Brig Gen Tlas, said to be in his mid-40s, is a member of Syria's most powerful Sunni family, which has given its support to the Assad's Alawite clan for decades. The general's father, Mustafa Tlas, was Syria's longest serving defence minister, who helped to ensure Mr Assad's succession to the presidency in 2000 following the death of his father. As a young man, Gen Tlas also attended military training with President Assad. So, naturally, he was a member of Mr Assad's so-called inner circle, serving as commander of an elite Republican Guard unit. The general - together with his wife - was also seen as a leading figure on the Damascus social scene, entertaining foreign envoys, artists and the media. But sources say he has become increasingly frustrated in recent months over the violent crackdown by the security forces on protesters. He was reportedly under a form of home arrest since May 2011, following his meeting with the opposition to try to start a political dialogue and also because of his opposition to the clampdown. The current regime, he once reportedly said, was taking the country to hell. Most of Syria's leaders are Alawite, but Gen Tlas is a Sunni Muslim, and his desertion may encourage other Sunni officers to consider their allegiances.

Summary: Manaf Tlas, a Syrian general, has deserted the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and left the country gripped by continuing unrest.


Laurent Blanc's side failed to win for only the second time in 22 games. Paris were without top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic and rested a number of other players ahead of their midweek Champions League tie with Chelsea. They lacked a cutting edge as Lille became the second team to avoid a league defeat in Paris this season.

Summary: Paris St-Germain saw their 16-match winning run end in a 0-0 draw with struggling Lille but still remain unbeaten in Ligue 1 this season.


Jonathan James Mathew, 35, Stylianos Contogoulas, 44, Jay Vijay Merchant, 45, Alex Pabon, 37, and Ryan Reich, 34, are accused of manipulating the rate between 1 June 2005 and 31 August 2007. The prosecution told the court that "they were driven by money... to make more profit on their trading". The five defendants deny one count of conspiracy to defraud. The court also heard that the financial position of every company, every government, perhaps every household was directly or indirectly sensitive to Libor in one way or another. The trial at Southwark Crown Court, which began on Tuesday, is expected to last 12 weeks. Prosecution counsel James Hines QC said that to maximise their profits, the defendants agreed to manipulate or rig the US dollar Libor rate to the advantage of their trades and to the disadvantage of the people who they were doing trades with. Submitters, who contributed to the setting of the Libor rate by revealing the interest rates at which their banks were willing to lend at, were told if the traders wanted the rate to go up or down, the prosecution alleged. Libor - the London interbank offered rate - is an interest rate used by banks around the world to set the price of financial products worth trillions of pounds. The ability to organise even minor movements in the rate had the potential to generate bumper profits for a trader.

Summary: Five former Barclays employees have been accused of conspiring to defraud, by fixing the Libor interest rate.


A car bomb exploded as his convoy was passing, killing at least one body guard. The so-called Islamic State (IS) group says it carried out the attack. The city's last governor, Jaafar Mohammed Saad, was killed in a similar attack in early December. IS intensified operations in Yemen when civil war broke out in March 2015. Yemen torn in two Yemen's humanitarian catastrophe Why IS is trying to expand in Yemen Inside Yemen's 'forgotten war' Witnesses to the attack described hearing "a loud explosion". One local man, Attef Hassan, told Reuters: "I thought it was an explosive device. I turned round and saw the governor and his companions getting out of the governor's car, and, thank God, they were not injured." Yemen has been rocked by fighting, mainly between forces loyal to UN-recognised President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi - who fled into exile in Saudi Arabia - and those allied to Zaidi Shia rebels known as Houthis. IS opposes both groups. A Saudi-led coalition made up of nine nations began airstrikes in March, hoping to defeat the Houthi rebels. On Tuesday, warplanes carried out fresh strikes on the capital, Sanaa, which is under Houthi rebel control. Residents say a care centre for blind people and a chamber of commerce building were hit. The UN says almost 2,800 civilians have been killed since fighting began. "The ongoing armed conflict in Yemen continues to take a terrible toll on civilians, with at least 81 civilians reportedly killed and 109 injured in December," UN spokesperson Rupert Colville said in a statement on Tuesday. "This raises the number of civilian casualties recorded between 26 March and 31 December to 8,119 people, including 2,795 killed and 5,324 wounded."

Summary: The governor of Yemen's port city of Aden, Aidarus al-Zubaidi, has survived an assassination attempt, security sources say.


The first session for the event, which includes the Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix, opened with a speed-controlled lap for newcomers on the TT course. Saiger's opening lap of 117.18mph on his Greenall Racing Kawasaki was the quickest of the evening session. The second practice session will be held on Tuesday. Monday's scheduled second qualifying session has been cancelled due to rain and low-lying mist on the Mountain. Double Manx Grand Prix race winner Andrew Dudgeon was second fastest on the night with 115.39mph, with Australian David Johnson and Lee Johnston both averaging more than 114mph. Fifteen-time TT winner Michael Dunlop missed the session to compete in the Ulster Rally, whilst Kiwi Bruce Anstey topped the Lightweight timesheets. Thirty-eight Manx Grand Prix newcomers completed their compulsory speed-controlled lap under the guidance of experienced TT racers. Santon-based Michael Evans topped the qualifying board on his Senior Martin Bullock Motorsport Suzuki with 114.518mph. Meanwhile, Brendan Fargher (114.236) Tom Robinson (113.988) and Glenn Harrison (113.828) all posted competitive times on their 600 machines. Six newcomers slid off on their opening laps with Lief Williams and David McConnachy taken by ambulance to Noble's for check-ups. All have been reported as okay.

Summary: Austrian Horst Saiger has gone quickest in the opening practice session for the 2017 Festival of Motorcycling on Saturday.


The party said it would consult on the change if it wins May's assembly election. Powers to change speed limits are to be handed to the Welsh Government, although it is not clear exactly when. But road safety charity Brake said the proposals were "disappointing" and suggested a change would lead to more deaths on the roads. In 2015, UK ministers suggested limits could be raised in some areas of England and Wales. Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said: "The M4 and A55 are vital arteries in the Welsh economy with thousands of commuters relying on their use every day. "Welsh Conservatives believe that raising the speed limit from 70mph to 80mph [112km/h to 128km/h] could play a vital role in getting our economy moving and offering invaluable support to hard-pressed motorists, commuters and businesses. "Consultation would be key - ensuring the views of all stakeholders are considered, so any change on the M4 and A55 is delivered with safety paramount." But Brake spokesman Jack Kushner said: "We urge the government to reject needless proposals to increase speed limits to 80mph. We're disappointed it is being considered. "Evidence from previous consultations made it clear that an increase would not only be dangerous - potentially 25 more deaths and 100 more serious injuries each year - but also highly damaging to the environment and economy." Political parties should focus instead on greater investment in "sustainable" travel and rural transport, he added. Plaid Cymru said the "real priority" for the two roads was tackling bottlenecks. Party transport spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth said: "A Plaid Cymru government will press ahead with improvements across the A55 and will resolve the M4 problem around Newport with an effective and cost-efficient scheme that can be delivered quickly." Welsh Labour said Conservative UK ministers had "ditched plans to raise speed limits because of the huge safety risks". A spokesman said: "It is ill-conceived and reckless, it will lead to increasing numbers of deaths and serious injuries on our roads while pushing up the cost of driving and making it harder to cut the emissions that contribute to climate change." A Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesman said: "The Tories [at Westminster] first launched a consultation on this in 2011 and nothing has been heard since. "We will therefore be taking this announcement with a pinch of salt."

Summary: The speed limit on the M4 and A55 could rise from 70mph to 80mph under plans announced by the Welsh Conservatives.


Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo killed Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, judges said. The backpackers' bodies were found on a Koh Tao island beach in September 2014. The defendants' lawyers say they will appeal. The accused retracted their initial confessions, saying police had tortured them. Mr Miller's brother said justice had now "been delivered". Miss Witheridge's family said they needed time "to digest the outcome of the trial verdict". At a Thai court in Koh Samui, three judges found the two bar workers - who were migrants from Myanmar - guilty of murder and ordered they face the death penalty. Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller were found on a beach having been bludgeoned to death, and a post-mortem examination showed Miss Witheridge had been raped. Prosecutors said DNA evidence collected from cigarette butts, a condom and the bodies of the victims, linked Lin and Phyo to the deaths. By Jonathan Head, BBC South East Asia correspondent The investigation has been a muddled affair. The first officers on the scene were local police with apparently no idea how to seal off a crime scene. Thailand forensic scientist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, whose institute was not allowed any involvement in the investigation, testified the crime scene had been poorly managed and evidence improperly collected. Other flaws exposed during the trial included the police's failure to test Miss Witheridge's clothes or the alleged murder weapon for DNA. The key question though, hung over one piece of evidence that did tie the defendants to the crime: the alleged match between their DNA and that recovered from semen found on Miss Witheridge's body. The date of the original DNA analysis was said to have been 17 September, but the report submitted to court was dated 5 October - two days after police had announced a positive match. That unexplained discrepancy inevitably raises suspicion that perhaps the result was manipulated. Read more from Jonathan: A flawed and muddled investigation Lawyers defending the accused argued DNA from a garden hoe - allegedly used as the murder weapon - did not match samples taken from the men. They also claimed evidence had been mishandled by police and the pair's confessions were the result of "systematic abuse" of migrants in the area. Andy Hall, international affairs adviser for Migrant Worker Rights Network, which represented the men, said: "We strongly disagree with the decision of the court. This investigation was a shambles from the beginning. "The defence team have had access to all the information in this case and the information we saw did not comply with international standards." He said the defence team would mount an appeal in the case. Hannah Witheridge, 23, was a University of Essex student from Hemsby, near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. Having earned a degree with first-class honours from the University of East Anglia she was working towards a masters degree in speech and language therapy in Essex. Her parents Tony and Sue, brother Paul and sisters Tania and Laura, described her as a "fun, vibrant and beautiful young woman" who

Summary: Two Burmese men have been found guilty and sentenced to death for murdering two UK tourists in Thailand last year.


