Construction workers moved fast to fill the hole, which spanned a five-lane street, stretching 30 metres (98 feet) wide and 15 metres deep. The chasm first appeared on Tuesday, 8 November, in a business district of the south-west city of Fukuoka. No one was hurt in the collapse, but local media reported disruptions to electricity, gas and water services. The street reopened at 05:00 Tuesday (20:00 GMT Monday), in time for rush hour. The city's Mayor Soichiro Takashima released a statement apologising for the "great trouble", thanking workers for their efforts, and insisting that an investigation into the incident's causes would continue. City officials have said it could have been caused by underground construction nearby.

Summary: A busy Japanese road reopened on Tuesday, just one week after it was wrecked by a gigantic sinkhole.


RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire was initially named after the nearby town of Stamford. Spitfires, Hurricanes, the V-Bomber Force and Harriers have been based at the airfield. It is now home to the RAF's A4 Force and trainee pilots. A centennial memorial has been unveiled at All Saints' Church in Wittering.

Summary: An airfield established during World War One as a Royal Flying Corps base for anti-Zeppelin fighters has marked 100 years of active service.


The Dungannon man, one of Ireland's most successful riders, replaces colourful Lincolnshire man Guy Martin in the Northern Ireland-based team. Forty-year-old Farquhar first raced for the TAS-run outfit 10 years ago. "This is really exciting and has given me a new lease of life. I am more motivated than I have ever been," said Farquhar, who has won three TT races. "I am not jumping ship because I will still be running my Kawasaki team in the Supertwins. "For Superstock, I will be riding a BMW with a new personal sponsor and on the back of that I have managed to get Guy Martin's Superbike ride at the TT. "I am proud to be in this situation. It is by far the best package I have had at the start of a season. "I am up three mornings a week to go boxing training, trying to get myself in the best possible place I can be mentally and physically." Farquhar will partner 11-time TT winner Ian Hutchinson in the Tyco BMW outfit for the Superbike and Senior TT events after Martin opted to sit out at least the opening half of the road racing season to participate in a mountain bike challenge in North America. Previously a Kawasaki rider for many years, Farquhar has won two Supersport TT races and the inaugural Lightweight Supertwins class and last rode for Hector and Phillip Neill at TAS Racing back in 2006. He boasts a record 200 successes on Irish roads, making him Ireland's most successful ever national road racer. He will compete at the Mid Antrim 150 and Tandragee 100 races in April and race in the Supertwins class, alongside Jeremy McWilliams, Danny Webb and Canadian Darren James at the North West 200 in May. Cameron Donald will join the team for the TT, riding McWilliams's supertwin in the Lightweight class.

Summary: Northen Ireland's Ryan Farquhar is to ride a Tyco BMW factory Superbike at this year's Isle of Man TT road races.


A 22-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman remain in police custody. West Yorkshire Police said the 29-year-old victim was found with serious injuries at a home in Coldcotes Crescent, Gipton, in the early hours of Saturday. He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.

Summary: Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of a man who was found badly injured at a house in Leeds.


Taylor, 32, registered his 17th ODI century with an unbeaten 102 as New Zealand posted 289-4. It took him past all-rounder Nathan Astle, who made 16 one-day centuries from 1995-2007. Seamers Trent Boult and Tim Southee then restricted South Africa to 283-9 to level the five-match series at 1-1. Former Test captain Taylor also became the country's quickest batsman to 6,000 runs in the 50-over format as he struck eight boundaries in his 110-ball innings. "Nath was one of my idols growing up so I was fortunate towards the end of his career and start of mine to play with him," Taylor said. "It's a little bit embarrassing from that point of view but records are there to be broken and hopefully someone will beat mine."

Summary: Ross Taylor became New Zealand's leading one-day international centurion as the Black Caps beat South Africa by six runs in Christchurch.


Harry Dunn worked for clubs including Chelsea, Liverpool and Rangers. Police said an 84-year-old man was arrested and charged with a number of "non-recent sexual offences". Last year, Police Scotland was among forces across the UK to launch investigations into allegations of child abuse within football after reports from high-profile players. Mr Dunn is understood to have worked with Liverpool and Rangers in the 1980s and later with Chelsea. It is thought he now lives in Edinburgh.

Summary: A former youth football scout has been arrested by police investigating allegations of historical sex abuse.


Meanwhile, eight African presidents are set to sign a UN-brokered accord aimed at bringing stability to the region. As many as 800,000 people have been displaced since the M23 rebel group took up arms against the Kinshasa government last May. It accuses President Joseph Kabila of failing to honour an earlier peace deal to integrate rebels into the army. The M23 rebels say they want to improve living conditions for the people of eastern DR Congo, but the UN says they are supported by Rwanda, which has been heavily involved in its eastern neighbour since those responsible for the country's genocide fled there en masse in 1994. The UN official said the plan for a 2,500-strong intervention force was at an advanced stage, although it has yet to be approved by the Security Council. The troops would be added to Monusco, the UN's existing DRC peacekeeping mission, mandated to protect civilians. The new brigades would be tasked with preventing rebels from seizing territory, and weakening them through targeted operations. Alongside this rapid reaction force, said a UN official, a broad political plan to bring stability to the region is set to be signed on the side-lines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa by the leaders of the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Angola, the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Tanzania and South Africa. All of these measures were triggered late last year when M23 rebels seized the eastern city of Goma. UN peacekeepers chose not to confront the well-armed insurgents, and suffered a blow to their image. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has been pushing for a comprehensive approach to dealing with the seemingly continuous conflict in the eastern DRC, fuelled by interference from neighbouring states and facilitated by the weakness of the Congolese government and army. UN experts have cited evidence that Rwanda and Uganda are backing M23, although both countries strongly deny the charges. "Following the Goma crisis there was a realization here that after more than 10 years of UN engagement in the DRC there was a need to look at things differently to break the cycle of violence in the east," said the UN official. "So we tried to go for the heart of the problem and see why these cycles are on-going." The framework agreement involves a commitment from Kinshasa to strengthen the Congolese army and pledges of non-interference from its neighbours. It also seeks to address the legitimate concerns of all countries concerned, says the UN official, "meaning there are legitimate concerns for all countries involved, including Rwanda and Uganda". The UN intervention force would not be a substitute for the Congolese army, said the peacekeeping official. Rather it would "create a specific space and time for the political process, and for the army to build at least some capacity." The idea would be to recruit African soldiers. Only Tanzania has offered troops so far. The combat brigades would be aided by surveillance drones recently authorised by the Security Council, which are also meant to monitor the borders. The Secretary General will present detailed plans for the

Summary: The UN wants to set up an intervention force to fight rebels fuelling conflict in DR Congo, says a UN official.


The adaptation of books by Diana Gabaldon tells the story of Claire Randall, a WW2 nurse swept back in time from 1945 to 18th Century Scotland. It stars Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan and had been available on Amazon Prime, but has now been bought up for More4. Channel 4 said the first season would begin airing later this month. The show has garnered fans worldwide as well as Bafta Scotland and Critics Choice awards. It follows the story of Claire after she falls back in time to become caught up in a Jacobite Rising and the Battle of Culloden. Diana Gabaldon said she had been influenced by her visits to the battlefield near Inverness in the writing of her Outlander books. The US show has built its own private film studio at Wardpark in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, prompting calls to improve studio production in Scotland.

Summary: Hit Scottish time-travel drama Outlander has been given a slot on UK television for the first time.


Riley's comments came after referee Neil Swarbrick sent off Gareth McAuley instead of Craig Dawson during West Brom's 3-0 defeat at Manchester City. Swarbrick has apologised for the error. "We need to see what technology we can use to help get referees' decisions more accurate," said Riley. "Football as a whole has to look at it." Speaking about Swarbrick's error, Riley - head of the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) - told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek: "All it takes is a split-second lapse in concentration. "Neil had four or five elements to judge in half a second and it is that type of situation that would lend itself to technology." Media playback is not supported on this device Riley said he had been to the Netherlands with PGMOL performance director Howard Webb, another former referee, to study video assistant technology used in the Dutch league. "Technology doesn't provide a solution to everything but we can all think of case where a quick reference to a video replay would help us get the decision right," he added. Riley also revealed that he had spoken to Swarbrick "several times" since the City-West Brom match. "All referees want to make correct decisions and when you don't do that, you feel you've let yourself and your colleagues down," he said. "We need to make sure the next time Neil referees, he has learned from the experience and will be a better referee because of it."

Summary: Video technology to help referees cut out clear mistakes should be introduced in English football, says referees' chief Mike Riley.


Researchers from the British Trust for Ornithology used data from a 12-year garden bird survey in their study. This revealed that many blackcaps from Central Europe had shifted their winter migration, partly because of the supply of garden food in Britain. The findings are published in the journal Global Change Biology. "This is the first time that we've shown that feeding birds actually influences the distribution of a bird species across a whole country," lead researcher Dr Kate Plummer told BBC News. The northern nightingale Source: RSPB Until the 1950s, there were hardly any records of blackcaps being in Britain in the winter, but in the past 60 years, researchers say, the number has increased "dramatically". "We saw that both [climate change and garden feeding] were driving this shift in migration [from the Mediterranean to Britain]," Dr Plummer said. "Where there was a reliable supply of food, blackcaps were more likely to be seen." Throughout the 12 year period during which the observations were gathered - by more than 14,000 volunteers submitting a weekly record of the birds in their gardens - blackcaps became more strongly associated with garden food supply. "So it looks like like they're evolving to adapt to using this big supply of winter food," said Dr Plummer. Graham Madge, from the RSPB, told BBC News that it was only because "people take such a keen interest" and "monitor birds in these surveys, that we're able to understand the impacts we're having on birds and wildlife". "It's positive news that blackcap numbers are increasing here, but when it comes to house sparrows and starlings, unfortunately [in these same surveys] we're seeing massive declines," he added. As for the blackcap's preferred variety of feed - the birds appear to particularly like fats and sunflower hearts. Follow Victoria on Twitter

Summary: Putting out birdfeed in Britain's gardens is shifting the migration of one particular winter visitor, the blackcap, scientists say.


