A suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside the cafe in the west of the city, police said. No group has said it carried out the attack. The violence comes ahead of Iraq's provincial elections on 20 April, the first in the country since 2010. Emergency workers were still trying to pull out victims trapped in the rubble when part of the building collapsed, police told the Reuters news agency. On Monday, a series of co-ordinated car bomb attacks took place across the country, claiming at least 31 lives and injuring more than 200 people. Tensions are high between Iraq's Sunni and Shia, amid claims by the Sunni Muslim communities that they are being marginalised by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Shia-led government. Sunni Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda have attempted to destabilise the government by stepping up attacks, mainly on Shia but also Sunni targets this year. Although violence has decreased in Iraq since the peak of the insurgency in 2006 and 2007, bombings are still common.

Summary: At least 27 people, including two children, have been killed and dozens more injured in a bomb attack on a cafe in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, officials have said.


France's answer to Jay Leno (sort of), Thierry Ardisson is Gallic media-man personified. He is smart, a bit of a big-mouth, and regularly to be seen on chat-shows being applauded by airbrushed studio audiences. Fittingly for a television celebrity, he also lives at number 214 Rue de Rivoli, one of the nicer addresses in the capital. From his window on the fourth floor, the view over the Tuileries Gardens and the Musee d'Orsay is stupendous. But it's not the view that bugs Ardisson. It's what awaits him when he steps out of his front door. The arcades of the Rue de Rivoli were commissioned by Napoleon, and for a century and a half were one of the delights of the city. You came to stroll and take a coffee or browse alongside the booksellers and the antique-dealers who ran the little boutiques. Today, fumes Ardisson, the glory has gone. Instead, there are souvenir shops selling chef's hats and two-euro Eiffel Towers. The pavement is riddled with pot-holes (or hen's nests as the French call them), and some of the marvellous old floor mosaics are hidden by tourist tat. Worse, the food outlets sell junk sandwiches and junk kebabs. "I love kebabs, but not here. At Barbes [an area with a large Arab population]," Ardisson says in a video. So incensed is the presenter that he has created the Association for the Defence of the Arcades of the Rue de Rivoli (ADAR). He claims to have the support of the Paris Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, as well as the prefecture of police and the ministry of culture. What he wants is for the authorities to enforce by-laws that govern the arcades, some of which go back to the mid-19th Century. For example, a decree dated 1855 forbids tradespeople along the arcades from using an oven. They must allow free access for pedestrians along the walkway, and they must not put up pictures or advertisements. Because the arcades are not a historical monument, it is up to the owners of the buildings to enforce the rules. And this, says Ardisson, they are singularly failing to do. When I meet Thierry Ardisson in his apartment, he is kindness itself. He is happy to field my nastier questions, such as: is his behaviour not the worst kind of rich man's Nimbyism? "The arcades of the Rue de Rivoli are famous throughout the world. They are sublime. But they have fallen into ruin. All I want to do is limit the damage," he says. "Of course I know I can't return them to the way they were in the 60s. The world has changed. But we can slow down the decrepitude." It turns out that Ardisson - a self-made man who arrived in Paris from the south in 1969 - is that rare thing in France: a monarchist. "I believe in your British constitution, the Westminster system, but obviously here in France that is a lost cause! "We'll never have a king again. So I believe in lost causes. But as I always say: you don't have to

Summary: A French TV host's campaign to ban junk-food stalls on the chic Rue de Rivoli has got le tout Paris wondering: "What on Earth is eating our Thierry?"


Ohio officials say that 26-year-old Saif Nasser Mubarak Alameri was shot in the head after fighting with officers. The Case Western University law student caused a car crash on the Ohio Turnpike then fled from police on Sunday, police officials say. His body has been flown to Abu Dhabi, where he will be buried on Friday. Jill Del Greco, a spokesperson for the Ohio Attorney General's office, said investigators from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation will be meeting representatives from Abu Dhabi Police's Criminal Investigation Department. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a major American ally in the Middle East, and has assisted the US in its fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Emirati officials called the death a "painful incident" but did not elaborate on what role their investigators will have in the US. Ohio officials have said that they will act as representatives of Alameri's family. Police in Hudson, Ohio, say Alameri was speeding and driving erratically on Sunday when he clipped another car and flipped over. He then allegedly fled into nearby woods, chased by officers for about a kilometre. A struggle ensued and Alameri was shot once in the head, medical examiners say. It is unclear whether he was armed, but his death has been ruled a homicide. The officer, who has not been named, has been put on leave. Alameri's father, Nasser Alameri, told the Khaleej Times newspaper that his family is in a state of mourning but have been following the investigation through US media reports. "There has been a lot of contradictions in the American media. While they call it a homicide, we read that the officer is on paid leave, which is ironic," said Mr Nasser. Alameri, the eldest of six children, will be buried at a cemetery in Abu Dhabi after a funeral at a mosque following Friday prayers. "We have deep trust in the government," Mr Alameri said, "and we know that they will not let the case go until we get a clear image of what had happened." Saif Nasser Mubarak Alameri's name was trending on Twitter in his home country after news of his death. The Case Western University Daily reports that he had planned to return to the UAE after graduation to open a law firm. He recently hosted a Middle Eastern-themed dinner for university students and faculty. This is the second high-profile incident involving an Emirati man in Ohio this year. In October a grand jury chose not to indict a hotel desk clerk who falsely accused an Emirati guest of pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group. The incident prompted the UAE's foreign ministry to warn its citizens to avoid wearing traditional Arabic garments when travelling abroad.

Summary: Abu Dhabi police are travelling to the US state of Ohio to "participate in the investigation" into the death of an Emirati student who was shot by police.


The Irish were dismissed for 181 in 46.3 overs as several of their batsman, including top-scorer Ed Joyce (46), got out playing poor shots. Bangladesh sealed victory in the 28th over with Soumya Sarkar unbeaten on 87. This was another untimely Irish display with the game's bosses set to decide on their possible Test status next month. Mustafizur Rahman did much of the damage in the Ireland innings as he took 4-23 after dismissing opener Paul Stirling in the second over, with the Irish still to get off the mark. Home captain William Porterfield chipped an easy caught-and-bowled dismissal to Mosaddek Hossain to leave the Irish on 37-2. A mini-revival as Ireland moved to 116-3 abruptly ended as Niall O'Brien (30) became the first of three Mustafizur victims in a six-over period to leave the home side on 136-7. O'Brien's brother Kevin top-edged the left-arm seamer to Mosaddek while Joyce was also out during that calamitous spell for the Irish as he went down the pitch and slogged spinner Sunzamul Islam straight to Sabbir Rahman. Lower-order batsmen George Dockrell (25) and Barry McCarthy (12) put on 35 for the eighth wicket before their departures saw Ireland quickly in the pavilion. Only a series of early dismissals would have got Ireland back into the game but instead Sarkar and Tamim Iqbal put on 95 for the first wicket as the visitors strolled to the most emphatic of victories. Joyce acknowledged Ireland "didn't bat well enough" after suffering a defeat arguably worse than the seven-wicket rout by England in Bristol earlier this month. "I thought lots of the senior players, including myself, got out very cheaply. We'll look to put that right on Sunday against New Zealand," said the former England player. Ireland were competitive for much of last weekend's game against New Zealand at Malahide and will need a similar display or better on Sunday to take pressure off coach John Bracewell and his struggling side.

Summary: Ireland suffered another chastening defeat as Bangladesh clinched an eight-wicket win with 22.5 overs to spare in the Tri-Nations game in Dublin.


City will meet Liverpool in the final at Wembley on 28 February after a 3-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium gave them a 4-3 aggregate win against the Toffees. Martinez, however, was upset that the match officials failed to spot Raheem Sterling had run the ball out of play before crossing for Kevin de Bruyne to score City's second with a thrilling game poised at 1-1. That scoreline would have sent Everton to Wembley to face their arch-rivals. Sergio Aguero added a third goal that secured City's place in the final, but an inconsolable Martinez believed Everton's hopes had been wrecked in that crucial 70th-minute moment when referee Martin Atkinson and assistant Scott Ledger allowed play to continue. "You don't mind if Manchester City find a way of being outstanding and scoring three goals but it is very difficult to find an explanation in the dressing room for the players to find a reason we have been knocked out," he said. "That is hurtful and unfair." Martinez added: "It was a clear decision. The ball is out of play and the second goal affected the outcome too much. You feel so hurt because there have been a few big decisions that have not gone in our favour. "You have to respect the referees and they have the toughest job in football but certain decisions are clear cut, away from the judgment of the referee. "When the ball is out of play in the modern game, you don't expect that to be missed. When it ends up as the second goal, you can imagine the major blow it has to our feelings, our performance and our chances to get through." Martinez also dismissed talk of the introduction of technology when he said: "My question to the referees' chief is do we need technology or should we expect the linesman and the referee to get these calls right? For me that action is so clear. I would expect international or Premier League linesmen to get that call right. I would expect a top referee to get his angle and his position right." Martinez's complaints cut no ice with City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini, who pointed out that Everton had been the beneficiaries of refereeing decisions against his side recently. "It was maybe a mistake but I think the one thing Everton cannot complain about is the referee," said Pellegrini. "We lost at Goodison when their first goal from Ramiro Funes Mori was clearly offside and there was also a clear penalty when Jesus Navas was fouled. "We also had a clear penalty not given when Raheem Sterling was fouled against Everton recently and there was also a foul on one of our players before Everton's goal in this game."

Summary: Everton manager Roberto Martinez was left fuming at what he said was a "hurtful and unfair" exit at the hands of Manchester City in the Capital One Cup.


