But pay remains lower than at Aldi and Lidl and overtime pay on Sundays and Bank Holidays is being cut. Currently Tesco workers are paid £7.62 an hour, which will rise to £8.42 an hour by November 2018. The pay rise will put Tesco workers' pay above the £7.90 level that the National Living Wage is expected to reach by 2018. The National Living Wage is the effective minimum wage for adults aged 25 and over, and is currently £7.50. Those under the age of 25 are entitled to a lower minimum wage rate. Statutory minimum pay rates will continue to rise until at least 2020, according to recent government Budgets, and companies are planning for those changes, as well as striving to remain competitive with rivals in order to recruit and retain staff. Wage growth in the UK has been slow in recent years, but inflation has risen and other supermarkets have increased the wages they pay. Aldi recently announced a rise in hourly pay to £8.53 an hour; Lidl's website says it pays store staff £8.45 an hour. Tesco said it would increase hourly pay in three stages: to £8.02 in November 2017, then to £8.18 in July 2018 and to £8.42 in November 2018. "This reward package sees our biggest investment in store pay for a decade, and gives colleagues a sustainable pay deal that rewards them for everything they do, while allowing us to also attract new talent," said Tesco UK chief executive, Matt Davies. The retailer said maternity pay terms had also been improved. But extra pay for Sundays and bank holidays will be reduced from time-and-a-half to time-and-a-quarter after July 2018. "This is designed to meet the government legislative requirement around the minimum wage. "As expected, most of the businesses who have had to face up to this rise have had to reduce premiums and other perks that employees benefitted from in order to meet the core wage rises," said retail analyst Steve Dresser.

Summary: Hourly pay rates for Tesco store staff will rise by 10.5% over the next two years, the supermarket has said.


Manx organisation Beach Buddies tackled the problem at Fleshwick Bay following concerns from the public. Coordinator Bill Dale said one of the coves near the beach was found to be "jammed with plastic". He added: "Amongst the find were a number of plastic bands which became infamous when a basking shark was photographed with one around its nose." About 30 people joined forces with the Beach Buddies volunteers on Saturday morning. "The area was in serious need of a clear-up," said Mr Dale. "It was the first trip to Fleshwick for a team of our volunteers this year and it was a really big job".

Summary: A stream "choked by plastic" on the southern coast of the Isle of Man has been cleaned up by charity volunteers.


Johnson helped the Robins avoid relegation last season after joining them from Barnsley in February. The 35-year-old, who played 199 games for City between 2006 and 2012, started his managerial career with Oldham in 2013, before moving to Oakwell in 2015. His previous contract at Ashton Gate was set to end at the end of the 2018-19 season. "Like I said when I was appointed, Bristol City is the perfect club for me," he told the club website. "We want to deliver success; everything about the club is progressive and that's why I'm desperate to be a part of that in the long term." Bristol City have won just one of their past six games in all competitions, but they are 11th in the Championship table, just four points outside the play-off places.

Summary: Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson has signed a new contract to stay with the Championship club until 2020.


Willett, 29, was due to partner Lee Westwood when the 72-hole tournament begins in Melbourne on 24 November. But the Masters champion does not want to risk aggravating the issue that saw him miss October's British Masters. "Considering everything, including the amount of travel involved and extra strain, I decided that it was not in my best interests," Willett said. The four-day competition would have been the fifth tournament in consecutive weeks for Willett, who has dropped out of the world top 10 for the first time since his Masters victory in April. Willett is second in the Race to Dubai and is tied for 54th in the penultimate tournament, the Nedbank Golf Challenge, after a round of 74 at Sun City. We've launched a new BBC Sport newsletter, bringing all the best stories, features and video right to your inbox. You can sign up here.

Summary: England's Danny Willett has withdrawn from the World Cup in Australia to avoid aggravating his back problem.


Saturday's flight was the first movement of material held at the Caithness plant to the US since an announcement in February. David Cameron, who was prime minister at the time, said the UK and US governments had agreed to an exchange of nuclear materials. He said the UK would receive a type of uranium used to diagnose cancer. But Highlands and Islands SNP MSP Maree Todd has criticised the weekend's flight and the level of secrecy surrounding the handling of nuclear material at Dounreay. She said there should not be a need for an exchange of nuclear material, and the UK should be able to purchase what it requires for medical diagnoses. Dounreay, near Thurso, is being decommissioned and the site cleaned up. Most of the radioactive materials held there, such as fuel, are being moved to other locations, including Sellafield in Cumbria where it will be reprocessed or stored. These shipments are being made by rail. Other material has been returned to nuclear sites overseas. During the 1990s, nuclear material was sent from abroad to Dounreay for reprocessing. The customers included power plants and research centres in Australia, Germany and Belgium. Under the UK-US deal signed earlier this year, highly-enriched uranium (HEU) stored at Dounreay is being sent to the US. Saturday's flight took place under tight security from Wick John O'Groats Airport, which is about 30 miles (48km) from the Dounreay nuclear site. It involved a US military Boeing C-17 transport aircraft. Radioactive material from the civil nuclear industry has been transported by plane from the UK to other countries in the past. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) provided Highlands and Islands Airports Limited with funding to upgrade Wick John O'Groats Airport in preparation for the US flights. A spokesman for Dounreay said: "All nuclear materials are being removed from the site. This programme started in 2001 and we expect it to continue for a number of years. "Our priority at all times is to comply with regulations governing the safe and secure transportation of nuclear material, both in storage and transit. "Compliance with these regulations includes protecting information about routes, dates, timings and locations of nuclear material in any current or future transport." MSP Ms Todd told BBC Radio Scotland: "I am disappointed we are hearing reports from people living up in Wick that this has happened, but got no official notification. "I understand that there has to be some secrecy surrounding this industry, but I feel there is more secrecy than is absolutely required." She added: "I understand that this material is weapons-grade in exchange for some medical radionuclides. "I fail to understand why we cannot pay money for these things than have to supply them with weapons-grade nuclear material from the UK."

Summary: Radioactive material that was being kept at the Scottish nuclear power site Dounreay has been flown to the US.


The statement, purportedly sent by a British member of IS, said it was "outrageous" to suggest the Mannan family from Luton had been kidnapped and forced to join the group. The BBC has not been able to verify if the statement is genuine. A friend of a teenager among the 12 said he thought he had been "tricked". The family, who have not been seen since 17 May, includes three children aged between one and 11. Police have previously said they may have travelled to Syria. The statement is accompanied by two photos purportedly of family member Muhammed Abdul Mannan, which have not been independently verified. It comes as a video apparently released by the IS group showed 25 men being shot dead in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. The missing family is: The statement, passed to the BBC by a Briton fighting with IS, said the family had arrived in a land that was "free from corruption and oppression" and had not been "commanded" to join by a single person but by the "Khalifah of the Muslims". It said: "We say to those that are concerned for our safety to put your hearts at rest for we feel safer than we have ever felt before." It went on to urge Muslims to "race to your state". Nazrull Ali, a school friend of 19-year-old Mohammed Toufique Hussain, who is said to be among the 12, said he did not believe the statement. "That doesn't seem right to be honest. I don't think they would say stuff like that," he said. "I don't know but I heard they [IS] could make you say whatever they want, obviously if someone puts a gun to your head what would you say?" he said. "He would have said bye to all of us properly and I'm telling you, he did not know that he was going to Syria. I know it wasn't him, I think he's got tricked into it. It wasn't his idea, definitely." The Islamic State group has seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria since last June, becoming notorious for its brutality, including mass killings, abductions and beheadings. On 29 June 2014 it announced the formation of a caliphate - a state governed in accordance with Islamic law or Sharia, by God's deputy on Earth, or caliph. Shiraz Maher, senior fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King's College London, which tracks the movements of foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq, said there was an element of propaganda to the statement. Mr Maher said he was told by a British fighter that the family had chosen to release the statement to show it was their decision to move. He said the broader project of IS was to persuade women and families to join them. "They never wanted just fighters, I think that's a misnomer," he said. The family was reported missing to police by two sons, understood to be Mr Mannan's from a previous marriage, who live in Luton. They flew to Bangladesh on 10 April, police said,

Summary: A UK family of 12 who went missing have joined so-called Islamic State and feel "safer than ever", according to a statement said to be on their behalf.


Emergency services were called to River View Maltings, Grantham, at about 11:30 GMT, on Thursday. A 42-year-old man was airlifted to the Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, where he is receiving treatment. The 41-year-old woman, who is from Gonerby Hill Foot, is due to appear before magistrates in Lincoln.

Summary: A woman has been charged with wounding with intent after a man was stabbed at a house in a Lincolnshire market town on New Year's Day.


The fire in Barn End Lane, Wilmington, was reported at about 07:40 BST, Kent Fire and Rescue Service said. At its peak, eight fire crews tackled the blaze in one of the flats, which spread smoke to neighbouring flats. The cause of the fire is not yet known. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Eight people were taken to hospital after the fire, South East Coast Ambulance (Secamb) said. Secamb earlier said nine people were taken to hospital but has since revised its figure. The Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance and nine ambulances were called to the scene. For a time, Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford asked patients not to attend its accident and emergency department, saying the hospital was dealing with a "major incident". The Darent Valley later tweeted: "The hospital has been stood down and normal service has resumed in the A&E Department."

Summary: A man in his 70s has died in a fire at a flat in a sheltered housing block.