Andy Clewes had the transplant in Manchester after his friend Helen Crowther agreed to become a donor. The 46-year-old suffered chronic kidney disease since birth and was on the verge of needing dialysis treatment. Mr Clewes and Ms Crowther, 45, are now planning "a curry and a few beers" to celebrate the successful procedure, which was carried out in January. "I've just got so much more energy now," Mr Clewes, a radio DJ from Crewe, Cheshire, said. "There was a time when I could sleep 23-hour days, but now I struggle to get myself off to bed. "It's hard to describe how it feels. Every now and then you remember how lucky you are to have your mate's kidney." Mr Clewes said the pair would like to get involved in charity work to support others in need of transplants - and may even take on an extreme challenge. "There are a few organisations who do skydives and things like that, and I've never done something like that before," he said. "I think it's something I'd like to look at once I'm fully recovered." Although his strength has returned, Mr Clewes will continue to need regular check-ups and medication to prevent his body rejecting the organ. But he added: "I'm feeling great. I'm exercising. It's really a life-changing step and I don't want to let Helen down." Ms Crowther, a charity worker from Runcorn, met her friend at a fundraising event in 2006 and later became "best woman" at his wedding. She said: "I think Andy's a bit worried he might now take on some of my characteristics. "I think his wife might like that as he might start tidying up around the house a bit more. "We met up about four weeks after the operation and just fell back into normal every day chatting really. "We have plans to celebrate properly and knowing Andy it will probably just be a few beers and curry." About 3,000 people have kidney transplants each year in the UK and about a third of these are from living donors. You can find more information on the NHS Organ Donation website.

Summary: A man who was given a kidney by his best friend says he feels "100% better" and is considering a charity skydive.


Sidwell made 34 league appearances last season as the Seagulls returned to the top flight after a 34-year absence. The 34-year-old joined Brighton on an initial loan deal from Stoke in January 2016, before joining the club on a free transfer ahead of last season. "Steve has been a key member of the squad over the past 18 months," manager Chris Hughton said. "Our fans know his qualities well, and his experience, particularly at Premier League level, will be important for us."

Summary: Brighton midfielder Steve Sidwell has signed a new one-year contract with the newly-promoted Premier League club.


Kate and Gerry McCann sued ex-police chief Goncalo Amaral, who led the search for their daughter, following claims he made about them in his book. Madeleine went missing while on holiday in May 2007 and Mr Amaral had suggested the couple had faked her abduction. The McCanns said they were "delighted" with the ruling but wanted to emphasise the case had never been about money. In a statement issued by their spokesman Clarence Mitchell, they said: "It was entirely focused on the effect of the libels on our other children and the damage that was done to the search for Madeleine." The former police officer can appeal against the ruling. In The Truth Of The Lie, Mr Amaral alleged Madeleine had died in the family's holiday apartment in Praia de Luz in the Algarve, and that her parents had simulated her abduction and hidden her body. The McCanns, from Rothley in Leicestershire, said the claims exacerbated their anguish and discouraged people from coming forward with information after Madeleine disappeared. Madeleine went missing in the Portuguese holiday resort of Praia da Luz, aged three. Mr Amaral, who initially headed the inquiry into Madeleine's disappearance, was taken off the case in October 2007. His book, published in 2008, has been a bestseller in Portugal. The McCanns were originally seeking 1.25m euros (almost £900,000) in damages from Mr Amaral, his publisher and a company that produced a documentary based on his book. In a written verdict, a court in the Portugeuse capital Lisbon ruled Mr Amaral should pay Mr and Mrs McCann 250,000 euros each in damages, plus interest in excess of 100,000 euros (£71,500). The court also barred Mr Amaral and his publisher from selling the book or issuing further editions. It also barred the producer of the film from selling the rights to broadcast or distribute it. During the trial, Mrs McCann told the court that when she had first found out about the allegations she was "quite desperate because of the injustice I felt towards my daughter and our family as a whole". "It was very painful to read and I also felt anxious and fearful because of the damage I felt it was doing here in Portugal," she said. Portuguese authorities dropped their investigation into Madeleine's disappearance in 2008, but Scotland Yard started a review in May 2011, after Prime Minister David Cameron responded to a plea from the McCanns. In 2013, the Met Police opened a formal investigation, known as Operation Grange, which remains ongoing. In June 2014 police officers used dogs to search several sites in the Praia de Luz resort, as well as "ground penetrating radar" to look for disturbed earth, but their searches did not yield any results. In their statement, the McCanns said: "A lot has changed in the six years since we launched the action and we are pleased that there is still an active investigation in both Portugal and the UK. "We would like to remind people that there is still an innocent little girl who is missing and that those responsible for her

Summary: A Portuguese court has awarded the parents of missing Madeleine McCann damages of £358,000 after a libel case.


The opening session of the Scottish Parliament was largely devoted to ceremony, including swearing in MSPs and electing the presiding officer. Members found time to lodge 51 questions and motions - 28 of them from Willie Rennie on the China agreement. There was controversy about the issue during the election campaign. It emerged during the election period that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had signed the memorandum, potentially worth up to Â£10bn of investment, with SinoFortone and China Railway No 3 Engineering Group. At the time, Lib Dem leader Mr Rennie called for the agreement to be torn up after a parent firm of the engineering group had been blacklisted by Norway's state pension fund over fears of "gross corruption". Fears have also been voiced about human rights abuses. Ms Sturgeon said no firm investment plans had been made and insisted that due diligence would be carried out, although a UK advisor to the Chinese firms said specific projects had been discussed and claimed Ms Sturgeon wanted work to begin "this year". Mr Rennie lodged a total of 28 questions, all on the topic of the China agreement and government memoranda of understanding. He asked a series of questions about whether government officials were aware of the Norwegian blacklisting, their assessment of the firm's human rights record, what advice was taken before signing the memorandum, and whether the government would suspend the memorandum until it had investigated concerns. The Scottish Parliament website indicated that the questions were likely to be answered on 26 May. Ms Sturgeon has previously said that "if there were any concerns that said these were deals we should not do, then we wouldn't do them". A number of other MSPs also lodged questions on their first day back at work after the election. Labour MSP Neil Findlay submitted three motions, one of them on the "growing number of Scottish citizens identified as being involved in undercover policing scandals". His motion calls on the UK government to extend the Pitchford inquiry into undercover policing into Scotland, and says that if it does not, the Scottish government should set up an inquiry of its own. Mr Findlay also submitted a motion to welcome the verdict of the Hillsborough inquests, and another calling for directors of companies that take part in blacklisting to be tried in court. Green MSP Mark Ruskell, who has now returned to parliament having lost his seat in 2011, lodged 13 questions on his first day back in the job. Mr Ruskell's questions focused on a series of environmental issues, including the culling of mountain hares and the reintroduction of beavers to Scotland.

Summary: Dozens of questions about the Scottish government memorandum of understanding with Chinese firms were lodged during the first session at Holyrood.


It followed a huge spike in applications for the non-domestic end of the renewable heat incentive scheme. The investigation will include a check on one in 10 of all schemes approved. The scheme was set up several years ago to encourage domestic and business users to change to biomass heating systems, mostly wood pellets. Industry Minister Jonathan Bell announced on Friday his intention to close it to new applications. On Tuesday, officials told the enterprise committee that £30m would have to come out of the block grant in 2016/7 to pay for it. The renewable heat incentive scheme applies to both home and business users. Businesses get about £24,000 a year over a 20-year term for installing one of the renewable heat systems. The benefits to domestic applicants are less lucrative, with an upfront payment of about £3,500 and £1,200 a year for seven years. Mr Bell told the assembly that the chancellor had limited the amount of money being paid to Northern Ireland out of the UK pot for renewable heat, and that had led to the problem. He said the scheme had been oversubscribed and it had created a "huge budgetary pressure" not just for his department, but for the whole of Northern Ireland. Dr Andrew McCormick, the Department of Enterprises's permanent secretary, said there had been a need to "turn the tap off" as quickly as possible to contain the overspend. He said it produced a "very serious financial issue" and it was the minister's "judgement that it was necessary to suspend the scheme immediately to prevent that overspend becoming even worse". The committee was told that "whistle-blower allegations" had been received through the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister. These have been drawn to the attention of the regulator Ofgem, which administers the scheme across the UK. Treasury funds covered the scheme up to a certain level, but due to the spike in applications at the end of last year, there was a large funding gap which would have to be covered from the Stormont budget. Nine hundred applications had been received over three years. In a six-week period last Autumn, a further 900 applications flooded in. Dr McCormick said with the scheme closed to new entrants, the funding gap would reduce in future years, but would still be £11m by 2021. Committee chair Patsy McGlone said the sudden closure of the scheme would threaten jobs and businesses. He said one installation company believed it could cost it up to £1m and put 25 jobs at risk. The Ulster Farmers Union told the committee that 50 poultry projects could be at risk as a result of the scheme's closure.

Summary: An investigation is under way after allegations from whistle-blowers about the operation of a renewable energy scheme that led to a £30m overspend.