The government would also retain Cuban physicians currently in the country whose contracts had expired, he added. Negotiations between the government and doctors to end the three-week strike have broken down. A policy of no-work-no-pay would be applied on those who refused to return to work by Thursday, the minister said. The minister did not say when the recruitment would start. However, Mr Segbefia appealed to the doctors to reconsider their position and return to work for negotiations to resume. The government said it would only resume talks when the doctors returned to work. The striking doctors want free postgraduate medical education, better retirement packages and increases in clothing, fuel and maintenance allowances. Other demands include a request for free overseas healthcare for services not available in Ghana, and the right to import vehicles into the country free of duty. The BBC's Sammy Darko in the capital, Accra, says the strike has mainly affected large teaching hospitals. It has also put enormous pressure on military and police hospitals, which are treating emergency cases, he adds. All Ghanaians can have access to free state healthcare if they register with the National Health Insurance Authority. Government officials have advised people needing urgent medical attention during the strike to go to private clinics and show their health insurance cards. It is not clear whether those who have done so have received free medical care.

Summary: Ghana is planning to recruit 177 doctors from Cuba to work at state-run hospitals hit by a doctors' strike, Health Minister Alex Segbefia has said.


Set 302 to win from 46 overs at Taunton, Middlesex needed eight from the last and Simpson lofted Jim Allenby over long leg to finish 79 not out. Nick Gubbins contributed 76 and James Fuller smashed 36 from only 18 balls. Somerset, 348-6 overnight, earlier declared on 446-9 to give Middlesex an invitation they were happy to accept. The visitors, who began the game with a one-point lead at the top of County Championship Division One, extended it to 14 points because of Warwickshire's draw with Hampshire and Lancashire's week off. The catalyst for victory came from Fuller, who took three wickets in the morning session then provided acceleration to the run chase. With 109 needed from nine overs, Fuller, who had survived a loud appeal for caught behind off Tim Groenewald, hit the same bowler for successive sixes over extra cover in an over that cost 22. His onslaught jolted Simpson into life, with the wicketkeeper taking up the chase after Fuller and Ollie Rayner fell in the same Jack Leach over. Allenby was given the responsibility of the final over and with six needed from four balls, Simpson swept a leg-stump delivery over the longest boundary on the ground. It completed a remarkable chase, one that Middlesex looked to have abandoned after Sam Robson, Dawid Malan, Gubbins and George Bailey fell in quick succession, all four to Groenewald, who finished with 5-90. A sedate passage with Simpson and James Franklin at the crease followed, but Fuller arrived to make things happen, just as he had with the ball in the morning session. He took all three wickets to fall before lunch, including Peter Trego, who made 138, for figures of 3-125. Middlesex were held up by last-wicket pair Leach and Groenewald until midway through the afternoon, when Somerset captain Chris Rogers declared. It led to a thrilling climax, with all four results possible until Simpson, on his 28th birthday, struck the decisive blow.

Summary: Middlesex's John Simpson hit a six with two balls remaining to seal a thrilling two-wicket win over Somerset in County Championship Division One.


The Labour leader said hospital waiting lists and financial deficits were rising and asked for a guarantee that the NHS, which he described as a "jewel in the crown", would be fully funded. The PM said the NHS was treating more people and outcomes were improving. He insisted that a strong economy was the backbone of a strong NHS. The exchange comes amid a bitter row between health secretary Jeremy Hunt and junior doctors over proposed changes to their contracts. Mr Corbyn said the prime minister was "trying to dig himself out of a hole" over the issue and Labour would be demanding more details of the government's latest pay offer. Turning to the wider situation in the NHS, the first time he has specifically raised the health service at PMQs since he became leader, Mr Corbyn quoted a senior figure from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine as saying "this winter will be worse than last winter and the last winter was the worst we have ever had". Mr Corbyn said that, since 2010, waiting lists at English hospitals had gone up by a third, while 3.5 million people were now waiting to be treated. He went on to quote the King's Fund think tank which he said had warned of a "rapid decline in patient care" without extra funding. "The NHS is in a problem, a problem of deficits in many hospitals, it's in a problem of waiting lists, it's in a problem of the financial crisis that has been faced with so many others. "Can you address that issue and ensure everyone in this country can rely on the NHS which is surely the jewel in all of our crowns." Mr Cameron said the Royal College of Emergency Medicine supported reforms to the NHS to create a truly seven-day-a week service and insisted that the government was committed to providing the billions in extra funding a year sought by senior NHS officials. "I believe the NHS has the resources it needs and that is why we are seeing it treat more patients, more drugs being delivered, more tests being carried out. It is a much stronger NHS and the reason is simple. We have a much stronger economy." For the fifth PMQs running, Mr Corbyn also raised the issue of tax credits, pressing the prime minister again for a guarantee that no-one would lose out from cuts to working tax credits from next April. He cited the case of a serving soldier with children who he said would be Â£2,000 worse off. Mr Cameron said the soldier in question would benefit from the increase in the personal tax allowance and an expansion in subsidised childcare but went on to defend the government's goal of a "low welfare, low tax, high pay" economy. He told the Labour leader would have to wait three weeks until the Autumn Statement to learn the government's revised proposals following its recent defeat in the House of Commons, accusing him of opposing every single reform in the area and supporting unlimited benefits. Mr Cameron tried

Summary: Jeremy Corbyn has warned of the risk of another "winter crisis" in the NHS as he and David Cameron clashed over health at Prime Minister's Questions.


Up to 1,000 people dressed in Harris Tweed jackets set off from Clerkenwell to take part in the annual London Tweed Run. The event, which took in the major landmarks, is described as a "bicycle ride with a bit of style". Cyclists stopped for tea in Tavistock Square and lunch in Kensington Gardens. Crowds took photos as the well-dressed riders, some on vintage bikes including penny-farthings, toured the capital's streets at a fairly leisurely pace. The riders, who also finished in Clerkenwell, were warned that "proper attire" was expected but bowler hats were a "spot more aerodynamic than top hats". "We take to the streets in our well-pressed best, and cycle through the city's iconic landmarks," a spokeswoman said. "Along the way, we stop for a tea break and a picnic stop, and we usually end with a bit of a jolly knees-up."

Summary: Hundreds of cyclists swapped lycra for flat caps, trilbies, berets and their sartorial best during a 12-mile ride.


Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway told the BBC such antipathy "doesn't reflect why Donald Trump is running and who he would be on the global stage". She also attacked Hillary Clinton's "unremarkable to chequered" record as secretary of state. Both candidates are undertaking a blitz of campaigning in key states on Monday. The latest national poll, conducted by YouGov for The Economist, gave Mrs Clinton a four-point lead. The final full day of campaigning - as it happened The disunited states of America - whoever wins Mr Trump has faced a barrage of criticism from some world figures during campaigning. French President Francois Hollande said the businessman made people "want to retch". The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights described him as a danger internationally. Speaking to the BBC's Katty Kay, Ms Conway said negative attitudes overseas do "bother me" but defended Mr Trump's "America First" stance. Mr Trump "does say America First and he means it", she said, spelling out the reasons - stopping the loss of American jobs overseas, making sure all partners, including Nato, pay their fair share and renegotiating trade deals that are bad for the US. What do Russians think of Trump? Donald Trump - the Canadian view Clinton and Trump compared to world leaders Europe hates Trump. Does it matter? Ms Conway also responded to a jibe from President Barack Obama that Mr Trump could not be trusted with US nuclear codes. The president, during a rally in Florida on Sunday, said that if Mr Trump could not be trusted with a Twitter account, he should not be in charge of US nuclear weapons. He was referring to a New York Times report that Mr Trump's team had taken control of his Twitter account from him. But Ms Conway denied the Times report and said Mr Trump could be trusted with the nuclear weapons. She said that Mrs Clinton had herself "not proved to be qualified with nuclear codes" citing her use of a private email server for classified information when she was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013 in the Obama administration. Ms Conway condemned Mrs Clinton for allegedly allowing her maid to print off classified documents. On Sunday, the FBI's director said a fresh inquiry into the Democratic candidate's communications had found nothing to change the bureau's conclusion this summer that she should not face criminal charges. Pointing to what she said was a series of foreign policy errors by Mrs Clinton, Ms Conway said: "The Russian reset was a joke, she owns the fake 'red-line' in Syria, she owns the lack of progress in North Africa and she certainly owns Benghazi." Asked why Mr Trump had been referring to Brexit in recent times, she said he was talking about how the UK's Remain camp had seemed "pretty robust" in the final days before the referendum, but that the Leave team were able to turn out their supporters. She said: "But I told him just yesterday you should stop referring to Brexit, because it's actually the Trump effect, the fact that you have so

Summary: Donald Trump's campaign team has sought to allay negative views expressed overseas towards its candidate, a day before the US goes to the polls.


President Nicos Anastasiades said new measures, mostly affecting the Russian business community, would be approved at a cabinet meeting on Monday. Russians have billions of euros in Cypriot bank deposits. Investors were angered when it emerged they would lose up to 60% of their savings under the terms of the bailout. In order to secure the 10bn euros, agreed by the EU and IMF, Cyprus was forced to wind up one major bank and write-off of a large portion of secured debt and uninsured deposits in the largest bank, Bank of Cyprus. Speaking at a Russian business conference in the coastal resort of Limassol, President Anastasiades said the new measures would "mitigate to some extent the damage" Russian investors had endured. Cyprus has been a member of the EU since 2004. It sealed an EU bailout last month to save it from bankruptcy. President Anastasiades said foreign investors who held deposits prior to 15 March, and who lost at least 3m euros would be eligible to apply for Cypriot citizenship. Cyprus's existing "citizenship by investment" programme will also be revised to reduce the amount of investment required to be eligible from 10m euros to 3m. The president said he would also drop requirements for citizenship applicants to keep 15m euros in Cypriot banks for five years, saying they would be allowed immediate access to their money. "These decisions will be deployed in a fast-track manner," President Anastasiades said. The Cypriot economy is worth about 18bn euros, which accounts for less than 0.2% of the eurozone total.

