He founded advertising agency Video International or Vi - still one of Russia's biggest - and went on to became head of the state news agency RIA Novosti. In 1996, he devised the advertising campaign that helped then President Boris Yeltsin win re-election. The US authorities are investigating his death aged 57. Coroners say he died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head. His son - Anton Lessine - has made a name for himself as a Hollywood film producer. Mikhail Lesin, once regarded as a free media pioneer, became one of the first in Russia to advocate tightening state control of the internet - a policy the Kremlin appears to have pursued with greater vigour in recent years. As minister for communications and media (1999-2004), he oversaw the hostile takeover of NTV by state-controlled Gazprom-Media in 2000. It happened a month after Vladimir Putin was sworn in as president. At the time NTV, Russia's third national TV station, was critical of Kremlin policy, including the war in Chechnya. In the takeover, businessman Vladimir Gusinsky lost control of NTV and other major media assets and was imprisoned. In 2004, the European Court of Human Rights accepted Mr Gusinsky's argument that the state had forced him to sell his media business in return for fraud charges against him being dropped. It ordered the Russian state to pay him â‚¬88,000 (Â£69,000, $97,700). Lesin was also responsible for the closure of channels TV-6 and TVS and instrumental in setting up international broadcaster RT (Russia Today) in 2005, the Kremlin's TV mouthpiece abroad. His role in bringing media outlets into the Kremlin orbit earned him the nickname The Bulldozer. In November 2009, Lesin was sacked from his post of presidential media adviser, apparently over a conflict of interests. He became head of Gazprom-Media in 2013, overseeing NTV when it broadcast a number of documentary films targeting the opposition. He resigned in late 2014, citing family reasons, but respected Russian newspaper RBK reported that he had fallen out with a Gazprom-Media shareholder and close Putin associate, Yuri Kovalchuk. In 2014, the US Department of Justice and the FBI launched an investigation into Lesin's property in the US, amid suspicions of corruption and money laundering. In a 2014 letter to US Attorney General Eric Holder, US Senator Roger Wicker raised concerns about the California property Lesin had bought since moving his family to the US. "He acquired multiple residences at a cost of over $28 million," he wrote. "That a Russian public servant could have amassed the considerable funds required to acquire and maintain these assets... raises serious questions." He also pointed to an apparent financial link between Lesin and Mr Kovalchuk, who is under EU-US sanctions, as is Mr Kovalchuk's Bank Rossiya.

Summary: Mikhail Lesin, the Russian media figure found dead in a Washington hotel room in November, made his name in PR and advertising in the 1990s.


The friends of Muhammad Wisam Sankari told a Turkish gay rights group, kaosgl.org, that they had been threatened by violent male gangs. "I am so scared," one of them said. Mr Sankari, a refugee, arrived in Istanbul a year ago. His body was found in Yenikapi, a central district, on 25 July. No arrests have been made. Kaosgl.org reported that Mr Sankari had been trying to get to another country as a refugee because his life was in danger. One of his housemates, called Rayan, said a male group had kidnapped Mr Sankari about five months ago, beaten him up and raped him. "We complained to the police headquarters but nothing happened," he said. Another of Mr Sankari's friends, Diya, said the United Nations was also failing to protect the gay community in Turkey. "I get threats over the phone... It does not matter if you are Syrian or Turkish, if you are gay you are everyone's target. They want sex from you and when you don't they just tag along... Who is next?" Diya said. In June, Turkish police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse gay activists who tried to hold an LGBT rally in Istanbul, despite a ban on the Gay Pride parade. Unlike in many Arab countries, homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey but analysts say homophobia remains widespread. Cagil Kasapoglu of the BBC Turkish Service says hate crimes against LGBT individuals in Turkey mostly go unreported. According to kaosgl, there has been a rise in human rights violations based on sexual orientation in recent years. Under the heading "hate crimes" the organisation recorded five murders, 32 attacks and three suicides in Turkey last year. It believes the number of such murders over the past six years is more than 50. Syrian gay refugees in Turkey suffer even more, as their legal status is precarious - they are usually undocumented and most are reluctant to report assaults to police, our reporter says. The Turkish authorities cited "safeguarding security and public order" as the reason for banning Gay Pride in Istanbul this year. The parade was also banned last year. Assaults on LGBT people in Turkey have mostly been blamed on ultra-conservative Muslims and an ultra-nationalist youth group, the Alperen Hearths. The harassment is also related to a rise in homophobic rhetoric in conservative media and social media, Cagil Kasapoglu says. Such rhetoric was used by Turkish ultra-conservative media when reporting the murder of 49 people in June by a gunman in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, she says. Gunman Omar Mateen, a US citizen, appeared to have an interest in Islamist extremism.

