Former England batsman Carberry hit 50 off 36 balls as Perth made 144-7 despite a maiden in the final over. Pietersen, who fired a stunning six with a switch hit, and Luke Wright both made 31 but the visiting side were all out for 126 in the final over. Perth will play Brett Lee's Sydney Sixers in Wednesday's final. That match in Canberra will be the Australia paceman's final competitive game before his retirement. There were boos ringing out from a vociferous home contingent when their tailender Andrew Tye swung and missed at six nearly identical slower deliveries from Clint McKay at the end of the Perth innings. Pietersen looked to be guiding his team to victory but with 57 needed from 32 balls became the fifth wicket to fall when he advanced down the pitch to paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile and edged to the wicketkeeper. Tye atoned for his batting with superb slower balls of his own to return 4-15 from his four overs and take Perth through to their fourth successive final as the Stars, who had won five matches in a row in this campaign, lost their fourth BBL semi-final. On Saturday, Australia T20 left-hander Nic Maddison inspired the Sydney Sixers to a comprehensive 87-run win over the Adelaide Strikers in the first semi-final, with seven fours and five sixes in his 85 from 48 balls. Sydney made 181-4 after choosing to bat and then dismissed Adelaide for 94 inside 15 overs, with burly left-arm seamer Doug Bollinger taking 3-21 and Sean Abbott claiming 2-14. The Sixers also have former England opener Michael Lumb, and Carberry's former Hampshire team-mate, in their side.

Summary: Michael Carberry helped Perth Scorchers beat Kevin Pietersen's Melbourne Stars by 18 runs at the Waca and reach the Australian Big Bash League final.


The Sahara chief was arrested on Friday after he failed to appear before the judges in connection with a fraud case. Two Sahara firms were ordered to repay 240bn rupees ($3.9bn; Â£2.3bn) to investors that market regulators said they had raised illegally. On Tuesday, a protester threw ink on Mr Roy's face as he arrived at the court. "Subrata Roy is a thief. He has cheated and robbed us," his attacker shouted. The man, identified as a lawyer by Indian television channels, was taken away by the police. Profile: Subrata Roy It was not immediately clear whether the businessman would now be sent to jail. Since his arrest, he has been lodged in government guest houses. The Supreme Court set the next hearing for 11 March. On Tuesday, Mr Roy apologised to the court saying his reasons for not appearing before the judges last Wednesday "were genuine". He said Sahara would sell its assets and pay back the investors and asked the judges to give him more time. But the court rejected his proposal saying "we are not interested in selling the properties, you have been telling us for the last two years, it is your headache, you should have done it". The judges also ordered police to take two other Sahara directors into custody and hold them until the next hearing. The case against Mr Roy stretches back to August 2012, when the court ordered the two Sahara firms implicated to refund money to 22 million small investors within 90 days and with 15% interest. In December 2012, the court gave the firms more time to repay. In February last year, market regulators froze the firms' bank accounts saying they had failed to refund the money. But Sahara disputes the amount it should pay back, saying its liability should be no more than the 51.2bn rupees it has already paid back. Mr Roy is a household name in India. His group, worth $11bn, has businesses ranging from finance, housing and manufacturing to aviation and the media. It also has interests overseas - it owns New York's landmark Plaza Hotel and London's iconic Grosvenor House. Sahara also sponsors the Indian hockey team and owns a stake in Formula One racing team, Force India. With more than 1.1 million workers, the group is India's biggest private sector employer.

Summary: India's Supreme Court has ordered the continuing detention of businessman Subrata Roy and asked his firm to come up with a plan to repay its investors.


Mr Jammeh has denied similar allegations in the past. He will be seeking re-election for a fifth term and for the first time he will be facing a single major opposition candidate. HRW urges external pressure on The Gambia to prevent further violence. In a report published on Wednesday, the group says two Gambian activists have died in custody, with dozens of critics of President Jammeh in jail. They are being denied medical or legal help, the report says. The Gambia, a popular tourist destination because of its beaches, has never experienced a democratic transition of power since independence. Mr Jammeh took over in a 1994 coup. His critics accuse him of running a repressive state, an allegation he denies. Most of the major Gambian opposition parties last week picked a single candidate - businessman Adama Barrow of the United Democratic Party (UDP). Mr Barrow's nomination is the result of the biggest opposition alliance in Gambia since independence, the AFP news agency reported. HRW says the prospect of political change in December has prompted Mr Jammeh's government to step up oppression against critics. It claims a torture squad, linked to the presidential guard, is terrorising opponents ahead of the election. The group wants freedom benchmarks to be imposed now - by the United States, the European Union and The Gambia's West African neighbours - to prevent more bloodshed. Last week, The Gambia said it would pull of the International Criminal Court (ICC) after accusing the tribunal of persecuting and humiliating Africans. The small West African nation joined South Africa and Burundi in saying it will withdraw from the court.

Summary: President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia is using violence to silence critics in the lead-up to presidential election in December and pressure is needed to stop it, Human Rights Watch (HRW) says.


About 600 people had to be evacuated from their homes in the Borders town of Hawick. There are multiple diversions on roads throughout Scotland and high wind warnings on most of the bridges. Dozens of flood warnings remain in place and police have urged drivers to travel with caution. A severe flood warning in Hawick has now been lifted but flood alerts are active along sections of rivers in the Borders, Tayside and Moray and Speyside. At the scene BBC Scotland's Catriona Renton The sky above Hawick is now blue and there has not been a drop of rain for hours. So very different from last night when the River Teviot flowed fast and angrily through the town. Throughout yesterday 600 people were evacuated from their homes along the river bank. Some sought refuge in the local sport centre, many spent the night in bed and breakfasts or with friends and family. In nearby Newcastleton people were also moved out of their homes temporarily as Storm Desmond made its mark. The local volunteer flood group in Hawick were busy helping throughout. Now the town counts the cost and assesses the damage. Last night the famous Pringle shop in Hawick had water up to its letterbox. Today to look at Hawick you would hardly know there had been a flood here but while the water drains away its effects remain. The River Tay in Perth was expected to reach its highest level for more than a decade and other rivers are at risk of bursting their banks. Homes close to the River Esk in Langholm were also evacuated on Saturday night as water breached the bank, while flooding has also been reported in some areas of Annandale and Eskdale including Wamphray, Cummertrees and Hoddom. The bad weather has also hit rail travel, with services between Glasgow/Edinburgh and Inverness cancelled after flooding on the Perth to Inverness line. And Virgin, ScotRail and First Transpennine have all suspended train services between Glasgow and Carlisle. Find updates about travel problems on the Traffic Scotland website and keep up to date with our Severe Weather Twitter list. However, Nigel Goody, from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said the weather situation was improving. He said: "The heavy rain which we've had overnight, over the last 48 hours really, is now dissipating. And the river levels are responding accordingly. "However, I would say that the danger is not over yet. River levels continue to be high, and in some areas unprecedentedly so. "So the public should be vigilant and should certainly not approach rivers in these conditions." Met Office weather warnings which had been in place throughout Saturday have now all been lifted. Live flood warnings from the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. View the flood map by tapping on the image below Tap here for the interactive flood map. Note: the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency display their flood alert data differently. While the Environment Agency highlights individual rivers only, in Scotland the entire region is coloured to indicate the level of

Summary: Flooding is affecting many parts of Scotland after the country was battered by strong winds and heavy rain brought in by Storm Desmond.


On Thursday, the hospital urged mothers-to-be to ring before arriving as its neonatal cots were full. It had said only women in advanced stages of labour who could not travel were being admitted. But on Friday the hospital said the unit was now accepting most mothers-to-be in labour. Consultants and senior midwives were said to be assessing each case of premature labour to see if they may still need to go elsewhere. Although the unit remained extremely busy, caesarean sections and inducements were also now going ahead. Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board said: "The neonatal unit, which cares for poorly babies, is still extremely busy but the situation has eased enough for most mums-to-be to have their babies in the hospital. "Earlier this week the neonatal unit was completely full, meaning that only women who were too advanced in their labour to travel were being accepted and all others were being asked to call ahead in advance. "The situation is constantly evolving but the service is expected to remain under some pressure for a few days at least." Women due to give birth at Singleton who go into premature labour - less than 36 weeks into their pregnancy - are asked to call the ward on 01792 205666.

Summary: Swansea's Singleton Hospital says it is accepting "most" expectant women in labour again after pressures on its neonatal services eased.


Anthony Knockeart converted Gaetan Bong's fine cross to give Brighton the lead in an otherwise even first half. Bournemouth loanee Murray doubled the lead from close range after the break and he tapped in his second late on. Defeat was Forest's first of the season under new head coach Philippe Montanier, who joined in June. Relive Brighton's win over Nottingham Forest Adding victory to their draw at Derby on the opening day, the result saw Brighton go to the top the table ahead of the rest of the weekend's fixtures. Murray returned to the Seagulls on a season-long loan this summer and his second-half goals made the points safe as Brighton, who finished third in the Championship last season, took control after half-time. Tomer Hemed went close to adding further goals for the hosts, while Czech Republic winger Jiri Skalak had a goal correctly ruled out for offside. Forest have now conceded three goals in both of the first two league games, while Brighton are yet to concede this season.

Summary: Glenn Murray scored the first two goals of his second spell at Brighton & Hove Albion as they beat Nottingham Forest to claim a first league win of 2016-17.


