Archibald Shaw, 81 of Ardrossan, carried out the sexual abuse in Kilmarnock and Newton Stewart between 1982 and 1990. The High Court in Glasgow heard that he refuses to accept his guilt. But judge Bill Dunlop QC told Shaw that the evidence against him was "overwhelming". He said: "You carried out an appalling catalogue of perverted, predatory behaviour towards two children. "You stole their childhood and affected the quality of their adult lives. "I can never understand why, while you are violating children, you don't think these people will become adults and one day will bring you to account." Judge Dunlop said that, but for Shaw's age, he would have imposed a longer sentence. Shaw was placed on the sex offenders' register for life. His seven-year sentence will begin after he finishes a 21-month sentence for stalking a 15-year-old girl. Solicitor advocate John Keenan, defending, told the court that Shaw had a heart condition and did not expect to be released from custody. Shaw's victims, who are now in their 40s, went to the police after hearing on the radio that he had been convicted of stalking the schoolgirl. Advocate depute Paul Brown, prosecuting, said: "The accused has previous convictions for sexual offences against children." Shaw was found guilty of eight charges of sexual abuse, including rape. Many of the offences took place in a caravan. Shaw would ply his young victims with alcohol and make them watch pornographic videos before abusing them. He raped his 11-year-old victim again on various occasions when she was aged between 16 and 19. Shaw claimed that he had had consensual sex with the girl once she turned 16, but the jury did not believe him. In evidence, his victims said he ruined their childhoods. One of them said: "He said if we ever told what had happened to us we would be taken away from our families." The jail term was welcomed by NSPCC Scotland which praised Shaw's victims for coming forward to report his "heinous" crimes. A spokesman for the charity said: "This sentence sends out the strong message once again that child abuse will not be tolerated, no matter when the offences took place, and we hope this case will encourage others to speak out about abuse they have suffered, knowing they will be listened to and supported."

Summary: A pensioner has been jailed for seven years for raping an 11-year-old girl and attempting to rape a 10-year-old more than 30 years ago.


Hodson, 35, from Wigan died after the incident at the Joey's Windmill section of the Northern Ireland circuit. His brother Rob Hodson was involved in the crash but was not seriously hurt. Templepatrick man Lynd, 36, suffered his injuries in a crash on Wednesday while a third serious accident led to Thursday's Dundrod 150 being abandoned. The condition of the rider involved in Thursday's second crash is unknown. That incident happened in the National Challenge event and led to roads being closed for two hours as police investigated the incident. The earlier National race was immediately red-flagged and the Hodson brothers were taken to hospital after being treated at the scene. Jamie Hodson's death was later announced shortly after 22:00 BST. An experienced rider, Jamie Hodson was the reigning Manx GP Supertwins champion, and this year achieved a top-10 finish in the Isle of Man TT Lightweight race. The organisers of the event, the Dundrod and District Motorcycle Club, offered their sincere condolences to the Hodson family and friends and asked for their privacy to be respected. Thursday's Dundrod 150 meeting was part of the Ulster Grand Prix meeting which concludes with Saturday's main day of racing at the circuit.

Summary: English rider Jamie Hodson died in a crash at the Dundrod 150 on Thursday while Northern Irishman Stephen Lynd is critically ill after another incident.


Summary: Our selection of some of the best news photographs taken around the world during the past 24 hours.


The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has found that the refusals have hit high profile hospitals in Cambridge, Newcastle and Manchester. A Freedom of Information request to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) found more than 2,341 refusals. The government said the MAC was reviewing its refusal policy. The RCN asked for the number of applications to allow overseas (non-European Union) nurses to work in England between April and November 2015 and the number refused. It found that East Lancashire Hospitals NHS had the highest number of refusals with 300 out of 300 applications. The research found that Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals and North Cumbria University Hospitals both had about 240 refusals. Nursing was temporarily placed on the MAC shortage occupation list (allowing more overseas nurses) in December. Janet Davies, chief executive of the RCN, said: "These figures show that when nursing is not on the list, many trusts are unable to recruit enough nurses, which could have an impact on patient care." Catherine Morgan, director of nursing at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, told the BBC she had been prevented from recruiting a number of overseas nurses. "It is frustrating because we are running a hospital and do want it to be safe, and we had the opportunity to recruit from India and the Philippines and we had nurses keen to come over but haven't been able to bring them over," she said. A Department of Health spokesman said: "The MAC is currently reviewing the shortage occupation list. Staffing is a priority and there are already more than 8,500 more nurses on our wards since 2010 and 50,000 more nurses in training. "We want more home-grown staff in the NHS and our recent changes to student funding will create up to 10,000 more nursing, midwifery and allied health professional training places by 2020."

Summary: Thousands of nurses were denied permission to work in England last year, despite hospitals facing staff shortages, new figures show.


Their analysis of stool samples in a study of more than 3,600 twins found evidence that some of this bacteria is inherited. What is contained in faeces bacteria could therefore partly explain why obesity passes down through families. The study is published in Genome Biology. The research team extracted information from study participants about the human faecal microbiome - the bacteria present in faeces samples - and compared these to six different measures of obesity, including body mass index (BMI) and different types of body fat. iWonder - What does your poo say about you? The researchers found the strongest links with visceral fat, where participants with a high diversity of bacteria in their faeces had lower levels of visceral fat. This type of body fat is bad news because it is stored in the stomach area around important organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines and is linked with higher risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Dr Michelle Beaumont, lead study author from the department of twin research and genetic epidemiology at King's College London, said although the study showed a clear link, it was not yet possible to explain why it existed. One theory is that a lack of variety in faecal bacteria could lead to the domination of high levels of gut microbes which are good at turning carbohydrates into fat. Dr Beaumont said: "As this was an observational study we cannot say precisely how communities of bacteria in the gut might influence the storage of fat in the body, or whether a different mechanism is involved in weight gain." And she indicated more research was needed to investigate how microbes in our guts and in our faeces can influence our health. But there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that gut bacteria may play a role in obesity. It is known that at least 50% of human faeces is made up of bacteria shed from the gut. Dr Beaumont said that eating a broad diet including a variety of different types of food - much like that of the early hunter-gatherers - could increase the diversity of microbes in our faeces. If the theory that microbes are passed on down the generations is correct, she said they may play an important role in how fat develops around the body and the health risk it presents.

Summary: The make-up of the bacteria found in human faeces may influence levels of dangerous fat in our bodies, say researchers from King's College London.


The Perpignan flanker, 32, last featured for the Scots in their Rugby World Cup win over United States in Leeds in September. Former Edinburgh and Gloucester player Strokosch has been involved with the Scotland squad since 2006. "I've been lucky enough to fulfil my childhood dream of representing Scotland," he said. "Wearing the thistle has been the greatest honour and responsibility of my life outside of raising my children." After breaking through in club rugby at Boroughmuir, Strokosch turned professional with Edinburgh in 2004 and moved on to Gloucester three years later. He has been playing in France since 2012. His Test career started with a substitute's appearance an autumn series defeat by Australia. Strokosch featured in eight consecutive Six Nations campaigns up until this year's tournament and his two international tries came against Canada and Italy. "I treasure every memory from my time with the squad," he added. "I believe that the group we have now are among the most talented that I've seen have the potential to achieve great things for Scottish rugby. "I would have never achieved anything without the support over the years, particularly from Bob Easson, Carl Hogg, Dean Ryan, Shaun Longstaff, my parents and my wife Kirsty." And Scotland head coach Vern Cotter, said: "On behalf of the Scotland squad and management I'd like to thank Alasdair for his commitment to the Scotland jersey over the past nine years. "For almost a decade he has quietly gone about his business with exceptional professionalism, with a lot of the hard work put in - often in the less glamorous and combative areas of the park - going unseen. "We wish him all the very best in the remaining days with Perpignan where I know he's committed to doing everything he can to ensure their return to the Top 14 before finally hanging up his boots."

Summary: Back-row forward Alasdair Strokosch has retired from international rugby after 47 Test appearances for Scotland.


There had been suggestions that the former Liverpool boss might opt for a man who has working knowledge of the Scottish game or even the club itself but he's gone for a man he knows and trusts. Davies, 31, may now be one of the youngest coaches in Scottish football but he's actually spent more time in the dugout than on the pitch. The defensive midfielder showed promise and captained the Reading youth team - a team managed at that time by Rodgers. He also represented Wales at youth level before he was forced to retire aged just 19 due to injury. His coaching journey to the east end of Glasgow involved time in New Zealand, Swansea, Liverpool and most recently, Reading. He describes himself as a strategist and someone who likes to work with young players and spoke at length about his new role. "Straight away you notice the size of Celtic from the outside but Brendan's unveiling was just sensational. It's a great feeling to be up here now and experience a bit more of Glasgow. This is such an exciting challenge for all of us. We've got a real focus now that we have to bring success consistently and we're looking forward to building that." "I've obviously worked with Brendan for a long time and I think we as a staff bring a lot of experience. Me personally, I've got a big interest in the tactical side of the game and enjoy looking at strategy but I also like to work with players and trying to improve them as individuals." "He's excellent. All the big players that Brendan's worked with rate him very highly. I saw what Luis Suarez said about him recently and that's just testament to how players feel. He's got really human qualities that players warm to. He's really open and likes to be very close to his players and I think they feed off that as people. On the football side his knowledge and attention to detail is second to none - on all aspects of the game." "Yeah, that's started. I think the one thing we've done already is analyse the past. We've looked at where we think the team is at. We've looked at all the goals scored and goals conceded last season. It's not until we get everyone back that'll we'll get a proper feel for the players and how we want to shape it moving forward." "With all due respect to the previous management team, it maybe wouldn't be right to go into detail. We've just looked at areas of the team where we think we could potentially improve or areas that are strong. We've been looking at it objectively without the emotion of how it's been." "Well, when we nearly won the league with Liverpool, we played lots of different systems. The most important thing isn't the system itself but rather the style of play. Whether we play with one or two up front, the most important thing is assessing what's important to win games." "It's something we'll look at

Summary: The thousands of Celtic supporters who were on hand to hail the arrival of Brendan Rodgers were understandably absent when his assistant, Chris Davies, met the media.