Summary: The headless, mutilated body of a gay Syrian man has been identified by gay housemates in Istanbul who say he had been gang-raped previously.


It will be the 20-year-old's second spell at the club, having joined on loan from Rochdale in 2016. Bell made nine appearances in 2016-17 for Gateshead, scoring twice. Earlier on Thursday, Chester - who finished 19th in the National League - announced new deals for midfielder Wade Joyce and utility player Evan Horwood on one-year and six-month contracts respectively.

Summary: Chester have signed Gateshead striker Nyal Bell on loan until 7 January.


The 23-year-old opening batsman/leg spinner follows the lead of Joe Clarke, Ed Barnard, Joe Leach, Tom Fell and Ross Whiteley in extending his deal. "We have a great bunch of lads, it's the city where I'm from and it's the club I love playing for," he said. "I'm very passionate about the club and want to win games of cricket for Worcestershire." D'Oliveira is the third generation of his family to play for the county, following in the footsteps of his late grandfather, former England all-rounder Basil, and his late father Damian, who served the county as player and coach. He made his limited-overs debut against Yorkshire in 2011 and his first-class debut against Warwickshire a year later. D'Oliveira impressed with the ball in Worcestershire's run to the T20 Blast quarter-finals, taking nine wickets, proving their most economical bowler in the competition. His five Championship appearances in 2015 have all come since the start of July.

Summary: Worcestershire all-rounder Brett D'Oliveira has signed a new three-year deal, tying him to New Road until 2018.


Ovidio Gonzalez was suffering from terminal throat cancer and said he had been suffering unbearable pain. Colombia's Catholic Church has said euthanasia is morally unacceptable and it has threatened to close its hospitals across the country. Colombia is one of the few countries in the world, and the only one in Latin America, where euthanasia is allowed. Assisted suicide was approved by the Constitutional Court in the 1990s. But no procedures had been performed because the measure had not been regulated. It was only in May that the health ministry intervened and issued a set of guidelines for hospitals. Mr Gonzalez died in a clinic in the western city of Pereira, after a legal battle. His son Julio Cesar is a cartoonist with one of Colombia's top newspapers, El Tiempo. "My father received the news [that the procedure had been approved] with relief," said Mr Gonzalez, better known by his pen name Matador, or The Killer. "It is a pity that it had to be like that. My dad deserved to go with less publicity," he added. Euthanasia is highly controversial in the predominantly Roman Catholic country. Critics also point out that the measure has not been voted by Congress.

Summary: A 79-year old Colombian man has become the first person in the country to die legally by euthanasia.


Something we have always taken for granted - the sea - could help us keep the lights on and generate a new industry. The proposals for the world's first tidal energy lagoon off the Swansea coast could produce enough energy for a small city. Other projects could follow in Cardiff, Newport and Colwyn Bay. But can the Welsh economy cash in on this potential opportunity? While our onshore wind industry has largely been developed by foreign investors, there seems to be a political will to make sure that does not happen with new sources of energy. The UK is having to look at replacing its ageing power stations while looking to the future with renewable energy, such as tidal power, playing a larger part. In its latest infrastructure plan, the UK government said its discussions with Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd will look at whether a potential project in Swansea Bay is "affordable and value for money for consumers". But who will pay for it? It is reported that the Swansea lagoon project has already attracted more than £200m from two financial institutions, Prudential and Infrared; they are the cornerstone equity funders. It will also be funded by private individuals and £400,000 raised from shares sold in the community. The rest will be covered by borrowing from banks, with this money being repaid as customers pay their bills. The government is set to pay for 20% of major infrastructure projects in the next few years, particularly transport, but it expects private money to pay for most of any tidal developments. For its project off the coast of Swansea, Tidal Lagoon Power has already set a target of half of the £1bn capital expenditure staying in Wales, rising to 65% for the UK as a whole. "The project will lay the strongest possible foundations for a brand new industry in which Britain can lead the world," says chief executive Mark Shorrock. The Welsh Economy Research Unit says this could mean an extra £300 million being spent in Wales over the three years it would take to build and would increase the output of the Welsh economy by £173m a year. What does this mean in terms of people's livelihoods? One of the companies which would look to bid for work is one that took a hit from the closure of the Murco oil refinery last year. Ledwood in Pembroke Dock had 1,000 workers at its peak but now employs 200, with the workforce cut by a third as a knock-on from the refinery shutting down. Roger Evans, chairman of the Tidal Industry Advisory Group, said Mr Shorrock is "absolutely passionate" about creating a Welsh and UK supply chain. "We're talking potentially about 35,000 jobs. We've already identified several Welsh companies that are more than capable of partaking of that opportunity," he said. General Electric in Rugby, Warwickshire, and Austrian-based Andritz Hydro are together bidding for the £300 million contract to supply 16 turbines for the Swansea lagoon. Most of the components for the turbines will be made in the UK and south Wales businesses