Police cars and other vehicles were set alight during the unrest in Little India. It was Singapore's first riot in more than 30 years, police said. The hour-long disturbance broke out after an Indian migrant worker was knocked down and killed by a bus. If convicted, the accused could face seven years in prison and caning. They were remanded in custody for a week after appearing in court, where an interpreter read the charges to them in Tamil. Four other men arrested in connection with the riot have been released. The bus driver, a 55-year-old Singaporean, faces charges of causing death by negligence, AFP news agency reports. The government has ordered a special committee to investigate the causes of the riot, in which about 400 foreign workers took to the streets. About 40 people were hurt, most of them police officers, before the violence was brought under control. Some 25 vehicles, 16 of them police cars, were damaged or burnt. Singapore depends heavily on foreign workers, with migrant labourers from South Asia dominating sectors like construction. Most are young men who come from India and Bangladesh, and live in dormitories while they work and send money home.

Summary: Police in Singapore have charged 24 Indian nationals with rioting after violent protests on Sunday night over the death of a migrant worker.


The Netherlands currently lead Namibia and Ireland by six points. Batsmen William Porterfield and Ed Joyce return after being rested for the four-day tour game against Zimbabwe A. Paul Stirling is also expected to take his place in the team after recovering from tightness in his quad. Stirling did not bat in the final innings of Ireland's draw with Zimbabwe A as a precautionary measure. Porterfield and Joyce instead spent time batting in the nets and both are expected to play, as is bowler Tim Murtagh, who was also rested. In the potential scenario of the side winning the match after conceding a first innings lead, the Dutch will drop to third as in this situation the side that wins the match will collect 13 points while the side that claims the first innings lead will get seven points. Namibia have been preparing for the game by playing in South African domestic cricket, while Ireland arrived in Windhoek directly from Harare, where they have spent the last three weeks playing three one-day internationals and a four-day match with Zimbabwe A. In the first round of fixtures, reigning champions Ireland defeated the United Arab Emirates by an innings and 26 runs in Malahide in June, while Namibia recorded a 114-run victory over Hong Kong in May and will be aiming to make home advantage count against Porterfield's experienced side. There has been one change to the original 14-man squad named by Ireland, with Max Sorensen returning home from Zimbabwe with a back injury, the impressive Stuart Poynter comes into the squad in his place. Poynter goes into the match on the back of scoring his maiden first-class century in the final tour match in Harare, while Stirling, Gary Wilson, Kevin O'Brien, John Mooney and Niall O'Brien all made half-centuries in Zimbabwe. With conditions at the Wanderers Club very similar to those in Zimbabwe, Ireland are well acclimatised and required the minimal recovery time after their travel day to Windhoek. The side completing a full training session the day after arriving, with another session on Friday ahead of the match helping the side get used to a new outfield and ground. "We made a great start to the Intercontinental Cup campaign in Dublin earlier this year and we have all been building up to this game, targeting it from a long way out," said Murtagh. "The games in Zimbabwe have been fantastic for us as usually before an I Cup game we would arrive a couple of days before and have to adapt to conditions really quickly. It has been great to spend time playing and training in the same conditions before we got here."

Summary: Ireland begin the second match of their Intercontinental Cup campaign against Namibia in Windhoek on Saturday in the knowledge that a win for either side would see them move top of the table.


Crews from Tumble and Llandeilo were called to a farm in Maesybont, Llanarthne, at 20:40 GMT on Thursday. A "Coldcut Cobra" ultra-high pressure water jet, which is on trial with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, was used to tackle the blaze. An environmental protection unit was also sent to reduce the risk of pollution.

Summary: A large timber and tyre fire which burned throughout the night in Carmarthenshire has been extinguished.


Some business leaders and politicians claimed the nuclear plant, just outside Bridgwater in Somerset, will lead to an economic boom for the area. Initial estimates from Somerset County Council claimed the regional economy is set to benefit by around Â£4bn. However, others are concerned about the impact of having Europe's largest construction site on their doorstep. Leader of Somerset County Council John Osman said the decision is a "once in a generation" opportunity and will "bring unprecedented investment and job creation to the county and the wider region". Councillor David Hall, cabinet member for business and inward investment, said the plants will be the catalyst for economic growth in Somerset: "During construction alone, the project is expected to bring Â£200m to the local economy." Roy Pumphrey of the Stop Hinkley Campaign said "Bridgwater will not know what has hit it when, and if, the real work on the power station should it ever start, begins. "Once the thousands of vans, hundreds of buses... are all on the roads Bridgwater will become a no go area as far as access is concerned. Speaking on BBC Somerset Emma Gibson from Greenpeace said: "I don't think it's over. The deal may still unravel and cause a great deal of concern for the people of Somerset. "There is huge uncertainty around this project...it's better to invest in renewable energy - it's cheaper and more reliable." However, councillor Leigh Redman, from Bridgwater Town & Sedgemoor District Council, said "Hinkley Point C should be welcomed for the good it will bring our town, but we should be compensated where necessary for inconvenience or negative impact. "I call on Hinkley Point C to remember the small person and go that extra mile to support those that need it." Chief executive of Visit Somerset John Turner said the "eyes of the world will be on Somerset" and they are getting ready to "welcome probably the largest workforce coming into the region". He added that they have "worked very hard with other local government bodies over many years to ensure that Somerset gains the most out of the this project". Professor Tom Scott, co-director of the South West Nuclear Hub and Nuclear Research Centre at the University of Bristol, said the decision will "support the UK nuclear renaissance". He added this is a "huge opportunity opening up in the region for young skilled people to enter the nuclear industry."

Summary: There has been a mixed reaction in the West to the government's announcement that Hinkley C will go ahead.


It is the first fall in the rate since October 2016 and was largely down to lower petrol and diesel prices. Fuel prices fell for the fourth month in a row in June, according to the Office for National Statistics. Economists say the fall in inflation could ease pressure on the Bank of England to raise interest rates. The UK inflation rate has risen sharply since the referendum on membership of the European Union last June, partly due to an increase in the cost of imported goods following the fall in the value of the pound. "These numbers are a real surprise, showing the first drop in inflation since autumn 2016," said Lucy O'Carroll, chief economist at Aberdeen Asset Management. "This is going to kill the chances of a rate rise in the short term. We'll learn more about the Bank of England's thinking in a couple of weeks, but we can expect the calls for a rate rise to reduce to a whimper." But June's fall in inflation is a blip, according to some economists. "We have not necessarily passed the peak of inflation," said Andrew Sentance, senior economic adviser at PwC. "Oil prices are volatile and could bounce back later this year. Meanwhile, the big fall in the value of the pound since last summer is still working its way through the pipeline and has not yet fully fed through into shop prices." Another measure of inflation, the Retail Prices Index (RPI), edged lower from an annual rate of 3.7% in May to 3.5% in June. RPI is used to calculate the interest rate for student loans, for example. The ONS also reports a version of consumer price inflation that includes housing costs known as CPIH. That rate fell to 2.6% in June from 2.7% in May. Also contributing to June's fall in inflation was a decline in prices for recreational and cultural goods, which includes items such as toys, computer games and sports events. Despite June's fall, inflation is still running ahead of average wage growth, which stands at 2% excluding bonuses. That is eroding the value of people's pay, something the Bank of England has been keeping a close eye on. Last month, the Bank's governor, Mark Carney, said that "anaemic" wage growth one of the reasons why he was not supporting a rise in interest rates. While Mr Carney is not keen to raise interest rates, other members of the Monetary Policy Committee think the time has come to make a move. In last month's meeting three members out of eight voted in favour of a rate rise from the current level of 0.25%. Inflation has been on a steady climb since the end of 2015 and accelerated after the EU referendum result in June last year, as the sharp fall in the value of the pound pushed up the price of everything we import. A bit like a snake that has swallowed something big, that bulge in import costs has taken its time to work through the economic system because producers, wholesalers and retailers order things

Summary: The UK's inflation rate dropped unexpectedly to 2.6% in June, down from 2.9% in May, official figures have shown.


Pompey climbed into the top three for the first time since September with a 2-0 win at Crawley on Tuesday. "We've had so much criticism," Cook told BBC Radio Solent. "Some of it is not fair and we all feel it after a bad result or performance. "That's the way to answer it, with that kind of result." After disappointing home results against Morecambe and Crewe, Portsmouth moved above Carlisle into third with the win at Crawley. Second-half goals from Christian Burgess and Kyle Bennett gave Portsmouth all three points. With 11 games remaining in the season, Cook knows his squad need to keep their focus in the run-in. "I'm quite a strong character," he said. "I've been around football long enough. "We've lifted ourselves off the floor so I've said to the lads: 'Let's stay off the floor between now and the end of the season'."

Summary: Portsmouth manager Paul Cook was delighted with the nature of his side's response as they moved into the League Two automatic promotion places.


New regulations allow members of the public to sign up to vote as a "registered supporter" for £3. The contest has been plagued by concerns that members of other parties have tried to influence the outcome. A spokeswoman for acting leader Harriet Harman rejected any suggestion of plans to halt or suspend the election. The spokeswoman said: "The party's focus is on making sure that the 2014 rules are fully complied with. "We have taken legal advice to make sure that the rules are being complied with and that all due diligence as possible was being done. "But there were no plans to halt or suspend the contest. We keep a close eye on the process." A Labour spokeswoman said a Conservative activist who had paid £1 to join the Labour Party - under a discounted rate for former members of the armed forces - had been barred and would not get a vote in the leadership contest. Alan Pearmain, a parish councillor and deputy chairman of the South Ribble Conservative Association, told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme he had joined as a bit of "mischief-making". Meanwhile, Scotland's Daily Record has given its backing in the leadership race to left-winger Jeremy Corbyn. The newspaper's front-page endorsement comes a week after its sister paper - the Daily Mirror - backed Andy Burnham. • Everything you need to know about the four candidates hoping to become the next Labour leader. Mr Corbyn said: "I'm obviously pleased to have the backing of a paper that has such a long tradition of support for the Labour Party. "I'm sure that, at least in part, this endorsement will have been made with Labour's future in Scotland in mind, which is important as Labour has a real need to reconnect with communities in Scotland if we are to succeed across the UK." Meanwhile, former Home Secretary David Blunkett - who is backing Andy Burnham for the leadership - has added his voice to the other senior Labour figures warning about a Corbyn victory. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Jeremy Corbyn has not only been good at opposition against the Tories, he's also been profoundly good at opposition against my party". "If you want to continue being in opposition, vote for somebody who is good at opposition," he added. Mr Blunkett said he wanted "somebody who can actually address the world of tomorrow rather than taking us back to Old Labour or, for that matter, New Labour in the 90s, because we are addressing an entirely different world". Sarah Brown, the wife of former Prime Minister Gordon, has meanwhile backed Yvette Cooper for the leadership, with Andy Burnham as her second choice. Opinion polls suggest Ms Cooper is locked in a battle with Mr Burnham to emerge as the main challenger to Mr Corbyn, with Liz Kendall trailing in fourth place. Mr Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall are battling against Mr Corbyn in the contest. Former Labour leader Ed Miliband has faced calls to apologise for the voting system being used to elect his successor. The

Summary: The Labour Party has made legal checks to ensure its leadership contest is complying with the law and try to avoid challenges to the result.


An online poll of more than 1,000 parents carried out by Mumsnet found that 18% of parents regretted the name they chose for their offspring, but only 2% actually changed their child's name. The main reason for any regret was how regularly the name was used by others (25%), the data suggested. Other sources of regret included spelling or pronunciation issues (11%). The Mumsnet survey has been released in anticipation of annual statistics from the Office of National Statistics on the most popular baby names of the year in England and Wales. Justine Roberts, founder of the parents' forum Mumsnet, said: "Choosing your baby's name is one of the first things new parents do, so in some ways baby name regret is great practice for parenting - you do a lot of hard work and research, try to please several people at once, and end up getting it wrong. "The consolation is that most children grow into their names, and those who don't can always fall back on middle names, nicknames or, in extremis, deed polls." According to the survey one mother said the moment she began to regret naming her daughter Elsa was when the Disney film Frozen became popular. Another mum said: "My child hates his name, and makes me feel bad for choosing it." While another parent admitted her child's name "was taken by a terrorist group, soon after she was born". Last year Oliver and Amelia were revealed as the most popular baby names in England and Wales, while in Scotland it was Emily and Jack.

Summary: Almost a fifth of parents in the UK regret the name they chose for their child, a survey has suggested.


It may seem prehistoric nowadays, but the title, which is about to celebrate its 35th birthday, has had a huge influence on gaming and the wider world. It wasn't the first "schmup" - a term used to refer to old-school 2D-scrolling shooter titles. Missile Radar (1974) and Guided Missile (1977) preceded it. But it did manage to tap into the zeitgeist in a way that others had not. This was in large part because, the year before its release, Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind had stormed the movie box office, stoking the public's appetite for all things alien. There was an element of luck that Space Invaders had an extraterrestrial theme. Tomohiro Nishikado, the game's developer, had originally wanted the game to feature battling tanks or planes. But he switched theme after Taito banned the use of human targets. "Space Invaders wasn't the result of a sudden flash of inspiration. The concept formed gradually," he tells the BBC. Gameplay is simple: move your tank along the bottom of the screen and press fire to shoot its cannon into the sky. Only one laser can be fired into space at a time, so the player must wait after each shot. Meanwhile, five rows of bomb-hurling invaders, jerking left to right and back again, advance down the screen, speeding up as they go. The player can take temporary cover from their fire under destructible bunkers and earns points by shooting the aliens. Occasional flying saucers provide bonus points if destroyed. If the aliens reach the bottom, the invasion is successful and the game ends. Defeating them starts another loop of attacks. The game was the first to save and display the best players' scores, helping encourage gamers to compete for the top spot. "Brick-breaking games were very successful at the time, and I wanted to create a shooting game in a similar style. Space Invaders was the result of a great deal of trial and error." Mr Nishikado was 34 when he designed Space Invaders' gameplay, artwork and sounds as a one-man project. He even built a customised computer to run the game. "Space Invaders, like all microcomputer-based games of the time, was heavily impacted by hardware limitations and slow processing speeds, so development was a struggle," he says. "The halting movement of the Space Invaders characters was the absolute best I could deliver, but it eventually grew on me." Space Invaders was initially limited to Japan. It took a few months for mania to ensue, but before long players were standing in line for hours to get a chance to play. Taito had trouble meeting demand for its arcade machines, and US company Midway spied an opportunity. It licensed the title and in 1979 launched cabinets featuring the game in the US to great success. The title also helped jump-start the console industry, which was in the doldrums. A glut of Pong clones - running versions of the bat-and-ball title - had swamped the market for home video games. Manufacturers had slashed prices in an effort to shift stock

Summary: If you have ever played a video game, you are likely to have seen Taito's Space Invaders or one of its many derivatives.


The greenbelt development was being promoted by Judy Murray in the face of strong local opposition. Planning officers at the council had earlier recommended that the Park of Keir application be refused. Councillors said they had decided to reject the bid after carefully considering the arguments for and against the project. The proposed development, between Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, would have included tennis and golf facilities along with a visitor centre and museum, all set in a new country park. The plans also included luxury homes to help pay for the scheme. But planning officers said the application should be refused because it was sited on greenbelt land. They also said there was not enough affordable housing proposed and added the residential element was contrary to Scottish planning policy, because residents would have to travel for basic amenities and services. The scheme had received high-profile support from former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and golfer Colin Montgomerie. However, campaigners said the loss of greenbelt land to the development was too high a price to pay. There were more than 1,000 objections to the scheme and only 45 in support. Mark Ruskell, Scottish Green Party councillor for Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, spoke against the proposal at Tuesday morning's hearing on the plans. Following the decision, Mr Ruskell said: "I'm delighted that this proposal has been rejected. It would have been totally wrong to rip up our democratically-agreed local plan to make room for executive housing on this treasured greenbelt area. "For over 25 years, local communities have fought against development at Park of Keir. Judy Murray had a good idea but it was in completely the wrong location - I'm sure that sporting legacy can be secured elsewhere." Ms Murray said on Friday that she wanted to leave a legacy to the success of her two sons, tennis players Andy and Jamie Murray. A spokeswoman for Stirling Council said: "Having carefully considered and discussed extensively all the arguments for and against this proposal, Stirling Council's Planning and Regulation Panel has today refused the application for a development at Park of Keir."

Summary: Councillors in Stirling have rejected plans for a controversial sports and housing development near Dunblane.


Bryony Esther, 32, from Leigh-on-Sea, was on a C2C service when 15-month-old baby Saffron awoke and needed feeding. Despite "hovering" near the priority seating area no-one offered to move and instead began sniggering, she says. Her Facebook post about what happened went viral, the Daily Mail said. C2C urged customers to be considerate. Live: For more on this and other stories from Essex Speaking to the BBC, Ms Esther said the incident unfolded as soon as she boarded the train with two of her children. "I sat my five-year-old down on what was an apparently vacant seat quite near the doors and immediately this man told me 'this seat is taken'," she said. "So we moved and we ended up stood by the toilets for the rest of the journey with a bike shoved into my legs. "It was quite unpleasant. My baby woke up and cried and she needed nursing back to sleep. "I hovered by the priority seat hoping to be offered one. I tried to make eye contact with the people sat in the priority seats but they just blanked me. "One of the people sat in the priority seats was the cyclist." Ms Esther, who was travelling to Great Ormond Street Hospital to visit her two-year-old son as he recovered from surgery, said she did not feel able to challenge the group. "I know a lot of people have unseen disabilities so I did not feel able to ask whether they could let me sit down," she added. "I lifted my top to feed her and then I looked up and realised there were five men watching and sniggering. "I felt quite intimidated and uncomfortable. I was really upset and I think this is part of wider society. "This isn't about breastfeeding. This is about a mum having to hold her baby on a moving train." A spokeswoman for train operator C2C said: "We welcome breastfeeding on all C2C trains and would hope our customers would be considerate to their fellow travellers and give up their seat when requested. "Unfortunately this does not appear to have happened on this occasion, and we are sorry for any inconvenience this caused."

Summary: A woman forced to breastfeed her baby while standing up on a packed train says she was left feeling "intimidated and uncomfortable".


The European Banking Authority (EBA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA), based in Canary Wharf in London, employ just over 1,000 staff between them. The banking and medicines agencies are seen as the first spoils of Brexit by the 27 remaining members of the EU. About 20 countries are expected to enter the bidding process. There will be fierce competition to attract the agencies' highly skilled employees, their families and the business that comes with them. This includes about 40,000 hotel stays for visitors each year. Countries have printed glossy brochures, posted promotional videos online and hired lobbying firms. Frankfurt - location of the European Central Bank and a major financial centre - is seen as favourite to get the EBA. But Paris is also keen to win that contest. And the Irish government is marketing Dublin as a location, with a brochure that highlights the city's business culture as well as "beaches and mountains on its doorstep". The contest has pitched larger countries against smaller ones from across the EU. Each country can bid to host one or both agencies. But it can only make one bid per agency. The European Commission will assess the entries based on the quality of office space, job opportunities for spouses, good "European-oriented" schooling and transport links. Accessibility and efficient infrastructure are the top two agreed criteria. Amid the rivalry to host the EMA, the Netherlands, Ireland and Denmark have hosted events in Brussels to promote their bids, the Politico news website reports. The number of states vying for the EMA is reckoned to be 21. The 27 remaining EU countries are determined that the UK will pay the relocation bill, as Brexit was a UK decision. EMA What might Brexit mean for medicines and clinical trials? Brexit: All you need to know Have the UK's trade options changed? EBA European ministers will use a complicated voting system to choose the winners in November. EU leaders agreed on the procedure in June, and some observers have already likened it to the Eurovision Song Contest. Before that vote, the European Commission will assess the competing bids and make its recommendations. In November each of the EU foreign ministers will vote in order of preference - three points for the preferred bid, two points for the second-favourite and one point for the third. If no single country obtains 14 first-preference votes the voting will go to a second round. Each country in that round will have just one vote to cast - for its favourite. The EU is keen to locate more of its agencies in the newer member states of Central and Eastern Europe.

Summary: EU countries have until midnight to submit bids to provide a new home for two agencies that will be relocated from the UK after Brexit.


UKIP's leader told the Sunday Telegraph the risk of attacks like those in Cologne, Germany, would be "the nuclear bomb" of the referendum campaign. But Treasury minister Andrea Leadsom, who backs Brexit, said he was wrong. "Obviously that is just an outrageous thing to say," she told the BBC. Allegations that hundreds of women were groped, robbed and intimidated at Cologne's central station on New Year's Eve emerged in January. Victims described chaos outside the city's main station, as the men - some of whom were identified in an official report as migrants or asylum seekers of North African and Arab origin - carried out dozens of attacks with little apparent response from the authorities. Mr Farage claimed women could be at risk because of "very big cultural" issues between British society and migrants if the UK voted to remain in the EU, according to the Sunday Telegraph. Asked whether mass attacks on the scale seen in Cologne could happen in Britain, he replied: "It depends if they get EU passports. It depends if we vote for Brexit or not. It is an issue." The UKIP leader made the comments ahead of a live TV debate on ITV on Thursday. During last year's TV general election debates, Mr Farage sparked controversy by claiming foreign HIV patients were costing the NHS Â£25,000 each per year. "The nuclear bomb this time would be about Cologne," he told the Telegraph. This issue covers immigration and free movement within Europe. Rather than backing her fellow Brexit campaigner's comments, Tory MP Ms Leadsom told Pienaar's Politics on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I don't like that sort of campaigning at all." "However we know for a fact that there was an appalling experience for women over in Germany over the Christmas period. "I do not approve of that sort of campaigning, I do not believe in outright blatant scaremongering so I think it's really, really regrettable. "I haven't seen it and I wouldn't support suggesting if you vote to remain you'd be raped." Justice Secretary Michael Gove, a prominent Brexit campaigner, also refused to associate himself with Mr Farage's comments. "He's made those remarks and I haven't made remarks like that and I won't make remarks like that," he told ITV's Peston on Sunday. Sal Brinton, president of the Liberal Democrats, said Farage had "sunk to new depths in his scaremongering with these remarks which are completely unacceptable". And Ryan Coetzee, director of strategy for the official remain campaign, Britain Stronger In Europe, tweeted to say Mr Farage's comments were "disgraceful", adding: "Don't vote for this man's idea of Britain. But Mr Farage also told the Telegraph the "honesty and straightforwardness" of the prime minister was now being questioned by voters. Many believed Mr Cameron, who he dubbed "Dishonest Dave", had broken his promise to cut migration and renegotiate the UK's terms of membership of the EU, he said. Mr Cameron's ally, Chancellor George Osborne, took aim at the UKIP leader in an interview published in the Sunday Times. "This is a battle between Farage's mean vision of

Summary: Nigel Farage has been accused of "blatant scaremongering" by a fellow Leave campaigner for suggesting there could be a risk of sex attacks on women by migrants if Britain stays in the EU.


During a tour of a lamb and beef farm in North Wales, the prime minister said farmers could lose as much as £330m on lamb and beef exports alone if Britain were to withdraw from the EU. Benefits of the single market outweigh frustrations with red tape, he said. But farming minister and Leave supporter George Eustice said the UK could back farmers better than the EU. 'If we vote to leave the EU and take control, we will be able to design an agricultural policy that delivers for British farmers," said Mr Eustice, a former key political ally of Mr Cameron. "We would replace our membership with a new UK-EU partnership, which would include a free trade agreement. 'We would be free to reduce the burden of regulations on British farmers. We would spend as much, or more, than we do now on supporting farmers and the environment." Mayor of London Boris Johnson also weighed in, branding the Common Agricultural Policy "demented" and in places "corrupt". Big players on both sides of the argument have been making their case as to why people should vote to Leave or Remain in the 23 June referendum on the UK's EU membership. On a visit to Denbighshire, during which he briefly cradled a new-born lamb, Mr Cameron said continued, unfettered access to the EU's internal market was vital to the region's farmers and food producers. The Remain in EU campaign has claimed that more than 90% of UK lamb and beef exports - worth around £605 million - currently go to the EU - figures disputed by those backing EU exit. Mr Cameron said the EU was not perfect but if farmers had to rely on World Trade Organization rules rather than EU membership, they could be faced with annual tariffs of up to 40% and additional costs of £240m for beef and £90m for lamb, "Farmers are faced with bureaucracy, inspections, the payment system and it's very important we deal with those issues but there's a bigger issue which is a market of 500 million people who we can sell some of the best meat in the world to," he said. Asked if there was a Plan B if the UK were to leave, he replied: "Of course we have to be ready, we have just produced a document on the alternatives." Mr Cameron later told the Welsh Conservatives' Spring conference that any alternative trading arrangement with the EU, including one based on Canada's free trade agreement, which is being advocated by Mr Johnson, would result in "new impediments, restrictions and costs for Welsh businesses". Dismissing Mr Johnson's case that the UK could retain the benefits of the single market without the downsides of EU membership, the PM said "if something sounds too good to be true, that's normally because it is". Former environment secretary Owen Paterson, who is backing EU exit, has argued that Britain would be free to set its own subsidies and its own environment policies outside the EU. He has said the "dotty idiocy" of EU directives had made

Summary: David Cameron has warned that British agriculture would suffer if the UK votes to leave the EU.


Poundland wants to buy its closest rival in an agreed deal worth Â£47.5m in cash and Â£7.5m in shares. Initial investigations by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said this could cause issues, including store closures, in 80 areas. Now Poundland has rejected the CMA's suggestion to re-think the deal. In its initial findings, the CMA said the deal could worsen the position for shoppers in local areas owing to a cut in quality, fewer promotions and store closures. It said there was "a realistic prospect of substantial lessening of competition" in these areas where the two companies overlapped. The authority suggested the concerns could be addressed in a "clear-cut manner" by the companies to prevent a full investigation. Now Poundland has said there would be no changes to its plan, and has invited the CMA to move to a full review. The company said it "remained confident that the combination of the two businesses will provide better choice, value and service for 99p Stores' customers". It also claimed that the deal was "great" for anyone who held a stake in either business.

Summary: Discount store Poundland has invited the competition authorities to move to a full review of its proposed tie-up with rival 99p Stores.


Yields on 10-year government bonds sank below 1% for the first time as investors bet on an interest rate cut. Shares in airlines, housebuilders and banks were worst hit, with sharp falls causing a momentary halt in trading. The falls came after Chancellor George Osborne tried to calm the markets. In a statement before the financial markets opened, his first since the referendum result, the chancellor said the UK was ready to face the future "from a position of strength". He also indicated there would be no immediate emergency Budget. But the upheaval on the financial markets continued. The pound fell 3.2% to $1.32260, having earlier hit a fresh 31-year low of $1.3151, sinking below the level it had fallen to on Friday when it recorded its biggest one-day fall ever against the dollar. Against the euro, it was down 2.6% at €1.19990. On the stock markets, the benchmark FTSE 100 index closed down 2.6% at 5982.2. On Friday the blue-chip index had plunged more than 8% at one point before recovering some ground to close 3.2% lower. The FTSE 250 index, which mostly contains companies that are more UK-focused, closed down 6.96% on Monday after sliding 7% on Friday. The falls represent the biggest daily percentage falls since 1987. Stocks on Wall Street also fell. By midday the Dow Jones was down 1.5%, the S&P 500 dropped 1.7% and the Nasdaq lost 2.2%. Shares in financial firms were the most affected, with Barclays closing down 17.4% and Royal Bank of Scotland plummeting 15.1%. The dramatic volatility caused trading in both firms to be briefly suspended in early trade. Property shares were also badly hit, prompting a trading halt, on worries that the decision to leave the EU would hit the housing market. Easyjet's shares fell more than 22% after the airline said Brexit would contribute to a fall in revenues. Taylor Wimpey fell 14.9% and Barratt Developments fell over 19%. Markets in Europe also tumbled, with France's Cac-40 and Germany's Dax both closing down around 3%. The return on UK government bonds - known as the gilt yield - fell to its lowest level ever on Monday. Investors are buying more UK government debt in search of safer investments. The yield from a 10-year gilt dropped below 1% for the first time - hitting 0.993% in morning trading. The price of gold rose on Monday, up 0.8% to $1,324.60 an ounce, although it was below the two-year peak of $1,358.20 reached on Friday. The gold price often rises in times of uncertainty as it is viewed as a safe haven asset. In his statement before the markets opened, Chancellor George Osborne said there would still need to be an "adjustment" in the UK economy, but added it was "perfectly sensible to wait for a new prime minister" before taking any such action. Mr Osborne's also spoke about the process of the UK's departure from the EU, saying only the UK can trigger Article 50. "In my judgement, we should only do that when there is a clear view about what new

Summary: UK financial markets remain volatile in the wake of the Brexit vote, with sterling plunging to a 31-year low against the dollar, and some share trading temporarily halted.


