"It is absolutely clear businesses where they have discretion over investment, where they can hold off, are doing so - you can understand why. "They are waiting for more clarity about what the future relationship with Europe will look like," he said. The second round of Brexit negotiations take place in Brussels on Monday. Mr Hammond's comments came as a Confederation of British Industry (CBI) survey suggested that 42% of UK firms believe Brexit has hurt their investment plans. The CBI called on the government to quickly secure a future EU trade deal. Barclays eyes Dublin expansion post-Brexit What do businesses want from Article 50 talks? Trade explainer: Single market and customs union Reality Check: 'Red lines' on Brexit Mr Hammond said that government ministers were becoming increasingly convinced of the need for transitional arrangements to reduce disruption as the UK leaves the EU. "Five weeks ago the idea of a transition period was quite a new concept, I think now you would find that pretty much everybody around the cabinet table accepts that there will be some kind of transition," he said. "We're into a real process now with the start of negotiations and I think you'll find the cabinet rallying around a position that maximises our negotiating leverage and gets the best possible deal for Britain." He said a transitional arrangement was "right and sensible both for the UK and EU" and could potentially take a "couple of years". Analysis: Joe Lynam, BBC business correspondent When companies make a big investment, they tend to make a big splash about it. Press releases issued, stock exchanges advised and ministerial blessings acquired. But when businesses decide NOT to invest in new staff, a new production line or even a new product, we rarely get to hear about it. Companies pausing or cancelling investment - for whatever reason - is counter-factual. So surveys and anonymous polling are the next best way to gauge the corporate mood. Although some Brexiteers regard the CBI as a pro-EU vassal, its survey showing two-fifths of companies pausing their investment plans because of Brexit is not an outlier. It chimes with similar reports from the British Chambers of Commerce, Deloitte and the Institute of Directors. And who would blame firms for holding off? If their biggest market could soon be in or out of the Single Market, in or out of the Customs Union, and beholden or not to the ECJ, it does matter for their future investment plans. Brexit minister David Davis is due in Brussels on Monday for the next round of talks with EU officials. Ministers have talked of a transitional period after the UK leaves the EU to avoid a "cliff edge" scenario, but the length and precise arrangements have yet to be decided. Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics show, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said any transitional period should be "very time-limited", and should allow the UK to strike new trade deals - something it is unable to do as part of the EU's customs union. Mr Fox accepted it was not

Summary: Chancellor Philip Hammond has told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that businesses are holding off from investing in the UK because of uncertainty about Brexit.


This year's winner will be announced in December, but all four nominated works will be on display until January. In its four-star review, London's Evening Standard said: "The display of work by the four contenders efficiently captures art's current mood." Mark Hudson in The Telegraph also gave the nominees four stars, but added: "Michelangelo it certainly isn't." "There's plenty to exasperate the sceptic and give even the most receptive gallery-goer a headache," he added. "None the less, this is one of the strongest Turner Prize shows in ages." The Guardian's Adrian Searle said the show was "perhaps the most peculiar and baffling Turner prize show I can remember". "I haven't enjoyed being so confounded and perplexed in a long time," he added. But Rachel Campbell-Johnston from The Times gave the nominated works two stars, commenting: "This year's Turner display is nothing if not idiosyncratic." She added the meaning of some of the artworks is not immediately clear when looking at them. "You have to start with the written explanation and then work out how their objects illustrate their ideas. "That's why I would like Helen Marten to win, she produces the most visually intriguing pieces of the four candidates." The Guardian also tips "the inscrutable, endlessly inventive" Marten to win, saying she "makes life feel less bare, more rich, more absorbing". The BBC's arts editor Will Gompertz said the same, adding that her artworks are "sort of time capsule stories containing an arrangement of clues that help the viewer solve a riddle". The Turner Prize exhibition is at Tate Britain from 27 September until 8 January 2017. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Art critics have given broadly positive reviews to this year's Turner Prize exhibition at Tate Britain.


However, Sutton insists his statement is not a criticism and that Sir Chris Hoy has had similiar problems. He said: "Nicole's become one of these people that most people do in life - they don't cope with success." Road race gold medallist Cooke says there were no examples for her to emulate after the 2008 Games. Cooke won the 2004 Giro D'Italia Feminile, plus the La Grande Boucle Féminine in 2006 and 2007 among numerous podium finishes before making history at the 2008 Games by becoming Wales' second woman Olympic gold winner. Sir Chris [Hoy] won't mind me saying the guy crumbled for 12 months after all that success because of the change in lifestyle. He couldn't cope Since the euphoria of that triumph, Cooke has been unable to reach the heights she previously enjoyed. Sutton, the former Welsh cycling coach and 1978 Commonwealth Games team pursuit gold medallist, says like track cyclist Sir Chris and Sydney 2000 Games 1km time trial gold medallist Jason Queally, Cooke's performances have dipped. "In our sport or whatever sport or whatever, if you get beat, what do you do?" Sutton said. "You get up the next morning, you start training again and you change because you know you have to change, but you train and you change. "When you win - most people, they can't cope with success. "That's not a criticism, I'm just saying it from the likes of Jason Queeley, I've seen it with the likes of Sir Chris Hoy. "Sir Chris won't mind me saying the guy crumbled for 12 months after all that success because of the change in lifestyle. He couldn't cope." Cooke does not deny Sutton has a point, but points to a lack of guidance from within the sport in the wake of her Beijing triumph. She told Wales at the Olympics: "There were so many steps along the way where you could look at any little phase of my career and say 'I could have done that better'. "But who was there to advise me? "No one had ever done it before. No other British rider had become world number one. Between 2001 and 2009, Nicole Cooke (left) won an unprecedented nine consecutive British national road race titles. However, in 2010 Emma Pooley took the honours with Lizzie Armitstead second. In 2011, Armitstead won the title ahead of Cooke. In 2012 the race was won by Sharon Laws with Cooke sixth. British Olympic Dreams on BBC One/iPlayer "No other British rider had won a World Cup. No other British rider had won the Tour de France [La Grande Boucle Féminine], no other British rider had won the Giro D'Italia and no other British rider had become Olympic champion [or] world number one. "So if there was a book written on how to do that, well I would have been very happy to have it. "But there wasn't a book so I had to do the best I could and yeah, it was part of the journey." Even so Cooke has the chance to defend her title after

Summary: Team GB cycling head coach Shane Sutton says 2012 Olympics hopeful Nicole Cooke did not cope with her gold medal success at the 2008 Beijing Games.


The bank, which is owned by the Swiss federal government, said the loss could affect its ability to pay a dividend this year. Those dividends are traditionally used to pay for public services. Switzerland shocked markets in January when it abandoned its four-year currency peg to the euro. The move saw the Swiss franc skyrocket in value as investors piled into the currency over fears of a renewed eurozone debt crisis despite the imminent onset of quantitative easing by the European Central Bank (ECB). The continued strength of the Swiss franc is hurting exports from the country which are down 2.6% this year. The tourism industry has also reported fewer visitors and retailers are also struggling. The first-half loss was almost entirely - 47.2bn francs - the result of losses on foreign exchange positions, which occurred in the weeks that immediately follow the bank's decision to remove the currency peg against the euro. Since ending the 1.20 francs per euro cap, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) has intervened in the currency market by buying euros to weaken the franc, which currently hovers at around 1.06 francs per euro. The bank, which also has several private shareholders, warned that its full-year results would rely heavily on developments in the gold, foreign exchange and broader financial markets. "Strong fluctuations are therefore to be expected, and only provisional conclusions are possible as regards the annual result," the central bank said in a statement. The SNB said euro-denominated assets made up 42% of its investment portfolio at the end of June, unchanged from the end of March, and 32% was held in US dollars, also unchanged. Peter Hegglin, the head of Switzerland's 26 canton finance directors, said he was "not going to assume" that the first half loss would mean the SNB would not be paying a full year dividend, suggesting the bank could still reverse its fortunes.

Summary: The soaring value of the Swiss franc against the euro has led Switzerland's central bank to report a first half loss of 50bn francs (Â£33bn).


The court made the decision after a case was brought by protester Samira Ibrahim. She accused the Egyptian army of forcing her to undergo a virginity test after she was arrested during a protest in Tahrir Square in March. Human rights organisations say the Egyptian military has used the practice widely as a punishment. "The court orders that the execution of the procedure of virginity tests on girls inside military prisons be stopped," judge Aly Fekry, head of Cairo administrative court said, according to Reuters. The ruling was greeted by cheers from hundreds of activists inside the courtroom. Activists had demanded that the authorities prosecute anyone responsible for subjecting protesters to such tests. Earlier this year, an Egyptian general was quoted as acknowledging that the military had conducted such tests, saying that they were used so women would not later claim they had been raped by authorities. Human rights groups say such tests are a degrading form of abuse and the general's justification a legal absurdity.

Summary: A Cairo court has ordered forced virginity tests on female detainees in military prisons to be stopped.


The 36-year-old was due to captain the county in their final four Division One fixtures, but has been asked to rest a hamstring injury by Cricket Australia. "We are naturally disappointed that Adam cannot return," said managing director of cricket Angus Fraser. "He is a fine player and a highly respected member of our squad. His presence will be missed." Voges has played 18 Tests for Australia and featured in all three games of their recent series defeat by Sri Lanka. He had made six Championship appearances for Middlesex before that tour, scoring 388 runs.

Summary: Championship leaders Middlesex will be without Australia batsman Adam Voges for the remainder of the 2016 season.


The Elephants have a friendly this weekend's against the Netherlands and a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at home to Guinea a week later. Gervinho, who plays for Chinese side Hebei Fortune, missed January's Nations Cup with a knee injury. Coach Marc Wilmots has also had to replace Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha with Fulham's Gohi Bi Cyriac. The two-time African champions are rebuilding after an embarrassing group stage exit in Gabon early this year. The friendly against the Netherlands is Wilmots' first game in charge of the Elephants. In August, they resume their World Cup qualifying campaign away in Gabon. The Ivory Coast head Group C with four points from their first two matches.