The plant in Lincolnshire will burn straw grown within a 50-mile radius and release only the carbon dioxide that the wheat absorbed from the air. The six-week "hot commissioning" process for the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant began this week. This involves firing the boiler and releasing high pressure steam, which cleans the newly-built plant system. The plant is currently burning gas oil, but straw is due to be added next week. David Fisher, director of projects at Eco2, which is constructing the plant, said: "Today is a milestone. It's the first firing of the boiler. "In terms of the construction process we are a little way ahead of the original project programme so it's all going very well so far." He said he was confident that the plant would go into production in January or February. As well as feeding electricity into the National Grid, the plant will provide free heat to public buildings in Sleaford town centre, including the swimming pool and the council offices. Ash produced by the plant will be recycled as crop fertiliser. The location was chosen because it is in a concentrated region of straw production, which will reduce transportation costs. Some people living nearby have opposed the power station, saying it will be an eyesore and lorries bringing straw will clog the roads. However, planning permission was granted in 2008.

Summary: A straw-fired power station described as "virtually carbon neutral" has been fired for the first time.


Adrenaline will kick in, and that's a good thing - it helps you concentrate harder, move quicker and react faster. When you're feeling good out on court, it's as though you're not going to miss and the other guy is going to have to find something special. That's what the best players do; they make you play those extra balls. I like those moments, they help me focus better. I was behind against Milos Raonic in the Queen's Club final last month but once I got back into the match, I didn't feel like I was going to give him any mistakes. It was similar at the end of the first set on Monday against Nick Kyrgios. He played a couple of great points on the first two set points but then on the third one I managed to just nick it. I got enough balls back in play to get it done. When nothing's really going on in the match, like in the middle of the second set against Nick, it's much harder to concentrate than at 6-5, 0-30. You're aware of the importance of the points, so your mind is right there in the moment. It can be easy to rush or go for a shot that's not there when opportunities come and go so fast, and you need to make sure you can control your mind. Not everyone is able to do that, but the more you experience those situations, the more you're able to calm yourself. I've played Jo-Wilfried Tsonga a couple of times at Wimbledon and they both came down to a few points at key moments, so let's hope the adrenaline pulls me through again on Wednesday. Media playback is not supported on this device When I leave the All England Club in the evening I don't immediately switch off from tennis, I usually start thinking about the next match. I drive myself to and from the club and on the journey home my thoughts turned straight to playing Tsonga - the Kyrgios match just isn't relevant at that moment. When a tournament is finished I'll reflect on it as a whole and speak with my team. Right now, in the middle of the tournament, they'll say 'you did this well' or 'you did that well' or 'this could be better'. Then it's about concentrating on the next one and what we're going to do. There is a bit of domestic life on my off days, around coming in to practice. I went and put petrol in the car the other night because I needed to refill before the drive in. I stacked the dishwasher, that's kind of my job, and otherwise pretty much just help out with the family. I haven't taken the bins out for the last few days, but I do my bit! When I was younger it was much more difficult to stop myself getting carried away with how I was playing or who I was playing. When I hadn't won a Grand Slam it was like, 'This is my chance. I

Summary: Big matches against the best players turn on fleeting chances, and if you want to win Wimbledon, you have to relish those moments.


The proceeds will be used to pay down debt and help revitalise its UK business. Homeplus is being bought by MBK Partners, a South Korean buyout firm set up a decade ago. It has partnered with a Canadian pension fund and Singapore's Temasek Holdings for the deal. Dave Lewis, chief executive of Tesco, said: "This sale realises material value for shareholders and allows us to make significant progress on our strategic priority of protecting and strengthening our balance sheet." After tax and other costs the sale will produce £3.35bn in cash for Tesco and is expected to be completed before the end of the year. Retail analyst Nick Bubb said the main aim was to reduce its debt mountain and avoid a rights issue. "Interestingly, however, Tesco say that the disposal will also give it the financial flexibility to buy some UK store freeholds," he added. Bruno Monteyne, an analyst at Bernstein and a former senior Tesco supply chain executive, said the deal would allow the company to qualify for a top credit rating once more from the ratings firm Moody's in 2017-18. The Homeplus deal is the first major disposal since Tesco reported a record pre-tax loss of £6.4bn for the year to February. That compared with annual pre-tax profit of £2.26bn a year earlier. It was the biggest loss reported by a UK retailer and one of the largest in the country's corporate history. It's not quite money down the back of the sofa, but the chief executive of Tesco has been hunting for bits of the business he can sell ever since arriving at the beleaguered supermarket last year. He needed to get rid of assets to fend off speculation that the supermarket's debt - which was standing at over £20bn - was becoming a problem. The South Korean sale goes some way to alleviating the business's balance sheet strain. Speculation was growing that without significant sell-offs Tesco might need to raise fresh capital from shareholders - never a happy prospect. Tesco's debt now stands at £17bn, including pension liabilities, so Mr Lewis still has some way to go. Read Kamal's blog in full Tesco - the UK's biggest supermarket chain and the world's third largest retailer after Walmart and Carrefour - has faced challenges on several fronts in recent years. Hard discounters such as Aldi and Lidl have been eroding the market share of the big four supermarket chains, while Tesco has struggled with excess floor space in out-of-town superstores. Shoppers have moved away from doing one big weekly shop at such stores in favour of topping up more frequently from high street convenience stores. Writing down the value of Tesco's property portfolio accounted for about £4.7bn of its record annual loss. In July 2014 Tesco appointed Mr Lewis as chief executive to replace Philip Clarke and he started in October. Before he took over, the retailer said in September that it had mis-stated profits by £250m - a figure that was raised to £263m a month later. After an initial rise, shares in Tesco were down 0.4%

Summary: Tesco has sold Homeplus, its South Korean business, for £4.2bn as the troubled supermarket chain seeks to shore up its balance sheet.


New manager Gary Mills will hope to succeed where Brian Little, Dean Saunders, Andy Morrell and Kevin Wilkin have failed by guiding the club back into the Football League. Wrexham are about to embark on their eighth season in non-league but with Mills' pedigree at this level, Dragons fans hope it will be their last. Defeat to North Ferriby United in the FA Trophy final sealed the fate of Kevin Wilkin, sacked for his side's failure to mount a serious promotion challenge rather than the Wembley defeat. The Dragons finished the season strongly under caretaker boss Carl Darlington but he opted against the role full-time and Wrexham appointed the experienced Gary Mills. Mills wasted no time in making changes to the squad with experienced heads and Racecourse favourites such as captain Dean Keates and Neil Ashton among those released at the end of last season. The former Gateshead manager, assisted by former Tottenham player Darren Caskey, has signed 10 players and a further two on loan during the close season. Despite the wholesale changes, the former Nottingham Forest man has been pleased by the new-look squad's progress during pre-season. Last season's top-scorer Louis Moult has left for Motherwell and the pressure will be on replacement James Gray to score the goals. The presence of centre half Manny Smith - so impressive in his first season at the club - is also a major boost. Many Wrexham supporters were unhappy with the manner of midfielder Lee Fowler's departure to big-spending Fleetwood Town in 2012. But the 32-year-old Welshman has returned to the Racecourse on a one-year contract and Mills has shown his faith in the former Coventry City and Wales Under-21 player by making him captain. Fowler has a big void to fill following the departure of former skipper and midfield general Keates. Title - 10/1 Relegation - 40/1 Manager sacking - not available Odds supplied by BetVictor Media playback is not supported on this device Mills knows how to get teams promoted - he guided York City to a play-off final win in 2012 - and the former European Cup winner brings a no-nonsense approach to the job. It will be interesting to see how the new-look squad takes shape during the opening weeks of the campaign but Wrexham should be among the front-runners. National League: 4th FA Cup: Second round. Gary Mills: "I'm always going to feel the expectation but it doesn't affect how I work. I love expectation because it keeps you on your toes. I don't want to be at a club with no expectation - that's easy, we can all do that." "All I can promise is that I give everything that I've got. Promotion of course is the goal. Do I want to win the league? Yes of course I do - If I don't then I want to finish in the top five, get to Wembley and win it. "No matter how we get out of this league we've got to get out." Former Wrexham midfielder and BBC Wales pundit Mickey Thomas: "Gary Mills plays a

Summary: The sense of optimism at Wrexham ahead of the new National League season is reflected by the increase in season ticket sales at the north Wales club.


The message, "Curry my yougrt (sic), oil my AK-47", was spray-painted on a wall outside DUP councillor George Duddy's house. Part of the graffiti refers to comments made in the Northern Ireland Assembly when DUP MP Gregory Campbell said: "Curry my yoghurt can coca coalyer." Mr Duddy said: "This is a personal attack on me and my family." "There have been almost 30 incidents like this in the Coleraine area in the past year," he told BBC Radio Foyle. "They come like thieves in the night and do what they do. They aren't man enough to come and make comments to my face." He added: "There is only so much security around your home you can take. I will not be moving from my home. "We have met with the PSNI recently but they haven't been making progress in catching anyone due to lack of evidence. "People should come forward and report what they know. "I have made it quite clear before that if people have an issue with me they should come and speak to me." Last month, Mr Campbell, who is MP for East Londonderry, began an address to the assembly with: "Curry my yoghurt can coca coalyer" in imitation of the Irish sentence "go raibh maith agat, Ceann Comhairle" which translates as "thank you, Speaker". Northern Ireland First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson has condemned the attack. "The repeated attacks on Councillor Duddy's house represent a campaign of hatred and intimidation against a public representative," he added. SDLP MLA John Dallat said on Monday: "Councillor Duddy should be allowed to represent in the area without these attacks. "The people doing this need caught."

