The 27-year-old was contemplating life outside the sport while working for the media at the Olympic Games in Rio. But Dmitriy Balandin's gold in the 200m breaststroke prompted a rethink, as Jamieson swam faster for 2012 silver. The Scot will only continue racing if he feels he can compete for a Commonwealth gold medal in 2018. "Going into Rio, I thought being there in a different capacity, just trying to relax, I was leaning towards finishing," Jamieson told BBC Scotland's Sportsound programme. "I don't want to be an athlete that hangs on and falls down the pecking order, I want to be competing for medals. "But the time that I swam in London four years ago [2:07.43] was quicker than won gold [2:07.46] in Rio. The time that won the bronze medal [2:07.70], I've done that eight or nine times in my career." Jamieson was the only British male to win a swimming medal at the London Games four years ago, but he finished second to Ross Murdoch at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and has struggled for form since then. He was not selected for the GB team for the World Championships last year, which prompted him to move away from his Bath training base to Edinburgh University, but Jamieson could only finish fifth in the Olympic trials. In the immediate aftermath, he admitted he was considering retirement, and will make a final decision shortly, with the competitive fire still burning in him. "Missing out on the team this year was heartbreaking," he said. "It should have been bread and butter for me to make it. "I certainly don't have another four years in me, to go to Tokyo [2020], so if I was to continue, it would to looking to the Gold Coast and the Commonwealth Games in two years. "After having won two silvers in the past, I'd only be going there to win. So the question is if my body's capable of doing that. The honest answer is, I don't know, but psychologically I don't want to be involved in the sport if I'm not going to be competing for major medals. "I feel like I was very close to a decision before going out to Rio and then seeing the standard of times that won the medals in the 200m breaststroke, I thought 'I'm still there, I'm still capable of doing this. That's thrown the cat amongst the pigeons'. "I've kept myself in really good condition in the past couple of months. I've been doing a lot of strength training, a lot of yoga, a lot of land-based training, so I wouldn't have a problem getting back to 90% fitness, which I feel is where I've been for the last 12-18 months, but it's that other 10% that's missing. "The swimmers are all on a break just now, but within the next few weeks I need to make a call. I'm just not able to get the same out of my body as I was a few years ago. "That's quite a bizarre concept, and still something that

Summary: Olympic 2012 silver medallist Michael Jamieson admits he is "leaning towards" retirement from swimming, but will decide his future in the coming weeks.


The painting was revealed by the veteran broadcaster and naturalist at New Walk Museum, in Leicester. He grew up in the city and volunteered at the museum as a teenager. The artist - Bryan Organ - has also painted Sir David's brother Lord Attenborough, Prince Charles and former prime minister Harold Macmillan. The portrait was commissioned by the City of Leicester Museums Trust and will complement the portrait of Lord Attenborough, the acclaimed actor and film director, which also hangs in New Walk Museum. More on this and other Leicestershire stories Sir David said it was "an honour" to sit for Mr Organ. When asked what he made of the portrait, he said: "I haven't had the chance to have a look at it - I mean, I've only seen it obliquely. As far as I can see, it's very nice. "It was great fun sitting with Bryan, the only problem was the painting got in the way." The Attenborough brothers grew up in the city where their father was principal of the then University College Leicester. Tributes have been paid to Sir David throughout the year since he turned 90 in May.

Summary: A portrait of Sir David Attenborough has been unveiled to commemorate his 90th birthday - in a museum where he once volunteered.


The 22-year-old, who was a former England youth international, started his career at Everton before joining Burnley in 2015. Long had loan spells at both Fleetwood Town and Bolton Wanderers in League One last season. "He is a quality striker and possesses real pace which frightens defenders," said Town manager Justin Edinburgh. "I think all we will be adding now is another goalkeeper, which should complete a strong summer of recruitment for us. We are happy with the balance of the squad." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: League One club Northampton Town have signed Burnley striker Chris Long on a season-long loan deal.


The Old Bailey heard Daniel Green, of Walthamstow, attacked the woman in her 20s in the early hours of 16 May 2015 at StratX stockbrokers' offices near Monument. The victim said she tried to get away but Green, 26, claimed it was consensual. Green will be on the sexual offenders' register for an indefinite period. The jury heard Green went back to the office with a group of people, including the victim, after the party where people were doing lines of cocaine, dancing on the tables and drinking champagne. Most people went home after the mood soured over a stash of cocaine going missing. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was left in the office with Green, her friend and another employee. The trial heard she went to sleep under a desk but woke to find Green tugging her trousers down. She said: "At that point I remember just trying to crawl forward to get away. I knew what was going to happen. I remember being pulled back. "The next thing I remember was Daniel raping me. "He was making sexual noises, making me feel horrible, so I burst into tears." Prosecutor Timothy Forster said Green had treated the woman like a "piece of meat". In a victim impact statement read in court, the woman said: "I desperately want to forget about what happened, but I'm not able to and fear this is something which will continue to blight my life." Sentencing, the judge said he was not punishing Green for "City culture of excessive drink and casual use of drugs when you go out socialising" but because he had shown no remorse and behaved with "a degree of arrogance" when giving evidence.

Summary: A City trader has been jailed for six years after being convicted of raping a woman at an office party in London.


Two new pictures of the third in line to the throne have been released to mark the occasion on Tuesday. One shows Prince George transfixed by a butterfly, while a second shows him with his mother and father, staring at an object above their heads. In a statement the duke and duchess thanked people for their "warm and generous good wishes". The couple said: "We would like to take this opportunity on George's first birthday to thank everyone over the last year, wherever we have met them, both at home and overseas, for their warm and generous good wishes to George and our family." The duke and duchess are expected to hold a birthday party for the young prince on Tuesday at their Kensington Palace apartment. Prince George was first revealed to the public on the steps of St Mary's hospital in London on 23 July 2013. The couple and their son were also warmly welcomed when they travelled to New Zealand and Australia on a royal visit. An image of Prince George was released on Sunday and the new pictures published on Monday night complete the set. One shows the young royal fascinated by a blue morpho butterfly, which has landed on his father's hand. The other image shows the two future kings and the Duchess of Cambridge looking at an object above their heads. The pictures were taken a few weeks ago at London's Natural History Museum by the Press Association's John Stillwell. Just like many of the other 2,200 babies born in the UK on the same day, last year, George Alexander Louis will mark his birthday with a party. His though, will be at a palace and his guest of honour will be his great-grandmother, the Queen. Prince George offers the institution she has served for decades the prospect of renewal, but not - as things stand - for many years to come, after the reigns of his grandfather and his father. For now, the emphasis will be on him leading as normal a life as possible - not easy when you're a prince growing up in a palace - and on shielding the child, destined to be a king, from too much public exposure. But George will continue to fascinate and he will continue to be showered with presents. A Kenyan women's group has given the baby prince, who will one day inherit the Duchy of Cornwall's 53,000 hectares, two fattened bulls, a heifer and a goat. Sir Michael Dixon, director of the Natural History Museum, said: "It was a real pleasure to host our patron and her family earlier this month. They seemed to enjoy their visit, wandering through the tropical plants as brightly coloured butterflies took flight around them." The duchess became patron of the museum in April last year.

Summary: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have thanked well-wishers as Prince George celebrates his first birthday.


She has been removed for allegedly bringing the party into disrepute. Ms Patterson recently criticised the party's decision to overlook her for the South Belfast assembly seat vacated by Jimmy Spratt, and instead appointing former special adviser Emma Pengelly. Mr Robinson said Ms Patterson has a right to appeal her expulsion. He said party officers "unanimously decided to expel her earlier this week". He added that he believed "there has been some correspondence" between the party and Ms Patterson since she was informed of the decision. Ms Pengelly took her place in the Northern Ireland Assembly in September through the co-option system, which allows parties to replace departing MLAs with a party colleague without a by-election. It has been used extensively by many of the parties in the assembly. Within a month of her selection as an MLA for South Belfast, Ms Pengelly was appointed as a junior minister in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. She had previously worked in the department as a special adviser to the first minister for almost nine years. Last month, Ms Patterson, a former deputy lord mayor of Belfast, said she had been annoyed by Ms Pengelly's dual promotion. "There is a principle, in my book, of giving someone who has earned something the chance, rather than someone who does not have one solitary vote, who has never stood for election, who has never run the gauntlet of an election," she said. "It it not sour grapes. Anyone in my position would feel exactly the same - not surprised, but let down. "I thought I was worth a little more." Ms Patterson also said last month that her party's return to the Northern Ireland Executive after the publication of a report on paramilitaries had shocked her "to the core". She said she had major difficulties with the move, and had been considering her position in the party.

Summary: Belfast councillor Ruth Patterson has been expelled from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), its leader Peter Robinson has told the BBC.