The All Blacks ran in 12 tries, with Sonny Bill Williams and Julian Savea both touching down twice. Over 61,000 fans were in attendance, more than three times the previous best crowd for a rugby match in the USA. New Zealand fielded an inexperienced line-up, but were impressive ahead of their meeting with Stuart Lancaster's England at Twickenham next Saturday. The match - the first on US soil between the two sides since 1980 - was broadcast live on NBC in America. Bob Latham, chairman of USA Rugby, described the match as "monumental" for rugby in the United States. New Zealand Rugby Union's chief executive Steve Tew told BBC World Service Sportsworld: "Our guys finished the game with a lot of respect for the US boys. They took it to us for periods of the game, but unfortunately when we had the ball they weren't able to match us for pace and power. "I think we've done our bit - we've given them a profile they haven't had here before. "The primary reason we wanted a game on the way, we've got to play England next Saturday at Twickenham - a little bit like the World Cup will be next year for us. "We have a pool that doesn't have the hardest opposition in it and then we hit a quarter-final at Cardiff and we'll see either France or Ireland play us if we finish first - so this replicates that to a degree. "We know we've got a big battle in front us at Twickenham."

Summary: New Zealand secured a resounding win over the USA in front of a capacity crowd at Chicago's Soldier Field.


She will address 120 chief executives at Irish business organisation Ibec and is expected to emphasise that "Scotland is open for business". Ms Sturgeon will also visit the Scottish government's investment and innovation hub in the city. She said she wanted to strengthen Scotland's Irish links "even further". "Scottish exports to Ireland are worth Â£1.125bn and Irish investment into Scotland currently supports more than 6,000 jobs," she said. "It's important to get across to our European partners, such as Ireland, that Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU and that we are doing everything we can to protect our relationship with Europe. "I want companies in Ireland to know that Scotland remains open for business and will continue to be an attractive place to invest. "I will be asking the delegates at Ibec to work with the hub and to come to Scotland to see what we have to offer. "A number of new Scottish investment wins have been landed this year and through the strong network the hub continues to develop with Irish-based investors - further projects are in the pipeline." Ms Sturgeon said "Ireland has always been and will continue to be a key economic partner for Scotland". "It is even more important than ever that our two countries work together for the benefit of both our nations," she said. On Friday, Ms Sturgeon told a summit of the British-Irish Council that remaining in the single market was the UK's "least worst" Brexit option. She said staying inside the common market after leaving the EU would be best for every part of the UK.

Summary: Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is due to visit Dublin on Monday to meet business leaders and discuss investment plans.


The Asia-focused lender said on Thursday the move would help it save some $100m (Â£66.2m) in 2016. It also said it plans to shed another 2,000 positions in its retail banking division, on top of the 2,000 already announced. The bank issued three profit warnings last year. It posted a 16% fall in operating profit in October last year due to a restructuring of its South Korean business and an increase in bad loans. The bank's Hong Kong-listed shares were up more than 2% on Thursday as investors welcomed the cost-cutting news. Standard Chartered told its investors in November last year it would try to deliver $400m in cost savings this year. It said on Thursday it was on track to deliver those savings. Some 2,000 job cuts had been announced or completed in its retail sector over the last three months, the lender said, "with a reduction of a further 2,000 expected during 2015." The bank also said in November that it would close up to 100 bank branches in 2015 in Asia, Africa and the Middle East in an attempt to boost its profitability. On Thursday it said it had made "good progress in closing 22 branches in the second half of 2014" and that it was on track to close up to 100. Steven Chan, an analyst at Maybank Kim Eng Securities in Hong Kong said the moves "would certainly help improve the bank's profits."

Summary: Standard Chartered has said it will axe jobs and shut its equities business in a continued effort to cut costs and boost profits.


NHS Highland has confirmed that plans to add an extra 150 spaces at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness were in the early stages. Parking has been a long-running issue at the hospital. It has been claimed it is being used as an unofficial park and ride facility with people able to park there for free and then take a bus into the city. NHS Highland said: "We have identified funding which we will use to create up to 150 extra spaces on the site and we will also be reintroducing entrance and exit barriers to the car park."

Summary: Additional car parking could be provided at the biggest hospital in the Highlands.


One senior police officer was reduced to tears in his office as he recalled in an off-the-cuff chat, the cold-blooded way the gunmen picked through their victims' belongings, forced them onto the floor face down, then gunned them down. Kenyans are hard-working people who deeply care about security but many express a sense of being hamstrung. As one man I spoke to in Garissa put it, there is "a sense of disconnect between the government and its people" and its ability to provide security in the face of an al-Shabab threat. Key to this is a deep mistrust of authority. Kenyan whistle-blower John Githongo, who in secretly recorded tapes exposed corruption under a previous administration, has been talking on social networks of "chickens coming home to roost". He is not alone in that view. Porous borders, allegations of widespread corruption within the security services and even claims by the Muslim community of "extrajudicial killings" all sound remarkably familiar to Kenyan ears. It was no surprise then that many rolled their eyes in dismay, rather than marched in anger on the streets, at reports that the plane that was meant to bring commandos to storm the building during the deadly siege in Garissa, was delayed by several hours. It had apparently been diverted, sent to collect a police chief's family, from their holiday on the coast. The police are yet to comment on the allegation. Intelligence reports and parliamentary committees have warned of a tactical shift in the Somali Islamist group's recruitment campaign. The evidence that al-Shabab is hiring in the "Kenyan homeland" shows it is exploiting the country's Achilles heel - what people here call "graft". A thoughtful Kenyan businessman of Somali origin I met in the arid north-east of the country told me bluntly that for a government to win the fight against terrorism, it needed to win its people's trust first. The scramble to woo the Muslim community in the past few days in these remote dusty parts, by a posse of government envoys, appears to be a frank admission that it needs to make friends. Ali (this same Kenyan businessman whose name I have changed because like many others he fears his candour will lose him his job) told me he had spent a lot of time in the US and the Middle East since the 9/11 attack and had devoted much time to pondering about security. Building elaborate "fences" to seal the border with Somalia, a programme which got under way this week, sounds to many like Ali more like a money-making scam than a concerted effort to control cross border attacks by al-Shabab. What is needed, he believes, is not walls and fences but robust "intelligence gathering" and covert operations, which cannot be sabotaged by "graft". As President Uhuru Kenyatta talks tough in the fight against corruption, one is left with a sense of missed opportunities to win the confidence of some in the Muslim community here. In 2007 I stood on the border between Somalia and Kenya, as the US and Kenyan military bombed camps in

Summary: There is no doubt that Kenya has been deeply scarred by the attack on the University in Garissa, in which at least 148 people were killed.


Russia's Investigative Committee, modelled on the FBI, will question the activists. Six Britons are among them. Their ship, the Arctic Sunrise, is being towed to the port of Murmansk. Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said "all those who assaulted the platform, regardless of nationality, will be prosecuted". The campaigners were detained on Thursday along with their ship after two Greenpeace activists tried to climb onto a Gazprom offshore platform, in a protest against oil drilling in the Arctic. The ship was raided by armed Russian men in balaclavas who abseiled down from helicopters. The ship was seized in the Pechora Sea, near the rig. Greenpeace said the Russian authorities "are holding 30 of our activists". In a statement on Tuesday, Greenpeace said its ship had arrived in a fjord near Murmansk accompanied by a tug boat and the Russian Coast Guard vessel Ladoga. "Greenpeace International lawyers are demanding immediate access to the 30 activists who have been held for over four days without legal or consular assistance. It is still not known whether Russia intends to lay formal charges and Greenpeace has not received any formal contact from the authorities," it said. The environmental organisation said its protest against "dangerous Arctic oil drilling" was peaceful and in line with its "strong principles". "Our activists did nothing to warrant the reaction we've seen from the Russian authorities," it said. The campaigners on the ship are from 18 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Russia, the UK and the US, Greenpeace said. Mr Markin described the protest as "an attempt to seize a drilling platform by storm" and said it raised "legitimate doubts about their intentions". The ship "was loaded with electronics whose purpose was not clear", he said. "It's hard to believe that the so-called activists did not know that the platform is an installation with a high hazard level, and any unauthorised actions on it can lead to an accident, which would not only endanger the people aboard it but also the ecology, which is being protected zealously," he said. Article 227 of Russia's penal code defines piracy as "an attack on a ship at sea or on a river, with the aim of seizing someone else's property, using violence or the threat of violence". It can be punished with a jail term of up to 15 years, depending on the gravity of the offence, and a fine of up to 500,000 roubles (Â£10,000; $15,000). Commenting on the Arctic campaigners, a Greenpeace spokesman said that "as far as we are aware they are in fairly good spirits and no-one has been ill-treated". A British campaigner, Alex Harris, has texted her parents from the ship, saying she is "safe". "Will call when I can. Individuals have not been charged. Just the ship," she added in the message. Earlier Sue Turner, mother of British campaigner Iain Rogers from Exeter in Devon, said: "I've been told they are being treated well by the Russians - I am very relieved". Anthony Perrett, another British Greenpeace activist on the ship, spoke to his partner Zaharah

Summary: Russian prosecutors have accused 30 Greenpeace activists of piracy and say they will prosecute all of them for trying to board an Arctic oil platform.


The application was approved on a majority vote at the organisation's congress in London, with no votes against and no abstentions. The British Overseas Territory off the south coast of Spain has a population of just under 30,000. Gibraltar will be allowed to enter qualifying for the 2016 European Championship. The territory tried to join Uefa in 2007 but the bid was controversially rejected. Spain opposed the move and threatened to boycott both club and international competitions if it succeeded. Only three of Uefa's 52 associations voted in favour of Gibraltar - the English, Welsh and Scottish Football Associations. Previously Gibraltar, which has six top-division teams and 600 registered senior players, had been told it could not join Uefa as it was not a country recognised by the United Nations. It was accepted as a provisional member of Uefa in October 2012 and that membership has now been ratified. Spain continues to claim sovereignty over the territory, which has been ruled by Britain since 1713 under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht. The European Union has put pressure on Spain and Britain to resolve the issue of Gibraltar's status. Both sides, under the Brussels Process launched in 1984, have attempted to reach an agreement. But Spain's insistence on eventually acquiring full sovereignty, and Britain's determination to retain full control of Gibraltar's military base, have been among the stumbling blocks. Uefa president Michel Platini has confirmed that Gibraltar and Spain will be kept apart in qualifying groups. "Gibraltar will not play qualifying matches with Spain - we also have this situation with Armenia and Azerbaijan," Platini said. "This is a momentous occasion for football in Gibraltar. Uefa membership means that we can begin the next chapter of Gibraltarian football," the president of the Gibraltar Football Association, Gareth Latin, said. "At last we'll be able to show the whole of Europe that we can match the best with football of a high standard and entertaining style." Allen Bula, head coach of Gibraltar's national side, would relish the chance to play the country's neighbours. "I always said I would love to play Spain. I would play them any day, anywhere, any time," Bula told the BBC's World Football programme earlier this year. "When I took over the national team I had one purpose - to show Europe and the world that what Spain were saying about us, that we were only in it for political reasons and that we didn't have any quality, was a load of rubbish. "They have not let us progress, we've never given up and now we are ready to show Europe what we are made of." Gibraltar becomes the smallest Uefa member in terms of population, behind San Marino (just over 32,000), Liechtenstein (approximately 37,000) and the Faroe Islands (just under 50,000).

Summary: Gibraltar has been accepted as a full member of Uefa, European football's governing body.


Norris, 17, set the second fastest time behind championship leader Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari at the Hungaroring on Wednesday. McLaren racing director Eric Boullier said Norris "impressed us all with his maturity, professionalism and speed". "He's certainly an asset to our test-driver line-up - not to mention a potential star of the future," he said. "His feedback with the engineers has been valuable and accurate." Norris' fastest lap of one minute 17.385 seconds was 0.164secs quicker than the qualifying time of double world champion Fernando Alonso in the McLaren at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday. But the times cannot be directly compared because Alonso was on slower tyres, track conditions were different and the specification of the car Norris was using is not made public. Norris, who is a front-runner in the European Formula Three series, said on his Twitter feed on Thursday: "How insane was that? Thanks, McLaren." McLaren replied: "Was totally mega, Lando." After the test, Norris said in a McLaren statement: "Getting used to the car was a bit of a challenge at first, but by the end of the day I felt very comfortable. I got a lot of laps under my belt and I really enjoyed the experience." Another British rising star was driving at the test - Mercedes young driver George Russell. The 19-year-old was eighth fastest without having the opportunity to go for headline lap times on the fastest tyres like Norris. Russell, who races in GP3 this season, tested the 'halo' head protection device which will be used in F1 for the first time next season and said that he had no problems with it - and that in some circumstances it aided visibility. "I had a much better view with the halo than I expected," he said. "When the sun was coming down at the end of the day, it blocked the sun from my eyes. "From a driver's perspective, the visibility is completely fine. The only hindrance could potentially be seeing the start lights. "Getting in and out of the car with the halo takes a bit of experience. I struggled initially, but after a few trial runs I was fine."

Summary: Rising British star Lando Norris had an impressive first test in a current Formula 1 car with McLaren.


Thames Water said 26,000 properties in Reading and Wokingham were affected when a pump at Earley failed. The company said the fault occurred at about 06:30 BST and supplies and pressure were restored at 16:00. At least three schools - Hillside Primary, White Knights and Leighton Park School - closed as a result of the problems. Thames Water apologised for any inconvenience caused and said its engineers brought in water from other areas of Berkshire to supply customers in Reading. The company warned that water may be discoloured when it first came back. It said it was "harmless" but advised customers to keep taps running until it cleared, and to inform the firm if it continued. Free bottled water depots had been set up in the car parks of the University of Reading, Asda at Lower Earley and Showcase Cinema at Winnersh for those affected.

Summary: Thousands of people in Berkshire were left without water or low pressure following a pump failure.


But the Australian media has gone into overdrive after news broke that Johnny Depp may have broken quarantine laws by not declaring his Yorkshire Terriers when they flew into Queensland. It wasn't long before a posse of reporters had gathered outside the Gold Coast estate where the dogs are being held in quarantine prison. There is a dog's breakfast of online stories, and commercial TV networks have sent choppers up in the hope of catching a glimpse of the Pirates of the Caribbean star and his customs-busting mutts. Even the nation's venerable financial journal, The Australian Financial Review, has got in on the act. Media interest in the story is so intense a mini economy has sprouted up outside the estate with a catering van arriving to feed the press, according to the Courier Mail. #WarOnTerrier: Australia reacts to Depp's dogs It might all sound like a bit of fun but Australian quarantine laws are no joke. Live animals and plants, plant material, animal products and some food from overseas can't be brought into the country without government permission because they can introduce some of the world's most serious pests and diseases into this island nation. Those who flaunt the rules face fines of more than A$66,000 ($5,400; Â£34,000) and risk 10 years jail. As an example of how serious it can be, in 1995 a 500km (310-mile) by 200km quarantine zone was established in northern Queensland just to control foreign fruit fly maggots. So, it's lucky Depp didn't bring any bananas with him.

Summary: Maybe it was because they had spent the past week poring over government budget documents, or maybe this story was just too good to ignore.


The Arsenal midfielder, 23, helped the Lionesses qualify for Euro 2017. Chelsea's Millie Bright, who made her senior international debut in a 2-0 win against Belgium in September, was voted England young player of the year. Manchester City boss Nick Cushing was awarded Women's Super League manager of the year after guiding the Blues to a league and cup double. City also took the club of the year award, while their defender Lucy Bronze was crowned Women's Super League 1 player of the year. Former England women boss Hope Powell was also recognised at the event as the 49-year-old took the outstanding contribution to women's football award.

Summary: Jordan Nobbs has been named England player of the year at the Football Association Women's Football Awards.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 26-year-old Scot became the first Briton in 77 years to win the Wimbledon men's singles title with victory over Novak Djokovic in the summer. British and Irish Lions player Leigh Halfpenny was runner-up at the ceremony in Leeds, with jockey AP McCoy third. BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2015 is broadcast live from Belfast on Sunday, 20 December from 19:00 GMT on BBC One. Further coverage on BBC Sport's online platforms and Radio 5 live.

Summary: Wimbledon champion Andy Murray is named the 2013 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.


Only Italian champions Juventus earned more than Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United, while Arsenal and Southampton were also in the top 10. In total, 641 European clubs from 54 national associations received a revenue share of 150m euros (£127.74m). Liverpool, top earners in the Premier League, took £2,890,773 for releasing players for the finals and qualifying. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Roma completed the top 10. At the other end of the scale, Gibraltar's inclusion in Euro 2016 qualifying meant Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Division One North side Farsley Celtic and Welsh Premier League outfit Bala Town took a share of the revenue. An understanding between Uefa, European football's governing body, and the European Club Association (ECA) means some of the revenue from Euro 2016 is shared among those clubs who released players to their national teams. Clubs that released players for the final tournament took a share of 100m euros (£85.6m), while another 50m euros (£42.58m) was set aside for those that released players for qualifying matches. Another 744,937 euros (£634,390) was carried over from Euro 2012 and divided up during the qualification phase. "It is important and fair to recognise and reward the clubs for the release of their players," said ECA Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. In qualifying, each club that releases a player to the national team for is entitled to receive a fixed amount per player, per match. For the final tournament, clubs receive a fixed amount per player, per day. This starts 14 days before the player's country's first match and ends the day after their last match. Liverpool, who supplied five of Roy Hodgson's 23-man England squad, were the top earners in the Premier League and enjoyed the second highest payout for the whole tournament with £2,890,773. Meanwhile, striker Adam Priestley's appearances in qualifying for Gibraltar pocketed eighth-tier Farsley £21,531. Linfield were the only team from Northern Ireland to benefit, while Welsh side Bala Town earned £17,942 from Gibraltar international David Artell.

Summary: Five Premier League clubs were among those to benefit most financially from sending their players to Euro 2016.


Dywedodd arweinydd y cyngor, Peter Fox fod sawl lleoliad "allai fod yn briodol ar gyfer digwyddiad o'r natur a'r maint yma". Roedd prif weithredwr yr ŵyl, Elfed Roberts wedi dweud wrth BBC Cymru Fyw ei fod ar ddeall fod y trafodaethau cychwynnol hynny wedi dechrau. Ychwanegodd Mr Roberts eu bod wedi "plesio'n aruthrol" gydag ymateb trigolion Y Fenni yn 2016, wedi i'r Brifwyl ymweld â'r sir am y tro cyntaf ers dros ganrif. Dywedodd Mr Fox fod y cyngor wrthi'n ystyried gwneud cais, ond nad oedd "unrhyw gynlluniau pendant wedi'u gwneud". "Roedd hi'n fraint aruthrol croesawu'r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol i'r Fenni haf diwethaf ac rydym wedi mynegi diddordeb mewn cynnal [un arall], o bosib yng nghanol tymor nesaf y cyngor [2022-27]", meddai. Ychwanegodd: "Mae'n rhaid i ni edrych ar sawl ffactor gan gynnwys yr effaith a'r buddion i'r sir, cefnogaeth gymunedol a'r safle sy'n cael ei ddewis. "Cafodd Y Fenni ei chydnabod fel un o'r lleoliadau gorau yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ond mae gan Sir Fynwy leoliadau posib eraill allai fod yn briodol ar gyfer digwyddiad o'r natur a'r maint yma." Dywedodd Mr Roberts fod diddordeb y cyngor yn dangos eu bod yn teimlo fod Sir Fynwy wedi elwa o gynnal yr Eisteddfod. Mae hynny, meddai, yn gwrthbrofi'r cyhuddiad cyffredin fod gormod o ddigwyddiadau wedi'u canoli ar y maes bellach, ac nad yw'r ŵyl yn cyfrannu digon i'r ardaloedd y mae'n ymweld â nhw. "Os ddaru Sir Fynwy ddim cael budd allan o'r Eisteddfod, dwi'n gofyn pam fod y cyngor sir eisiau hi nôl", meddai. Ychwanegodd: "Mae mynd â'r Eisteddfod i rywle fel Sir Fynwy a chyflwyno'r Gymraeg i bobl ddi-Gymraeg yn bwysig i ni. "Mi gawson ni ein plesio'n aruthrol gan ymateb y rhan fwyaf o bobl y sir, oedd yn ofnadwy o gynnes a chefnogol i'r iaith."

Summary: Mae Cyngor Sir Fynwy wedi cadarnhau fod ganddyn nhw ddiddordeb mewn cynnal yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol unwaith eto ymhen ychydig flynyddoedd.


Poole, 19, moved to Old Trafford in 2015 from Newport County, where he played under current Cobblers boss Justin Edinburgh. But his only United appearance to date was as a late substitute in the Europa League in February 2016. The Wales Under-21 international comes in as competition for centre-backs Ash Taylor and Leon Barnett. Edinburgh said: "He is a central defender who is comfortable on the ball. He is strong, he leaps well and he has all the attributes to be a top, top player. "He is mobile and he will complement the other defenders we have at the club well." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: League One side Northampton Town have signed young Manchester United defender Regan Poole on a season-long loan.


During his testimony before the Senate committee investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign, he was often evasive. His accounting of details was uncertain, littered with "I don't recalls" and "I have no recollections". Mr Sessions is far from the first politician to seek refuge in a fuzzy memory under sharp questioning. Definitive statements proven inaccurate under oath are more prone to accusations of perjury. When it came time to discuss his conversations with the president, Mr Sessions demurred, noting that he wanted to give Mr Trump the opportunity to review the question before sharing his thoughts. It was as if the attorney general was trying to pre-emptively invoke executive privilege - the right of a president to candid counsel from his advisers - without using those magic words. Where Mr Sessions's memory did serve him well, he forcefully condemned allegations of Russian collusion as "appalling and detestable". The controversy at this point is about more than just collusion, however. It's about obstruction of justice and the circumstances around the firing of an FBI director. In those areas the attorney general did little to turn down the heat. Going into Mr Sessions's testimony on Tuesday, there were some obvious questions he would face. Here's a look at how he answered (or, occasionally, didn't answer) them. The scene was the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. The date was 27 April 2016. The event was a high-profile foreign policy speech by then-candidate Trump. Mr Sessions was in attendance, and Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak was sitting in the front row. According to the attorney general's testimony, however, he didn't know Mr Kislyak was in the room (although a photograph showed them just a few metres apart at one point and reporters in the back of the room were buzzing about his presence). He said he didn't recall if he had any conversation with the ambassador, although it was "conceivable". "I can assure you nothing improper, if I had a conversation with him," Mr Sessions said. It was undisclosed meetings with Mr Kislyak - who is considered by some to be the top Russian spymaster in the US - that is widely considered to be behind Mr Sessions's February announcement that he would recuse himself from the Justice Department's investigation into possible ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Mr Sessions on Tuesday, however, said that his recusal was a result of Justice Department rules preventing him from overseeing an investigation into a campaign he was part of and not due to any personal activity. It was a blockbuster story in the New York Times and one of the most gripping moments of last week's testimony from ex-FBI boss James Comey. On 14 February, the former director said he was held back by the president during a national security meeting in the White House and, in private, pressured to curtail the ongoing FBI investigation into Mr Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. On Tuesday Mr Sessions, at least in part, corroborated Mr Comey's account. "We were there and I was standing there

Summary: The glimpse Jeff Sessions offered into the controversies bedevilling the Trump administration came through a glass, darkly.


MTR was one of four companies short-listed to bid for the contract late last year. The other train companies bidding to run the franchise included National Express, Arriva and French transport firm Keolis, through the Go-Ahead Group. MTR is expected to employ 1,100 staff. The franchise will run for an initial eight years with an option to extend the franchise for another 10 years after that. London mayor, Boris Johnson, said the award of the franchise represented the "final pieces of the jigsaw puzzle" being put in place. "I am delighted that we can now announce the new operator of this landmark railway, bringing it one step closer to welcoming passengers aboard," he said. "Crossrail will revolutionise east-west transit in the capital, making London an even more attractive place to visit and invest." The rail franchise will employ around 400 drivers and there will be more than 50 apprenticeships for people from communities along the route. MTR already operates the London Overground franchise with Arriva UK Trains, as well as running the metro system in Hong Kong. The huge Crossrail project, costing around £15bn to build, is the first complete new underground line in London since the Victoria line was built in the late 1960s. The line will see trains running from Reading in Berkshire to the west of the capital and as far east as Shenfield in Essex, as well as linking to south London. It is also one of the most ambitious transport construction projects undertaken in London since the original underground was built over 150 years ago. Crossrail is expected to reduce passenger overcrowding on underground trains in central London and to reduce cross-London journey times. TfL said it expected Crossrail to support the equivalent of 55,000 full-time jobs around the UK. New trains will begin entering service in 2017. The route through Canary Wharf, the City and the West End will open in late 2018, with the full route running from late 2019. MTR will start running services from the end of May 2015 between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, when it takes over the existing stopping services currently operated by Abellio Greater Anglia. London Underground managing director Mike Brown said the award of the franchise was "a huge step towards the new railway coming to London."

Summary: The £1.4bn contract to run the new Crossrail service through London from 2018 has been awarded to Hong Kong-based MTR Corporation, Transport for London (TfL) has announced.


About £45m was spent on new accommodation for 1,000 students with 100 studio flats at Fferm Penglais. A further £35m is being spent a research campus at Gogerddan. About £4.5m has been spent on lecture and teaching areas at Llanbadarn Centre, and the university is resubmitting a bid for heritage lottery funding for the Old College. The university said the refurbishment of Welsh-language halls Pantycelyn is due to be discussed in October.

Summary: Work is continuing on a £100m investment to improve facilities at Aberystwyth University.


His 16 years in office made him the longest-serving German chancellor since Bismarck and he was once described as the greatest European leader in the second half of the 20th Century. He was a passionate supporter of greater European integration and was one of the main architects of the Maastricht Treaty. Yet the end of his career was marred by economic problems in the old East Germany and a financial scandal within his own CDU party. Helmut Josef Michael Kohl was born on 3 April 1930 into a conservative, Catholic family, His political outlook was shaped by his experiences in his hometown of Ludwigshafen in the Rhineland during World War Two. Because of its huge chemical works, the town was heavily bombed and, at the age of 12, the young Helmut found himself helping to recover the charred bodies of his neighbours from the rubble. What he once described as "the blessing of a late birth" freed him from any taints of Nazism. After studying politics and law at Heidelberg University, Kohl entered politics in the German federal system where, in the Rhineland Palatinate, he rose to become the youngest Land [federal state] minister-president at the age of 39. He built up a large network of political allies and forced through important changes, among them the law that outlawed denominational schools unless 80% of the parents approved. Three years later, Kohl became national chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the dominant post-war West German political party. He was the CDU's candidate for chancellor in the 1976 election, but was defeated by the Social Democrat/Free Democrat coalition of Helmut Schmidt. Four years later, Kohl looked on as another CDU candidate, and great rival, the Bavarian Prime Minister Franz Josef Strauss, also went down to defeat by Schmidt. A bear of a man, Kohl was often ridiculed for his love of food - one nickname being "Birne" or pear - and for his often clumsy provincial manner. Beyond this, Kohl's critics relentlessly mocked him for what they said was his lacklustre oratory and apparent lack of vision. But many underestimated his ability to wield power, which he managed through a complex, but highly effective, network of patronage and political cronies. In 1982, after the Free Democrats had left the ruling coalition, he took over as chancellor from Helmut Schmidt, and would go on to win the next four general elections, staying in power for 16 years. The 1980s witnessed a golden age of German economic and political power. Together with his closest ally, France's President Mitterrand, Kohl shaped the federal ideal of the European Union and laid the groundwork for the creation of the single currency. In 1987 there was a groundbreaking visit to West Germany by the East German leader, Erich Honecker. It was part of Kohl's policy of detente with the East, something his party had firmly rejected just 20 years before. Two years later, the Berlin Wall came down and Kohl began the negotiations that would lead to reunification. Having realised that Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's attempts to reform communism

Summary: Helmut Kohl earned his place in history by securing the successful reunification of Germany after the collapse of communism.


Ann Grisman, from Hereford, disappeared after arriving in Wellington by taxi on 28 November. The body was discovered by a member of the public on a building site at Longforth Farm, on the outskirts of Wellington, at about 09:30 GMT. Police said Mrs Grisman's death was not at this stage being treated as suspicious and her family had been informed.

Summary: Police searching for a missing 80-year-old woman have found a body.


MSPs voted by 59 to 56 to reject taking forward Anne McTaggart's Transplantation Bill. Holyrood's health committee backed the aim, but not the detail of the bill. The government amendment accepted by MSPs said there were "merits" to such a system and pledged a consultation. The amendment, lodged by public health minister Maureen Watt voiced "serious concerns" about the "practical impact of the specific details" of the bill as it stood, and prevented it from proceeding to the next stage of consideration. However, Ms Watt did say a "workable" opt-out system should be considered, calling on the government to "commence work in preparation for a detailed consultation" during the next parliament. The SNP offered members a free vote on the issue, and 11 administration MSPs voted against the government amendment, which won out only with the votes of Conservative and Liberal Democrat members. Anyone who wants to donate their organs after death currently has to "opt-in" through the donor card scheme. Ms McTaggart's bill proposed a move to a "soft opt-out" system which would allow parts of a dead adult's body to be used in transplants in the absence of express permission. It would have still been possible for people to opt-in to organ donation, but the bill would also have given adults the option of appointing someone to make a decision about authorisation on their behalf. BMA Scotland had called on MSPs to support the general principles of the Transplantation Bill, and MSPs from across the chamber spoke in favour of it during the debate. SNP MSPs including Kenneth Gibson, Sandra White and Stewart Stevenson spoke in favour of Ms McTaggart's bill, with Mr Gibson calling on members to "stand up and be counted". While they and a number of their colleagues voted against the government amendment, the votes of 11 Conservative MSPs and one Liberal Democrat ensured the bill will not proceed to the next stage. Ms Watt said: "While we're very supportive of measures to increase organ availability, in our view the Member's Bill before the Scottish Parliament is seriously flawed and could actually harm organ donation. "Many of the measures set out in the Bill could make things worse due to legal ambiguities and delays in decision-making processes. "We have concerns that the proposals around authorised investigating persons (AIPs) and proxies will add significant complexity into the donation pathway, and may lead to potential donors being lost. "We also have concerns that provisions in relation to adults with incapacity may make it difficult for such adults, or their relatives, to opt-out, leaving them 'locked in' to donation." The minister said Ms McTaggart's bill had "helped to raise the profile of the debate". She said the government's consultation would be "an opportunity to seek the views of the public on a range of issues, including soft opt-out, and determine what action the Scottish government should take next to increase the availability of organs". Ms McTaggart, who is unlikely to be re-elected to Holyrood in May after placing last in Labour's Glasgow list, said the outcome was "deeply disappointing". She

Summary: The Scottish government said it would consider bringing forward new legislation on an "opt-out" system for organ donation despite MSPs rejecting a Labour member's bill on the topic.


The Welshman's withdrawal means neither he nor Tour de France winner Chris Froome will compete in the USA. Froome broke a foot in a crash at the Vuelta a Espana, ruling him out. "It's been a hard decision to make but the season has taken its toll on me and I don't feel physically up for a good Worlds," Thomas, 29, wrote on Facebook. "I don't want to go there just to make up the numbers, I'd want to be competitive or at least do a good job for the boys." Thomas says he wants to rest ahead of 2016 when he feels a top-five Tour de France spot is possible along with an Olympic track medal. "I love racing for GB and the Worlds are a really special race so it was a difficult decision to make, along with the team, but I feel it's best to rest up now before it's all systems go for a big year next year." Fellow Briton Mark Cavendish crashed out of the Tour of Britain last week and suffered a shoulder injury, but is hopeful of competing in Virginia as the men's road race takes place on the final day of the championships - 27 September.

Summary: Geraint Thomas has pulled out of the UCI World Road Race Championships in Virginia from 19-27 September, saying he does not feel "physically" up to it.


The American screamed in agony after slipping during the third set against Romania's Sorana Cirstea on court 17. The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) said more will be known following Friday's tests. "Bethanie of course thanks everyone for their kind wishes and messages of support," the WTA statement added. "She is resting tonight but wants to chat tomorrow [Saturday] via Facebook Live so she can let everyone know how she's doing and answer some questions." Mattek-Sands was treated by paramedics on the court before being carried off on a stretcher and taken straight to hospital. The 32-year-old later wrote on social media: "To the best family, friends and fans a girl could ask for, it's been a painful and emotional 36 hours but thank you for all the love and support." Mattek-Sands had been favourite to add a Wimbledon doubles title to her US Open, Australian Open and French Open victories with Czech partner Lucie Safarova, who went to the court when she heard about the injury. Mattek-Sands has also received support from the tennis world. Nine-time Wimbledon singles champion Martina Navratilova wrote on social media: "Am just devastated about Bethanie Mattek-Sands and her injury - we are all behind you, hoping for the best - lots of love, m." American Wimbledon singles champion Chris Evert added: "Going over the day and remembering @BMATTEK [Bethanie Mattek-Sands] in my thoughts and prayers and wishing this very special lady a speedy recovery..." Andrew Castle, BBC Sport tennis commentator: The club monitor the moisture levels of the grass at all times but when it's hot, it wilts and dies and then can become slippery. I spoke to the Centre Court groundsman who told me his plan. This morning, he put the roof over and soaked it to give it a drink and a rest. We all need that every now and again. The trouble is the players aren't used to it as they don't play on it for much of the year - they are mostly on clay or hard courts. Hopefully they understand it's a natural surface and it does show natural signs of wear and tear.

Summary: Bethanie Mattek-Sands is having more scans on a serious knee injury she picked up during her second-round Wimbledon singles match on Thursday.


Should they be passed fit, the Baggies will have a fully-fit squad on Sunday. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expects injured midfielders Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana to return before the end of the month. Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho should be recalled to the starting XI after being substitutes against Stoke. Jonathan Pearce: "Liverpool can ill afford any slip-ups in the chase for a Champions League slot but West Brom can cause them real problems. "It's understandable that the Baggies have stalled since passing the 40-point safety mark. Their tiny squad is exhausted. "Tony Pulis has worked miracles and needs the reward of a treasure chest of summer transfer funds. This is also the sort of game to kick-start a new charge for a club record Premier League points haul. "They are so strong in the air at set pieces. Liverpool can't defend them or keep clean sheets. I expect a draw." West Brom head coach Tony Pulis: "The target is to get as many points as we can. And we want performances. We want the players to go out and put good performances in. "It's going to be a really tough game because they have a lot to play for." Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "West Brom have all our respect and all our concentration. "We will try to be at our best. West Brom have had an outstanding season. Last two or three matches they didn't score but (that's) nothing we should think about. "Maybe they are the most experienced team in the Premier League. [They have] a lot of things that cause us problems." I fancy Liverpool to get a win here. West Brom have just started to struggle for goals again and, with no wins in four, there is a danger their season could peter out. Prediction: 0-2 Lawro's full predictions v singer Sting and his son Head-to-head West Bromwich Albion Liverpool SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

Summary: West Brom head coach Tony Pulis says one or two unnamed players are nursing bruises and will be assessed ahead of the visit of Liverpool.


Jordan Maguire was stabbed at his house in Thrales Close, Marsh Farm, in May 2013 and later died in hospital. Jason Nelson, 32, was detained in Trinidad in October 2013. He was extradited to the UK and appeared at Luton Magistrates' court on Saturday. Mr Nelson was remanded in custody ahead of a crown court appearance later this month, Bedfordshire Police said.

Summary: A man has appeared in court charged with the 2013 murder of a 20-year-old at his home in Luton.


Media playback is not supported on this device Lewis Hamilton's superb victory, the climax of an afternoon of action and drama enlivened by a late downpour, showcased all that is good about F1, and 140,000 fans were treated to what was undoubtedly the race of the year so far. It was a race that, to be fair, F1 needed. The 2015 world championship had crackled a little over its previous eight events, but there had not been a moment when it had really caught fire. Not until now, anyway. Media playback is not supported on this device Hamilton's 38th career victory was undoubtedly one of his best but for it to end up that way, rather than the routine cruise it had looked like being, it needed something unusual to happen. The electric starts of both Williams drivers provided it. Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas got off the line "like missiles," as Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff put it afterwards, Massa blasting past Hamilton and team-mate Nico Rosberg as if they were not there, and Bottas passing the German as well. Briefly, it looked as if Bottas would get Hamilton, too, but the world champion's racing instincts got him back into second place after Bottas left the door open at Turn Four. Hamilton lost the place anyway, though, when after a safety-car period to clear up the mess left by a first-lap pile-up, he just failed to pass Massa on the re-start, ran a little wide and Bottas sneaked by. In the car, Hamilton was unperturbed. "I was just chilled," he said afterwards. "I was more concerned about losing position to Nico. I was nearly there, I nearly had it, it was just a bit too much." Hamilton bided his time, knowing he had the pace to re-take the lead, as he duly did at the first pit stops thanks to an in-lap that Williams technical boss Pat Symonds described as "stunning", and an equally good first lap out of the pits. At that stage, the race looked won, but that was counting without the rain. Had Hamilton mistimed his pit stop for wet-weather tyres, he could still have lost out to Rosberg. But he made the call - and it was his alone - perfectly, just as the rain was about to come down properly. It was a victory that showcased all the qualities that Hamilton has displayed this season, during which he seems to have stepped up to another level. Hamilton might have won his second title last year, but he stumbled along the way, and it was at this stage of the season that he did so. Media playback is not supported on this device But actually achieving a goal he had been trying to fulfil for six frustrating years since his first crown seems to have helped calm him down, boosted his self-belief and allowed him to relax into his ability. Last year, Hamilton was thrown off course a few times when things did not go his way. This year, he has proved time and again his ability

Summary: All season the talk has been of Formula 1 being faced with some sort of existential crisis, but the sport put on its best face for a thrill-a-minute British Grand Prix in front of the biggest Silverstone crowd for more than 20 years.


13 March 2012 Last updated at 18:31 GMT Nan Weidong and Nan Weiping have been transforming vegetables into musical instruments for two years. Their dad was a music teacher and encouraged them to be musical from a young age - but carrot panpipes probably weren't what he had in mind! Weidong says it's important the veg is fresh - otherwise it risks being out of tune. And no vegetable is too much of a challenge: they've turned a sweet potato into an ocarina, a bamboo shoot has become a flute, and a yam has doubled up as a whistle. Watch the clip to see them in action!

Summary: We were always told to not play with our food, but these two brothers from China clearly never listened!