Summary: Cyprus is to relax its citizenship rules for foreign investors who lost at least 3m euros (£2.5m) under an EU bailout deal.


Their answer: a festival that showcased two of the key themes of country life. Country music and utes. The ute, a passenger car with a cargo tray (or pick-up truck), was first manufactured in Australia in 1932 after a farmer wrote a letter to the head of Ford asking him to build a two-in-one vehicle so "I can go in to church on Sunday and carry pigs to market on Monday". Held over the October Labour Day Long Weekend, the Deni Ute Muster now attracts 20,000 people annually to a paddock outside Deniliquin. It holds two Guinness World Records: the largest parade of legally registered utes (9,763) and the event with the most blue singlets (3,959) - another Aussie icon created in the 1890s when legendary sheep shearer Jackie Howe tore the sleeves off his undershirt to free up his upper arms. "The Deni Ute Muster is recognised as one of Australia's premier rural events," says Sandra Chipcase, CEO of Destination NSW, the tourism bureau for the state of New South Wales. "It encapsulates all the uniqueness and vibrancy of our rural heritage and culture." Attracting big-name performers has been key to the muster's success. The inaugural event featured Australian country music legend Lee Kernaghan, with alternative rock band Spiderbait and Australian crooner Jimmy Barnes of Cold Chisel fame also making appearances over the years. This year's event was headlined by four-time Grammy Award winner Keith Urban, who performed in howling rain as the remains one of the biggest storms to hit Australia in half a century turned the muster into a muddy swamp. The bad weather didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd. Rather it appeared to accentuate it, with many revellers gleefully rolling around in the mud. "In the city when the weather is like this nobody goes out. But here nobody cares," says Bernie Green, one of more than 1,000 volunteers who manned a breathalyser station that raised money for driver education at a local high school. "They love their utes, they love the country music, and come rain, hail or shine, everyone turns up." The highest blood alcohol concentration recorded over the weekend says Green was 0.4% - a life-threatening reading according to that National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. And while binge drinking is highly prevalent at the muster, incidents of alcohol-related violence are rare. "There is a lot of alcohol around, yes, but I have not seen too many issues," says Collin Jacobs, a police officer from the town of Wagga Wagga. Live music is only one element of the muster. There's wood chopping, bull riding, a big top circus, chainsaw art, a whip-cracking competition, helicopter, camel and monster truck rides, a petting zoo, fireworks displays and the screening of the Australian Football League's Grand Final in Melbourne. Utes and ute culture are also central to the entertainment. At the "Go to Wo" Competition, drivers in supercharged utes run a course while attempting to stop within a predetermined space. The Milwaukee Barrel Race sees drivers race around a course outlined by barrels while trying not

Summary: In 1999, the residents of Deniliquin, a small farming community of 8,000 people on a drought and flood-prone plain 720km (450 miles) south-west of Sydney concocted a plan to kickstart tourism.


Lawyers are continuing to refer alleged abuse by soldiers to the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT). It has so far informed about 280 UK veterans they are under investigation. No 10 said David Cameron feared people were being "solicited by lawyers" enticing them into making accusations. Established in 2010 by the previous Labour government, IHAT has considered at least 1,515 possible victims, of whom 280 are alleged to have been unlawfully killed. Unlawful death cases involving 35 alleged killings have already been referred to the Service Prosecuting Authority (SPA) - the military equivalent of the Crown Prosecution Service - along with 36 cases of alleged abuse and mistreatment with "multiple complainants". Asked about reports that some servicemen had faced repeated investigation over the same events, the prime minister's official spokeswoman said: "We are deeply concerned about these types of situation. "Every false claim that the government [has to] respond to, investigate and defend is diverting spending from the front line and from the work that our armed forces do to keep us safe. "It is important that the government looks at what it can do to stop these types of scenarios where the claims may be fabricated, or not justified, and to look at how we deliver a better system in the future." Two public inquiries have already looked at claims against UK troops in Iraq. Last year, the Al-Sweady Inquiry concluded that allegations that troops murdered and mutilated Iraqis in custody were "wholly without foundation" - although some of the detention techniques used had amounted to mistreatment. In 2011, another inquiry into claims of abuse highlighted the death of hotel worker Baha Mousa in British military custody, and blamed "corporate failure" at the Ministry of Defence for the use of banned interrogation methods in Iraq. The PM's spokeswoman added: "We are concerned at reports about people being solicited by lawyers to make allegations that - as the Al-Sweady Inquiry showed - can often be fabricated." She said IHAT's work should be "completed as quickly and efficiently as possible". IHAT's budget of Â£57.2m runs until the end of 2019 - 16 years after the invasion of Iraq began in 2003. Last week, the unit's head, Mark Warwick, said there were "lots of significant cases" being investigated and discussions would be held over whether any of them met the threshold for a war crimes prosecution. Andrew Cayley QC, the director of the SPA, has said it "will not flinch" in prosecuting British soldiers where there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing. The Ministry of Defence says it takes such allegations "extremely seriously". But Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has criticised "ambulance-chasing British law firms" whom he said were inhibiting soldiers on the battlefield because they feared being hauled in front of the courts on their return. He argued there was "a strong case" for suspending the European human rights law when sending forces into action overseas.

Summary: The prime minister is "deeply concerned" that Iraq War veterans could face threats of prosecution due to "fabricated" or "unjustified" claims of misconduct, Downing Street says.


The 13-year-old boy collapsed in Cardiff after smoking King Cobra, South Wales Police said. It comes after officers carried out a drugs raid in Morriston, Swansea, last week and seized Â£6,000 worth of new psychoactive substances (NPS). Police said Swansea council's trading standards team is now investigating. Det Ch Insp Jason Redrup said: "Across south Wales we are seeing an increase in people using NPS, especially among young people. "It is important that people know that these substances are not only illegal but are also dangerous to their health. In most cases users won't know exactly what they are taking." Referring to the drugs warrant executed at a commercial premises at Woodfield Street in Morriston, police neighbourhood beat manager PC Richard Williams said: "We have received a constant flow of information from the local community about this premises which is linked to recent publicity about the use of so-called legal highs. "We have acted on this information and by working with our partners in trading standards have disrupted this operation." Legal highs which are not under any form of controls are sometimes labelled as "research chemicals", "herbal incense" or "not for human consumption". Nearly 350 new psychoactive substances have been identified, the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said earlier this month.

Summary: A warning over the dangers of taking so-called legal highs has been issued by police after a teenager was taken to hospital.


Tarzan has in the past dragged logs from the Migdale Rock Site of Special Scientific Interest in Ledmore and Migdale Woods in Sutherland. The horse caused less damage to rare plants than modern forest machinery. Tarzan has been put to use at the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore where woodland is being thinned out. Trees in a dense plantation of Scots pine have been felled to improve it as a habitat for wildlife including red squirrels. Meanwhile, Scots pine woods on a nature reserve at the most northerly estuary on Scotland's east coast are to be given greater protection. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) plans to control deer numbers and remove non-native plants at the site at Loch Fleet near Golspie in Sutherland. SNH said Scots pine trees in the area were in an "unfavourable condition". Work to remove rhododendron and sycamore, which are both not native to the UK, will start next month. Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve covers a large tidal basin surrounded by dunes, salt marsh and pine woods.

Summary: A horse used in logging operations in a fragile wildlife habitat has been hauling timber in woodland at a museum of Highland life.


A team, at Western University, Ontario, want people from all over the world to sign up online to do cognitive tests. The specially devised computer games test skills such as reasoning, language comprehension and decision-making. I joined a group of volunteers trying out the tests and had my brain scanned while doing them. Prof Adrian Owen, a British neuroscientist based at the Brain and Mind Institute in London, Ontario, is leading the study. He told me: "We all know what it feels like to not get enough sleep but we know very little about the effects on the brain; we want to see how it affects cognition, memory and your ability to concentrate." The team will collate the cognitive scores and see the variations depending on how much sleep people have had. Everyone's sleep requirements are different, but if enough people join the study, it may allow scientists to determine the average number of hours needed for optimum brain function. I joined four volunteers spending the night at Western University, where we road-tested the brain games and were able to demonstrate how lack of sleep affects cognitive performance. The tests can be played on any computer, tablet or smart phone. Double Trouble: This looks simple but really stretches the grey matter. You have to click on the word below that corresponds to the colour in which the word above is written. So, if the word at the top is "blue", but is coloured in red, you must click on the word below that is coloured red, even if it is written as "blue". Fiendish. Odd One Out: This starts simple but gets increasingly complex as you try to find the one shape that is different from the others. Grammatical reasoning: Is the statement about a diagram true or false? Sounds easy, until you begin dealing with negative statements. Spatial planning: This tests the ability to plan ahead - like all the games, it measures cognitive skills we use repeatedly during the day. After staying up until 04:00, we were allowed four hours' sleep. When we re-did the cognitive tests later in the morning, Evan, Cecilia and I scored significantly worse than we had the night before. Hooman - who is used to being on-call and responding to patients - did not see much of a dip in his score, while Sylvie's actually improved. Sylvie said: "Although I feel a bit fuzzy this morning, maybe I've just got used to functioning on very little sleep; I have to be on as soon as my kids wake up, so it's normal for me." I have long known that I don't function well when sleep deprived, so it was no surprise that my cognitive scores dipped dramatically in the morning. In order to find out what might be happening in my brain, I repeated the cognitive tests while inside an MRI machine. I was scanned twice - after a normal night's sleep and then after the sleep-deprived night. The functional MRI scanner is able to detect blood flow in the brain - so the areas

Summary: Scientists in Canada have launched what is set to become the world's largest study of the effects of lack of sleep on the brain.


Stephen Myler kicked three penalties to put the hosts 9-3 ahead at half-time, despite losing captain Tom Wood to the sin bin for infringing at a maul. Two more Myler penalties after the break extended their lead to 12 points. But Saints, who handed South Africa great Victor Matfield his debut off the bench, were short of their best as they sealed a second league win this season. After losing at newly promoted Worcester Warriors on the opening night of the campaign, Northampton have since continued to stutter and suffered domestic defeats by Sale Sharks and defending champions Saracens. Media playback is not supported on this device However, while they still remain without a try at Franklin's Gardens since May, director of rugby Jim Mallinder will be encouraged by the resilience shown by his players in overcoming Gloucester in difficult conditions for flowing rugby. He will also be boosted by the return of Matfield from World Cup duty, the 127-cap Springboks lock coming on for the final 21 minutes to make his Premiership debut. The 38-year-old adds further power and experience to a pack dominant throughout against the Cherry and Whites, setting the platform for Myler to kick five out of six attempts at goal. Victory moves Saints up to fifth in the table, level on points with Leicester in the final play-off place, while Gloucester remain in 10th. Gloucester director of rugby David Humphreys told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "Coming here it's always going to be a set-piece game, but those conditions meant that it was going to be a case of whichever team made the fewest mistakes, was able to control field position and didn't give away penalties." "I thought for long periods of the game we did control field position, but we made too many mistakes and obviously gave away too many penalties with a kicker of the quality of Stephen Myler on the pitch." "Scrummaging's not just about one player, it's about the whole eight - you've got to give credit to Northampton, it's what they've built their success around over the course of the last few years - a very strong set piece." Northampton Saints: Foden, Tuala, G. Pisi, Burrell, North, Myler, Fotuali'i, A. Waller, Haywood, Brookes, Paterson, C. Day, Gibson, Wood, S. Dickinson. Replacements: L. Dickson for Burrell (60), Hanrahan for Fotuali'i (51), E. Waller for A. Waller (71), Williams for Haywood (78), Matfield for Paterson (60), Harrison for Gibson (69). Not Used: Hill, K. Pisi. Sin Bin: Wood (31). Gloucester: Cook, Sharples, Meakes, Hook, May, Twelvetrees, Heinz, McAllister, Hibbard, Afoa, Savage, Thrush, Moriarty, Kvesic, B. Morgan. Replacements: Purdy for Meakes (68), Dawidiuk for Hibbard (67), Doran-Jones for Afoa (63), Galarza for Savage (53), Rowan for Kvesic (67), Laidlaw for B. Morgan (53). Not Used: Y. Thomas, Kalamafoni. Sin Bin: Y. Thomas (80). Att: 14,893 Ref: Greg Garner (RFU).

Summary: Northampton Saints battled to a hard-fought victory over Gloucester in the wind and rain at Franklin's Gardens.


She's messing with our minds. That was the only explanation some could come up with for Melania Trump's latest intervention in the race for the White House. After her last big outing ended in a row over plagiarism, it was assumed that we wouldn't see much of the former model as polling day approached. But with husband Donald buoyant over improving poll numbers, she was sent out on Thursday to try to win over female voters scared away by the allegations about his past behaviour. Speaking in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Mrs Trump sought to present herself as a proud child of immigrants and a regular Mom of a 10-year-old boy, and her husband as a man who could bring "real change" to America. "He loves this country and he knows how to get things done. He certainly knows how to shake things up, doesn't he?" she said to screams of support from the crowd. Then she announced her big idea if she becomes First Lady - a crusade against cyber-bullying. "Our culture has gotten too mean and too rough, especially for children and teenagers," she opined, seemingly forgetting the pugnacious campaign that her husband has run. "We have to find a better way to talk to each other, to disagree with each other, to respect each other," she added, as Twitter users kicked into gear with their astonishment. One tweet captured the reaction: "Have you seen your husband's tweets over the years?" Not for the first time, Mrs Trump had left the media scratching its head, noted The Washington Post's Callum Borchers. Had she not noticed she is "married to the year's cyber-bully-in-chief"? There were also suggestions that Mrs Trump had borrowed part of her speech from something one of her husband's ex-wives, Marla Maples, had said in 2011. Although the phrase in question was so generic it would be hard to pin another plagiarism charge on her speech writers, no matter how badly some of her husband's critics would like to. Speaking about her childhood in Slovenia, Mrs Trump said: "America meant, if you could dream it, you could become it." Ms Maples, who was married to Mr Trump from 1993 to 1999, had said, of her own upbringing, "I believed if you could dream it, you could become itâ€¦" Mrs Trump's outing is a bit late in the day to have much effect on the race, with more than 33 million people thought to have already cast their votes in states that allow early voting (which is more than half of them). It's particularly hard to glean any nuggets of information from early voting data, but that doesn't stop political nerds from trying. In Nevada, which is proving to be a key battleground state, it appears that early voting may be looking pretty good for the Clinton camp. Although we don't find out who those early voters have voted for, we do know how many registered Democrats and Republicans have cast their ballots - and so far, the Democrats are well ahead. One challenge for Clinton though, is trying to energise

Summary: With just four days to go, Melania Trump makes a rare campaign appearance while everyone tries to make sense of new polls and early voting numbers.


The baton contains the Queen's hand-written message to the Commonwealth and will visit all 70 competing nations and territories over the next 288 days. It will travel to Scotland on Thursday before heading to India for its first international stopover on 11 October. The baton's journey will end at the opening ceremony on 23 July 2014, when the Queen will read the message inside. The empty baton was escorted to Buckingham Palace by pipers and cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, a six-time Olympic Gold and double Commonwealth Gold medallist. During the launch ceremony, the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Prince Imran of Malaysia, said the relay had power and meaning. "The relay unites two billion citizens of the Commonwealth in a celebration of sport, diversity and peace," he said. "It will also bring the 70 nations and territories of the Commonwealth together. "Every time the baton is passed it will cement the Commonwealth friendship and reinforce the ways in which we are connected." The ceremony also heard from Lord Smith of Kelvin, chairman of games organiser Glasgow 2014. Q&A: What is the Queen's baton relay? He said: "The spirit of friendship that will be displayed as the baton is passed from hand to hand reflects the warm welcome that nations and territories of the Commonwealth can expect when they come to Glasgow and to Scotland next summer. "This is a historic moment for Glasgow 2014. We will treasure it and we look forward to following closely the Queen's baton relay on its momentous journey." Following the speeches, the Queen placed the hand-written scroll, which contains her message to the Commonwealth, inside the baton. It was then sealed for its journey of more than 190,000km through Commonwealth territories in Asia, Oceania, Africa, North and South America and the Caribbean. The first baton bearer was Alan Wells, the Scottish sprinter who won gold in the men's 100m at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. He said: "As the final runner of the Queen's Baton Relay (QBR) at the last Commonwealth Games on Scottish soil in Edinburgh in 1986, the baton and what it symbolises is incredibly special for me. "It is a real honour for me to now be named as the first baton-bearer for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games." Wells handed the baton on to Scottish swimmer Caitlin McLatchey, who won two gold medals at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. A short relay then took place up and down The Mall involving Scottish athletes Cara Kennedy (artistic gymnast), Morgan McKinnon (triple jump) and Ruairi Kirkwood (swimming). Other participants included Izzy Conway, a volunteer or Clydesider at the games, Aamir Meymood, the 13-year-old Shawlands Academy pupil who designed the Glasgow 2014 tartan, games ambassador Julie McIlroy and 12-year-old Beth Gilmour, who will be accompanied by games mascot Clyde, whom she designed. Glasgow 2014: Queen's Baton Relay route Those attending the ceremony included Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond. He said: "The start of the Queen's Baton Relay, with two of Scotland's greatest-ever athletes, is another step towards what will be a momentous year for Scotland. "2014

Summary: The Queen's Baton Relay - heralding the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow - has been launched at Buckingham Palace.


The subway stops near Wall Street are still crammed in the mornings yet financial firms in New York - once the centre of the money universe - aren't expanding the way they used to. Companies in far-flung states such as Arizona and Texas are seeing the rise in financial jobs instead. The shift in part reflects population trends in the US, where states in the south and west - often dubbed Sun Belt states - are growing faster than their counterparts in the north. It's also driven by growth in insurance, investment advice and consumer lending jobs, over the trading and securities roles historically based in New York. Just as important, companies say, is that new technology and the rise of online banking means they can look more broadly when making location decisions. "You don't need to go into a bank anymore. You don't need a brick-and-mortar building. You can do it from anywhere," says Gay Meyer, assistant vice president for regional human resources at the banking and insurance company USAA. "That allows us as a company to think outside of, 'We have to be in New York or have to be in Chicago'." As the economic recovery takes hold and low interest rates persist, demand for home loans, credit cards and other products has picked up. That's translated into jobs. The number of finance and insurance jobs in the US expanded by 1.8% over the 12 months that ended in March, finally rebounding to pre-financial crisis levels. New York remains home to about 8% of those positions. But at the end of 2014, Texas overtook it as the state with the highest number of jobs in the sector. Meyer is based in Arizona, a desert state on the border with Mexico that is better known for the Grand Canyon than banking. But over the 12 months to March, hiring for finance and insurance jobs grew faster than any other state in the country. Its rise as a regional financial hub is fuelled by expansions from companies such as USAA, State Farm and Charles Schwab, which have been drawn to the area by affordability, booming population and a large pool of university graduates and potential recruits. USAA, an insurance and banking firm that serves military and veteran families all over the world, hired nearly 600 people in Arizona last year, as demand for credit cards and mortgages boomed, Meyer said. Forty minutes south, insurance giant State Farm hired about 2,000 people in 2016 and expects to bring on a similar number this year, in roles such as customer service, sales and IT, said Naomi Johnson, a State Farm public affairs specialist. She transferred to the Phoenix-area campus last June after working for the company for 16 years in her home state of New York. Johnson, 39, said she's seen the way the job growth is boosting the local economy, spurring new food and shopping spots to open. She regularly gets calls from builders, checking on hiring - the campus now holds about 6,600 and the firm is aiming for 10,000 - as

Summary: Financial jobs in the US have finally rebounded but they're not growing where you might think.


Canadian officials said an attack had been planned with support from al-Qaeda elements in Iran, although there was no evidence of state sponsorship. Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, and Raed Jaser, 35, are due to appear in court on Tuesday for a bail hearing. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said to suggest a link between al-Qaeda and Iran was "ridiculous". "This is the most hilarious thing I've heard in my 64 years," Mr Salehi told the Iranian Isna news agency. "It is really ridiculous to link al-Qaeda to Iran. I hope that the Canadian authorities think a bit more rationally and pay attention to the consciousness of the people and world public opinion." Al-Qaeda - a militant Salafist Islamic movement - preaches a radical anti-Shia ideology that places it firmly at odds with Shia Iran. However, analysts say that despite this enmity, al-Qaeda and Iran have tolerated one another where it suits them. Last September Canada severed diplomatic ties with Iran, closing its embassy in Tehran and expelling all remaining Iranian diplomats from Canada. At the time Foreign Minister John Baird said Canada viewed Iran "as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today". Canadian authorities said the two suspects were arrested in Montreal and Toronto on Monday. They are not Canadian citizens but their nationalities have not yet been officially confirmed. According to Canadian media reports, Mr Esseghaier is a Tunisian national while Mr Jaser is thought to be a Palestinian with citizenship in the United Arab Emirates. Canada's Globe and Mail reported that the pair had been under investigation since last year following a tip-off by a concerned imam in the Toronto Muslim community. The imam was worried that young people in his community were being corrupted by an extremist, the report said. It is alleged that the two had planned to derail a passenger train in the greater Toronto area, but it is not clear when. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said the surveillance operation leading to the arrests was "a result of extensive collaborative efforts". It said FBI agents from the US were involved in helping to foil the attack, although a US justice department official said there was no connection between the plot and last week's Boston Marathon bombings. The RCMP said the two men, who were not Canadian citizens, had planned to derail a train operated by VIA Rail and "kill and hurt people". RCMP Chief Superintendent Jennifer Strachan said the attack was "definitely in the planning stage but not imminent". "We are alleging that these two individuals took steps and conducted activities to initiate a terrorist attack," she said. "They watched trains and railways in the Greater Toronto area." Chief Supt Strachan did not say if the route being targeted was a cross-border route with the US. However, the Globe and Mail, citing sources, said it involved a Toronto-New York City train, and New York Republican Representative Peter King said the attack was intended "to cause significant loss of human life including New Yorkers". VIA Rail, which operates passenger rail

Summary: Iran has denied any links to two men arrested in Canada on suspicion of planning an attack on a train.


The company behind the project at Woodburn Forest, near Carrickfergus, is set to formally end its application for a court order to stop alleged trespassing and obstruction, according to a lawyer in the case. Lawyers for InfraStrata had issued High Court proceedings against 10 people after a notice was issued for opponents to vacate the site last week. At one stage, a judge had warned that he would ban them from going near the area if they blocked work getting underway. However, with contractors able to move in without obstruction, the case had been adjourned to Friday for a further update. It was indicated that the legal application is set to be formally discontinued. Outside court, solicitor Mark O'Connor, representing some of the protestors, said: "My clients are delighted with the resolution to this matter, where they are no longer to face injunction proceedings. "They don't believe this case should ever have been brought in the first place." The Stop the Drill campaign group is objecting to a controversial borehole to search for oil and gas in the area, saying it is part of the catchment for a reservoir supplying water to homes in Belfast and Carrickfergus. They claim chemicals used in the drill process could leach into the water table. But Northern Ireland Water, which leased the site to InfraStrata, insists the project will not compromise the water supply. Groundwater will also be protected by measures, including the drill shaft being encased in steel and concrete, according to the firm. Last week, Mid and East Antrim Council approved a waste management plan - effectively paving the way for four months of work on the site to begin. During a previous hearing, a lawyer for InfraStrata said a protest camp was in operation since March. He claimed groups of up to 25 people gathered during earlier, preliminary stages in the project. At one stage cars were used to block off the entrance to the site, he said. Any further disruption will have financial consequences for a project costing Â£8,000 a day, the court heard. It was argued that the company has a right of way on private land and was only taking the minimal step of seeking an injunction at this stage. A lawyer representing some of the 10 defendants insisted his clients had neither trespassed nor caused obstruction. He also stressed the international concern at what he described as a world-first attempt to drill in a water catchment area. But with the case now apparently settled, Mr O'Connor said both sides will bear their own legal costs.

Summary: Anti-drilling protesters are no longer facing injunction proceedings over an exploratory oil well site in County Antrim.


He was playing against opponents who, earlier that season, had wound him up so badly that it completely put him off his game. Players who 24 hours earlier had spoken to a newspaper to explain, in detail, how this imposter was going to be stopped. The supporters didn't like him. Nothing was going right. And then, taking possession 40 yards out, Ibrahimovic explodes. A dart forward. The acceleration beginning. A quick stepover, round one opponent, speed increasing. Another stepover. Outside another, back inside the same man as he tries to recover and then a shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards. "He could have passed," recalled one of the opponents he had left trailing in his wake. "But he had read the article. It was as if he was saying, 'Forget it guys. It's me'." Ibrahimovic was not finished. Initial glee, wide smile, on bended knee, waving an arm in mock celebration to show how easy it was. Then something else, more serious, a point to be made. A cup-eared celebration, blowing kisses to the crowd who were already in a state of fury. He was 19. The goal is well known among Swedish fans. The reaction to it new. It is part of a documentary 'Becoming Zlatan' to be released in August that contains remarkable archive footage of Ibrahimovic's early years at Malmo. Getting such close access at an early stage of his career was sheer good fortune for brothers Fredrik and Magnus Gertten, who shot the footage in 2000 and 2001 as part of a film intended to show the conflict between young and older players at their beloved Malmo. They needed a focus for each side of the debate. They had heard of Ibrahimovic and approached him. "The way he saw it, of course we should make a documentary him," said Fredrik. "It suited his self image. He was only 17 but he had a very strong confidence that he would make it because he had something special." Manchester United's newest recruit has a reputation for saying what he thinks. Numerous times in recent weeks he refused to say where he was going, even though his destination after leaving Paris St-Germain was obvious. Instead he said he amused himself by reading what was being written and would eventually let everyone know, at a time of his choosing. He meant it. When he posted United's badge on Instagram, he even beat his new club to the news by 24 hours. "We are not part of the football world," said Gertten. "Our business is making social and political films. Our initial experience of dealing with footballers was that nothing of them ever comes out in what they say. Their words are controlled, boring, nothing. "Zlatan was different. Here was a young guy who said interesting things, very honest things about himself and his emotions. It was so fresh. It made you feel warm towards him. "The problem is people don't always like honesty. When someone says what they think it can be painful." His Croatian mother and hard-drinking Bosnian father

Summary: It was typical of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.


James Lynch, a spokesman for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), told the BBC that passengers saw smugglers being paid after the boat was intercepted. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Friday admitted using "creative" strategies to stop migrant boats but refused to go into detail. The country's immigration and foreign ministers denied payments were made. "The boat that was rescued by the Indonesian navy on 31 May - we have interviewed the 65 passengers and they have said that the crew received a payment," said Mr Lynch. He said the passengers - 54 from Sri Lanka, 10 from Bangladesh, and one from Myanmar - were transferred to a customs boat for four days "before being put on two boats and sent back to Indonesia". He added: "Mr Abbott says the reason is to save lives because people risk their lives on the boats, and I agree, but I'm not sure putting them back on boats and sending them back is the answer." Mr Lynch said Australia had a responsibility under UN treaties, which it had signed, to see if any of the migrants were in need of international protection. He accused Australia of "sending the wrong signal" to other countries in the region - including Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand - which the UN is trying to persuade to allow migrants to disembark. Indonesia's foreign ministry said it was "very concerned" about the alleged payment. The Indonesian navy said it intercepted the boats on their return and arrested the crew, who said they had each been paid A$5,000 ($3,900; Â£2,500) to turn back. Local police chief Hidayat told AFP news agency: "I saw the money with my own eyes." Speaking to Radio 3AW on Friday morning, Mr Abbott refused to deny that a payment had been made, saying simply that "creative strategies" had been developed to stop the migrant boats. "We have stopped the trade and we will do what we have to do to ensure that it stays stopped," he said. Under Australia's controversial policies, no migrants and asylum seekers are allowed to reach its territories by boat. They are instead intercepted at sea and turned back or taken to detention facilities on the island nation of Nauru and on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Australia asylum: Why is it controversial?

Summary: Migrants on a boat headed for Australia have told the UN that the crew was paid by the Australian navy to turn back.


The allocation was made at the start of February. The money must be spent by the end of March 2017, according to an email seen by the BBC. The email told medical staff to refer "long waiting patients suitable for the independent sector". It said to refer those who require treatment for "spines, hip and knee, lower and upper limbs". The news comes after the health minister said on Tuesday that more than £31m is required to treat patients who have been waiting more than a year for some appointments. Michelle O'Neill said she was confident the money would be agreed after the election on 2 March. The funding to the private sector does not include money to treat outpatients. The email goes on to say that the £1m funding move does not affect any "in-house" funding, which the trust received in the past four months, and that staff can continue to backfill lists and carry out weekend work when teams are available. While most people waiting may not mind when their operation is performed, it is understood that doctors and nurses would have preferred for the additional money be invested in the health service instead. In 2015, when the then health minister allocated £40m towards waiting lists, the money could not be spent in time and only half of the amount when on operations. That was because hospitals do not have the capacity or the staff to spend the money in such a short space of time.