But house D5 will forever be remembered as the place where at least 19 young women and children were raped, killed and dismembered. The two men living there were accused of the dreadful crimes; one of them, Surinder Koli, has since been sentenced to death. He was due to be executed this week, but the date has been put off while India's president considers a mercy plea. Its gate is blocked by police barriers, and life in the street outside carries on as normal. There is a man selling water melons, another herding cattle. Signs on the gates of the neighbouring mansions show that lawyers, doctors and other professionals live there. The deaths were discovered in December 2006 after body parts and children's clothing were found blocking the sewer running in front of the house. Koli worked in D5 as a servant for the owner, Monindher Pandher, who was a businessman. In the five cases which have so far gone to trial, Pandher has been let off due to a lack of evidence, but is still in jail facing other charges. He says he is innocent. The murders caused an outcry because they seemed to exemplify the divisions that still exist in India despite its economic miracle. The killings took place in a wealthy Delhi suburb but the victims came from families that had migrated from the countryside. The families accused the police of ignoring their pleas for help in tracking down their missing children because they were poor. They lived in a slum, Nithari, which backed onto the house. The children were allegedly lured to their deaths by Koli, who offered them sweets and chocolate. He confessed in court to cannibalism and necrophilia. When the crimes emerged, these details were not known and when I first visited Nithari what struck me most was the community's anger at the authorities. Four years on, it is still strong. "We haven't seen justice yet, they should have let us deal with the two men," Seema, a tea seller, said. One of the first girls to disappear was Rachna, an eight year old. Her father Pappu Lal is the caretaker of a house three doors up from D5. Every day he walks past the scene of his child's murder. "Yes today we're still angry. Whenever I think about my child I feel so sorry, I feel like crying. And whenever I see D5 I feel like burning it down," he said. "Justice hasn't yet been done and the truth still hasn't come out." Pappu Lal shares the widely held view in Nithari that the police and courts are covering up a conspiracy. "We don't believe that one man can have done it all by himself. Evidence has been destroyed. But we are poor. How can we influence the courts?" When the children started disappearing, the families asked a local social activist, Ushaa Thakur, to help them with the police. But she says they were just not interested. "The police said the girls had just run off with some boy, or gone to some village. They

Summary: Delhi's "house of horrors", as the Indian media call it, is now hidden behind an overgrown bougainvillea covered in pretty flowers.


William Gowan, 38, had received details of driving test candidates weeks in advance. Gowan, from Ardminnan Road, Portaferry, County Down, pleaded guilty to six counts of misconduct. He received details of 21 candidates sitting driving tests before their test dates. The court was told texts had been received from two mobile phones. The court also heard that Gowan had run to the toilet with his phone in his hand when the police arrived to speak to him. Sentencing him, the judge said Gowan had betrayed the trust placed in him. He said the offence would fully deserve a custodial sentence, but giving him some credit for his guilty plea and taking into account his clean record and low risk of re-offending, he was prepared to mark this "quite disgraceful behaviour" with a non-custodial sentence. Gowan received the maximum community service order of 240 hours. The judge warned him he was escaping prison "by the skin of his teeth" and would not get a second chance.

Summary: A driving examiner has been sentenced to 240 hours community service for misconduct in public office.


Mexico's women overcame challengers Kyrgyzstan in a 5-0 thriller to lift the trophy. The men's team also put in a powerful performance to see off Brazil 6-1, and keep the silverware. More than 500 men and women from 52 countries around the world competed in four-a-side matches over several days. Nearly 100,000 spectators watched the free-to-watch games, which were staged in George Square in the heart of Glasgow. Organisers said two million people also watched the tournament online. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who attended the event, said the Homeless World Cup would energise and engage people who, for whatever reason, had become socially excluded. The event was set up by the International Network of Street Papers and Mel Young, founder of the Big Issue in Scotland. Mr Young said: "We promised that George Square would be the most inspiring place on the planet for the duration of this tournament, that so it has been. "The people of Glasgow have taken our players to their hearts, and made this such a very special tournament in the history of the Homeless World Cup. "As our players head back to their countries, we wish them every success as they look to build on this experience, and create a life they would want for themselves. "Rightly, they should stand tall. We can genuinely say: you are all winners." Scottish Minister for Sport Aileen Campbell said: "The Homeless World Cup has been a fantastic and exciting tournament that all of Scotland has got behind. "It's been great to see George Square busy every day and is a perfect example of how the power of sport can both transform lives and change perceptions for the better." The next Homeless World Cup will be held in Oslo in the summer of 2017.

Summary: Mexico celebrated double success at the 14th Homeless World Cup in Glasgow after both their men's and women's teams retained their titles.


The 16-month-old boy was rescued by a parent dropping off a different child at the day care residence. The woman fled in her minivan, striking two people, before attempting to take her own life by jumping off a bridge, but was stopped by bystanders. Police have not released a possible motive, but say that the child is "doing fine". Minneapolis Assistant Police Chief Kris Arneson said that the woman is now being evaluated at a local hospital. "It's horrific, horrific," Ms Arneson said of the assault. "We never want children to be injured. That's part of reason we call in our chaplains. It's a horrific scene for officers to encounter," she added. The hit-and-run victim, who was dragged for several blocks, has broken bones and cuts but is expected to survive, Ms Arneson said. A cyclist was also hit by the same minivan. At least six investigators are working on the case, including detectives from the homicide and crimes against children units. Police declined to provide the suspect's name. There were fewer than six children in the nursery at the time of the attack, Ms Arneson said.

Summary: A nursery worker intentionally hung a one-year-old child in her care, police say.


The 24-year-old victim was subjected to a serious sexual assault by two men in Dixon Road, in the city's Govanhill area, in the early hours of 19 May. Police Scotland launched a high-profile inquiry after the incident. The force said two men, aged 28 and 29, had been reported to prosecutors following the inquiry.

Summary: Two men have been reported to the procurator fiscal over the alleged rape of a woman in the south side of Glasgow earlier this year.


The first was for the development of tidal arrays in Alderney's waters. The second involves the development of an electricity interconnector cable between France, Alderney and Britain. Paul Clark, chief executive officer, said it was a move towards the creation off Alderney of one of Europe's largest tidal stream developments. Alderney Renewable Energy (ARE) was set up in 2004 and holds an exclusive licence to commercially develop tidal and wave power around the coast of the northern most of the Channel Islands. The first agreement was signed with French industrial group DCNS and the second with ARE, its partner Transmission Capital and the French grid operator RTE. ARE said the electricity interconnector cable between France, Alderney and Britain would enable the export of up to four gigawatts of tidal power from Alderney. It said the cable, known as the FABLink, could also be used as a power trading link between the two countries. The agreements were signed at the Anglo-French summit held in Paris, with the French Industry Minister Eric Besson and the UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey signing on the behalf of their governments. Mr Davey said: "We are determined to promote the potential of marine energies. We welcome the plan for a tidal turbine farm off Alderney in the Channel Islands." He said: "We believe this project could encourage the emergence of industrial co-operation between France and the UK, while opening up new international prospects. "We acknowledge the importance of developing new electricity interconnectors between our two countries in order to strengthen further the linking of our grids, improve the security of our energy supplies and facilitate the integration of intermittent energy sources."

Summary: Two agreements have been signed aimed at creating one of the most significant tidal power sites in Europe, Alderney Renewable Energy has announced.


Along with technology investor Silver Lake, and with financial backing from Microsoft, he will offer to buy the firm for $24.4bn (£15.5bn). The move will take Dell off the Nasdaq stock exchange after 25 years. Mr Dell hopes to turn the tide for a firm that has struggled to compete with cheap Asian rivals and the boom in smartphones and tablet computers. Dell's success over the last 29 years has made its founder one of the richest men in America. The chief executive and chairman already owns about 14% of the firm. He and fellow senior executives will retain their existing stakes. The buy-out of the remaining shares will be carried out by a consortium made up of Mr Dell himself, his own investment fund, and Silver Lake. It will be financed by loans from four banks, and by a $2bn loan from Microsoft. Analysts said the move would give Mr Dell greater flexibility in turning the company around, by dispensing with the need to deliver strong results every quarter to shareholders on the stock market. The entrepreneur said that the firm's long-term strategy would "still take more time, investment and patience, and I believe our efforts will be better supported by partnering with Silver Lake in our shared vision". By Rory Cellan-JonesTechnology correspondent For consumers looking for a decent PC at a keen price, Dell was for many years the obvious choice. Design was never the company's strong suit - even when the firm moved on from beige boxes - but for many years it vied with HP for the number one spot in the PC market. Now though, according to one view, we are moving into the post-PC era, and that has left Dell struggling to look relevant as smartphones and tablets grab all the consumer attention. The most recent figures from Gartner showed a 5% year-on-year fall in global PC shipments in the last quarter of 2012 - but Dell's shipments fell by 21%. So far, Dell's attempts to move into the tablet world have flopped, and the stock market has been impatient for results. Michael Dell will hope that, away from the relentless spotlight of quarterly reporting, he can get on with the long-term task of transforming his business. But, given the seismic changes taking place in the way we use computers, he may still have to move fast to make Dell matter to tomorrow's consumers. "One of the key questions is going to be how much influence Microsoft is going to have over Dell's strategy," said Cindy Shaw, analyst at Discern Group. Microsoft provides the Windows operating systems for Dell's computers, as well as for rival PC makers such as Hewlett Packard. Michael Dell founded the company - originally named "PCs Limited" - in 1984 at the age of 19, operating out of his dorm room at the University of Texas. He later dropped out of university in order to develop his PCs, including innovative laptops, and to expand his business overseas. But over the last decade, Dell has faced increasingly steep competition, from cheaper Asian PC

Summary: Michael Dell has said he will buy back the world's number three PC-maker that he founded and that carries his name.