But since 2007, when Ian Paisley agreed to share power at Stormont with Sinn Féin, the DUP has become a party of government. When Ian Paisley became MP in 1970, he stood as a Protestant Unionist, but his party was relaunched as the Democratic Unionist Party in 1971. The party drew support from Protestants and was fiercely opposed to any moves towards involving the Republic of Ireland in Northern Ireland affairs. During the 1990s, the DUP pulled out of talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement in protest against the decision to invite the IRA's political wing, Sinn Féin, to enter negotiations. The DUP benefited from growing unionist unease over power-sharing and the failure of the IRA to decommission, overtaking the Ulster Unionists at the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in 2003. Nine DUP MPs were subsequently elected. In 2006, the party was a key player in the St Andrews' Agreement in Scotland. A year later, the party made its historic decision to share power with Sinn Féin. Ian Paisley served as first minister until 2008 when Peter Robinson took over. But, in the most surprising result of the 2010 General Election, Mr Robinson lost his East Belfast Westminster seat to Alliance's Naomi Long. Regaining East Belfast is a key DUP objective in 2015, and it is one of four seats covered by an electoral pact between the DUP and UUP. The DUP currently has eight MPs and is the fourth largest party at Westminster - a fact it highlighted when it was excluded from UK pre-election television debates. The relationship between Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness has never appeared as friendly as that between the deputy first minister and Mr Paisley. It continues to appear strained, notably over the issue of welfare reform. The DUP, which holds the ministry in the Northern Ireland Executive responsible for the implementation of the bill, and Sinn Féin, whose leadership in the Republic of Ireland has championed an anti-austerity approach, seem to be at loggerheads. It was thought a deal had been done during talks at Stormont in December 2014, but in March - on the day the final stage of the bill was due to pass through the assembly - Sinn Féin withdrew its support and the bill's passage was halted.

Summary: For more than three decades, the Democratic Unionist Party was the natural party of protest for unionists in Northern Ireland, the outsiders who challenged the establishment Official, or Ulster, Unionists.


Longford in Hillingdon could be demolished if a third runway is built at neighbouring Heathrow Airport. A hotel is providing accommodation in houses it has bought for asylum seekers, including those from the so-called "Jungle" in Calais. The Home Office said it has tried to address residents' concerns. It has said decisions about the use of hotel accommodation, including which premises are used, are a matter for the contractors who bear the cost. It would not say how many asylum seekers were being sent to Longford, but said rooms were used for one or two days before asylum seekers were dispersed into temporary accommodation. BBC London filmed two coaches and three van loads arriving in one day carrying people from Iran, Sudan, Eritrea and Syria. Many of those on board said they had come from the so-called "Jungle". Three days later, another two coaches were witnessed arriving. Ray, 85, has lived in Longford for 50 years. He said asylum seekers were accommodated in the houses either side of his. "They meet and they have conversations in the middle of my front garden," he said. "We don't know where they come from, we don't know what they are and we are living next door to them, albeit they might be very nice people." The hotel, Heathrow Lodge, also rents rooms to travellers using the airport. Booking websites confirm a room can cost Â£30 a night per person, less per person if sharing. Neither the Home Office nor the hotel would say how much is paid per asylum seeker. BBC London booked a room and met eight men all staying in one house. They were asylum seekers from Sudan and Eritrea and said a few days earlier they had been sleeping rough in the camp in Calais. Mogdad from Sudan said he had paid a people trafficker 500 euros (Â£370) in Calais to get to the UK. "I have no choice," he said. "I have to get away from death." Villager Ray said: "The coaches turn up - about 20, 30 people get off, and they're transferred to all the houses that are around the village." Longford resident Leon, said: "You know, (with) what's going on around the world at the moment, they've got a right to move from dangerous areas, but it's just saturated where I live, with immigrants. "I chose to live here with the aeroplanes, but I didn't choose to live here with the three to four coaches a day moving in and out, and especially at night-time as well. The villagers insist they are not being racist. Rana Saif, who runs one of the local pubs was born in Pakistan and moving to Longford from Sweden three years ago. "No racists here," he said. He claimed the numbers of asylum seekers staying in the village had hit his takings. "No-one comes here, when they are standing 20, 80 people outside on the road, on the walls. "I am going to move from here, as soon as. "It was good before the immigrants came." While the future of the village may

Summary: Residents of a village near Heathrow Airport say they are being "overwhelmed" by people seeking asylum in the UK.


The 39-year-old died at the scene shortly after police had arrived at the house in Cheadle Road, Cheadle Hulme, at about 19:40 BST on Monday. A man, 39, was later arrested on suspicion of murder and Greater Manchester Police said they were not looking for anyone else. "Our thoughts go out to the family of the woman," Det Supt Tony Creely said. He appealed for witnesses or anyone with "information which could help us with our investigation" to contact police. "The investigation is in its very early stages, however, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the murder," Det Supt Creely added.

Summary: A murder inquiry has begun after a woman was found with fatal stab wounds at a house in Greater Manchester.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 31-year-old completed the 40km route in 44 minutes 42.99 seconds, 45 seconds quicker than defending champion Vasil Kiryienka of Belarus. Spain's Jonathan Castroviejo was third. It was Martin's second gold of the week in Doha, following victory in the men's team time trial in his last race for Etixx-Quick Step. Martin will be leaving the Belgium-based side to join Katusha from 2017. Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara, who is to retire this year and was not competing in Doha, won four titles between 2006 and 2010. "I want to be world champion every year, so I am so proud I can ride in a world champion suit from next year," said Martin. "I've missed it a lot. "The course was made for me. I just had fun on the road." Commonwealth time trial champion Alex Dowsett was the best of two Britons competing, finishing 12th in 46 minutes 54.07 seconds. Compatriot Steve Cummings was 25th. The women's elite road race takes place on Saturday, with Britain's Lizzie Deignan the defending champion. The men's elite road race is on Sunday, with Britain's Mark Cavendish among the favourites. 2010 Commonwealth time trial champion David Millar on BBC TV: "That was a phenomenal ride. Tony Martin at his very best. "The course was flat, there are no surprises, it's just who can hold that power for the longest time. It was the display of a world champion. Nobody could ever have come close to matching that. "Alex Dowsett will be disappointed in finishing 12th. I think he is capable of doing better. I'm not sure if it was the heat or the distance, because he's an hour record holder and we have seen him up there before. "But I think it's only a matter of time before we see him up there again." Find out how to get into cycling with our special guide.

Summary: Germany's Tony Martin won a joint record fourth men's individual time trial world title at the Road Cycling World Championships in Qatar.


Police were contacted at about 01:00 BST on Tuesday after the baby had been admitted to Royal Blackburn Hospital. The infant, who had been at a house in Infirmary Street, Blackburn, is in "a very poorly condition", a Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said. A man, 21, and a 17-year-old girl, both from Blackburn, were held on suspicion of wounding with intent. They have been bailed until 6 July. The boy has been transferred to the Manchester Children's Hospital.

Summary: Two people have been arrested after a three-month-old boy was taken to hospital with a bleed to the brain.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 23-year-old Scot, who holds five outdoor and indoor British records, ran a personal best four minutes 19.12 seconds over the distance last year. Budd's mark, set in Switzerland in 1985, is 4:17.57. "It would be brilliant one month out from the World Championships," Muir told BBC Sport. "To have another British record, and in the London Stadium again, would be fantastic. Fingers crossed I will be able to do something." The world record - set by Russian Svetlana Masterkova in 1996 - stands at 4:12.56. At last year's Anniversary Games, Muir broke the British 1500m record that had stood since Dame Kelly Holmes' gold medal-winning run in the 2004 Olympic final in Athens. She expects her return to bring back happy memories. "The main thing was just how loud the crowd was," said Muir. "I am usually very focused on my race but I was just aware as I came into the final 200m of the crowd getting louder and louder. It was brilliant." With the Anniversary Games just four weeks before Muir plans to take on a 1500m and 5,000m double at the same venue in the World Championships, it will also be a chance to maximise home advantage. "It is really really helpful to know where the call-room, the warm-up areas, the kit drop-off and the toilets are," she added. "Knowing that set-up is one of athletes' biggest worries going into a major championship. "You want to have everything ready and not have to worry about anything else apart from doing the best you can on the track." Alongside leading Britain's next generation of elite athletes, Muir is also training to become a vet. Juggling studying and sport dates back beyond the London 2012 Games, when she organised a placement on a dairy farm so she would finish inspecting the morning milking round in time to watch the Olympic action at home in Kinross. This year she has already squeezed in experience with the Dogs Trust and various local practices around winning 1500m and 3,000m gold at the European Indoors. The rest of the season is dedicated solely to athletics. "After the disappointment of finishing seventh in Rio, we knew how important the indoor season was for me in the build-up to London," she added. "We wanted to do really well there. We ticked that box pretty well and now everything is building towards London." Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Laura Muir will attempt to break Zola Budd's 32-year-old British mile record at the London Anniversary Games on 9 July.


The rapper's announced a 17-date tour starting in Sweden in March and ending in Glasgow a month later. She said: "It's been way too long since I've seen my European Barbz! We have more than a few surprises in store." The 32-year-old will perform nine dates in the UK in cities including London and Birmingham, with special guest, Grammy-nominated R&B star, Trey Songz. He said he's thrilled to be heading to Europe, adding: "The love I feel overseas is overwhelming and I can't wait to get the tour started to bring fans the best TRIGGA show possible." Last month, Minaj apologised after the lyric video for the track Only was accused of containing Nazi imagery. The European leg of The Pinkprint Tour is announced days after Nicki Minaj found out she was nominated for two 2015 Grammy awards - best rap song for Anaconda and best pop duo/group performance for Bang Bang with Ariana Grande and Jessie J. Her album - also called The Pinkprint - is released next Monday. Tickets for the UK shows go on sale at 9am on Friday 12 December. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Nicki Minaj is promising fans the "biggest and best tour yet" when she heads to Europe next year.


