the East Midlands city: In 2013 the skeleton of English king Richard III was found beneath a Leicester car park. King Richard was killed in battle at Bosworth in 1485 after only two years on the throne. Experts from the University of Leicester said DNA from the bones matched that of descendants of the monarch's family. In March 2015 a service to mark the king's reburial took place at Leicester Cathedral. Henry Walker first started making his potato-based snacks in Leicester in 1948. To mark Leicester City winning the Premier League, Walkers now plans to produce limited bags of salt and vinegar crisps called "salt and victory". Celebrated former Leicester and England footballer Gary Lineker has long been associated with the brand, appearing in adverts for the crisps. Walkers also started a "Countdown to Kit Off" digital striptease, following Lineker's promise to present Match of the Day wearing only his underpants if Leicester City were crowned champions. The countdown saw images of Lineker on Twitter covered in crisp packets, which were gradually removed as the Foxes moved closer to the title. Leicester is home to the Attenborough Arts Centre. The Â£1.5m gallery extension was opened in January by Sir David Attenborough, after it was championed by his late brother, the actor Richard Attenborough. The brothers grew up in Leicester after their father, Fredrick, was appointed Principal of the city's University College. The family lived in College House, which is now part of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Leicester. Sir David told the BBC that growing up in Leicester provided him with a "rich cultural upbringing". He said he "owes a lot to Leicester and the people of Leicester". In 1984, Sir Alec Jeffreys discovered the technique of genetic fingerprinting in a laboratory in the University of Leicester's department of genetics. He told of his "eureka moment" in an interview for the university's website. "My life changed on Monday morning at 9.05am, 10 September 1984," he said. "What emerged was the world's first genetic fingerprint." On 9 June 1841 a 32-year old cabinet maker named Thomas Cook walked from his home in Market Harborough to the nearby town of Leicester where he began his international travel company in 1841. It all began with a one-day rail excursion priced at at a shilling a head from Leicester to Loughborough. Thomas Cook grew from these humble beginnings to become the high street travel agent we know today, arranging journeys around the globe. Leicester is home to one of the largest and oldest outdoor, covered markets of its kind anywhere in Europe. Stalls offer fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood, meat, cheese and hardware. More than 270 stalls are available every day, between 07:00 and and 18:00 BST. Gary Lineker's father, Barry, also worked as a fruit and vegetable trader at Leicester Market. Leicester hosts what

Summary: Leicester City may have won the Premier League title in one of the greatest sporting achievements of all time, but how well do you know the home of the Foxes?


His firm, Cameron Pace Group and its Chinese partners will develop advanced equipment for 3D filming. The move comes amid a boom in China's movie industry and a growing demand for 3D films in the country. Various Hollywood filmmakers have been trying to tap into the Chinese market. "The future of entertainment is 3D and we believe that the future of 3D is right here in China," Mr Cameron was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. Earlier this year, Chinese authorities had announced that they will allow an additional 14 foreign films to be shown in the country, if the movies are made in 3D or for the big-screen Imax format. China's movie industry has seen robust growth in the past few years. Ticket sales in the world's second-largest economy surged 29% to 13.1bn yuan ($2.1bn; Â£1.3bn) in 2011. They are forecast to rise further, by around 20% in the current year. The growth in its market has seen various Hollywood filmmakers and studios announcing joint ventures with Chinese firms. Earlier this week, Dreamworks Animation announced plans to co-produce the next Kung Fu Panda movie with its Chinese partners. The firm said it was also planning to open an entertainment district in the country. In April, Walt Disney Company, the world's largest entertainment firm, said that it plans to co-produce Iron Man 3 with Beijing-based DMG Entertainment. Mr Cameron said that the robust growth in the country's market made it attractive destination. "This is the best place for us to create a kind of a second home," he said.

Summary: James Cameron, the creator of the blockbuster film Avatar, has announced a joint venture with two Chinese firms in a bid to capture the country's fast-growing movie market.


A French court gave the men suspended sentences of three to four months for organised violence, while two others were found not guilty. Another 11 were handed â‚¬500 (Â£425; $530) fines for property damage. The October 2015 protest made headlines across the world after the executives were filmed climbing a fence to escape. A hundred people protesting against restructuring plans broke down a fence and invaded a boardroom at Air France headquarters in the Parisian suburb of Roissy, next to Charles de Gaulle Airport, forcing the executives to flee. Air France-KLM was considering cutting almost 3,000 jobs and extending pilots' working hours. The proposal has since been dropped. But as the executives fled, the angry mob - who were chanting "naked, naked" and "resignation" - began to pull the clothes from their backs. They were left with no option but to scramble over the wire fence to safety. Pierre Plissonnier, director of long-haul operations at the airline, told the court of his "humiliation" at seeing pictures of himself scrambling over a fence to escape the mob, his shirt and suit jacket hanging in tatters. Human resources director Xavier Broseta had his shirt entirely ripped from his body. Most of the 15 who faced trial - four of whom have been fired - were union members. The violence of the protest shocked France, with Prime Minister Manuel Valls calling for the defendants, whom he branded "rogues", to be given stiff sentences. But Lilia Mhissen, lawyer for 11 of the defendants, said the verdict was "outrageous" and that she would advise her clients - whom she described as scapegoats - to file an appeal. Only one person walked away from the court in Bobigny, a suburb of Paris, without being convicted of any charge.

Summary: Three former Air France employees have been found guilty of ripping the shirts from the backs of two executives fleeing a meeting about job cuts.


The New Zealand racer set the fastest time of the week so far on his Superbike 124.888mph before achieving the fastest ever lightweight lap. His 118.812mph lightweight lap on a 250cc Honda was well within his own lap record, set in last year's race. Both Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix riders recorded timed laps in the best conditions of the week so far. There was also a noticeable improvement in times during the Manx Grand Prix qualification, with local riders leading the way. Glenn Harrison posted the quickest lap at 117.55mph, closely followed by Jamie Williams (117.23) both on junior machines. The top 15 riders all posted laps in excess of 115mph, whilst Northern Ireland's Daryl Tweed (112.855) is currently the quickest newcomer. Five riders came off during the session.

Summary: Bruce Anstey again set the pace in the third qualifying session for the 2017 Festival of Motorcycling on Wednesday.


The Breffni men beat promotion rivals Galway 1-16 to 1-12 to finish runners-up to Division Two winners Tyrone. The lads have taken a bit of criticism in the media because of the lack of senior success after the exploits of our Under-21s," said boss Hyland. "You have to give them time to mature and develop and I believe they are." Cavan scored an early goal through Jack Brady in Sunday's match but Patrick Sweeney quickly netted Galway's reply after the ball had come off an upright. With Gearoid McKiernan putting in a superb display, Cavan racked up six unanswered points before the break. Despite having Liam Buchanan sent off, they ran out four-point winners. "Galway put us under pressure in the second half but our lads responded to it," added Hyland. "It was a winner takes all match and there was a Championship feel about it. "Roscommon have proved you can go up from Division Two and compete quite well and that is what we want to do." Cavan will play Tyrone in the Division Two final at Croke Park on Sunday, 24 April.

Summary: Cavan manager Terry Hyland declared the best had yet to come as his side celebrated going up to Division One of the Football League.