Summary: The police have said graffiti sprayed on the home of the mayor of Coleraine is being treated as a hate crime.


Aidy Boothroyd's side fell behind to a Martin Chrien header in the first half. Alfie Mawson scrambled in an equaliser before a powerful Nathan Redmond strike gave England victory. The Three Lions are top of Group A on four points and will guarantee a place in the last four by beating hosts Poland in Thursday's final group game. Only the winners of each of the three groups go through to the semi-finals, along with the best runner-up. A 90th-minute Poland equaliser against Sweden in the other group game on Monday simplified the situation for England. If Sweden had held on for victory they would be level on points and goal difference ahead of Thursday's decisive fixtures. Relive England's win against Slovakia England reached the European Under-21 Championship final in 2009 but their record since has been hugely disappointing. They failed to get out of the group stage in 2011 and 2013 and looked in real danger of another early exit after a drab first 45 minutes against Slovakia in Kielce. After managing just one shot on target in the 0-0 draw with Sweden in their group opener, England again looked lightweight in attack. They were ponderous in possession and lacked invention. Their chances of scoring appeared even more unlikely when Slovakia closed ranks after going ahead, Chrien's header looping over Everton's £30m goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. But a half-time alteration brought with it a change of fortunes. Norwich forward Jacob Murphy replaced Mason Holgate at right-back and within five minutes he produced the cross that led to Mawson's equaliser. The goal resulted in Slovakia - looking for a win that would move them onto six points and in command of the group - abandoning their cautious approach in search of a winner and that played into England's hands. A failed Slovakia attack led to England breaking three against two, and Redmond did well to cut inside his marker before driving an effort into the far corner with the help of a deflection. It was a far from convincing England performance but nevertheless a satisfying result in an intimidating atmosphere. England now have their destiny in their own hands - beat Poland on Thursday and they are into the last four. However, it could have become very complicated if Sweden had held on to their 2-1 lead in the closing stages of the game against Poland. If they had taken the three points in that game and both England and Sweden won their final group fixtures by the same scoreline they would both have been level on points, goal difference and goals scored. That meant it would have been down to disciplinary points and, finally, coefficient ranking to determine the group winner. As it was, Dawid Kownacki coolly converted an injury-time penalty to earn Poland a draw and keep the host nation's hopes of a place in the last four alive. They must beat England on Thursday to have a chance of progressing. BBC Radio 5 live's chief football correspondent Ian Dennis: I thought it looked bleak for England at half-time but to their

Summary: England are one win away from a place in the European Under-21 Championship semi-finals after coming from behind to beat Slovakia on Monday.


Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (Hial) runs sites in the Highlands, Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland, Argyll and Dundee Airport. Inverness was the company's busiest site with 657,661 passengers - 6% more than the previous year. Sumburgh had an 8% increase in passenger numbers and Barra 14%. However, Dundee's passenger numbers were down 17%. Barra's runway is a strip of beach, which Hial said added to the appeal for tourists visiting the island. Hial said because it was a publicly-funded company, it had historically operated at a commercial loss in order to sustain its lifeline services. In 2014-15, the group recorded an operating loss of £442,000 compared to £3.8m on the previous year. It said the improved performance was due to Scottish government subsidies returning to normal levels of £20.1m in 2014-15 from £14.9m in 2013-14.

Summary: The operator of Scotland's 11 regional airports handled more than 1.4 million passengers in the 12 months to March 2015, according to its annual report.


About 270 undergraduate students at the university's medical school are affected. The university said the clinical examination they sat earlier this year had now been declared "void". It emerged that a handful of students had shared information about the exam using social media. The students responsible are now facing a disciplinary and fitness to practise process and the fresh exam has been timetabled for early May. In a statement, a university spokesman said: "After consultation with the senate of the University of Glasgow the affected examination has been declared void and a new clinical examination will be set for all final year students. "This decision has been made in an abundance of caution to ensure that the skills of our students are rigorously and fairly tested before they graduate in medicine." The new exam will take place at the beginning of May, with any resits resulting from that paper to be taken later the same month.

Summary: Final-year medical students at Glasgow University will have to resit an exam after evidence of "collusion" was uncovered.


These are some of the scenarios being mooted by an increasingly excited blockchain community. The technology that underpins the cryptocurrency Bitcoin is nothing new - it's been around for decades. It's just an encrypted database that's distributed across a computer network. But what makes it different is it can only be updated when everyone on that network agrees, and once entered the information can't be overwritten, making it extremely secure and reliable. And trust, as we know, underpins most business transactions. "Blockchain, for perhaps the first time, presents a legitimate threat to the status quo," says Terry Roche, head of financial technology research at financial advisory firm, Tabb Group. The tech has spawned a new generation of start-ups looking to find new, related applications, from peer-to-peer lending to smart contracts. For example, OpenBazaar is a way people can sell anything to anyone, anywhere in the world using bitcoins. Unlike with eBay or Amazon, users don't visit a website but download a programme that directly connects them with other potential buyers and sellers. "Our goal is to unbundle the incumbent marketplaces around the world by offering a more private, secure and flexible option that isn't controlled by any one corporate interest, but rather, by the users themselves," developer Brian Hoffman tells the BBC. According to OpenBazaar, cutting out the middleman means there are no fees, no restrictions, no accounts to create, and you only reveal the personal information you feel comfortable sharing. The software is now in its testing phase and has been downloaded nearly 20,000 times in the last three weeks. Other decentralised marketplace concepts include Syscoin, which is also a digital currency. Another major development exciting the industry are smart contracts, programmes that can automatically verify that contract terms have been met, and, once that has been done, authorise payment - all in real time without any need for middlemen. The results are then indelibly recorded in the blockchain database. Some believe - perhaps fancifully - that such contracts could remove the need for lawyers one day. Companies like San Francisco-based SmartContract and Hedgy are already building businesses based on the concept, which could have applications in the financial, property and commerce markets. By incorporating smart contracts with the "internet of things" (IoT) - smart devices hooked up to the internet - blockchain tech could have uses far beyond the financial sector, says Emmanuel Viale, a managing director of Accenture's Technology Labs. "You could have a wearable fitness tracker that would send the number of calories or steps taken to the blockchain. The data is encrypted and my identity is anonymised. The same with home medical devices," he says. "The Blockchain would create a link with health professionals - whether coaches, doctors or healthcare institutions - and the smart contract could trigger needed services - whether it's a fitness regime or treatment for a chronic disease." In another example, start-up Hellosent thinks smart contracts and IoT devices could be used to monitor deliveries of fine wines. Sensors would continuously measure the temperature and humidity of the wine in transit, then if

Summary: Imagine a world where you can vote in an election with your phone, where you buy a house in a matter of hours, or where cash simply doesn't exist.


Media playback is not supported on this device Last Saturday the club were forced to cancel the opening meeting at their new £8m home because of the track state. Manchester's Lord Mayor opened the venue on Saturday but the sell-out 5,000 crowd went home disappointed. The Aces lost to Poole Pirates in the play-off final last season. "The contractors who built the track and built the stadium have had to do some remedial work on the track because of the problems we had," chief executive David Gordon told BBC Radio Manchester. "Those works we anticipated would have been completed for the Good Friday meeting but unfortunately the track is still unsatisfactory. "We didn't build the track, the contractor built the track. It appears that the problem was in the sub base of the track, not in the shale of the track. "Speedway tracks are a very, very specialised surface and when they start to break up it makes it very dangerous for the riders."

Summary: Belle Vue Aces have postponed their opening Elite League fixture of the season against Wolverhampton because of continuing track concerns at the National Speedway Stadium.


Americans Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien are in talks about taking a "controlling interest" in the club. Guidolin, 60, has led Swansea to Premier League safety since joining in January, but his contract expires at the end of the season. "We spoke about the future. Nothing is decided," said Italian Guidolin. "We spoke about the team, the players, many things, but not about the takeover. I don't know what [impact] it will have. "I confirmed to him I would prefer to stay here if possible. Now I'm waiting for his decision, but I'm happy." Swansea reached the 40-point mark synonymous with Premier League survival by beating Chelsea 1-0 on Saturday, although the prospect of American investment has since dominated the agenda at the Liberty Stadium. Jenkins and vice-chairman Leigh Dineen will stay on at Swansea in an executive capacity if the takeover goes through. Jenkins has said a deal would not affect Swansea's managerial plans. Garry Monk was sacked as head coach in December and, after Alan Curtis' temporary spell in charge, Guidolin was appointed. The former Udinese manager said: "This is not my job. It is difficult for me to say something about this situation. "This is an important club for me. I like the kindness of the people, the Premier League; my wife and family is happy. "But I don't know if my future is here or another part of the world. I don't know anything about the agreements."

Summary: Swansea boss Francesco Guidolin has discussed his future with chairman Huw Jenkins, but does not know if the potential takeover will affect his job.


Stoke-on-Trent City Council said raising council tax by 3% would pay for extra social care and launched a consultation on its budget proposals. The council, led by a coalition of City Independents and Conservatives, also said 202 jobs could go to save £61m. Labour councillors criticised the budget as "attacking the most vulnerable". More on this and other stories from Stoke and Staffordshire The authority last increased council tax rates in 2012. The 3% rise means council tax for a Band D property would increase from £1,183.46 in 2016-17 to £1,218.96 in 2017-18. The plans could see six children's centres moved into other council buildings or schools, which the council says would save £3m. Other proposals include a £1.5m refurbishment of Hanley market and building a £9.5m multi-storey car park near Stoke railway station and Staffordshire University. It also says raising rates will help to pay for 230 carers to help look after older people, while more than 100 of the planned redundancies will be from the Co-Operative Working scheme set up in February to help vulnerable people. Council leader David Conway said the council was not closing children's centres and that said raising tax rates was "the right thing to do". "We have to save £61m over the next three years - we have to do it, we have to manage the business," he said. Mohammed Pervez, leader of the Labour opposition and former leader of the authority, said the budget would reward more affluent parts of the city instead of helping its poorest residents.