"It's interesting as one hand, there's something of Trump about the man," says the actor, who plays the leading role in the film, The Founder, which examines the beginnings of the fast food empire as a simple Californian drive-in. Parks and Recreation actor Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch play the brothers. "The difference is Donald Trump may have worked hard but he certainly had the enormous advantage of being born wealthy, whereas Ray Kroc was not. But Ray is less than ethical at the end of the movie, and I suppose I could say that in certain ways Donald Trump appears unethical," Keaton continues. "Ray Kroc also became this larger than life character at the high point of his wealth, and Trump is unbelievably needy to the point where it's funny - but it's also frightening." The Founder is also "a movie about America and a movie about capitalism", according to its director, The Blind Side's John Lee Hancock. "It was definitely about capitalism rather than fast food - the rush to make more." It's also about what might have been, unwittingly, modern capitalism's first major corporate takeover. Ray Kroc was a 50-something travelling salesman when he met the McDonald brothers, two businessmen who lost their money in the Depression of the 1930s, but who had built up their own California roadside restaurant. Struck by the fast service, high-quality food, disposable packaging and the family atmosphere, Kroc asks to start franchising the brand, although the brothers are happily committed to their original restaurant and its small workforce. Eventually, Kroc bought the McDonalds name, the company and even built a branch of McDonalds opposite the brothers' original restaurant, putting them out of business. Despite a handshake agreement that the McDonald family was to receive 1 percent of all future profits from the chain, it never occurred. Last year, the company made US $1.31 billion (Â£1.0 billion) in profits and had stores in 118 countries. "I think it's an interesting take on what the American Dream has become to those watching from outside - that even a million isn't enough," Keaton says. "That it's not enough to lead a good, comfortable life - that you need a billion dollars to have 'made it'. Ray Kroc basically mechanised capitalism - he wanted a billion dollars. "I always thought that the American Dream, in its simpler form, was 'work hard, have a house, go on vacation.' That's what it was, but it's no longer the perception of it. "Ray Kroc did actually say 'if your competitor is drowning, stick a hose in his mouth.' Now I'm a fan of hard work, there wasn't a time in his life that my Dad didn't have two jobs. I'm not a fan of sadistic greed, but as an actor it's intriguing." As the first 'fast food' chain, McDonalds has gone on to have far-reaching impact, "and not only in the way we eat," Keaton argues. "It's changed culture beyond food. It basically became the Henry Ford mechanical production line for food, but it's helped build a portable society,

Summary: Michael Keaton's new role is, he thinks, "a Trumpian character," as he takes on the part of Ray Kroc, the 1950s salesman who wrested the McDonalds name from the restaurant founders, Dick and Mac McDonald, and turned it into a modern day global franchise.


Like every weekend, María was visiting her parents in Iscuandé, a municipality on Colombia's Pacific coast. María and her relatives were in the family's stilt house, typical for this region criss-crossed by rivers, when a speedboat carrying armed men came up the river. María does not know who the armed men in the boat were, but she does know who started shooting at them from the hill behind her family home: ELN rebels. The ELN, or National Liberation Army, is Colombia's second-largest guerrilla group, and despite being engaged in peace talks with the government, the group is still very much active. About 50 ELN rebels had surrounded the family home without María noticing. "I had never seen a shot being fired before, I had heard [shots fired], but had never seen bullets flying; they passed underneath my house, by the sides, everywhere." "The children were crying, my father, too, we were all crying," María says. She started praying but the ELN rebels came into the house and took her and her family up into the hills. The rebels accused her of stashing weapons for the armed group in the speedboat, which María denied. "They put a rifle to my head, to my father's head, to the children's heads." Eventually, four hours after the shoot-out had started, the rebels let the family go. Scared of returning home, the family moved from their home on stilts to the main town, along with 31 other families from the area where the shoot-out happened. María and nine other members of her family now live in two rented rooms and share two mattresses. Her father has not been able to work because it is too dangerous to go back to the forest where he made a living logging. "I am worried, I don't know how we will survive," María says. And she is not the only one. Dozens more families here have been forcibly displaced by a surge in violence in areas formerly controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc). The Farc signed a peace deal with the government last year and their members are demobilising in "transition zones", where they are handing over their weapons to United Nations monitors. But with the Farc no longer in control, other armed groups are trying to take over their profitable cocaine smuggling and illegal gold mining rackets. The groups clash with each other and the security forces. "A war has started in the areas where the Farc used to be," says local government official Luis Enrique Sinisterra. Nationwide, the levels of violence may have dropped as a result of the Farc peace deal, but the picture here is a different one. Mr Sinisterra says he is not surprised by the rise in violence in Iscuandé. He argues that what is needed is a stronger presence by the national government. He is not just speaking of the security forces but of investment in education, health, housing and infrastructure. His prediction of what might happen if that investment should not be forthcoming is a bleak one: "The war will

Summary: "You get so nervous you don't know if to run and hide or what to do; we went into the kitchen and hid behind the freezer in the hope that it would protect us," María (not her real name) recalls of the time she and her family were caught in the crossfire between two armed groups.


However, he called for thorough reconstruction of the EU in an attempt to save it. Before Thursday's UK referendum, Mr Soros had warned of financial meltdown if Britain voted to leave. In his latest comments, he said the effects of the decision would damage Britain. "Britain eventually may or may not be relatively better off than other countries by leaving the EU, but its economy and people stand to suffer significantly in the short- to medium term," he wrote on the Project Syndicate website. Mr Soros made huge profits in 1992's "Black Wednesday" by betting against the British pound as it crashed out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. Before Friday's vote he warned of a similar meltdown, predicting a Brexit victory would send the pound down by 15-20%. In the event, sterling fell about 10% to a 31-year low. "Now the catastrophic scenario that many feared has materialised, making the disintegration of the EU practically irreversible," wrote Mr Soros in his latest article. "The financial markets worldwide are likely to remain in turmoil as the long, complicated process of political and economic divorce from the EU is negotiated." He said the consequences for the economy would be comparable to the financial crisis of 2007-2008. "After Brexit, all of us who believe in the values and principles that the EU was designed to uphold must band together to save it by thoroughly reconstructing it," he wrote. "I am convinced that as the consequences of Brexit unfold in the weeks and months ahead, more and more people will join us." Brexit: What happens now?

Summary: Billionaire investor George Soros has warned that Britain's vote to leave the European Union makes the disintegration of the bloc "practically irreversible".


The 16ft (5m) beard statue - a "symbol of wisdom and learning" - will stand on the University of Salford's campus. Arts company Engine, who are behind the piece, said the idea came from a 1980s plan to relocate an Eastern Bloc statue of the thinker to Manchester. Engels, who wrote The Communist Manifesto with Karl Marx, lived in the area from the 1840s onwards. The sculpture will depict the nose and whiskers of the father of Marxist theory and be situated on the university's Peel Park campus in 2016, It features a climbing wall at the front, stairs to the rear and a viewing platform at the top, from which climbers can admire the view across Salford. Engine's Jai Redman said the work used Engels' "signature magnificent beard as a symbol of wisdom and learning", while the climbing aspect came from a desire to make it an "interactive piece". "We're aren't interested in making 'a hero on horseback', [which is] something Engels would have been horrified by. "Engels' Beard is a metaphor for how it is an effort and a struggle to pull ourselves out of ignorance [and] a direct representation of how all philosophers 'stand on the shoulders of giants'." Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica He said Engels had been chosen as "a great socialist, thinker and a philosopher, a local historical figure and a champion of the working classes", who dealt with issues still "alive and real" today. "There is a huge issue in Salford and Manchester, where wage inequality and mass poverty is being seen on levels not experienced here since Engels' time." The idea had come from an "audacious" plan to relocate a statue of the thinker to nearby Castlefield Basin in the mid-1980s, which "attracted broad support, but failed to materialise when no suitable sculpture could be found", he said. The plan was documented in former Hacienda DJ Dave Haslam's book, Manchester, England, where Redman first saw it. He said that ever since, he had been waiting for "a good opportunity" to create the statue. Haslam said the climbing wall was "bizarre and hilarious" but appropriate as "we should not be precious about Engels". "Engels had a sense of fun. He used to go drinking in Manchester," he said. "Landlords knew him and his friends, and he'd play jokes and get into scrapes." The University of Salford's art curator Lindsay Taylor said she was "delighted that even before work has begun on Engels' Beard, it has engaged public imagination". "All great art should provoke and encourage debate. It is entirely appropriate for the university as a place of learning to be involved with commissioning new art on educational subjects." Engine said there were no plans to create an accompanying Karl Marx beard sculpture, but added they were "approaching authorities in Germany to perhaps site the other side of his face in Munich".

Summary: The "magnificent" beard of socialist thinker Friedrich Engels has inspired a climbing wall sculpture in Salford.


The relegation-threatened Harriers took the lead when Keith Lowe headed in Ben Whitfield's corner, before Harry White drove in a second six minutes later. Arthur Gnahoua added a third with a neat finish from inside the box after great midfield approach play. Kristian Dennis pulled a goal back late on with a free-kick, but Macclesfield have now suffered four straight losses. Kidderminster are now 23rd in the table, seven points from safety.

Summary: Kidderminster scored three first-half goals to beat Macclesfield and make it three league wins in succession.