A further 26 people were injured when the two-storey factory, under construction in the Sao Mateus neighbourhood, collapsed. Two of the 36 people who are believed to have been working in the building at the time are still unaccounted for. It is not yet clear what may have caused the collapse. According to city officials, the construction work did not have the necessary permits and two fines had been issued already in relation to the work carried out. Edilson Carlos dos Santos, a lawyer for the owner of the site, blamed the engineering company hired to work on the building for the collapse. Mr Santos said the company, Salvatta Engenharia, had been installing lift shafts and staircases at the time of the collapse on Tuesday. The engineering company denied the allegations, saying in a statement that it had not yet received the keys to the building "because the works he [the owner of the site] had agreed to carry out had not been completed". Some 60 rescue workers continue to search the site with sniffer dogs. They dug holes into concrete walls with sledgehammers and removed metal sheeting in their attempt to find the missing construction workers. Building collapses of this kind are common in Sao Paulo - Brazil's largest city - and particularly affect structures that are either poorly maintained or still under construction. Home to 11 million people, Sao Paulo is one of 12 Brazilian host cities for next year's World Cup.

Summary: Firefighters searching the rubble of a collapsed building in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo have found another body, taking the death toll to eight.


Waterloo Bridge, built between 1937 and 1945, has Grade II listed status. Historian Christine Wall uncovered new evidence of the largely forgotten contribution by women. Information about how women worked on the design and build is now included on the bridge's listing on the National Heritage List for England. A campaign by heritage minster Tracey Crouch, to recognise the role of women in building historic places, led to the recognition as part of her #builtbywomen push. The move could lead to further recognition of the role of women on the 400,000-strong list of England's protected buildings and sites. Ms Crouch said: "This is a wonderful opportunity to ensure our great female engineers are properly recognised. "This project will show the remarkable achievements of the women who broke conventions to help build Britain and inspire the next generation of female engineers, architects and builders." Emily Gee at Historic England said women had "always" been involved in engineering, through patronage, design, labour, craftsmanship, alteration and decoration. She said: "These roles have historically been overlooked, but as important research, understanding and awareness reveals their hands, it can illuminate many fascinating and inspiring stories." The move marks National Women in Engineering Day.

Summary: The role by women in building Waterloo Bridge during World War Two has been officially recognised for the first time as part of its listed status.


Joy Hewer, 52, was sexually assaulted and stabbed in her flat in Walthamstow, north east London, in 1995. Her younger sister, Penny Barnes, said the family couldn't face "another 20 years of unanswered questions." There were no signs of forced entry at the flat and Ms Hewer may have known her killer, police said. Her body was found in her bedroom with multiple stab wounds after two fires were deliberately started in her sixth-floor flat. An enhanced CCTV image of a man seen entering Ms Hewer's flat in St David's Court at around 22:30 BST on the night she died has been issued. He is white, with short hair and wearing a light-coloured jacket. He would now be aged between 50 and 60 years old. Officers believe that those close to the man would still be able to recognise him. Ms Barnes said her sister was "absolutely no harm to anyone" and "would go out of her way to help others". She added: "We've never forgotten the moment we were told she'd been murdered. It will never make any sense to us. "She lived a quiet and peaceful life which was totally at odds with her last terrifying moments." Police are also searching for a man who called the fire service on the night of Ms Hewer's death from a public phone on Fulbourne Road and a person waiting at the bus stop who he spoke to during the call. Lead investigator Det Insp Susan Stansfield urged witnesses who may not previously have come forward to break their silence.

Summary: The family of a primary school teacher killed at her home have made a fresh appeal for information, 20 years after her murder.


The 66-year-old republican from County Louth denies nine tax evasion charges. The prosecution's case is that he had significant dealings in relation to cattle and land and received farming grants, but failed to make tax returns. A court in Dublin heard a third day of closing submissions on Tuesday. Mr Murphy's defence barrister told the Special Criminal Court that "fair analysis" of the evidence should lead to the conclusion it was the accused's brother, Patrick Murphy, who ran the farming operation and controlled the finances. "I am suggesting that the person in charge of this farming enterprise was Patrick Murphy; that the profiteer was Patrick Murphy; that the chargeable person was Patrick Murphy," the barrister said. "I am not suggesting that Thomas Murphy was not about the farm. But there is a big difference between growing up in a farming environment and being about the place doing bits and bobs and being the chargeable person, being the actual farmer in charge." The three judges in the non-jury trial were told the case has been built on hearsay evidence and that key financial documents found inside Patrick Murphy's house had effectively been "buried" because they "didn't suit". "When you scratch below the surface the reasonable doubt lurks just below the surface, and so does Patrick Murphy," the defence lawyer said. It was also claimed the state was seeking to "galvanise" the suggestion Thomas Murphy received a farming income. "It simply isn't there," the lawyer said. The inclusion of "business drawings" for items like food, presents, watch repairs, boots and tickets to Paris should also deposit doubt in the minds of the judges, the barrister said. "That's the height of the prosecution case. It reached the stage that it was utterly ludicrous," he added. Allegations that Mr Murphy, of Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, had access to large sources of cash were also rejected. The trial continues.

Summary: The case against Thomas "Slab" Murphy is based on "utterly ludicrous" documentation which attempts to link him to a non-existent farming income, his defence barrister has said.


The family of Luke Schemm confirmed on Wednesday he was taken off life support at a hospital in Denver after being declared brain-dead. The principal of Luke's school did not know why the football player had collapsed during the game. Game officials did not see him sustain neck or head injuries while playing. His teammates are likely to still play in a game on Saturday, something those who knew Luke say he would have wanted. "Luke gave his all on the field," said Gary Musselman of the Kansas State High School Activities Association. "He lived his life with a passion, and that's what we want them to do." Luke's death, if ruled to be football-related, would be the third of its kind in Kansas in 17 years. "Any death is one death too many. We are just heartsick any time a youngster prematurely passes because of whatever reason," said Mr Musselman. There have been 11 high school football deaths in the US since July, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, seven of which were directly related to football trauma.

Summary: A 17-year-old high school football player from Kansas has collapsed on the sidelines and died after scoring for his team during a game.


Holyrood backed a series of opposition amendments following a Scottish government debate on patient safety. They included a Lib Dem mention of a "recruitment crisis" and Labour warnings that services are "near breaking point". This left the SNP voting against Shona Robison's amended motion, but they were defeated by opposition members. Health Secretary Ms Robison had put forward a motion highlighting the work of the government's "world-leading" patient safety programme. It said the programme "represents the international benchmark for safe care" and noted "the huge challenges that face the NHS in meeting the demands of an ageing population and those of integrating health and social care services". Members unanimously backed a Conservative amendment from Donald Cameron adding that the health service is "facing severe workforce and staffing issues", and that "further action on staffing must be a priority". Another amendment from Labour's Anas Sarwar was then passed by 62 votes to 61, adding in claims that "services are facing a situation in which demand is often outstripping supply". It also cited a report from the British Medical Association that the NHS is "near breaking point". A further amendment from Lib Dem Alex Cole-Hamilton highlighted a "recruitment crisis" in the NHS, raising fears it could "pose a risk to patient safety", and was passed by the same margin. The amended motion was then passed by 62 votes to 61, with SNP members voting against.

Summary: MSPs have passed a motion warning that patient safety is at risk amid a "recruitment crisis" in the NHS.


New Zealand striker Wood finished from close range after Forest failed to clear a corner for his sixth goal in his past four league appearances. Souleymane Doukara netted a stunning 20-yard volley to seal the win. Forest went closest at 0-0 when Britt Assombalonga forced an excellent save from goalkeeper Robert Green. An entertaining game was short on clear chances until the visitors were made to pay for two lapses in concentration at set-pieces. Forest, who stay 19th and five points above the relegation zone, fell to their first defeat since Philippe Montanier was sacked and Gary Brazil was placed in interim charge on 14 January. Leeds climbed above Reading and Huddersfield in the table and they are seven points behind second-placed Newcastle, having played a game more then their promotion rivals. Garry Monk's side have won 10 of their 12 Championship games at Elland Road since losing to Huddersfield on 10 September, their only defeat in that time being against Newcastle in November. Leeds have also kept six successive clean sheets at home in all competitions. Leeds head coach Garry Monk told BBC Radio Leeds: "Credit to Forest in the first half - their game plan to slow the tempo was lowering our intensity and pace of play, which was making it difficult for us and making it a much more even game. "I said at half-time that we needed to up our intensity and we made a couple of tweaks. We looked very dangerous, controlled the second half, scored two really good goals and could have had a few more. "The pleasing bit was that we bounced back from a defeat. It's something that we talked about in pre-season, something that we felt was important as a group - if we suffer a defeat, we make sure we react straight away. That was the pleasing bit because that was the most important bit." Nottingham Forest interim boss Gary Brazil told BBC Radio Nottingham: "I felt in the first half we were the better team, we got ourselves a couple of good chances we didn't take, we defended well and played some good football. We knew our opponents, and knew they were in good form and handled it fantastically in the first half. "In the second half we lost tempo, it's something we'll work on, we need to maintain the tempo from the first half and we didn't, we fell away a bit. "We lost to a set-piece and a worldie goal. I didn't think there was much in the teams at all, there was a lot in the performance to be pleased with, we need to get fitter and we know we need to keep working on the training ground." Match ends, Leeds United 2, Nottingham Forest 0. Second Half ends, Leeds United 2, Nottingham Forest 0. Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Pontus Jansson. Attempt blocked. Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Luke Ayling (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Ben Osborn (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick

Summary: Chris Wood's 20th goal of the season helped Leeds United to victory over Nottingham Forest, which took them up to third in the Championship.


The 59-year-old was killed in a crash on the Old Military Road near to Castle Douglas on Wednesday. Emergency services were sent to the location at about 23:30 but the man - who was riding a black Triumph bike - had died at the scene. The road was closed for about five hours to allow for collision investigations to take place. PC Hazel Smyth said: "We are carrying out a full crash investigation into this collision and would ask that anyone who may have witnessed this RTC get in touch with us. "We are particularly keen to speak with anyone who may have travelled the Old Military Road between 16:30 and 23:30 on Wednesday."

Summary: A motorcyclist has died in an accident on a minor road in Dumfries and Galloway.


Max Quartermain and four US citizens died when their light plane hit a shopping centre on Tuesday. Police said the charter flight appeared to have had a "catastrophic engine failure" shortly after take-off. The head of the national transport safety board has said they "won't be participating in any speculation". Mr Quartermain, an experienced pilot, had just taken off from Melbourne's small Essendon Airport on Tuesday when he issued two mayday calls. Moments later, his Beechcraft B200 King Air crashed into a Direct Factory Outlets (DFO) shopping centre, killing himself and his four US passengers. Nobody on the ground was hurt. Aviation authorities said Mr Quartermain had been investigated over the earlier incident in September 2015. His plane came within 1.8km (1.1 miles) horizontally and 90m (300ft) vertically of another plane at Mt Hotham, a ski resort in Victoria state, amid bad weather. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) described it as a "serious incident" in a summary online - which does not name Mr Quartermain - but its final report will not be released until May. According the ATSB summary, the plane had "tracking difficulties" approaching Mt Hotham before being "observed to carry out significant manoeuvring" ahead of landing. "Following the incident at Mt Hotham, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) required the pilot to undergo some additional proficiency checks. They were done, the pilot passed those checks," a CASA spokesman told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "And in subsequent checks done prior to yesterday's flight... the pilot has passed all of those." ATSB chief commissioner Greg Hood said the Mt Hotham incident would form part of the new investigation, but that "as Australia's no-blame transport safety investigator we won't be participating in any speculation". Mr Quartermain had more than 38 years of flying experience, according to the website of charter company Corporate and Leisure Aviation, which he owned with his wife, Cilla. His friends have described him as a "true gentleman" who was highly respected within aviation circles. "He gave me my start as a young pilot," fellow aviator Peter Matthew told The Age. "He was very honest, a very reliable person. Nothing ever got him down." Michael Innes said he had flown with Mr Quartermain more than 30 times. "A wonderful person and one of Victoria's most experienced charter pilots," he told the Herald Sun. The plane was bound for Tasmania's King Island, where the US men planned to play golf. Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews said it was the state's worst civil aviation accident in 30 years. The US embassy in Canberra has confirmed that the four passengers on the plane were US citizens. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said "the president's thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and the US embassy and consulate are ready to provide necessary and appropriate assistance". Greg Reynolds De Haven The 70-year-old from Texas was identified on social media by his sister, Denelle Wicht, who posted tributes to her "handsome athletic big brother". She said he was killed in the accident while on a "once in a lifetime" trip to

Summary: An Australian pilot who died in a Melbourne plane crash had been investigated before over a "near collision" in 2015, say officials.


The USGS said it struck at 03:20 local time (10:20 GMT) four miles (6km) north-west of the town of American Canyon, at a depth of 6.7 miles. At least 87 people have been taken to hospital in the Napa area, a renowned wine-producing region and tourist area. California Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in order to deal with the effects of the quake. Officials in Napa said in a statement that the quake - believed to be the biggest in the region in 25 years - had destroyed four mobile homes and made 16 buildings "uninhabitable", as well as causing "approximately 50" gas main breaks and around 30 leaks from water mains. The clear-up operation will begin in earnest on Monday. At least three of those injured in Napa are in a serious condition. Three historic buildings in the town had been hit and two commercial buildings "severely damaged", the statement went on. By Sunday evening, between 11,000 and 15,000 people were still reported without power, down from 70,000 people in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. At least 33 buildings in the city of 77,000 have been "red-tagged", which means that they have been designated as unsafe to enter, Community Development Director Rick Tooker was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying. A Red Cross evacuation centre has been set up in a church in the city. The California Highway Patrol in the San Francisco Bay area tweeted that it was "checking over crossings and bridges for obvious signs of structural integrity", and asked residents to report any signs of problems. "They say [the quake] went for 50 seconds. It felt like 50 minutes. I was just too terrified to even scream," antique shop owner Patricia Trimble told Reuters. The front window of her shop was destroyed, with cabinets on their sides and merchandise strewn across the floor. The site of the earthquake was 51 miles from Sacramento and about 30 miles north-east of San Francisco. Numerous small aftershocks were also reported on Sunday. California lies on the San Andreas Fault, which forms the tectonic boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, two of the large moving plates that form the Earth's crust. The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and subsequent fires devastated the city. In 1989, a powerful earthquake struck San Francisco, killing more than 60 people and injuring hundreds.

Summary: An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 has shaken northern California, causing injuries and damage to buildings.


The father of the victim, 43-year-old Jared Tucker, told US media his son's wife of only one year had identified his body at the consulate. Father-of-three Mr Tucker and spouse Heidi Nunes had been enjoying drinks on the Las Ramblas promenade when a van drove into pedestrians. Thirteen people died, and more than 100 were injured. Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered his condolences to the victim's loved ones, and said officials were "still confirming the death or injuries" of any other Americans. Ms Nunes told NBC that Mr Tucker had excused himself to go to the bathroom minutes before the attack. "Next thing I know there's screaming," Ms Nunes said. "I got pushed inside the souvenir kiosk and stayed there hiding while everybody kept running by screaming." The couple from Walnut Creek, California, were celebrating their first wedding anniversary and honeymoon by travelling through Europe, and had arrived in Spain after visiting Paris and Venice. Jared's father, Dan Tucker, told KGO-TV that his family had not heard until Friday morning that Ms Nunes had been called to the US consulate, and "was shown pictures of his body". "She confirmed it was him and now she's on the way over to the morgue to make a real confirmation," Mr Tucker said, adding: "He didn't make it." The victim's father added that he and his son had worked together in the construction industry since he was 16 years old. Jared Tucker leaves behind three teenage daughters. The attack was one of three incidents in Spain, which officials have said were part of a "jihadist" plot. People from 34 different countries were injured or killed, emergency services said.

Summary: An American honeymooner who died in Thursday's Barcelona terror attacks has been identified by his family.


Saints won 13 trophies under Harrison, who has left after five and a half years in charge to join Hartlepool. Ruscoe, 39, is in interim charge along with Steve Evans following Harrison's departure. "He's won so many [trophies] and he's done such a good job, how do you go and follow that now?" Ruscoe said. "Me and Steve want to give it our best and the lads will as well. They've been great in the last few days as we've taken over." Saints begin their preparations for the Champions League qualifiers with a friendly against an Anglesey Island Games XI on Tuesday, 6 June. Club owner Mike Harris hopes Ruscoe and Evans will be permanent replacements, but says one of them must complete their coaching qualifications. Former club captain Ruscoe, who joined Saints as a player in 2001 and holds a Uefa A coaching licence, wants the job on a permanent basis. "I've been in football full-time for over 20 years so it's something I want to do for the rest of my career," Ruscoe told BBC Radio Shropshire.

Summary: Interim manager Scott Ruscoe says Craig Harrison will be a hard act to follow at Welsh Premier League champions New Saints.


The allegation by Drew McMaster follows a Sunday Times investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs among elite athletes The Commonwealth gold medallist, who has admitted taking steroids, made the claims on BBC Radio Scotland. He said "at least four" rugby players and two Edinburgh footballers took drugs. He told interviewer John Beattie that the former Scotland rugby international would have known four drug users from his playing days. Explaining why athletes turn to drugs, Mr McMaster added: "You're single-minded to do everything you can to better yourself within that sport. "The higher you go up that tree, the more competitive it gets. "When you're competing at a Commonwealth or world stage... to reach that level and maintain that level you will do anything that you can to basically win. "That is your state of mind as you come up the ranks because you start off from a certain level and as you go through the various levels to achieve and be successful, you get hungrier and hungrier and hungrier to be successful. "Therefore the temptation that's put in your way as it were, and you find that it's all around you... over a period of time you do get drawn in." UK Government order inquiry into Ukad's doctor probe Arsenal, Chelsea and Leicester deny 'false' claims Allan Wells 'took drugs ahead of gold medal win' Doping in sport: What is it and how is it being tackled? He said that he believes very little has changed in sport since the 1980s. "The only thing that's changed in a large way is the amount of money that's now involved," he added. "People are prepared to take big risks where there's big money." Mr McMaster won Commonwealth gold in the 4 x 100m relay alongside Allan Wells as part of the famous flying Scotsman quartet. Last year he claimed he had secretly recorded conversations with Jimmy Ledingham, the Great Britain team doctor and an Edinburgh GP, who had apparently admitted supplying Wells with steroids. Allan Wells has strenuously denied the allegations. In a statement from his lawyer when the claims were made, he said: "It is denied that any drugs were provided by Dr Jimmy Ledingham. "It is not true our client had used any banned performance drugsâ€¦ at anyâ€¦ time in his athletics career." He has previously criticised his former colleague, saying: "The truth is, McMaster turned to steroids because I started beating him - and I was not using drugs." Earlier this year BBC Sport revealed that only eight drugs tests were conducted in Scottish football over a nine-month period between April and December 2015. There were 1,583 tests in English football over the same period.

Summary: A former athlete has claimed he knew of Scottish rugby players and footballers who doped in the 1980s.