Summary: China-based Gervinho has been recalled to the Ivory Coast squad as late replacement for injured Salomon Kalou.


The company said staff who walk out in the ongoing dispute over the role of conductors would be paid the money when industrial action came to an end. The RMT union described it as "another outrageous and bullying attack on staff fighting for public safety". General secretary Mick Cash said staff were "signing away basic human rights". Passengers on Southern services have suffered months of delays and disruption caused by the industrial action over the introduction of Driver Only Operated trains. The next 48-hour walkout takes place next week, with further strikes planned in the run-up to Christmas and over the new year. Mr Cash said it was "despicable" that Southern "felt it necessary to try and hoodwink staff" into signing an agreement with the "sole purpose to stop lawful industrial action". In a statement, Southern said: "Passengers have had to endure 17 days of strikes so far with 11 more to come, causing misery and hardship to people's work and family lives. "We feel we cannot make these payments to conductors who are planning to take industrial action. "They will be paid once the industrial action is over."

Summary: Southern rail has been accused of bullying after it asked staff to sign a pledge not to strike in exchange for getting backdated holiday pay early.


The 21-year-old scored 23 goals in 39 appearances last season to help Hibs to the Scottish Championship title. Former Scotland Under-21 international Cummings moved to Easter Road in 2013 and in total struck 69 times in 148 matches in all competitions. He also helped Hibs lift the Scottish Cup in 2016 and moves to a side managed by former Rangers boss Mark Warburton. "It is a massive club and I played against the manager's team a couple of years ago and I like the way they played," Cummings told the Forest website. "I had a couple of mates in his team then and they only said good things about him so I am looking forward to playing under him. "I want to play football and score goals and the way that the manager's teams play, they normally create a lot of chances so I feel that I am in the right team to create chances and hopefully I can get a few goals." Cummings signed a four-year contract at Hibs last July following the Edinburgh club's first Scottish Cup win in 114 years. "Jason goes with our very best wishes," said chief executive Leeann Dempster. "He made a major contribution to our season in gaining us promotion back to the Premiership." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Nottingham Forest have signed striker Jason Cummings from Hibernian for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.


The complaints were raised at a board meeting of the East of England Ambulance Service held in Norwich. Essex paramedic Ian Harvey told how a pregnant woman was recently taken to hospital by car because an ambulance was unavailable. The ambulance service said it would be considering the concerns raised. Mr Harvey, and fellow Essex paramedic David Taylor, claimed there was "widespread bullying of workers" and that managers "don't care about frontline staff". Mr Harvey said waits for a fully-equipped ambulance - rather than a rapid response vehicle - could vary between two minutes and two hours. Mr Harvey said: "This is a service which impacts on the public greatly, it is life or death." Responding to concerns, board chairman Paul Remington, said: "It's vital to have a discussion, however uncomfortable" A spokesman for the ambulance service said the two Essex paramedics had been "asked to share their concerns and listen to how the trust is going forward in the future".

Summary: Ambulance management in the east of England have been told they are running a "flimsy excuse for a service" by their own paramedics.


One has attracted global celebrities and sports stars, and has been followed mile-by-mile on TV and at the roadside by millions of people. The other is lucky to get a solitary figure on a street corner cheering it on. But the differences between the official Olympic torch relay and the amateur Real Relay do not end there. While the official flame is stopped in its tracks every night, the Real Relay continues 24 hours a day as part of its non-stop journey around the British Isles. And later it will move in front of its official counterpart in Dover. "The Real Relay was conceived when we saw that the Olympic torch was spending a lot of time in the back of a van," says Kate Treleaven, one of the organisers. "We sensed a missed opportunity and set out to recruit real grassroots runners from around the British Isles to run all the way around the Olympic torch route." Instead of the golden Olympic torch carried on the official route, runners carry a metre-long baton which has a GPS tracker inside so people can follow the runners' progress. There are 672 stages of 10-to-12 miles in the relay, which started at Land's End in Cornwall on 28 May - 10 days behind the official one - and concludes at the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, five days ahead of the torch relay. By the time it reaches London more than 2,000 runners will have taken part, covering 7,377 miles on foot, over 55 days and nights. In pictures: The Real Relay The Real Relay has had little publicity but word of mouth has seen it take off, Ms Treleaven says. She believes the tradition of a stripped-back relay without any "road support crew, sponsors and razzmatazz" is what appeals. Unlike the Olympic torch, which caught a train up Snowdon, the Real Relay ran up the biggest mountain in Wales, along with the other three highest peaks in Northern Ireland, England and Scotland. Runners are told where to begin and end their leg, but plan their own route which must take in each community listed on the Olympic torch route. But is it in competition with the official torch relay? Ms Treleaven says it is not an "anti-Olympic torch uprising" but a chance for those not involved to feel "a little bit closer to it". And unlike the torch relay, the challenge is raising money for the charity CHICKS, which provides free, week-long respite breaks for disadvantaged children. Each runner donates Â£10 to the charity and the organisers believe they will raise well over Â£10,000 in total. Barbara Shuttleworth, 54, ran the Real Relay's 400th stage through Manchester on a Saturday night, taking in Salford's Media City, Old Trafford and Moss Side. The leg ended on the "Curry Mile" in the centre of Rusholme, where restaurant-goers cheered on Mrs Shuttleworth, who ran with her husband Duncan, among others. "They were very good-natured but it was pretty surreal," says Mrs Shuttleworth, who runs an accountancy business. She adds: "I love the torch relay and

Summary: A group of amateur runners following the route of the Olympic torch look set to overtake it later on - but unlike the official relay, they are running every step of the way.


Officers said the 24-year-old had been detained in police custody in connection with a serious sexual assault in Queen's Park on 30 March. The park, at Pollockshaws Road and Balvicar Street, was cordoned off while police investigated the incident. A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal, Police Scotland said.

Summary: Police investigating the rape of a 37-year-old woman in a popular Glasgow park have arrested a man.


The 25-year-old, who is yet to play in a competitive international, has won two caps, both in friendly matches against the Netherlands. "He doesn't want to play international football, which is a disappointment from our point of view," said Wales manager Chris Coleman. "But he's made that decision, and we have to abide by that." Media playback is not supported on this device Wales are third in World Cup qualifying group D, four points behind leaders Serbia. They travel to Serbia for their next qualifier on Sunday, 11 June after naming a youthful pre-match training camp that included Exeter's 16-year-old Ethan Ampadu. Coleman added: "We'll get on with the squad of players, the squad who want to play and represent Wales. "There's nothing we can do with Paul, who's decided that international football is not the path he wants to go down." Newcastle-born Dummett was included in a pre-Euro 2016 training camp but was not selected in the squad for the tournament in France. He has not featured at all during the current World Cup qualifying campaign. "Sometimes you have to be patient especially because the team we have at the moment has been hugely successful," Coleman added. "It's a shame because he's a good player. I haven't spoken to Paul. His agent rang me up to give me the news. "I was disappointed, but if he doesn't want to persevere with it then that's his choice. We've got to look after the players who want to play for us."

Summary: Newcastle United defender Paul Dummett has made himself unavailable to play for Wales.


In an interview with Mexican daily Excelsior, he called Mr Trump's rhetoric "strident". He added that "that's how [Italian fascist leader] Mussolini got in, that's how Hitler got in". The Mexican leader also said that Mr Trump had hurt US-Mexico relations. Donald Trump has said that if he is elected he will build a wall along the US-Mexico border to keep migrants from crossing into the US illegally. The Republican candidate has also insisted that Mexico would pay for the border wall, which President Pena Nieto dismissed out of hand. He said there was "no scenario" under which Mexico would ever pay for such a wall. Mr Trump, who has made the fight against illegal immigration the main plank of his campaign, outraged Mexicans last June when he called undocumented Mexican migrants "criminals" and "rapists". President Pena Nieto said Mr Trump offered "very easy, simple solutions to problems that are obviously not that easy to solve". "And there have been episodes in human history, unfortunately, where these expressions of this strident rhetoric have only led to very ominous situations in the history of humanity," he said. "That's how Mussolini got in, that's how Hitler got in, they took advantage of a situation, a problem perhaps, which humanity was going through at the time, after an economic crisis," he added. President Pena Nieto, who had up until now avoided commenting on Mr Trump's candidacy, insisted he would be "absolutely respectful" of the US political process. His predecessors in office, however, have been more outspoken. Former President Vicente Fox used an expletive on live television when he said Mexico would not pay for the border wall proposed by Mr Trump. Felipe Calderon, who governed from 2006 to 2012, also dismissed the idea saying: "Mexican people, we are not going to pay any single cent for such a stupid wall!"

Summary: Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has compared the rhetoric of US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to that of German Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.


After starting eighth on the grid, Rea led by lap three following a stunning couple of opening circuits as he moved ahead of Kawasaki team-mate Tom Sykes. Northern Irishman Rea was 2.88 seconds clear of England's Sykes at the finish with Welshman Chaz Davies in third. The success was defending champion Rea's ninth win of the season. Despite being eighth and seventh on the grid, Kawasaki rider Rea and Sykes were able to produce pace which none of the other competitors could live with. Rea's ride maintained his sequence of podium finishes at the American venue going back to 2014 as he extended his championship lead over Sykes. The championship now takes a five-week break until the next round in Germany and Rea said he was "going to enjoy the flight home now". "What a way to go into the summer break and what a day for Kawasaki. A one-two again," added Rea, 30. Davies, who finished 4.847 seconds behind Rea in Sunday's race, is 115 points adrift of Rea - champion for each of the last two years - with Marco Melandri a further 37 points back. The winner's fellow Northern Irishman Eugene Laverty earned a creditable sixth place on his Milwaukee Aprilia after crashing out of Saturday's race one, while England's Alex Lowes finished in ninth spot. Ducati rider Davies won race one on Saturday in front of Rea and Sykes.