The Dragons have lost their last seven in the Pro12 while defending champions Gloucester have lost successive matches in the English Premiership. "It's a fresh challenge, we go there with nothing to lose and we'll play with no fear," said Jones. The Dragons reached the semi-final of the competition in 2015. Gloucester beat the Dragons 45-17 at Kingsholm in the Anglo-Welsh LV Cup semi-final in 2011, after losing 18-12 at Rodney Parade earlier in the campaign. The English side beat Edinburgh in the final of the 2015 Challenge Cup and won all their group matches on the way to the last eight in 2016. But Jones believes his team can rise to the challenge against a Gloucester side unbeaten in their last 15 in Europe despite the Dragons' poor form. "We've got a terrible record of the highest number of losing bonus points in the league, but we've done well in Europe," he said. "But they (Gloucester) are going to turn up on the back of four defeats as well. We understand that Gloucester will be favourites but we've got nothing to lose. "Last season we went to England for the first time and won a game of European rugby (at Newcastle), we went to France and won a game of European rugby (against Stade Francais), and this year we've been to France and won (at Castres). "So going away from home in European competition is not an issue for us." Dragons skipper T Rhys Thomas admits the squad have to take their share of responsibility for the recent slump in results. "It hasn't been where we want to be as a region but the players, we've had an honesty call amongst ourselves and taken a lot of ownership. We feel as though we've let everyone down," he revealed. Gloucester have experienced Wales internationals James Hook and Richard Hibbard in their squad as well as back-rower Ross Moriarty, who scored two tries for Wales against Italy. Dragons three-quarter Adam Hughes knows his side will have to close Hook down if they are to stand a chance of upsetting Gloucester. "He's very dangerous with ball in hand so you never know where he's going to pass or if he's going to go on his own. You've got to stay on him and his kicking game is really good."

Summary: Newport Gwent Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones says the region have "nothing to lose" in their European Challenge Cup quarter-final at Gloucester.


The 34-year-old carded a three-under-par 67 to end on five under alongside American Ricky Fowler at Avenel Farm. Kyle Stanley, 29, beat fellow American Charles Howell III on the first hole of a play-off after both shot a final-round 66 to end on seven under. They also secured places at The Open at Royal Birkdale from 20-23 July. "Anytime you can play in an Open, that's my favourite tournament of the year," said Laird. "To have the chance to play it anytime is special. I've heard great things about Birkdale." Four Open qualifying spots were on offer for the leading four players in the top 12 in Maryland who were not exempt. South Korean Sung Kang, who finished in an eight-way tie for fifth, also qualified. Stanley holed a putt after Howell missed from 10 feet to claim his first on the PGA Tour in more than five years. "I'm thrilled," Stanley said. "It's a special week. I knew it was just a matter of time."

Summary: Scotland's Martin Laird qualified for this month's Open Championship by finishing tied for third at the Quicken Loans National in Maryland.


In rational, post-Enlightenment Europe, religion has long since been relegated to a safe space, with Judaism and Christianity the safe targets of satire in secular western societies. Not so Islam. The battle within Islam itself between Sunni and Shia, so evident in the wars of the Middle East, and the fight between extremist interpretations of Islam such as those of Islamic State and Muslims who wish to practice their religion in peace, is now being played out on the streets of Europe with potentially devastating consequences for social cohesion. These latest shootings may be the work of "lone wolves" but their consequences will ripple across Europe and provoke much soul-searching about the failure of integration over the past decades. Immigrant communities are already being viewed with increasing suspicion in both France and Germany, with their significant Muslim populations, and even in the UK. France has the largest Muslim population in Europe, some five million or 7.5% of the population, compared with Germany's four million or 5% of the population, and the UK's three million, also 5% of the population. In all three, mainstream political parties are being forced to confront popular discontent over levels of immigration and the apparent desire of some younger, often disaffected children or grandchildren of immigrant families not to conform to western, liberal lifestyles - including traditions of religious tolerance and free speech. In the UK, that unease has largely played out on the public stage in a more peaceable manner, in the debate over "British values" and the recent Trojan horse schools affair. The fatwa against the writer Salman Rushdie over 20 years ago following the publication of The Satanic Verses, forcing him into hiding for several years, was perhaps the first time the issue impinged on British consciousness, though the attacks of 7/7 were a reminder that extremist violence could also hit the heart of the UK. However, France has already seen much more violence on its streets carried out in the name of religion over the past decades, although it has tried to write off most of its recent "lone wolf" attacks as the acts of mentally-unhinged individuals. But some in its Jewish community have responded to increasing anti-Semitism and the killing of Jews in France and Belgium by Islamist extremists by emigrating to Israel and elsewhere. Recent physical attacks on synagogues and Jews in the suburbs of Paris, where Jews and Muslims often live side by side in poorer areas such as Sarcelles, only exacerbated fears that the violence in the name of religion that grips parts of Africa and the Middle East, and which so many flee to Europe to escape, has followed them here. Germany, too, has seen a rising surge of anti-Islam sentiment in its cities, with worries about young radicalised Muslims moving from a concern confined to far right and neo-Nazi parties into the mainstream, as seen in the recent popularity of the Pegida movement, which campaigns against the "Islamisation" of Europe. Both political and religious leaders in Germany have spoken out against the movement, and counter-marches have been held,

Summary: In the heart of Europe in 2015, the killing of cartoonists and journalists for allegedly insulting God still comes as a shock, despite the rising number of such attacks in recent years.


Tuesday's 3-2 victory at Plymouth Argyle ended an eight-game winless run and means the O's are only in the drop zone on goal difference. "I've got to keep the boys grounded but I've let them be happy because they deserve it," he told BBC Radio London. "I won't get carried away if we win as we're still second from bottom." Webb, 33, is the youngest manager in the English Football League and became Orient's fourth boss of the season on 29 January. The former Southend and Hull striker has been forced to rely on young players, with 10 of the squad at Home Park being products of the east London club's academy. After ending a six-game losing streak in his third game in charge against Yeovil on Saturday, late goals from Gavin Massey and Sandro Semedo gave Orient their first victory since beating Crawley on Boxing Day. "I'm new to management but I have confidence in my own ability and I know how to set up a team," Webb added. "I know what the young players can bring; heart, passion and all the things the supporters want to see. "It's been a long time since we've been happy after a game but we have a long way to go. There is no point in everyone saying we are playing well and have team spirit if it is only for four games." However, the win at Plymouth has been marred by Argyle reporting O's skipper Liam Kelly to the Football Association for an alleged shove on a ball boy. Meanwhile, defender Nicky Hunt picked up his 10th caution of the season and will miss Saturday's visit of fellow strugglers Notts County, who are managed by former O's player-manager Kevin Nolan.

Summary: Leyton Orient boss Danny Webb wants his squad to remain focused in their League Two relegation battle after recording their first win of 2017.


The 21-year-old has played three times for Leeds, scoring the winner on his debut against Luton Town in the EFL Cup last season. He signed a new three-year contract at Elland Road in 2016-17. Leeds, who have signed Manchester United left-back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson on a season-long loan, have the option to recall Denton in January. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: League Two Port Vale have signed Leeds United left-back Tyler Denton on a season-long loan deal.


During the first half of 2015, it received the most - 759 - from German citizens with the second-highest number of 559 coming from the UK. These requests are made under the EU "Right to be Forgotten" ruling. It also revealed the number of content removal requests from governments, with the highest - 165 - coming from China. Requests for content removal from other governments were relatively infrequent - the US made 11, with Germany making five, the UK and Russia two each and Austria one - bringing the total to just 186 for the six-month period covered. Microsoft received 3,546 requests for the removal of content from individuals and complied with half of them. The majority of requests are for the removal of links to search results on Bing, although the firm also received requests for the removal of content from other Microsoft services, including OneDrive, Bing Ads and MSN. Such requests were made possible by a controversial ruling from the European Court of Justice in May 2014. This allowed European residents to ask search engines to remove results for queries that included their name if the results were inadequate, inaccurate or no longer relevant. "This new report illustrates how Microsoft strives to comply with local and intellectual property laws while adhering to our commitment to transparency and free expression," the firm said in a blog post. At the time, search engines worried that the ruling would mean they would be inundated with requests while internet rights campaigners raised concerns that the ruling amounted to censorship. All of the major search engines now produce regular transparency reports, partly in reaction to the revelations about government snooping from ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden. The vast majority of requests for data come from law enforcement agencies and Microsoft also revealed the numbers of these. It received a total of 35,228 for customer information in the first half of 2015, which is a slight increase compared to the number of requests for the second half of 2014. The US made the most requests - 254 - while the UK was second with 183. The vast majority - 67% - of all government requests resulted in the disclosure of subscriber or transactional data with 12% of requests rejected. In 16% of cases no data was found. Just 3% of law enforcement requests resulted in the disclosure of user content - and all of that was done in response to a court order or warrant, Microsoft revealed.

Summary: Microsoft has revealed for the first time how many requests it has had from members of the public wanting online content about them to be removed.


Construction bosses at the new Queensferry Crossing have come up with a plan by using nearby cranes to install temporary toilets at the top of each of its 206m (676ft) towers. The move has prompted onlookers to ask if they are now the highest toilets in the country. There are about 150 people working on each tower and, of those, a maximum of 12 people work at the very top of the tower at any given time. Each tower has a barge at the base with a number of male and female toilets and washrooms and canteens. The additional temporary toilets on the tower were installed when the towers got to about 120m (394ft) above sea level. Robert Adam, aerial photographer with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) - the new public body formed by bringing together Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland - was flying over the Firth of Forth recently when he spotted the toilets hundreds of feet above the water. He said: "The aerial survey team at HES record all aspects of the historic landscape, from architecture to archaeology. "We've been recording the new Forth crossing since they began building it, and this isn't the first toilet we've photographed - but it's probably the highest." A Transport Scotland spokesman said the Queensferry Crossing was one of the biggest construction projects Scotland had ever seen, directly employing over 1,200 people. He said: "When open to traffic at the end of this year, it will be tallest bridge in the UK and the longest bridge of its type in the world. "The project is on time and under budget thanks in large part to the efforts of a workforce facing often extreme weather conditions at great heights over the Firth of Forth. "Taking all this into account, providing a toilet only seems fair. "In all seriousness, health and safety is the absolute priority on the project and a fundamental part of that is providing appropriate welfare facilities for workers whatever their location."

Summary: What do you do when you are building the highest bridge in the UK but the tower you are working on gets so tall it would take you ages to get to the toilets at the bottom?


Michael O'Neill, the man who led them to France, talks to BBC Sport about their expectations for the tournament, how they have prepared, and his hopes of creating a 1982 World Cup-style legacy. I'm glad Euro 2016 is almost here. There has been a sense that it is never going to come and you're waiting and waiting. It's a huge thing to be there. When we won our first three qualifying games people really began to think we can do this. Then you feel there is a lot to lose because you feel it is possible. So to deliver qualification for the people of Northern Ireland was a huge achievement by the players. I'm delighted for the players who have had long careers and at times there have been difficult moments in those careers. Their loyalty alone has been rewarded by reaching Euro 2016. My message to the players is this is an experience we all have to enjoy. We don't want to come away with regrets. I don't want the players burdened by expectation but they have to grasp this opportunity. Leicester won this season's Premier League at odds of 5,000-1. Northern Ireland, the outsiders along with Albania, are 500-1 to win Euro 2016. It's amazing how football changes. In our third qualifier we beat Greece and Claudio Ranieri was the coach. He lost his job the following game. For him to come to the Premier League, at his stage of his career, and win it is an amazing achievement - the stuff of fairytales. There are similarities between Leicester and Northern Ireland when you look at the route a lot of the Leicester players took to get to where they are. We have lads who are at Fleetwood Town [Vardy's previous club]. In terms of how we play there are similarities, too. Hopefully the neutrals will see a nice humility and work ethic about our team. While we're realistic enough to think we're not going to win the tournament, hopefully we get that level of support where we get a huge groundswell of people willing us to do well, which takes us as far as we can go. O'Neill managed Scottish third tier side Brechin City from April 2006 until December 2008, when he became Shamrock Rovers boss. He led the Dublin club to two Irish titles and to the group stages of the Europa League. He left Rovers for the Northern Ireland job in December 2011 and recently signed a new four-year deal. I started my managerial career at the bottom. I had to go to a small club in Scotland who were part-time and I was working in financial services. I had an opportunity to go over to Shamrock Rovers. People thought that was a bit of a strange move but I felt it was a good opportunity. I didn't plan to be the national manager when it came around. I was 42 but I said to myself 'why not see where it takes me?'. It's been a huge challenge. There were difficult times in the first two

Summary: Northern Ireland are preparing for their first ever European Championship finals, where they will face Poland, Ukraine and world champions Germany in Group C.


The latest investment round now sees the company, a rival to Whatsapp, valued at $1.4bn (Â£767m). China's Tencent and Taiwan's Foxconn were the biggest investors in the latest cash injection. The tie-up with Tencent - the company behind China's messenger giant WeChat - is seen as key to expanding the range of services on Hike. Hike is a messenger app similar to many others, offering services such as messaging, voice calls and stickers. But the Indian app has won over many customers by including features catering to local demands such as higher privacy and the ability to send messages to be received as SMS texts. Given that many mobile phone users in India do not yet have data on their phones, the feature is a crucial advantage over competitors such as Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger. The link with China's Tencent as investor is expected to go beyond mere investment and involve collaboration on technology and knowledge. Judging by the example that the Chinese giant set with WeChat in China, it is likely to set Hike on its way to become an all-in-one app. WeChat in China offers just about everything from messaging to calling, mobile games, food deliveries and online shopping. Hike already offers mobile games, news services, stickers and coupons. "This shows you that messaging - even in India - can become a gateway to content services," Hike founder and chief executive Kavin Bharti Mittal told the BBC. "So expect us to double down on that path." The company already has plans to integrate a payment platform into its services. It is not Tencent's first foray into the Indian market. An attempt to launch their own WeChat app a few years ago was not very successful, despite significant marketing efforts. Hike was originally a joint project between Bharti and Softbank and has rapidly developed into a success story across India. The latest round of investments has added some $175m in funding with the majority coming from Tencent and Foxconn. The new money raised has lifted the company's value to what's referred to as "unicorn" status - start-ups valued at more than $1bn. Existing investors in the app, including Softbank, Bharti Enterprise and Tiger Global, also contributed to the latest cash injection. Market leader Whatsapp says it has some 100 million active users in India. In January, Hike said it had more than 100 million registered users, although the number of active users might differ from that figure.

Summary: Indian messenger app Hike has won fresh money from investors and a key partner from China.


It seems an unlikely meeting - but it is one that Rabbi Alexander Goldberg hopes can be the start of something positive. Rabbi Goldberg, whose great grandparents and great aunt are buried in Northern Ireland, has a special connection to the place. The catalyst for this meeting, however, came from something sinister. In August, 13 Jewish graves, some dating back to 1870, were damaged in an attack at Belfast City Cemetery. The attacks were met with widespread condemnation from the community and politicians. Following the attacks, Rabbi Goldberg felt the urge to reach out to the community - in particular those who carried out the vandalism. "When I heard about the attacks in Belfast it saddened me so much, I reached out on social media," he said. "I wanted, ideally, to speak to the young people involved and to give them the names and faces, history and culture of the Jewish community in Belfast." In early October, he flew to Belfast to meet up with local Sinn F??in representatives, who were all disgusted by the attacks. "I wanted to show him our frustration and anger with what had happened to the graves," said West Belfast MP Paul Maskey. The group stood outside the Jewish cemetery: As a Cohen - a member of the Jewish hereditary priesthood - Rabbi Goldberg could not enter. "We started to speak candidly about the attack on the graves. All three told me how disgusted they were as were the people living around the cemetery," said Rabbi Goldberg. What makes the visit all the more special to Rabbi Goldberg was that his grandparents were descended from Jewish Lithuanian immigrants who had moved to Ireland in the late 1800s. His grandfather, from Cork, met and married his grandmother from Belfast. The Rabbi's father studied in Londonderry before moving to England. Rabbi Goldberg himself got married in the synagogue in Cork. But the meeting turned into an unexpectedly emotional one. Through historian Tom Hartley, Rabbi Goldberg discovered that his aunt Lesbia Smith died in 1910 at seven weeks old. At the time her parents were not wealthy enough to buy a burial plot and she was buried in the paupers' section in an unmarked grave. The daughter of persecuted migrants, she was born into poverty in the slums of Belfast and could only be buried in that section of the Jewish cemetery, where the city would not allow those buried to have gravestones. "It must have been very hard for them to bury her without one," he said. For Mr Maskey and councillor Stevie Corr, the meeting was a positive one and they are looking forward to working with Rabbi Goldberg. "We've been in touch with Belfast City Council about some potential joint initiatives with the synagogue Rabbi Goldberg is connected with. I don't know yet what form these will take but we do want to restore the graves," said Mr Maskey. Councillor Stevie Corr, who is chairing a project to renovate the Falls Cemetery, said he was keen to include the Jewish section. "Alex has offered to come over

Summary: On a bright day in October, a Rabbi met a Northern Ireland historian and two West Belfast councillors.


Part of this was unavoidable. The election came close after the March Budget. The new Conservative government wanted to set out a new economic stall and it did so in the July Budget. Then it had a November Spending Review and Autumn Statement. And now this. The Autumn Statement is not meant to be a Budget, but anyone glancing at what it did - a climb down on tax credits, spending cuts, stamp duty increases, an apprenticeship levy and an extension of the Help to Buy scheme - would be hard pressed to tell the difference. Julian McCrae, Deputy Director of think tank the Institute for Government says: "Osborne said that he would have one proper Budget and then the Autumn Statement would 'foreshadow' it. But it's not worked out like that. These things have a dynamic of their own. They grow. In a sense they are unstoppable." And they have reached a prodigious size. Mr McCrae counted 77 measures in Wednesday's Budget, which he thinks is close to a record, although he thinks some of Gordon Brown's Budgets may have come close. He said: "That is a huge amount of work. 77 things that have to be worked through, 77 things that have to be planned and thought out and put into action." Giles Wilkes agrees. He is a former special advisor to Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the Coalition government. He told Radio 4's PM show: "From the policy making point of view, policy gets much, much worse when you have a Budget or an Autumn Statement. "It's a time when the Treasury takes control pretty much of the whole government. Everything gets settled in last minute arguments. "There's a huge appetite for gimmicks and showy things so the more Budgets you have probably the worse your government policy is, so the last twelve months haven't been good from that point of view" Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute of Fiscal Studies thinks the problem is deeply ingrained in government: "There's a problem with the way we make tax and economic policy because it is all done in secret, sprung on us all at once, twice a year. "We have too many of these and we do them in the wrong way." The government has a legal duty to publish two economic forecasts each year. The temptation is that, having done so, it should announce some kind of response. In fact the months since November have seen dramatic changes in the global economic climate with the Office for Budget Responsibility saying the outlook is "materially weaker". The Chinese economy slowed dramatically, and the markets had a wild ride through the first two months of the year. It had a direct effect on government policy - for instance market volatility forced the chancellor to put off the sale of the government's remaining stake in Lloyds Bank. When the economic weather is so unpredictable surely government should respond as and when it can. Mr McCrae doesn't think that is what the Budget is about: "The chancellor

Summary: The main complaint about Wednesday's Budget is not so much its contents, it's that it's effectively the fourth in 12 months.


Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) said it was to highlight wider problems including teacher redundancies. Powys council's cabinet member for schools, Arwel Jones, said he was "surprised and disappointed". The NUT said it represented about half of teachers in Powys and 83.5% of those balloted voted in favour of action. The council is currently consulting on plans to reorganise secondary schools. Mr Jones added: "Strike action will not deflect our programme but could disrupt the work of school pupils at a crucial time."

Summary: Teachers in Powys are set to go on strike on Thursday in protest over "excessive workload and cuts".


"Drones are arguably the most hyped product at CES," said Ben Wood, from analyst firm CCS Insight. "A veritable minefield in terms of regulation and safety but as prices tumble expect to see them in a lot more Christmas stockings this year." The Consumer Electronics Association, which organises CES, said the drone market should be worth about $130m (Â£86m) in 2015 - 50% higher than 2014. In a few years the trade group expects it to be a billion-dollar market. But not all is stable in the world of drones. Two key issues are dogging the field - regulation and power. In the US the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has very strict rules around their commercial use. Jim Williams, manager of the FAA's integration office, said its regulations for commercial use were strict for good reasons. "People who are being paid to do a job are more likely to take risks to accomplish that," he said. Away from commercial use, there is much anxiety around the world about amateur drones and privacy, as most of the craft come equipped with cameras. The second big worry is battery life. I spoke to several drone companies at CES representing both budget and high-end Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and the average battery life for the craft is about 20 minutes - with some managing just 10 minutes of flight time. One firm claims its devices have a flight time of about 50 minutes. "One of the biggest frustrations with drones is battery life," said Mr Wood. "It's rare to get more than 15 minutes of use and there seems little prospect of that improving any time soon. "For prolonged usage, owners are typically obliged to get additional batteries, which means added cost." Despite the challenges, drones seem here to stay, and those on show at CES are a good sampling of the current state of the market. Hexo+ raised $1.3m on Kickstarter to fund its UAV - a drone that will fly up to 60m (200ft) above your head and circle around you, giving you an all-round aerial selfie. It has a flight time of 15 minutes and will eventually retail for $1,500. It can self-fly, but will auto-land if it goes out of range of your phone. "You need zero skill," said shareholder Lug Giroud. "In our selfie culture, everyone wants amazing shots of themselves. We want to give users great images." EHang has decided to court the female market by making a version of its popular Ghost drone available in pink. It works for some, apparently. "Most people think drones are only for males," said Kai Jianes, of Ehang. "But we are finding many female climbers and surfers want to use them to take video while they exercise." Whether they want to take that video with something luminous pink remains to be seen. But Ehang's black Ghost, in traditional quadcopter formation, had already become its bestseller, said Mr Jianes. "The quadcopter format has become mainstream, it's so stable," he said. "It doesn't require space to take off and, it's more energy efficient." The

Summary: Tiny drones, pink drones, selfie-taking drones, military drones, drones that fly themselves - the drone zone at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is positively buzzing - in every sense of the word.


Sandra Charles' spent 375 hours knitting 350 strands out of thousands of recycled label transfers Ms Charles, of Somerset, got the idea while at a recycling centre. Her work is on display with other students' projects at Nottingham Trent University, including lingerie inspired by wartime love letters, and two-dimensional clothing. Ms Charles said: "I wanted to develop my sculpture work and my knitting. I looked at different techniques and saw arm knitting. "It's very difficult to describe but basically uses your arms as needles. It took three hours to make each strand at first - I got repetitive strain injury at one point and couldn't do any more for a couple of days." Other work includes Chloe Bampton, a fashion design student, who created lingerie inspired by her grandparents' war time love letters. Ms Bampton, from Dullingham, Cambridgeshire, said: "When you read through their letters you imagine yourself in a different way of life completely. "They are so romantic. We've lost touch with the era of hand letter writing and courting and I wanted to design lingerie which provided an alternative to the modern day shock element." Her grandparents Dennis and Kathleen Algar married shortly before Mr Algar was sent to fight. He spent four years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Meanwhile, South Korean student Dahye Jee designed concept clothing which appears two-dimensional, inspired by vintage paper dolls. All the work is on display until 6 June.

Summary: A student knitted almost 4,000 ft (1.2km) of waste material using her arms as needles for an art project.


The firm collects data from thousands of smartphone owners via an app. Of the four UK networks, EE was found to have the best 4G connectivity, while Three had the worst. However, Three also had the fastest download speeds when it was connected to 4G, the researchers found. Three was the last operator to roll out 4G in December 2013 and told the BBC it was continuing to extend its 4G network every day. "Almost everyone now uses a mobile phone service and it's not good enough that the UK is lagging behind so many countries with our 4G network coverage," said Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which. The State of the Mobile Network report also noted that O2 had the highest 3G and 4G latency - that's the amount of time data takes to travel along a network, measured in milliseconds. The firms have committed to investing in mobile networks. Last year, EE unveiled a Â£1.5bn three-year network investment plan that included the expansion of 4G and the commitment to reach 99% of the population with "superfast 4G". However, mobile phone providers have faced planning issues when creating the necessary infrastructure, said analyst Kester Mann from CCS Insight. "Network operators will maintain that they are investing millions of pounds each day in network coverage and capacity to satisfy the insatiable demand for mobile data services among UK consumers," he said. "They will also cite tough planning restrictions to allow taller masts to provide wider coverage, a challenge recognised in George Osborne's recent Budget. "These findings show that, although the UK is a leading market in the uptake of 4G services, there is still plenty of work to be done in network roll-out."

Summary: Smartphone users in the UK can only access 4G's data service about half of the time on average, according to a new report by OpenSignal and consumer watchdog Which.


He is currently the managing director of retail banking for the Ulster Bank group. Mr Donnan replaces Ellvena Graham, who is becoming a non-executive director of the bank. She held the position as â€Žhead of Ulster Bank Northern Ireland since it was created just over two years ago. Ulster Bank is the largest bank in Northern Ireland and the third largest in the Republic of Ireland. Its chief executive Jim Brown said: "I would like to wish Ellvena well as she departs her executive role. "She has always been a positive and energetic influence on the business with a solid understanding of what matters for our people and our business. "She has also been a great support to me personally." Mr Donnan has been with Ulster Bank for about 25 years.

Summary: Ulster Bank has appointed Richard Donnan as its new boss in Northern Ireland.


Australia's government intends to hold a non-binding plebiscite on whether to allow same-sex marriage, although a date has not yet been scheduled. The Australian Electoral Commission previously estimated the cost of running the plebiscite at A$158m. But research by accounting firm PwC said this figure was too low, as it did not allow for "total economic costs". PwC's report said holding a stand-alone plebiscite on a Saturday would cost Australia's economy $A280m in lost productivity. Its impact on the "mental health and wellbeing of Australian citizens" would also cost at least $A20m, the report said. Funding the campaigns for and against the proposal would cost a further $A66m, it said. "The real costs to government, the economy and members of the community to hold a standalone plebiscite are more than three times higher than the numbers commonly quoted," PwC Australia CEO Luke Sayers said in a statement. "Total economic costs have not been considered before and should be part of the debate on the best way to achieve a resolution to this issue." But Liberal senator Eric Abetz, an opponent of same-sex marriage, questioned PwC's methodology in calculating the cost of lost productivity. "Because, quite frankly, to try to take into account and double the figure on the basis of the time taken to vote as being a factor basically says, 'look, let's get rid of democracy; each time people go to the polling booth it costs them $281m'," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Senator Abetz has previously indicated that he may not view the results of the plebiscite as binding. The PwC research said that if a public poll were taken concurrently with the upcoming federal election, rather than as a stand-alone vote, it would cost $A113m. A parliamentary vote without a public poll would cost $A17m, PwC said. The stand-alone public vote was initially announced by the former prime minister Tony Abbott. Malcolm Turnbull said he would push ahead with the plebiscite after replacing Mr Abbott as prime minister last year.

Summary: A stand-alone public vote on same-sex marriage would cost Australia $A525m (Â£275.5m; $396m), a new report says.


The pair made the announcement through what can only be described as a gushy YouTube video. Set to music during an ultrasound scan, you see the pair with delighted smiles, rubbing noses. The baby is due in May this year. The couple shared the news in the video after rumours of the pregnancy surfaced on Friday in a gossip column. "Today the media speculated about some big news in our life. So we decided to share it with you ourselves," the couple said in the video posted Saturday on the YouTube account of Macklemore's musical partner, Ryan Lewis. Within hours of the video being posted fans of the Grammy-award winner, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, shared tributes and best wishes for the happy couple. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Macklemore and his fiancee Tricia Davis are expecting their first baby together.