Summary: More than 200 jobs could be lost and council tax could rise under budget plans.


However, Thursday's incident in which more than 700 people died, took place near to the bridge as crowds thronged to carry out one of the chief rituals of the pilgrimage. The annual Hajj sees about two million pilgrims moving around a small area of land, making several visits to the Grand Mosque at Mecca and to nearby Mina. On the first day of Hajj, travellers head for Mina and spend a night there before leaving at sunrise on the 8 mile (13km) journey to Mount Arafat. At sunset, pilgrims travel to Muzdalifah where they gather stones and pray until sunrise before journeying back to Mina. In Mina, they throw seven stones at the largest of the three Jamarat pillars, which stand at the place where Satan is believed to have tempted the Prophet Abraham. After this they travel to the Grand Mosque in Mecca, then return to Mina cast more stones and make their way back to Mecca. The Jamarat pillars have been the scene of several previous fatal crushes when crowds flocked onto the bridge where they are situated. The tragedies have led to the site being completely redesigned. A decade ago, the pillars were exactly that - obelisks sitting in circular surrounds. But after 251 people were killed in a stampede in February 2004, the pillars were remodelled as walls, making them easier for the crowd to flow around. The new wall-shaped pillars and their oval-shaped basins allowed people to get on and off the bridge more swiftly. However this did not prevent a further disaster in 2006 when an accident at one entry ramp to the bridge caused a crush in which 345 people died. In the following years, the Saudi authorities spent $1.1bn completely overhauling the site, turning it into a multi-level complex with 11 entrances and 12 exits, pedestrian tunnels, escalators and emergency escape routes. The bridge was widened to 80 metres and it is designed to handle 300,000 pilgrims an hour along its 950-metre length. The upper layer has a canopy to protect visitors from the strong sunlight and the building's air conditioning is backed by water sprinklers that can reduce the temperature to about 29C. Pilgrims are given schedules to visit the Jamarat bridge, but with two million crowded into Mina's tent city, crush and panic are constant dangers. Thursday's fatal incident took place on streets which lead to the bridge, as two massive lines of pilgrims converged on each other at right angles. Criticism is growing of Saudi Arabia's handling of the situation, with Iran accusing the Saudi government of "incompetence" and urging it to "take responsibility" for the deaths. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who chairs the Hajj committee, has begun an immediate inquiry into the tragedy, and has promised fast results.

Summary: The Hajj has a history of deadly crushes but had been largely problem-free since Saudi Arabia overhauled the key Jamarat bridge site almost a decade ago.


Becky, 16, was killed by her step-brother during a sexually-motivated kidnapping at her home in Bristol on 19 February last year. Her aunt, Sarah Broom, said relatives plan to mark Becky's "big birthday" - her 18th - in June with a party. They also hope to start a charity to help those whose relatives go missing. Nathan Matthews was jailed for life for Becky's murder, to serve a minimum of 33 years , while his girlfriend Shauna Hoare was given a 17-year sentence for manslaughter. Ms Broom said the family had struggled to "return to normality" after her killers were jailed. "It was really strange finishing the trial, you kind of miss it because that has been your fight and then when it's done, you're kind of lost," she said. "Where do you channel all that now? We've tried to put it into events, fundraising and just trying to build happy memories as well. "We threw her a party for her 17th birthday. We went to her grave and sang Happy Birthday." Becky's uncle Sam Galsworthy said: "It's destroyed us all but it's also brought us closer together. We're closer than we've ever been I think." The couple said community support during Becky's disappearance had been "amazing", and said she "couldn't have had the funeral or headstone" without it. Becky was reported missing on 19 February 2015 and her remains were found in suitcases in a shed, in Barton Hill, nearly two weeks later on 3 March. Ms Broom spoke about the "desperation" they felt during the search for their niece, and said the family was aiming to set up a charity in Becky's name to help others whose loved ones go missing. "We found the expense of just poster printing and arranging our own searches, we're just an ordinary family and we didn't have the resources. "Our aim is to make it easier for another family," she said.

Summary: The family of murdered teenager Becky Watts has vowed to mark the "sad milestones" of her life with "happy memories" a year after her death.


Belfast Magistrates' Court heard Catherine Strong subjected the elderly victim to a drunken attack as she lay in bed at their home in the city. Strong, 49, of Argyle Street, Belfast, pleaded guilty to common assault on her mother. She also admitted five assaults on police officers and police representatives. When challenged by care workers who called at the house she was said to have become abusive and repeatedly shouted that her mother was dying. Ordering full reports before she passes sentence, District Judge Fiona Bagnall said: "If those care workers had not come in goodness knows what might have happened." A prosecution lawyer told how one of those who called at the home on 10 January had looked into the area where the victim's bed is located. She saw the pensioner - believed to be in her late 70s - lying on her back with her feet hanging off the edge of the bed onto the floor. "The defendant was standing over her mother holding a pillow in one hand," the prosecutor said. "She was repeatedly striking her mother on the face and upper chest with the pillow." The assault was said to involve pressing the pillow down on the victim's face for up to a second at a time, before lifting it up for the same period of time and then repeating the action. In total the incident witnessed lasted for less than 30 seconds, the court heard. It was stressed that the care worker believed Strong was beating her mother, but was not trying to suffocate her. Strong, who was described as pleasant when sober but abusive when drunk, had been in an emotional state in the previous weeks. She had repeatedly stated that her mother was dying, Judge Bagnall was told. During the commotion at the house she also claimed she had been trying to put a pillow behind her mother's back. She has cared for her mother since she had a stroke 12 years ago. On the day of the incident Strong had drank a litre and a half of cider, but claimed to be more tired than drunk. Strong also insisted she had a good relationship with her mother involving the pair joking and messing around, the court heard. After hearing the details Judge Bagnall stressed the seriousness of the offence against a "vulnerable, elderly lady in care, a member of the family". Pointing out that immediate custody could be imposed, she warned: "Be under no illusion, I'm taking this as having a fairly sinister set of facts."

Summary: A woman who repeatedly pressed a pillow on her stroke-victim mother's face has been warned she could be jailed.


Communities Minister Lesley Griffiths said planning would start two months before an inmate was due for release. Shelter Cymru welcomed the introduction of measures to prevent homelessness. Campaigners have voiced frustration that prison leavers are still being housed in B&Bs a year after a woman was killed by a homeless ex-offender. A review is taking place into the mental health support given to Matthew Williams, 34. He died following his arrest for attacking Cerys Yemm, 22, at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in Argoed, Caerphilly county, in November 2014. Ms Griffiths said the national pathway was the first of its kind in the UK and was set up following the Housing (Wales) Act, which gives local authorities a duty to prevent homelessness. It clarifies and co-ordinates the roles and responsibilities of all authorities involved with people leaving custody. "Wales has been recognised for the forward-thinking approach we have taken to preventing homelessness," said Ms Griffiths. "The National Pathway puts us ahead of the rest of the UK in terms of our efforts to prevent prison leavers from becoming homeless or ending up in B&Bs. "The Pathway is already being used by some organisations, with very positive results." Jennie Bibbings, campaigns manager for Shelter Cymru, said the introduction of homeless prevention services into prisons was a step in the right direction. But she said ministers had a "huge task" on their hands co-ordinating the work of all the agencies involved. "Some prison leavers still aren't getting their homelessness dealt with in a timely way," she said. "We're concerned that they no longer have priority for accommodation from local authorities - they have to prove they are vulnerable," she added.

Summary: Prisoners at risk of becoming homeless on leaving jail are to be given more support to find a secure home, amid concern about their rehabilitation.


The suspect, 28, handed himself in at an east London Police station on Friday, the Met said. He arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and was bailed until mid-August. Images of three men still wanted over Tuesday's attack were released by the force. Bottles and other objects were thrown at the coach as it got stuck in traffic en route to the stadium. The disorder left four policemen injured and West Ham said it would ban for life any fan found responsible. Two men, aged 18 and 47, who were arrested for pitch incursion have been bailed to return on a date in late May. A 20-year-old man who was arrested for throwing bottles at police officers has been bailed to return on a date in August.

Summary: A man has been arrested in connection with an attack on Manchester United's team bus outside West Ham's Boleyn Ground.


The 81-year-old driver of a Fiesta suffered multiple injuries in the crash on the A4064 between Llangeinor and Brynmenyn on Saturday at 15:05 BST. He is being treated at Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales. His 75-year-old passenger also needed hospital treatment for head injuries. The Vauxhall Astra driver was taken to Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend. He has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Police are appealing for witnesses.

Summary: A 24-year-old driver has been arrested after a crash which left two other men hurt, one seriously, in Bridgend.