The hosts lost their last five wickets for 54 runs and were 333 all out in their second innings, which was wrapped up just before the close on day three. England all-rounder Ben Stokes (3-50) broke a second-wicket stand of 114 between Procter and Haseeb Hameed when the latter was caught at slip for 53. But Procter (122) got to three figures off 235 balls, his second ton of 2016. The 28-year-old left-hander spent exactly six hours at the crease, although he should have been run out and was also dropped by wicketkeeper Michael Richardson before bringing up his third first-class century. Procter was eventually caught at leg gully off leg-spinner Scott Borthwick (3-98), who took some late punishment as tail-ender Nathan Buck smashed 27 not out, including two huge sixes in an over which cost 18 runs. The victorious team will climb up to second in Division One. Durham's Stokes and Lancashire paceman James Anderson have been recalled by England for the second Test against Pakistan, which starts at Old Trafford on Friday Hameed was Stokes' first scalp, the teenage opener gloving a rising short ball to substitute fielder Jeremy Benton at slip, and he returned later to remove Simon Kerrigan and Matt Parkinson. Buck replaced Anderson, who successfully proved his fitness to the England selectors following a shoulder injury, in the Lancashire side at the start of the third day's play. Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes: "The back's fine and the knee's fine, which is the main thing. "It's my first game back and I've got through it - to know I can run in unrestricted and bowl overs is good."

Summary: Luke Procter's watchful century for Lancashire left Durham a final-day victory target of 247 at Southport.


"The hateful language... from public figures on TV does not represent the true spirit of this country," she said, to loud cheers and applause. "Don't stoop to their level. Our motto is, when they go low, we go high." Earlier, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders urged Democrats to back Mrs Clinton. She will accept the party's presidential nomination on Thursday, when a roll call of how states' delegates are voting is to be read out. "While Donald Trump is busy insulting one group after another, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths," Mr Sanders said. Some supporters of the senator, who had been Mrs Clinton's rival in the Democratic primary, booed at mention of Mrs Clinton's name; others wore duct tape with the word "silenced" over their mouths. Mrs Obama's speech was widely seen as an attack on Mr Trump, although she did not mention the Republican nominee by name. She said she wanted her husband to be succeeded by "somebody who knows this job and takes it seriously" and that could only be Mrs Clinton. Watch: Michelle Obama speech in full Because of the Democrats' candidate, she said, "my daughters and all our sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States." In other remarks, she praised Mrs Clinton as a "true public servant" who had shown "devotion to our nation's children" and "never buckles under pressure". After her speech, President Obama wrote on Twitter: "Incredible speech by an incredible woman. Couldn't be more proud & our country has been blessed to have her as FLOTUS [first lady]. I love you, Michelle." Mr Trump, who has criticised his rivals, both Republican and Democrat, in sometimes colourful language on Twitter, said Mr Sanders had "sold out" to Mrs Clinton. He also condemned other speakers at the Democratic convention including senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren, but made no mention of Mrs Obama. In other key moments from the convention on Monday: The Washington Post said the party's "opening day of discord" ended on a "high note" but USA Today said the Democrats proved "they can be dysfunctional too". The Boston Globe meanwhile asked: "Has Bernie Sanders lost control of his delegates?" But it was the First Lady who was credited with invigorating things. This was Hillary's convention, but it was "Michelle's night" says Gail Collins in the New York Times. The LA Times says she "delivered one of the most passionate Clinton endorsements of the night". 1. What is the point? At a convention, each party formally nominates its candidates for president and vice-president, and the party unveils its party platform, or manifesto. 2. Who is there? There are about 5,000 delegates attending, selected at state and congressional district conventions, and representing each US state and territory. Plus about 15,000 journalists and tens of thousands of other party grandees, lawmakers and guests. 3. What is the schedule?

Summary: US first lady Michelle Obama has denounced Republican Donald Trump and passionately backed Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.


The victims were Nepali nationals on their way to the Canadian embassy where they worked as security guards. The attacker waited for the bus as it left a compound, police said. The blast was followed by a separate bomb attack on a market in Badakhshan province that killed at least eight people and wounded 18. The Taliban said they carried out the Kabul bombing, the first such attack since the start of the holy month of Ramadan. The bomb went off shortly before 06:00 local time (01:30 GMT) on a main road leading out of the capital towards the city of Jalalabad. The guards were employed by a private security company, an official told AFP news agency. At least eight other people were injured. The incident follows a suicide attack on a bus near Kabul last month and an attack on a court in Ghazni in June. Both attacks were claimed by the Taliban in revenge for the execution of six prisoners. The Taliban have been waging an insurgency against the government since 2001. Nato ended its combat mission in December 2014, although about 13,000 training and counter-terrorism troops remain in Afghanistan. Peace efforts have stalled after the Taliban refused to participate in new talks with the Afghan government until foreign forces had left the country.

Summary: A suicide attack on a minibus in Kabul has killed at least 14 people and injured several more, Afghan authorities say.


The Mourne County were 4-1 outsiders for their semi-final against Monaghan but clinched a 1-14 to 0-15 victory. "I'm confident if we go there and express ourselves and play hard, we have a realistic chance of becoming Ulster champions," says Burns. "But we know that it's going to be a huge task." 1991 and 1994 All-Ireland medallist Burns endured a torrid start to his Down managerial stint as his side lost 11 straight competitive games before a remarkable escape act earlier this year saw them avoid a second successive league relegation as they remained in Division Two. "When I took over the job, I knew there were going to be tough times ahead. I had prepared for that but at times there was quite a bit of undue criticism of the team," adds the Down boss. "Whenever I took the job, I lost maybe eight or 10 players and they were the most experienced players in the panel. "So you are starting from scratch as such. You are having to start and build a panel and you are bringing in young and inexperienced players who might have played at minor and under-21 level. "There is a massive step up from under-21 to having to play at senior level. But we worked away, we kept our heads down, we introduced quite a few players and the ball is starting to roll in the right direction for us." Burns believes the concluding league draw in Cork which kept Down in Division Two as Derry and Fermanagh suffered the drop was a key moment in his team's development. "We knew we were going to have to get something when we were down there and it had been a long time since Down had got anything in Cork. "We had a tough second half with them but we battled it out and the result kept us in Division Two and gave us a platform to build on in the lead-in to the championship." Despite avoiding the drop to join Armagh in Division Three, Down still went into the Ulster derby against the Orchard County on 4 June as underdogs but the Mournemen produced a composed second-half display to earn a deserved 0-15 to 2-7 victory. "We knew if we performed on the day that we had a massive chance of beating Armagh. That result gave us a great boost and then we had another great win against Monaghan." Burns' matter of fact description of belies the emotion he showed at the final whistle of the provincial semi-final in the Athletic Grounds as he emotionally embraced the Down county secretary Sean Og McAteer. "I think there are a couple of of pictures of me hugging him. It was just great to give the players an opportunity to play in an Ulster Final. The players had taken the brunt of the criticism when we struggled after I took on the job." As for Sunday's final, Burns knows full well that his side be even bigger underdogs than in their two most recent games. "Tyrone are laden with a

Summary: Down manager Eamonn Burns believes his side are capable of causing another shock by beating holders Tyrone in Sunday's Ulster Football Final.


Ryan Lock, 20, from Chichester in West Sussex, died on 21 December during a battle for the IS group's stronghold of Raqqa. He was fighting as a volunteer with the Kurdish armed fighting forces, the YPG. The YPG told the BBC that "trace of a gunshot wound was found under the chin", suggesting suicide. Sources said five fighters came under siege by IS - also known as ISIS - in the village of Ja'bar, and they showed "considerable resistance" before they were killed. After the bodies were retrieved examinations showed that "it seems that the British fighter committed suicide in order not to fall captive with Isis". A report said the gunshot wound indicated "that the gun made contact with the bottom of the chin". "This suggests that the fighter committed suicide," it concluded. Kurdish rights activist Mark Campbell, from KurdishQuestion.com, told BBC South: "Ryan Lock may very well have turned his own gun upon himself rather than be taken prisoner by ISIS. "There are no words to describe the bravery required to take such an action. "ISIS were robbed of a predictable macabre propaganda opportunity by Ryan's action. "I personally believe he deserves the very highest of military honours for such outstanding bravery in the face of such a barbaric enemy." Mr Lock, a chef, had travelled to Syria in August having told friends and family he was going on holiday to Turkey. Earlier on Tuesday his body was transported into Iraq in preparation to be flown back to the UK. In a statement to the BBC, his father Jon Plater, from Chichester, said: "Since we heard the devastating news of Ryan, it's been pretty tough, especially the difficulties surrounding the repatriation. "We are grateful to the YPG for bringing him home." Mr Lock's body had been in the hands of IS militants. The volunteer, who attended school in Havant, Hampshire, became the third British man to die fighting alongside the Kurds against so-called Islamic State. The Foreign Office continues to advise against all travel to Syria.

Summary: A Briton fighting in Syria "turned the gun on himself" to avoid being taken prisoner by so-called Islamic State, Kurdish sources have told the BBC.


Media playback is not supported on this device Morgan's men are through to the semi-finals after beating New Zealand, but have the chance to put Australia out. "If we're going to be contenders, we need to beat the best and Australia are one of the best," said Morgan. "So to go in to a game like that with no other attitude than winning is very important to us." England will go through to the semis as Group A winners regardless of the result against Australia, but Saturday's clash could be the final time the two sides meet before this winter's Ashes series. New Zealand will also be looking for England to do them a favour, as an Australia win would send the Kiwis out. In Cardiff on Tuesday, England posted 310 and looked under pressure when New Zealand reached 158-2. Media playback is not supported on this device But after Mark Wood found extra bounce to remove Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson for 87, it began a collapse that saw New Zealand lose their last eight wickets for 65 runs. "We batted OK," said Morgan. "We weren't that pleased at halfway and thought we were maybe 20 or 30 short of par. "The guys did the right things, but it doesn't always work. But, when you post over 300 you're always in with a shout." In an all-round display from the England side, four of the batsmen made scores in excess of 48, while all five bowlers used took at least one wicket. However, the form of opener Jason Roy remains a concern. The Surrey man, who had not passed 20 in his previous seven ODIs, made 13 before being bowled by Adam Milne. Morgan, who has previously backed Roy to remain in the England side throughout the tournament, said: "It doesn't change very much. "We'll obviously have a chat about the team, but, certainly within a winning side, it's very hard to make changes going into a game where you don't really have much to lose."

Summary: England captain Eoin Morgan says his side will show no let-up when they meet Australia in the Champions Trophy at Edgbaston on Saturday.