Summary: The Belfast Health Trust has been allocated £1m in order to send patients currently on waiting lists to be treated in the private sector instead, the BBC has learned.


It was the sixth Olympic gold and 10th medal overall for the 33-year-old. She finished in one hour 11 minutes and 5.2 seconds to lead home a Norwegian clean sweep with Therese Johaug in silver, 2.6 seconds back and Kristin Stoermer Steira winning bronze. "It's incredible. I thought it would be hard but I've felt good," she said. "I knew that I am stronger in the sprints, so I was waiting for them to attack on the last climb. Bjoergen's gold saw her match the six golds won by Russian cross-country skier Lyubov Egorova, who also won three silvers over her career, and former Soviet speed skater Lidia Skoblikova. She also matches the 10 medals won by fellow cross-country skiers Stefania Belmondo of Italy and Raisa Smetanina of the Soviet Uniion and the United team, but they have won fewer golds. Bjoergen, who won three golds in Vancouver, pulled away from Johaug heading into the stadium and sprinted clear to follow up on her wins in the 15km skiathlon and the team sprint classic earlier in the programme. It was the first clean sweep in Olympic cross-country skiing since Vegard Ulvang led Bjorn Daehlie and Terje Langli for a Norwegian sweep in the men's 30km classic in 1992.

Summary: Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjoergen won the women's 30km mass start to become the most decorated female Winter Olympian.


The Suffolk Chamber of Commerce said the work could help boost the county's economy by more than £350m a year. In 2013, the government announced a £1.5bn upgrade of the Cambridgeshire section of the road, ruling out initial plans for a toll. Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey said the road was currently "not delivering" a "quick and efficient" route. "Businesses rely on goods coming into the port of Felixstowe being transported in a quick and efficient manner, something the road is not currently delivering on," said the Conservative MP. The twelve sites identified stretch from Exning to Felixstowe, and include the Copdock Interchange. The areas named in a document called No More A14 Delays also includes junctions in Exning, Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich and the Orwell Bridge. It calls for various improvements, such as extra capacity at junctions, better links with other roads, improved parking facilities for lorry drivers, extra lanes and reduced speed limits on the Orwell Bridge. The document states: "An end to congestion on the A14 in Suffolk could generate up to £362m of extra gross value added (GVA) per year, saving the A14 user an average 13 minutes per day in travel time, and creating an additional 7,000 jobs." Jo Churchill, Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds, said the route was crucial as "nearly 30% of all the UK's container trade passes through Needham Market, Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds along the A14". Nick Burfield, policy director at Suffolk Chamber, said: "The chamber and our partners are very concerned that, following the success of the 'No Toll Tax on Suffolk' campaign and the proposed Cambridge to Huntingdon improvements, the government may now regard the A14 as 'done'. "This is far from the case." A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "The government is committed to regularly reviewing the needs of England's strategic road network. "We will be outlining plans for developing the next Road Investment Strategy later in the year, and we want every community affected by heavy traffic to have their chance to get involved."

Summary: Campaigners calling for improvements to the A14 have listed 12 sites they say are in need of improvement.


Stephen Jamieson, 28, is reported to have attached a pillow round his waist to avoid being injured by razor wire. He was serving a 12-year sentence for armed robbery. He is reported to have escaped after cutting through a gate at the back of a small secure exercise yard attached to his cell. "He was able to get out of that exercise yard and then he had a range of bed sheets that he tied together and was able to swing them over the wall to then effect his escape by scaling that wall," New South Wales Corrective Services Commissioner Peter Severin told ABC News. "It appears that he also had a pillow [that was] put around his waist and enabled him to make good his escape over the razor wire." Commissioner Severin said Jamieson had a history of trying to escape and was put into solitary confinement after a man-made hole was discovered inside a workshop at the prison. "He was clearly somebody that was in maximum security for all the right reasons and furthermore he was actually segregated in the maximum security section," he said. The commissioner said that the escape was "a very serious matter" and would be the subject of an intensive security review because there was "absolutely no excuse for anybody being able to escape from maximum security". A huge manhunt for Jamieson is now under way.

Summary: A maximum security prisoner has staged an audacious escape in the Australian state of New South Wales by tying bed sheets together to climb over a wall.


It has been swapped for a more festive offering, ahead of the town's annual tree light switch-on ceremony. Local people and councillors had taken to Facebook to cry bah-humbug about the "sad-looking tree." It comes after a festive village tree in Bushmills was removed in 2014 after it was described as "one of the worst ever seen in the UK". UUP councillor, Mark McKinty, posted a photo of the Larne tree on social media and said: "I'm all for recycling, but when your Christmas tree goes up looking like it's spent a few years on the compost heap, that is a bit much." Angry comments were also left on the Mid and East Antrim Council's 'Larne Christmas Switch On' page. Larne resident Ian Stokes, said "for many a year Larne has always been the laughing stock of local councils for their awful trees." But Mid and East Antrim Council have proven their festive spirit by bringing in a brand new replacement before the local Christmas parade and light switch-on on Friday. A spokesperson said, "Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has responded to concerns about the condition of the recently erected Christmas tree in Larne. "Council officers carried out an inspection earlier this week and as a result it has been replaced." TUV Councillor Ruth Wilson shared news of the replacement on Facebook, with one user replying, "glad to hear the tree is being replaced. The other one was an eyesore."

Summary: A Christmas tree in the centre of Larne has been replaced after complaints that it was an "eyesore".


Under the new rules, households will be fined $1 (Â£0.61) if their rubbish bins contain more than 10% food waste, and businesses and apartment buildings $50. The city already recycles 56% of its waste but is aiming for 60% by 2015. Seattle, in Washington State, is the second US city after San Francisco to make composting mandatory in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Composting is the processing of breaking down food and lawn refuse into useable soil through decomposition. Up to 40% of food in the US is wasted, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Only 5% of food scraps are composted, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many Seattle homes and businesses have food compost bins but are not required to use them - now they will have to. The city will begin issuing warning tickets on 1 January 2015 and fining customers on 1 July, according to the ordinance, which passed unanimously on Monday. Under the new rules when Seattle garbage pickers see too much food waste in a rubbish bin, they will note it in a computerised system and the fine will be added to the customer's rubbish carting bill, local media reported. Multi-unit flats and businesses will also be required to limit their food waste but will get two warnings before they are fined, according to the Seattle Times newspaper. Seattle officials do not expect the programme to be a money-maker for the city, Tim Croll, the Seattle Public Utilities solid waste director, told the newspaper. He added the city has collected less than $2,000 (Â£1,220) over nine years of a similar programme that banned recyclable items from the rubbish. "The point isn't to raise revenue," Mr Croll said. "We care more about reminding people to separate their materials." Correction 10 October 2014: This report has been amended to clarify that fines will apply for disposing of food waste incorrectly rather than doing so at all.

Summary: The Seattle city council has voted to fine businesses and residents that do not recycle their food waste.


Tring School in Hertfordshire said the laptop devices will be brought into use from next year. But more than 100 people have signed an online petition against the plans. Headteacher Sue Collins said the school was having to manage an £800,000 per year cut in its budget from the government. The Chromebooks for Learning Scheme will affect hundreds of students at the school, which has more than 1,500 pupils aged from 11-19, with only years 11 and 13 exempt. There are two options available, a £149 model and a £185 model, although pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds can pay £20. The school said students "need to be prepared for an increasingly digital world". It is offering payment plans, but many parents and pupils said the devices should be provided by the school. The petition's organisers said people were being forced to pay when there were "perfectly good computers at the school". Ms Collins said she "wholeheartedly accepted" parents concerns but insisted the school was having to manage a budget cut. "It is absolutely enormous to manage that and at the same time raise standards and continue to develop so that our children have access to the online and modern materials that are out there now," she said. "There isn't a U-turn on this, we're rolling it out. We know from the research we've done, this is the way forward for schools."

Summary: A secondary school has ruled parents must pay a compulsory charge of at least £149 for pupils to use Google Chromebooks in lessons.


State department spokesman John Kirby called the plans the "latest step... in a systematic process of land seizures". UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was "deeply disappointed" by the Israeli government's decision. The international Quartet of Middle East peace mediators also recently criticised settlement construction. About 570,000 Israelis live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. Citing an Israeli official, the Associated Press reported that the Israeli plans included 560 new homes in Maale Adumim, just outside Jerusalem, as well as almost 200 in the city itself. The plan also called for more than 600 new homes in an Arab neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, AP said. Mr Kirby said: "If true, this report would be the latest step in what seems to be a systematic process of land seizures, settlement expansions and legalizations of outposts that is fundamentally undermining the prospects for a two-state solution." The plans were also sharply criticised by Ban Ki-moon. "This raises legitimate questions about Israel's long-term intentions, which are compounded by continuing statements of some Israeli ministers calling for the annexation of the West Bank," the UN chief's spokesman said in a statement. On Friday, the Quartet released a report saying Israeli settlement-building - along with continuing violence, terrorism and incitement, and lack of control of the Gaza Strip by the West-Bank based Palestinian Authority - was undermining peace hopes. Israel welcomed parts of the Quartet report, but said it "perpetuates the myth that Israeli construction in the West Bank is an obstacle to peace". The last round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians came to an end amid acrimony in April 2014. The Palestinians accused Israel of reneging on a deal to free prisoners, while Israel said it would not continue negotiations after the Palestinians decided to bring the militant Islamist Hamas movement into a unity government.

Summary: The US has criticised Israeli plans to build hundreds of new homes in existing Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.


Forty-two refugees, belonging to five families, were greeted on arrival by the Uruguayan President, Jose Mujica. They will spend two months in accommodation near the capital Montevideo where they will learn Spanish and attend classes on local customs. Other Latin American countries have taken Syrians in but Uruguay is the first to assume all resettlement costs. Officials say the two-year resettlement programme will cost Uruguay around $3m (Â£1.9m). They say the adults have already been guaranteed jobs and the children have places in local school. A second group is due to arrive next year.

Summary: A small number of Syrian refugees have arrived in Uruguay from Lebanon.


Striker Stamp, 37, will also be available as a player for the east Yorkshire club, who were promoted to the National League via the play-offs. Housham was appointed last week following former manager Billy Heath's decision to switch to FC Halifax Town. Stamp played under Housham at previous club Gainsborough Trinity, "Darryn is a perfect match with Steve and he has that added bonus that he is still a quality striker," joint chairman Steve Forster told the club website.

Summary: North Ferriby United have finalised their management team by appointing Darryn Stamp as assistant to new boss Steve Housham.


Up to six shots were fired. It is believed the man was shot in the head. The shooting happened outside a pub in Sheriff Street/Oriel Street area at about 12:30 local time on Thursday. RTÃ‰ is reporting that the attack may be linked to a gangland feud and that Thursday's shooting may be a case of mistaken identity.

Summary: A man believed to be in his 20s has been shot dead in Dublin.


About 20 pupils fell ill at Flash Ley Community Primary School and Nursery in Stafford in October amid reports of a mystery smell. An investigation has concluded that work to floor ducts last summer led to high levels of the chemical, Staffordshire County Council said. The Hawksmoor Road school has been shut on safety grounds ever since. Repairs will now start in March and completed in time for the new school year in September. The building will undergo a deep clean and the substance believed to be behind the presence of formaldehyde in the air removed. Children will continue lessons at the nearby Chetwynd Centre, Tillington Manor Primary and Stafford Manor High School. Councillor Ben Adams, cabinet member for learning and skills, said: "Children and staff will only return to the building once extensive tests show that is safe to do so." Head teacher Simon Barker said: "We are delighted that the county council have announced the decision and staff will now begin to make plans to ensure the arrangements for September will be in place and the transition back to Flash Ley will be smooth. "I would personally like to thank the children, parents and staff for their support while we have been temporarily moved. We can now look forward to a safe school to educate our children." Formaldehyde is a colourless gas with a pungent odour and is found in materials used in plywood, carpeting and foam insulation. Those exposed to it can suffer irritation to the eyes, nose, mouth and throat. It is understood parents reported children with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and dizziness at the time.

Summary: A primary school will be closed until September after high levels of formaldehyde were discovered last year.


An earlier 06.15 GMT Belfast departure time had been due to begin at the end of January. But the journey time would have taken longer - almost two and a half hours. However Translink has now said that "alternative options" are being looked at. Passengers have been consulted by Translink and Iarnród Éireann about the proposed changes. The service is operated jointly by Translink and Iarnród Éireann. "The companies will work together to review feedback from the timetable consultation processes," a statement from Translink read. It added they hoped to finalise a new timetable by the end of "the first quarter of 2016".

Summary: Translink has postponed the introduction of a new timetable for the Enterprise train service to Dublin.


The American, 28, hit eight birdies in a bogey-free 64 to lead Sung Kang, with Stewart Cink, Jhonattan Vegas and Kyle Stanley another shot back on six under. England's Justin Rose shot a five-under 67, with 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth two more shots adrift. England's Luke Donald carded a one-under 71, while compatriots Chris Wood and Andrew Johnston are one over. "They've done a great job here with conditions around the greens and making it as similar as possible to next week," said Fowler, who will be aiming to win his first major at Augusta. Full Houston Open leaderboard Find out how to get into golf with our special guide.

Summary: Rickie Fowler warmed up for next week's Masters by taking a one-shot lead after the first round of the Houston Open.


In his first Commons speech since returning as an MP, Mr Johnson said he believed David Cameron would be successful in his EU negotiations. But the London mayor said the UK had to be willing to "strike out" and forge "an alternative future" if the desired result could not be secured. The government has promised to hold an in/out referendum on the EU by 2017. Mr Johnson's comments come after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker suggested David Cameron wanted to use the EU vote to "dock" the UK permanently into the 28-nation bloc. Mr Juncker told a German newspaper the question of a British exit from the EU "does not arise", as this was not what the UK was seeking. BBC deputy political editor James Landale said it showed what pressure the prime minister will come under over Europe, from both Brussels and his own backbenchers. Mr Cameron spent the last week of May on a whirlwind tour of Europe to lobby leaders over his proposed EU reforms, which include tougher rules to prevent migrants claiming benefits. Addressing the House of Commons, Mr Johnson, the new MP for Uxbridge and Ruislip, congratulated Mr Cameron on his "schmoozathon" around Europe. He said the all-Conservative government had "a clear mandate" to deliver change in the EU. "And we can - we can win that argument by being relentlessly positive and by making it clear that what we are advocating is not simply in the interests of Britain, but in the interest of the entire European Union," Mr Johnson said. But Mr Johnson added: "If you are going to go into a difficult international negotiation of this kind, then you have got to be prepared to walk away if you don't get the result that you want. "If we don't get the deal that is either in the interests of this country or of Europe, then we should be prepared to strike out and forge an alternative future that could be just as glorious and just as prosperous with a free trading arrangement." Meanwhile, at a foreign affairs conference in London at Chatham House, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that ahead of the referendum the government would be "selling hard" the advantages of staying in the EU, if a good package of reforms had been secured. "The prime minister's made no secret of the fact that what he wants to do in Europe is negotiate a reform of the European Union and then settle this question once and for all that Britain is an active leading member of the EU of a reformed EU, going forward," he said. The government has introduced legislation paving the way for a vote on the EU by the end of 2017 at the very latest, although there is speculation it could take place as early as next autumn. The eligibility rules for the poll will be broadly the same as for a general election, meaning citizens from most EU countries living in the UK will not get a vote. Irish citizens in the UK qualify, as do residents from

Summary: The UK must be prepared to walk away from the EU if sufficient reform is not achieved, Boris Johnson has said.


The app, which helps doctors and nurses spot signs of kidney failure, proved controversial when it was rolled out at the Royal Free hospital in London. The issue centred around whether it should have sought consent to access 1.6 million patient records. The BBC understands that in the new deal there will be no opt-out for patients who do not wish to share their data. DeepMind is Google's artificial intelligence firm, although development of the app did not involve any AI. The firm has a health division and is keen to explore new ways that technology can be used in the NHS. While the Streams app was welcomed by doctors and nurses, questions were raised about whether the NHS should have shared data with a firm such as Google. DeepMind has always reiterated that no data is shared with its parent firm. A report from the the head of the National Data Guardian said patients should have been informed about the partnership and data sharing arrangement. The app is also the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Information Commissioner's Office. Following some negative headlines, DeepMind pledged to be more open with patients about its health plans and hold regular patient engagement forums. Musgrove Park Hospital plans to hold workshops and open day events with staff and the public to see how the app works, what it will mean for patients and how it will be developed in future. The hospital did not rule out the possibility that it could be used in future to detect other health conditions. Dr Luke Gompels, consultant in medicine at Musgrove Park Hospital, said: "This is all about early detection of seriously unwell patients so that we can immediately escalate care, ensure a very rapid response, and make sure they are treated quickly by the right specialist doctor. In this way we can make more of a difference, more quickly."

Summary: Google's DeepMind has extended the use of its Streams health app to Musgrove Park Hospital in Somerset.


Sheffield City Council was ordered to stop felling trees in February after campaigners applied for a temporary injunction. Mr Justice Gilbart lifted the order on Wednesday and is expected to hand down his final judgement next month. The council said it would not implement its full felling scheme until the ruling. Sheffield Tree Action Group (Stag) said it was disappointed by the news. Executive director Simon Green said: "We are delighted that the court has agreed with the council's case to have the tree injunction lifted. "However, we have been clear throughout that we want to make sure that our work with communities on this issue is right, so we will not resume the full street tree replacement programme until we have had the court's final decision. "We will of course continue to assess our trees and replace those that are dangerous." More than 3,300 trees have been removed across the city since 2012 as part of a Â£2bn project. Campaigner Dave Dillner, from Stag, said he retained "a measure of confidence" over the High Court's final decision. "It's absolutely not the end of the campaign. We wait with interest Mr Justice Gilbart's final judgement," he said. The Labour-run council launched the scheme to remove dead and dangerous trees from the roadside. It planned to remove and replace about 5,000 trees in total and has so far replanted about 3,600 trees. Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg previously called on the council to abandon the programme and described it a "national scandal".

Summary: A ban on chopping down trees in Sheffield has been overturned by the High Court.


The pair were sent off at half-time for the altercation in the 1-0 defeat. St Johnstone have now concluded an internal investigation into the incident and imposed the "most severe" sanctions "short of summary dismissal". In a statement the club added that both accept they brought the Perth outfit into disrepute due to the incident. The statement continued: "The players have accepted the sanctions without question and they wish to apologise unreservedly to the supporters of the club for their behaviour. "Both players have expressed a desire for a proportion of the fines to be utilised for free bus travel for supporters to the remaining away matches this season and the club is in full agreement with this request. "The players will now return to training and playing duties where they can channel their energies into contributing to the continued success of the club."

Summary: St Johnstone have fined Danny Swanson and Richard Foster four weeks' wages for their on-field bust-up against Hamilton Academical.


The Finn, who won the world title with Ferrari in 2007 but was replaced by Alonso at the end of 2009, has signed a one-year deal with an option for 2015. Ferrari, who will now have arguably the strongest driver line-up in Formula 1, have not yet announced the deal but are expected to do so imminently. Raikkonen, 33, will replace Felipe Massa, who announced on Twitter that he will leave at the end of the season. Media playback is not supported on this device The Brazilian, who had earlier been informed of Ferrari's decision and has driven for the Italian outfit since 2006, said: "From 2014 I will no longer be driving for Ferrari. "I would like to thank the team for all the victories and incredible moments experienced together. "Right now I want to push as hard as possible with Ferrari for the remaining seven races. "For next year, I want to find a team that can give me a competitive car to win many more races and challenge for the championship, which remains my greatest objective!" Massa came agonisingly close to winning the title in 2008, when he won the Brazilian Grand Prix, only to be deprived of the championship when Lewis Hamilton moved up into the fifth place he required on the penultimate corner of the last lap. He has been linked with a move to Lotus, who are also considering Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg, another man who was in the frame at Ferrari before they decided on Raikkonen. The decision to partner Alonso with Raikkonen is a dramatic change in philosophy by Ferrari, who have previously operated with a clear number one driver, both with Michael Schumacher from 1996-2006 and then with Alonso for the last four years. Ferrari have now decided that having two lead drivers will be a more effective way of securing success - this was their policy when Raikkonen and Massa were team-mates in 2007-9. The decision will be interpreted in some quarters as a snub to Alonso, but the Spaniard has been told of Ferrari's decision and is said to have accepted it. The partnership and rivalry between the two men will be eagerly anticipated - Alonso and Raikkonen are widely recognised as two of the four best drivers in the world, along with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel. Alonso's relationship with McLaren, when he was team-mates with Hamilton in 2007, was famously turbulent, and the ructions led to him leaving the team just one year into a three-year contract. Alonso has since made it clear that his problems at the time were not with Hamilton but with the team not delivering on promises that had been made to him about his status. The deal for Raikkonen to rejoin Ferrari was completed on Monday. Ferrari wanted to replace Massa with someone who would provide more reliable performance and have for some time considered Raikkonen to be the best candidate. But the decision needed to be approved by Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo. Raikkonen had the option to remain at

Summary: Kimi Raikkonen will join Fernando Alonso at Ferrari in 2014.


Their lab-based work suggests there is a biological step that can restore normality and stop cells replicating out of control. When the US researchers added molecules called microRNAs, it put the brakes on cancer, Nature Cell Biology reports. Although the early tests in a dish look promising, it is unclear whether it will help treat people with cancer. The Mayo Clinic researchers are hopeful that the new mechanism they have found could apply to all types of cancer. It brings together two strands of science - cell adhesion and microRNA (miRNA) biology - that, until now, had not been linked. Scientists had thought adhesion molecules were simply the glue that holds cells together. But then others found they might have signalling roles. The Mayo Clinic work shows adhesion molecules connect cells and signal via miRNAs to control cell growth. If this becomes deregulated it can drive cancer. But replenishing cells with miRNAs can remedy this. Lead researcher Dr Panos Anastasiadis said: "By administering the affected miRNAs in cancer cells to restore their normal levels, we should be able to re-establish the brakes and restore normal cell function. "Initial experiments in some aggressive types of cancer are indeed very promising." Henry Scowcroft, Cancer Research UK's senior science information manager, said: "This important study solves a long-standing biological mystery, but we mustn't get ahead of ourselves. "There's a long way to go before we know whether these findings, in cells grown in a laboratory, will help treat people with cancer. But it's a significant step forward in understanding how certain cells in our body know when to grow, and when to stop. Understanding these key concepts is crucial to help continue the encouraging progress against cancer we've seen in recent years."

Summary: Scientists believe they may have found a way to turn cancerous cells back into healthy tissue.


The average mileage for four-wheeled vehicles stood at 7,900 miles (12,700km) in 2013, official figures showed. This represents a 14% fall from a figure of 9,200 miles in 2002, the first year for which data is available. Average annual mileage has dipped steadily in the intervening period, with mileage rising only in 2007. The average figure for 2013 fell from the previous year even though the distance travelled when commuting to and from work increased from 2,500 miles in 2012 to 2,800 miles last year. Business mileage dropped from 800 miles in 2012 to 700 miles in 2013. In 2002, this figure stood at 1,300 miles. RAC Foundation director Professor Stephen Glaister said: "While it is important to see whether individuals are driving more or less than before, official figures show overall traffic volume is on the rise again following the end of the recession. "With the population expected to increase by 10 million over the next two decades congestion is going to get worse, not better." AA president Edmund King said: "The weather in 2013, spikes in fuel prices and an increase in online shopping have all contributed to the drop in car use. "Although the coldest March in 50 years will have contributed to the fall in petrol sales in 2013, by far the biggest cause over the first quarter was the third 8p to 10p-a-litre price swing in 12 months." The figures also showed that people in England travelled 6,592 miles on average in all modes of transport last year, including walking and travelling as a passenger in a car or van. This figure is lower than the headline 7,900-mile figure for drivers, which applies to each vehicle, many of which are driven by more than one person. Each person on average walked 184 miles and travelled 288 miles by bus. The largest users of cars and vans were those living in rural areas, who walked only 97 miles on average last year. Those living in London walked the most, averaging 215 miles, while those in the West Midlands walked the least, clocking up only 161 miles. Car and van occupancy has not changed in recent years with the 2013 average being 1.57 people per journey, the same as in 2012 and 2011.

Summary: Drivers in England are clocking up the lowest number of miles on average since records began 12 years ago.


It is unclear who stopped the landing but a source close to President Ashraf Ghani told the BBC the return had not been co-ordinated with the government. Gen Dostum left for Turkey in May amid claims he ordered his men to kidnap, beat and rape a political rival. He denies wrongdoing. His spokesman said he went for a medical check-up. Atta Mohammad Noor, the powerful governor of northern Balkh province, was waiting at Mazar-e Sharif airport to meet Gen Dostum on Monday night, the Pajhwok news agency reported. More than 1,000 people accompanied the governor to receive the former warlord at the airport, which is near his home province of Jowzjan. Witnesses said some Dostum supporters held posters with slogans such as "Welcome back our dear leader," Reuters news agency reported. But the plane was diverted to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan. Early reports suggested German forces were behind the move. However, Nato later denied this, saying such decisions were a matter for the Afghan authorities. A source close to President Ghani told the BBC's Afghan service that Gen Dostum's decision to return without consulting the authorities in Kabul had caused suspicion. "We wanted him to come to Kabul... because we wanted to have a clear understanding of what's going on," the source said. "There are no legal hurdles for him to return, the government has no issues, but he has to take the right route." Gen Dostum, Atta Mohammad and Mohammad Mohaqeq, another influential ethnic leader, recently formed an opposition group calling for major political reforms. They want to trim the powers of the president, whom they accuse of accumulating power. Gen Dostum's officials have denied he was on the plane that was turned away. But one of the men tasked with preparing for his return confirmed to the BBC that Gen Dostum had spoken with his men from Ankara on Monday morning. He had directed them to co-ordinate with Atta Mohammad and Mohammad Mohaqeq and to organise a major event to launch the new coalition. The vice-president is a former warlord with decades of experience in Afghanistan's turbulent political arena. He has been blamed for some of the worst atrocities in the country's long-running civil war, but joined its national unity government in 2014. The allegations against him come from Ahmad Eshchi, a former ally, who says he suffered days of severe beatings and sexual abuse at Gen Dostum's command. He said the vice-president and 10 other men assaulted him while he was forcibly kept at Gen Dostum's residence in November 2016. The ex-warlord denies the claims and has said that Mr Eshchi was detained by the country's intelligence service. In 2008 Gen Dostum went to Turkey amid similar allegations that his personal militia had abducted, beaten and sexually assaulted a political rival in Kabul, then fired on police who responded to the incident.

Summary: Afghan Vice-President Abdul Rashid Dostum tried to fly back from Turkey late on Monday but was denied permission to land, officials say.


Gordon Thompson, of Waddon Road, Croydon, was charged with arson with intent to endanger life and arson. He was also charged with two counts of burglary and one count of violent disorder in the town centre. He was remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Magistrates' Court on Monday. A man aged 21 and 15-year-old boy have already been arrested over the fire. They have been released on bail. A 25-year-old man who was arrested on Wednesday was later released without charge. Violence erupted in Croydon on Monday night after two nights of trouble in other parts of the capital. Demolition has begun on the 150-year-old furniture store in south London. The Reeves family, who owned House of Reeves Furniture, hired a demolition crew so the remains of their ruined furniture store could be cleared.

Summary: A 33-year-old man has been charged with starting a fire which destroyed the Reeves Furniture Store in Croydon.


High levels of formaldehyde were discovered at Flash Ley Community Primary School and Nursery in Stafford after pupils fell ill last October. Students have been forced to attend lessons elsewhere. Staffordshire County Council said it could not provide a date for their return but it was doing all it could to reopen the site as soon as possible. Read more news for Staffordshire The authority said an investigation concluded work to floor ducts last summer led to high levels of the chemical. It said air quality in "some parts" of the school was "yet to reach safe levels" and work there would start "as soon as air testing revealed it was safe to do so". Cabinet member for learning and skills, Ben Adams, said he wanted to thank parents and staff "for their continued patience and support". "We want all of the pupils and staff to return to the school as soon as possible, but the safety of the whole school community will always remain our top priority," he added.

Summary: Repair work has not begun in parts of a school a year after it closed as the air quality is still not safe.