Jetstar and Virgin cancelled all their flights between Australia and Bali's Denpasar airport, hitting the school holiday season. It is the second day of flight disruptions due to continued eruptions from Mount Raung. Some of those affected by the Bali closure have been speaking to the BBC about their situation: Erika Fitzgerald, who was on holiday in Bali, said she was due to start a new job near Sydney on Monday but will not make it back in time. "My main concern at the moment is getting back for that," she said. Instead of flying direct, she is now trying to get on a flight to Singapore on Saturday then three connecting flight back to Sydney. "If we hadn't taken the four flight option we wouldn't have been able to get back till Sunday 19 [July]," she said. Janan Jedrzejewski said she had booked a Bali villa with a private pool as part of a post-breakup retreat. "I wanted to go get my nails done and get mud baths and go back looking fabulous," she said. But when she arrived at the airport on Thursday night Jetstar staff told her the flight had been cancelled. "I used to work for the airlines so take in my stride, [it's] better safe than sorry, but I'm trying to cancel my villa," Ms Jedrzejewski told the BBC. Jake Powell said he managed to get back to Australia but his parents are stuck in Bali for another 10 days and may not be able to make a claim for the delay through their travel insurance. "[Mum] was supposed to fly back tonight to Sydney and catch a connecting flight to Newcastle so I could pick her and Dad up tomorrow at 1pm," Jake told the BBC. Wendy Robertson, 78, was hoping to return from Bali feeling relaxed, but has instead been stuck with little information about when she and her eight-year-old grand-daughter, Ashley, will get home. "I have run out of my medications for blood pressure and diabetes," she told Fairfax. "I have to take them every day, I only brought a supply for six days. "I am in a hiatus. There is no information. All I got was a recorded message. I was told I can arrange to confirm my booking online but I am 78-years-old. I [can't] access online." How long will this go on? Forecasters say the situation is somewhat unpredictable as it is a matter of waiting for Mount Raung to stop erupting. "This volcano has been erupting for about a week and it's been streaming ash constantly," Chris Davies from Darwin's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre told the BBC. "It's not an explosive eruption, just a constant stream and because the summit is so high it doesn't take much ash to interfere with flights. "The most dangerous aspect for aviation is that modern jet engines pull in so much air and the ash concentrates in engines and turns into a kind of molten glass. "The ash melts, coats inside of the engine and affects fuel flow, so in the worst case scenario

Summary: Travellers to and from Australia have been left stranded or unable to go on holiday after an erupting volcano forced Indonesia to close five airports on Friday.


It was dropped this year after being sited next to the town's Loreburn Hall for a number of editions. It was said at the time the festival had "outgrown" the venue and needed to look at other options. However, it is now planned to bring it back to the Whitesands car park for the 2018 event from 18 to 28 January. They also plan to introduce two new "strands" to the event - a comedy festival and a fringe festival. Tickets for a number of events have already gone on sale with more line-up announcements expected in the coming months. The comedy festival will take place at the Easterbrook Hall with the fringe festival at smaller venues around the town. Graham Main, executive producer of the town's Electric Theatre Workshop which runs Big Burns Supper Festival, said the audience had made it "very clear" they wanted the Spiegeltent back. It will be surrounded by a brand new festival village with additional bars and fringe performance spaces, themed around a "Winter Garden" concept.

Summary: Organisers of the Big Burns Supper say they have "listened to their audience" by bringing back the Spiegeltent venue to the Dumfries festival next year.


Shauna Hoare told Bristol Crown Court her relationship with Nathan Matthews was "not happy" in February, when the 16-year-old died. Ms Hoare also told the jury she was angry after hearing her boyfriend had confessed to killing his stepsister. Becky's dismembered body was found in a shed in Bristol in March. Mr Matthews, 28, has admitted killing and dismembering Becky, but denies murder and conspiracy to kidnap. Ms Hoare, 21, was asked by her barrister Andrew Langdon QC whether she was in a "happy relationship" with Mr Matthews in February this year. "No, it still wasn't happy. Again it was better than it had been before, but he was still controlling, he was still quite angry at me most of the time, so it wasn't good," she replied. "Normally he would call me fat a lot of the time or make mean jokes about about my weight." Ms Hoare told the jury she was "angry" at Mr Matthews after hearing of his "confession" following their arrests because "he had lied the whole time". She said she was also angry at "the pain it would have caused his mum and anyone else, and not understanding his reasons for doing any of it". The court also heard from James Ireland, 23, who denies assisting an offender, who said he had never seen Mr Matthews until 23 February when he gave him a lift. Mr Ireland told the court he used a work van to help Mr Matthews and his own work colleague Karl Demetrius to move boxes and bags from Mr Matthews' home in Cotton Mill Lane. He said he helped the pair to load the van and then helped them unload the items into a shed at the Barton Court home of 29-year-old Mr Demetrius - who has admitted assisting an offender. Sean Hammond, defending, asked: "If you had any idea that the bags were to do with the disappearance of Becky Watts, would you have had anything to do with them?" Mr Ireland replied: "No." Mr Hammond said: "You now know you were involved in moving packages containing the body parts of Becky Watts - how does that make you feel?" Mr Ireland replied he was "upset, shocked and distraught and disgusted", and said it had "ruined" his life. Mr Matthews, of Hazelbury Drive in Warmley, South Gloucestershire, admits perverting the course of justice, preventing lawful burial and possessing a prohibited weapon. Ms Hoare, of Cotton Mill Lane in Bristol, denies murder and conspiracy to kidnap, a weapons charge, perverting the course of justice and preventing a burial. Another man, Donovan Demetrius, 29, denies assisting an offender. The trial continues.

Summary: The woman accused of murdering Becky Watts has said her co-accused boyfriend was "controlling and angry" in the weeks before the teenager was killed.


Tomasz Nowak, 33, of Kirkcaldy, was involved in a collision with a van on the Perth to Blairgowrie Road at about 16:00 on Sunday. The crash happened at Old Scone, near Perth Racecourse. Police have appealed for witnesses. Police Scotland said a report had been submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Summary: A motorcyclist killed in a crash on the A93 has been named by police.


The 'scrambler' fell from Bristley Ridge, between Tryfan and Glyder Fach at about 15:00 GMT on Saturday. Two climbers tried to rescue the man but could only secure him to the rock face, Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue told BBC Wales. He was airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd where he was pronounced dead.

Summary: A man has died after falling a "considerable distance" from a Snowdonia mountain.


Joel Richards, 20, was left at Birmingham's City Hospital on Sunday where he died from his injuries. A 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of murder at a service station on the M40 on Monday evening. West Midlands Police also stopped a car on the motorway near Oxford and arrested three men and a woman on suspicion of assisting an offender. Supt Tom Chisholm said: "This continues to be a fast paced inquiry and we have made five arrests over the bank holiday weekend. "However, our work is not done and we continue to investigate the circumstances that led to this young man's death. "We will still continue to liaise with Joel's family and our thoughts remain with them as they continue to come to terms with their loss."

Summary: Five people have been arrested after a man left at a hospital died of stab wounds.


The alleged offences took place in the town between 2004 and 2011 and involved girls aged between 11 and 17. Twenty-seven men appeared before magistrates accused of offences against 18 people, including rape and trafficking. Two women are charged with child neglect. In all the 29 defendants face a total of more than 170 charges. Protestors shouted abuse as the defendants arrived at the town's court. Live updates and more stories from Yorkshire One defendant, Amere Singh Dhaliwal, 34, is charged with 54 separate counts, including 21 counts of rape. Other charges faced by the accused include trafficking with intent to engage in sexual exploitation, sexual activity and supply of drugs. Most of the defendants came from Huddersfield, but others came from Bradford, Dewsbury, Dudley, Manchester and Sheffield. They appeared in groups before district Judge Michael Fanning during a lengthy court sitting and are next due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on 11 May. The defendants: Amere Singh Dhaliwal, 34, of Holly Road, Huddersfield is charged with 54 offences. He is charged with 21 counts of rape, 14 counts of trafficking, as well as inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual assault, sexual touching, possession of indecent images of a child, racially aggravated assault and inciting a child into prostitution. Raj Singh Barsran, 33, of Caldercliffe Road, Huddersfield is charged with sexual touching and rape. Abdul Rehman, 29, of Darnley Drive, Sheffield is charged with rape, trafficking, supplying drugs, supply of a controlled substance with intent to engage in sexual activity and sexual touching. Nasarat Hussain, 28, of Upper Mount Street, Huddersfield is charged with three counts of rape, attempted rape and inciting a female to engage in sexual activity. Irfan Ahmed, 32, of Yews Hill Road, Huddersfield is charged with six counts of trafficking, sexual assault, making indecent images of a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. Zubair Ahmed, 30, of Blackmoorfoot Road, Huddersfield is charged with rape and possession of extreme pornography. Mohammed Riswan Aslam, 29, of Huddersfield Road, Dewsbury is charged with two counts of rape. Mohammed Kammer, 32, of West View, Huddersfield is charged with two counts of rape. Mohammad Nahman, 31, of West View, Huddersfield is charged with trafficking, sexual assault, and two counts of rape. Hamzha Ali Saleem, 37, of Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, Greater Manchester is charged with three counts of trafficking. Zahid Hassan, 28, of Bland Street, Huddersfield is charged with eight counts of rape, five counts of trafficking, racially aggravated assault, supplying drugs, inciting a child into sexual activity, child abduction and attempted rape. Mohammad Azeem, 31, of Wrose Road, Bradford is charged with three counts of rape. Sajid Hussain, 32, of Grasmere Road, Huddersfield is charged with three counts of rape, facilitating the commission of sexual activity on a child and inciting a child into sexual activity. Mansoor Akhtar, 25, of Blackmoorfoot Road, Huddersfield is charged with rape, attempted rape and two counts of trafficking. Mohammed Asaf Akram, 31, of Springdale Street, Huddersfield is charged with seven counts of rape, three counts of trafficking, child

Summary: Twenty-nine people have appeared in court as part of an inquiry into child sex abuse and neglect in Huddersfield.


"Unprecedented pressure" at Yeovil District Hospital means 80 operations have been cancelled in two weeks. A temporary ward with 24 extra beds was opened in February to cope with winter pressures - but that is also full. Deputy chief executive Jonathan Howes told the BBC: "Every part of our capacity has been filled." The 345-bed hospital serves a population of about 185,000 - largely in south Somerset, North and West Dorset and parts of Mendip. It has already been on "black alert" - meaning there are not enough beds to cope with numbers coming in to A&E - twice this winter, in January and February. Dr Howes said the pressure was partly explained by the area's ageing population, many of whom have "multiple conditions". There has also been "respiratory conditions" circulating in schools and workplaces. "That, combined with pressures felt in other parts of the system so that we can't discharge people from hospital, has caused the acute crisis right now." "We are always under pressure but the last fortnight has seen the busiest period in our history. "This has been an on-going issue, we have had the highest number of attendances in our emergency department on record, up in the 170s - we normally see about 130. This has been sustained over the last fortnight. " With the "added pressure" of the Easter weekend ahead, the hospital is urging people to "think carefully" before going to A&E - as a "significant number" of those who have been in casualty could have been treated elsewhere, at minor injuries units, GP walk-in centres or by calling 111.