Summary: The way we look at the tides - and going to the seaside in parts of Wales - could be changed forever.


The results of a consultation by the Policy Council showed 90% of the 1,337 people who took part agreed or strongly agreed with the proposals. Equality charity Liberate said: "It showed how far Guernsey had come, welcoming people from all backgrounds." A report to be discussed by the States in December recommends same-sex marriage should be introduced. In June, it was announced same-sex couples would be allowed to adopt under new laws agreed by the States. Martin Gavet, from Liberate, said: "We have been traditionally treated effectively as second class citizens, although we pay the same taxes - simply because of who we are or who we love. "Thankfully, we are living in much more enlightened times in which we have witnessed the decriminalisation of homosexuality and now we are seeing many jurisdictions recognising that love knows no boundaries - with equal marriage being introduced in 22 jurisdictions across the world to date. "These proposals are reflective of how far our society has come and that it is the will of the majority and no longer the minority". He added that the charity did not expect all faith groups to want to immediately carry out same-sex weddings. Previously plans for the term "marriage" to be scrapped and a "Union Civile" law introduced - which would have allowed people to enter into legally recognised civil unions and remove links to religion - were dropped. The Policy Council, which is responsible for Guernsey's constitutional and external affairs, launched the consultation in a bid to "modernise the island's legislation". In Jersey last month, a move to introduce same-sex marriage was approved by the island's government. The draft legislation, which will be voted on separately, is due to come back to the States of Jersey by January 2017. In England and Wales, same-sex marriage became legal in March 2014.

Summary: Hundreds of people have given their backing to plans for same-sex couples to be legally recognised in Guernsey.


He was wounded and arrested in a dramatic raid in Brussels on 18 March after four months on the run. The 26-year-old French national was born in Brussels and lived there before the Paris attacks. He would be held in solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison in the Paris area, said Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas. The co-ordinated attacks carried out by so-called Islamic State in Paris on 13 November claimed 130 lives and left dozens more severely wounded. Belgium's federal prosecutor said Salah Abdeslam had been "surrendered to the French authorities this morning (in execution of the European Arrest Warrant issued by France on 19 March 2016)". He was then formally placed under arrest. Although he was initially held at a prison in Bruges, he had most recently been in custody at a high-security jail at Beveren, near Antwerp. Salah Abdeslam is charged in France with participation in terrorist murder and the activities of a terrorist organisation. He was also indicted by Belgian authorities last week over a shoot-out in the Forest area of Brussels in which four police were wounded, three days before he was arrested. Earlier, French criminal lawyer Frank Berton told French media that he would be taking on Salah Abdeslam's defence in France following a two-and-a-half-hour meeting between the two last Friday at Beveren. Mr Berton BFMTV (in French) he hoped the man would be judged "for what he has done and not what he has not done... not for what he represents because he is the last survivor". Most of the Paris attackers are now dead. Frank Berton has defended some high-profile clients in recent years: Florence Cassez, a Frenchwoman jailed in Mexico in 2007 for 60 years for kidnapping but controversially freed in 2013. She is alleged to have been part of the Zodiacs gang Dominique Cottrez, sentenced to nine years in prison in 2015 for killing eight of her newborn babies Daniel Legrand, found guilty of child sex offences in 2004 as part of the Outreau case; his conviction was later overturned in one of France's most notorious miscarriages of justice Mohamed Drici, jailed for involvement in Islamist attacks in 1995, in which 10 people were murdered Mr Berton described Salah Abdeslam as "falling apart because of the drama that unfolded in France" and said he wanted to explain his actions. He said he was aware of the risks in representing his client, but insisted "he has the right to a fair trial". Mr Abdeslam's Belgian lawyer, Sven Mary, has spoken of the dangers he faced in representing him - telling France's Liberation website (in French) that he was threatened, assaulted physically and verbally in his office, and that on occasion police had escorted his daughters to school. But Mr Mary also spoke disparagingly of his client, describing him as having the "intelligence of an empty ashtray".