Racing Metro centre Roberts, 28, is understood to have rejected Cardiff Blues and agreed to join Quins after the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Head coach Gatland has previously stated he would prefer Welsh internationals to play in Wales. "There's not a hard and fast rule as there is with England," Gatland told BBC Wales Sport. "There are exceptions where players have been playing outside of Wales and there are one or two wildcards we could pick. "They do play outside of Wales but they could be selected, but I think the long-term goal is to have a policy where, ideally, we pick players who are playing in Wales." English players who move to play abroad are currently not considered for national team selection. To complete the move to Quins, Roberts must first be released by French Top 14 club Racing Metro, where he has a contract until June 2016. Under the so-called 'Gatland's Law', Wales-based players are likely to be favoured for Test selection over those who choose to play elsewhere. In August 2014, the Welsh Rugby Union and Wales' four professional regions signed a £60m, six-year deal that settled a long-running dispute over the sport's future. That deal included rules that mean players based outside Wales could also be overlooked in favour of home-based talent, with coach Gatland expected to tighten selection policy. The selection policy ruled that no player based overseas should represent Wales, although Gatland is able to make exceptions. However, that only applied to players who moved before the deal was agreed, and so at the time would not have applied to Roberts, who joined Racing in June 2013. A move to Harlequins now would bring the centre into the category of players who could be overlooked for selection, though Gatland remains pragmatic on the matter. "The ideal for me is you want players playing in Wales," Gatland said at an event where tickets went on sale for Wales' World Cup warm-up matches. "It's important we work closely with the regions to make them as successful as possible. "That will encourage players to stay and encourage players to come back to Wales." Wales host Ireland on Saturday, 8 August, visit Dublin on Saturday, 29 August, and then welcome Italy to the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 5 September.

Summary: Warren Gatland insists Jamie Roberts' expected move to Harlequins will not preclude him from Wales selection.


The FTSE 100 index was down 73.57 at 6,112.02 points. Mining companies saw some of the biggest falls as the price of metals declined. The biggest faller on the FTSE 100 was mining giant Rangold, whose shares lost 11%. Fellow BHP Billiton, was down 6%, with its shares also being affected by news of a lawsuit in Brazil. Federal prosecutors in Brazil have filed a $43.5bn (£30bn) civil lawsuit against iron miner Samarco and its owners BHP and Vale, over the collapse of a dam last year that killed 19 people. Shares in Sainsbury's extended losses throughout the afternoon to lose 6% after the supermarket reported a fall in underlying full-year profits. Profits fell to £587m from £681m in the previous year as the supermarket price war continued to have an impact. Shares in rivals Tesco and Morrisons were also lower, with Tesco down 5% and Morrisons 1.7%, as research from Kantar Worldpanel indicated that all the big four supermarkets had lost market share in the 12 weeks to 24 April. Next shares rose 3.5% despite the retailer cutting its full-year sales and profit forecasts on fears of a slowdown in consumer spending. On the currency markets, the pound slipped 0.4% against the dollar to $1.4478, and was 0.3% lower against the euro at €1.2593.

Summary: (Close): London's top share index closed down 1.2% as mining and supermarket shares fell.


More than 1,800 cases have been recorded in recent weeks, compared to 1,695 cases for all of 2010. Five deaths have been reported so far. The mosquito that carries the dengue virus breeds in containers with clear, stagnant water. Dengue cases usually jump during and just after the rainy season, which normally lasts from June to September. Hospitals and clinics across the city have been inundated with patients, putting a strain on emergency services. News channels are showing patients sharing beds and scores of people queuing up at clinics for free fever tests. The government in Delhi has ordered 1,000 extra bed in hospitals to treat dengue patients after the suicide of a couple whose seven-year-old son died from the tropical illness after being allegedly refused treatment at a number of city hospitals. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has also ordered the setting up of "fever clinics" at hospitals to deal with the rush of patients. "There is no need to panic. I have ordered all government hospitals that they should not refuse to admit dengue patients even if they have to treat two patients on a single bed," he said. "The panic in people about the spread of dengue is leading to a huge burden on hospitals." YK Mann, director of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, told the AFP news agency that this was "the worst outbreak in the last five years and it is going to further increase as the weather remains humid". The government's latest move comes after a couple jumped to their death from a four-storey building in Delhi last week, two days after their son died of the fever. The authorities ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death after local media reported that the boy was refused admission at five private hospitals. The reports sparked outrage and anger in the city. Monsoon rains provide more breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes, who lay their eggs in stagnant water, including pots of clean water, puddles and open sewage drains.

Summary: The Indian capital, Delhi, is in the grip of the worst outbreak of dengue fever in five years, officials say.


The claim: Prime Minister Theresa May says there is no turning back from the triggering of Article 50, which starts the process of leaving the EU. Reality Check verdict: The government is clear that it respects the result of the referendum, so it argues that any debate is theoretical. However, the question of whether Article 50 is irrevocable is the subject of legal dispute. As a result, the UK government has been unable to make any definitive legal statements on the issue. The Justice Secretary, Liz Truss, has said "My understanding is that it is irrevocable," while the Brexit Secretary, David Davis, said in December 2016: "Is it irrevocable? I don't know." In the recent UK Supreme Court case on Article 50, both sides assumed that it was irrevocable and the court judgement concluded: "We are content to proceed on the basis that that is correct, without expressing any view of our own." So this is not an issue that has been formally tested in a UK court. But European Council President Donald Tusk has said that he believes Article 50 can be reversed. When asked if the UK could unilaterally withdraw its Article 50 notification during the next two years, he said, "Formally, legally, yes." Lord Kerr - the former British ambassador to the EU, who helped draft Article 50 - agreed. "You can change your mind while the process is going on," he said. He acknowledged that this might annoy the rest of the EU, and be seen as a huge waste of time. "They might try to extract a political price," Lord Kerr said, "but legally they couldn't insist that you leave." The distinction between political and legal opinion on this issue is critical. The politics might become way too complicated if the UK tried to change its mind. But who might have the final legal say on what could yet become a critical question? Article 50 is a piece of European law, so the ultimate arbiter on this issue is the European Court of Justice. There is an ongoing case in Dublin at the moment that is seeking to refer the question of irrevocability to the European Court to get a definitive answer. One other point is worth bearing in mind: everyone is talking about a two-year period for negotiating under Article 50, at the end of which the UK would leave the EU. But Article 50 does provide for that two-year period to be extended, if all 28 EU countries, including the UK, agreed. No-one is advocating that, but it remains a legal possibility. The argument that Article 50 cannot be reversed once it has been triggered has not been tested in court. The rest of the EU has said it does not want the UK to leave, but - politically speaking - it would be very difficult to revoke notification of Article 50, and the current UK government says it has no intention of doing so. Read more from Reality Check

Summary: Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty was written with a deliberate lack of clarity - it does not say whether it can be revoked once it has been triggered.


The girls ate othalanga, a local fruit, at the Water Sports Centre in southern Kerala state, reports said. The girls, all rowers, were allegedly being harassed by senior athletes and their trainer, their families allege. The government-run Sports Authority of India which runs the centre has ordered an inquiry into the incident. "They had left behind a suicide note. The jurisdictional magistrate has also recorded the statement of one of them. The police investigation is also on," SAI (Sports Authority of India) director general Injeti Srinivas told reporters in Delhi. SAI official G Kishore, who has been asked to conduct the inquiry, told BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi that the condition of one of the girls admitted to hospital was critical while the other two were out of danger. The athletes were taken to hospital on Wednesday evening after they were found unconscious in a room of their hostel.

Summary: A 15-year-old Indian athlete has died and three others are in hospital after allegedly consuming poisonous fruit in what is suspected to be a suicide pact.


The Lady Black Cats beat Reading 3-0 to make the semi-finals with Arsenal, Manchester City and holders Chelsea. "If you want to win a trophy you've got to beat the best," Williams told BBC Newcastle ahead of Tuesday's draw. "Whoever we get, we'll prepare appropriately. We're not going down without a fight." Carlton Fairweather's side had drawn 1-1 with Reading in Women's Super League One on 26 March. Ex-Doncaster defender Williams continued: "We played Reading in the league last week and we felt that we underperformed quite badly. "So we had a chat first thing on Monday morning, we had a look through the videos, discussed what we needed to improve on and we applied that." Sunderland Ladies have only played in an FA Cup final once, losing 2-1 to Arsenal in 2009. "It would be massive if we get there [the final]," the 25-year old added. "It's every kid's dream, isn't it? You don't get many chances to play at Wembley and you've got to work hard to get there."

Summary: Defender Victoria Williams says Sunderland Ladies will "not go down without a fight" after reaching the last four of the Women's FA Cup.


The Australian rode 13.8km in 14 minutes and 56 seconds at an average speed of 55.446 km/h, with German Tony Martin five seconds behind in second. "To wear the Tour de France yellow jersey, it's a dream," Dennis said. Team Sky's Chris Froome was 50 seconds back as Steve Cummings placed highest of 10 British riders in 10th. Defending champion Vincenzo Nibali was the best performer among Froome's fellow contenders for overall victory at the 21-stage race, which ends in Paris on 26 July, Astana's Italian rider finished 22nd, seven seconds ahead of 2013 winner Froome, 15 seconds clear of Spaniard Alberto Contador and 18 seconds ahead of Colombia's Nairo Quintana. "It's the longer efforts I've been training for and I'm happy to have that out the way," said Froome. British former Olympic champion Chris Boardman set the previous fastest individual average speed over a Tour de France stage with 55.152 km/h at the 7.2km prologue of 1994. "Everything went perfectly," said Dennis, who will wear the leader's yellow jersey for the start of stage two on Sunday - a 166km ride along the Dutch coast that is likely to end in a bunch sprint. "We went with the tactic of going out early and setting a benchmark and making everyone chase me," the 25-year-old BMC rider added on ITV4. Dennis's Swiss team-mate Fabian Cancellara came third with a time of 15 minutes and two seconds, while Britons Geraint Thomas of Team Sky and Alex Dowsett of Movistar came 12th and 13th respectively. Cummings, 34, last rode the Tour in 2012 and this year is competing for Team MTN-Qhubeka, the first African-based team to tackle cycling's most prestigious race. Meanwhile, Astana's Lars Boom completed the stage despite suggestions he should be withdrawn for failing a test for low cortisol levels, which can indicate abuse of cortisone. Stage 1 result and general classification 1 Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team 14mins 56secs 2 Tony Martin (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step +5secs 3 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek Factory Racing +6secs 4 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin +8secs 5 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo +15secs 6 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team a +23secs 7 Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling at same time 8 Adriano Malori (Ita) Movistar Team +29secs 9 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo +30secs 10 Stephen Cummings (Gbr) MTN - Qhubeka +32secs Selected others: 12 Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Team Sky +33secs 13 Alex Dowsett (Gbr) Movistar Team +36secs 22 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana +43secs 33 Simon Yates (Gbr) Orica GreenEdge +46secs 39 Christopher Froome (Gbr) Team Sky +50secs 46 Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo-Tinkoff +58 57 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar +1min 1sec 68 Peter Kennaugh (Gbr) Team Sky +1min 08secs 74 Ian Stannard (Gbr) Team Sky +1min 11secs 97 Adam Yates (Gbr) Orica GreenEdge +1min 18secs 123 Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Etixx - Quick-Step +1min 26secs 180 Luke Rowe (Gbr) Team Sky +1min 54secs

Summary: Rohan Dennis rode the fastest individual time trial in Tour de France history to claim victory at the opening stage of this year's race in Utrecht.


Mr Osborne said the changes would allow councils to allocate more sites for building homes specifically for people who already live or work in the area. He said he also wanted to improve transport, schools and broadband in rural areas to boost the rural economy. But Labour said the plans were ignoring the need for more affordable homes. The chancellor wants to extend the government's "starter homes" scheme, announced before the election for brownfield sites, to some villages. The initiative offers young local first-time home buyers a 20% discount on the price of the property. As it stands, the discount will be offered on homes up to Â£250,000 outside London and Â£450,000 inside London. The measures are part of Mr Osborne's new rural productivity plan, which will be unveiled later. Steve Reed, Labour's shadow local government minister, said the Conservatives' housing policies had made things worse for people in rural communities. "The government says it wants to build starter homes in rural areas but it seems these will replace affordable homes to buy and rent - starter homes should be additional to affordable housing supply not instead of it," he said. "In many rural areas buying or renting a home has become increasingly unaffordable. Yet the government has undermined the provision of affordable housing at every step by watering down requirements on developers to build new affordable homes." Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Osborne said rural areas were an increasingly dynamic part of the economy, with 60,000 people moving from the city to the countryside each year. He has pledged to continue to protect the Green Belt but said he wanted to "make it easier for people to stay in their rural communities and for newcomers to settle there too". He and Environment Secretary Liz Truss write in their joint newspaper editorial: "For rural areas, we want better internet and mobile phone communications, better transport, better schools, better skills, better housing, better business growth and better local government. "And we'll look at planning and regulatory constraints facing rural businesses. In a recent survey of rural businesses the main barrier to growth that most identified was planning restrictions. "So for a start, we'll review rules around agricultural buildings such as barns to allow rural businesses to expand more easily." The Campaign for Rural England said it welcomed the government's recognition that rural areas could boost the economy, but it voiced concern that the "beautiful English countryside" was at risk of "inappropriate developments". Planning officer John Rowley said: "We recognise that providing the right houses in the right places that meet local need is a vital part of ensuring our villages remain vibrant and sustainable. "However, the proposals risk alienating local communities and reducing the amount of affordable housing in rural areas. The government's suggestion that young families will be able to afford houses at even 20% discount will not ring true in many low-waged rural economies." He added it was likely that commuters would be able to outbid local families, taking advantage of the discount which would not continue on resale -

Summary: Chancellor George Osborne has said he wants to reform planning laws to make it easier for villages in England to build new starter homes.


Rachel Booth was at the rally on 11 June in Manchester, which organisers said was "against Islamic hate". She said she attended in sympathy for the victims of the Manchester attack that killed 22 people on 22 May. Moor Nook Primary School, in Preston, confirmed a member of staff has been suspended "pending further inquiries". Thousands of people attended the march by a coalition that calls itself UK Against Hate, held three weeks after a suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert. The rally also drew hundreds of people in a counter-demonstration against the march. Mrs Booth, who has worked at the school for four years, said the suspension was "a big shock". "I have never been in any kind of trouble with police. "The grounds for suspending me are it was an EDL march, which is a load of rubbish. Even if I was part of the EDL, which I'm certainly not, it should not have affected my job." She said she attended with her mixed race husband, who is a former serviceman, to show solidarity with the bombing victims, not to support far-right extremism. "I thought it was for the children and so I went," she added. The march was criticised at the time by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham who tweeted: "These EDL-types who came today need to have a look at themselves." In a letter to the school, Mohammed Fyaz, one of the march's organisers, wrote "the event in question was not organised by or linked to the EDL in any way". He added: "In the democracy in which we live political, religious and moral issues should be allowed to be discussed, questioned and at times challenged freely, without fear of persecution or discrimination." It is understood a suspension in such circumstances is a "neutral" act and will allow the school to investigate footage from the march featuring Mrs Booth.

Summary: A primary school dinner lady who attended a march co-organised by former English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson has been suspended.


The latest figures available suggest more than 1.5 million homeowners may not have cover if the worst was to happen to their home. Until last year Violet, a pensioner, lived in a semi-detached, thatched cottage which she inherited from her parents. Then in March, a fire believed to have started in her neighbour's chimney spread to her house, burning both of them down. Speaking to Radio 4'sMoney Boxshe said: "It quickly spread to my side. The wind was blowing my way, we had about 10 fire engines here but I lost just about everything." Violet's neighbour has buildings insurance and his insurer has agreed to meet his claim. Violet had cover until a few years ago but then cancelled it because of the cost, something she now bitterly regrets: "Being on a low income, I had to let the contents and house insurance go, but in retrospect I wish I had been insured because now I can't claim on anything." Since the fire Violet has lived in a mobile home in her garden which local people clubbed together to buy her. Vulnerable properties It is unclear exactly how many other homeowners like Violet would not be covered if something similar happened to them. But figures published by the Financial Services Authority in 2006 estimated that more than 10% of people do not have buildings insurance and UK government figures for 2010 put the number of owner occupiers at more than 17 million. This suggests the number of uninsured could be more than 1.5 million. There is no evidence that the cause of the fire was as a result of negligence nor anything other than an accident. Malcolm Tarling, from the Association of British Insurers, says the only way someone in Violet's position might be able to claim is if they were able to prove their neighbour had been negligent: "The law says if you want to claim against someone else you have to show they were negligent, and their negligence resulted in your property being damaged." However, that may not be an easy thing to prove. Laura Checkley, a property litigation solicitor at Pemberton Greenish, says an accident which was not easy to predict would not fall into this category: "A person has to take reasonable care to make sure they don't cause reasonably foreseeable harm to another person's property. So you would have to show that their behaviour fell short of that reasonable standard." Money Boxis broadcast on Saturdays at 12:00 GMT onBBC Radio 4and repeated on Sundays at 21:00 GMT. You can listen again via theBBC iPlayeror by downloading Money Boxpodcast.

Summary: If your home was destroyed by a fire that was not your fault and you did not have buildings insurance, could you recoup the cost of rebuilding it?


Whyte, who won bronze at the 2014 Worlds, was left out of the initial GB squad for this year's event, but a wrist injury to Liam Phillips gave him a reprieve. The 23-year-old is joined by Rio Olympian Kyle Evans in the men's senior event, with Beth Shriever, 18, leading the women's junior team. "I was gutted to miss out but now I'm motivated," he told BBC Sport. Paddy Sharrock will join Evans and Whyte in the men's elite competition at the Rock-Hill World Championships in USA on Saturday. Blaine Ridge-Davis joins Shriever in the junior women's team, with Kye Whyte the only junior man in the GB line-up. Whyte was not selected for last year's Rio Olympics, and admits he has struggled to recover from the "devastating" decision. "I've had a lot of setbacks with selections and races. It leaves you sad and it's a real struggle because you're left wondering why you trained so hard," he said. "For me this is the first step towards Tokyo [2020 Olympics] and although people are getting faster and more hungry I'm ready to prove I'm up for the challenge." Evans, 23, reached the quarter-finals in his Olympic debut in Rio and is hoping the experience will boost his prospects of success at the World Championships. "The Olympics only come around every four years and it's the World Championships that you grow up dreaming of winning as you get to wear the rainbow jersey," he told BBC Sport. "I feel like I've been in this grey area and just on the knuckle of breaking into the podium positions but what I've experienced is pushing me on to be an even better athlete. "Hopefully I'll continue to learn and grown and I'll be pushing hard for the top of the podium in the near future." Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: British BMX rider Tre Whyte aims to "prove" he deserves the chance to compete in the World Championships this weekend.


Campaigners and the area's MP have argued Ilkeston in Derbyshire is one of the largest towns in the UK without a railway station. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin visited the site on Friday and said trains will be running through there within 12 months. Work had been delayed because of great crested newts and flooding concerns. The station should have been open by last Christmas, and the Transport Secretary questioned whether newts should have delayed it so much. "The truth of the matter is it seems that nearly every site we start work on, that's got any water or anything like that, we find the great crested newt," said Mr McLoughlin. "I don't wish the newt any ill at all, but I don't think it should delay us to the length that it has delayed us on this site." Ilkeston once had three railway stations, but the last one closed in 1967 as a result of the Beeching Report, published in 1963. The new Â£9.6 million station has been part-funded from the government's New Station Fund. It will provide direct, hourly connections to Nottingham, Chesterfield and Sheffield. The main building work is expected to start in the summer, once any remaining newts have been trapped and relocated.

Summary: Work has begun to demolish and rebuild a railway station 50 years after it was axed in the Dr Beeching cuts.


General Ali Fadavi accused those detained of "unprofessional" acts. But he suggested the group, who are being held by the guards, could be released soon. The incident comes at a sensitive time, as the US and Iran try to implement the deal on Iran's nuclear activities. US Secretary of State John Kerry has contacted Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif over the incident. Giving his assessment of the talks, Gen Fadavi said "Mr Zarif had a firm stance, saying that they were in our territorial waters and should not have been, and saying that they [the US] should apologise". "This has been done and it will not take long, and the naval force, according to its hierarchy, will act immediately upon the orders it receives," he added. This naval incident comes at a delicate moment for both Washington and Tehran. The process to begin lifting the sanctions imposed on Iran due to its nuclear activities is expected to get under way at the end of this week. There are many conservatives and hardliners in both countries who would dearly love to sabotage the deal and consequently both governments may be eager - whatever the attendant rhetoric - to get this episode resolved as quickly as possible. How it plays out will be an important signal as to the balance of power in Tehran itself. The Revolutionary Guard Corps, whose naval branch detained the US vessels and their crews, is amongst the more hardline elements ranked up against the nuclear deal. But the potential economic benefits of lifting the sanctions may be too great an inducement for the agreement to be derailed now. US officials have said the sailors - nine men and a woman - are likely to be released on Wednesday. There has been no confirmation from Washington that Mr Kerry apologised. One of the two US riverine patrol boats developed mechanical problems while on a training mission between Bahrain and Kuwait, the US officials added. The crew and vessels have been taken to Farsi Island, the site of an Iranian naval base. Iran's influential Revolutionary Guard - tasked with protecting the country's 1979 Islamic revolution - has strongly defended Iranian sea borders in the past. Fifteen British sailors and marines were held for 13 days in 2007 after they were captured in a disputed area between Iran and Iraq. Despite last year's breakthrough nuclear deal tensions remain between the US and Iran. In December, Iran's navy conducted rocket tests near US warships in the Strait of Hormuz, something the US called "highly provocative".

Summary: The US has apologised to Iran after 10 American sailors were arrested for entering Iranian waters, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards naval forces has said.


Hendry, who retired in 2012, has seven Crucible titles to his name, while O'Sullivan has won snooker's showpiece event on five occasions. "Ronnie is the best player to ever pick up a cue," Bingham, 39, told BBC Sport. "But to be the greatest player you have to beat the records." O'Sullivan, 40, is looking to go within one world title of the Scot, who won a total of 36 ranking titles, when this year's event gets under way on Saturday. Bingham added: "Hendry was a born winner; he only loved winning and he was more ruthless than anyone. Ronnie is the most talented and the best in the world, but to be the greatest ever you need titles." Bingham beat O'Sullivan on his way to lifting snooker's biggest prize in Sheffield for the first time last year and he is in no doubt that the unpredictable talents of the 28-time ranking event winner make him the man to beat once again. "He is the only person in the game who has the aura that Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis had," Bingham added. "Whatever tournament he enters, he is probably going to be favourite - and rightly so. He is the best player in the world." Bingham said the game's best players were capable of toppling O'Sullivan, but it was also a matter of believing it, and lasting the distance at the 17-day tournament. "Anyone now in the top 16 will fancy their chances," the Basildon-born potter said. "But, when it comes down to the crunch, to actually beat Ronnie, it's a different ball game. "I remember saying to Ronnie last year: 'How have you won it five times?' I won it last year and it took me three weeks to get over it. "How he has done it five times I will never know. It just shows you what a class act he is."

Summary: Ronnie O'Sullivan must match Stephen Hendry's World Championship title haul to be considered snooker's greatest player, according to reigning world champion Stuart Bingham.


Police said the 34-year-old had been dropped off by taxi in the Milton area when he became involved in an argument. The man was then attacked and badly injured after making off into Ashgill Road at about 00:25 on Saturday. He was taken by ambulance to Glasgow Royal Infirmary where his condition was "critical but stable." The stabbing is being treated as attempted murder. The attackers are described as white, all aged in their 20s. Det Sgt John Dowds, of Police Scotland, said: "The injured man had just been dropped off by a taxi in Balmore Road near to Ashgill Street where it is believed he became involved in an argument with some people in the area. "However, he made off into Ashgill Road where he was attacked by four men. "He was very seriously injured with what was originally thought to be life-threatening injuries, however, thankfully now he seems to be in a critical but stable condition." Police are urging anyone with information about the attack to come forward.

Summary: A man is critically ill in hospital after being stabbed by four men in a street attack in Glasgow.


The vessels, found by archaeologists at Must Farm near Peterborough in 2011, have now been dated to about 1500 BC, 200 years older than was first thought. Samples taken during the conservation process have revealed the boats to be made from oak, lime and field maple. The vessels are undergoing a two-year preservation programme at Flag Fen. The wooden craft are being sprayed with a special wax to stop the timbers from degrading, the same technique that was applied to the 16th Century Mary Rose warship. It is hoped the process will reveal more about the Must Farm log boats, one of which is almost 30ft (9m) long. Mark Knight, from Cambridge Archaeological Unit, said: "We've been carbon dating the sediment the boats were found in to try and create a detailed chronology of the river channel that once ran from the Midlands to the North Sea. "This will tell us when each of the boats were disposed of by the people of the time. "What we're now working on is carbon dating the actual boats which will give us an idea of when they were constructed. "This will then tell us how long they were in use and gives us a much greater depth to the history of the area." Visitors to Flag Fen will be able to watch conservators at work, with the aim of eventually putting the boats on public display in glass cabinets. Mr Knight said: "As we lack any texts from the time to tell us what was going on, the boats help us to better understand the levels of craftsmanship and technical sophistication of the time. "In the future we'll be judged by the technology we leave behind and these boats are a similar marker for the people of the Bronze Age." See more on the boats of Must Farm on Inside Out East, Monday at 19:30 on BBC One and for seven days after on the iPlayer.

Summary: Eight Bronze Age boats discovered in a deep Cambridgeshire quarry are much older than it was first thought, carbon-dating research has revealed.


The Super League side moved from their Willows home in 2012 after 110 years at their former ground. Former dual-code Wales international Harris, 39, had a 17-month stint as head coach at Salford. "Growing up and playing against Salford for many years, they were always a passionate club," he said. Harris told Rugby League Extra: "I think what's been a big struggle for them is the move to a new stadium. "Part of what was symbolic with Salford whenever I went there was the stadium - although it was creaking, it still had that home feel about it and you're in Salford. "I'm not sure the new stadium has got that and I'm not sure that Salford, as a club, have quite got the identity which they probably had 10 years ago. "It's whether they can recapture that identity of what Salford was, because the fans are fantastic. "If they can capture that identity again, I think that's how they can improve."

Summary: Salford Red Devils have lost some of their identity after their move to the AJ Bell Stadium, says former head coach Iestyn Harris.


The striker opened the scoring in the fifth minute as he tapped in a Liam Nolan knock-down from a corner. Nolan then got on the score-sheet himself to double the hosts' advantage in first-half stoppage time before Southport made it 3-0 shortly after the break when Allen got his second of the game. Maidstone pulled a goal back as Yemi Odubade's close range finish reduced the deficit for the visitors. The Stones made it 3-2 in stoppage time when Bobby-Joe Taylor dispatched a penalty but it proved to be too late for Maidstone. Report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Southport 3, Maidstone United 2. Second Half ends, Southport 3, Maidstone United 2. Goal! Southport 3, Maidstone United 2. Bobby-Joe Taylor (Maidstone United). Substitution, Maidstone United. Liam Enver-Marum replaces Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi. Substitution, Southport. Ashley Grimes replaces Jordan Lussey. Substitution, Southport. John Cofie replaces Andrai Jones. Callum Howe (Southport) is shown the yellow card. Substitution, Maidstone United. Ben Greenhalgh replaces Bradley Hudson-Odoi. Substitution, Southport. Liam Hynes replaces James Caton. Jamie Coyle (Maidstone United) is shown the yellow card. Goal! Southport 3, Maidstone United 1. Yemi Odubade (Maidstone United). Substitution, Maidstone United. Jack Evans replaces Dan Sweeney. Goal! Southport 3, Maidstone United 0. Jamie Allen (Southport). Second Half begins Southport 2, Maidstone United 0. First Half ends, Southport 2, Maidstone United 0. Goal! Southport 2, Maidstone United 0. Liam Nolan (Southport). Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi (Maidstone United) is shown the yellow card. Goal! Southport 1, Maidstone United 0. Jamie Allen (Southport). First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Summary: Jamie Allen scored at the beginning of each half as Southport defeated Maidstone in the National League.


Jason Roy hit 59 and Alex Hales 40, putting on 92 for the first wicket inside seven overs in Abu Dhabi. Although the tourists faltered as they posted 174-6, the UAE managed only 95-9 in reply, with off-spinner Moeen Ali taking 4-11 and Chris Jordan 2-14. The first T20 of the three-match series is in Dubai on Thursday at 16:00 GMT. Eoin Morgan's side are building towards the World Twenty20 in India, which starts in March 2016. Pakistan won the Test series 2-0 before England took the one-day series 3-1.

Summary: England eased to a 79-run win over the United Arab Emirates in their only warm-up game before the Twenty20 series against Pakistan.


The Colombia international, on a season-long from Monaco, was reportedly in the Spanish capital on Monday in the hope of sealing a return to La Liga. However, those hopes were ended when a move to China fell through for Atletico's Jackson Martinez. Falcao has made just one Premier League start for Chelsea and his only goal in 15 appearances came as a substitute. Media playback is not supported on this device The 29-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge last July having had a disappointing loan spell at Manchester United during the 2014-15 season. He has not played for Chelsea since 31 October, was sidelined with a thigh injury at the start of November and suffered a recurrence of the problem in a training game in December. During two years at Atletico, Falcao helped the side win the 2012 Europa League and 2013 Copa del Rey. He scored 52 goals in 68 league games for the Colchoneros.

Summary: Chelsea striker Radamel Falcao was denied the chance to re-join Atletico Madrid on transfer deadline day.


The 21-year-old joined Stanley in June 2015 from Derby County and made 24 appearances last season. He played in both legs of the League Two play-offs as Stanley lost 3-2 to AFC Wimbledon in extra-time. "It is important we get players who understand the league who are real quality and Ross ticks that box," boss Darren Ferguson told the club website. Accrington will be owed compensation for Etheridge, as he is under the age of 24 and was offered a new contract to remain at the club. Doncaster were relegated to League Two on the final day of the season as they finished 21st in League One. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Doncaster Rovers have signed Accrington Stanley goalkeeper Ross Etheridge on a two-year deal starting on 1 July.


25 November 2015 Last updated at 07:49 GMT They discovered that mucus and saliva moves in different ways once it leaves your nose. It moves in sheets, bursts, bags and strings before it becomes droplets. It's hoped the research will help experts learn more about how sneezing spreads germs. Take a look at this.

Summary: Scientists in America have used a high-speed video to find out how snot, or mucus, travels and separates after it leaves our mouths during a sneeze.


Percy Jeeves played for the Goole Cricket Club and professionally for Warwickshire and Hawes before his death in World War One in July 1916. PG Wodehouse used his name for the immaculate valet after seeing him play at Cheltenham in 1913. The plaque is on the corner of Manuel Street, Goole, where Jeeves lived. Live updates on this story and others from Hull and East Yorkshire It was organised by the Goole Civic Society and unveiled by his great nephew Keith Mellard. Mr Mellard, 79, said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to be unveiling the plaque. "His brother, Alec Jeeves, was my grandfather. He used to talk about him a lot and I grew up feeling I knew him. "To be honoured in this way is very exciting." Margaret Hicks-Clarke, chair of the society, said: "We could think of no finer person to honour with our first blue plaque, being unveiled in the anniversary year of Percy Jeeves's death. "He was a great cricketer and a brave soldier who paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country." Jeeves, who was born in 1888 near Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, grew up in Goole before playing county cricket for Warwickshire. Mrs Hicks-Clarke said: "His father had moved to Goole to work on the railways at the start of the 1900s and Percy lived in a little terraced house with his family." Comic novelist PG Wodehouse brought the Jeeves character to life in a series of short stories and books in which the knowledgeable and perceptive butler helped his master Bertie Wooster cope with life's vagaries. The plaque, which is placed on the Oddfellows building at the corner of Manuel Street and Boothferry Road, has been funded by the Goole and District Lottery, Goole Town Cricket Club and the PG Wodehouse Society.

Summary: A blue plaque honouring a cricketer whose name inspired author PG Wodehouse's butler Jeeves has been unveiled.


The 27-year old made the podium at Rio 2016 in the men's 85kg category with a lift of 390kg. Having already served a two-year doping ban, he could now face a lifetime ban. "There is no final decision on sanctions relating to the Rio Olympics yet," the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) said in a statement. The IWF has declined to make any further comment until the case is closed, but the officially endorsed World Weightlifting magazine has promoted fourth-placed Denis Ulanov from Kazakhstan to the bronze medal and lists Sincraian as disqualified. Norwegian three-time Olympic cross-country skiing medallist Therese Johaug has also failed a doping test for the prohibited steroid clostebol. Her country's ski federation said the substance had been in dcame from a sun lotion given to her by team doctor Fredrik Bendiksen, who has resigned and described the violation as his "personal mistake as a doctor".

Summary: Romanian Olympic weightlifting bronze medallist Gabriel Sincraian has tested positive for the banned substance testosterone.


The Nikkei 225 closed up 50.80 points at 20,650.92, its fifth gain in a row, having risen by 4.4% over the week. The market was lifted as the yen remained weak against the dollar, which is considered good news for exporters. In mainland China, stocks rose with the Shanghai Composite climbing 3.5% to 3,957.35. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index closed 1% higher at 25,415.27. In South Korea, shareholders of construction firm Samsung C&T have approved the merger plans with holding company Cheil Industries. The deal had been strongly criticised by US hedge fund Elliott Associates, the third-largest shareholder in Samsung C&T. The share prices of both firms dived after the vote, with Samsung C&T closing down 10.4% and Cheil dropping 7.7%. The country's benchmark Kospi index closed down 0.5% at 2,076.79. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index ended flat at 5,670.11. But Evan Lucas, market strategist with IG, said in a note that he was optimistic about the general outlook for Australian stocks. "China worries have died down and Greece is now a non-issue (until September, anyway). The next month or two may be the first positive months since February."

Summary: Japan's Nikkei index registered its biggest weekly gain since October, while Asian shares were mostly higher as worries over Greece and China eased.


The resolution is the first passed by the Security Council to tackle sex abuse claims against peacekeepers. It was passed by 14 of the 15-member body, with Egypt abstaining. Last year there were 69 allegations of child rape and other sexual offences by peacekeepers from 10 missions. The number rose from 52 in 2014. The allegations involve military personnel, international police, other staff and volunteers. Under UN rules, it is up to the country that contributes the peacekeepers to investigate and prosecute any soldier accused of misconduct while serving under the UN flag. But the organisation has been criticised for failing to act quickly on sexual abuse allegations made against peacekeepers. Drafted by the US, the biggest funder of UN peacekeeping missions, the UNSC resolution endorses a recent decision by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to repatriate military or police units where there's credible evidence of sexual abuse. The resolution also calls upon the UN to replace contingents where allegations are not properly investigated. Egypt put forward a last-minute amendment that would have added criteria for the repatriation of entire contingents, a move US Ambassador Samantha Power said would have "watered down" the resolution. The amendment was backed by Angola, Russia, China, Egypt, Venezuela but fell short of the nine votes needed for approval. Some countries have raised concerns that soldiers innocent of any wrongdoing might fall victim to collective punishment. Last August, the UN envoy to Central African Republic (CAR), Babacar Gaye, was sacked amid multiple allegations of sexual abuse by peacekeepers. It came after Amnesty International alleged that a 12-year-old girl was raped by a UN peacekeeper. The 10,000-strong UN force, deployed in 2014 to help restore order in CAR, has also faced allegations of sexually abusing street children. Last December, an independent panel called the UN response to allegations in the CAR "seriously flawed" and a "gross institutional failure". It accused senior UN officials of abusing their authority by failing to take action over allegations of abuse by soldiers from France, Equatorial Guinea and Chad.

Summary: The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution calling for the repatriation of peacekeeping units whose soldiers face allegations of sexual abuse.


The Dow Jones rose 40.68 points to 18,202.62 while the wider S&P 500 edged up 4 points to 2,144.29. Oil prices rose over 2% after figures suggested a drop in US stockpiles. Shares in Chevron added 0.5% and Chesapeake Energy climbed 3.1%. The tech-focused Nasdaq rose just 2.6 points to 5,246.41, with Intel down nearly 6% after its latest results. Intel reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings and revenue, but its shares were hit after its forecast for fourth-quarter revenues fell slightly short of expectations. Intel is predicting revenues of $15.7bn in the quarter, plus or minus $500m, compared with analysts' expectations of $15.86bn. Morgan Stanley shares rose 1.9% after the bank reported a 62% jump in third-quarter earnings to $1.5bn. Like the other major US investment banks, Morgan Stanley's results were boosted by a big increase in bond trading, with revenues from that activity rising to $1.5bn in the quarter from $583m a year earlier. Volumes of bond trading have been strong in recent months, partly due to the UK's vote to leave the EU and also due to speculation about moves in US interest rates.

Summary: (Close): US markets closed higher, with energy stocks lifted by rising oil prices.


The 25-year-old man, from Wigan, is being held by Greater Manchester Police in connection with attacks on two men. One, a 25-year-old from Skelmersdale in Lancashire, has been charged with attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming. The other, 19, has been released on bail on suspicion of a similar offence. Police said the first incident occurred at about 21:00 BST on Friday when the 19-year-old arranged to meet what he believed was a 14-year-old girl in a church car park in Atherton, near Wigan. On his arrival he was filmed being attacked by a group of men who accused him of being a paedophile. He escaped but later received messages demanding money and threats the footage would be uploaded to Facebook. He reported the incident to the police on Saturday, was then arrested and subsequently bailed pending further inquiries. Later that day, at about 14:40 BST, shoppers at Market Place in Wigan witnessed the Skelmersdale man being assaulted. He also was accused by a group of arranging online a meeting with a 14-year-old girl. One of the men in the group attacked him, knocking out two of his teeth. The episode was filmed by the group and has since been posted on the internet. The man got away and reported the events to the police, who arrested him and charged him with grooming.

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of vigilante assaults and blackmail of men alleged to have tried to meet with underage girls, police said.


Jean Uwinkindi organised and participated in attacks on the minority Tutsi ethnic group, the court ruled. Some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed by militias from the majority Hutu ethnic group. The 64-year-old Hutu pastor was the first genocide suspect to be sent back to Rwanda for trial by the Tanzanian-based UN tribunal. The tribunal shut down this month after sentencing 61 individuals and acquitting 14 others. Uwinkindi - the former head of a Pentecostal church on the outskirts of the capital, Kigali - had opposed his transfer. He said he would not get a fair trial in Rwanda, where there is now a Tutsi-led government. His lawyers said he would appeal against the High Court's ruling. "The court finds that there were killings of the Tutsi at Rwankeri and Kanzenze hills and that the attacks were led by Uwinkindi," said Judge Kanyegeri Timothee, Reuters news agency reports. The prosecution alleged that in investigations after the genocide, some 2,000 bodies were found near the church in Kanzenze, just outside Kigali, where Uwinkindi was pastor. He was indicted in 2011 after he was arrested in 2010 in neighbouring Uganda. Another key suspect, Ladislas Ntaganzwa, who has a $5m (Â£3.2m) US bounty on him, was arrested two weeks ago in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Summary: Rwanda's High Court has sentenced a pastor to life in prison for his role in the 1994 genocide.


It has also doubled the prison term for offenders to 20 years. Activists hope the law will encourage more slaves to take legal action to secure their freedom and will encourage the courts to punish slave owners. Mauritania abolished slavery in 1981, but activists say it is still widely practised and many in the West African country inherit their slave status. According to the AFP news agency, the new law, passed on Wednesday, also criminalises "10 other forms of slavery", including forced marriage and handing a woman over to another man without her consent after the death of her husband. Boubacar Ould Massoud, chairman of campaign group SOS Slavery, told the BBC it also provides for legal help for victims and enables them to seek compensation. He said it was laughable to think that slavery did not exist in Mauritania. "Often judges sympathise more with the slave owners than with the slaves. Slavery cases taken to court have up until now referred to the slaves as 'non-paid workers' or 'exploited and underage workers,'" he told BBC Afrique. Anti-slavery activists in Mauritania also say they have faced harassment from the authorities. AFP reports that three anti-slavery activists will be judged on appeal on 20 August in the central town of Aleg. They include two members of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement in Mauritania, a well-known non-governmental organisation. They had been sentenced to two years in prison for "membership of an unrecognised organisation", the agency reports. According to a 2014 survey by anti-slavery campaign group Walk Free, Mauritania has the highest number of slaves as a proportion of the population, at 4%.

Summary: Campaigners have welcomed Mauritania's new anti-slavery law which makes the offence a "crime against humanity".


Based in Doncaster, he simply asked a bunch of strangers: "What do you want?" With support from the Arts Council England, the results have been put on display in the Frenchgate Centre, Doncaster. "The project became led by the answers that subjects gave," says Monaghan. "Political and societal changes have rendered us all as individual consumers, those portrayed have been photographed alone, but when exhibited they are grouped together and their desires for health, happiness and a better world coalesce. "We want the same things, we want to get along, we want to be social, we want community." Monaghan also points out that, of the 150 on show, only one wanted a commodity. Here is a selection of pictures from the project. You can see more work by Les Monaghan on his blog.

Summary: There are times when it is best to keep things simple, and that's just what Les Monaghan has done for The Desire Project.


The Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2013 questioned about 1,500 people. The survey said that 41% of people were in favour of the Scottish government policy to charge a minimum unit price for alcohol. The research found 35% were against the policy and 22% had no strong view either way. Of those who were against the policy, 17% of people said they were "strongly against". There was even less certainty among those in favour of the policy, with just 15% "strongly in favour". The research was part of an annual survey of social and political attitudes run by ScotCen Social Research since 1999. The questions on alcohol were funded by the Scottish government and managed by NHS Health Scotland. They want to track changes in attitudes to drinking alcohol from 2004 and 2007 when the questions were last included in the survey. Scottish government ministers claim minimum unit pricing for alcohol is vital to address Scotland's "unhealthy relationship with drink". They want to curb excessive consumption by raising the price of high-strength booze. However, the flagship legislation, which was passed in 2012, could be delayed for another two years after the Scotch Whisky Association's legal challenge was referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union. The Scottish government wants to set a 50p rate per unit of alcohol, which would mean the minimum price a shop or supermarket would be allowed to charge for four large cans of beer would be £4.40, a bottle of wine would be £5 and a standard bottle of vodka £13. Between 55% and 66% of adults thought the suggested minimum prices for beer, wine and vodka were "about right". Just under half (46%) of the people surveyed thought supermarkets sold too much alcohol at very cheap prices. The Social Attitudes Survey also asked people how much price was an issue when buying alcohol. About 65% of adults said price did not prevent them from buying as much as they liked. Attitudes to minimum pricing varied across different groups with women more likely to support it than men. People educated to degree level were much more likely to approve of minimum pricing than those who were not. Support for the policy was lowest among higher risk drinkers and highest among non-drinkers. People who expressed the view that alcohol causes Scotland "a great deal" of harm were also likely to strongly support unit pricing. The three most commonly mentioned reasons for supporting minimum pricing were preventing health problems, stopping young people drinking and tackling problem behaviour. People not in favour of minimum pricing said it would not make a difference to heavy drinkers who would drink "whatever the price". They also thought the policy was unfair as it "punishes everyone for what some drinkers do" and it "punishes those who are less well off".

Summary: A new study of Scotland's attitudes to alcohol has suggested people are slightly more in favour of introducing minimum unit pricing than against.


The average fee for a fixed-rate mortgage is now more than £1,000 - the most expensive for four years, according to Moneyfacts. The financial information service said that borrowers and lenders tended to focus on mortgage interest rates. Rates are now among the lowest ever seen in the UK mortgage market. However, Moneyfacts said that some borrowers would be better off by choosing a slightly higher rate with a lower fee, or no fee, when they remortgaged. "Those savvy borrowers heeding the advice to remortgage could find that moving deals can be a costly affair, especially if their preference is for shorter-term fixed rates. Therefore, with fees on the rise, it is more important than ever for borrowers to consider the true cost of a mortgage before obtaining a deal," said Charlotte Nelson, of Moneyfacts. "Deals with larger fees often allow you to add the fee to the mortgage advance, however, this increases the amount borrowed, pushing up monthly repayments. "The extra saved by opting for a deal with no fee could be better used to overpay the mortgage, which could help borrowers become mortgage-free quicker." Figures from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) show that, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, property transactions have generally been close to the 100,000 mark each month for the past three years. This climate, in part, has resulted in lenders launching new products to try to attract new borrowers, often with very low rates. Moneyfacts said that, for those with a £150,000 mortgage and repaying over 25 years, some deals with the lowest rates on the market have fees of around £2,000, with one as high as £4,000. The average fee for these customers was now £1,018, compared with £986 a year ago, and £886 in July 2014.

Summary: Homeowners are making a "costly mistake" by turning a blind eye to additional fees when they remortgage, it has been claimed.


The Soyuz rocket carrying Fyodor Yurchikhin, Karen Nyberg and Luca Parmitano lifted away from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 02:31 local time on Wednesday (20:31 GMT Tuesday). Russian Yurchikhin and American Nyberg have both been into space before. Italian Parmitano is a first-timer. They arrived at the orbiting platform five hours and 46 minutes later. Their Soyuz capsule was using a new flight profile that dramatically reduces the rendezvous time from the traditional two days. It is technically more difficult and requires some very precise orbital adjustments, but it is deemed to be easier on the crew because it means they do not have to spend so long inside their cramped vehicle. Leak and pressure checks were conducted following docking at the station, with a hatch opening at 04:14 GMT. The trio, whose designation is Expedition 36, were greeted with hugs and smiles by the three individuals already on the ISS - Russians Pavel Vinogradov and Alexander Misurkin, and American Chris Cassidy. The new crew members will be given a week of light duties in which to acclimatise to their weightless surroundings. Work will then begin in earnest. Luca Parmitano's participation in this expedition is particularly notable. At 36, he is the youngest person to get a long-duration (six months) stay on the station. He is also the first of the European Space Agency's (Esa) new intake of astronauts to get a flight assignment. Selected in 2009, the former fighter pilot has a packed schedule ahead of him. ISS crews are now completing about 70 hours a week of science, conducting experiments that exploit the unique microgravity environment on the platform. Parmitano has a package of specific European activities to work through, which cover fields as diverse as fluid physics and materials science. The Italian will see all of the vehicles now used to service the station come and go during his time in orbit, including possibly the new Cygnus freighter which is made in part in the Italian city of Turin. He is also scheduled to make two spacewalks to work on the exterior of the platform. "I've dreamt of doing that. Being an astronaut is about walking in space. For me, they are one and the same thing," he told BBC News. One of the spacewalks will help prepare the ISS for the arrival of Russia's big science laboratory, which will grow the 420-tonne complex still further. The lab will come up with Europe's major robotic contribution to the platform - a large arm that is able to move around the station to conduct work wherever it is needed. Born in the Sicilian town of Paterno, Parmitano expects to bring a strong Italian flavour to his stay in orbit - literally. Italian chefs have prepared a range of special astronaut foods for him, including lasagne and risotto. These will be delivered to the ISS in the coming weeks on the European robotic freighter Albert Einstein. Fyodor Yurchikhin, Karen Nyberg and Luca Parmitano are due back on Earth on 10 November. Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos

Summary: Three new crew members have arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) after launching from Kazakhstan.


Three weeks on from the violence, the bullet holes that pockmarked the windows of La Bonne Biere are gone and Parisians have returned to its terrace. "It is time for us to gather together again, united, and to go forward in order not to forget," the owners said. The attacks on 13 November left 130 people dead and more than 350 wounded. Close-circuit cameras at La Bonne Biere recorded the moment two gunmen approached the cafe and opened fire at those sitting on the terrace. Piles of flowers and candles still line the pavement where the victims died, but for the first time in three weeks on Friday a handful of customers returned to the tables and chairs outside. A banner above the entrance reads "Je suis en terrasse" - I am on the terrace - a message of defiance popular among Parisians in the wake of the attacks. Manager Audrey Bily thanked supporters and said the cafe would "bounce back". "I would like to thank everyone who has supported us for your poems, your messages and posts that have so helped us," she said. "We are going to start again, to bounce back. We have carried out some work and repainted the walls to wipe away the signs of this nightmare. "The Bonne Biere cafe was a place where people meet and exchanged and shared. That is what we want it to be again today." A handwritten message on a blackboard outside the cafe offered condolences to the victims' families and thanked the emergency services at the scene that night. Paule Zlotnik, a neighboring shopkeeper, praised the cafe's decision to reopen. "It's time they open and that we continue life as it was before," he said. The Casa Nostra restaurant opposite the cafe, which was also hit, remains closed. The four other cafes and restaurants targeted in the attacks as well as the nearby Bataclan concert hall, where 89 people died, are also still closed.

Summary: A Paris cafe where five people were killed during the terror attacks last month reopened its doors on Friday - the first of the targets to do so.


The event - Scotland's Thatched Buildings: Developing a plan for the future - will follow up on a survey of Scotland's thatched buildings last year. Scotland has about 305 thatched roof buildings. May's event will be held close to the historic Leanach Cottage. Other thatched roof properties in Scotland include Balevullin Cottage on Tiree and several in Swanston Village, on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Historic Environment Scotland has organised the event in collaboration with the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (Scotland), the National Trust for Scotland and the Scottish Vernacular Buildings Working Group. Owners and managers of thatched roof properties and craftspeople have been invited to attend. Last year, the roof of a traditional blackhouse on the Isle of Lewis was given a new thatch. The property at Arnol was built in the 1880s on a site that had been occupied by people for more than 2,000 years. Blackhouses were built in the area by generations of crofting families until 1900. The home that survives today was still inhabited up to 1966.

Summary: Experts on traditional thatched roofs are to gather for a one-day conference at Culloden Battlefield visitor centre later this year.


The lizard-like creatures lived about 355 million years ago, when the ancestors of modern reptiles, birds and mammals emerged from swamps. The discovery plugs a 15 million-year gap in the fossil record. There are five complete fossils and many more fragments of bones that have yet to be classified. Some resemble lizards or newts, while others are larger, with almost crocodile-like proportions. "We're lifting the lid on a key part of the evolutionary story of life on land," said Prof Jennifer Clack of the University of Cambridge. "What happened then affects everything that happens subsequently - so it affects the fact that we are here and which other animals live with us today." The fossils suggest that the first backboned animals to crawl around on land may have lived in what is now the Scottish borders. Alternatively, there may be many more similar fossils in other parts of the world that have yet to be discovered. Dr Nick Fraser, of National Museums Scotland, who worked on the fossils, said they represent a "critical step in the evolution of life on Earth". "Without this step of vertebrates - animals with backbones - coming on to land, we wouldn't be here, birds wouldn't be here, crocodiles wouldn't be here, lizards, frogs, dinosaurs would never have roamed the Earth - all these things would not have evolved," he told BBC News. Around 360 million years ago, many life forms, including early fish, were wiped out in a mass extinction. For the next 15 million years or so, a key time in tetrapod evolution, there is a gap in the fossil record. This means we know very little about how fish-like animals grew the limbs that could support them on land. Dr Fraser said the focus of attention is on Scotland, as it may be the place where these animals "first colonised land". "These are the oldest animals with four legs that were able to move around on land," he said. "If you want to draw the analogy to Neil Armstrong's first step on the Moon - it was one small step for man but a giant leap for mankind, well, this in some ways is a small step out of the water for these animals but it's a giant leap forward for the future evolution of life on land." Only a handful of sites in the world have yielded similar fossils from this time period. One is in Scotland - in Dumbarton, west of Glasgow, where only a single fossil (Pederpes) has been unearthed. Fragments of fossils have been found in the US and Canada. Details of the latest discoveries are published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. Dr Per Ahlberg, of Uppsala University, Sweden, said the fossils "substantially change our picture of early tetrapod evolution". And Dr Mike Coates, of the University of Chicago, said "they predict more diversity, earlier in the fossil record" and suggest "a greater range of extinction survivors among the early tetrapods". Dr Jason Anderson, of the University of Calgary, said the fossils show that the apparent gap in

Summary: Fossils of what may be the earliest four-legged backboned animals to walk on land have been discovered in Scotland.


Pacquiao, 37, has not fought since he was convincingly beaten on points by Floyd Mayweather in May. Promoter Bob Arum says Pacquiao and WBO welterweight champion Bradley, 32, will meet in Las Vegas on 9 April. Khan also hoped to fight Mayweather in 2015 but the American great retired after beating Andre Berto in September. Khan, 29, only fought once in 2015, outpointing Chris Algieri in May, and looks set for a clash with Sheffield's IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook in the summer. "He has a spotty record, hasn't done great ratings, Arum told the Los Angeles Times. "Why would we feel he'd do well on pay-per-view?" Bradley was awarded a controversial decision against Pacquiao in 2012 before the six-weight world champion earned revenge in 2014. Arum claims he has agreed deals with both fighters, though the paperwork for the bout has yet to be finalised. The Bradley fight could be Pacquiao's last, although Arum refused to confirm that would be the case.

Summary: Britain's Amir Khan has missed out on a fight against Manny Pacquiao, with the Philippine great choosing a third match with American Timothy Bradley instead.


Anthony Steppie, Euan Stevenson, David Gowans, Kennedy Miskimmons and Scott Steppie all appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court accused of attempting to "engage in violence with rival fans" prior to the match at Tannadice on 13 December. They all deny the charges against them. Three men from Dundee earlier admitted similar charges from the same day. Anthony Steppie, 49, Stevenson, 20, Gowans, 21, Miskimmons, 39, and Scott Steppie, 21, all deny charges under the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act. They are all charged with engaging behaviour likely to incite public disorder by forming part of a disorderly crowd and repeatedly attempting to engage in violence with rival fans prior to the Scottish Premiership clash between Dundee United and Aberdeen. The offences are said to have taken place in Main Street and Church Street. Stevenson faces a further charge of assaulting an unknown male by kicking him on the body, on Church Street, while Scott Steppie is accused of punching an unknown male on the head on Caldrum Street. Sheriff Alistair Carmichael set a trial date in August and released the men on bail, on the condition they do not attend any Aberdeen FC matches in the meantime.

Summary: Five men from Aberdeen are to stand trial accused of trying to incite violence prior to a football match in Dundee.


The ATM at the Cooperative store on Argyll Road was robbed at 03:00 on Tuesday. Police said the gang made off with a "quantity of cash". Officers are carrying out door-to-door inquiries and reviewing CCTV of the raid. Police Scotland asked anyone who noticed suspicious activity near the store to contact them.

Summary: Thieves have stolen money from a cash machine in Perth after smashing their way into a supermarket.


Denmark international Fischer, 21, has been with the Amsterdam club since 2011 and scored 24 goals in 79 league games. The forward visited Boro, who were promoted to the Premier League this season, for a medical and agreed terms. "It's the greatest league in the world and I feel really ready," Fischer told Danish TV station TV2. Eight-times capped Fischer has agreed a three-year deal. Fischer emerged as a key player at Ajax under recently departed coach Frank De Boer, alongside compatriots Lasse Schone and Christian Eriksen - the latter whom he will play against in next season's top flight when Boro face Tottenham Hotspur.

Summary: Ajax winger Viktor Fischer will join Middlesbrough for around £3.8m at the start of the international transfer window next month, BBC Tees reports.


But there are others who would argue that the accolade belongs to Garrincha, a football genius who played 50 times for his country, but whose career was blighted by drink problems. Not surprisingly, one of his greatest fans is his only living son, Ulf Lindberg, born from a brief affair the footballer had during a tour of Sweden in 1959. He never met his father but said proudly: "There is no one like Garrincha. His playing style was and will always be unique." With his right leg pointing inwards and his left leg pointing outwards, Manuel Francisco dos Santos - Garrincha's real name - seemed more destined to end up in poverty and anonymity than in the pantheon of great footballers. But put a ball at his feet and Garrincha, which means "the little wren", demonstrated incomparable skill and is regarded by many as the greatest dribbler of all time. His biographer, Ruy Castro, described the man fans called "the angel with bent legs" as "the most amateur footballer professional football ever produced". Garrincha also had a talent for charming women and it was during a tour of Sweden with the Rio team Botafogo that he had a brief affair with Ulf's mother. She gave him up for adoption to a middle-class Swedish family when he was only nine months old. It was only at the age of seven that his adoptive parents told him that his father was Garrincha, who had 14 children through various relationships. But the meeting of father and son never happened. "I very much regret never having met him," Ulf admitted. Ulf is in Stockholm this week as a special guest at the farewell friendly game between Brazil and Sweden on Wednesday at the Rasunda, the stadium where his father played in the final of the 1958 World Cup, the first of five Brazil have won. The arena is to be knocked down and its newer replacement has already been built in the same neighbourhood. "Until today, I often find myself thinking how it would be nice to have known my father and say how much I admire him," Ulf told BBC Brasil. After a match in Gothenburg against the Russian team, the paper said he was an alien talent, asking: 'What planet is he from?' "But it was not possible. Unfortunately, he had serious problems with alcohol. If not, he could be among us celebrating the reunion with his companions from '58." In 1977, a Swedish newspaper reported that Garrincha wanted to meet his son. It was agreed that it would happen in the following year, when Ulf was expected to travel to Argentina, during the 1978 World Cup, where Garrincha was due to work as a commentator. "But the trip did not happen," Ulf said. "My father used to drink a lot and unfortunately was not well." Garrincha died on January 20, 1983. Ulf has been to Brazil three times and, during one trip for a TV documentary, discovered he would never know his mother either - she had died months earlier. Garrincha had ten

Summary: When asked to name the greatest Brazilian footballer of all time, most people will offer up the name of Pele, whose unique status gave him a starring role at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics.


Media playback is not supported on this device After a scoreless first period, James Desmarais fired a shot across Mike Clemente into the net for the Giants. Taylor Dickin levelled and Cody Cartier scored the decisive goal just 43 seconds into the third period. The Giants remain six points behind leaders Cardiff Devils in the standings, with one game in hand. Storm kept Jackson Whistle busy in the first period and the Giants netminder again excelled in the second period. Belfast player-coach Derrick Walser rattled the outside of the post in the second period and the visitors soaked up Giants pressure in the final minutes of the contest. The Giants' next match is at home to Braehead Clan on Friday (19:00 GMT), the team they defeated 5-1 on Boxing Day. After that, Coventry Blaze visit the SSE Arena on 2 January (16:00).

Summary: The Belfast Giants' unbeaten run of 10 games came to an end on Wednesday night with a 2-1 Elite League defeat by Manchester Storm at the SSE Arena.