Summary: A Somerset hospital has declared its third "black alert" of the winter as doctors say they are dealing with the "busiest fortnight in our history".


The Fox Valley shopping centre at Stocksbridge, north Sheffield, started construction more than two years ago. It has been built on the 28-acre former Outokumpu steelworks site. The development, which features a large mural by local artist Pete McKee, was opened by the actress Joanna Lumley. McKee has also collaborated on a large bronze statue called Granddad Fox at the site. Samuel Fox founded a wireworks in Stocksbridge in 1842 and the name has been adapted by the new centre. The artworks feature umbrellas as the site was a base for their manufacture. More than 100 houses are also being built on a neighbouring site. The site close to the A616 Stocksbridge bypass has been developed by Dransfield Properties Ltd, with a further phase to be opened in September.

Summary: A £50m shopping centre has opened on the site of a former steelworks creating up to 900 jobs, according to the developers.


Under the proposed scheme, personnel would no longer be able to sue the MoD for negligence. Compensation would instead be awarded by an MoD-appointed assessor. The MoD said the proposals, which are being consulted on until next week, would lead to "better compensation". But Colin Redpath, whose son was killed in Iraq, told the BBC the proposal was "wrong". In 2007, Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath, a keen drummer in the Irish guards, died when a roadside bomb exploded next to his lightly-armoured Snatch Land Rover in Iraq. He was one of some 37 servicemen and women killed in Snatch Land Rovers in Afghanistan and Iraq. After a five-year struggle, his father Colin won a Supreme Court ruling allowing him the right to sue the MoD. That claim he brought is only now close to a conclusion. He said: "At the end of the day, they are an employer. "The fire brigade, the police, the ambulance service, they all have to go out with equipment that works. And the right equipment. That should be the same for a soldier. "If not, then what the MoD are saying is that we could send our boys and girls out with broomsticks. It wouldn't matter. There's no comeback." The MoD's proposals cover battle and the preparations for it, and include: There is already a concept of "combat immunity" which means decisions taken in "the heat of battle" cannot be second-guessed by the courts. Claims in negligence cannot be brought in relation to battlefield acts or omissions. The MoD is proposing to widen the concept of combat immunity to include all deaths and injuries in combat, including where the failings occurred far from the battlefield, for instance in failing to provide adequate equipment. Conservative MP and former army soldier Iain Duncan Smith said he supported the proposals after growing concerned about the use of courts to assess combat issues. He added: "It doesn't seem to me like the courts are the right place to be. "Issues surrounding combat are often very difficult to judge against a standard common law process. I think dragging things through the courts satisfies only lawyers." In July 2016, Sir John Chilcot's Iraq Inquiry Report identified numerous MoD failings in preparing for the Iraq War which were described as "wholly inadequate". They included being slow to respond to the threat from improvised explosive devices and delay in replacing the poorly-armoured Snatch Land Rovers. Chilcot identified a failing to have in place a system for identifying gaps in capability. Lawyers say that without the duty of care owed to service personnel there is a real danger that the lessons of Chilcot will not be learned. Some solicitors who have represented service personnel in actions against the MoD make the point that the duty of care owed to soldiers puts their safety at the centre of the defence agenda. The Law Society of England and Wales says that without it, MoD officials making decisions on equipment and procurement know that cases will not be heard by an independent judge. It argues that facts will not

Summary: The father of a soldier killed in Iraq has criticised proposals by the Ministry of Defence to scrap the legal duty of care it owes to service personnel in the course of combat.


He said it was "very clear" his party accepted the referendum result. Some shadow cabinet members are reportedly considering voting against triggering the UK's EU exit negotiations. The Supreme Court will announce next Tuesday whether the government needs to seek Parliament's approval. Ministers say they already have enough powers under the Royal Prerogative to go ahead with Brexit. But campaigners argue that starting Brexit in this way would be undemocratic and unconstitutional. In June's referendum, 51.9% of voters backed leaving the EU, while 48.1% supported remaining in the 28-nation group. Mr Corbyn said: "It's very clear the referendum made a decision that Britain is to leave the European Union. It was not to destroy jobs and living standards or communities, but it was to leave the European Union and have a different relationship in the future. "I have made it very clear that the Labour Party accepts and respects the decision of the British people. We will not block Article 50." Asked if that meant he would be imposing a three-line whip - the strongest available sanction - on Labour MPs, requiring them to back Article 50, he said: "It means that all Labour MPs will be asked to vote in that direction next week or whenever the vote comes up." The Guardian reports that four shadow cabinet ministers and several junior Labour spokespeople were considering defying Mr Corbyn and voting against Article 50 being invoked. The Supreme Court's decision on whether a vote needs to take place follows a government appeal against a High Court ruling last autumn that MPs and peers should have to vote give their approval. Following Mr Corbyn's comments, Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas said he was "trying to deny Labour MPs the chance to make their own principled choice on one of the most important decisions of the UK's recent history". And Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said Mr Corbyn was "actively helping" the government in its plans to leave the European single market, "at a huge cost to jobs and prosperity".

Summary: Jeremy Corbyn says he will ask his MPs to vote for the Article 50 Brexit process to begin, if the government is forced to seek Parliament's approval.


Two separate trials of people accused of intending to supply nitrous oxide at music festivals were stopped after the courts heard the drug is exempt. This now raises questions as to whether the new law will need to be amended. The Psychoactive Substances Act was introduced last year to deal with the problem of new manufactured drugs. Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is taken by hundreds of thousands of people every year as a recreational drug. But the gas is also used by doctors for its pain-relieving properties. A subsection of the Psychoactive Substances Act exempts medical products defined as "restoring, correcting or modifying a physiological function by exerting a pharmacological, immunological or metabolic action". A man was tried at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday for intending to supply nitrous oxide at a music festival in Derbyshire. But prosecuting barrister Adrian Fleming told the court that the Crown's own expert witness, Professor Philip Cowen, "is expressing the firm view that nitrous oxide, as the legislation is currently worded, is an exempt substance". Meanwhile a judge at Taunton Crown Court, where two people were on trial for intending to supply nitrous oxide at Glastonbury Festival, came to the same conclusion. In that second case, Judge Paul Garlick said "nitrous oxide is plainly capable of coming within the definition of an exempted substanceâ€¦ and in my view, on this evidence, it plainly is an exempted substance". The two court cases have prompted a full review of the legislation by the Crown Prosecution Service. The Psychoactive Substances Act was designed to deal with a wave of new manufactured drugs, often called legal highs, by banning any substance which "by stimulating or depressing the person's central nervous system... affects the person's mental functioning or emotional state". The law specifically exempts alcohol, tobacco or nicotine-based products, caffeine, food and drink and medicinal products as defined in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. It is that last exemption that led the case to collapse. The drug charity, Release, has described the law as "fundamentally flawed". Its executive director, Niamh Eastwood, said: "The CPS must urgently drop all prosecutions under the Psychoactive Substances Act and review cases where defendants have previously pleaded guilty." Mr Fleming told Southwark Crown Court that "Professor Cowen has expressed the clear view that nitrous oxide falls within the definition because of its analgesic effects". "That may not have been the intention of those who framed the act, but the subsection clearly covers nitrous oxide." The judge, David Tomlinson, instructed the jury to find the defendant - who cannot be named for legal reasons - not guilty. Stressing that the hearing was not a "test case" and offered no precedent, Judge Tomlinson said the not guilty verdict could mean that either there was "a very lucky defendant or a number of other defendants will have their convictions quashed". It is understood about 50 people have pleaded guilty to supplying nitrous oxide under the legislation, but this is the first time a defendant has contested the charge. Some lawyers are suggesting other substances may also

Summary: A law banning so-called legal highs in the UK is to be reviewed after the collapse of the first ever contested cases under the new legislation.


Apple shares climbed 6.5% after the tech giant's latest results beat expectations, despite seeing a dip in iPhone sales. The tech-heavy Nasdaq index climbed 29.76 points to 5139.81. The Dow Jones fell 1.58 points to 18472.17, while the broader S&P 500 slipped 2.6 to 2166.58. Investors were not expecting the Fed to alter interest rates, but markets were looking for clues as to the timing of any rate moves in the future. The Fed said household spending was "growing strongly" and the unemployment rate had decreased for the last two months, but inflation was still below its target rate. Coca-Cola was the big loser on the Dow, falling 3.3%. The company cut its sales forecast for the year and said it was taking steps to address declining demand for its soft drinks. Twitter shares plunged 14.5% after the company reported a $107m loss on Tuesday. Aerospace company Boeing saw its share price rise 0.8%. Despite reporting its first loss since 2009, the company beat revenue expectations.

Summary: (Close): US stock markets were little moved after the Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged, but strong results from Apple helped lift the Nasdaq.