Summary: Belgium has extradited Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam to face trial in France.


David Brickwood, 74, was stabbed five times in Northampton on 26 September in a "violent and dreadful" attack. One of his sons, Dale Brickwood, said the family was becoming "increasingly frustrated" the killers had not yet been brought to justice. Police said the case was "a priority" they were "committed" to solving. Mr Brickwood was attacked when several men broke into his Lindsay Avenue home in the early hours of the morning. He was left with multiple stab wounds to the head, leg and hand. The scrap metal dealer was known to keep money in his house. His son Dale said the family was not sure how much was taken but during a Crimewatch reconstruction on 8 February police appealed for "anyone [who has] come into contact with a large amount of old style £20 and £50 notes" to come forward. His son said watches and jewellery were also taken. The offenders would have been "covered in blood", officers said, but despite that, no-one has been charged. Two men arrested shortly after the murder were released with no further action. Three other men remain on bail. Mr Brickwood criticised Northamptonshire Police for a lack of communication, saying: "We seem to be finding information and giving it to them." The police "don't really talk to us", he added. Northamptonshire Police said two family liaison officers had been assigned plus a "dedicated team of detectives". Det Ch Insp Mick Graham, leading the investigation, said: "I can fully understand that the family and friends of David may be frustrated. "The investigation team share that frustration and empathise with David's family." He said there was "a lot of rumour and speculation locally", but added: "We need the people with the critical pieces of information and evidence to come forward." However, the family has been left "so demoralised" after the recent Crimewatch appeal failed to lead to further arrests, Dale Brickwood said. "It's disgusting. Five months after our dad was murdered and no-one's been caught. Where do we go from here?" Crimestoppers has offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Summary: The son of a man murdered at home five months ago has said his family is "demoralised" by the apparent lack of progress in the investigation.


Photographer Mustafa Saeed spent eight days travelling across in Somalia's self-declared republic of Somaliland with charity Save the Children, meeting pastoralist families whose lives have been ruined by drought. Thousands of children are malnourished, families have lost their livelihoods, and fathers are absent as they travel to sell what cattle they have left. Sixteen million people across Somalia (including Somaliland), Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan need food, water and medical treatment, according to the UK's Disasters and Emergency Committee. "These pastoralist families are representative of the many Somali families across the Horn of Africa who are affected by this drought," says Saeed. "Their livestock is their bank account - it is the currency that they depend on to live, and they have been watching their animals die. "They are still waiting for help, telling me about their needs for food, water, and shelter. "It was an emotionally exhausting experience, especially seeing the scale of the situation and knowing there are so many people out there who need our help. "But whatever difficulties I faced when taking these photos, I know it is nothing when compared to the emotional state of these families who are suffering from the drought." After most of her livestock died, Shukri came, with two of her three children, to Burao and settled in the area surrounding the local airport in the hope that her few surviving sheep could find pasture. "We came here hoping to feed our livestock," she says, "But the grass was finished and our livestock died. Now, we have to remain here. We have nothing left." Many pastoralists are abandoning their nomadic lives as herders and making their way to small urban centres such as Ainabo, hoping to receive food aid from the local communities and international organisations. Fardus says: "After our livestock died, we were left with nothing to eat, We have no food, no water, and no proper shelter. We have nothing. I came here so that my children might have something to eat." Saado travelled from the drought-stricken eastern region of Somaliland, after a 100 of her livestock died, and settled with her four children in the west of the country, near the town of Dilla. More of her livestock died here, and her remaining 50 sheep and goats are too weak to produce milk or to sell at the market. Saado and her children are eating one meal of rice per day. Her youngest daughter has been diagnosed with malnutrition at a recent health screening. "Our biggest need now is food," says Saado. "We need to get food so that my children can get stronger." "We used to be pastoralists and then the drought happened and we lost all but a few of our livestock, so we came here," says Khadra. "Everyone here who has lost their livestock has been through a lot. We have no homes, just these makeshift tents. Some of the local shops have lent us food, and recently some organisations have been helping us." Deeqa's family has lost a 100 head of cattle, and the few surviving

Summary: All photographs by Mustafa Saeed


The visitors had led in the first half when David Davis reacted fastest to tuck in the rebound after Adam Bogdan saved Clayton Donaldson's penalty. Earlier, Donaldson had hit the post for Blues, and David Cotterill nearly made it 2-0 after half-time but hit the bar. Wigan went close through Nick Powell before Davies turned in from close range, but the Blues remain unbeaten. Despite Wigan controlling possession, Birmingham created the better chances and could have gone ahead when Jacques Maghoma's shot was palmed out by Bogdan into the path of the on-rushing Donaldson, but the Jamaican's instinctive effort struck the woodwork. After the Wigan keeper brought Donaldson down in the area, he got down low to save the striker's resultant spot-kick but Davis was too quick to the rebound and coolly finished. Powell was then denied by Birmingham stopper Tomasz Kuszczak after half-time and the Blues looked set for their second away win in four days, before Davies' late leveller. The result leaves Blues one point above the Latics in the table and without a defeat in seven league games, having drawn six of them. Wigan manager Gary Caldwell: "There was one team that tried to win it. They got gifted a goal from not our doing and we had to chase a game against a team that likes to pack the defence and counter attack which is never easy. I thought we controlled the situation really well and if anything deserved to win the game so it's a bit of frustration." "The rule is you can't go in the box until the ball's hit, it's clear. I would just like them to own it up at times to say 'I've made a mistake'. It would help. "It's the sheer defiance that there's nothing wrong when really there is something wrong. A goal could have been avoided. I felt he was marginally offside as well. You can't get that many things wrong in a football match as important as this." Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett: "I couldn't see it, I wish he had (encroached) because I'm sure Clayton would have scored with the retaken one. "Eight weeks ago the goalkeeper would have been sent off but now it's the double jeopardy rules. A point I think was a fair reflection of the game. They are a good side Wigan, I think they'll have a good season. I'm sure. "I'm quite enthused at the start. There will be a lot of teams that will panicking a little bit after three games and wondering what work they need to do in the final few weeks of the transfer window. I'm quite pleased with the way we've started the season." Match ends, Wigan Athletic 1, Birmingham City 1. Second Half ends, Wigan Athletic 1, Birmingham City 1. Attempt missed. Yanic Wildschut (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Dan Burn with a headed pass. Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Greg Stewart. Shaun MacDonald (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Clayton

Summary: Wigan Athletic rescued a late point through Craig Davies to deny Birmingham City a second consecutive victory.


The Reverend James Percival, 66, and Ruth Percival, 29 from Freckleton were arrested on suspicion of child neglect but will not face charges, police said. They were previously held on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child but also face no further action for those offences. It followed reports of a woman giving birth to a stillborn baby in 2014. A post-mortem examination was carried out on the baby but the cause of death remains unascertained. A spokesperson for Blackburn Diocese said they "note the police decision not to charge the former vicar of Freckleton and his daughter". "The Diocese has provided pastoral support to the family and will continue to do so as and when required." Lancashire Police said: "They both answered bail today and, following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, have been told they will face no charges." Det Supt Sue Clarke, who led the investigation for the force's major investigation team, said it had been an "extremely complex and sensitive enquiry". "We have worked very closely with the Crown Prosecution Service from the very early stages... and we respect the decision they have made not to bring any charges," she said. Det Supt Clarke said police "recognise the impact that such investigations can have on all those concerned" but were "duty-bound to thoroughly investigate incidents" and stressed that those arrested "have been dealt with professionally and sensitively throughout". The wife of Mr Percival, of Holy Trinity Church, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child but was released with no further action.

Summary: A vicar and his daughter will face no further action following the death of a baby boy in Lancashire.


Strachan received the backing of the SFA board last week despite his side sitting fifth place in their World Cup qualifying group. Speculation had linked Sunderland manager Moyes with the job. "I don't think there's anybody out there who could do a better job than Gordon Strachan," said Moyes, whose side beat Hull City 3-0 on Saturday. The Scot had been under pressure in the first year of his own four-year contract with the English Premier League club. But the win over Hull lifts Sunderland above Swansea City and off the bottom of the table. Moyes has often said that he would like to manage his country at some point but was unhappy to be linked with the role with Strachan still in post. "Quite rightly so that they kept Gordon on, because he's got a limited group to choose from," said the former Everton, Manchester United and Real Sociedad boss. "I think Scotland did well against England. I think that the score flattered England a little bit. "And I think Gordon's working with the tools he's got and deserves to be in the position." Scotland's 3-0 defeat by the English at Wembley left the Scots six points behind the Group F leaders and four adrift of second-top Slovenia. However, Ross County winger Chris Burke, who has seven Scotland caps, thinks Strachan's side can still finish second and secure a play-off place. "The way we have to look at it is - are we going to finish first, or did we think we were going to finish first?" he told BBC Scotland. "No, we weren't. Realistically, we were looking at coming second and is that still a possibility? Of course it is. "It is only four points and the team that are in second are coming next to Hampden and, if we beat them, it is back on. "One thing about Gordon is he is a fantastic coach and I've learned so much in my game when I was at the age of 30 when he introduced me back into the Scotland squad." Former Scotland left-back Gary Naysmith agreed about Strachan's qualities. "Everybody says on the training pitch, you won't find anyone better," said the East Fife manager. "I've never heard one person say anything bad about Gordon Strachan's coaching. "I thought there was a lot of optimism from the England game, but I can also understand when you look at the statistics why some of the fans are wanting a change. "But you hear what David Moyes had to say there - another manager would have the same group of players. "By Gordon staying, he obviously believes we can still qualify, because I firmly believe that, if he didn't think they could qualify or get into second place, he would have walked out the door."

Summary: David Moyes thinks the Scottish FA did the right thing by retaining Gordon Strachan as national head coach.


Dr Hill, who started to log runs on 20 December 1964, finished Manchester's 5km Heaton Park parkrun earlier. The 76 year old, who lives in Hyde but grew up in Accrington, Lancashire, has competed in three Olympic Games and has won gold at the Commonwealth Games. The distance recorded in his log book adds up to 160,000 miles, or running around the world more than six times. After a "disastrous" Olympics in Tokyo, he said he started running daily to "get the best out of myself". He said: "Once you get into the habit of it, you just do it. Just get wrapped up and get out the door. "It's [my] advice to everybody - just start running and within five minutes you're in your stride and probably enjoying it." Dr Hill was the first British runner to win the Boston marathon. In later years he went into business, setting up a sportswear company. He set several world records during his career, including a 2:09:28 time at the 1970 Commonwealth Games marathon in Edinburgh. The organisers of the Heaton Park parkrun said they were "honoured that he has chosen to celebrate this milestone with us".

Summary: Former Olympian Ron Hill has completed his ambitious goal of running at least a mile a day for 50 years.


Performers dressed as cartoon characters popular in the west were seen dancing on state TV, along with violin players in miniskirts. Pyongyang has long taken pains to keep popular culture out of its media. This seems to be the first time that Disney characters have been featured in the reclusive state. A Disney spokesperson told the Associated Press news agency that it had not licensed or authorised the use of the characters in the show. 'Grandiose plan' The concert was staged by the Moranbong band as its debut performance on Friday, reported state media KCNA. The band was put together by Kim Jong-un, who has a ''grandiose plan to bring about a dramatic turn in the field of literature and arts this year", state media said. North Korean entertainment has traditionally featured nationalist or folk songs, and mass displays. In recent years, reports say, children in the isolated country have become familiar with characters such as Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh through stationery items and clothes imported from China, North Korea's closest ally. It seems to point to an easing of North Korea's paranoia about what it calls spiritual pollution from the West, and even more dangerously, South Korea, says the BBC's Charles Scanlon. It is still illegal to watch South Korean television programmes in North Korea. But a recent report based on interviews with refugees said that North Koreans now have more access to outside media, especially DVDs of popular South Korean drama serials. The young leader, who took power following the death of his father, Kim Jong-il in December 2011, has been seen as attempting to make changes to the profile of the North Korean leadership. Mr Kim, believed to be in his late 20s, made his first public speech in April, in a 20-minute televised address as Pyongyang marks the centenary of the birth of the country's founder, his grandfather, Kim Il-sung. