The contents of 56 safe deposit boxes were taken during the raid in London's jewellery district over Easter weekend. Twelve addresses in the London and Kent area were raided by about 200 police officers on Tuesday morning. Nine men were arrested and a number of high-value items were recovered, police said. Searches of the houses are ongoing. Scotland Yard first arrested seven men, aged between 48 and 76. They later arrested a 58-year-old man and a 43-year-old, bringing the total number of men arrested to nine. Police have also appealed for information on a white Transit van seen in the area at the time of the raid. The van, with a registration of DU53 VNG, was caught twice on CCTV during the Easter heist. During a press conference, the Met said it felt officers had been portrayed as the Keystone Kops, while a relative of a victim said finding some of the haul could actually make things worse for those affected, as it could delay insurance pay-outs. Thieves used heavy cutting equipment to break into a vault at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd, where they ransacked about 70 boxes. The men were arrested in Enfield, east London and Dartford. Police said bags containing a significant amount of high-value property were recovered at one of the addresses and they were confident some were items stolen during the burglary. Head of the Met's Flying Squad, Det Supt Craig Turner, urged victims of the crime to "stay patient", adding police officers would be in contact with them in order "to restore this property back to its rightful owners". He said the investigation had been "complex and exceptional". In response to questions about why police did not respond to an alarm that went off at the premises during the time of the heist, Det Supt Turner, said: "We are now in a position to confirm that on this occasion our call handling system and procedures for working with the alarm monitoring companies were not followed. "Our normal procedures would have resulted in police attending the scene and we apologise that this did not happen." There has been no official detail of what was stolen but it is believed jewellery worth up to £200m was taken during the raid. Cdr Peter Spindler said: "At times we have been portrayed as if we've acted like Keystone Kops. "But I want to reassure you that in the finest traditions of Scotland Yard, these detectives have done their utmost to bring justice for the victims of this callous crime." A relative of one of the victims said those affected were "probably worse off after this morning's raids". "With the stolen goods vanished, there was pressure on insurance companies to settle quickly to enable holders to trade again," the relative, who did not want to be identified, said. "But now, with a whole mess of stuff to sort out, it may drag on for months. "If batches of the stones were mixed up, it may be impossible to reunite them with their owners." The biggest heist in the UK was carried

Summary: Detectives hunting the gang behind the Hatton Garden safe deposit raid have arrested nine suspects.


Glovers midfielder Matty Dolan was born in Hartlepool and has spent two loan spells at the club. But, presented with a second-half penalty to level the scores, he made no mistake, sending keeper Adam Bartlett the wrong way from 12 yards on 69 minutes. The penalty came after Andrew Nelson, making his Pools debut after signing from Sunderland on loan, needlessly felled Francois Zoko in the area. Hartlepool also gave a debut to Louis Rooney, signed from Plymouth, and he was lively up front, sending Padraig Amond clear early on to lob just over. Rooney then skirted around keeper Artur Krysiak, but his angled finish was blocked by covering defender Darren Ward. Pools took the lead on 64 minutes when Nelson's deep cross picked out Amond and he looped home a header from 16 yards for his 11th of the season. After Dolan's leveller, he almost won it with a curling free-kick from 22 yards which Bartlett dived full-stretch to keep out. Report supplied by the Press Association Match ends, Hartlepool United 1, Yeovil Town 1. Second Half ends, Hartlepool United 1, Yeovil Town 1. Attempt missed. Nathan Thomas (Hartlepool United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Foul by Ben Whitfield (Yeovil Town). Andrew Nelson (Hartlepool United) wins a free kick on the left wing. Andrew Nelson (Hartlepool United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Ryan Dickson (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Andrew Nelson (Hartlepool United). Omar Sowunmi (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Matthew Bates (Hartlepool United). Attempt blocked. Francois Zoko (Yeovil Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Foul by Louis Rooney (Hartlepool United). Liam Shephard (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick on the left wing. Corner, Yeovil Town. Conceded by Adam Bartlett. Attempt saved. Matthew Dolan (Yeovil Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Foul by Nicky Featherstone (Hartlepool United). Matthew Dolan (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, Yeovil Town. Owain Jones replaces Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro. Attempt missed. Louis Rooney (Hartlepool United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Foul by Nathan Smith (Yeovil Town). Nathan Thomas (Hartlepool United) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Substitution, Hartlepool United. Nathan Thomas replaces Lewis Alessandra. Goal! Hartlepool United 1, Yeovil Town 1. Matthew Dolan (Yeovil Town) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner. Penalty Yeovil Town. Francois Zoko draws a foul in the penalty area. Penalty conceded by Andrew Nelson (Hartlepool United) after a foul in the penalty area. Hand ball by Omar Sowunmi (Yeovil Town). Substitution, Yeovil Town. Omar Sowunmi replaces Tom Eaves. Goal! Hartlepool United 1, Yeovil Town 0. Padraig Amond (Hartlepool United) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Andrew Nelson. Attempt missed. Tom Eaves (Yeovil Town) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.

Summary: Hartlepool were denied victory by one of their own as Yeovil earned a draw against Dave Jones' side.


The Dragons explained in a statement that Jackson suffered a 'non-rugby related injury on 8 April.' "He has undergone a neck operation, which was a success, and the surgeons are satisfied with the results. Ed is making significant progress and is currently recovering," Dragons said. Jackson, 28, signed a contract extension with the region in December. However, he suffered a shoulder injury in February that required surgery. Jackson has made 36 appearances for the Dragons since joining from Wasps in 2015.

Summary: Newport Gwent Dragons forward Ed Jackson is recovering in hospital after undergoing surgery for a neck injury.


Olympic Games-qualified O'Flaherty will defend her Seeley Cup title in Ormeau Park after finishing fourth at Sunday's Irish Cross Country Championships. Men's holder Pollock will not compete in the Belfast race. Pollock has opted to return to his regular training base in London ahead of the European Cross Country tests. The Holywood man was third in the men's race an Santry which represented his first competitive outing since running the Berlin Marathon in September. Pollock went into the Irish European trials as the defending champion but he insisted that he was content with his third place on his return to racing after his Berlin disappointment. The medical doctor achieved the Olympics marathon standard in Berlin but was only the fourth Irishman over the finish line in the German capital which means he will have to race again in the spring if he wants to achieve his Rio ambition. In his regular blog, the latest instalment of which was published earlier this week, Pollock revealed that, after the suggestion of his coach Andy Hobdell, he opted to take several weeks off following his Berlin exertions. The Santry race represented Pollock's return to competitive action and his target was to secure the top-three finish which would guarantee a sixth appearance at the European Cross Country Championships "On each of the previous five attempts at the Europeans I have run poorly, having peaked for the Irish trials," said Pollock in his blog. "This year however, I know that, at least, I will be in better shape than what I was at Santry. "With three weeks of hard training ahead of me and the knowledge that my fitness should come back quickly, the nerves are already setting in. "This championship is an unexpected but very welcome bonus. The bigger races will come in the Springtime. "For now however, it is time to focus on the task at hand. The Irish vest is an extremely special thing to wear and come 13 December, I want to run well." While Pollock will not race in Belfast, the Seeley men's race should still be a competitive affair with Letterkenny athlete Danny Mooney and Paddy Hamilton both expected to be in the field. Letterkenny man Mooney represented Northern Ireland at last year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and also competed for Ireland at this year's European Indoor Championships in Prague. Steeplechase track star O'Flaherty, 34, has opted to compete in Belfast even though she will join Pollock in the Irish team in Hyeres on 13 December. The Newcastle woman, was delighted with her fourth placing at Santry as she picked her way through the field in the closing stages. The Dublin race came immediately after a five-week training sting in French Pyrenees as she continued her build-up towards next summer's Olympics. O'Flaherty may opt to have a short indoor season in February in addition to running in the Armagh Road Races before heading back for another training stint at Font Romeu in mid-April. Commonwealth Games Gladys Ganiel and Kelly Neely will also join O'Flaherty in the Seeley Cup women's field. Ireland

Summary: Kerry O'Flaherty will race in Belfast on Saturday after booking her place at the European Cross Country Championship in France on 13 December.


As part of a discussion paper on the future of Defined Benefit (DB) pensions, it said financially "stressed" companies might be allowed to water down previous promises. About 5% of businesses are in that category, according to the green paper. As many as eleven million people are members of private sector DB schemes, which link pensions to salaries. In particular, some companies might be allowed to adjust the way they up-rate pension payments annually to compensate for inflation. Instead of using the Retail Prices Index (RPI), it could be that some companies would be allowed to use the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) instead, the government said. Since CPI is usually lower than RPI, it would save firms money. However, such a change could cost the average pensioner up to Â£20,000 over the course of their retirement, according to the discussion document. Most public-sector Defined Benefit pensions schemes moved to the CPI measure in 2011. Steve Webb, who was a pensions minister under the Coalition government, said allowing such a change would be worrying. "There is a significant risk that relaxing standards on inflation protection - with the best of intentions for exceptional cases - could be exploited and lead to millions of retired people being at risk of cuts in their real living standards," he said. In the paper, the government also raises the idea of temporarily suspending any sort of inflation indexation at all, when pension schemes are in serious trouble. Yet it admits this could raise "moral hazard issues", whereby companies might be tempted to deliberately increase their deficits to save money on pension pay-outs. Most DB pension schemes remain "affordable" for employers, the government said, even though most are currently in deficit. So the government's message to employers is unequivocal: most can clear their pension deficits if they want to. It said the total deficit of all DB schemes in January 2017 was Â£197bn, down from Â£459bn in August 2016. "Our modelling suggests that these deficits are likely to shrink for the majority of schemes, if employers continue to pay into schemes at current/promised levels," the paper declares. "While DB pensions are more expensive than they were when they were set up, many employers could clear their pension deficit if required." DB schemes have declined over recent years, as employers have switched to more affordable defined contribution (DC) schemes, where pension payouts are linked to investment returns. The pensions industry is now being asked to comment on the ideas in the green paper.

Summary: Firms in financial trouble could be allowed to reduce the generosity of pensions, the government has suggested.


Welsh economy minister Edwina Hart said despite criticism of UK ministers, her counterparts in London know how important the industry is. She met UK Business Secretary Sajid Javid on his visit to Port Talbot steelworks on Friday. Tata Steel has said it would sell its UK business, putting thousands of jobs at risk. Mr Javid said he had been concerned at talk of a time-frame for the sale of three to four weeks, but says there is now an understanding it is "much longer" than that. Ms Hart told the BBC: "It's very important to recognise in UK terms we can't allow the steel industry to go. "What happens to defence contracts, what happens now in terms of nuclear? We need a steel industry. I think the UK government is as aware of that as us. "We've got to be hopeful, because it's important we keep steel, and that is what both governments are trying to do, to ensure we've got the best results in terms of the purchase of the plant." Port Talbot has the largest steelworks in the UK, with 4,000 jobs at risk. Tata has other Welsh plants at Trostre, Shotton, Llanwern and Newport, while UK plants in Rotherham and Corby are also affected. Eluned Parrott, Liberal Democrat economy spokeswoman, said: "It is all very well for Sajid Javid to come here and promise action, but his words of support for the steel industry are in stark contrast to his record. "The fact is that Mr Javid and his Tory colleagues have done nothing to mitigate this crisis." Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said: "Inaction and indifference by governments at both ends of the M4 mean that months of lost time have gone by in which decisive action could have been taken." A UKIP Wales spokesman said Mr Javid arrives in Wales "with a long face but an empty portfolio". "As long as we are members of the EU we cannot decide to change our tariffs on Chinese steel and we are condemned to paying artificially expanded rates for energy." Britain Stronger In Europe, which is campaigning for the UK to stay in the EU, said the European Commission had a record 37 anti-dumping measures in place, with 16 of those specifically targeting Chinese imports.

Summary: The UK and Welsh governments are working to keep steel production in Britain, a minister has said.


In a statement on Twitter, the band said it was "with great regret, due to illness, we cannot perform at Customs House Belfast". Organisers said they were working to re-schedule the concert. Many concert goers said they were disappointed with the last-minute cancellation. Stephen Nelson said the stage was set-up for the band when the news was announced to the audience. "They had set up everything, all the gear, their background was up, their roadies were on stage. "Then 10 minutes before an announcement came on the PA that the gig was cancelled. "People were like, 'are you serious?' Then the announcement was repeated and there was some booing." Kathryn McKeown said the crowd were "disappointed" when the announcement was made. "It was lashing rain on and off, everyone was drenched. Blossoms (the support band) were saying, 'are you excited for Kasabian?' before they finished. She added: "About 10 minutes before the band were due on stage there was an announcement to say that due to last-minute illness the band would be unable to perform, tickets would be valid for a re-scheduled show. "At first, I think everyone thought it was a joke. After about the third announcement it started to sink in and everyone started booing, some people were even chucking pints and plastic cups at the stage." In a statement, organisers said: "Due to a last-minute illness we regret that the band have had to cancel tonight's show. "We are working at this minute on scheduling a new date for Belfast. We will communicate with all ticket buyers via Ticketmaster and on the Custom House Square social media. "Tickets will remain valid for the new date. We apologise for any inconvenience caused." The band were due to play as part of a series of concerts at Custom House Square.

Summary: Rock band Kasabian have cancelled a concert in Belfast minutes before they were due to take to the stage on Tuesday night.


The 18-year-old was walking through Cardonald Cemetery at about 15:30 on Friday when she was attacked. Police have said she was touched inappropriately by a man who approached her from behind. She managed to push him away and he ran off towards Corkerhill Road. The woman was not injured and did not require medical treatment but is said to have been very distressed by the experience. The suspect is described as white, between 40 and 50 years of age, slim and of gaunt appearance. He had a Glasgow accent. He was wearing a navy and blue waterproof jacket, black shorts and trainers which may also have been dark in colour. Det Con Lauren Docherty said: "The young woman... had taken a shortcut through the cemetery. "She had come in to the grounds from the Mosspark side and was nearing the exit at Tarfside Gardens when the man came up to her and indecently assaulted her. "He then grabbed her roughly but she managed to push him off and he ran off towards Corkerhill Road. Ms Docherty added: "The cemetery is used by a lot of local people as a shortcut between Mosspark and the Tarfside flats and I am sure at this time of day there would have been people about who may have seen this happen. "It was also quite cold yesterday, so if you saw someone wearing shorts - the man didn't look like he was going to or coming from a sports centre - it may have looked out of place." Anyone with information has been asked to call police on the 101 number or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Summary: A young woman has been indecently assaulted in a Glasgow cemetery.


Luis Suarez scored twice, while Neymar and Andres Iniesta also scored as Barcelona moved six points clear of Real at the top of the table. BBC Sport reviews each player's performance, with BBC Radio 5 live co-commentator Chris Waddle, who was at the Bernabeu, giving his ratings out of 10.

Summary: Barcelona took the honours in the first El Clasico of the La Liga season with a dominant 4-0 win at Real Madrid on Saturday.


So, you'd think that when one of the tech sector's biggest events - TechCrunch Disrupt New York - moved to the birthplace of hipsters, that cutting-edge development and a good amount of facial hair would be on display. But this year's New York Disrupt didn't seem very disruptive. TechCruch's biggest Disrupt conference in San Francisco, its London version, and past New York events have always attracted innovative technology developers. Jordan Crook, senior writer for TechCrunch, was unconcerned by what seemed to be a slow burn in the sector, even in areas like virtual reality and artificial intelligence. "It's easy to see with hindsight that what seemed to be a slow transition was really a massive shift," she says. Take the technology for drones, which started as toys. Over the last year this has shifted and drones are being used for farming and policing and are being tested by companies like Amazon for delivering packages. SeaDrone, a finalist in Disrupt's start-up battlefield, is using drones to improve fishing. But along "start-up alley" many companies seemed focused on disruptive ideas from the past like dating apps, search engines and coffee-makers. Tony Xu, the creator of delivery company Door Dash, pushes back on the idea that there is limited disruption going on. "You need to understand your segment of the market," he tells the BBC. His company connects people looking to order food from local restaurants with "dashers" - ordinary people who can collect and deliver food from restaurants that don't typically offer this service. "Delivery isn't novel, but we claimed this space," he adds. Since 2013 Door Dash has given the 85% of US restaurants that don't deliver, the opportunity to participate in this market. Mr Xu points out disruption doesn't have to be totally new, simply changing the way we think a certain industry operates is enough. Ever heard of Uber? Connecting riders with taxis didn't seem that novel when it launched. Uber's success - connecting drivers and passengers in a given area and allowing them to pay via their phone - has spurred hundreds of businesses to copy the model for other industries. K. Kavi Raj, founder of app development company On Demand Bay, saw this as his chance for innovation. "When Uber became big we got a lot of requests for similar apps, so we thought we should come up with something ready-made," he explains. His company has sold mobile platforms to companies all over the world, helping to launch an "Uber" for tutors, for delivering alcohol and for musicians. One of the most disruptive things about tech start-ups has been their ability to change the way we do everyday tasks and there was a big focus on that at the conference. For example, Dog Parker offers dog owners peace of mind for a small fee. The company puts dog houses outside shops so owners can ensure their pets are safe while they are inside. Peloton is looking to break into the fitness industry with a stationary bike that allows users to follow a gym class on a tablet screen in

Summary: The Brooklyn Cruise Ship Terminal opened in 2006 - the same year that Twitter launched.


It has proposed setting up a new Scotland-wide statutory board to co-ordinate the activities of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The government said services already provided in the Highlands and Islands would be protected. A new service has also been proposed for the south of Scotland. The activities of Scottish Enterprise and HIE include the running of Scottish Development International, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council. The Scottish government carried out a review of enterprise and skills support earlier this year. It examined the roles, responsibilities and relationships of HIE and Scottish Enterprise. HIE supports businesses and promotes economic growth in the Northern Isles, Western Isles, Highlands, Moray and Argyll. It began as the Highlands and Islands Development Board 50 years ago. HIE was established in 1990. The CairnGorm Mountain ski resort and its funicular railway is among the assets it manages. A report on the first phase of the review of enterprise and skills services has been released. The contents of the report are due to be debated at Holyrood on Wednesday. Concerns about the future of HIE have already been raised by Highlands MSPs David Stewart and John Finnie. Mr Stewart said he would oppose any move to merge HIE with Scottish Enterprise. Earlier this month, in a response to a question from Mr Finnie, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish government would make sure HIE could continue to provide its services. Following the release on the new report, Economy Secretary Keith Brown said: "We are proud of our enterprise and skills agencies, and in recent years their efforts have contributed to real improvements in our economic performance. "But we know that further improvement is required - our ambition is for Scotland to rank among the top-performing OECD nations for productivity, equality, sustainability and wellbeing. "Since the review was announced, the EU referendum result has made the economic context more challenging. It requires that we renew our focus and prioritise our efforts. "This review has focused on how we can build on existing strengths and successes to further improve the enterprise and skills support system in Scotland. "This will ensure a system in which all of our agencies work both hand in glove with each other and collaboratively with our business, academic and civic partners to optimise economic impact across the whole of Scotland." Scottish Conservative economy spokesman Dean Lockhart said: "While I am pleased that the SNP have followed our lead once again in suggesting a South of Scotland enterprise agency, a lot more needs to be done. "Our enterprise agencies are already doing a great job in encouraging business growth, but as Audit Scotland have said, it's the Scottish government that is holding them back. "They need far more support in the work that they do, and a clear plan on exactly how the Scottish government want them to deliver its economic strategy."

Summary: The Scottish government has set out plans to reform Scotland's enterprise and skills agencies.


Is the new popularity of anti-EU parties in the UK, France, Greece and Spain a hangover from the crash of 2007-8, the euro crisis of 2010-13 and long years of squeezed living standards - a protest from those who feel dispossessed in an economic sense? Or does the surge of UKIP, the Front National and Syriza, inter alia, reflect a more profound sense that the mainstream parties and conventional political institutions no longer serve the interests of millions of people? Is it "the economy, stupid", or is it "globalisation and a dysfunctional EU, stupid"? The answer matters. Maybe the economy is easier to fix - although not necessarily in the eurozone, which still lacks the requisite cross-border political solidarity that would allow the excessive debt burden to be pooled, and its growth-deadening impact to be mitigated. As for the UK, it is possible that the current economic recovery will suddenly translate into a significant rise in living standards, that has been so elusive for six years. But the prime minister might not be best advised to count on it. A significant microcosm of both the problem and the solution is London - where, significantly, UKIP resonated less and performed less well than elsewhere. Part of the explanation is that globalisation - which gives many a sense that they have little direct control over their economic destiny - enriches London. Much of the rest of the UK sees globalisation and its manifestations - such as immigration - as disempowering, impoverishing and a threat. Whereas for Londoners, globalisation is an economic competition they are apparently winning. Of course, there are tensions within London generated by the nature of its success - the west London ghettoes of the non-dom super-rich aren't everyone's cup of tea, and high and inflationary property prices undermine social cohesion. But I haven't heard many Londoners describe the capital as "the dark star of the economy", which is how it was characterised in March by the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond. The capital's gravitational pull for what Mr Salmond called "resources, people and energy" is bound to be seen with different degrees of enthusiasm by those inside and outside the Great Wen. Alex Salmond's hope was that an independent Scotland would be able to exert a new pull for talent and money, and provide more economic balance in this island. Which some would say is a challenging argument to make, since the trends that are pumping up London are supra-national. In a world where barriers to the flow of money, services, people, goods and data have progressively been removed, vast flows of money, services, people, goods and data are drawn to where they find their ilk. Or to put it another way, the rise of London is the rise of one of the world's megacities, those urban centres which thrive semi-independently of the countries where they are located. According to the consultancy McKinsey, some 70% of all worldwide economic activity takes place in the world's 600 largest cities. And the most vital cities, on its analysis, are those that are

Summary: How much of the rise in Europe's anti-establishment parties of right and left is cyclical and how much is long-term and secular?


Members of the Unite union working for Wood Group on eight Shell installations will vote on whether to strike. The union said its members were "deeply worried" and felt they had no other option but to consider industrial action. Wood Group said it was "extremely disappointed" at the news during the consultation process. The platforms involved are Shearwater, Gannet, Nelson, Curlew, Brent Delta, Brent Alpha, Brent Bravo and Brent Charlie. In February, Aberdeen-based Wood Group PSN announced it was cutting rates paid to about a third of its UK contractor workforce.

Summary: Hundreds of North Sea workers are to be balloted for industrial action in a dispute over pay cuts.


Each week in the UK, about 12 seemingly healthy people aged 35 or under are victims of sudden cardiac death, largely due to undiagnosed heart conditions. If you have a family member who has been diagnosed with an inherited heart condition, or has a family history of premature deaths, doctors will suggest you be tested. Having angina or a heart attack at a young age can also prompt a test. Young people should also be checked if they have: They carry out an electrocardiogram test - also known as an ECG. This looks at the electrical activity of the heart. It is painless and involves having small stickers placed on the chest, which are connected to the ECG machine. A cardiologist checks the results. Sometimes, an echocardiogram - an ultrasound test that looks at the structure of the heart - is also done. If someone under 35 has died suddenly, the NHS will offer "cascade testing" to family members to see if they have inherited a faulty gene. Just being identified helps. People can then be monitored, and encouraged to make any lifestyle changes that could help them. There are drug treatments available - and people can be fitted with internal cardioverter defibrillators - a matchbox-sized device placed just under the collar bone that gives the heart electric pulses or shocks to get the heart rhythm back to normal. Other procedures and surgery are also available. Talk to your GP if you have any concerns. These websites have more information:

Summary: About 620,000 people in the UK have a faulty gene that puts them at risk of developing coronary heart disease or sudden death, and most are unaware, heart experts have warned.


The 133-year-old statue depicted General Robert E Lee, the top military leader in the Confederacy, crossing his arms as he faced north towards his old enemy. Critics say monuments to the Confederacy are racially offensive, but supporters say they are important symbols of the city's Southern heritage. The three other statues were all removed at night to limit clashes. The workers on the job were wearing bullet-proof vests as well as masks. In a statement on Thursday, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said the condemned statues "were erected decades after the Civil War to celebrate the 'Cult of the Lost Cause', a movement recognised across the South as celebrating and promoting white supremacy." Barricades went up overnight around the park where the 16ft (4.8m) statue was perched atop a 60ft column. The cables for a nearby streetcar were also temporarily taken down to allow construction equipment into the park. Before police cleared the area on Thursday, nearly 200 protesters gathered to voice support and opposition to the monument. Demonstrations were mostly peaceful, local media report. The only flashpoint was when a pro-removal protester snatched a Confederate battle flag. One man was arrested for climbing on to the monument's pedestal and refusing to come down. The monument to Lee was erected on 22 February 1884 - nearly 20 years after the Civil War ended. On the day of the unveiling, a crowd of nearly 15,000 people came to watch, the Daily Picayune newspaper reported the next day. At the exact moment that the statue was unveiled, a 100-gun salute was fired, and "a mighty shout went up from the soldiers of the Confederacy", the Daily Picayune reported. City officials say the monuments will be moved somewhere such as a museum where they can be "placed in their proper historical context from a dark period of American history". But WWL-TV has found the removed monuments to Confederate President Jefferson Davis and PGT Beauregard in a city-owned scrap yard. Supporters of the monuments say they are a cultural legacy that promotes heritage rather than racism. The decision to remove the statues came in December 2015, six months after a white supremacist shot dead nine black worshippers at a South Carolina church.

Summary: Masked city workers in New Orleans have removed the last of four monuments to the pro-slavery rebellion defeated in the US Civil War.


From mid-June councils will have powers to issue penalty charge notices to the registered owner of a car, regardless of who littered. CCTV images will be used to record number plates and trace owners, said London Councils. The AA said the majority of its members wanted tougher penalties for people who drop litter from cars. Littering is already a criminal offence which incurs a fine, under the Environmental Protection Act. To prosecute someone for littering from a car required proving beyond reasonable doubt which passenger disposed of the rubbish, which is very difficult, said a spokesman for London Councils. But the organisation which represents London's 33 councils put a private bill through Parliament to amend the London Local Authorities Act so that the owner of a vehicle or pedicab will be liable to pay littering fines. Council officers and Police Community Support Officers will be among those who can issue penalties, said London Councils. The exact level of fine will be decided on 14 June and the new law should come into effect on 18 June. An AA spokesman said the organisation's research suggests the majority of drivers in London and Britain would like greater penalties for littering from cars. In a survey of 1,628 AA members in London in 2009, 58% said they loathed motoring "litter louts" enough to support tough penalties, such as points on their driving licence, large fines and community sentences. Ninety-three percent agreed that roadside litter gave a bad impression of Britain and spoilt local communities. Seven per cent admitted littering. He said: "A cigarette thrown from a car will spark and make a driver jump. Similarly a container coming at your windscreen will make you duck." But he pointed out that enforcement will be an issue and there will be cases where items are dropped accidentally. He said: "In amongst rubbish you will always find a baby's dummy and know that it's unlikely that its mother wanted that littered. "What happens if a six-year-old opens the back door, drops something and walks off? That could be littering."

Summary: Car owners in London will face fines of up to £100 if someone drops litter from their vehicles, under a law change.


Players involved in the incident with Morpeth Town, following Newton's 3-2 FA Vase defeat, have also left the club. Dixon was dismissed "due to the on-going ill-discipline" of some players. "It's not been easy but we've acted straight away and want to draw a line under it," chairman Allan Oliver told BBC Sport. "If there are any investigations we will fully take part, but it is difficult to comment further." Newton Aycliffe, of Northern Football League Division One - the ninth tier of English football - have previously been the subject of a Durham Football Association investigation after Spennymoor Town refused to play the second half of a pre-season friendly in July after the match took an "aggressive direction". Oliver said Dixon's departure was related only to Saturday's incident. Morpeth's joint-chairman Gary Munday said the club, who play in the same league as Newton Aycliffe, are in the process of submitting a full statement to the Football Association as the incident is understood to have also been witnessed by the match referee. While the club have not made a complaint to police, they said that if any player was to report an assault they will fully support any investigation. Video footage of the clash at Newton Aycliffe's Moore Lane Park ground against their north east rivals shows a number of players from the home side running towards and gathering at the visitors' dressing room door. Morpeth staff and coaches are said to have kept Newton Aycliffe players back, with at least one member of the home club's staff also trying to keep players out. Oliver and another staff member are also understood to have walked Morpeth players back to their cars after the match. Munday said he "had never witnessed anything like it at a football match" and "applauded Newton Aycliffe's strong stance" in dealing with the matter internally. However, he fears it could have an effect on the club's support. "We are shocked and disgusted by what happened," he said. "Morpeth Town is a very family-orientated football club as we encourage our juniors, free of charge to support the club - that grass-root support is the future of football. "Unfortunately, we have had parents say that they will never take their children to away games again. "We will try to encourage them back as we do feel that this is a one-off." The BBC have contacted the FA for comment, but are yet to get a response.

Summary: Newton Aycliffe sacked their manager Peter Dixon after players from the non-league club fought their way into their opponents' dressing room.


Tree surgeon Jon Sterkel told the BBC he used an explosive rifle target which sent blue smoke billowing into the air. The blast was reportedly so loud that it was heard nearly 5km (3 miles) away. Mr Sterkel has apologised after causing a police alert. He said that he was not aware his actions were illegal. "The explosives I bought are readily available in most department stores, and even most law enforcers I have spoken to are not aware that they are illegal," he told the BBC. He said that he had detonated exploding targets before on his remote farmland west of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, without upsetting anyone. How are new babies celebrated around the world? He said that Saturday's explosion contained blue smoke - caused by chalk powder - to tell the outside world that his wife Ashley is expecting a baby boy. Mr Sterkel, 26, can be heard proclaiming "it's a boy!" on the video of the explosion which has been widely featured on numerous US websites. But the blast was so loud that police in nearby Scottsbluff were alerted, with some residents concerned that a major disaster had taken place. Mr Sterkel said that he immediately called the local sheriff to explain what had happened in addition to apologising for his actions. "I would like to say sorry for all of the confusion," he said. "I am a man of character and will willingly go to court if the district attorney chooses to prosecute me. "This was just our way of announcing what gender our baby was." Mr Sterkel faces charges for detonating the explosive without a valid permit. There was no damage or injury but he could be punished with a prison sentence and a fine of $1,000 (Â£800). Police told the Omaha World Herald that although exploding targets, which are detonated when shot with a high powered rifle, have recently become popular, people who use them need to follow the correct procedures. Mr Sterkel told the BBC that he does not plan any more spectacular blasts once the baby, his first child, is born around 16 June. And the baby's name? "Possibly Wesson, in honour of the rifle maker Smith and Wesson," he said.

Summary: A US man who celebrated news that his wife was expecting a baby boy by setting off an explosion in Nebraska is facing police action which could result in a year in jail and a fine.


Brett this week told BBC Scotland he hoped to have a future with Cowdenbeath but would accept their decision. And the 24-year-old has now been dismissed by the Central Park club. This week Brett was also banned by the Scottish FA for four matches, with a further four suspended, for offensive posts on Twitter. Brett was initially suspended by Cowden as a result of the betting offences, which came to light after the SFA looked at his Twitter account over the alleged offensive tweets. It was found that he had placed 2,787 bets, with eight of those against his own team, and five of those involving matches in which he played. Players in Scotland are not allowed to bet on any football matches. Brett had faced a traumatic few years in his personal life, with his 22-year-old wife having died of cancer in January 2015, four months after their daughter Mollie, who was born prematurely, had died. Media playback is not supported on this device Cowdenbeath revealed a club hearing over the betting offences had determined the player was guilty of gross misconduct, and said it was with a "very heavy heart" that the board decided to dismiss the player. A statement read: "The board's duty was clear. A player betting on his own team to lose, often in matches in which he was playing, is not a situation Cowdenbeath FC could accept or excuse. Simply put, no Cowdenbeath FC player committing such an act could remain in the employ of the club. "The board of Cowdenbeath FC therefore has today conveyed to Dean its decision is that he is dismissed and his employment has been terminated without notice. We believe this decision to be one that any reasonable employer would make and that it is both fair and reasonable in the circumstances." The club also revealed that the SFA had found Brett guilty of making "comments upon a social networking site, namely Twitter, that were of a discriminatory, and offensive nature, based upon sexual orientation as well as comments that were otherwise of an offensive nature," resulting in the ban.

Summary: Cowdenbeath defender Dean Brett has been sacked by the League Two club after admitting betting against his own team.


The company's board met on Sunday but has not released any details on Mr Kalanick's future yet. The board also voted on a review of its policies and corporate culture by former US Attorney General Eric Holder. The review was instigated in February after former Uber engineer Susan Fowler made claims of sexual harassment. Uber confirmed to the BBC that "the board unanimously voted to adopt all the recommendations of the Holder Report. The recommendations will be released to the employees on Tuesday." It has not been confirmed what those recommendations are. It is possible that Mr Kalanick could take time off from Uber and then return to a role with less authority, or remain as chief executive but face more scrutiny, the Reuters news agency reported. The New York Times reported that one of Mr Holder's recommendations was that Emil Michael, Uber's senior vice-president of business and a close confidant of Mr Kalanick, should leave the company. The board meeting comes just days after Uber said it had fired more than 20 people, and was taking other actions against staff, for issues including sexual harassment and bullying. If Mr Michael does leave it would be the latest high-profile departure from Uber. Last week Uber's finance chief, Gautam Gupta, said he was leaving, following New York general manager, Josh Mohrer, and the head of Uber's self-driving unit, Anthony Levandowski, out of the door. Mr Kalanick has earned a reputation as an abrasive leader and was criticised earlier this year after being caught on video berating an Uber driver. He said in response to the video: "I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up." Uber board member Arianna Huffington said in March that Mr Kalanick needed to change his leadership style from that of a "scrappy entrepreneur" to be more like a "leader of a major global company". The board has been seeking to recruit a chief operating officer to assist the chief executive. Some investors are concerned at the power Mr Kalanick has over Uber because of the number of voting shares he controls. San Francisco-based Uber is valued at nearly $70bn (Â£55bn) but is yet to make a profit.

Summary: Uber's chief executive could be forced to take a leave of absence under changes being considered by the firm, reports say.


Cheap Trick, and Steve Miller also made the 2016 list, but Chic - nominated for a record tenth time - missed out on the honour. The five acts were chosen by fans and more than 800 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. They will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in a ceremony in April. To be eligible, artists or bands need to have released their first single or album 25 years ago. Others who were nominated this year but didn't make the cut include Janet Jackson, Nine Inch Nails and The Smiths. It was the fourth time rap stars NWA - the subject of this year's hit biopic Straight Outta Compton - had been nominated. Led by Dr Dre and Ice Cube, NWA are described as "unexpected, shocking, flawed, revolutionary and worthy," by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "NWA's improbable rise from marginalized outsiders to the most controversial and complicated voices of their generation remains one of rock's most explosive, relevant and challenging tales", it said. It was the third nomination for British metal band Deep Purple. A statement from the organisers said: "Deep Purple's non-inclusion in the Hall is a gaping hole which must now be filled," calling them "the Holy Trinity of hard rock and metal bands" along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath who are already inductees. Seventies rock band Chicago, led by Peter Cetera is also an omission according to organisers. "Chicago's early line-up created such an unmistakable sound and their inclusion into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is not only well-deserved, but an honour that has been overlooked. "With over 21 top 10 singles, five consecutive number one albums, 11 number one singles - fans that stretch across the globe and countless bands that have followed in their wake, Chicago's legacy is unquestionable." Steve Miller and Cheap Trick are first time nominees. Earlier this year, Green Day, Lou Reed, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Ringo Starr were among those inducted into the Hall of Fame as the class of 2015.

Summary: Ground-breaking rap act NWA, Deep Purple and Chicago have been announced as inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.


Continuing changes to secondary education mean the situation can be confusing. With only a few days to secure a sixth-form place or take an alternative path, such as an apprenticeship or vocational college course, getting the right advice is key. Vicky Coleman, an adviser with the National Careers Service, is offering advice to readers. My daughter is in year 10 and has received her results today. She is devastated that she got C and D grades in her science exams - and a C in English literature. Can these exams be sat again? Diane, Gloucestershire I'm sorry that your daughter did not get what she was expecting, although she should still be really proud of the C grades she has received. As she is only in year 10, she still has plenty of time to resit exams if she so wishes. It is possible to retake maths, English language and English (combination of literature and language) in November but unfortunately it is not possible to resit English literature on its own at this time. However your daughter can resit all of her exams next summer including science and English literature, it could help to speak to her school if she would like to resit, as they would be able to give her more information on their processes for resits. Most colleges and sixth forms will accept young people with four or five GCSEs at C grades and there are lots of other opportunities now post-16 such as apprenticeships and vocational qualifications. Your daughter still has lots of doors open to her and she should be very proud of what she has achieved so far. I have a better grade than I have expected, as a result of very hard work. My question is, I want to try better sixth forms than the ones I have got. How do I go about doing this, as I did not apply to these schools originally? Adannaya, Edmonton Firstly, a huge congratulations on your grades. It's fantastic to hear that all of your hard work has paid off. If you would like to go to a different sixth form or college, you would need to speak to them directly to see if you can get a place. The website Ucas Progress is great for looking for level-three courses in your local area. There is also a course-search facility on the National Careers Service website. After you have found colleges or sixth forms that would be of interest to you, I would suggest giving them a phone call over the next week to find out about places and their admissions process. My daughter has received her GCSE results and is disappointed with some of her grades. She had very good course work results and studied hard for the exams but in four subjects in particular she is gutted. These are geography where she was predicted A* and she got a B, English language where she had extra tuition and was expecting an A and got B, history predicted high A got a B and music predicted A

Summary: What do you do if your grades are different from those you were expecting?


Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez slotted in the winning spot-kick after Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain fired over and Ever Banega was denied by Claudio Bravo. Higuain had earlier missed from close range after 90 minutes of few chances. Sanchez came closest in extra time for Chile, who scored all four of their penalties in the shootout. Where Chile held their nerve, Argentina wilted in the shootout at the end of a performance that fell well short of the heights they reached in their 6-1 semi-final win over Paraguay. Le Albiceleste are without a major trophy in the last 22 years since winning the 1993 Copa America in Ecuador. Chile's victory brought an end to almost a century of competing in the Copa America without claiming a title. They were one of four teams who played in the very first tournament in 1916 in Argentina but the best they had done until this year was runner-up, which they have achieved on four occasions (1955, 1956, 1979 and 1987). The Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos was a cauldron of noise on Saturday, full of flag-waving red-clad home supporters, some of whom had reportedly paid up to $25,000 for tickets. They were not treated to a dazzling attacking display from their side but rather one of drive, discipline and, ultimately, composure, epitomised by the industrious and energetic Sanchez and Charles Aranguiz. Both sides scored their opening penalty, with Matias Fernandez emphatically finding the top corner for Chile before Lionel Messi sent his kick low into the bottom corner. However, after Arturo Vidal had powerfully dispatched Chile's second, Higuain blazed his effort way over the bar. Charles Aranguiz made it 3-1 to the hosts and it remained that way as Ever Banega's tame effort was palmed away by the diving Claudio Bravo. Sanchez showed supreme composure to chip his effort down the middle and in to win the game and the competition for his side. Following Argentina's World Cup final defeat to Germany last summer, four-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi once again missed out on his first major international medal. He put in a supreme showing in the Copa America semi-final demolition of Paraguay, playing a part in all six of his nation's goals, but on Saturday he was largely on the periphery throughout, with his most significant contribution being a trademark run towards the Chile box to set up a wasted chance for Higuain in the final minute. The 28-year-old is not entirely to blame for his failure in Santiago. His team-mates did little to create the space the forward needs to be effective, not did they find him with the regularity he is used to when playing for his club. Credit must also go to Chile, who were quick to close him down whenever he did receive the ball in a threatening position. Napoli forward Higuain was criticised for missing a superb chance in the World Cup final defeat to Germany in Brazil last summer and he was once again in the spotlight for the wrong reasons on Saturday. He was guilty of spurning an opportunity to

Summary: Chile secured the first major trophy in their history on home soil courtesy of a penalty shootout win over Argentina in the Copa America final.


The law is to be changed in Spring 2017 to make directors personally liable for breaches of regulations. At the moment only firms can be fined for ignoring rules on cold calling, but many declare bankruptcy - only to open up again under a different name. Consumer group Which? said it was a "massive victory". Companies offering to help to reclaim mis-sold payment protection insurance or with accident claims are behind some of the most common nuisance calls. The change will mean the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) would be able to impose combined penalties of up to £1m on company directors and their businesses for breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. The ICO has issued fines totalling almost £3.7m to companies behind nuisance calls and spam text messages. Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said companies behind the calls have "little regard for the anxiety and upset they cause all in the name of turning a fast profit". "We are inundated with complaints from people who are left shaken and distressed by the intrusion on their daily lives," she added. Source: BBC Skillswise Which? has campaigned on the issue and its managing director of home and legal services Alex Neill said "the government has listened to consumers". "This legislation will stop rogues dodging fines for bombarding consumers with nuisance calls and side-stepping the rules by closing one business and re-establishing a new one." Digital and culture minister Matt Hancock said: "Nuisance callers are a blight on society, causing significant distress to elderly and vulnerable people. "We have been clear that we will not stand for this continued harassment and this latest amendment to the law will strike another blow to those businesses and company bosses responsible."

Summary: Company directors could be fined up to £500,000 if their business is behind nuisance phone calls, under government moves to clamp down on the problem.


Media playback is not supported on this device A feeling every professional footballer has when thinking about pre-season is pure dread - even while the tans are being topped up on a beach far, far away from a sweaty British gym or open field. Just how hard can it be, though? Are they just overpaid moaners or are they athletes pushed to their absolute limit? To find out, some idiot from BBC Sport (me) did the same test many footballers up and down the country are doing for their fitness. I'm a 24-year-old occasional runner, casual cyclist and failed box-to-box midfielder with severe weaknesses for chicken wings, chocolate milkshake and custard doughnuts. That makes me decidedly 'average' with a body to match - a perfect comparison between the everyday individual, whatever that is, and finely tuned athletes. With trepidation, I travelled to the University of Essex on one of the warmest weeks of the millennium to take a test "to the point of exhaustion" alongside players from League One side Colchester United. The test I did was very similar to the notorious VO2 Max test, in that you run on a treadmill with incremental speed increases until you can literally go no longer - the only difference being I was not wearing a Bane-like oxygen mask so would not find out what my VO2 Max was. "The players don't like it because they don't want to be taken out of their comfort zone," said U's sports scientist Stefano Russo. "But for us, we get to see blood lactate measurements which we can compare to the end of the season to see where they are at and what they've been doing. "We also measure their maximum heart-rates so we can monitor their training and make sure training loads aren't pushing them too hard." Russo talked about blood lactate - but what is it and why is it important to test? "During exercise, lactic acid is broken down into lactate and a hydrogen ion," explained Chris McManus from the University of Essex. "It is this lactate that accumulates in the blood and is reflective of the intensity of the exercise bring completed. "Well-trained athletes are able to maintain a lower level of lactate accumulation during exercise at higher intensities." If pain is your thing, you can have a go at it yourself. Start the treadmill at about nine kilometres per hour and increase it every three minutes, with a 45-second break in between. You also need someone to take a blood sample during that short haven when you can suck in some oxygen. For the footballers and I, however: "We start at 11 kmh, and they typically last up to 18-19 kmh," said McManus. "We could all probably jump on the treadmill and run at 20 kmh for a couple of minutes, but these guys are starting at 11 and every three minutes it goes up by around 1.5 kmh." Sounds great, doesn't it? So great that it was the only thing that the players - and therefore myself - were allowed to do

Summary: Profusely sweating, panting for air and feeling lunch turning in my stomach - I thought to myself 'Why did I volunteer for this?'


End of Instagram post by chloeayling The 20-year-old woman, named in reports as Chloe Ayling, had travelled to the city to attend a photo shoot. Italian police said she was attacked by two men on arrival on 11 July and drugged and abducted, apparently to be sold in an online auction. The officers said they had arrested Polish national Lukasz Herba, who lives in the UK, on kidnapping charges. Ms Ayling said she feared for her life throughout the "terrifying experience", according to the Telegraph. Italian police said the model was drugged with ketamine before being locked in a bag and transported in a car to a house in Borgial, north-west of Turin. She was handcuffed to a wooden chest of drawers in a bedroom for six days until she was released taken to the British consulate in Milan, they added. It is alleged the kidnappers attempted to sell the model online for £230,000 ($300,000) and demanded her agent pay a ransom fee. Investigations into the case are being carried out by authorities in Italy, Poland and the UK. A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said an address in Sampson Close, Oldbury, had been raided on 18 July in connection with the inquiry. A National Crime Agency (NCA) spokesman said: "The NCA and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit have been providing support to the Italian authorities during this investigation."

Summary: A British model who was allegedly kidnapped in Milan and held captive for six days has returned to the UK.


Explosives lit up the sky and loud bangs were heard as the fire took hold at 05:00 BST on Bitterne Road West. Homes and properties within 100 metres (328ft) of the fire on the site of the Southern Fireworks Factory and the Flower Factory were evacuated. No-one was injured. Surrounding roads are expected to remain closed overnight. More than 70 firefighters in 13 engines and support vehicles helped bring the blaze under control. Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service group commander Howard Watts said: "It was a challenging scene when we arrived - with all the explosions we couldn't get too close to the fire. "Our main concern making sure everyone in the area was safe and to make sure no-one was in the building." At the height of the blaze, a plume of black smoke billowed over the area. Resident Jill Sainsbury said she heard an "almighty bang" and saw different colours appear in the sky at around 05:00. She said: "We thought it was coming from the river until we saw a massive plume of smoke coming from the Fireworks Factory near the Flower Factory. "The fireworks had been going off for at least an hour - it has stopped now - but certainly the plume of smoke is still pouring over the river and the city." Ryan Gregory, who lives nearby, said he initially thought the bangs were gunshots. He said: "I looked out of my window to see there was a lot of smoke. Immediately I knew it was from the Firework Factory, but I didn't expect it to go up in the blaze that it did." The A3024 Bitterne Road West and and Bitterne Bridge have been closed in both directions while firefighters deal with the blaze. Southampton City Council said it had lifted the toll on the Itchen Bridge until the road reopens. The authority said the road closures were expected to remain in place overnight Southern Water also warned the considerable use of hydrants in the area had left some residents with poor pressure or temporary loss of their water supply. Bitterne Manor Primary School on Quayside Road was also closed. A rest centre has been set up at the Ascension Centre in Thorold Road for 60 residents who have had to leave their homes. The council confirmed a licence to store fireworks had been issued to Southern Firework Factory Ltd in September. A spokesman said the storage conditions at the premises "complied with the relevant conditions". "At the time of the licence application the premises was purely commercial with no residential accommodation attached. As such the licence permitted 250kg (550lbs) net explosive content to be stored in a steel container secured against unauthorised access," he said.

Summary: A huge blaze broke out at a shop in Southampton, setting off dozens of fireworks stored inside.


Nearly one-third of voters backed the anti-immigration FN, which won in six out of France's 13 regions. Despite the FN surge, a second round on 13 December will be the decider. It was the first electoral test since last month's Paris attacks, in which jihadist gunmen killed 130 people. The nationalist FN got about 28%, ahead of the centre-right Republicans party led by former President Nicolas Sarkozy, which polled just under 27%, and the governing Socialist Party (PS), trailing with 23.5%. The PS said it was withdrawing from the second round in two regions, in the north and south, to try to block a run-off victory for the FN. On Twitter, Marine Le Pen said both the PS and Republicans "are crumbling" and "the French people are sick and tired of that old political world". French press sees traditional parties in meltdown Has France's National Front changed? The far right's charm offensive In a series of interviews she condemned the PS for withdrawing some candidates from the second round, saying the PS was "neither loyal nor democratic" and was "treating its voters like ballot fodder". The PS candidate in a third region, Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine in eastern France, rejected a call from party leader Jean-Christophe Cambadelis to withdraw in the second round. Jean-Pierre Masseret said he could not be expected to leave 5.5 million people in the hands of a Republican party that had veered to the extreme or an extreme nationalist right. Mr Sarkozy refused to do any tactical deals with the PS for the second-round ballot. The result on Sunday was a major blow for Socialist President Francois Hollande, who had seen improved poll ratings after the Paris attacks. France's new regional authorities have wide powers over local transport, education and economic development. The vote is also an important test of FN support ahead of the 2017 presidential election. There is a surly anti-establishment mood in France, of which the National Front- a quintessential anti-establishment party - is taking full advantage. Of course triumph for the FN will not necessarily translate into power. The regional elections (like most French elections) are in two rounds. Next Sunday, voters may rally around the two main parties. But in two regions - the north and on the Cote d'Azur - the National Front has smashed the opposition. In a third - Alsace - its chances are very strong. Others are not beyond reach. Read more from Hugh Marine Le Pen has distanced the FN from her father Jean-Marie Le Pen, who founded it and has been prosecuted for anti-Semitism. She argues that France cannot take in more Muslim immigrants. Widespread anxiety about immigration and the fear of further terrorist attacks are believed to have boosted the FN's support. Marine Le Pen stood in Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie, an economically depressed northern region that used to be a Socialist stronghold. Her niece Marion Marechal-Le Pen stood in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur in the south. Both won more than 40% of the vote, breaking previous records for the party. Marine Le Pen called it a "magnificent result" which proved the FN was

Summary: The triumphant leader of the far-right National Front (FN), Marine Le Pen, says French voters rejected the "old political class" in regional elections that put her party top.


The story - which originally appeared in the Huffington Post - says the mayors will be left off the speakers list at the event in September. It says the Labour leader and four shadow cabinet members will be given prime speaking slots in Brighton. Mr Corbyn said the conference agenda had not been drawn up yet. Asked about the story on a campaigning visit to Morecambe, the Labour leader said he had "no idea" why The Sun was reporting it. He said: "The Sun seem to be trying to run the Labour Party. Well I have news for The Sun - they don't." On Wednesday, Labour's shadow equalities minister Sarah Champion quit her role over an article she wrote for the Sun about grooming gangs. The Rotherham MP told the newspaper a week ago that "Britain has a problem with British Pakistani men raping and exploiting white girls". She apologised for her "extremely poor choice of words," after earlier suggesting the Sun had altered what she had written, something denied by the newspaper. According to Huffington Post political editor Paul Waugh, Mr Corbyn and four shadow cabinet members - John McDonnell, Emily Thornberry, Diane Abbott and Keir Starmer - will be pushed as the face of the party and given prime speaking slots at the conference. This means there will be less time for other leading figures, suggests Waugh, adding that some in the party fear the leadership want "revenge" on Mr Burnham and Mr Khan for being critical of Mr Corbyn in the past.

Summary: Jeremy Corbyn has hit back at a report in the Sun newspaper claiming Labour mayors Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan will be "frozen out" of Labour's conference.


Police were called to the gorge, near Blair Atholl, at about 17:50. Officers have been joined by the fire service, ambulance crews, a helimed and the local mountain rescue team for the search. A spokesman for Police Scotland said: "There is currently no sign of the individual who is missing."

Summary: Emergency services are carrying out a search after a person went missing in the Falls of Bruar in Perthshire.


The 32-year-old St Eunan's clubman won the All-Ireland title with Donegal in 2012 and was in the side which lost to Kerry in last year's decider. Kavanagh also helped Donegal to three Ulster Championship triumphs and a National League title. He made his debut against Cork in 2001 and clocked up 132 Donegal appearances. Kavanagh's last game for Donegal came in the defeat by Kerry in September's All-Ireland final at Croke Park. The highpoint of the Letterkenny man's career was winning the Sam Maguire Cup two year earlier thanks to victory over Mayo. Kavanagh, who will continue to play for St Eunan's, has become the first member of that All-Ireland winning squad to retire. He played 49 championship games for Donegal, starting with his Ulster SFC debut in 2002. Eamon McGee, Karl Lacey and Mark McHugh have been among the Donegal players to pay tribute to Kavanagh's service to the county. "Rory Kavanagh was one of the best players I've played with. A true professional on and off the field. Taught me so much," said McHugh on Twitter. McGee described Kavanagh as "without a doubt one of the best I've played with" while Lacey said the St Eunan's club was "still an unbelievable athlete".

Summary: Donegal midfielder Rory Kavanagh has announced his retirement from inter-county football because of work and family considerations.


The new P1 pupils will have teachers across the area seeing double when they begin the new term on Monday. The new intake means there will be a total of 72 sets of twins at primary schools in Inverclyde. Education officials were surprised when the number of twins rose to 16 in 2011. The huge increase since then has left them wondering if there is "something in the water".

Summary: Schools in Inverclyde are preparing to welcome a record 19 sets of twins.


The pair, who were wearing stage make-up, fake blood and white contact lenses, were returning from filming online sitcom Dead Town on Sunday. Steve Lowe and Diane Holden of Ashton-under-Lyne were on the M62 near Warrington when they were pulled over. Police shared a picture and tweeted "posing as Zombies - takes all sorts". The pair were filming the third and final episode of Dead Town which is based in Runcorn, Cheshire when the North West Motorway Police officer pulled them over in an unmarked car. Mr Lowe said the officer burst out laughing when he saw their attire. "I think he was very surprised; he wasn't frightened but pleasantly amused. "He asked if he could take a photograph because no-one would believe him back at the station." Mr Lowe, 60, said he has been dressing up as a zombie for a couple of years. "It is brilliant; really good fun. There is a big zombie community - it's a nice big zombie family." A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police added: "No further action was taken."

Summary: A couple dressed as zombies were stopped by concerned motorway police responding to reports of a woman being assaulted in a car.


State department spokeswoman Marie Harf confirmed that Mr Fowle was on his way home on Tuesday following negotiations. She said the US was working to secure the release of two other US nationals, Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae, who remain in detention in North Korea. The US has accused North Korea of using the detained Americans as pawns in a diplomatic game. Mr Fowle, 56, entered North Korea on 29 April and was detained in early June as he was leaving the country. He was charged with "anti-state" crimes. He was reported to have left a Bible in the toilet of a restaurant in the northern port city of Chongjin but his family have insisted that he was not on a mission for his church. Missionary activity is considered a crime in North Korea. In August, he and fellow detainee Matthew Miller made a televised appeal to the US government to help secure their release. Responding to the appeal, the US authorities vowed to make securing the release of the detainees a "top priority". Mr Miller was later sentenced to six years' hard labour for committing "hostile acts". The state department's Marie Harf said Washington welcomed Mr Fowle's release, adding that US officials "remain focused on the continued detention of Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller and again call on the DPRK [North Korea] to immediately release them". She said North Korea had asked the US government to transport Jeffrey Fowle out of the country as a condition of his release. She also thanked Sweden, which serves as the US protecting power in North Korea, for the "tireless efforts" of its embassy in Pyongyang. No reason was given for Mr Fowle's release. Washington has been trying to send high-level representatives to negotiate the detainees' release, but these visits have been cancelled by North Korea in recent months. Pyongyang has denied accusations that it is using the arrested Americans as diplomatic bargaining chips.

Summary: Jeffrey Fowle, one of three US citizens detained in North Korea, has been released, US officials say.


14 September 2015 Last updated at 11:49 BST Brothers George Skrzynecky and Lucian Poznanski were born in Germany after their Polish mother was sent to a forced labour camp. When she became ill and could not look after them, the twins were taken to Poland and adopted separately. For many years they did not know each other existed. In the 1960s George, who now lives in America, tried to find his brother but he could not be traced. But after a successful search last year the twins have finally been reunited. Watch the clip to see the moment the twins meet each other for the first time.

Summary: A pair of twins, separated at birth at the end of World War Two, have been reunited after almost 70 years apart.


Negotiators have been accused by charities and NGOs of not moving fast enough at interim talks in Germany. Countries are working towards options to limit greenhouse gas emissions from 2020 ahead of a crunch December summit. But the UN said progress had been made in streamlining the text of a new agreement. The climate talks in Bonn are designed to pave the way towards the signing of a new deal in Paris at the end of the year that will shape the world's actions over climate change for decades to come. On Wednesday, Christian Aid said there was a danger of ''sleepwalking into Paris''. ''There has been too much time spent fiddling around with the unimportant details of the text,'' said the charity's senior climate change adviser, Mohamed Adow. ''Negotiators have acted like schoolchildren colouring in their homework timetable and not getting round to any actual homework.'' He said negotiations must deliver ''a robust text soon otherwise they will cause further unacceptable delays and result in countries sleepwalking into Paris''. Momentum is building towards the UN climate summit in Paris. Key sticking points include finance to help developing countries adapt to climate change and agreeing on immediate and binding targets for carbon emissions. But negotiating time is running out with only around 10 days' worth of negotiations remaining after the Bonn talks close. On Wednesday, countries discussed new draft text for the agreement designed to boost climate action in the short term. A network of NGOs known as the Climate Action Network said there were ''solid suggestions for delivering near-term action that will be up for decision in Paris''. ''Parties have moved forwards to consolidate the draft Paris text here in Bonn, this will help give ministers more clarity and enable them to provide political steer on crunch issues over the coming months,'' said Jake Schmidt of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Delegates will return to Bonn in August and October for another two rounds of climate talks, before the summit in Paris at the end of the year. Scientists say ambitious action is needed to avert the most severe impacts of climate change. So far, more than 30 countries have pledged to limit emissions of greenhouse gases, with around 150 smaller countries yet to set goals. Analysis suggests these do not go far enough to keep global warming below 2C.

Summary: International talks towards a new global climate deal are due to end on Thursday, amid concern that progress has been slow.


The annual hand ba' game took place in Jedburgh on Thursday - one of a number of Scottish Borders towns to stage such events on their streets.

Summary: All images by Dougie Johnston.


Such unannounced inspections treated staff like "naughty children", says Brian Lightman, head of the Association of School and College Leaders. On Monday, Ofsted said there would be 40 no-warning inspections this month. These will test the feasibility of unannounced inspections, proposed after the Trojan Horse inquiries in Birmingham schools. There were calls for inspections to take place without any advance warning after claims some schools in the city were being taken over by hard-line Muslim groups, This followed concerns that some of the schools were able to conceal unacceptable behaviour when they knew Ofsted inspectors were about to call. But head teachers' leader Mr Lightman said: "Moving to no notice for routine inspections is unnecessary and would be counter-productive. It stifles creativity and treats professionals like naughty children." "Schools currently only receive half a day's notice. This is the absolute minimum time needed so that key staff and governors are available to meet with inspectors and staff can gather the facts and figures that inspectors need during their visit," said Mr Lightman. He accepted that where there is an "urgent cause for concern", unannounced inspections could be appropriate, but it should not become the standard procedure. This month Ofsted plans to test the idea of no-notice inspections, with a wave of two-day unannounced visits across England. "I'm currently giving thought to whether Ofsted should move to more routine, no-notice inspections as part of our wider education inspection reforms, which we will be consulting on later this year," said Sir Michael. "In the meantime, under our regional structure, inspectors are well-placed to use their local knowledge and contacts to identify where these sorts of problems may be taking hold so we can respond swiftly and report publicly on what we find." Meanwhile Ofsted is investigating claims that a number of schools in academy trusts in Norfolk were given advance warning of inspections. The education watchdog also revealed that inspectors have returned for monitoring checks on five of the Birmingham schools placed into special measures after the Trojan Horse investigations. The National Union of Teachers says it opposes adopting a system of routine no-notice school inspections. "For accountability to be meaningful, there needs to be proper professional and respectful dialogue," said the union's general secretary, Christine Blower. "The government should look to and learn from the light touch accountability systems of high-performing countries such as Finland and New Zealand which are based on trusting schools and teachers to do the best by their students, rather than the issuing of threats or penalties."

Summary: Head teachers have attacked the idea of Ofsted inspectors visiting schools in England without any warning.


The Gobbins is a dramatic cliff face walk in Islandmagee, County Antrim. The pathway had been damaged by storms and record rainfall, according to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. Its bridge structures have not been damaged and the council plans to restore access and reopen the coastal pathway "as soon as possible". However, no date has yet been set for when the public can expect to use the path again. "Mid and East Antrim Borough Council wishes to ensure that all experiences at The Gobbins are safe and enjoyable and the health and safety of our visitors is of paramount importance," a council spokesperson said. "We are working to have the path reopened as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused." The Gobbins Visitor Centre and exhibition remains open to the public while the repairs are being carried out. The original Edwardian structure first opened in 1902 but fell into disrepair and closed to the public in the 1950s. In August last year, it was unveiled as the council's newest tourist attraction. The path is carved into black basalt cliffs and is connected by a network of walkways and bridges, including a new tubular bridge which is an almost identical replica of the original Edwardian structure.

Summary: A coastal tourist attraction, which reopened to the public five months ago after a £7.5m revamp, has been forced to close because of storm damage.


Many of us can rarely put down our phones, which are filled to the brim with social apps such as Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat. In recent years, emergency services and public authorities have been getting in on the act too. Social media applications allow them to share information faster, easier and with a wider audience. When it works, it does so really well, but it is often the social media blunders and 140-character faux-pas that stick in the memory. Northern Ireland's Chief Constable George Hamilton apologised to his officers on Sunday, after posting a tweet that appeared to dismiss the pressure under which they work. He used Twitter to post a video apology, saying: "Last night's frank Twitter conversation was what the police actually do, however, such important issues are not best dealt with in the 140 characters of a tweet. "I've clearly caused some offence in what I've said, and for that I apologise." Mr Hamilton isn't alone in causing controversy after posting seemingly offensive comments on social media. In January, politician Gerry Adams apologised for using the 'N-word' in a tweet comparing the plight of slaves in the United States to the treatment of Irish nationalists. The tweet was later deleted, but it provoked an angry reaction. Social media consultant Sue Llewellyn advises users: "Think before you tweet." "If you mess up, 'fess up and apologise," Ms Llewellyn told BBC News NI. "The worst thing you can do is to either ignore it, or hide it by deleting your tweet." The difficulty that many people face on social media, she adds, is that humour often doesn't translate well in 140 characters or less. "You can't really see humour or sarcasm in a tweet, for example, and it can make you look offensive. "One way to deal with this is to use emojis, or hashtags to add that level of emotion," said Ms Llewellyn. Sue Llewellyn's social media dos and don'ts But if there are so many potential ways to trip up on social media, what makes it worth using? While users need to be mindful of the pitfalls, the benefits of social media far outweigh the downsides, said Ms Llewellyn. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have Twitter and Facebook accounts for each policing district - and for the most part, these have proved to be a really effective way of communicating with the public. In 2015, the PSNI held a 24-hour Twitter event to give people an insight into the everyday work of officers. More recently, they jumped on the 'Be like Bill' internet meme bandwagon, using the trend to deliver a more serious message. This approach to social media gives public authorities a "human voice", said Sue Llewellyn. "It puts a human face on what was once a closed door, it makes what they're doing more transparent." "I think it's a fantastic way of reaching more difficult to reach members of the public, especially younger people, and speak to them in their own language, on their own terms in their own turf." That authentic approach seems to

Summary: Let's face it - most people use social media in some form to communicate these days.


US biologists used homing pigeons to test the potential impacts of oil spills on birds' flight. "Lightly oiled" pigeons, they found, veered off course and took longer to return and longer to recover than birds with no oil on their feathers. The results are published in the journal Environmental Pollution. It is the first time that the effects of low level exposure to crude oil on long-distance bird flight patterns have been tested and suggests that even small amounts of oil could have serious impacts on migrating birds that are caught up in a spill. The researchers were surprised by their findings, as lead author Dr Cristina Perez explained: "The general notion would be that these birds are 'fine', but in fact we found that even lightly oiled birds are not uninjured." Dr Perez continued: "We expected that the birds would have difficulties with flight and be slower in their arrival, but we did not expect such an obvious flight path difference." The study used crude oil collected from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill which was applied onto the wing and tail feathers of some of the homing pigeons with paintbrushes. This pattern of oiling reflected that seen in wild birds from the spill. The pigeons were trained to repeatedly undertake flights of 161km between release points and their home loft, all the while carrying GPS data loggers. After release, most of the oiled birds took different flight courses which were longer in duration and distance than those of un-oiled birds. These longer flights, more than double the length of the un-oiled birds, avoided crossing lakes and made use of the updrafts from mountains. They chose to minimise the risk of overwater crossings and may have been using their knowledge of the environment to make the journey easier. Such options would be unavailable for migrant water birds that had become oiled on their first migration. Young birds, with their pre-programmed flight plans would have no idea of the environmental barriers, such as long overwater flights, that they would meet on their onward migration. Historically, the focus has been on understanding the impact on heavily oiled seabirds, but study co-author and project leader Prof Chris Pritsos stressed the importance of such work to understand the impact on lightly-oiled birds, which he pointed out "were observed oiled but still alive and functioning" after the Deep Water Horizon spill. Prof Pritsos stressed that these sub-lethal effects could seriously impact subsequent breeding attempts by migrant birds caught up in the spill. The team found that oiled pigeons failed to regain the body mass lost between flights, unlike the un-oiled birds. This is a bad sign for migrant birds as it suggests that they may not be able to refuel sufficiently on their migratory stopovers in order to continue their journeys. Oiled pigeons also delayed their journeys for longer than the un-oiled group; they even experienced physical difficulties in getting airborne. Dr Perez indicated that a combination of GPS data loggers and free-flying homing pigeons could be "considered for testing the effects of other environmental contaminants" for

Summary: Even light exposure to oil from disasters like the Deep Water Horizon oil spill makes flying more difficult for birds, a study has revealed.


Ernst Tremmel was accused of 1,075 counts of accessory to murder for his time working at the death camp in German-occupied Poland. Tremmel worked at the camp from November 1942 to June 1943. The trial was to have started on Wednesday in the western city of Hanau, where Auschwitz survivors were expected to give testimony. "All the appointments related to these proceedings have now been cancelled," the regional court in Hanau said in a brief statement. No cause of death was released. Tremmel served with an SS Totenkopf unit processing the arrival of prisoners at the camp and was allegedly directly involved in three transports, from Berlin, the French city of Drancy, and Westerbork in the Netherlands. "Among the deportees, at least 1,075 people were cruelly murdered immediately after their arrival at Auschwitz," the Hanau court said when it announced the trial in February. Because Tremmel was aged 19 or 20 at the time of his alleged crimes, he was to have been tried under juvenile criminal law despite his advanced age. Because of his frail health, the court had ordered hearings to be limited to four hours per day. How the Holocaust unfolded, year by year Why did ordinary people commit atrocities in the Holocaust? The legal foundation for prosecuting ex-Nazis changed in 2011 when German authorities convicted former death camp guard John Demjanjuk solely on the basis of his having worked at the Sobibor camp in occupied Poland. Last July, Oskar Groening, dubbed the "Bookkeeper of Auschwitz", was sentenced to four years in prison for being an accessory to the murders of 300,000 people at the camp. But the trial of 95-year-old Hubert Zafke, a former Auschwitz medic, was suspended for the second time last month due to his ill health. A third man, former SS guard Reinhold Hanning, 94, went on trial on 11 February accused of complicity in 170,000 deaths at Auschwitz. Further investigations are ongoing.

Summary: A 93-year-old former guard at Auschwitz has died a week before he was due to stand trial in Germany.


Upper chamber leaders resumed work overnight on a deal to raise the US borrowing limit and end a partial government shutdown. Amid the congressional disarray, a top ratings agency warned of a possible downgrade in US creditworthiness. The US must raise its $16.7tn (Â£10.5tn) debt limit by Thursday or risk default. Politicians, bankers and economists have warned of global economic consequences unless an agreement can be reached. By Robert PestonBusiness editor The Democratic-controlled Senate took control on Tuesday night, working on a bipartisan deal that aides said would extend the federal borrowing limit until 7 February and fund the government to mid-January. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and his Republican counterpart, Mitch McConnell, were expected to brief their colleagues on Wednesday. The Senate is due to reconvene at noon (16:00 GMT). But even if a compromise can overcome procedural hurdles, it remains unclear whether it can muster enough votes in the Republican-led House to pass before the 17 October deadline. The Wall Street Journal writes: "None of this is worth a partial government shutdown, much less the risk of a debt default, and both sides are looking like losers." The New York Times urges an end to "debt-ceiling moments", making them "less fraught with peril, less prone to stalemate and more conducive to productive negotiations". The Republicans, says The Washington Post, seem "determined to thrash about in search of something it can call a political win for a few more hours, or days". The Los Angeles Times compares the Republican leaders of the House and Senate saying the latter, Mitch McConnell, has been able to "discern when his party is holding a losing hand and make the decision to cut a deal". Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski warned her colleagues that the US was "hours away from becoming a deadbeat nation, not paying its bills to its own people and other creditors". The Senate's negotiations were initially put on hold on Tuesday to give House Republicans a chance to come up with a deal. But the lower chamber's efforts ended in chaos after two proposals floated in the space of a few hours were torpedoed from right and left, forcing the leadership to shelve plans for a vote. Embattled House Speaker John Boehner failed to rally his fractious rank-and-file Republicans behind either plan. Amid the legislative turmoil, the Fitch credit agency warned it could downgrade the US government's AAA rating, while the Dow Jones index ended the day down 133 points. On Tuesday afternoon, President Barack Obama told a local ABC broadcaster he expected the debt ceiling impasse would be resolved. 23 October: Social Security benefits $12bn 28 October: Federal employee salaries $3bn 30 October: Medicaid payments to providers $2bn 31 October: Interest payment on public debt $6bn 1 November: Medicare payment to providers & plans $18bn; Social Security benefits $25bn; military active pay, retirement and veteran benefits $12bn; supplemental security income benefits $3bn 14 November: Social Security benefits $12bn 15 November: Interest payment on debt $29bn Note: These are the key payments, not all the payments, the US Treasury must make in

Summary: Frantic US political attempts to avert a federal debt default have pivoted back to the Senate after plans in the House of Representatives collapsed.


It follows an upsurge in attacks blamed on the Nigerian militants. Three suicide bombings killed 33 people in Cameroon's main northern city, Maroua, since last week. The reinforcements will raise the number of troops deployed to the north to 8,500, AFP news agency reports. Cameroon's army uses Maroua as the headquarters for its operations against the group. Authorities in the region have announced several measures, including a ban on wearing the full-face veil, in an attempt to prevent suicide bombers from disguising themselves as devout Muslim women. They have also closed some mosques and Islamic schools and banned large gatherings of Muslims without permission. Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is due in Cameroon on Wednesday for talks with President Paul Biya in a bid to strengthen the regional alliance against Boko Haram. After several months of delay, a multinational force of 8,700 soldiers, police and civilian personnel is due to start operations at the end of July. It will be based in Chad's capital, N'Djamena, which has also been affected by the violence. At least 17,000 people have been killed since Boko Haram launched its insurgency in northern Nigeria 2009, according to Amnesty International.

Summary: Cameroon will deploy an extra 2,000 troops along its northern border with Nigeria to fight militant Islamist group Boko Haram, state television reports.


Arvind Kejriwal blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the "raid", calling him a "coward and a psychopath". "When Modi couldn't handle me politically, he resorts to this cowardice," he added. Officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have denied the allegations. "It is not a raid on Arvind Kejriwal's office, it was a raid on Rajender Kumar, principal secretary to the CM [chief minister]," CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh told BBC Hindi. However, Mr Kejriwal has accused the CBI of "lying". India's Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the upper house of parliament that the "raid has nothing to do with Mr Kejriwal". Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu added that it had become a "fashion" for Mr Kejriwal to blame the prime minister. Mr Kejriwal's local government has been locked in a tussle for power with the federal government since he was elected to power in February. Unlike in much of India, Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-run local government does not have absolute administrative powers over the state. Control of the state's police force, land, and law and order rests with the BJP-controlled federal government. The AAP has consistently campaigned for greater autonomy for the state, and its tenure has been peppered with confrontations. Party members have tweeted, calling it the "darkest day in democracy".

Summary: The chief minister of India's capital, Delhi, has alleged that his office has been raided by the country's federal investigation agency.


Taylor is out of contract in the summer and has been linked with West Brom, Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace. The 23-year-old pulled out of the 1-1 draw with Wigan as Leeds failed to reach the Championship play-offs. "I'm hugely disappointed with Charlie. I think he's been terribly advised all season," Monk told BBC Radio Leeds. Taylor has been with Leeds since the age of nine and has made 104 first-team appearances since his debut in August 2011. However, he told the club last summer he did not want to open talks on a new deal and then had a transfer request rejected. Monk suggested Taylor's head had been turned by the interest reportedly shown in him from Premier League clubs. "I understand he's very young, and we've tried to help him and guide him from within, but it's very difficult to get him fully committed," he said. "Had he had some better advice from the outside, I think we would have seen a better Charlie Taylor this season and left on better terms, if that's what's going to happen. But that's over to the club and the player now. "The club's stance on it is very strong. Hopefully he learns from the mistake he's made."

Summary: Leeds United manager Garry Monk has blamed Charlie Taylor's withdrawal from the squad at Wigan on Sunday on the defender's advisors.


Boro are unbeaten in their last seven matches and are two points clear of second-placed Burnley, who drew 1-1 with Karanka's team on Tuesday. "We are top of the table because we have an amazing squad and we have an amazing club," Karanka told BBC Tees. "We are in a privileged position and we showed everyone we are a good team." He added: "If we are at the top of the table at this point, it is no coincidence. "We can say that we've lost two points, but I prefer to keep calm with the performance and with the players." Jordan Rhodes gave Boro the lead with 20 minutes left to play against Burnley, but Michael Keane's 92nd-minute equaliser rescued a point for the Clarets. "The way we were playing it was difficult to lose, but we played really well and everybody could feel at home and feel the difference between us and Burnley," Karanka said. "We have a lot of different ways to get the ball into the box and they have just one: long balls." Middlesbrough face Ipswich and Birmingham City before they meet promotion-chasing Brighton at the Riverside on the final day of the season. "At home we are a really confident team and we have won the last three games there," Karanka said. "We need the supporters' help because we're going to need everything at this point of the season, where every point is gold."

Summary: Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka says his side fully deserve to be top of the Championship table with three games left to play.


Care worker Alec Wallbank, 30, of Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff, is alleged to have carried out the offence between July and September 2014 in Cardiff. He appeared at Cardiff Magistrates Court wearing a black shirt and tie. He was released on bail and the case was sent to Cardiff Crown Court. A plea and case management hearing is due to be held on 18 August.

Summary: A deputy manager of a mental health ward has appeared in court accused of engaging in sexual activity with a woman patient.