The post on his Twitter account on Sunday night provoked an angry reaction on social media and was later deleted. Mr Adams has said his use of the word was ironic and not intended to offend but admitted it was "inappropriate". He added that attempts to suggest that he is racist are "without credibility". The Sinn Féin leader's initial tweet appeared to compare the experience of a character in the film Django Unchained to the treatment of nationalists in Ballymurphy in west Belfast. Speaking at a press conference at Connolly House in Belfast, he said: "I have acknowledged that the use of the N-word was inappropriate. That is why I deleted the tweet. "I apologise for any offence caused." Ten people were killed in Ballymurphy during a series of shootings by paratroopers in 1971. Django Unchained is set before the American Civil War and focuses on racism, slavery, violence and murder. Mr Adams said he is opposed to racism. "I stand over the context and main point of my tweet, which were the parallels between people in struggle," he said. "Like African Americans, Irish nationalists were denied basic rights. "If anyone is genuinely offended by my use of the N-word, they misunderstand or misrepresent the context in which it was used. "For this reason I deleted the tweets. "I have long been inspired by Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglass, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, who stood up for themselves and for justice." Belfast man and former republican prisoner Tim Brannigan, who is of mixed race and who knows Mr Adams, said he was "shocked" that he had used the term. "Gerry and Sinn Féin won't need me to tell them just how toxic it is and the sort of reactions it gets," he said. "I don't think that you can equate what was happening in Belfast in 1965 with slavery. "I posted about [US President Barack] Obama's speech to the White House correspondents' dinner, and his opening line was: 'There are some jokes white people can't make.' "I think Gerry has been caught out by that." Politicians from several rival parties have criticised Mr Adams' remarks on Twitter. The DUP's Nelson McCausland said that having "compared himself to Rosa Parks only a few weeks ago Gerry Adams has now moved from the bizarre to the indefensible". "That he would delete the tweet, then claim that his use of it was "ironic" before being forced to say it was "inappropriate" demonstrates very clearly the mess the Sinn Féin president put himself in," he added. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Mike Nesbitt said: "I find it extraordinary that the leader of a political party can even think to utter the words that he did." He added: "To try to liken the fight against slavery to what was happening in Northern Ireland in the 1960s is contemptible." SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the tweet demonstrated "a staggering deficiency in judgment". "Using the language of slave owners is never appropriate," he said. "If a similar remark had been made by any other political leader

Summary: Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has apologised for using the 'N-word' in a tweet comparing the plight of slaves in the United States to the treatment of Irish nationalists.


His father said he had been suffering from frontal lobe dementia, which had worsened in recent months. John Berry originally formed the Beastie Boys as a hardcore punk band with three friends in 1981 and came up with the name for the group. He played guitar on their first EP, Polly Wog Stew, but left before they achieved commercial success. Berry attended the Walden School in New York with fellow band member Mike Diamond, known as Mike D. The pair were later joined by Adam Yauch and Kate Schellenbach and released their debut EP in 1982. When Berry left the group, he was replaced by Adam Horovitz, known as Ad-Rock, and the band took a new direction as a rap group. Schellenback also left the group before the release of their 1986 album Licence To Ill, which debuted at number one in the US. The group became a huge commercial success, recording a total of eight studio albums over 25 years, which collectively sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. Four of them reached number one in the US, while their 1998 album Hello Nasty topped the album chart in the UK. Their best-known hits include (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!), Intergalactic, and Ch-Check It Out. Seven of their albums achieved platinum sales status and the band toured with Madonna in 1985. Beastie Boys remained a three-piece until Adam Yauch's death from cancer in 2012. In the same year, Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Billboard declared them the biggest selling rap group since the magazine began recording data in 1991. Horovitz read a speech written by Yauch at the ceremony, which mentioned Berry as a formative member of the band's early years. Frontal lobe dementia is a form of dementia that occurs when the frontal lobes of the brain begin to shrink. It is an uncommon form of dementia and is thought to affect about 16,000 people in the UK. Frontal lobe dementia is distinct from Alzheimer's disease and comes on earlier in life, usually between the ages of 45 and 65. Symptoms include problems with behaviour, language and thinking. The frontal lobes of the brain are involved in behaviour regulation. The disease can alter a person's character - they may become impulsive and lose their inhibitions or become less outgoing and socially isolated. Source: Alzheimer's Society and NHS Choices Mike D later confirmed that he and Ad-Rock would not continue with Beastie Boys, out of respect for Yauch. After he left the band, Berry went on to play guitar in several other bands - including Even Worse, Big Fat Love, Highway Stars and Bourbon Deluxe.

Summary: John Berry, a founding member of rap group Beastie Boys has died at the age of 52.


The two girls were "touched inappropriately" during a visit to the attraction, in Windsor, Berkshire, last Thursday, police said. A 22-year-man, from Bracknell, has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and is currently in custody. Thames Valley Police previously described the offences as "extremely rare". Detectives have appealed for any witnesses to come forward. The assaults happened between 12:15 BST and 12:30 at Castaway Camp in the Pirate Shores area of the attraction, the force said. A Legoland spokesperson said the parks' management were "deeply shocked" by the incident.

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting two six-year-olds at the Legoland theme park.


Profits at the retail partnership, which also owns Waitrose supermarkets, were held back by greater investment and by matching prices of competitors. Profit before tax and bonuses was Â£353.8m for the year to 28 January, down 3.8% from the previous year. The bonus pool for the firm's workers was Â£165.2m or 14% of salary, down from 18% last year. The partnership is owned by its 77,217 staff, who receive a share of any profits at the end of the company's financial year. Despite what the firm called "difficult economic conditions", total sales at its John Lewis department stores grew 3% while those at its Waitrose supermarkets rose 8.6%. Like-for-like sales, excluding VAT and the effect of new store openings, rose by 3% at Waitrose, but fell at its department stores by 0.6%. The partnership said it had created 4,400 net new jobs in the year, with a further 1,900 expected this year. "Profound changes are taking place in the retail sector and importantly this was a year when we upped the pace of innovation and investment," said chairman Charlie Mayfield. "That came at the price of some short-term profit, but leaves us in a good place at the start of this year." The trust-owned partnership said it opened 29 new Waitrose stores last year, as well as a new John Lewis department store in Stratford, East London. The firm has been rolling out new store formats, including Waitrose convenience stores at petrol stations, and John Lewis "at home" stores, which specialise in homewear. Waitrose continued to expand its online operation with a new warehouse in Acton, West London, while online sales at John Lewis increased by 26.3%. However, the company was forced to spend Â£23.8m on its "Never Knowingly Undersold" promise due to price competition on the High Street.

Summary: John Lewis has reported a fall in annual profits and cut its staff bonus for the first time in three years.


The university's students union is behind the scheme, which has been running across a number of its campuses. Research has suggested that interacting with dogs can help reduce stress and help improve concentration levels. Hundreds of UU students have spent time petting and playing with the dogs. On Wednesday, four dogs spent the afternoon at the students union at Jordanstown. The union's officer for student affairs, Hannah Rooney, said that students faced many pressures at exam time, and the dogs helped to reduce that. "Students really enjoy the dogs, and it's good fun for the dogs themselves," she said. "It a bit of distraction as it's something we don't get on campus every day, you don't have dogs all the time. "So it's a way to relieve stress and get out of that mindset students are in with exams coming up. "We've run this at our Magee and Coleraine campuses and the feedback from students has been great. "They'd want a puppy room all the time if it was possible." The dogs were provided by volunteers from Northern Ireland Assistance Dogs. They train and provide medical alert dogs to adults with medical conditions, such as diabetes. Danielle O'Neill was one student who was revising for exams but called in to spend time with them. "Being with the dogs just relaxes you and gives you five minutes to put your mind onto something else other than exams and studying," she said. "It gives your hand a bit of a break from writing too!" Other UK universities, including Bristol, Nottingham, Aberdeen and Central Lancashire have also offered similar schemes in recent years.

Summary: Dogs have been bringing relaxation and calmness to students revising for sitting exams at Ulster University (UU).


The move is the latest in a string of takeovers in Italy by cash-rich Chinese buyers. The takeover gives ChemChina access to technology to make premium tyres and gives Pirelli greater access to the Chinese market. Pirelli shares were 2.56% higher at €15.62 on Monday on the news. ChemChina's tyre making unit, China National Tire & Rubber, is to buy the 26.2% stake in Pirelli owned by Italian investment firm Camfin. It will then launch an offer for the remaining shares. Camfin said the bid would be launched by a consortium controlled by ChemChina but also part-owned by Camfin investors, who include Pirelli boss Marco Tronchetti Provera, Italian banks UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo, and Russia's Rosneft. The offer will be launched at €15 per share, valuing the group at €7.1bn excluding net debt of almost €1bn. Following reports of the deal on Friday, shares in Milan-listed Pirelli hit a 25-year high, closing at €15.23. Current Pirelli chief executive Tronchetti Provera, who started working for tyre maker in 1986 after marrying a member of the Italian family that founded the firm, will remain in his post. Previous Chinese acquisitions in Italy include stakes in power grid firms Terna and Snam, turbine maker Ansaldo and luxury yacht maker Ferretti.

Summary: Chinese state-owned China National Chemical (ChemChina) is to buy Italian tyre maker Pirelli in a deal which values the firm at €7.1bn (£5.1bn).


The man, who is 22 years old, is charged with procuring the drugs for his co-defendant, a 21-year-old woman. The woman is charged with taking two drugs which are commonly used to bring about a miscarriage or abortion. At Belfast magistrates court on Monday, there was an application to adjourn the case. The man's solicitor said there had had been a lot of unacceptable delay in the case and that it was quite stressful for his client. The case was adjourned until 23 January. In Northern Ireland, unlike the rest of the UK, abortion is only allowed if a woman's life is at risk or if there is a permanent or serious risk to her physical or mental health.

Summary: A solicitor for a man accused of procuring drugs intended to cause an abortion has protested about delays in dealing with the case.


A selection of baseball-related tweets were featured in the ad, which was shown during the live coverage of baseball's season-ending World Series. However, text appeared so quickly in the lively sequence that some took to the web to express bewilderment. The ad was made to promote "Moments", which highlights trending stories on the social media platform. One Twitter user tweeted, "That Twitter commercial was *really bad*. Can't imagine anyone feeling invited to use the service or see the value after seeing the spot." And blogger John Gruber described it as "incomprehensible", going so far as to say: "Someone should be fired." Some were positive about the broadcast, though. "That Twitter commercial is pretty cool," tweeted one viewer. Twitter has recently been struggling to continue to attract large numbers of new users to its network - a problem which some say is because of the slightly esoteric nature of the platform. "I'm a baseball fan [â€¦] I've been on Twitter since 2007 and to be honest I had trouble making sense of it," said digital entrepreneur George Nimeh, at the Berlin School of Creative Leadership. "I can't imagine what it would be like for someone who is unfamiliar with what Twitter really is. It was really fast, it was kind of a mish-mash of different stuff." Mr Nimeh added that while Twitter's user figures showed strong year-on-year growth a few years ago, that growth had slumped to less than 20% early in 2015. "I think Twitter's fundamental problem is they've never been able to very simply and succinctly explain to people who are not familiar with Twitter what it is - and this particular ad this commercial does nothing to help," he told the BBC.