Summary: Jonathan Rea extended his lead at the top of the World Superbike standings to 59 points after dominating race two at Laguna Seca in California.


Earlier this month, Songbird, which owns 69% of Canary Wharf Group, advised its investors to reject the offer. On Wednesday, it said it still believed the 350p per share offer was too low. "The offer does not reflect the full value of the business, its unique operating platform and its prospects," it said. Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and US investor Brookfield Property Partners made the offer. QIA already owns 29% of Songbird, but had to persuade the next three biggest shareholders, New York-based Simon Glick, sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corp and Morgan Stanley, who own more than 50% between them to accept the offer. Songbird said it was now its understanding that "each of the major shareholders intends to accept the offer". It also said the board had been in discussions with a number of parties "with a view to achieving a higher offer", but said it now believed none would be forthcoming before the 29 January offer acceptance deadline. Canary Wharf was established 25 years ago as the new financial district in London, and is home to some of the world's biggest banks including HSBC and Barclays. In the UK, Qatar owns Harrods, Chelsea Barracks and the Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper. QIA was founded in 2005 by the state of Qatar to help its economy by investing in a diverse array of businesses, outside of the country's huge oil and gas resources.

Summary: A Qatari-led bid has won the battle to take over London's Canary Wharf complex after three of its major shareholders agreed to accept the Â£2.6bn offer.


Arthur Simpson-Kent left the UK on 19 December after the deaths of Ms Blake, 43, and their two young sons, Zachary, aged eight and Amon, aged four. Their bodies were found buried in the garden of their family home in Erith, south London, on 5 January. Mr Simpson-Kent is due at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday. Ms Blake, who played Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders in 1996 and 1997, died from neck and head injuries, post-mortem tests found. She had been suffering from motor neurone disease. Her sons also died from head and neck injuries. Four days after their bodies were found, police officers arrested Mr Simpson-Kent on a beach in Ghana. He was remanded in custody in Ghana on 12 January and appeared in Kaneshie Magistrates' Court in Accra. Mr Simpson-Kent was arrested after locals recognised him from a social media photo and tipped off police. The Met was criticised over delays in its investigation after it emerged officers spoke to Mr Simpson-Kent at the family home on 16 December. They returned two days later to find the house empty. But it was not until early January that the bodies of Ms Blake and her sons were found in the garden. The Met's handling of the case is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Summary: The partner of EastEnders actress Sian Blake, whose body was found in their garden, is to be flown back from Ghana to the UK later, prosecutors have said.


The Mesh Oversight Group report also said complications caused by the implants should be recorded so that experts fully understood the risks. Vaginal mesh implants are used to treat stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. But some women said they left them in permanent pain and unable to walk. The research - seen exclusively by the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme - aims to address concerns over the use of mesh devices. What's the issue with mesh implants? Mesh implants 'as dangerous as asbestos' Faulty implants end women's sex life Prof Keith Willett, who wrote the foreword to the report, said it contained three key recommendations: The report says: "Adverse events involving mesh as a medical device must be reported and clinicians must bear this responsibility." It also says surgeons undertaking surgery for stress urinary incontinence "must be able to demonstrate they are performing these operations regularly". It says that where a mesh is being used to treat pelvic organ prolapse "this should not be offered routinely for the first surgical intervention". The plastic meshes are made of polypropylene - a material also used to make certain drinks bottles - and are manufactured by many different companies. They are used to ease incontinence and to support organs such as the vagina, uterus, bowel, bladder or urethra which have prolapsed after childbirth. The MHRA says, for the majority of women, the use of vaginal mesh implants is safe and effective. But some can cut into the vagina, causing severe discomfort. Currently in the UK, there are around 100 types of vaginal mesh implants.

Summary: An NHS England report on vaginal mesh implants has recommended better support and communication between patients and doctors over the devices.


Ferres took over from Richard Wright in July and has cited an inability to push through initiatives as the reason for his departure. "As chief executive I believe I have a moral obligation to everyone associated to the Tigers," he said. "Since the board is not in a position to support the multitude of changes I believe must take place, I feel I have no option but to offer my resignation." We look to the future and a real opportunity now exists for somebody new to come into the chief executive's role and drive the club forward He added: "I would like to thank the fans for their fantastic support and indeed the staff for their hard work in implementing the new membership scheme. "The club requires significant investment in order to continue and I truly hope the board can secure the necessary financial support in the coming months." Castleford chairman Jack Fulton said in a statement: "I would like to thank Steve for his efforts during his time at the club and wish him well for the future. "For over 20 years I have supported this club financially to a substantial amount with the aim of keeping it going as a Super League club ready for the day when it can support itself. "While disappointed by Steve's resignation, this position remains unchanged. We look to the future and a real opportunity now exists for somebody new to come into the chief executive's role and drive the club forward." The Tigers have started the new Super League season with one win and two defeats from their opening three matches.

Summary: Castleford chief executive Steve Ferres has resigned with immediate effect.


The party said 40,000 primary age children were taught in classes of 36 or more in England in 2016, blaming "broken promises" by the government. But the Tories said Labour's attacks were "a massive own goal". They said the Labour-led Welsh government had overseen increases in class sizes in Wales. Mr Corbyn, who insisted on Thursday that he could defy the polls and "change the direction" of the election, has used Labour analysis of Department for Education figures to focus on education. He said: "The prime minister herself has said that super-sized classes are proof of a school system in a crisis. "And that's what we've got on the Tories' watch. "School leaders and teachers have said Tory cuts to school budgets will mean class sizes will be forced to grow even larger. We cannot risk our children's education in this way." In his speech, Mr Corbyn appeared to confuse some of the statistics released earlier by his party, inadvertently overstating the number of children in large classes. He told supporters: "500,000 children in England - half a million children - are now being taught in super-sized classes of over 36". The half a million figure is for class sizes of 31 - 34. A Labour spokesman said Mr Corbyn had mixed the figures up. A Conservative spokeswoman dismissed Mr Corbyn's comments and pointed out that the number of infants in large classes had risen by 18% in three years in Wales. "Of course we are not complacent about the situation in England," she added. "There is more to do and that's why we are spending a record amount on schools - something we can afford to do because of our careful management of the nation's finances." Elsewhere on the campaign trail on Friday, Mr Farron will challenge Tory MPs who supported staying in the EU to oppose a so-called hard Brexit. He will add: "If these Tory MPs reject these principles and back a hard Brexit manifesto, then people will know that on the biggest issue of the day they went missing in action." Chalk and cheese. Black and white. Night and day. Yin and yang. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn are not, repeat not, cut from the same cloth. Their fundamental beliefs differ enormously. Their solutions for society's problems are poles apart. Politicians in opposing parties are sometimes friends across the boundaries. But it is hard, extremely hard, to imagine the Labour leader and the Tory leader ever quietly enjoying a pootle round the Berkshire countryside of a weekend, or a cappuccino in Islington in a quiet moment. But right at the start of this election - whisper it - there is something significant they share. Read Laura's blog in full

Summary: Labour says children are being crammed "like sardines" into "super-sized" school classes, as it focuses its general election campaign on education.


The country has also been subject to economic sanctions by the West over its involvement in the crisis in Ukraine. Russia will spend most of the cash on federal loans, pensions and recapitalising its banks. The country will also make public spending cuts. Over the next three years most spending, apart military and social programmes, will be hit. Earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund forecast that Russia's economy will contract by 3% this year and 1% in 2016. Russia's government will spend about one trillion roubles to recapitalise banks through the issue of government bonds. The plan includes a separate scheme to help recapitalise some banks with 250bn roubles, while 300bn roubles will be provided to Vnesheconombank, the state development bank. There will be an extra 200bn roubles in state guarantees to finance investment projects, and regional governments will get 160bn roubles in federal loans. Meanwhile, the government has proposed public spending cuts of 10% this year and 5% over the next two years. The cuts have yet to be approved by the Russian parliament.

Summary: The Russian government is to spend at least 2.34 trillion roubles ($35bn, Â£23bn) to try to stave off an economic crisis, following a collapse in oil prices and the value of the rouble.


Click here to see an enlarged version of the artwork "It's a cross I bear, it's an albatross I have to deal with," he says. It is a fairly stark, somewhat surprising admission from Sir Peter Blake, sleeve designer of The Beatles' 1967 albumSgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. "What vaguely depresses me still is that I'm known pretty much as 'Peter Blake - who did the cover of Sgt Pepper' when I've done so much else," he says. "Every so often I manage to forget it but it comes back all the time." What makes the revelation even more surprising is that Sir Peter has set aside any misgivings he has about his most famous work on the sleeve of arguably the Fab Four's greatest album, to create a new poster reimagining the image to mark both his 80th birthday and designer Wayne Hemingway's Vintage Festival. Gone are cutouts of actress Marilyn Monroe, comedians Lenny Bruce and WC Fields to be replaced by Amy Winehouse, Kate Moss, artists Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst and musicians Eric Clapton and Noel Gallagher. Sadly, gone too are The Beatles themselves. "I don't own the copyright," he explains. "Part of everything that went wrong at the time was that my agent signed away any kind of royalties and the copyright so we had to ask Apple Corps - The Beatles' management - for permission and they didn't want it to be associated with advertising." Apple Corps have yet to comment on Sir Peter's claims. Instead, Sir Peter has used what he called "family, friends and icons" on the latest poster. Though he has craftily managed to get round the Beatle-ban by including not one but three McCartneys. Longtime friend Sir Paul is in there, alongside designer daughter Stella and her sister, photographer Mary. Alongside the McCartneys are an array of faces - from food, represented by restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King and chefs Delia Smith and Rick Stein, to Kate Moss and Paul Smith from fashion and Noel Gallagher, John Peel and Paul Weller for music. Late singer Amy Winehouse also gets a nod, Sir Peter fondly recalls his first memorable meeting with her. "It was after a South Bank Show lunch at the Savoy and we went into the American Bar after the lunch," he says. "We were thrown out because Jamie Cullum was playing the piano, Amy was singing and we were singing along around the piano and we got chucked out. I really liked her very much and admired her and was very sad at what happened. "It was memorable to be staggering out with Jamie and Amy," he adds. From the art world, sculptor Grayson Perry makes an appearance in full drag and contemporaries Emin and Hirst are present. Sir Peter is quick to defend Hirst from recent criticism, notablyby the critic Julian Spaldingwho questioned the artist's credentials. "I admire Damien enormously, I think he added a great deal to the excitement of the art world and I think that he is a very interesting artist," he says. "I think

Summary: British artist Sir Peter Blake has recreated the iconic album sleeve for The Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on his 80th birthday.