Services have taken place across the country to honour all those who have died in conflict. The Queen led the commemorations at the Cenotaph in London. Prime Minister Theresa May and party leaders attended. The Queen laid the first wreath, followed by other royals and politicians. After a remembrance service, veterans and current military personnel paraded down Whitehall. More than 700 soldiers, sailors and members of the RAF lined Whitehall to hear a service led by the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Richard Chartres. Detachments from units such as the Royal Marines, Household Cavalry and Royal Gurkha Rifles flanked the stone memorial. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon attended the annual wreath laying and Remembrance Sunday service at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. She said it was "an opportunity for all of Scotland to join with others right across the world and commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice in conflicts during the last century and more recently". BBC correspondent Daniela Relph at Whitehall The crowds are 20-people deep in places on Whitehall. Those with a front row position had to start queuing to get through security at first light. People were craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the march past. Whitehall today is a place of shared remembrance. There are those who've come to the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday for the first time. And there are those for whom this is an annual event, something they would never miss. They have come from all over Britain and beyond. Those I spoke to talked of feeling humbled during the 11 o'clock silence. They also said that that being here, in person, was a really moving experience. There are 8,000 people taking part in the march past. Watching it stirs contradictory feelings - it is both a solemn experience and somehow uplifting. No-one here on Whitehall today will ever forget. The Irish Prime Minister and Northern Ireland's First Minister attended a Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Enniskillen, Fermanagh. And there was a National Service of Remembrance for Wales at Cathays Park in Cardiff. First Minister Carwyn Jones said: "It is important we take the opportunity to pay tribute to those who lost their lives, paying the ultimate price for our freedom. "Those who fought bravely for our futures must never be forgotten." Elsewhere, more than 40,000 knitted poppies have been placed on a Remembrance Day parade route in Thirsk, North Yorkshire. The organisers said volunteers had sent in knitted and crocheted flowers from all over the world. In Croydon, where seven people were killed and 50 injured after a tram derailed earlier this week, special prayers are being said for those affected. Remembrance Sunday The prime minister has said the day is not only about honouring the dead but also for paying tribute to those members of the armed forces currently on active service combating so-called Islamic State. Mrs May said: "The way of life we enjoy today depends upon the service offered by members of the armed forces and their families. "Across generations, and in every corner of the UK, today

Summary: A two-minute silence has been held to mark Remembrance Sunday.


The private member's bill comes amid heated debate among government MPs about whether to change the law or put the matter to a plebiscite. The government's official position is that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has denied government MPs a free vote on any bill legalising same-sex marriage. The bill allows couples, regardless of "sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status" to marry. Australia's Marriage Act limits marriage to a union of a man and a woman. The bill was introduced by government backbencher Warren Entsch, one of several government backbenchers who plan to defy Mr Abbott by crossing the floor of the parliament to vote in favour of marriage equality. The ban on a free vote for government MPs means it is likely to fail. Mr Abbott has said the matter should be "put to the people" in a non-binding plebiscite after the next general election, due in 2016. Meanwhile, cross bench senators have backed an Australian Greens bill calling for a gay marriage plebiscite before the election. In an impassioned speech, Mr Entsch spoke of how his bill, which has cross-party support, was designed to promote a more inclusive Australia. "Being gay is not a lifestyle choice," the Queensland MP told the parliament. "This bill does not create different classes of marriage," he said. "A divided nation is what we will be if we continue to allow discrimination in relation to marriage on the basis of a person's sexuality."

Summary: A controversial bill to legalise same-sex marriage has been introduced to the Australian parliament.


It's not difficult to understand why. In her maiden event at this level, the British 400m champion joined an elite band of Scottish athletes. Only five others have won a medal at the World Athletics Championships. Liz McColgan is still the only Scot to have tasted individual success. That 10,000m gold in Tokyo back in 1991 will live long in the memory. Her daughter, Eilish, 10th over half the distance this year, is now hunting down mum's 5,000m personal best. Three Scots have stood on World Championships relay podiums and Clark is one of them. Eilidh Doyle, who took silver along with Clark this time round, and Lee McConnell are serial medallists as part of the 400m relay squad. In the sprint relay, the former European 200m champion, Dougie Walker, helped the British team to bronze in Athens in 1997. An honourable mention for Kirsten McAslan too. Not selected for the final, she nonetheless got a bronze medal two years ago in Beijing for helping the British team through the heats before watching them take third in the final. So half a dozen Scots have World Championships medals on the mantelpiece. We very nearly had two more in London. Media playback is not supported on this device Surely the best Scottish performer was Kilbarchan AC's Callum Hawkins, who followed up a fine top-10 performance at last summer's Rio Olympics with a superb fourth place in the marathon. He might not have seen the crown jewels along the way in an event that started and finished at Tower Bridge, but he was agonisingly within sight of a historic bronze. As it is, no British man has bettered his performance in a World Championships marathon. If Hawkins thought he was close to a medal, spare a thought for Laura Muir. Beaten to the bronze by seven one hundredths of a second. No wonder she collapsed to the track after the photo-finish with South Africa's Caster Semenya, unable and unwilling to look at the giant scoreboard that beamed out confirmation of her agony. Her time will come, though. Don't take my word for it: take Brendan Foster's. The English long-distance legend has made a solemn promise to BBC Scotland: Muir will be a major championship gold medallist within four years. We'll hold him to that, shall we? As well as the two silver medallists, and two fourth-placers, there were other fine performances from by far the biggest Scottish contingent ever to join a British team for the World Athletics Championships. In the 5,000m, Andy Butchart has a tough act to follow after Sir Mo Farah's retirement from the track, but he's finished in the top 10 at the Olympics and now the World Championships and surely has a great future ahead. Perhaps the best gauge of improvement is the contrast between these World Championships and the London Olympics. In 2012, only five Scots competed in track and field. None made a final. Fast forward five years and we have 16 Scots making the team; two winning medals and their compatriots qualifying for seven finals. The

Summary: Reflecting on a dramatic 10 days in and around the London Stadium, Aberdeen's Zoey Clark claimed she's in shock at what she's achieved.


The final four candidates for Metropolitan Police Commissioner will face interviews with Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Policing Minister Brandon Lewis. The Commissioner is not only the head of policing in London. He or she also has a range of national responsibilities including leading on counter-terrorism, national security policing, protection of the royal family and parliamentarians and major public events. That means the job is not just about how to deploy the 31,000 police officers across the capital - but also how to deal with the complex challenges of keeping Britain and London's streets safe. So who are the final four candidates for one of the toughest jobs in policing anywhere in the world? Cressida Dick is one of the country's most experienced and well-known chief police officers who isn't actually working as one. In 2014 she left Scotland Yard to take up a highly sensitive and undisclosed director-general post at the Foreign Office. If the 56-year-old is selected to be the next commissioner, it will mean for the first time that all three top policing jobs in the UK are held by women: the Met Commissioner, the head of the National Crime Agency and the president of the National Police Chief's Council. Ms Dick joined the Met in 1983 after graduating from Oxford University. She first came to public prominence when she was the senior officer in charge of the operation in July 2005 that led to the mistaken killing of Jean Charles de Menezes as a suspected suicide bomber. When the force was later prosecuted for breaching health and safety laws, the jury in the case said they believed there was "no personal culpability" for then Commander Dick after listening to her evidence. In 2009 she became the first woman to be appointed an assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan Police, becoming the national lead for counter-terrorism across the UK. Her other experience includes taking on internal reforms of Scotland Yard and being one of the two senior officers in charge of security at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Sara Thornton became the first chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) in 2015 when it replaced the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo). It is the co-ordinating body for all of the police forces in England and Wales, bringing together all the chief officers to thrash out national policies on everything from investigating murders to modernising the workforce. That means that she has been at the heart of the extremely complex challenges of changing the way police are recruited, trained and prepared for how their role is changing as crime does in the 21st century. She joined the Metropolitan Police in 1986 after studying at Durham University and in 2000 went to neighbouring Thames Valley Police as an assistant chief constable. Seven years later she was made chief constable before becoming vice-president of the NPCC in 2011. Shortly after taking over at the NPCC she warned that in the future the public should not expect to see a police officer after some burglaries. She told

Summary: The UK's next top police officer will be chosen on Wednesday.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 53-year-old's stock has never being higher after leading the Lions to a thrilling drawn Test series in New Zealand. Gatland extended his Wales contract in 2013, keeping him in charge until the end of the 2019 World Cup. "My focus is now on Wales, preparing for the World Cup in Japan," he said. "I am a firm believer of what will be will be so I won't be looking too far ahead. I am looking forward to the next few years with Wales and then see what other opportunities are out there." Gatland took the reins with Wales in December, 2007, and led them to 2008 and 2012 Six Nations Grand Slams as well as a World Cup semi-final in 2011. Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Martyn Phillips has said he would be prepared to release Gatland from his contract if the New Zealander wanted to leave. But Gatland - who has been tipped as a future All Blacks head coach - reiterated his intention to see out his current WRU deal. Media playback is not supported on this device "My focus is on Wales, for the autumn internationals and then looking towards the 2019 World Cup," he added. "I'm definitely finishing up there, unless they decide to get rid of me sooner!" Gatland coached the Lions to a series win in Australia four years ago and has not ruled out taking charge again - if asked - for the next tour to South Africa. "You never say never," said Gatland. "If there's a chat and opportunity to think about 2021, to do maybe the three as a head coach, to win two and draw one wouldn't be a bad achievement." Lions tour manager John Spencer said he had no doubt Gatland had proved his coaching credentials during the tour to New Zealand. "You have to be a very shrewd coach to come to New Zealand and achieve what the players have achieved," Spencer said. "Without doubt I think he's the best head coach in the world... I think he's proved that with our guys. "I don't want to take anything away from Wales, because he's got a job to do there, but I think his achievements on this tour have opened up the future for him. "It's an incredible achievement to come halfway round the world, to adapt to all the difficulties you have with travelling and then to play back-to-back world champions on their own park, and to be as successful as he has been."

Summary: Wales head coach Warren Gatland says he will honour his current contract after returning from his second stint in charge of the British and Irish Lions.