Summary: The first television advertisement campaign by Twitter has left some American viewers confused.


New York, London, Milan and Cape Town are some of the cities that come to her mind when asked where she would like to see her designs 10 years from now. As a matter of fact, some of her clothes were already shown in the UK capital last year, during the Africa Fashion Week, but she is convinced that this is just the beginning. "Everywhere where fashion is, I want to be there, and I see myself making it. I'm not doubting on that one. I dream big and I'm dreaming in colour," she told the BBC's series African Dream. According to the designer, her passion for fashion was already there as a child when she loved to play with fabrics in the southern city of Blantyre, where she grew up. "I'd say fashion, I was born with it. I started when I was young, at the age of six. My mum would bath me and dress me, and I would totally change the design of the dress," she remembers. "As I grew older, people liked what I was designing, what I was wearing, so that inspired me and I started working on other people." She had two second-hand sewing machines that belonged to her mother and she started off with a tailoring business, when she was 24, but she says that fashion designing was still "a mere hobby". That hobby, however, helped her to launch her career when she won the Malawi Fashion Edition (FAME) award as country's best fashion designer three years ago. "I never thought I was a designer until 2010 that I had a lot of clients and I'd design for Miss Malawi, I'd design for quite a lot of people," Mrs Alfonso told BBC Africa's Raphael Tenthani. These days her studio - located in her house in an upmarket suburb of the capital, Lilongwe - is a bastion of activity as people organising weddings and other events troop to her for advice. Although designer clothes are not cheap anywhere in the world, Mrs Alfonso says that her prices depend on the client that she is working for. If the product is going to Europe, for example, she knows that she can ask for more money if she uses higher quality fabrics. Back home, however, she can be more flexible with her pricing. "Our economy right now is not really doing well soâ€¦ I always use any reasonable resources to accommodate my country, for the people that can't afford the other fabrics, but I still design the same design," she explained. Recently, Malawi's currency, the kwacha, lost almost half its value and this has put a strain on the running of businesses. Also, the inflation rate is hovering at around 33% while bank-lending rates are at about 40% in the southern African country. All these factors are presenting extra challenges for people who, like Mrs Alfonso, want to expand their businesses. "I'm having problems with raising the money to have massive productionâ€¦ to be able to reach my goal, I still need extra 10 machines," she said. "The

Summary: Malawi's Lilly Alfonso dreams about her future in colours as vibrant as those of the clothes she makes.


First of all she was sacked as chair of a committee which gives advice on how millions of pounds of EU aid is spent in Wales. And if that was severe, she responded in kind. Most of those in Cardiff Bay appear to be genuinely surprised at the nature of the language she used in her statement. It's been well documented but worth reflecting again on what she wrote: "The events of the last 24 hours have confirmed in my mind there is an unhealthy culture at the top of the Welsh government which does not allow for rigorous debate and reflection on the best use of public funds. "Independent thought is not tolerated by AMs and if someone does step out of line, they are ruthlessly dealt with. This is not a good way to make difficult decisions." Ouch. Her fellow Cardiff Central politician, the Labour MP Jo Stevens, has come out in support but Labour AMs I've spoken to are not lining up to agree with her. But was the decision to sack someone who you'd hardly consider to be a high-profile rebel an over-reaction by Carwyn Jones? I'm told it's because this wasn't the first time she'd criticised government policy in public, and done it in a way which hadn't been reflected in internal discussions. I took that to mean they didn't see it coming. The sacking could also be a reflection of the sensitivity of the subject area. Jenny Rathbone had described spending nearly £20m on preparatory work for an M4 relief road, before a final decision, as appalling. It was interesting that in the Senedd this week Carwyn Jones was highly critical of the proposal for a cheaper alternative to upgrade the southern distributor road. Until this point he has largely left the arguments on the project to his Economy Minister, Edwina Hart, but as a result of her decision not to stand next year I suspect we can expect the first minister to be more outspoken on the subject. The Welsh government wants to show that it's deadly serious about the motorway, and while I'm told it wasn't foremost in the first minister's mind, the sacking of an assembly member for criticising the plan is one way of demonstrating that commitment. There was a bad tempered exchange in the Senedd. The first minister insisted it was about a failure to follow collective responsibility. The opposition parties were concerned that the chair of a committee that's supposed to scrutinise the way government spends millions of pounds of public money has been sacked for not agreeing with the government. His response was to say that the committee she used to chair, the European Programme Monitoring committee, advises rather than scrutinises. The Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams asked whether her successor, Mick Antoniw, would be long in the job, considering that he holds similar views to Jenny Rathbone on the merits of a £1bn new M4 relief road. Presumably he will have to bite his tongue on the subject now he's bound by the same rules as ministers in

Summary: Jenny Rathbone's criticism of Labour's plans for a new £1bn motorway around Newport certainly had consequences.


The welfare cap was breached when the government was forced into a U-turn on cuts to tax credits last year. Today, the rule on reducing debt has also been broken. With the UK economy slowing, public sector net debt as a proportion of gross domestic product will rise this year, the Office for Budget Responsibility says. That leaves the chancellor with one rule still extant - a budget surplus by 2020. Matt Hancock, the Cabinet Office minister, insisted to the BBC that the rule will not be breached. And Mr Osborne has staked his reputation on it. To get there, the government is going to borrow a lot more over the next three years. Around £38bn more according to the think tank, the Resolution Foundation. And then plan for large tax cheques to arrive - largely from major businesses - by the next election. The Budget Red Book says that in 2019-2020, business tax payments will increase rapidly. Changing the timing of corporation tax payments will bring in nearly £6bn, the Treasury predicts. Commercial stamp duty reform should bring in £560m and restricting corporation tax relief nearly £1bn. The £3.5bn spending cuts to government departments will also kick in that year. The Treasury argues that the changes, allied to lower debt interest payments, means the government can hit a surplus by 2020. Watch those numbers closely and remember they are only forecasts. The chancellor is staking an awful lot on them turning out correctly.

Summary: George Osborne set himself three fiscal rules - to cap welfare spending, to bring down debt as a proportion of national income and to produce a surplus by the end of the Parliament.


Cardiff were 2-0 ahead with five minutes left before the Clarets clawed their way back to 2-2, leaving the Bluebirds 10th in the Championship. With only five goals in eight games - all from set-pieces - Slade recognises his team must improve in attack. "I thought we were a threat in open play. We've just got to be more ruthless in the box," he said. "I thought we were creating chances, even in the second half I think [Joe] Mason went through once or twice. On another day, we'd probably finish those. "We've got to be scoring more goals when we get those opportunities in open play. "It is really really hard to take. We were the better side for long periods and the better side didn't win." Second-half substitute Mason was the last Cardiff player to score in open play, tapping in for the opening goal when Slade's side drew 1-1 at Brighton on 3 October. It was from the reliable source of set-pieces that Cardiff built their 2-0 lead against Burnley, Aron Gunnarsson nodding in from Joe Ralls' free-kick and Peter Whittingham's corner finding the head of Sean Morrison. Seemingly coasting at 2-0 up with only five minutes left, Cardiff capitulated as Burnley fought back with a close-range strike from Rouwen Hennings and an own goal by Matt Connolly. It was Connolly's injury-time aberration which most dismayed Slade, as the former Queens Park Rangers centre-back dragged Michael Keane's header over his own line. "The second goal was just bizarre. It was going a mile wide but then it came off Matthew and rolled right into the net," said Slade. "It was a crazy equaliser. You could see how much it hurt the players who had worked so hard to get the better of a very good team. "That goal is the difference of being between sixth and tenth and it's pretty hard to take."

Summary: Manager Russell Slade says Cardiff must be more ruthless after they threw away a two-goal lead to draw with Burnley.


The chef from York, North Yorkshire, went missing on 18 March 2009 at the age of 35. It was recently revealed that four men held as part of the police investigation would not face charges. Speaking to BBC Look North, Joan Lawrence said: "I have no instinct whatsoever that she isn't alive". Her comments come on a legal milestone which states a person may be legally declared dead after being missing for seven years. The previously arrested men, who are all in their 50s and from the York area, were held last year as part of a review of the initial investigation into the case. North Yorkshire Police said up to 20 detectives and police staff had worked full-time on the review for more than two years at a cost of nearly Â£800,000. Officers believed the investigation had been compromised by the "reluctance of some, and refusal of others, to co-operate" with the force. Mrs Lawrence said she was constantly surrounded by "reminders" of her daughter, whatever she was doing. She said: "Sometimes I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall, but I get through every day. "There's somebody out there who knows something, but I have no instinct whatsoever that she isn't alive, I've had no cut-off feeling at all. "In my opinion she's being held somewhere against her will and I want people to imagine if it was their child, how would they feel?" Claudia Lawrence disappearance timeline About 100 police officers were dedicated to the investigation at its height, but the figure has since dropped. Martin Dales, a friend and spokesman for Miss Lawrence's father Peter, said: "It seems that we're all back to square one. "It's really quite depressing especially as someone is clearly withholding the information needed." A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "The investigation team will continue to thoroughly assess any new leads and information. "We remind those who we suspect are withholding key information about Claudia that we will not give up our quest to find the truth."

Summary: Seven years on from the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence, her mother has said she thinks she is alive and "being held somewhere against her will".