Ms Davies appeared as Mrs Perks in the Railway Children and as Marj in the valleys-based comedy Stella. Tony Gardner, who appeared in Stella, wrote on Twitter: "Terribly saddened to hear Deddie Davies has died. She was a truly wonderful person." Karen Paullada, who also appeared in the Sky 1 series, wrote: "Sad times in this happy Christmas period." Stella star and co-creator Ruth Jones paid tribute to her "remarkable" co-star. She said: "Deddie had been ill for a long time and I saw her about a month ago and showed her the Christmas special on my laptop. "She loved working on Stella. She said it kept her going and she was massively loved by all the cast and crew. "She was one of those rare people who didn't possess a grain of self pity and whose company always brightened your day. "A highly intelligent, joyful, talented and spectacularly spirited woman, who was an inspiration to us all." She added Ms Davies would be "unspeakably missed". Ms Davies had been a well-known face on TV screens since the 1970s, appearing in shows including The Forsyte Saga, The Bill, Upstairs, Downstairs, Grange Hill and Whitechapel. Her agents, Brown, Simcocks and Andrews, said the actress also dedicated her time working with charities safeguarding the elderly and also "going undercover" to reveal issues in care homes. Kelly Andrews, part of the team who represented Ms Davies for about 20 years, said: "She was extremely professional, but she was extraordinary fun and joyous to be around. "She saw the best in everyone. She wasn't just an actress but an activist - she really cared about it."

Summary: Tributes have been paid to Bridgend-born actress Deddie Davies, who has died at the age of 78.


South Thanet's MP Craig Mackinlay held his seat while facing a charge over election expenses in the 2015 poll. Mr Mackinlay has insisted he has done nothing wrong. However, the party suffered a shock in Canterbury where Sir Julian Brazier lost his seat after 30 years to Labour's Rosie Duffield. Latest general election updates from across the South East Full coverage of general election 2017 Full England results breakdown Find the result where you live In Ashford, Damian Green MP held the seat and the Tory member also grew his share of the vote. Tracey Crouch held Chatham & Aylesford, and Gareth Johnson held Dartford for the Conservatives. The leader of Medway council's Labour group, and Labour candidate in Chatham and Aylesford Councillor Vince Maple said: "Here in Medway, across all our three constituencies, we've seen big increases in our vote. "We've seen people very disappointed with Theresa May who have voted Conservative for perhaps 30 years, and they maybe haven't voted for us, but they certainly haven't voted for the Conservative Party." Dover was listed as a Labour target, but Charlie Elphicke held it with an increased majority of 6,437. Both Labour and the Conservatives increased their shares of the vote by just over 9%. Mr Elphicke said; "It's brilliant we have increased our majority [in Dover]. I'm looking forward to getting more investment and to make our corner of Kent even more successful." Folkestone & Hythe, a safe Conservative seat, was held by Damian Collins, who has also increased his majority. Rehman Chishti also held Gillingham & Rainham for the Conservatives. Paul Clarke, the former Labour MP for the constituency said: "There's clearly something to build on and we could be having another general election in much less than the five-year period." In Gravesham, Conservative Adam Holloway held the seat, Helen Whately held Faversham & Mid Kent, and Tory Helen Grant retained control of Maidstone & the Weald. North Thanet was held by Roger Gale with an increased majority. He said the election had been fought under "very trying circumstances". "I think it's a tribute to the British people and to democracy, that irrespective of party politics we have gone on to hold a free and fair election in the teeth of those who have tried to stop us doing so." Mr Gale said. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon held Sevenoaks for the Tories with 32,633 votes, a 63.7% share, and Kelly Tolhurst kept Rochester & Strood. Gordon Henderson also held Sittingbourne & Sheppey for the Tories. Tom Tugendhat held Tonbridge & Malling for the Conservatives with 36,218 votes, a 63.6% share of the total. Mr Clark has held Tunbridge Wells, a Tory seat since its creation in 1974. The Tunbridge Wells member was appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy last year. Canterbury has been the story of the night in Kent. It's a seat that has been Conservative Sir Julian Brazier's since 1987, with the party holding it for the past 100 years, but it seems a surge in young voters may have tipped it to

Summary: The Conservatives have held nearly all constituencies in Kent, where sitting MPs including cabinet member Greg Clark have kept their seats.


The gulf in class between the teams was evident as Bernard Brogan's goal helped the Dubs lead 1-13 to 0-6 by half-time. Dublin led by 13 when Fermanagh scored a dubious goal as Sean Quigley pushed Stephen Cluxton over his own goal-line. Paul Flynn quickly netted for Dublin although Tomas Corrigan hit a late second Erne goal after a mix-up. Corrigan's goal came in injury-time as Cluxton and a Dublin defender left the ball to each other after a Fermanagh shot had been blocked which allowed Corrigan to nip in and slam into the empty net. Media playback is not supported on this device The three late goals lifted the atmosphere at Croke Park with Dublin fans annoyed by Quigley's controversial goal and Fermanagh's supporters delighted by the spirit shown by their team. Peter McGrath, rightly, praised his team's refusal to submit to the heavy defeat that looked likely for the majority of the contest. But while Dublin Jim Gavin will note his team's late sloppiness, the job in hand of qualifying for a semi-final meeting with either Mayo or Donegal on 30 August had been achieved. Some bookmakers had rated the Dubs as 1-200 to win Sunday's contest and pundits had suggested that a Fermanagh victory would have represented the biggest shock in GAA history. In the event, Fermanagh had 59% of the possession in the first half but were still decidedly second best as Dublin's pace, movement and shooting, had them chasing shadows for the most part. Quigley's first score cancelled out late Dublin inclusion Paddy Andrews's opening point but two Ciaran Kilkenny efforts helped the Leinster champions lead 0-4 to 0-1 before Brogan netted a glorious opening goal. Brogan was given far too much space by marker Niall Cassidy as he was picked out by a glorious long ball from Jack McCaffrey before coolly slotting past Thomas Treacy. Fermanagh did fire eight first-half wides but several of the shots were speculative whereas the Dubs were able to work the ball into genuine scoring positions seemingly at will. Barry Mulrone did show his colleagues how to hit the target as he struck a couple of fine efforts from play. However, Dublin's slick play was emphasised by their 1-13 first-half total all coming from play as Brogan hit 1-4 and Dean Rock and the impressive Diarmuid Connolly both contributing 0-2. It was largely more of the same in the third quarter with free-taker Rock, Brogan and Andrews all on target on multiple occasions. Media playback is not supported on this device Brian Fenton's point in the 59th minute increased Dublin's advantage to 1-21 to 0-11 as the game seemed to be petering out only for Cluxton's controversial own goal to stir some passions. Quite how the Fermanagh goal was allowed to stand is anyone's guess as Quigley clearly pushed a bemused Cluxton over the line with the umpire eventually waving his green flag after consulting with referee Padraig O'Sullivan. Quigley's subsequent laughter indicated his amazement that the goal had been allowed to stand. Dublin, however, didn't see the funny side and

Summary: Dublin earned their expected place in the All-Ireland Football semi-finals as they clinched a comfortable 2-23 to 2-15 win over a battling Fermanagh side.


On Saturday, she became the first British woman to win a world title when she took gold in the 1500m. And on Sunday the 26-year-old added a gold in the 1000m, bronze in the 3000m and claimed the overall title. The Scot had previously won eight world championship medals but never gold. "I was mainly focused on the 1000m, so winning the 1500m was a bonus for me, as I haven't raced that distance in so long," Christie said. "I don't think my competitors would have expected that either. "This year I have really changed my mindset, it was win or lose. I risked losing to win, taking each distance one at a time this weekend. "I have been physically capable for a long time, and I have shown I am mentally ready now." The world titles represent an impressive resurgence from Christie, who said she was considering her future in the sport after being disqualified from all three of her events at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Livingston-born Christie also finished fourth in the 500m final on Saturday. She has been focusing on the shorter distance events this season and had already set a new 500m world record of 42.335 seconds. Meanwhile at the World Freestyle Ski and Snowboard Championships, Zoe Gillings-Brier finished ninth in the snowboard cross. She only gave birth to a daughter last August and missed out on a chunk of pre-season training. Gillings-Brier, who does not receive UK Sport funding, told BBC Sport: "I loved every minute of it. Back on a big course with all the best competitors. Hopefully I'll get some great training in the summer." American Lindsey Jacobellis landed her fifth world title in a photo finish with France's Chloe Trespeuch. On her first appearance in the competition, 19-year-old Welsh competitor Maisie Potter went out in the snowboard cross quarter-finals.