Hosted by CBBC presenter Cell Spellman, the new show will split into two parts, one devoted to new pop music with the other playing number one hits. The 19-year-old called his new posting "a privilege and an honour". The Official Chart will move to Fridays on 10 July to coincide with a new global release day for music. Presenter Greg James will kick off at 16:00 BST every Friday as 45 countries launch New Music Fridays. Spellman made his Radio 1 debut in 2013, standing in for Dan and Phil on Radio 1's Request Show. He presents CBBC's Friday Download and the CBBC Official Chart. Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper said: "Radio 1 and CBBC are changing the way radio and TV work together to create great content for young new music fans on their radio and phone. "Cel has proven how influential he is to young audiences and I can't wait for him to start." Spellman said: "The best station on national radio has been responsible for introducing me to so much incredible and varied music over the years, I just hope I can return the favour and help make those car journeys a little more memorable for the listeners with a mix of fun, top tunes and a little bit of cheeky chat!"

Summary: Radio 1 has announced a new Sunday show which will replace the current Official Chart slot when it moves to Fridays next month.


The head of the mission, known as Minusma, called the killings in the town of Kidal a "barbaric crime". Saturday's fighting broke out between the army and Tuareg rebels during a visit by Prime Minister Moussa Mara. In 2012 a Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali triggered a military coup and an Islamist takeover of the region. Civilian rule was re-established in 2013, but Islamist and separatist forces remain active in some areas. During Saturday's fighting the rebels captured the local governor's office, seizing 28 people. Minusma head Albert Koenders called for an inquiry into the attack. Earlier, Mr Mara said his government was now "at war" with the separatists. The army said eight soldiers and 28 rebels were killed in Saturday's fighting, but the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) rebels denied losing any fighters. Officials say that a Senegalese peacekeeper was also killed. Malian Defence Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga has said reinforcements were being sent to Kidal. "We will double our troops on the ground if necessary," AFP news agency quoted him as saying. The rebels are from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA). The United Nations is attempting to negotiate a truce between the Malian army and Tuareg rebels.

Summary: At least 17 people, including eight civilians, have been killed in an attack by rebels in northern Mali, officials say.


The 5000-1 outsiders won the first top-flight title in their 132-year history on Monday when challengers Tottenham could only manage to draw with Chelsea. O'Neill, who led the club to two League Cup wins, said the remarkable rise "will live long in the memory". "Personally, I don't think we'll see it in our lifetime again," he added. The Republic of Ireland boss said Leicester's achievement rekindled memories of his involvement in Nottingham Forest's glorious run under Brian Clough in the late-1970s. "It's the greatest achievement, obviously, of the century, although that's just 16 years old," the former Northern Ireland international said. "And I think since Nottingham Forest away back in 1977-78, when I was a member of the team that came up from the old second division and won the [top division] at the first time of asking, this is the greatest achievement since then." O'Neill, who managed Leicester from 1995 until 2000, was full of praise for the Foxes' boss Claudio Ranieri for guiding the club to glory after they were tipped for relegation at the start of the season. "Ranieri deserves all the credit in the world, the players have been simply sensational, the owners have been terrific as well," he said. "It's been a great story. "Everything about it - from away back last year when they just avoided relegation, to this magnificent rise - it has been incredible and so romantic." Gerry Taggart, the former Northern Ireland centre-half who played almost 150 games for Leicester, said he hoped the club's triumph would change English football "for good, for the better". "I've been saying for the last six or seven weeks that I believed Leicester would go on and win the title," he said. "I've watched a lot of this team this season and it's just mind-blowing the way they've got to where they are. "The way they play football is good for the game." Taggart returned to Leicester in a coaching role after his playing career and had a brief spell as caretaker manager, and he said the way in which the club is run has helped drive it to success. "The backroom staff at Leicester City are first class, they've spent a lot of years trying to perfect what goes on behind the scenes," he said. "This is as much about them as it is about the players or the manager, to be honest." Taggart gave credit to Ranieri for his man-management skills that helped to draw odds-defying performances from his players, most of whom had never before come close to reaching these heights. "He simplified the game for them, let them go out, express themselves when they've got the ball," Taggart added. "But it's been especially good to see when they haven't got the ball everybody is contributing to the side. "That's what has got them over the line - pure and simple teamwork."

Summary: Leicester City's crowning as Premier League champions is an "incredible and romantic" story, the club's former manager Martin O'Neill has said.


Another parliamentary vote - after a bad tempered debate - has ticked some more of the boxes required by the eurozone. So what next for Greece? First let's be clear - that third financial rescue package has still to be negotiated. So much political blood has been shed just to get the talks started, surely, you might think, Greece and the eurozone wouldn't let a deal slip from their grasp after all that. Perhaps. Though the next few weeks of negotiations will be hard. So let's assume the third programme will be agreed. The precise contents are still to be negotiated but it will include many policy commitments that the Greek government and much of the population will hate. There will be targets for the government's finances, specifically for a primary surplus - that means the government must take in more in tax revenue than it spends, putting to one side the interest it is paying on the national debt. Greece has managed primary surpluses for the last two years. But after a renewed decline in the economy starting at the end of last year - and severely aggravated by the bank closures this month - it will be very hard to repeat that this year. To achieve that aim will mean more austerity. There has been massive austerity already. The adjustment to the government finances has been extraordinary: there is a measure called the structural budget balance: that went from a deficit of 18.6% of GDP in 2009 to a surplus of 2.2% in 2013. (These figures take out the impact of the economic cycle on taxes and public spending and so show - imperfectly - the effort a government has put in to change its financial position.) The programme will be subject to continuous monitoring and it's sure to lead to further episodes of tension between Greece and the creditors, and in all probability more occasions when payments are delayed because of slippage in the implementation of the policies. We had a flavour of the political difficulties the government will face with implementation over the last 24 hours. A statement from a public sector union said: "We will continue our battle so that the new barbaric bailout does not pass and is overturned." Eurozone governments also expect Greece to make a commitment to a wide range of reforms covering, among other things, industrial action, collective bargaining, and opening closed professions. There's more potential there for political difficulties in implementation. Austerity will also aggravate the weakness of the economy, which is already back in recession. The usual measure of a government's debt burden is the ratio of the debt to GDP. More borrowing - from the eurozone for the foreseeable future - and weak growth or even continued contraction will mean that debt burden continues rising. So what Greece needs is a period of decent economic growth. Arithmetically that would help reduce the debt burden, by making it smaller in relation to the country's GDP. More practically it would help bring in more tax revenue that would make the debt more

Summary: Bailout number three is, more or less, in the pipeline.


The US military confirmed it "transferred custody" of three Pakistanis, but did not reveal their identities. The Afghan government was not involved in the transfer, the US said. Correspondents say the repatriation of a senior Taliban figure is extremely unusual. It could relate to attempts to improve Afghanistan-Pakistan ties, they say. While the US did not confirm Latif Mehsud was among those transferred, Pakistani officials said Latif Mehsud had been "released". Several senior officials said that the commander had been secretly flown to Pakistan earlier this week. The identity of the other two men is not yet known. The three men had been held by the US at Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. The office of the US Forces in Afghanistan said that the transfer took pace after talks between the US and Pakistan. "In making a decision to transfer a detainee, we take into account the totality of relevant factors relating to the individual and the government that may receive him, including but not limited to any diplomatic assurances that have been provided," the US military said in a statement. Latif Mehsud was second-in-command to the former Pakistan Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, who was killed in a US drone strike last year. He was seized by the Afghan army in October 2013 in eastern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistani border, then held by US forces at Bagram airbase. There were unconfirmed reports at the time that he was returning from talks over a mooted prisoner swap deal, and his capture is said to have angered then-Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The latest development is leading to speculation that such exchanges could be in prospect now, reports the BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Kabul. There does currently appear to be some warming in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which have repeatedly accused one another of failing to act against cross-border militancy, our correspondent says. Meanwhile, Afghanistan's new President Ashraf Ghani has said he is committed to striving for a peaceful solution to the conflict with the Taliban. Taliban prisoners have been freed in the past in a bid to help peace efforts. Pakistan's government entered talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in February. The hardline Islamist movement has been waging its own insurgency against the Islamabad government since 2007, leaving tens of thousands of people dead.

Summary: A senior Pakistani Taliban commander, Latif Mehsud, has reportedly been handed over to Pakistan by the US from Afghanistan.


But at one school in Essex you could probably not blame two of them for forgetting where they are for a moment. By day, Danny and Nicky Cowley teach boys physical education at The FitzWimarc School in Rayleigh. But in evenings and weekends, the pair are pulling off a "miracle" in the National League. Danny, assisted by brother Nicky, has led part-timers Braintree Town to the verge of the National League play-offs, above former Football League clubs Tranmere, Wrexham and Macclesfield. "Every morning I enjoy going to work, whether it's at school with the pupils or whether I'm at Braintree Town with the players," he told BBC Essex. "It's only work if you don't enjoy it and I love what I do. "I look forward to the summer, but we all know for football managers there's no such thing. You're normally more busy in the close season than you are during the season. "It's about trying to be successful and the only way I know to do that is to work hard." Since Cowley left Concord Rangers to replace Alan Devonshire 12 months ago, the Essex club have been on an upward trajectory. Despite criticising the National League schedule after four matches in 10 days and having to deal with a number of postponements, Cowley has won 22 of his 45 league matches in charge. Now all that is left to do to finish in the top five is draw against struggling Altrincham on Saturday. "I think we've been dreaming all season," he said. "I haven't got quite this far in the dream so I'm expecting someone to wake me up and I'm not quite sure how it unfolds. "It's important we don't get ahead of ourselves. The moment you think you've worked [football] out, it normally bites you on the bum. "A lot of people from the outside question how and why we are where we are in the league when you consider how many big clubs are in it. "Saturday's an opportunity to say we might be a small club, an unromantic name with average facilities, but we have really good players in that dressing room." Cowley has been here before. During his eight years as Concord boss he guided them to three promotions and left them in the Conference South. And he wants a team representing a town of just over 41,000 to show no fear as they close in on the Football League for the first time. "I've been in these weeks before at the end of the season, and the best way to approach them is to put as much effort and work as intelligently as you can from Monday to Friday," he said. "If you do that, you wake up Saturday morning kind of without any pressure because you know you've done everything you can. "There should be no fear or anxiety in our group. The only thing running through our veins should be pride of what we've done. "I'm sure whatever happens the people of Braintree will be really proud of this group but we

Summary: More often than not, there is a PE teacher in school who takes their classes so seriously it almost feels like students are being worked like genuine athletes.


Adults will still be able to access the sites using virtual private networks (VPNs) or proxy servers. In July, the Supreme Court expressed its unhappiness over the government's inability to block sites, especially those featuring child pornography. Telecom companies have said they will not be able to enforce the "ban" immediately. "We have to block each site one by one and it will take a few days for all service providers to block all the sites," an unnamed telecom company executive told The Times of India newspaper. A senior official, who preferred to remained unnamed, told the BBC Hindi that India's department of telecommunications had "advised" telecom operators and Internet service providers to "control free and open access" to 857 porn sites. "There is no total ban. This was done in the backdrop of Supreme Court's observation on children having free access to porn sites. The idea is also to protect India's cultural fabric. This will not prevent adults from visiting porn sites," the official said. "It is a temporary arrangement. The telecommunications depart will eventually come up with a long term policy [of controlling access to these sites later," he said. In July, the top court had observed that it was not for the court to order a ban on porn sites. "It is an issue for the government to deal with. Can we pass an interim order directing blocking of all adult websites? And let us keep in mind the possible contention of a person who could ask what crime have I committed by browsing adult websites in private within the four walls of my house. Could he not argue about his right to freedom to do something within the four walls of his house without violating any law?," the court said. According to statistics released by adult site Pornhub, India was its fourth largest source of traffic in 2014, behind the US, UK and Canada. Pranesh Prakash of the Bangalore based Centre for Internet and Society said the directive to block the 857 sites was "the largest single order" in India. "The government's reasoning that it is not a ban because adults can still access the porn sites is ridiculous," he told the BBC. The move has caused a great deal of comment on Indian social media networks, with many prominent personalities coming forward to condemn it. Popular author Chetan Bhagat, writer and commentator Nilanjana Roy, politician Milind Deora and director Ram Gopal Varma have all added their voices to the debate. The hashtag #pornban was also picking up momentum in India, with hundreds of tweets on the subject. It's not all outrage though. A number of people have been vociferously defending the move, saying that porn is an assault on Indian culture. And according to some tongue in cheek observers, one bit of good that may come of the ban, is that the necessity of having to use proxy servers would inadvertently force Indians to take their privacy seriously. "I request the powers that be to therefore lose no time in introducing web filtering to India, so that

Summary: India has blocked free access to 857 porn sites in what it says is a move to prevent children from accessing them.


Allegations of atrocities during the closing stages of that war have dogged the government ever since it ended. The rebels were also accused of abuses. The government has strenuously denied such allegations and insist they are on the path of reconciliation and rebuilding Sri Lanka's north. After independence from British rule, increasingly assertive Sinhala nationalists, resentful of what they saw as British favouritism towards minority Tamils, began to fan the flames of ethnic division. A Tamil separatist movement gained momentum during the 1970s when a number of armed Tamil groups emerged in the north and parts of eastern Sri Lanka. But in 1983 the insurgency was transformed after a brutal anti-Tamil backlash following the killing by insurgents of 13 soldiers spread throughout the country. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) emerged under the leadership of Velupillai Prabhakaran as a ruthless and highly effective fighting force. It came to run what was in effect a shadow state in the north and east. The group used suicide bombings and other attacks to devastating effect in the capital Colombo and elsewhere in the 1990s. It also killed high-profile figures, including Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa. After various peace initiatives and ceasefires failed, the government launched a final offensive in 2009 and defeated the Tigers. Until the final months of the war, the death toll for more than 25 years of conflict was estimated to be about 70,000. But the final phase, when the government and rebels battled it out as thousands of civilians were hemmed in to a tiny strip of land on the north-eastern coast, has been the subject of most scrutiny. Estimates range from 20,000-75,000 killed in the final assault, but a government estimate put the figure at about 9,000. A 2011 UN report said hospitals, UN centres and ships belonging to the Red Cross were deliberately targeted by the army. The government was accused of using heavy weaponry and UN images obtained by the BBC appeared to show shelling damage in a government-designated "safe zone" for civilians. The report also accused the Tamil Tigers of using civilians as human shields, saying the rebels shot those who tried to escape. It also said that the rebels positioned heavy weapons in hospital grounds. Sri Lanka rejected the claims in the report as biased and fraudulent. Critics say there has been little serious attempt to do this so far. The government appointed a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, which cleared the military of allegations that it had deliberately attacked civilians. Rights groups dismissed the inquiry as "flawed". In September 2013 the government held elections for a semi-autonomous council in the island's Tamil-majority north, a move which it said was a significant step in the reconciliation process. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) won 30 seats in the 38-member council and now forms the first functioning provincial government in the north. The TNA's 80-year-old leader, Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, said the victory was a chance for everybody to "think afresh about the future". The overwhelming majority of analysts agree that in the

Summary: Sri Lanka's army defeated separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 after 26 years of civil war.


Media playback is not supported on this device The five-time world champion is angry at a disciplinary letter sent to him. After beating Gary Wilson in the first round of the World Championship, O'Sullivan said: "I phoned [World Snooker chairman] Barry Hearn four weeks ago and told him I am done with you and your board. "I don't think I've done a lot wrong." "A friend told me to let the lawyers deal with it. I won't get involved anymore because I am not being bullied." Since victory at the Masters in January, five-time world champion O'Sullivan has only replied to questions by the media with one or two-word answers, and has also sung an Oasis song in reply, and on another occasion responded as a 'robot' in protest at his perceived mistreatment by the sport's authorities. If I did not have good lawyers, I would probably have walked away because I am too old to be dealing with things like that That grievance seemingly dates to an incident during his record-breaking seventh Masters triumph at Alexandra Palace, when he publicly criticised a referee and swore at a photographer. World Snooker, the commercial arm of the sport, referred O'Sullivan's comments to governing body the WPBSA, which ultimately took no action as it accepted his explanation of the incidents. However, O'Sullivan was sent a letter by the WPBSA about his behaviour and warned he could face further sanctions including a fine. He responded by saying that repeated disciplinary action could cause him to reduce his playing time and media commitments, among other things. Media playback is not supported on this device In five events since then, O'Sullivan has failed to win consecutive matches. Explaining his behaviour, the Englishman said: "I have no problems with the press. Sometimes I say things I should not say, I get myself into hot bother, and I get a letter through saying I need to respond in 14 days - a day before a tournament. "It messed up my last three or four tournaments. I did not really win a match and it is not fair on the fans or those who invested in me. "I phoned Barry Hearn four weeks ago and told him I am done with you and your board of people. A friend of mine told me to let the lawyers deal with it. I won't get involved anymore because I am not being bullied. I am not letting people do that to me ever again. "I just want to play and have fun. I like Barry but I am not being intimidated or bullied anymore. The language can be quite threatening and intimidating in some of these letters. It is very unsettling. "To go in with all that on my head, having to see lawyers and having to fight off something I feel I should not have to, they pushed me too far. "If I did not have good lawyers, I would probably have walked away because I am too old to be dealing with things like that." World Snooker said it was

Summary: An emotional Ronnie O'Sullivan has attacked snooker authorities for using "threatening" language and said he will not be "bullied" by them.


Anthony Martial's goal deep into injury time gave United a 2-1 victory at Wembley to end Martinez's hopes of bringing Everton their first trophy since 1995's FA Cup win. Asked whether he felt he was still the man to take Everton forward amid growing speculation that this was a game he had to win to survive, he said: "I am. I have got so attached to this football club and my ambition is exactly the same as this club's ambition. "We have handled our assets really well, the squad has a great valuation. We develop young players very well and I share the drive the football club has, which is to get into the Champions League and to bring silverware back to Everton." Media playback is not supported on this device Martinez has faced growing unrest from Everton's fans, who jeered their team off at half-time at Wembley before a second-half rally brought them back into the game. There will now be renewed pressure on Martinez after the end of their trophy hopes and with Everton lying in 11th place in the Premier League. He said: "I just feel that every season we are developing and showing certain signs that we can please our fans and bring them the silverware they deserve but of course this is a difficult day." Read Phil McNulty's match report Relive Manchester United's win over Everton Media playback is not supported on this device Martinez defended striker Romelu Lukaku after he endured a miserable semi-final of missed chances and had a second-half penalty saved by Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea. He said: "I always feel strikers need to be measured in the chances they create and sometimes you need to give credit to the goalkeeper. I thought we created as a team and he showed his power and his uniqueness. I don't think that's a worry at all. "I thought his second-half performance was one of a mature footballer. He held the ball up and we played around him. He is only 22. It shows we want to give young players big roles." "The feeling we share now is that this is as cruel as football can be," said Martinez. "I thought it was a terrific game but it took us 45 minutes to get into our rhythm, although then we showed a strong mentality to stay in the game and we created the best two chances. "In the second half, I thought we built up incredible tempo and intensity to impose ourselves on the game but at the end the whole story becomes very heartbreaking."

Summary: Everton manager Roberto Martinez insists he is still the right man for the job after an FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester United increased pressure on his position.


Mr Trump tweeted that the process of selecting his new cabinet and other positions was "very organised". US media say two senior members of the transition team working on national security have been forced out. Mr Trump, a property tycoon and Republican outsider, won an unexpected victory against Hillary Clinton. Outgoing President Barack Obama, on a visit to Greece, admitted he and his successor "could not be more different" but vowed to "do everything we can to support the smoothest transition possible," saying democracy depended on it. Mr Trump has already replaced New Jersey Governor Chris Christie with Vice-President-elect Mike Pence as head of his transition team. Media reports say Mr Trump's son-in-law and close adviser Jared Kushner was behind the change. Mr Christie was New Jersey attorney general when Mr Kushner's father was tried and jailed in the state for tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and witness tampering in 2004. Former Congressman and House intelligence committee chairman Mike Rogers, who was handling national security for the transition, announced on Tuesday that he was leaving. He and another member of the national security team, Matthew Freedman, were sacked, according to the New York Times. Mr Rogers is thought to have been close to Mr Christie, while Mr Freedman is said to be a protege of Paul Manafort, Mr Trump's former campaign manager who quit in August. The former mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani - who has been tipped for a senior post - said presidential transitions were always a complex process, and glitches were normal. And Mr Trump himself sought to calm fears of turmoil. "Very organized process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions," he tweeted. "I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!" He said that contrary to a report in the New York Times, foreign leaders were having no problems getting through to him by phone. And he denied that he had requested security clearances for his children, in order to recruit them as advisers. He did not address whether such clearance had been sought for Mr Kushner, his son-in-law, as reported by NBC News. Mr Trump is due to be inaugurated as president on 20 January 2017. Donald Trump has spent the week since his election holed up in the Manhattan skyscraper that bears his name. He has been looking to fill key posts in his cabinet but the early indications are it is proving a less-than-straightforward task. There have already been calls for Mr Trump to rescind one of the appointments he has made - that of the former head of the right wing Breitbart website Steve Bannon as senior White House adviser. Following a day of meetings, and a reassurance from his press spokesman that he would be staying in for the evening, Mr Trump took to a New York steak house for dinner with his family last night - a break with protocol which left some reporters speculating that he might not be fully comfortable with the sort of scrutiny that comes with the presidency. "In a

Summary: US President-elect Donald Trump has defended his handling of the transition to the White House, amid reports of disarray in his team.


The US car giant will spend $700m on expanding the plant at Flat Rock. Ford boss Mark Fields said the decision was partly due to falling sales of small cars and partly a "vote of confidence" in Donald Trump's policies. The President-elect has criticised both Ford and its rival General Motors over production of models in Mexico. Mr Trump earlier on Tuesday tweeted criticism of GM's production of its Chevy Cruze model in Mexico. Ford's chief executive, Mark Fields, told the BBC that the main decision to cancel the plant in Mexico was because of a "dramatic decline for the demand for small cars here in North America," allowing the company to cope with its existing plant. But he said another factor in the decision was the "more favourable US business environment that we see under President-elect Trump and some of the pro-growth policies that he's been talking about". "That did play a part and it's a vote of confidence that he can deliver on these things," Mr Fields added. Ford is not abandoning production completely in Mexico, but is switching production of its Focus model to its existing plant in Hermosillo there to improve profitability. It makes the current version at its plant in Wayne in Michigan. Production at that facility will switch to two new models, which it says will safeguard 3,500 US jobs. The planned $1.6bn plant in Mexico was to be built in San Luis Potosi, but Ford said it would now invest some of that sum in Flat Rock, creating 700 jobs building a range of electric cars. Mexico's economy ministry said it regretted Ford's decision, adding that it had assurances that the US car firm would pay the state of San Luis Potosi for any costs incurred from the cancellation. Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Trump criticised General Motors on Twitter for making cars built in Mexico and made available tax-free in the US. "General Motors is sending Mexican made model of Chevy Cruze to US car dealers-tax free across border. Make in U.S.A. or pay big border tax!" he tweeted. However, GM said most of its Chevy Cruze cars were made in the US. A spokesman said only the hatchback model, which forms a small percentage of sales, was made in Mexico. He added that the car was built there for global production and said that although some Cruze sedans were made in Mexico for a while last year, all the ones now sold in the US were manufactured in Ohio. Cars made in Mexico can move across the border tax free thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), something that Donald Trump attacked during his campaign for causing the loss of US manufacturing jobs to cheaper labour. In fact, only a tiny fraction (2,400 out of 190,000) of the GM model he singled out, the Cruze, are made in Mexico. But while he may have picked on the wrong model, the message was unmistakable - the President-elect's hostility to NAFTA hasn't faded post-victory. That position - and its popularity among many US consumers

Summary: Ford has said it will cancel a $1.6bn (£1.3bn) plant it planned to build in Mexico and instead extend operations at its factory in Michigan.


The world-first procedure at Necker Children's Hospital in Paris offers hope to millions of people with the blood disorder. Scientists altered the genetic instructions in his bone marrow so it made healthy red blood cells. So far, the therapy has worked for 15 months and the child is no longer on any medication. Sickle cell disease causes normally round red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body, to become shaped like a sickle. These deformed cells can lock together to block the flow of blood around the body. This can cause intense pain, organ damage and can be fatal. The teenager who received the treatment had so much internal damage he needed to have his spleen removed and his hips replaced. Every month he had to go into hospital to have a blood transfusion to dilute his defective blood. But when he was 13, doctors at the Necker Children's Hospital in Paris did something unique. Doctors removed his bone marrow - the part of the body that makes blood. They then genetically altered it in a lab to compensate for the defect in his DNA that caused the disease. Sickle cell is caused by a typo in the instructions for making the protein haemoglobin, which is densely packed into red blood cells. A virus was used to infect the bone marrow with new, correct instructions. The corrected bone marrow was then put back into the patient. The results in the New England Journal of Medicine showed the teenager has been making normal blood since the procedure 15 months ago. Philippe Leboulch, a professor of medicine at the University of Paris, told the BBC News website: "So far the patient has no sign of the disease, no pain, no hospitalisation. He no longer requires a transfusion so we are quite pleased with that. "But of course we need to perform the same therapy in many patients to feel confident that it is robust enough to propose it as a mainstream therapy." Prof Leboulch is nervous about using the word "cure" as this is just the first patient to come through clinical trials. But the study does show the potential power of gene therapy to transform the lives of people with sickle cell. "I think it's very significant, essential they've given him his life back," said Dr Deborah Gill from the gene medicine research group at the University of Oxford. She told the BBC: "I've worked in gene therapy for a long time and we make small steps and know there's years more work. "But here you have someone who has received gene therapy and has complete clinical remission - that's a huge step forward." However, the expensive procedure can only be carried out in cutting-edge hospitals and laboratories, while most sickle cell patients are in Africa. The next big challenge will be to transform this pioneering science into something that really can help millions of people. Follow James on Twitter. Source: NHS Choices

Summary: A French teenager's sickle cell disease has been reversed using a pioneering treatment to change his DNA.


Jennifer Fitzgerald's ex-boyfriend left the car at O'Hare airport's employee car park. She settled with the city out of court for $4,500. The vehicle accumulated 678 tickets before it was finally towed last year. Ms Fitzgerald said she had been unable to gain access to the car park, according to court records. She continued to receive tickets even after the state of Illinois revoked the car's licence plates. Ms Fitzgerald sued the city to clear the tickets and penalties. Her lawyer, Robin Omahana, told DNAinfo Chicago the city had disregarded its own towing rules. "They had a little egg on their face with writing so many tickets on one car," Mr Omahana said. City law department spokesman Roderick Drew told the Chicago Tribune that the city had tried to settle with Ms Fitzgerald before the case went to court but she declined. Under the terms of the settlement, her ex-boyfriend Brandon Preveau will reimburse her $1,600, with Ms Fitzgerald paying the rest on a monthly plan.

Summary: A Chicago woman has settled $105,000 (£67,540) in parking fines amassed after her car was abandoned at an airport in 2009, local media report.