In 1787, the 28-year-old Robert Burns was suddenly a "celebrity", according to Prof Nigel Leask, regius chair of English Language and Literature at the University of Glasgow. The 2nd Edinburgh edition of his poems had given him a quite a handsome pot of money and it had also made him famous, with the cream of Scottish society taking an interest in him. Prof Leask says: "He was the lion of Scottish literature, everyone wants to meet him." And Burns also wants to meet them, especially if they have the power to promote his work further and the cash to buy his books. "Poets in the 18th Century depended on patronage so he tours around the gentry and nobles, really doing a bit of salesmanship," says Prof Leask. Throughout 1787 Burns embarked on a series of tours, firstly around the Scottish Borders and northern England and then further afield to the west Highlands taking in Inveraray, Arrochar and dinner with Glasgow tobacco merchant George Buchanan at Arden House at Bannachra near Loch Lomond. Later in the year he toured the Highlands during which time he stayed with the Duke and Duchess of Atholl at Blair Castle, dined with the Duke and Duchess of Gordon at Castle Gordon and visited historical sites such as the Culloden battlefield and Cawdor Castle, which featured in Shakespeare's Macbeth. Prof Leask says that Burns seems to have had letters of introduction from Edinburgh patrons that gained him access to the upper-echelons of Scottish nobility. "He's not overawed by his posh surroundings," says Prof Leask. "It shows his amazing social versatility. He's got an ability to move in all the circles of society. "There is a sense of how thoroughly he was in the society and culture of the late 18th Century." Prof Leask says: "It slightly qualifies the image of the 'heaven-taught ploughman' who does not have formal qualifications, who is just a genius endowed by nature. "This shows how learned he was, how much he knew." Prof Leask says the tours of the Highlands are also important because it was a Lowlander's encounter with Gaelic culture, the Highland culture of Scotland. During his travels he composes songs like the Birks of Aberfeldy and discovers his east coast heritage, visiting relatives in Stonehaven and Laurencekirk. His father's family had a strong connection to the Jacobites in the north east. As well as mixing with the Scottish nobility there was plenty of time for the rock star antics for which Burns has become well known. Prof Leask recounts how Burns stopped for the night at Arden House near Loch Lomond. "He has a very convivial night of dancing and drinking and seeing the sun rise over Ben Lomond," says Prof Leask. "He sets off the next day and has a horse race on the road down to Dumbarton with a Highland man he calls Donald, who is riding an unharnessed horse and Burns is riding Jenny Geddes, his old mare. "He is determined not to be overtaken so he races and has an accident. "It's a bit like two

Summary: At the height of his new-found fame Robert Burns embarked on a series of tours around Scotland, keeping company with some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the land.


Gurmehar Kaur has been receiving threats and abuse after her campaign against a right-wing student union. But, Sehwag's tweet was directed at an earlier campaign, when she said her father, a soldier who died in Kargil, was killed by war, not Pakistan. He tweeted a picture of himself holding a sign saying, "I did not score two triple centuries, my bat did." It has been retweeted more than 20,000 times and received 33,000 "likes" since then, with many, including Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda praising the tweet. However, others have condemned what they have called "bullying". Cricketer defends wife against trolls Why are Indian women being attacked on social media? The timing of Sehwag's tweet has also been called into question, given the level of abuse Ms Kaur has been facing for her campaign against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a right-wing student union, following a clash at Delhi University's Ramjas college. The Delhi commissioner for women has directed the police to provide her with protection following the nature of abuse directed against her. They have also directed the police to initiate criminal action against those targeting her online.

Summary: Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag is being accused of trolling a student on Twitter.


Falls in clothing and food prices were the main contributors to the change in the rate, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The ONS said the rate was also affected by a smaller rise in air fares in June than a year ago. Bank of England governor Mark Carney has said he expects inflation to remain low in the immediate short term. But the Bank expects it to start picking up around the turn of the year. The rate of Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation - which includes housing costs such as mortgage interest payments and council tax - was 1% in June, unchanged from May. "Inflation has continued its pattern of recent months, when prices have been very little changed on the previous year," said Philip Gooding from the ONS. "The headline rate for June has dropped very slightly on May, back to zero, thanks to small downwards effects from movements in clothing and food prices and air fares." The CPI rate has been hovering around zero since February, and moved into negative territory in April for the first time on record, dropping to -0.1%. Howard Archer, chief UK economist at Global Insight, said the latest figure was good news for consumers. "With earnings growth currently seeing clear improvement and employment high and rising, purchasing power is currently in rude heath," he added. While flat or low inflation can be good news for consumers, a prolonged period of negative inflation is generally perceived as harmful to an economy. The fear is that people will defer spending in the hope that goods or services will become cheaper later. The current inflation figure is well below the Bank of England's target of around 2%. Core inflation, which excludes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco prices, fell last month to 0.8%. That was down from 0.9% and the joint-lowest rate since 2001. "The data therefore raise questions over the whether underlying price pressures are really picking up to the extent than the Bank of England is anticipating," said Chris Williamson, chief UK economist at Markit. He said that attention would now turn to Wednesday's wage growth data, "The Bank of England needs to determine whether pay growth will continue to accelerate as firms compete for staff, or whether low inflation will keep the overall rate of increase below levels that would normally worry the monetary policy committee into hiking interest rates," he added.

Summary: The rate of UK Consumer Prices Index inflation fell to 0% in June, from 0.1% in May, official figures show.


The 24-year-old defender, who has been with Rosenborg since 2008, will join Celtic in January after signing a three-and-a-half year deal. Lustig told the Glasgow club's website: "This is a really exciting time for me and I am delighted to be committing my future to Celtic. "I know a lot about Celtic, about the size of the club." Lustig won his 23rd cap for Sweden in this month's 1-0 friendly defeat by England at Wembley. We believe he has the qualities to make a real impact at the club and we look forward to him joining us in January "I'm really looking forward to joining this squad, to the challenges ahead and hopefully playing my part in bringing some success to the club," he said. With Wales international Adam Matthews having moved to Glasgow after leaving Cardiff City in the summer, Celtic already have three first-team right-backs on their books, the others being Scotland cap Mark Wilson and South Korea's Cha Du-Ri. However, Celtic manager Neil Lennon said Lustig would be a quality addition to his squad. "We are delighted to bring Mikael to Celtic," he said about a player who can play at full-back or in central defence. "We believe he has the qualities to make a real impact at the club and we look forward to him joining us in January. "He is a player with international pedigree and a defender with great versatility. "He is someone who I feel will be a very positive addition to the squad. "I like his attributes and he can play both positions, but he's predominantly a right-back."

Summary: Celtic have signed Sweden international right-back Mikael Lustig on a pre-contract agreement.


Daran Hill, director of the 2011 Yes for Wales referendum campaign, said bills passed had been mainly "managerial". AMs are expected to pass the last of 26 government laws for this assembly term on Wednesday. Labour's Jane Hutt said the term was a success, with pioneering laws passed. The National Assembly for Wales gained primary law-making powers after the result of the 2011 referendum, which the Yes side won. If the Public Health Bill passes as expected on Wednesday on the last day of business, the government will have completed its legislative programme. The Senedd AMs have passed 25 government bills into law so far. They have included: Mr Hill, managing director of Welsh public affairs company Positif, said the bills had been "mainly managerial and unambitious", and were "aimed at the public sector and not individuals". He said: "I don't think they ever intended to be particularly ambitious with this new system to start with." Mr Hill said: "I remember somebody from the Labour camp telling me back in 2010, 2011, that Labour's first legislative programme would be as dull as the one Alex Salmond had done in Scotland, when he had a minority government from 2007 to 2011... proving you can use the system and making law but not necessarily particularly dynamic law either." He added the government had handled getting its law plans through "pretty shrewdly". Jane Hutt, Welsh Government business minister, refuted his claim the programme had not been ambitious. She said there had been "pioneering legislation" passed by the assembly, such as the law on violence against women. Ms Hutt said the legislative term had been a success for the Welsh Government because it had "got through policies into legislation with financial backing at a time of austerity when our budgets are being cut". Asked if the government had been assisted in its legislative programme by a lack of unity among the opposition, Plaid Cymru North Wales AM Llyr Gruffydd said: "I don't think we should be in a position to vote legislation down just because we want to have a go at the government." Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives said there had been "opportunities missed" for the opposition to work together, but said the government had not put forward "tough decisions" to vote on.

Summary: The first laws passed by the assembly have been largely unambitious, a leading figure in the campaign for law-making powers in Wales has said.


Tech stocks had fallen on Friday and Monday, with some analysts saying that share prices in the sector had become overblown. But after dropping 2.5% on Monday, shares in tech giant Apple were up 1.2% at the close. Google owner Alphabet was also up 1.1% while shares in social media giant Facebook rose 1.5%. The tech-focused Nasdaq index rose 44.90 points, or 0.7%, to 6,220.37. The Dow Jones climbed 93.28 points to 21,328.95, while wider S&P 500 index added 10.96 points to 2,440.35, with both indexes setting fresh record highs. Traders expect an interest rate increase when the Fed concludes a two-day meeting on Wednesday.

Summary: Stocks on Wall Street have closed higher, with tech stocks recovering some of the ground lost in recent days.


Former England under-17 player Clark joined the U's on loan in March last season, making nine league appearances for Shaun Derry's side. The 20-year-old has yet to play a game for Hull's senior team. "Max made a huge impression on us all last season, with not only his performances but his appreciation and appetite for our club," Derry said. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: League Two side Cambridge United have re-signed left-back Max Clark on a six-month loan deal from Hull City.