Bwriad Cyngor Powys yw rhoi'r gorau i addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg yn Ysgol Uwchradd Aberhonddu, gyda disgyblion sy'n dymuno addysg Gymraeg yn gorfod teithio i Lanfair-ym-Muallt. Mae'r sir yn dweud bydd y newidiadau yn golygu y bydd mwy o adnoddau ar gael ar gyfer addysg uwchradd Cymraeg ar un safle. Ond mae 'na wrthwynebiad gan rai o rieni Ysgol y Bannau, sy'n poeni y bydd y newidiadau yn golygu y bydd llai o drigolion ardal Aberhonddu yn dewis anfon eu plant i'r ysgol gynradd cyfrwng Cymraeg. Fe fydd swyddogion y sir yn mynd ati i lunio adroddiad ar sail yr ymgynghoriad diweddara' ac mae disgwyl i gabinet y sir wneud penderfyniad ym mis Chwefror. Yn dilyn yr ymgynghoriad gwreiddiol fe wnaeth y cabinet benderfynu symud addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg i Lanfair-ym-Muallt, gan ddweud y byddai trafnidaeth yn cael ei ddarparu ar gyfer disgyblion. Roedd hynny'n rhan o ad-drefnu ehangach i ysgolion de'r sir, a bwriad y cyngor oedd cau Ysgol Uwchradd Aberhonddu ac Ysgol Gwernyfed yn Aberllynfi er mwyn sefydlu un ysgol uwchradd newydd yn Aberhonddu. Fis Medi, yn dilyn gwrthwynebiad chwyrn yn lleol, fe wnaeth y cyngor dro pedol, gan benderfynu cadw'r ddwy ysgol uwchradd bresennol ar agor. Oherwydd bod y trefniadau hynny wedi newid, gwnaed y penderfyniad fod yn rhaid cynnal ail ymgynghoriad ar addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg.

Summary: Fe fydd ail ymgynghoriad ynglŷn â dyfodol addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg yn ne Powys yn dod i ben ddydd Llun.


A judged has granted leave for a judicial review of a report by the Police Ombudsman into the attack on the Heights Bar in Loughinisland in 1994. Families of the victims said they were surprised and disappointed retired officers continue to rub salt into their emotional wounds, with what they called a "vexatious challenge". The report published last June said police informers were involved, adding that collusion was "a significant feature" of the murders. The report was the result of a five-year investigation by the office of the Police Ombudsman. Those taking the legal action argue that the Ombudsman acted beyond his legal powers and want his report quashed. At a press conference launching the report, Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire said he had "no hesitation" in saying there had been collusion. But he said there was insufficient evidence to recommend criminal charges for any of the officers who colluded with the UVF gang, he added. The findings were strongly criticised by unionist politicians and the Northern Ireland Retired Police Officers' Association. Chief Constable George Hamilton also said he was surprised the Ombudsman did not arrest and charge officers he said had been involved. A judge has granted permission for two retired police officers to challenge the report; one of them is Raymond White, a former RUC Assistant Chief Constable and senior Special Branch officer, who is now chairman of the Retired Police Officers' Association. They have been granted leave to judicially review the report on a number of grounds. These include an assertion that the Ombudsman acted "ultra vires" - beyond his powers - because there was no legal basis for the investigation and subsequent report. The applicants claim the Ombudsman failed to establish any basis of belief that a serving or retired police officer had committed a criminal offence. They are seeking a court order quashing the report. They also want a declaration that the findings were "flawed and misconceived". Niall Murphy, a solicitor for the Loughinisland families, said Dr Maguire's detailed and evidence-based report was unambiguous in his finding of collusion. He said: "The victims and survivors are further distressed and disturbed that despite having written to the Retired Police Officers' Association and the court seeking formal notice party status, no party has sought to update the families, instead the victims and survivors have found this out via the media, which they consider to be nothing short of disgraceful." In a statement to the BBC, Raymond White said: "We have every sympathy with the families connected to the Loughinisland tragedy. We are not challenging them, but the powers of the Police Ombudsman. "The Ombudsman produces reports that do not contain any actual evidence about individuals and files are not sent to the director of public prosecutions recommending prosecution. "But they conclude there was collusion, which infers criminal intent. "If files were sent to the PPS to make a decision and retired officers were taken to court, they would have the opportunity to see the evidence and to challenge it. "But that does not happen, instead they are indicted in the

Summary: Retired police officers have won High Court permission to challenge a report which said there was collusion between RUC officers and loyalist gunmen who killed six Catholics 23 years ago.


The link is suggested by a study of 19,000 women in the US who were asked about their diet in the year leading up to pregnancy. A healthy diet was one with plenty of fresh fish, fruit, nuts and vegetables. Pregnant women and women trying to conceive are already advised to take certain supplements. Experts recommend folic acid to reduce the risk of other birth defects like spina bifida, and vitamin D for healthy bones and teeth. In England, the government's Healthy Start scheme provides vouchers for pregnant women that can be used to buy milk and vegetables. In the study, published in Archives of Diseases in Childhood Fetal & Neonatal Edition, half of the women had babies with heart problems while the other half did not. When the researchers compared the diets of these two groups they found a healthier maternal diet was associated with a lower chance of congenital heart defects. Pregnant women in the top 25% (quartile) of diet quality, had a lower risk of having a baby with certain heart defects - atrial septal defects and Tetralogy of Fallot - than those in the bottom 25%, even after accounting for other factors such as whether the mother took folic acid or was a smoker. Congenital heart disease is one of the most common types of birth defect, affecting up to nine in every 1,000 babies born in the UK. Mild defects, such as holes in the heart, often don't need to be treated, as they may improve on their own and may not cause any further problems. But others can be more serious and some, lethal. In most cases, something has gone wrong in the early development of the foetus. Some heart conditions are due to faulty genes or chromosomes. But often it is unclear why the baby's heart has not developed normally, says the British Heart Foundation (BHF). Victoria Taylor, senior dietitian at the BHF, said: "This is an interesting study which highlights the importance of diet right from the start of life. "A healthy diet before, during and after pregnancy can have benefits for both mother and child and, as seen here, the whole diet should be taken into consideration, rather than solely focusing on individual nutrients. "Eating well isn't a guaranteed way to avoid congenital heart defects, but this will be another factor that will motivate women planning a pregnancy to make healthy choices."

Summary: Women who eat healthily before and during pregnancy may cut the risk of their baby developing a heart problem, researchers believe.


The Glasgow Warriors coach will replace Cotter as Scotland coach next summer. "I would have thought he would already have been looking to go elsewhere," former Scotland scrum-half Lawson said. "The risk of potentially losing Gregor before Vern Cotter had done his bit - had he taken them through to the next World Cup - is now nullified." Townsend served as Scotland's backs and attack coach for three years, and his Glasgow players have provided a large percentage of the squad under Cotter. "In many ways he's perfectly positioned to step into that role," Lawson told BBC Scotland. "He's obviously been in and around the Scotland coaching environment before and naturally the two professional clubs work very closely with the national team as it is. "He's gone in at Glasgow, taken a year or so to build the squad he wants, the culture he wants and the playing style he wants. "And by the time he steps in, he'll have had four to five years as head coach of Glasgow and that will stand him in incredibly good stead." Cotter's future beyond the summer of 2017 remains unclear, though Lawson thinks approaches from elsewhere may have convinced him to move on after his contract expires next year. "Obviously somebody has offered him the chance to go elsewhere," added Lawson, who won 31 caps between 2006 and 2012. "Whether that's back to New Zealand or elsewhere we'll see. "As much as we're shocked and disappointed [at losing Cotter], we're incredibly fortunate that we have one of the best and most sought-after coaches in the northern hemisphere, in the shape of Gregor Townsend, to come in and pick up as head coach."

Summary: Rory Lawson believes the risk of Gregor Townsend leaving Scotland may have influenced the decision to name him as Vern Cotter's successor.


These Western countries - and their allies - want Africa to do more to promote stability so that extremists can be effectively denied room to operate. The repeated need for Western intervention in African conflicts has raised questions about the continent's efforts to achieve stability. ''There is a sense of frustration," said Comfort Ero, Africa director at the International Crisis Group (ICG). "Some African leaders would tell privately tell you that there is a sense of embarrassment.'' In Mali, the French militarily intervened in January to prevent militants from taking over the country. Libya has descended into chaos and is now thought to be home to many radical Islamist groups. Now, French intervention has also become necessary in the Central African Republic (CAR) following a takeover by mainly Muslim rebels which has led to clashes with the Christian community. After years of talk about establishing a robust military force to intervene in African conflicts, lack of political will is holding back progress. "Up to a certain extent, the Africans have become prisoners of their own rhetoric - [that] African problems need African solutions," said Roland Marchal, a senior research fellow specialising in Africa at Sciences-Po in Paris. A number of African countries prefer interventions such as those seen in Mali and the CAR because they are a good way to get military funding, he added. But Ms Ero cautions against any assumption that Africa must alone address crises that have international impact. "While there is a desire and more willingness to see an African response, the continent still requires a significant amount of international assistance," she told the BBC. She added that the challenge today is to provide a careful assessment of what the African Union can, realistically, achieve in trying to provide peace and security responses in the continent. The US and France see some obligation in being part of the fight against terrorists in Africa. After all, al-Qaeda attacked US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. Militants thought to be affiliated to al-Qaeda in West Africa continue to kidnap French nationals, and threaten French business interests in the region. In February this year, the US deployed 100 troops to Niger to assist French forces in neighbouring Mali in their hunt for al-Qaeda-linked militants. Their mission is to focus on "intelligence sharing", an official said. According to media reports, the US now flies surveillance drones from Niger, tracking militants across a hostile desert region that is home to unstable states sharing porous borders. Although their joint counter-insurgency operations with a number of African countries are seen as crucial, questions remain over the sustainability of international intervention. In the absence of a robust African force, France has had to step in a number of times to intervene in local conflicts. In situations where an African force has intervened, they have often faced financial bottlenecks. In Somalia, an African Union (AU) mission - backed by the UN - has managed to beat back Islamist militant group al-Shabab. But the force's effectiveness is hindered by a lack of helicopters and other logistics. Hawa

Summary: Although often seen as rivals in global politics, the US and France are working together to prevent parts of Africa from falling into the hands of al-Qaeda-linked fighters.