Summary: Elise Christie has become a triple world champion after victory in the 1000m, 1500m and the overall title at the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Rotterdam.


The House of Lords spent two days debating the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, with many members voicing their concerns. But it rejected an amendment aimed at wrecking the bill by 242 votes, moving it a step closer to becoming law. The BBC's Norman Smith said plans were on course for the first same-sex weddings to take place next summer. The bill would allow couples, who can currently form civil partnerships, to marry. If it passes into law, religious organisations would have to "opt in" if they wished to offer gay weddings, except the Church of England and Church in Wales, which would be banned in law from doing so. Peers were allowed a free vote on the amendment, tabled by crossbench peer Lord Dear, which would effectively have wrecked the government's plans. It was defeated by 390 votes to 148. Shortly afterwards, the bill - also backed by Labour leader Ed Miliband - was given a second reading without a vote taking place and will now go forward to more detailed scrutiny by peers. The result was greeted with cheers from supporters of same-sex marriage gathered outside Parliament. During the debate, Lord Dear insisted the change would "completely alter the concept of marriage as we know it". The bill was "ill thought through", had no democratic legitimacy and was "fatally flawed", he said. But equalities minister Baroness Stowell of Beeston called the legislation a "force for good" which would strengthen marriage. She said it protected both religious freedom and freedom of speech. Baroness Royall, Labour's leader in the Lords, said marriage had a "special status in our society": "I firmly believe that our society will be strengthened when more couples are able to choose to make a lifetime commitment to each other and when all members of our communities are able to celebrate their identity and relationships within the institution of marriage." After the vote, Culture Secretary Maria Miller posted on Twitter: "Great result in @UKHouseofLords tonight, overwhelming support from Peers from all sides." Ben Summerskill, chief executive of the gay rights group Stonewall, said he was delighted, adding: "Britain's 3.7 million gay people don't deserve to be second class citizens in their own country. "A tough fight lies ahead and we'll continue to work tirelessly every single day to get equal marriage through the Lords." Peter Tatchell, who co-ordinates the Equal Love campaign, said: "This is a victory for love, marriage and equality. "We are another step closer to our goal of equal marriage. It signals that the House of Lords accepts the principle that we should all be equal before the law." But Colin Hart, campaign director for the Coalition for Marriage, said that 148 peers had "chosen to register their profound opposition to the gay marriage bill". He added: "The government may have won the vote today but what was clear from the debate was the huge opposition to almost every part of the bill. "We will continue to campaign to save traditional marriage and today's vote and the concerns expressed by many peers mean we will be

Summary: Peers have voted by more than two to one to back government plans for same-sex marriages in England and Wales.


Children have been taken hostage, forced to watch torture and even participate in beheadings, it says; others have been killed while fighting. It says it suspects there are "reasonable grounds" to believe chemical weapons have been deployed. It urges foreign powers not to increase the availability of arms in Syria. The issue of arms has been high on the international agenda of late, with the EU lifting an embargo on the sale of arms to Syria while Russia has insisted it is going ahead with the sale of an advanced S-300 surface-to-air missile defence system to Syria. On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the contract had not yet been fulfilled and Russia did not want to "disturb the balance in the region". He said he was "disappointed" by the EU move. Meanwhile, a civilian died when shells exploded near the Russian embassy in Damascus, according to the UK-based activist group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Russia is an ally of President Bashar al-Assad and Syrian rebels have targeted the embassy several times since the uprising against his regime began two years ago. The international powers are struggling to set a date for a peace conference on Syria, where the conflict is believed to have cost at least 80,000 lives. The UN Commission of Inquiry has so far been barred from Syria and was forced to rely on first-hand accounts from the country. Its report says it "documents for the first time the systematic imposition of sieges, the use of chemical agents and forcible displacement" in Syria. "War crimes and crimes against humanity have become a daily reality," it says. Syria chemical weapons allegations The report accuses both sides of abuses, but says rebel actions did not "reach the intensity and scale" of abuses committed by government-allied forces. Syria's UN ambassador Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui has rejected the report, saying the commission is "excessively exaggerating their conclusions and outcomes" while it "totally neglects the substantial events, or even marginalises them". "The Committee, despite our warnings, insisted on using sectarian language which is rejected by all brackets of the Syrian society." In the four months covered by this report - between 15 January and 15 May 2013 - investigators documented 17 suspected massacres, out of a total of 30 since the conflict began. Sieges - with civilians trapped in their homes and reliant on their captors for food, water, medicines and power - are now being used systematically as weapons of war by government forces and affiliated militia and in some instances by anti-government forces, says the report. Civilians are now becoming the victims of forced displacement by both sides, where they are threatened with attack if they do not leave the area. The report documents new violations of children's rights on top of being routinely killed, detained and displaced. In one attack by government forces on Sanamein, Deraa on 10 April, "children were forced to watch the torture or killing of parents". In another incident in April, this time in Rastan, Homs, checkpoint personnel "threatened to shoot two girls aged nine and

Summary: Syria's war has reached "new levels of brutality", the UN says, with evidence of fresh suspected massacres, sieges and violations of children's rights.


The Legged Squad Support System - referred to by some as "the big dog" - is capable of carrying 400lbs (181.4kg) of equipment over rugged terrain. But the US Marines now say its petrol-powered engine is too noisy for them to use in battle. Google has long said it planned to move away from its military contracts. The LS3 was developed by Boston Dynamics - a robotics firm acquired by Google in 2013 - as part of a tie-up with the Pentagon's research arm, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa). The robot can follow troops on foot through rugged terrain, carrying their gear. It can also interpret verbal and visual commands. However, after a major field trial in 2014, flaws in the robot also became apparent, according to Kyle Olson, a spokesman for the Marines' Warfighting Lab. "There was the challenge of seeing [its] potential... because of the limitations of the robot itself," he told Military.com. "They took it as it was: a loud robot that's going to give away their position." The machine, which has a gas-powered engine, is said to emit a lawnmower-like noise that would be unviable in combat situations. It is also thought to be difficult to repair. In response, Boston Dynamics did create a quieter, electric-powered alternative, called Spot. But despite successful trials in September 2015, the Marines have decided not to take it forward either. This, they said, was because Spot is smaller, can only carry up to 40lbs, and lacks the automation capacity of the LS3. Google said as far back as 2013 that it planned to move away from its military contracts, which it inherited as part of its acquisition of the company. The tech firm has said it intends to develop robots for use in manufacturing and industry instead. Noel Sharkey, co-director of the Foundation for Responsible Robotics, told the BBC: "Spot ... lacks the autonomous operation of Big Dog, but that really is not so much of a problem and would not require a vast amount of research. "The problem is that to take the extra steps need to upgrade the battery-driven Spot to the level of Big Dog could require a couple of years development or more and thus a new Darpa contract. "So, what this looks like is a face saving statement by the Marine Corps to make it look like they are dumping Google/Boston Dynamics before they they got dumped themselves."

Summary: The US army says it has mothballed plans to deploy a robot developed in conjunction with Google because it is "too loud".


Despite a rip-roaring 2015, something peculiar happened this month: Apple's stock value dropped to below $100 for the first time since October 2014. That was down from a high of just over $132 last May. As I write this, it's rallying on account of some decent rumours - but it's on Tuesday we'll truly know if 2016 is going to be a tough one for the tech giant. On the one hand, we're expecting an amazing Christmas with record-breaking revenues, yet again. But it's Apple's guidance for what to expect in the months to come that investors will be eagerly awaiting. It's here where the company outlines its worries, the issues that keeps it awake at night (or at least, stressed out in the boardroom). Troubled investors are expecting Apple to say this: For the first time, sales of the iPhone are in decline. Decline! The iPhone! That's a big deal. According to the latest figures Apple has shared - from October - sales of the smartphone make up 63% of the company's entire revenue. That's before you factor in all the people who then go on to buy apps, subscribe to Apple Music, and do any number of other things with their phone from which Apple takes a cut. Its other major products don't even come close. The Mac range has bucked a huge industry-wide decline but still only accounts for 13%. The iPad, meanwhile, represents 8% - though this may get a boost thanks to the recently launched iPad Pro, the bigger version that comes with a keyboard and little stylus. Apple's major new product of recent times has been the Apple Watch. Yet we're still none-the-wiser about how successful that has been, as its performance is lumped into the "other" category, which includes sales of the iPod, Beats headphones and various other things. Collectively, the "other" products were worth 6% in total. The watch will have likely been a good performer at Christmas, so Apple may begin to shed some light on how well it is doing. But we'll have to wait and see. The reliance on the iPhone is what worries investors most. Apple has plenty of repeat business - once hooked in, data shows people are far more likely to stick with Apple than change to another brand like Samsung - but it's now seeing a plateau when it comes to bringing in new customers. Which is why China is so important. Apple now makes more money in China than it does in the whole of Europe, and it's well on course to overtake the US. "If China falls so does Apple," says Apple investor Daniel Ives, from FBR Capital Markets. "They've really bet the house on the China growth opportunity." Almost all of Apple's gains last year were thanks to Chinese expansion - new stores, and new customers who, until fairly recently, had to make do with awful knock-off imitations of the real deal. But instability in the Chinese economy has rocked global markets. If China continues underperforming, it may be hard for Apple to continue

Summary: Apple's investors are spooked.


Gwyn Llywelyn will return to read the news bulletins - as he did on the station's first morning in 1977. Hywel Gwynfryn, Dei Thomas and Richard Rees will join Aled Hughes for the morning to share anecdotes, and there will be clips from the first programme Helo Bobol. Celebrations continue all day with Bore Cothi, Tommo and Geraint Lloyd. It will also mark the end of Radio Cymru's pop-up station Mwy, which was launched in the run-up to the 40th birthday.

Summary: Some of BBC Radio Cymru's first presenters will return to the station on Tuesday for its 40th anniversary.


West Wales and the Valleys qualify for more than Â£2bn in EU aid between 2014 and 2020, due to low levels of wealth. But the money - which has been paid ever since 2000 - will come to an end once the UK leaves the European Union. The Conservatives' manifesto says the party aims to create a "Shared Prosperity Fund", with Welsh ministers to be consulted on the details. The campaign document says the current EU scheme is "expensive to administer and poorly targeted", pledging its replacement will be "cheap to administer, low in bureaucracy and targeted where it is needed most". The manifesto, published on Thursday, states: "We will use the structural fund money that comes back to the UK following Brexit to create a United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund, specifically designed to reduce inequalities between communities across our four nations. "The money that is spent will help deliver sustainable, inclusive growth based on our modern industrial strategy." Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Mark Williams said EU aid had been essential "in creating and safeguarding jobs, bringing our infrastructure into the 21st Century in many parts of the country, and providing opportunities for new entrepreneurs". "Liberal Democrats would launch a Â£100bn package of additional infrastructure investment for the UK, to create jobs, build homes, and invest in the green economy to create an economy that works for everyone," he said. Plaid Cymru has promised to demand that Wales continues to receive "every single penny" of the money it currently receives from the EU, once the UK leaves the bloc.

Summary: A new fund to replace EU economic aid will be created by the Conservatives if they win the general election.


Marian Brown, 17, was shot dead in disputed circumstances in June 1972. Her family claim she was killed by shots fired by soldiers. The witness, know as 'Soldier B', told Belfast Coroner's Court that his Army unit exchanged gunfire with one gunman. Soldier B said he fired all 20 rounds in his rifle. A barrister for Marian Brown's family, told the witness: "You emptied your magazine." She added that his actions were "an exceptional state of affairs". Ms Brown was pregnant at the time of her death, and during a previous hearing, the inquest was told she had just kissed her teenage boyfriend goodnight before the pair were caught up in gunfire. On Thursday, the court heard Soldier B was 18 when he first arrived in Northern Ireland, a few months before the shooting. On the night Ms Brown was killed, he was part of a Royal Anglian Regiment patrol which had set up a vehicle checkpoint in the Roden Street area of Belfast. The commander of his unit claimed in evidence last week that a number of gunmen fired at the soldiers. However, Soldier B told the court there was one gunman. He also told the court that he did not shout a warning. When asked by a barrister how he felt when he was told that Marion Brown had been killed, he replied: "Not very good." Soldier B added: "Too many young people were killed out there." The inquest will reconvene in August.

Summary: A soldier fired all his ammunition around the time an innocent teenager was killed in west Belfast in 45 years ago, a coroner's court has heard.


People living in and around Aviemore in the Cairngorms say the water tastes bad and some have blamed it for aggravating skin conditions such as eczema. Councillor Bill Lobban wants an investigation to check for a link between the water and skin complaints. Scottish Water said it would look at enhancements to the treatment process. There have been complaints about the water's taste since the supply came on stream four years ago. A public meeting in Kincraig, near Aviemore, on Tuesday, which representatives from Scottish Water attended, heard from consumers who believe the water has aggravated skin conditions. After the meeting, Highland councillor Mr Lobban said skin complaints did appear to be on the rise in the area. He told BBC Radio Scotland: "I am not a doctor or a scientist so I cannot tell if it is directly attributable to the water or not, but it is something that requires serious investigating. "It should not be a question of Scottish Water saying basically 'this is a medical problem, go to your doctor'. "This should be more about Scottish Water liaising with NHS Highland to find out if there potentially is a problem or not." Scottish Water said it already worked closely with health authorities, including NHS Highland. A spokesman said: "If a health authority has any concerns over the safety of a water supply, it can impose restrictions on water use, until such times as the matter is investigated and dealt with. "No restrictions have been imposed in this area and we can reassure customers the water is absolutely safe to use." The spokesman said the company recognised that "a small number of customers in the Aviemore area" have found the water is not to their taste. He said: "We want everyone to enjoy the look and taste of their water and continue to liaise closely with the local community, as we work to resolve their concerns. "That's why we are proposing further enhancements to the treatment processes we use, and are proposing switching to a process called chloramination. "This is a very well established process and one in four Scottish Water customers currently receive chloraminated water - including those in Inverness, Aberdeen, much of Edinburgh and some other parts of the Highlands and Islands."

Summary: Scottish Water has said a water supply which has prompted complaints about its quality is safe and "complies 100%" with standards.


The incident happened at about 15:30 BST on Friday on the Albertbridge Road. The man who died was Patrick McDermott from east Belfast. Police have appealed for information in relation to the incident.

Summary: A 79-year-old man has died after being struck by a lorry in east Belfast.


The typical price of Â£260,000 grew at the fastest rate for nearly four years. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said prices rose strongly across the UK, with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all picking up pace. London, where prices were up 18.7%, remains the driving force behind the housing revival. But excluding London and the South East of England, the cost of a home was still 6.3% higher than 12 months before. The governor of the Bank of England said he would take prompt action, if action was needed. Writing in the Bank's annual report, Mark Carney said: "We will not hesitate to take further proportionate and graduated action as warranted," Carney said. He added that the Bank's Financial Policy Committee, which is meeting today, had announced measures in November to reduce stimulus to the housing market." In March, the ONS calculated that the annual rate of increase had fallen back slightly to 8%, so the April figures shows the market accelerating once again. April house price inflation was 10.4% in England, 3.3% in Wales, 4.8% in Scotland and 2.6% in Northern Ireland - all higher than the previous month. First-time buyers continue to experience more rapid price increases than people moving house. A rise in London house prices of 18.7% in the year to April is more than 20 times as fast as the average rise in pay (up 0.9%). Even if you strip out London and the south-east of England, prices nationally are up 6.3%. BBC housing calculator We need a reliable measure of what house price inflation is doing to the cost of living. Do we have it? Not exactly. The ONS leaves housing costs out of its Consumer Price Index on the grounds that a house is an asset, not something you consume. But for many people - especially younger people - housing costs are by far their biggest single cost. The ONS answer until now has been to produce another statistic, CPIH, which includes housing costs. Yet, even as house prices roared away, CPIH didn't rise but actually dropped, from 1.6% to 1.4%. How? Because it measures owner-occupiers' housing costs by looking at what they would pay if they rented. Not the mortgages people actually pay. And the numbers assume that housing costs make up just 15% of the average expenditure. But ask young people whether they spend just 15% on housing - and you'll get a funny look. Many older people may have paid off their mortgages. The statistics mask gaping differences between the generations. Perhaps younger people could use an alternative measure of the cost of living that reflects their reality - where housing costs are by far the biggest burden. Campbell Robb, the chief executive of Shelter, said: "Each rise in prices means more people stuck living in their childhood bedrooms, or trapped in the cycle of moving from one expensive rented home to the next. "This is a problem that the government can fix. We need a new generation of quality part-buy, part-rent homes, and to make sure that small builders can

Summary: House price increases accelerated in April, rising by 9.9% compared with the same month a year ago, according to official figures.


The investors, Filmyard, includes construction magnate Ron Tutor and investment firm Colony Capital. Disney has been negotiating with potential buyers for months to sell the division, which has made films such as Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love. Earlier this week, Disney bought the social gaming developer Playdom. "Although we are very proud of Miramax's many accomplishments, our current strategy for Walt Disney Studios is to focus on the development of great motion pictures under the Disney, Pixar and Marvel brands," Disney's chief executive Robert Iger said. Disney wants to concentrate on these family-orientated divisions, which produce popular films such as Toy Story, that also come with highly profitable merchandising opportunities. "Disney has been very smart with its film strategy," media analyst Theresa Wise told BBC World Business Report. "One of the big issues with movies is very few films break even... so they need other revenues. Disney has the fantastic ability to sell family films and all the merchandise that goes with it. Disney has owned Miramax since 1993 when it bought the firm from Hollywood heavyweights Harvey and Bob Weinstein. The Weinstein brothers, who recently attempted to buy it back from Disney, named the film company after their parents Miriam and Max.

Summary: Entertainment giant Walt Disney has announced the sale of its Miramax film division for about $660m to a group of private equity investors.


Some £85,000 was spent by the council to improve a nine mile (14.5km) section of the A4059, between Aberdare and Abercynon, which is prone to flooding. It was part of a £23m scheme to improve roads in the area. Council leader Andrew Morgan said road improvements "continue to be a key priority when it comes to allocating our financial resources". The road, known locally as the "Letty Turner's bends" has also had its drainage system improved. Councillor Morgan said: "We will be investing over £23m in highways improvements, infrastructure and strategic projects over the next three years - this is on top of the £53m we have already invested since 2011 meaning that by 2018/19 we will have invested over £76m in these key areas in recent years."

Summary: Work to help prevent flooding on a main road in Rhondda Cynon Taff has been completed.