Although the speech lasted little more than an hour, it was substantial in its scope. Channelling former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, George Osborne said "there will be no turning back". But in some key respects, it was Labour's clothes he stole. Picking up the mantle of 'One Nation' - appropriated but then arguably discarded by former Labour leader Ed Miliband - the centre point of Mr Osborne's speech was to take a key opposition policy, then enhance it. So there would not just be incentives for employers to pay a Living Wage, it would become compulsory for them to do so. "Britain deserves a pay rise", said the chancellor. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith almost burst a blood vessel as he cheered enthusiastically, delighted that Mr Osborne had now apparently symbolised his message that it pays to work. And Mr Osborne expropriated even more policies from his opponents, such as abolishing "non-dom" status for wealthy residents who had lived here for 15 of the past 20 years. All of this was designed to bolster his narrative that the Conservatives would help working people rather than just the wealthy. So he made his tax priorities clear. No cut yet in the 45p rate of tax which is paid on earnings above Â£150,000. With a ComRes poll for the Daily Mail suggesting 57% of Conservative voters would oppose this, it wasn't a difficult decision to reach. Those high earners will see their pension tax relief cut too, and tax avoiders will also be targeted. More low income wage earners will be taken out of tax all together, too. But in other areas he pushed ahead with measures designed to highlight divisions with the leaderless Labour Party - including a cut in corporation tax to 18% by 2020, while imposing further pay restraint on public sector employees. The chancellor knows that three of the four candidates who hope to lead the opposition have talked a lot about "aspiration", following criticism - especially from 'Blairites' - that Ed Miliband was obsessed with those at the top of society, whom he wanted to tax, and those at the bottom - while forgetting all about "the squeezed middle". So Mr Osborne helped some of those higher up the income scale - but who might be, especially in the south, struggling with high mortgage payments and may not be feeling desperately well off - by raising the threshold at which the 40p rate of tax is levied and taking 130,000 people out of that tax band entirely. And there would be more help with child care costs pretty much across the board, he said. More controversially, Mr Osborne kept the promise he made in opposition to take family homes worth up to Â£1m out of inheritance tax. Its a measure which polls suggest divides opinion largely along party lines, with Conservatives supporting it and Labour voters opposed. But on welfare reform in particular, Ms Harman argued that the chancellor's actions did not match his rhetoric on helping working families. While Mr Osborne eased the impact of

Summary: It was the first fully-fledged Conservative Budget for nearly two decades, and one that was as deeply political as it was fiscal.


Net profit was 147.8bn yen ($1.33bn; Â£934m), compared with a 126bn yen loss a year earlier. Strong demand for its Playstation 4 console and games led to an 11.8% jump in sales for Sony's Game and Network Services division. That helped to offset a 20% plunge in smartphone sales. Sony's Pictures segment - which covers films and television programmes - saw a 6.8% jump in annual sales. The boost came partly from higher subscription video-on-demand revenues for television series such as Breaking Bad, The Blacklist and Better Call Saul. Sony +11.8% PS4 hardware & software +10.4% Music +6.8% Pictures -20% Mobile Communications Sony did not offer a forecast on future performance, as it is still assessing the impact from this month's twin earthquakes which took place in south-west Japan and affected Sony's supply chain. The region where the earthquake struck - Kumamoto - is a manufacturing hub for many Japanese companies, including Sony and carmakers Toyota and Honda. Sony said, "With aftershocks continuing and employee safety the foremost priority, inspections of the facility and the development of a recovery plan remain ongoing." The Kumamoto Technology Center is the main manufacturing site of image sensors for the firm's digital and security cameras, as well as micro-display devices. Last year, Sony decided to spin off its video-and-audio business into a separate company as part of a three-year plan to return to profit. Chief executive Kazuo Hirai said the company must not be afraid to change if it hoped "to grow in a Sony-like way". He said the Japanese electronics firm would no longer pursue sales growth in areas such as smartphones where it has suffered competition from rivals Apple and Samsung. Mr Hirai said instead it would focus on profitable businesses areas, including entertainment operations such as TV programming and the PlayStation game business.

Summary: Japan's Sony has swung into profit for the year to March, helped by strong sales in its games division.


15 April 2016 Last updated at 10:49 BST About 1,000 people were killed and bombs hit half of the houses in the city, leaving 100,000 people homeless. Belfast was largely unprepared for an attack of such a scale as 200 German bombers shelled the city on 15 April 1941. Many in Northern Ireland thought that Belfast was outside the range of the Luftwaffe. The Germans, however, saw Belfast as a legitimate target due to the shipyards in the city that were contributing to Britain's war efforts. Poor visibility on the night meant that the accuracy of the bombers was hampered and the explosives were dropped on densely populated areas of Belfast. It was the worst wartime raid outside of London in the UK.

Summary: The Belfast blitz devastated a city that up until 1941 had remained unscathed during World War Two.


Michelle Owens, 28, was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Brendan Owens, 3, in their home at Trinity Terrace, Lisburn, in July 2013. The child died after being suffocated with a pillow. The judge said he was satisfied that Owens was very unwell at the time. He described it as a tragic situation for both her and her son and made the hospital order without time restrictions. A consultant psychiatrist told the court that the defendant was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and did not want the child to be taken into care because she believed he could be abused in a home. The court heard that Owens told her son that "mummy's going to help you in case the bad men get you", before placing the pillow over his face. The judge said he believed Owens had been a loving mother and that she bitterly regrets the death of her son.

Summary: A mother who admitted killing her toddler son at their Lisburn home almost two years ago has been placed under a psychiatric hospital order.


Lord Patten, who supports the UK remaining in the EU, said Mr Johnson, a prominent Leave campaigner, "just makes it up as he goes along". He also said it would be "very difficult" for David Cameron to remain leader if the UK voted to leave the EU. Vote Leave said it was saddened at "the level of debate" from the Remain camp. Mr Johnson has previously said voters want proper debate and to hear about the issues, "not personal attacks". The UK decides whether to stay in or leave the European Union in a referendum on 23 June. The Conservative Party is deeply split over the the issue, with David Cameron and most of his cabinet campaigning for a Remain vote but about half of the MPs supporting an EU exit. The debate inside the party has turned increasingly acrimonious, with former deputy prime minister and pro-Remain campaigner Lord Heseltine recently accusing Mr Johnson of losing his judgement over the EU. Lord Patten, Tory party chairman from 1990 to 1992, added to that criticism of the former London mayor, in an interview with Newsnight's David Grossman on Friday. "Boris just makes it up as he goes along, and you come across people like that," he said. "There's a sense in which you can't call Boris a liar. I think he's one of those people in life who simply doesn't really understand the difference between fact and fiction." He added: "If he can make a good joke by saying something, or if he can write a newspaper article by referring to Hitler and the European Union, he does it - and he doesn't think about it. "He'll be saying the opposite in a few months' time." Lord Patten, a European commissioner from 2000 to 2004, said Mr Johnson was an "amiable" character, but added: "Boris is Boris. Tommy Cooper was Tommy Cooper." In response, Vote Leave said: "It's sad to see the level of debate the 'Remainers' have been reduced to. They were wrong about the euro then and they are wrong now." And speaking to BBC Newsnight, Leave campaigner Jacob Rees Mogg suggested that Lord Patten's "anger is almost certainly synthetic". The MP suggested Lord Patten was trying to "bash down" Mr Johnson because he knows that the former London mayor was "hugely popular and trusted" and was making the case for an EU exit "exceptionally effectively". The Daily Mail reported earlier this week that "senior party figures" had warned of a vote of no-confidence in Mr Cameron after 23 June, whatever the outcome, over his handling of the referendum campaign. On the question of re-uniting the Conservative Party after the referendum, Lord Patten said that if the UK voted to Leave the EU it would be "very difficult" for Mr Cameron to stay on as leader. "Are people like Michael Gove and Mr Johnson and Iain Duncan Smith... are they all going to require Mr Cameron to go cap in hand around Europe for the next few years trying to negotiate new trade deals and new agreements with the EU? "I

Summary: Boris Johnson does not seem to understand "the difference between fact and fiction", former Tory chairman Lord Patten has told BBC Newsnight.


The survey, conducted by the National Union of Teachers, found 61% of those wanting to leave blamed workload and 57% desired a better work/life balance. Two thirds of the 1,020 primary and secondary school teachers questioned felt morale in the profession had declined over the past five years. Schools minister Nick Gibb pledged to tackle excessive workloads. The findings of the survey are timely, because last month the five main teaching unions warned of a crisis in recruitment and retention, although the government maintains the vacancy rate has stayed stable at about 1%. The survey, undertaken with a representative sample of teachers, also suggested many were unhappy with some of the government's plans. General secretary of the NUT, Christine Blower, said: "This survey demonstrates the combined, negative impact of the accountability agenda on teacher workload and morale. "Teachers feel that the Department for Education's work thus far to tackle workload has been totally inadequate. "Meanwhile, nearly one million more pupils are coming into the system over the next decade. The government's solution so far has been to build free schools, often where there are surplus places, and to allow class sizes to grow. "Add to this a situation where teachers are leaving in droves and teacher recruitment remains low. We now have a perfect storm of crisis upon crisis in the schools system." She added that many teachers felt their pay had been eroded over a long period of time, and that many were missing out on the 1% pay rise because of the tightness of school budgets. Mr Gibb said teaching remained "a hugely popular profession with the highest numbers of people joining since 2008. "The latest figures show the number of former teachers coming back to the classroom has continued to rise year after year - from 14,720 in 2011 to 17,350 in 2014. "While the vast majority of teachers stay in their roles for more than five years, we know unnecessary workload can detract from what matters most - teaching. "That's why we launched the Workload Challenge and are working with the profession to understand and tackle the top issues that teachers said caused the most bureaucracy, with leading education experts taking action on key areas such as marking and lesson planning."

Summary: More than half of teachers in England (53%) are thinking of quitting in the next two years, a survey has suggested.