The Spaniard was asked by the Football Association to explain the gesture, made as he left the pitch at half-time. After receiving his observations, the FA has decided the 27-year-old will not face any action. However the FA has yet to decide on the outcome of an improper conduct charge against Costa from the same game. Costa received a second yellow card after clashing with Everton midfielder Gareth Barry in the 84th minute of the FA Cup quarter-final. He was charged over his behaviour after being sent off, and has until 18:00 GMT on Thursday to respond to that charge. The Chelsea player appeared to bite Barry in the incident, although both players have denied that happened. Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Chelsea striker Diego Costa will not be punished for making a gesture to Everton fans during his side's 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park.


No politician from the DUP or UUP was at his funeral in St Eugene's Cathedral on Thursday. Dr Daly became synonymous with the events of Bloody Sunday in 1972. A spokesperson for Hilary McClintock, the mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, said the deputy mayor attended in her absence. Dr Daly died on Monday at the age of 82. An image of the then Fr Daly waving a blood-stained white handkerchief in Derry in 1972 became an enduring image of the Troubles. Rev David Latimer said he could only speculate as to why Ms McClintock was not present at his funeral. "I would think that every effort should have been made for the first citizen to be there," he said. "Given the stature of Bishop Daly in this city and the work that he engaged in, not only as bishop but in the incredible contribution he made as chaplain at the Foyle Hospice, I honestly think every effort should have been made. "The person that needs to be asked is the first citizen herself. "I would be disappointed if she was attending something and didn't allow someone to deputise for her," he said. A spokesperson for the council said she was unable to attend the funeral and the deputy mayor was there in her absence. The spokesperson added that a number of senior staff including the Chief Executive, John Kelpie, were also there to represent the council. The DUP MP Gregory Campbell also defended Ms McClintock. He was asked by the BBC if he believed her decision not to attend Dr Daly's funeral was because of the bishop's now famous role on Bloody Sunday. "No I don't think that is the case at all," he told BBC Radio Foyle. "If that had have been the case the DUP mayor wouldn't have... opened up a book of condolences, I wouldn't have issued a statement and the local MLA Gary Middleton also issued a statement - so I don't think that is the case."

Summary: A Presbyterian minister has said the DUP mayor of Derry should have made "every effort" to attend the funeral of the former Bishop of Derry Edward Daly.


Speaking at London's Science Museum the scientist also says he believes the future of humanity depends on living on other planets. "The long-term future of the human race must be space and that it represents an important life insurance for our future survival," he says. "It could prevent the disappearance of humanity by the colonisation of other planets." Professor Hawking made the comments while escorting an American visitor around the museum as part of a guest of honour prize. "Sending humans to the moon changed the future of the human race in ways that we don't yet understand," he went on. "It hasn't solved any of our immediate problems on planet Earth, but it has given us new perspectives on them and caused us to look both outward and inward." Adaeze Uyanwah, 24 and from California, won the tour after producing a blog and video describing a "perfect day" in London. She asked Prof Hawking what human failings he would alter. "The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression," he says. "It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory, or partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all. "A major nuclear war would be the end of civilization, and maybe the end of the human race." The scientist then got a bit spiritual when he told her: "The quality I would most like to magnify is empathy. It brings us together in a peaceful, loving state." Ms Uyanwah says she was blown away by the meeting. "It's incredible to think when my grandchildren are learning Stephen Hawking's theories in science class, I'll be able to tell them I had a personal meeting with him. "It's something I'll never forget." Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Stephen Hawking says space travel will save the human race.


Thousands of fans headed for the exits after 74 minutes - the club was formed in 1874 - in protest at the team's plight and owner Randy Lerner. "I am concentrating on my job," said Frenchman Garde, whose side are bottom of the table, eight points from safety. "I don't have any comments about the fans. It's something very deep, very old. My job is difficult enough." Villa fans have directed a lot of anger towards American Lerner, who bought the West Midlands club in 2006. They are upset at the lack of investment and the decision-making at the club, but the players have also been criticised for a perceived lack of desire. Aston Villa fan Mark Bricknell, one of the organisers of the protest, told BBC Radio 5 live: "This has been coming for six years. "We can't say we're happy to be having to do this. "The club have failed to halt what supporters have seen coming and it's down to total incompetence from the owner." BBC Radio 5 live football reporter Pat Murphy, who has been covering Villa for more than four decades, added: "The mood is turning ugly. "I remember the demonstrations against Doug Ellis, but he must seem a great chairman in retrospect. "This is the worst team I've seen in 41 years of reporting on Villa." A crowd of 29,755 were at Villa Park on Tuesday to watch the loss to Everton, Villa's 18th league defeat of the season. In the top flight since 1988, Villa have won just three of their 28 league games so far this season and have only 16 points. They are not mathematically down yet but face fourth-placed Manchester City and Tottenham - who will go top of the table with a win at West Ham on Wednesday - in their next two games. Garde, appointed at the start of November, still believes Villa can retain their Premier League status but admits the situation is "getting more difficult". "We have to stick together," said the 49-year-old former Lyon boss. "If not, we have no chance." If Villa do go down, Joey Barton - who has been relegated from the Premier League with both Newcastle and QPR - thinks they could struggle in the second tier. "I feel sorry for manager Remi Garde as the ship had massive holes in it when he took over," the Burnley midfielder, whose are top of the Championship, told BBC Radio 5 live. "It is not a team equipped for Championship football. The Villa fans are showing discontent and you can't blame them. "Randy Lerner and the board - I've called them muppets before - and nothing has changed. "If you don't spend in January and say that you are going to prepare for life in the Championship, then why not start playing some kids from the academy? "At least they'll show some passion." Watch Match of the Day on Wednesday on BBC One and online - 22:45-00:15 in England, 23:45-01:15 in Scotland & NI; 23:20-00:50 in Wales.

Summary: Aston Villa manager Remi Garde refused to criticise supporters for walking out during the 3-1 home defeat by Everton.


In one case, reported by German broadcaster NDR, a shackled Moroccan man was allegedly forced to eat rotten pork off the floor at a police station. Earlier, a policeman allegedly bragged on the WhatsApp messaging service that he had made an Afghan man choke until he "squealed like a pig". The reports have shocked officials. A police officer's home and workplace have been searched and investigators found a photo on his mobile phone showing a man being held down in a painful stress position. Witnesses are being questioned over the alleged abuses, according to NDR. The head of human rights group Pro Asyl, Guenter Burkhardt, said the allegations indicated "an appalling level of racism and inhumanity". In one WhatsApp message, quoted by NDR, the policeman wrote: "I knocked him away. An Afghan. With an immigration ban. Stuck my finger up his nose. And he choked. It was funny. And dragged him in shackles through the (police) station. It was so great. Squealed like a pig. It was a gift from Allah." An unnamed police source was quoted as saying "there was often screaming from the holding cells, and when it got too piercing they didn't look into it - they just shut the door, to stop the sound getting out". The German government official in charge of integration, Aydan Ozoguz, called the allegations "shocking". She said that if a policeman had actually tortured migrants then the police must "make it absolutely clear that they do not tolerate such inhumane behaviour in their ranks".

Summary: Prosecutors in northern Germany are investigating alleged cases of police brutality towards migrants in the city of Hanover.


Campaign funding promises have been made but whoever forms the next government will find some challenging financial issues highlighted in their ministerial red boxes. This week, reports of a tightening of the financial thumb screws have emerged. There is talk of rationing and, as one source told me, "unpalatable things" being contemplated by hospital managers and local health commissioners. Under what's been billed as a "capped expenditure process", NHS England and the regulator NHS Improvement are telling some trusts to stick within spending limits even if that means tough decisions on the provision of non-urgent care. The new pressure on hospitals and local health commissioning groups in England comes after some trusts overshot agreed spending targets during the last financial year. Since the start of this year, from the beginning of April, it has become clear that the biggest over-spenders have been unable to agree their so-called "control totals". They have now been told to take firmer action to keep a grip on spending. The Health Service Journal (HSJ) reported that NHS officials have contacted health managers in 14 areas of England with a series of proposals for controlling budgets. These include extending waiting times for routine procedures and treatments, downgrading certain services and limiting the number of operations carried out by the private sector for the NHS. HSJ first revealed the tougher spending regime in April, quoting from a letter sent to those local health leaders who could not agree their budgets. They were asked to decide "from which areas further expenditure reductions will be made", including reviewing the range of medicines prescribed. Interestingly, the letter and subsequent dialogue has been with both commissioners, who can limit what they are prepared to pay for, and trusts who might save money by curbing the volume of non-urgent care provided to patients. There was a clue to this tougher approach in the update to the NHS Five Year Forward View plan, published at the end of March. The finger is pointed at those organisations which had historically substantially overspent their "fair shares of NHS funding". They are accused of "living off bail-outs" taken from other services. They are then told to confront "difficult choices" and if necessary "scale back spending on locally unaffordable services". An NHS England spokesperson said no final decisions had been made and when final choices were made locally they would need to be approved nationally. But there was no denying the fact that in some areas hospital managers and commissioners were being told to go further than before to keep a lid on spending. The background to this is that NHS England is receiving a much smaller budget increase this year than in 2016/17 which, though originally billed as a generous "frontloaded" settlement, appeared to only just cover what the service needed. Patient demand will continue to outstrip the money available with the financial pressure even more intense this year. Those who see the NHS as a bottomless pit always requiring more money to be poured in will call for more efficiency savings before another bailout is contemplated. Those

Summary: Money, money, money - it's a familiar background theme across the NHS in England, but the volume is increasing.