A selection of photos from across the African continent this week:

Summary: Images courtesy of AFP, AP, EPA and Reuters


He is set to double UK funding to fight cybercrime to Â£1.9bn over five years. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence says RAF Tornados attacked a group of more than 30 IS fighters in Iraq on Monday. And on Sunday, an RAF Reaper drone provided surveillance for a French air strike on an IS target in Syria. MPs rejected possible air strikes in Syria against President Bashar al-Assad's government in 2013, but in a later vote approved military action against IS in Iraq. Downing Street has confirmed that Prime Minister David Cameron will attend a football match between England and France at Wembley Stadium later, where armed police are being deployed. He is giving a statement in the Commons at 12:30 GMT. Mr Osborne's speech came after IS said it was behind Friday's attacks in which 129 people were killed in bars, restaurants, a concert hall and at a stadium in Paris. The victims included Briton Nick Alexander from Essex. Among the latest developments: Could Paris attacks happen in the UK? Will England fans sing La Marseillaise? Mr Osborne - who visited the GCHQ listening station in Cheltenham - said IS has already proved its ability to exploit the internet "for hideous propaganda purposes", including for radicalisation and operational planning. But the chancellor warned that IS was also seeking to hack key UK infrastructure in a bid to kill people. Mr Osborne also said GCHQ is monitoring threats to 450 companies in areas such as defence, energy and water supply. "From our banks to our cars, our military to our schools, whatever is online is also a target," Mr Osborne said. "The stakes could hardly be higher. If our electricity supply, or our air traffic control, or our hospitals were successfully attacked online, the impact could be measured not just in terms of economic damage but of lives lost." He added: "They do not yet have that capability. But we know they want it, and are doing their best to build it." Mr Osborne said the public needed to follow "basic rules of keeping themselves safe" online. This could be achieved, he added, by installing security software, downloading software updates and using strong passwords. "The starting point must be that every British company is a target, that every British network will be attacked, and that cyber crime is not something that happens to other people." Mr Osborne also announced the creation of a new National Cyber Centre to bring together the country's leading experts. Other planks of the UK's strategy will include an Institute For Coding, increased investment in the National Cyber Crime Unit, and apprenticeships for cyber-security specialists. BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said much of what the chancellor planned to announce was not new, but it was clear that the government wanted the public to know it had decided to make cyber security a top priority. Digital warfare How can cyber-weapons be so destructive? Speaking at the Lord Mayor of London's Banquet on Monday night, Mr Cameron said the UK must now show the same resolve it displayed against Adolf Hitler

Summary: Islamic State militants are trying to develop the ability to launch deadly cyber-attacks on UK targets such as air traffic control or hospitals, Chancellor George Osborne has said.


Irfan Rabbani will join the SNP opposition group on the council, which Labour controls with a majority of 15. The 49-year-old said he would not be standing in the local elections in May although he would be campaigning for other SNP candidates. Mr Rabbani has represented Glasgow's Pollokshields ward since 2007. He had been a Labour member for 20 years.

Summary: A Labour councillor in Glasgow who had been de-selected by the party has defected to the SNP.


Gabriel, 25, injured an ankle against Manchester City, leaving them short of defenders for their Premier League opener against Liverpool on Sunday. Per Mertesacker is out for five months with knee trouble and Laurent Koscielny only returned to training on Monday. The Gunners are working on a deal to sign Mustafi, 24. Mustafi, part of the Germany squad that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016, began his career at Everton but made only one senior appearance for the Toffees, as a substitute in a Europa League match in December 2009. He joined Sampdoria in 2012 and played 44 league matches for the Italians before moving to Valencia two years later. Arsenal have made just the one defensive signing this summer - England Under-21 international Rob Holding from Bolton for a fee believed to be about £2m. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Arsenal defender Gabriel has been ruled out for six to eight weeks, increasing the likelihood of a bid for Valencia centre-back Shkodran Mustafi.


The 19-year-old defensive midfielder has joined the Premiership leaders on a four-year deal after a £2.8m fee was agreed with Russian club Krasnodar. "All I'm interested in at the moment is really progressing," Kouassi said. "I really feel this is the best place for me at the moment to progress, to become better." Captain Scott Brown played his 400th game for Celtic in Wednesday's 1-0 league win over St Johnstone and Nir Bitton, Callum McGregor and Liam Henderson have also played in central midfield areas this season, with Stuart Armstrong and Tom Rogic tending to play further forward. "I'm not getting worried about it," Ivorian Kouassi said through an interpreter. Media playback is not supported on this device "At the moment, since I haven't played for a wee while, I need to get back to full fitness then after that the coach is going to decide. "When you play alongside players with such experience, you learn a lot. I expect players such as Scott Brown to really help me and maybe guide me. "There's lots of great players that have come to Celtic before. It's got a great, great coach at the moment." Uncapped at senior level, Kouassi played in the Europa League with Krasnodar and has watched Celtic playing in the Champions League, including this season's matches in Group C, which also contained Barcelona, Borussia Monchengladbach and Manchester City. "It's something that I'm really, really happy about because it's the top," Kouassi said on the prospect of playing in next season's tournament. "It's the best you can get in European football. "This is going to have an impact. Celtic is not a small club so hopefully, this will have an impact on my international career with Ivory Coast."

Summary: New Celtic midfielder Eboue Kouassi is "not getting worried" about the competition he faces for a place in Brendan Rodgers' team.


Real manager Zinedine Zidane has said he cannot guarantee Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema will stay at the Bernabeu this summer. That has prompted reports Manchester United could rekindle their long-standing interest in the 28-year-old. "It's a ridiculous, stupid story," agent Jonathan Barnett told BBC Sport. Bale was hampered by injury last season and lost his place to Isco, but previously flourished under Zidane and was rewarded with a place on the 30-man shortlist for the 2016 Ballon d'Or. However, with Real linked with a 180m euros (£160m) move for 18-year-old Monaco forward Kylian Mbappe, there have been reports that they will look to move on one of Bale, Ronaldo or Benzema. Asked about the trio on Thursday, Zidane said: "I want everyone who is here now to stay but anything can happen right up until 31 August." United first tried to sign Bale before he joined Tottenham from Southampton in 2007 and reignited their interest before his move to Spain four years ago. Instead, though, the Welshman joined Real from Tottenham for a then world record fee of £85m. He extended his contract in October 2016, committing him to the Bernabeu club until 2022 and on improved terms reportedly worth £600,000 per week, £350,000 after tax. Despite helping Real win three Champions League titles in four years - scoring in the 2014 final win over rivals Atletico Madrid - Bale's time in Spain has been mixed. During his second season, he struggled with calf injuries, was jeered by some Real supporters and faced criticism from sections of the Spanish media as Carlo Ancelotti's side failed to win a trophy.

Summary: Speculation linking Gareth Bale with a move away from Real Madrid is "ridiculous" and "stupid", according to the Wales forward's agent.


More than two-thirds of those who took part in the poll opposed replacing the current method for electing MPs with the alternative vote (AV) system. Mr Clegg told the BBC the result was "very clear" and promised to "move on". The No to AV campaign said voters had safeguarded first-past-the-post "for the next generation". More than 19 million people took part in the referendum on whether to keep first-past-the-post, where voters put a cross next to their preferred candidate, with AV, which sees candidates ranked in order of preference. These preferences could have been used to decide the outcome in constituencies where no candidate wins more than 50% of votes cast. The Conservatives backed keeping the existing system, while Mr Clegg's Liberal Democrats urged change and Labour was split on the issue. Overall turnout for Thursday's referendum was 42%, with 6,152,607 voters backing the proposal and 13,013,123 rejecting it Mr Clegg said: "I wish I could say this is a photo finish but it isn't and the result is very clear. "I'm a passionate supporter of electoral reform but we've got to accept this. If, in a democracy, you ask someone a question and get an overwhelming answer, you just have to move on." He added: "This is a bitter blow for all those people like me who believe in the need for political reform." Prime Minister David Cameron said the referendum was always going to be a "difficult moment" for the Tory-Lib Dem coalition, but added that the result had been "clear". He added that the government would continue to deal with the problems facing the UK in a "decisive" way. Labour leader Ed Miliband, who supported a move to AV, said the public had "delivered a clear verdict which I accept". But he said elections still had to change in a way which made "people feel more included in our politics". The AV referendum campaign has been marked by strong words of criticism between the two camps. In a speech accepting his side's victory, No to AV campaign chairman Matthew Elliott said the result was "clear signal from every part of the country that people want to keep our simple, fair and effective system for electing MPs". He added: "I personally believe this result will settle the debate about changing our electoral system for the next generation." However, Katie Ghose, who ran the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign, which called for AV, said: "The referendum hasn't been the debate on issues of democracy that people would have hoped for. "Too often the debate has been about party politics and the public has been shut out of discussing how we choose our MPs." She added: "Over five million people voted for change - a tribute to our campaigners."

Summary: The public's overwhelming rejection of a change in the voting system is a "bitter blow", Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said.


Pupils at The Joseph Whitaker School in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, broke the record at their first attempt with a speed of 478.1mph (769.4km/h). However, later, a different car they had built went even faster and hit an average speed of 533.1mph (857.9km/h). The footage from the Rolls-Royce runway in Hucknall will now be sent to Guinness for verification. If the speed is verified, it will have smashed the existing record held by Samvir Thandi and the Heathland School in Middlesex, whose car reached 287.6mph (462.84 km/h) in March. The Young Engineers tweeted: "We have a confirmed 478.1mph average by Red Shift! Well done to all the young engineers - world record holders!!" However, after a further attempt with a car they had nicknamed Insanity, the team went on to set an even bigger record. Phil Worsley, the teacher in charge of the Young Engineers club, said: "When people watch our rockets they don't anticipate the speed, their heads lag behind the car. "[The pupils] are absolutely amazing. The most amazing bunch of people I've ever worked with." The cars, which are about 45cm (17in) long and constructed from carbon fibre, run on titanium wheels and are guided by a 250m (820ft) steel cable. All parts have been stuck together with strong glue and at the end of each run, the cars come to a stop using small parachutes. The pupils have been working on the project for about a year.

Summary: A team of schoolchildren's rocket-powered model car has broken the world speed record, it is claimed.


Police urged people in the Antrim Road area to remain vigilant and report any suspicious objects. A police spokesman said searches were carried out after the reported attack on Saturday evening. However, nothing has yet been found.

Summary: Searches have been carried out in north Belfast after police received information that an explosive device was thrown at one of its patrols.


Ross MacLean had the best opportunity of the first half, seeing his shot saved by Killie goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald when one on one. Louis Moult had a similar chance in the second half, but again could not find a way past MacDonald. Well's Scott McDonald fired wide, while Killie's best chance came through a Souleymane Coulibaly overhead kick. Media playback is not supported on this device Kilmarnock opened impressively, just like they did at Aberdeen in midweek, with Jordan Jones creating the biggest threat on the left wing with his positive running. Twice he provided Rory McKenzie with shooting opportunities with neat low crosses to pick him out. His first effort was blocked by Stephen McManus with Killie players claiming for a penalty suggesting it came off his arm. The second was a left foot strike which was saved by Craig Samson. The home captain Keith Lasley got lucky when he tried to clear from his own penalty spot. His clearance struck his Killie counterpart Stevie Smith as he tried to close him down and the ball flew inches wide of Samson's left hand post. Motherwell then became a threat at the other end. Craig Clay, who spoke in midweek about his disappointment that he has yet to score for the Fir Park side, really should have opened his account from 10 yards but fluffed his shot wide of MacDonald's left hand post. McLean also fired wide after playing a one-two with Louis Moult. With manager Mark McGhee watching from the directors box due to a two-match touchline ban, assistant James McFadden was in charge of proceedings in the home technical area. McFadden looked calm in the role but will have wished his players could have shown the composure he regularly displayed in front of goal. McLean had only MacDonald to beat after latching onto a through pass from McDonald, but the Killie goalkeeper reacted quickly diving to his right to save superbly. Lionel Ainsworth had the final and best chance of the half but he blasted wide from eight yards when it looked easier to score. The early part of the second half was bereft of chances until Moult seemed to get himself clear of the Killie defence, but just as 'Well's top scorer was preparing to release his shot a perfectly timed tackle from Scott Boyd denied him the opportunity. Ivorian striker Coulibaly likes the spectacular and he tried a trademark overhead kick from the angle of the six yard box, but it ended high over the bar. McDonald was next to miss-fire after being set up by Richard Tait. The full-back concluded a positive run by playing the ball into the path of the striker just inside the box, but the Australian's right foot effort flew wide of the post. So we witnessed the first goalless encounter between these sides in five years and while the goalkeepers will be happy with their clean sheets will be the front men who will be asking questions of their finishing. Motherwell manager Mark McGhee: "It wasn't a great performance but I think

Summary: Motherwell were left to rue missed chances as they were held to a goalless draw at home to Kilmarnock.


Both teams have to play inter-county matches six days after the Ulster final at Owenbeg and Armagh were reported to want a new date set for the decider. However, the Orchard county have said the fixture will be fulfilled. On Saturday, Armagh play Donegal in the Nicky Rackard series and Antrim take on Carlow in the Christy Ring Cup. "It is not ideal and we do not have the depth of squad that Antrim have," said Armagh hurling manager Sylvester McConnell. "It presents us with a dilemma - which competition to prioritise. "We did not formally request that the provincial hurling decider be deferred, and we will definitely play this Sunday's match." Antrim have been Ulster champions for 15 years in a row.

Summary: Sunday's Ulster Hurling Championship final between Antrim and Armagh will go ahead as scheduled despite concerns over fixture scheduling.


Media playback is not supported on this device Fox initially showed neat footwork to avoid a challenge from Alfredo Morelos. But he then delayed making the clearance, allowing the striker to steal the ball from his toes and roll it into an empty net for 2-0. "He feels low enough about it. He's a great professional and will bounce back," McIntyre told BBC Scotland. "He's made a glaring mistake today, he knows that and doesn't need me to tell him. "The mistake is what it is - Scott knows he has to do better there - and the other two goals were preventable. He doesn't need to say anything. "He's been fantastic in my time here and produced save after save that's won us points." Morelos had already powered a header beyond Fox before the goalkeeper's error of judgement, with Rangers dominating the first half in Dingwall. The hosts improved after the interval, with Thomas Mikkelsen reducing the deficit with a header before Eduardo Herrera made the points safe for the visitors with a late finish. Media playback is not supported on this device "I don't think we were brave enough in possession of the ball," said McIntyre. "We took too long to make our passes and we didn't get enough pressure on Rangers. "We've had a lot of plaudits in my time here when we've come up against the big boys, but today I felt we went into our shells in that first half and that's the first time I have had to say that to the team as a group. "The second half was a lot better and it had to be. We made the system change, but it's nothing to do with systems, it's about being brave, taking the ball in tight situations. "I felt we fed their support the way we gave the ball away in areas of the pitch and that just gathers momentum for Rangers." County have gone three games without a win, but McIntyre had still been pleased with aspects of their previous play. "I described our first-half performance against Motherwell last week as one of our best in my time here, that's probably the worst," he added. "There was a lack of belief there and, when you give the ball away as much as we did, a few players went into their shells, it's as simple as that. I can't hide from that. "It's not good enough and I won't accept that type of first-half performance. The players are fully aware of that. "They show a reaction by getting a goal back and being better, but it's a long way back when you concede the kind of goals we conceded."

Summary: Ross County manager Jim McIntyre is backing goalkeeper Scott Fox to recover from the error that gifted Rangers a goal in Sunday's 3-1 defeat.


The Northern Irishman edged ahead of Welsh rival Chaz Davies on the last of the 22 laps to clinch his third successive win in Australia. Rea's British and Kawasaki team-mate, Englishman Tom Sykes, was third. "It was a little bit like a bicycle race and no-one wanted to put their nose in front," Rea, 30, said. The champion's victory - his 39th in WSB - ended Davies' six-race winning streak from 2016. Rea is one of four riders to clinch back-to-back Superbike titles but is aiming to become the first to win three in a row. He still lies two titles behind Carl Fogarty's record of four championship successes. Toomebridge man Eugene Laverty, who is back in the series after two campaigns in the MotoGP paddock, finished eighth on his Milwaukee Aprilia. There will be a second Superbike race at Phillip Island on Sunday.

Summary: Defending world champion Jonathan Rea has won the opening race of the 2017 Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island.


A major crossing point is the Oresund strait bridge between Malmo in Sweden and the Danish capital Copenhagen, made famous by TV series The Bridge. The checks have irritated commuters who travel daily between the two cities. More than 163,000 asylum seekers arrived in Sweden in 2015 but that number fell to 29,000 last year. The falling number of arrivals means the checks on buses, trains and ferries are no longer necessary, the government says. But while ID checks at border points with Denmark are being scrapped, border controls elsewhere will continue to be tightened, it says. Interior Minister Anders Ygeman also said more surveillance cameras would be used on the Oresund bridge, in addition to vehicle x-rays. Meanwhile, the European Commission recommended that temporary border controls introduced in Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Norway during the migrant crisis be phased out in the next six months. "The time has come to take the last concrete steps to gradually return to a normal functioning of the Schengen Area," EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos told journalists, referring to the passport-free zone. In November 2015, Sweden began allowing police to check people entering Sweden from other states in Schengen. "The government's conclusion is that border controls are still needed and need to be strengthened," Mr Ygeman was quoted as saying by The Local news website, hours before the EU Commission's announcement. The real story of 'The Bridge' The measure mandating identity checks on passengers travelling between Denmark and Sweden by bus, train and ferry was last extended in February and expires on 4 May, with the government to let it lapse, Swedish media report. An estimated 20,000 commuters daily cross the Oresund bridge.

Summary: Sweden is ending identity checks on border crossings with Denmark that were instituted early last year as thousands of migrants arrived seeking asylum.


Yvonne Kershaw, a 64-year-old grandmother from Petworth in West Sussex, landed the Virgin Atlantic flight from Cancun in Mexico. Mrs Kershaw joined the airline in 1990 and was granted command of the Boeing 747 aircraft three years later. She said it had taken passengers a few years to get used to seeing a woman coming out of the flight deck. "I suppose normally they would expect to see a silver-haired fox flying the aeroplane in command," she added. "Breaking down those barriers wasn't easy but nobody ever said it would be. "What you need is passion about your job, determination and skill." Mrs Kershaw learned to fly at the age of 19 and after flying small aircraft around Europe and north Africa she gained her commercial pilot's licence and flew executive jets. When she joined Virgin Atlantic its fleet included only four 747s. "It's such an iconic aeroplane and it's what I wanted to fly. For decades it was the largest aircraft in the world and the most loved by everybody," she said. Mrs Kershaw has captained more than 2,000 flights with more than 18,000 flying hours in the jumbos. She said she was "slightly tearful" after landing her final flight and would miss the role "enormously". "With long-haul it's not a job, it's a way of life, because you spend so much time away from home with crew. They become part of your extended family."

Summary: The UK's first woman jumbo jet pilot has retired after landing at Gatwick Airport for the last time.


World number 10 Walden, 33, will meet England's Judd Trump in Sunday's final at Beijing University over 19 frames. It will be a second final in a week for Walden, who lost 10-6 to Mark Allen in the Players Championship on Sunday. World number seven Trump whitewashed Scotland's Stephen Maguire 6-0 in the second semi-final to reach his second ranking final of the season. Trump, 26, who was beaten 10-9 by Kyren Wilson in the final of the Shanghai Masters in September, won the opening frame with a 100 break and then raced to a 4-0 interval lead as Maguire, 35, struggled with his potting. Trump then cleared with 31 in frame five to move to the brink of victory, before completing the victory with a break of 46 in the final frame. Earlier, Walden edged a tight match against four-time world champion Higgins with a 131 break in the decider. Walden is aiming for the fourth ranking title of his career and a fourth tournament victory in China, following his wins at the 2008 Shanghai Masters, the 2012 Wuxi Classic and the 2014 International Championship. The China Open is the final ranking event before the World Championship, which begins in Sheffield on 16 April.

Summary: Ricky Walden is through to the China Open final after a 6-5 semi-final victory over Scotland's John Higgins.