Scotland's largest teaching union, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), has compiled the guidance which will be sent to all schools and colleges next week. The 20-page booklet sets out a series of "poverty-proofing measures". These will help teachers mitigate the effect of low incomes on children's educational experiences. It addresses areas where cost could become an issue, such as uniform policies, school trips and access to technology, and examines the financial pressure that can be placed on families as a result. The booklet, entitled Face up to Child Poverty, is being published after the EIS asked teachers and lecturers to share their experiences of the impact of poverty on their pupils and students. It states that high living costs, the low wage economy and changes to the welfare system introduced by the Westminster government have resulted in "growing income inequality in Scotland for the first time in 20 years". It says: "Among those most severely affected by this deleterious economic combination are the children and young people that we teach. Currently 222,000 children in Scotland are in poverty - more than one in five, with the ratio increasing to more than one in three in several parts of Scotland. "Within five years, if the current austerity agenda is maintained, the number of children living in poverty will have increased by almost 50% to 322,000." On the issue of school uniform, the guidance says: "Consideration should be given to the financial cost to families of adherence to the school's uniform code, especially in cases where the school recommends a particular uniform supplier. "Often such suppliers are more expensive to purchase from than high street stores and supermarkets. In encouraging parents to buy from these more expensive suppliers, schools may be causing families, albeit inadvertently, even greater financial hardship." Referring to equipment, it said it should "never be assumed that all families can afford to buy even the most basic of resources such as pens and pencils". Teachers are also advised to be aware of signs of hunger among pupils and to act with "sensitivity" on the issue. EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: "The fact that food poverty now affects such a large, and growing, section of society should shame those in government and elsewhere who continue to push the damaging and divisive austerity-above-all agenda. "Schools and colleges are part of society, and so are not immune from the problems of that wider society. Working alone, educational establishments cannot eradicate poverty or eliminate completely its negative impact on young people. "However, teachers and lecturers can, and do, make a very real difference in the lives of the young people that they work with on a day-to-day basis." He added: "Our hope is that, by offering this booklet to all schools and colleges, teachers and lecturers will give even greater consideration to how poverty affects their pupils and students."

Summary: Scottish teachers are to receive new advice on reducing the impact of poverty on their pupils.


Lewis Dunne, 16, was shot in the back in Eldonian Village, Vauxhall, Liverpool, in November 2015. Jake Culshaw, 25, of no fixed address, and brothers John and Paul Martin, aged 20 and 25, of Walton, all deny murder. A jury heard the accused men had been involved in violent clashes with another group before Lewis was killed. The teenager had left his home to buy cigarettes when he was shot, Liverpool Crown Court heard. Described as "a quiet lad who kept himself to himself", he had earlier been enjoying a "perfectly ordinary evening" sharing a Chinese takeaway and watching television with his family. Ian Unsworth QC, prosecuting, told how a witness said one of the men in the rival group had curly hair sticking out of his baseball cap. Lewis too, had noticeably curly hair, he added. Mr Unsworth said the accused were among a group of men who were intent on revenge for what had happened earlier. He told the jury it was a "truly cowardly attack." Lewis was shot in the back as he walked under a bridge along a canal towpath, before four men were seen on CCTV running from the scene, the jury was told. He was "simply in the wrong place at the wrong time" and suffered "catastrophic injuries" from the shooting. The fourth man allegedly involved in the killing has not been traced. Mr Unsworth said Jake Culshaw later told people he had carried out the shooting and referred to the gun used being thrown in the water, as well as his mobile telephone. The court was told the defendant's phone has not been traced and parts of a shotgun, which is said to be the murder weapon, were recovered from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in January. Mr Unsworth said: "Each of the three defendants bears the responsibility...that we cannot say which person actually shot him does not matter. "Whether he looked like looked like one of the opposing group or whether they simply believed he was one of them, they used the gun to shoot him dead as he walked unwittingly into their path." The trial, expected to last between four and six weeks, continues.

Summary: A teenager was shot dead in what may have been a case of mistaken identity after his alleged killers sought revenge on a rival, a court heard.


But his pro-Western party is set to win 41% of the votes, short of the majority he wanted to ensure a push to join Nato and the EU. Mr Djukanovic had presented the vote as a choice between the West or becoming a "Russian colony". Earlier, authorities said 20 Serbian paramilitaries had been arrested. Prosecutors said the group may have been planning to kidnap Mr Djukanovic, who has been in charge for a quarter of a century. The development, hours before voting took place, was described by opposition Democratic Front leader Andrija Mandic as "gross propaganda" and Serbia's prime minister, Aleksandar Vucic, said the timing was strange. Serbia's former special forces commander, Bratislav Dikic, who was removed from the post in 2013 because of alleged criminal activities, was reported to be among those arrested. The men had been charged with terror offences and one Serb was still on the run, Montenegro's police chief said. Montenegro: Nato's newest and last member? Montenegro country profile Mr Djukanovic will now try to form a majority with smaller parties, and told supporters as the results came through that "tonight we can say that Montenegro will continue its path towards a secure place in Europe". Montenegro would formally join Nato in months and step up talks on joining the EU, he said. The Democratic Front Alliance, made up of largely pro-Serbian and pro-Russian groups, is forecast to win just over 20% of the votes. It also hopes to form a coalition among other opposition parties. Another, more moderate, opposition grouping stands at about 11%. Many Montenegrins are unhappy that Mr Djukanovic is taking the country into Nato. They remain angry that Nato bombed Serbia and Montenegro in 1999 as part of a strategy to halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians in Serbia's then southern province of Kosovo. The opposition accuses Mr Djukanovic of corruption and cronyism, which he denies. He accuses them of receiving funding from Moscow, which they deny. Montenegro, which has a population of some 630,000, has in recent years seen an influx of Russian money, homebuyers and tourists since splitting from Serbia in 2006.

Summary: Montenegro Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic has declared victory in elections and pledged to push for closer ties to Nato and the EU.


Zookeepers say it is very unusual to see a koala with fur this light and with eyes and skin remaining the usual brown black. But said the koala's white coat is not caused by a condition called albinism, which is when a human or animal doesn't have the chemical in its hair, skin and eyes that creates colour. Australia Zoo have now asked the public to help name the rare koala. Suggestions so far include Snowflake, Diamond, Pearl and Djendaladi, meaning "white-haired" in the Noongar language.

Summary: A rare white koala joey has been born at a zoo in Queensland, Australia.


Raymond Dempster raped a 42-year-old woman in her home in Glasgow's east end and days later attacked a 19-year-old student in the city's west end. Dempster, who has 110 previous convictions, had denied the charges. At the High Court of Glasgow, Judge Norman Ritchie QC deferred sentence for background reports. The court heard how the 38-year-old raped the first victim in her home on 20 June, three days after his release from prison. The victim has since died, and her police statement was read out as evidence in court. She told how she was locked out of her home in her nightclothes. When Dempster came along at first she thought he was a Good Samaritan. She had said: "He told me once we were inside 'you've got a nice wee flat here'." He then grabbed her by the arms and pushed her into the bedroom, removing her clothing and raping her. The court heard that Dempster bit his victim and punched her on the face during her ordeal. Dempster's other victim was walking home alone along Kelvin Walkway in the early hours of the morning on 23 June. He followed her, then grabbed her, forced her to the ground and put his hand over her mouth. The woman fought back kicking Dempster in the face, and he ran off to the hostel he was living in. She said: " I believe his intention was to rape me." Police found CCTV footage which showed Dempster in the vicinity of the attack and his victim identified him. The prosecutor said that Dempster was jailed for five years in 2003 for rape and has breached the condition of the sex offenders' register five times. His 110 previous convictions also included dishonesty and violence. Judge Norman Ritchie QC said: "A man with his record is simply shown the door and then within a handful of days has attacked two women." He told Dempster he would be considering whether to make an order for lifelong restriction.

Summary: A convicted rapist has been found guilty of raping a woman and attacking another just days after being released from prison in June last year.


Foreign ministers will seek to pressure Russia to distance itself from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said possible sanctions against Russian military officials would be discussed. Allies will also be seeking clarity from the US on its Syria policy, after some apparently mixed messages. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has strongly criticised Russia for failing to prevent Syria from carrying out the chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun last Wednesday that left 89 people dead. But he also said there had been "no change to our military posture" in Syria following a retaliatory US strike against a Syrian airbase, and that Washington's "first priority" in Syria was to defeat so-called Islamic State (IS). Ahead of the meeting in the city of Lucca, in Tuscany, on Monday, Mr Tillerson took part in an international wreath-laying ceremony to remember those killed in a Nazi massacre of villagers at Sant'Anna di Stazzema in 1944. He drew a parallel to last week's chemical attack, saying: "We rededicate ourselves to holding to account any and all who commit crimes against the innocents anywhere in the world." Separately on Monday, US Defence Secretary James Mattis said the retaliatory US air strike had damaged or destroyed 20% of Syria's operational aircraft. "The Syrian government would be ill-advised ever again to use chemical weapons," he said. Boris Johnson said the message from the meeting should be clear - that Russian President Vladimir Putin must be made to abandon his support for Mr Assad. "He's toxifying the reputation of Russia by his continual association with a guy who has flagrantly poisoned his own people," Mr Johnson said. He said the meeting would be "discussing the possibility of further sanctions certainly on some of the Syrian military figures and indeed on some of the Russian military figures who have been involved in co-ordinating the Syrian military efforts". Decoding Russia's response to Johnson's cancelled trip Russia is already under a raft of sanctions imposed by the US and EU in response to the annexation of Crimea and the crisis in eastern Ukraine. These target Russian individuals and businesses, and key sectors of the Russian economy closely connected to the ruling elite. These would be the first sanctions against Russian figures over Syria if they were to be adopted, but it is far from clear they will be. Mr Tillerson will want to go from the G7 talks to Moscow on Tuesday to confront the Russians with a unified set of demands. However, Reuters news agency quoted one senior European diplomat as saying that the US was "navigating aimlessly in the dark" in the search for a transfer of power in Syria. The G7 groups Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, with the European Union also represented. Sanctions already on Russia over Crimea That is what the other G7 ministers will be seeking to clarify. In addition to Mr Tillerson's comments, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, appears to have given mixed signals. "In no way do we see

Summary: G7 nations are meeting in Italy to try to hammer out a unified approach to the Syria conflict, in the wake of last week's suspected chemical attack.


The victim, identified as Nathan Graff, was knifed multiple times by an unknown assailant on Thursday. His injuries are not life-threatening. The motive for the attack is unclear but police are investigating whether it was a hate crime. Several Israelis have been stabbed by Palestinians in Israel and the occupied West Bank in recent weeks. Mr Graff was attacked outside a kosher restaurant. Police are still searching for the assailant. A statement from Milan's Jewish community said it hoped the attack was an isolated incident. "We have never had problems in Milan. We don't think this was a personal affair - there is nothing to suggest that," the community's co-president Milo Hasbani told reporters, according to Reuters.

Summary: Italy has boosted security at Jewish sites in Milan after an Israeli Jew was stabbed in the city, officials said.


Bob Sleigh, leader of Solihull council, said he intended to seek its approval for talks in principle. The councils controlling Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Dudley have backed the combined authority proposal. Cities may be in line for new housing, transport, planning and policing powers if they sign up for devolution plans. Chancellor George Osborne said on Thursday that Greater Manchester should become a blueprint for other large cities. There, leaders of 10 councils work together as part of combined authority and there are plans to elect a mayor for the entire area in two years. Labour claimed the government's "piecemeal approach" could mask big cuts to local councils' spending. On 14 July Solihull's full council will debate the plan to join other West Midlands authorities in talks over a proposed combined authority. Mr Sleigh said he told full council he intended to seek approval "for taking forward detailed discussions in principle" to support a combined authority. He said to achieve Solihull's ambition for sustainable economic growth, the borough "needs a high-performing regional platform of a scale and geography that attracts the significant inward investment needed to satisfy that ambition". Council leaders have previously said the combined authority, which could serve four million people, would help attract investment worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

Summary: Solihull has moved closer to joining the proposal for a West Midlands combined authority.


During July - the first full month after the Brexit vote - 60,912 new mortgages were approved. That was down from 64,152 approvals in June, and was the lowest total since January 2015. The total amount lent out for house purchases was £10.4bn, down from £11.1bn in June. The figures also show a 12.4% drop in the number of mortgage approvals on the same month a year ago. The number of approvals has been falling steadily since March, when there was a rush to buy ahead of tax changes. "Mortgage approvals for house purchases have progressively slowed after being buoyed in the first quarter by buy-to-let and second home sectors rushing to beat April's Stamp Duty increase for these sectors," said Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight. "It is also highly possible that mortgage activity was hit in July by heightened uncertainty following June's vote for Brexit." The Bank of England figures also show that growth in the amount being borrowed by consumers on credit cards and other loans eased off in July. UK residents borrowed an extra £1.2bn during the month - down from £1.9bn in June, and 17% less than in July 2015. This is the first time that growth in unsecured consumer credit has slowed since December 2014. However, credit card lending by itself rose by £0.5bn in July to a record of £65.5bn. "We remain concerned that while most households will be able to handle this extra borrowing, a minority of households could find themselves exposed to financial difficulty," said Joanna Elson, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust. Where can I afford to live?

Summary: The number of mortgages being approved by banks and building societies is at its lowest for a year and a half, according to Bank of England figures.


The chief minister of Punjab province, Shahbaz Sharif, ordered a judicial inquiry into reports that hundreds of children had been abused over a period of several years. Local media say a gang made videos showing the abuse of children, whose parents were then subject to blackmail. The scandal centres on a village near the city of Kasur. Reports say about 280 children, mostly under 14-years-old, were abused and filmed, in the village of Husain Khan Wala. Correspondents say many victims are afraid to report abuse, in a society which allows abusers to brag about their exploits but stigmatises their victims. Police say more arrests are expected. Analysis by the BBC's Ilyas Khan in Islamabad Child sex abuse is widespread in parts of Pakistan, especially in the countryside. According to one estimate, over 3,500 cases of child molestation were reported in 2014, of which 67% were reported from rural areas. Meanwhile, many have noticed that most of the clips being investigated date back to 2009-11, shortly after camera phones first became widely available, with few recent cases being reported. This has led some to suspect that the clips were reported to the police amid a local dispute. One boy told BBC Urdu the abuse began when he was 11, five years ago: "They sexually abused me in front of secret cameras... they came back a week later and showed me the video, and said if I did not do what they wanted, they would show it to my friends and school colleagues." A woman told the BBC her son had been molested and blackmailed for five years, and she had only recently learned about the abuse: "They used to badly treat him wherever they could get hold of him. They would snatch his mobile and money. "They [the perpetrators] are now threatening us." District police officer Rai Babar Saeed told BBC Urdu: "We have around 30 video clips of one incident showing six victims and seven people involved. We have arrested these seven. We are still trying to recover more videos." He added that there was "no political motive" behind the investigations, which he said were being conducted "on merit". Last week, more than 20 people were injured as families of the alleged victims clashed with police in Kasur, accusing the authorities of ignoring their complaints. Saba Sadiq, the head of Punjab's child protection bureau, described the case as "the largest child abuse scandal in Pakistan's history", the AFP news agency reports. The provincial chief in Punjab is the brother of Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Summary: Seven people have been arrested in Pakistan on suspicion of involvement in child sexual abuse and extortion.


Grace, 31, had an amazing run to the semi-finals last year but 19-year-old Zhao, one of the rising stars of the game, showed superb form to beat him. The Leeds player said he felt the need to go for hard pots because Zhao was "potting balls off the lampshade". "I had half-chances but I couldn't take them," Grace said. Media playback is not supported on this device "Up until a few weeks ago I was winning lots of first-round games. But I have had Mark Williams in the last tournament [Northern Ireland Open] and Zhao Xintong here. "It's a tough draw so I will not beat myself up too much. "It would have been to get through to at least the televised stages because I really enjoyed it last year. But it wasn't to be." Grace, the world number 47, said he felt his form was decent and remained positive about his chances in the German Masters qualifiers and Scottish Open, which are both before Christmas. "I don't feel like I am that far away - just a few missed shots here and there and key moments in the game," he added. Sign up to My Sport to follow snooker news and reports on the BBC app.

Summary: David Grace was unable to repeat his 2015 UK Championship heroics but said he did little wrong in his 6-2 first-round defeat by China's Zhao Xintong.


3 March 2017 Last updated at 14:07 GMT Romeo, aged four, asked his father Charlie Makaveli if he could go to school dressed as the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime. It took his father a week to construct the outfit out of cardboard, paint and glue. Mr Makaveli, a florist from Romford, east London, said his son got a big cheer when he showed how his outfit "transformed". So far, the video has been viewed about 50,000 times on Mr Makaveli's Facebook page.

Summary: A father really went to town when his son asked for a Transformers outfit for World Book Day.


Its announcement came at the same time as a team of investigators for the World Anti-Doping Agency recommended Russia be banned from athletics. Last week, French prosecutors accused the sport's governing body's ex-president of being involved. He is alleged to have taken bribes to cover up doping cases. Interpol's announcement follows Monday's publication of a report by an independent commission established by Wada investigating a number of individuals, including former officials of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the agency said in a statement. "The world police body is now working with member countries potentially linked to the inquiry, including Singapore, to seek assistance in co-ordinating a global investigative network and support the criminal investigation on the basis of the intelligence gathered by the [Wada] independent commission." According to French investigative news agency Mediapart, the people who conducted doping inquiries for Wada believe a company registered in Singapore was used to channel certain funds that were part of the corruption operation. As part of the inquiry, French police last week raided premises belonging to individuals and companies, Interpol said. The Wada report was commissioned to "determine the accuracy" of allegations made in a German TV documentary about Russian athletics last December. "The IC [independent commission] has withheld most of the contents of the chapter on the IAAF in order to not compromise the continuing efforts in respect of information provided to Interpol," the Wada report says. "The IC is in possession of information which has been passed on to Interpol for the purposes of an integrated investigative activity, Operation Augeas. Therefore, most of the IC's recommendations in respect of the IAAF are being withheld until such time as the full chapter is released." French prosecutors are already investigating former IAAF President Lamine Diack, who was put under criminal investigation last week on suspicion of corruption and money laundering. He is alleged to have received more than â‚¬1m (Â£700,000; $1.1m) in bribes in 2011 to cover up positive doping tests by Russian athletes, Reuters quoted the office of France's financial prosecutor as saying. The 82-year-old Senegalese stepped down in August after 16 years as IAAF president when Briton Sebastian Coe was elected as his replacement. December 2014: German documentary alleges Russian doping scandal February 2015: Diack says athletics faces 'crisis' August 2015: Coe says IAAF will react robustly August 2015: Wada 'alarmed' by fresh allegations

Summary: International police body Interpol has said it will coordinate a French-led global investigation into doping allegations in athletics.


Gareth McAllister, 18, is also accused of inflicting wounds on a 74-year-old man during a triple stabbing in Glengormley, County Antrim. All three alleged victims are members of the same family. Mr McAllister, of Rogan Manor in Newtownabbey, was arrested at a nearby petrol station on Wednesday night. A man aged 20 had suffered a slash wound to his forehead in an alleged attack at the house on the Antrim Road. His 51-year-old father and his grandfather also sustained cuts as further violence broke out at the nearby garage, according to police. Mr McAllister appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court on a total of 10 counts. He is charged with the attempted murders of Jonathan and John Green, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm to Derek Green. The other alleged offences include: possessing a bread knife in public; four assaults on police representatives; a separate assault on John Green last Saturday; and criminal damage to his front door. Mr McAllister spoke only to confirm he understood the charges against him. Although no further details were disclosed, a detective constable said he could connect the accused to the alleged offences. A defence lawyer said he was not applying for bail "at this time". A judge remanded Mr McAllister in custody to appear again by video-link next Thursday.

Summary: A teenager has been remanded in custody charged with the attempted murder of a father and son in a knife attack on the outskirts of north Belfast.


The UK government has announced a public consultation on the creation of five new marine protected areas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. These areas are designed to protect harbour porpoise populations. Scientists say numbers are falling due to threats which affect their ability to catch food, breed and communicate. But campaigners have accused the Scottish government of delaying efforts to protect the species. Catherine Weller, of environmental law group ClientEarth, said: "These new protected areas are a step in the right direction for the harbour porpoise. "We need to ensure the areas designated are those that will offer the highest benefit to the harbour porpoise and that when designated, these sites are managed effectively. "It's disappointing the Scottish government has stalled its consultation regarding at least three further areas, reducing the potential for comprehensive protection for the harbour porpoise in UK waters." The Scottish government has defended its record. A spokeswoman told BBC Scotland: "The Scottish government remains fully committed to having harbour porpoise special areas of conservation in Scottish waters, where they are fully justified and supported by the evidence. "However, the four proposals received for Scottish waters did not fully meet the scientific requirements, which is why Marine Scotland has begun a new selection process which will progress as quickly and methodically as possible." The Scottish government has responsibility for the conservation, protection and management of seals and cetaceans. Sixteen special areas of conservation for marine mammals have already been designated in Scottish waters.

Summary: Scotland is falling behind the rest of the UK on efforts to protect the harbour porpoise, according to environmental campaigners.


Two goals by Timmy Adamson in the first half appeared to have Crusaders in control but the Crues striker was later sent-off for two yellow cards. Dean Youle headed Bangor back into contention on 68 minutes with Andy Hall equalising with a superb free-kick. Sub Ethan Boylan scored two goals in extra-time to put Bangor through. He ran onto a flick on to shoot past keeper Sean O'Neill in the 99th minute. Boylan then produced a lovely finish for 4-2, lifting the ball over the stranded O'Neill to make sure of the victory. Adamson had given Crusaders the lead in the 24th minute after Stephen Cockcroft's cross had caused hesitation between defender Colin Nixon and keeper Paul Cairnduff. The Crues front man scored again on 36 minutes after Gavin Whyte had set the chance up. Adamson, who had been booked in the first half for a hand ball, was sent-off when a foul early in the second half resulted in a second yellow card. Bangor, seven points clear in the Irish League's second division, play the Crues again in the semi-finals of the County Antrim Shield. Bangor manager Garth Scates: "We were excellent from the start and had a couple of chances in the first half which we did not take. "We knew if we kept going forward we would get a chance to get into the game. "The sending-off helped and we went three at the back. What a team performance, they worked tirelessly." Crusaders manager Stephen Baxter: "The sending-off was stupid. Timmy is not a young lad, he is 32 and should have known better. "We made one or two changes with Saturday's match against Cliftonville in mind and it has come back to haunt us. "But there are more important things going on in the world than a game of football so we are not going to lose any sleep over it."

Summary: Championship One leaders Bangor came from two goals down to beat Premiership title challengers Crusaders in the League Cup quarter-finals.


The first-stage booster, which was previously used on a mission 11 months ago, helped send a telecommunications satellite into orbit from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. It marks an important milestone for SpaceX in its quest for re-usability. Traditionally, rockets are expendable - their various segments are discarded and destroyed during an ascent. The California outfit, in contrast, aims to recover Falcon first-stages and fly them multiple times to try to reduce the cost of its operations. And to emphasise this point, Thursday's booster was also brought back under control to land on a barge stationed out in the Atlantic. "I think it's an amazing day for space," said Elon Musk, the chief executive of SpaceX. "It means you can fly and re-fly an orbit class booster, which is the most expensive part of the rocket. This is going to be, hopefully, a huge revolution in spaceflight." The lift-off had occurred on cue at 18:27 EDT (22:27 GMT; 23:27 BST). The satellite passenger, SES-10, was ejected some 32 minutes later. This spacecraft is now being manoeuvred by its own thruster system to a position over the equator from where it can deliver TV and telecom services to the Caribbean, Brazil, and other regions in Central and South America. SpaceX has become adept in the past two years at bringing first-stage boosters home after they have completed their primary task of getting a payload out of the thicker lower-reaches of the atmosphere. The segments autonomously guide themselves back to the floating platform or a coastal pad to make propulsive landings. Thursday's mission was the first time one of these "flight proven" vehicles had been re-launched. Other landed boosters will now be used on future missions. Another six this year, most likely. Some customers may still insist on a brand new rocket, but if SpaceX can demonstrate routine, untroubled performance from these second-hand vehicles then satellite operators will get increasingly comfortable with the concept. Getting away from expendable rockets has been a long quest. Famously, Nasa's space shuttle system was partially re-usable. Its white solid-fuel strap-on boosters, for example, would parachute into the Atlantic after each launch. The casings of these boosters were then refurbished and re-used numerous times. And yet the complexities of servicing the shuttle system after every flight swamped any savings. SpaceX hopes its simpler Falcon 9 rocket can finally deliver a practical commercial solution. It believes its technology will eventually permit rapid turnaround, with boosters flying perhaps 10 times before being retired; maybe even up to 100 times with a certain level of refurbishment. "With this being the first re-light we were incredibly paranoid about everything," Mr Musk said. "The core airframe remained the same, the engines remained the same - but any auxiliary components that we thought might be slightly questionable, we changed out. Now our aspiration will be zero hardware changes, re-flight in 24 hours - the only thing that changes is that we reload propellant." SpaceX hopes its simpler Falcon 9 rocket can finally deliver a practical commercial solution. It believes its technology will eventually permit rapid turnaround,

Summary: California's SpaceX company has successfully re-flown a segment from one of its Falcon 9 rockets.


There were delays on Monday at airports in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Berlin, and Brussels, where visibility reportedly dropped to just 100m. The situation was worsened at Duesseldorf Airport by the discovery overnight of an unexploded World War Two bomb. A controlled explosion closed the airport to flights for an hour. According to Eurocontrol, the European air safety agency, there were more than 120,000 minutes of flight delays across the continent on Monday morning, with 94% due to adverse weather conditions. Cancelled flights: Why does fog cause chaos at airports? A Eurocontrol spokesman told the Guardian it was "unusual situation to have such widespread low visibility for such a long period". Airports in Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and the UK were among the worst affected, according to the agency's Twitter feed. Easyjet said it was suffering "major network disruption today due to poor weather conditions throughout Europe causing low visibility". "This has resulted in a large number of aircraft and crew out of place for flights today," the airline said in a statement. "In addition we are seeing a lot of Air Traffic Control restrictions which has resulted in some delays, diversions and cancellations." In Paris, the top half of the Eiffel Tower was obscured by a thick blanket of fog. Several airlines warned on Twitter that delays were expected to continue throughout Monday. There were widespread delays at UK airports. Heathrow airport said it expected to cancel around 10% of flights on Monday, while London City was forced to close to all traffic. Other affected airports include Manchester, Leeds Bradford, Glasgow, Belfast and Cardiff.

Summary: Heavy fog is causing disruption across western Europe, with low visibility leading to significant flight delays.


The 41-year-old former Ross County boss took Argyle to May's play-off final in his first season in charge, but they lost to AFC Wimbledon. The Pilgrims spent much of the last campaign in the automatic promotion places, but finished in fifth place after a drop in form. Adams' previous deal was scheduled to expire at the end of this season. "Derek has already made a major contribution to Plymouth Argyle and the board believes he has much more to offer," chairman James Brent said. "Much of what football clubs do is focused on the current season and yet, to achieve sustainable success, we believe that plans need to be implemented for the medium-term, as well."

Summary: Plymouth Argyle manager Derek Adams has signed a new four-year contract with the League Two club.


The service for the 74-year-old, who died earlier this month a few days after having a stroke, was held at St Peter's Church in Bournemouth. Stewart's broadcasting career spanned more than five decades. Fellow DJ Mike Read, actress and singer Anita Harris, and comedian Bobby Davro were among the congregation. Former snooker player John Virgo also attended. The service, which was led by the Reverend Dr Ian Terry, included the hymns Amazing Grace and Lord Of The Dance, as well as the song You'll Never Walk Alone. There was also a farewell address by the Grand Order of the Water Rats - an entertainment industry fraternity - of which Devon-born Stewart was a member. A private cremation followed the church service. Dr Terry said the service would "celebrate the life of somebody who just loved life". "It's a service of thanksgiving for Ed who, through the radio and through the television, gave enjoyment and fun," he added. Stewart started out as an announcer, film critic and rugby reporter with Radio Hong Kong. He was one of the first presenters on Radio 1 when it launched in 1967, and a Radio 2 presenter for 15 years - during which he broadcast from the summits of Ben Nevis and Snowdon, Mount Vesuvius volcano in Italy, and also from the Falkland Islands. On television, Stewart went on to become a regular Top of the Pops presenter in the 1970s and was best known for children's favourite Crackerjack, which he hosted from 1973 to 1979. He was also a longstanding presenter of children's show Junior Choice, which was last broadcast on BBC Radio 2 over Christmas. On it he coined his trademark catchphrase: '''Ello darling." Stewart is survived by his two children, Francesca and Marco, and four grandchildren.

Summary: Hundreds of people have attended the funeral of former BBC DJ and Crackerjack presenter Ed "Stewpot" Stewart in his hometown.


Twenty-four delegates from across Europe and the United States are at Goonhilly Earth Station to learn about satellite communications, and how to control orbiting spacecraft. Staff said they believed it was the only course of its type in Europe teaching how to operate such equipment. Goonhilly was the first site to receive TV images via the Telstar satellite in the 1960s. The four-day course, which runs until Friday, is aimed at giving science graduates with an interest in working in the space industry a first-hand idea of operating satellites. The delegates are being taught by space scientists, including members of the team which flew the Beagle 2 Mission to Mars. Goonhilly, on The Lizard peninsula, was built in 1962 and played a key role in the broadcasting of events including the Olympic Games, the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and 1985's Live Aid concert. It was closed in 2008 by BT, which moved operations to Herefordshire. Goonhilly Earth Station Limited (GES) bought the site near Helston in 2011 to create a space science centre for space exploration and science research.

Summary: A course for space mission controllers has started in Cornwall.


Officers recovered £800,000 worth of the drug during 10 searches in Belfast, Greenisland, Bangor, Newtownards and Ballywalter. Six people were arrested. Two people were also arrested in the Prato and Bologna areas of Italy. Police said those arrested were believed to be "significant members" of a crime gang. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the gang had been involved in money laundering and drugs trafficking activities. The six people arrested in Northern Ireland were four men and two women, with ages ranging from 26 years to 33 years old. They are being questioned on suspicion of the importation of cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis and money laundering. Three searches were carried out in the Prato and Bologna areas of Italy. The PSNI is the lead investigator in the operation, which involved officers from the Italian Carabiniere and the National Crime Agency. The officer leading the investigation, Det Insp Andy Dunlop from the PSNI's organised crime branch, said: "We believe we have established the source of a major supply of herbal cannabis trafficked into Northern Ireland. "This is a substantial multi-agency international investigation which has involved various investigative tactics and methods - resulting in these searches, seizures and arrests. "We have seized £800,000 of herbal cannabis but our enquiries lead us to believe that much more has already been sent from Italy to Northern Ireland. "In recent months, officers in organised crime branch and local districts have seized £1.2m worth of herbal cannabis as part of this operation." The senior officer said it was a "developing investigation". "We are maintaining close contact with our colleagues in the Italian Carabiniere and the National Crime Agency as well as a number of other law enforcement agencies in the UK and Ireland," he added. Police said the 'skunk' variety of cannabis could be "particularly dangerous" because it could significantly increase a user's likelihood of experiencing a psychotic episode.

Summary: Eight people have been arrested as part of an international investigation into the supply of 'skunk' cannabis into Northern Ireland.


Although it will focus on the battles faced by writers Jimmy Perry and David Croft, it will also be full of humour. "It's a bit of a journey for the two guys and there are lots of ups and downs," said producer, Brett Wilson. "It was very hard for the writers to convince the BBC to commission the series in the first place. "A comedy about members of the Home Guard during World War Two wasn't very appealing to them. "But there will also be a lot of humour and we have some great actors involved, including John Sessions who is playing Arthur Lowe." The drama is being shot entirely in Northern Ireland. "We are using Northern Ireland crew - all the heads of department ... costume, make up, production, even the accountants are from Northern Ireland," said Mr Wilson. Locations include Cultra Manor in County Down, Broadcasting House and the Ulster Reform Club in Belfast. "It's all going really well," he added. "I have never worked here before, so I wasn't sure. "But it's been fantastic and I would love to bring more productions to Northern Ireland." Dad's Army was first broadcast in the late 1960s. The original series ran for nine years and included 90 episodes. It followed the adventures of the Home Guard unit of fictional town, Walmington-on-Sea, during World War Two. The television series looks set to attract a new generation of fans with the release in October of a movie based on the series. At its peak, the Dad's Army series was watched by nearly 18m viewers.

Summary: A documentary-drama about the making of the Dad's Army television series will begin filming in Northern Ireland this month.


Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's conservative coalition holds a majority of one seat in the parliament. The opposition Labor Party came within a single vote of calling for a royal commission into Australian banks. Coming at the end of the first week of the new parliament, the result is an embarrassment for Mr Turnbull. It is seen as undermining the government's claim of having a "strong working majority". Three senior ministers - Peter Dutton, Christian Porter and Michael Keenan - were among the coalition MPs not in the Lower House when Labor decided to pull a surprise test of the government's power. Their absence meant the opposition won three consecutive motions: first surprising parliament against adjourning at the usual time of 16:30. Second and third votes effectively brought forward a fourth vote on a royal commission into Australian banks. The opposition have been pushing for this after a series of allegations of misconduct in the banking sector. In response, MPs were recalled from airports and turned back on return drives to Sydney. The government then regained control over parliament to quash the proposal. Mr Turnbull said the move exposed a degree of complacency among his colleagues, and that he had "read the riot act" to the ministers. "A number of our members should not have left the building," he told 3AW radio. "They did the wrong thing, they know they did the wrong thing. "They've been caught out. They've been embarrassed. They've been humiliated. They've been excoriated and it won't happen again." Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese told the Nine Network: "If you can't run the parliament, you can't run the country." "It was a farce yesterday, it shows as an example of just how out of touch this government is; it doesn't have an agenda, it doesn't have ideas and now it doesn't have control of the House of Representatives." Treasurer Scott Morrison dismissed the tactics as a "stunt" while Labor MP Michael Dandby said the move was a "legitimate political tactic". Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, now a backbench MP, said it would be a learning experience for many people. "All of us are learning lessons all the time, whether you're a journalist, a member of parliament, a whip or even a prime minister," he said.

Summary: Australia's prime minister has said he "read the riot act" to three ministers after they went home early, meaning his government lost a series of votes.


Official data do not include emissions from making imported goods but both sets of researchers say they should. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports 26% of global emissions come from producing goods for trade. The Carbon Trust found such "embedded" CO2 could negate domestic carbon cuts planned in the UK up to 2025. Researchers want all nations to publish their data on embedded emissions. Glen Peters of research group Cicero, lead authors of the PNAS report, told BBC News: "There is a degree of delusion about emissions cuts in developed nations. They are not really cuts at all if countries are simply buying in products they used to manufacture. "We really need all countries to be developing and publishing the full extent of their emissions, whether they are produced domestically or outsourced through traded goods." The issue of embedded (or outsourced) carbon emissions has been recognised for several years, and the methodology to track emissions pathways is developing. Cicero produced a trade-linked global database for CO2 emissions covering 113 countries and 57 economic sectors from 1990 to 2008. It found that emissions from producing exported goods increased from 4.3Gt (gigatonnes) of CO2 in 1990 (20% of global emissions) to 7.8Gt of CO2 in 2008 (26%). Most developed countries increased their consumption-based emissions faster than their territorial emissions - particularly from goods such cars and clothes. The Carbon Trust research confirms that the UK has increased emissions since 1990 rather than decreasing them, as politicians typically claim. What may alarm ministers even more is a projection that the radical CO2 cuts planned by government into the 2020s may be offset by ever-increasing levels of CO2 in imports. Dr Peters said: "Publishing this sort of data is the first step. The next step - what to do about it - is more difficult. "It raises questions about consumption patterns, and whether countries should consider border taxes on imports from countries with no controls on CO2 emissionsâ€¦ though this is controversial and will be some way down the line." A UK think tank, the Public Interest Research Centre (Pirc), has been discovering how uncomfortable this issue is proving for rich nations. A succession of Freedom of Information requests reveals a degree of frustration among some British civil servants that the UK insists on basing its emissions calculations solely on domestic emissions. One piece of government correspondence reveals: "While technological efficiency has improved the CO2 impacts of our products since 1992, the rise in UK consumption has outstripped the improvements achieved. "The government needs to be cautious about over-claiming on its achievements in decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation." Ministers are well aware of the issue, but insist that the UK should stick to reporting domestic emissions, as these form the basis for international climate negotiations. They also point out that emissions data from major exporters like China is notoriously opaque, and that the methodology for calculating outsourced emissions is unreliable. They say all this creates even greater pressure for the UK to persuade China to cut its own emissions. Guy Shrubsole, from

Summary: The extent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions "hidden" in imported goods is growing, according to two studies.


The centre scored two tries as Warriors thrashed the Dragons 47-17 to keep their faint hopes of a top-four finish alive. "I think we have to win all of our games and we can do it," said Kiwi Grigg. "Confidence is key and, with five points today, we're on the rise." After a sticky opening period in which they fell 10-0 behind, Glasgow came storming back with seven tries to blow the Dragons away and secure an important bonus-point victory at Scotstoun. Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend was pleased to see his side end a three-match losing run in the Pro12. "We got into our attack flow pretty well," he told BBC Scotland. "When you're moving the ball so much, there will be mistakes, but we were working out where best to target in the Dragons defence. It was also fatiguing them as a side. "Defensively, we just weren't in place in those first 10 minutes and they deserved their lead, but we showed really good resilience. "The switch went on at 10-0. We won the kick-off back, got into their 22 and then eventually scored from the scrum. "It was pleasing. I thought, individually, guys stood up really well. We showed the ambition we like to show when we play here." Townsend echoed Grigg's assertion that Glasgow can still overcome the odds to make the top four but admits they will be relying on the teams above them to slip up even after collecting five points against the Dragons. "We could do with a 10-pointer one week," Townsend joked. "We know we've got a lot of catching up to do and we'll probably have to rely on the teams above us losing. "We'll have to rely on teams like Scarlets and Ulster to slip up and we'll have to get on a really good winning run. "This is an exciting part of the season. We've got Connacht here in three weeks' time, a massive game against the champions. "Then we have a run of Saracens away (in the Champions Cup quarter-final), Munster away two weeks after that. "We'll have more players available and they'll come back (from Scotland duty) full of confidence."

Summary: Glasgow Warriors can still make the Pro12 play-offs but will need to win the last five games of the regular season to do so, says Nick Grigg.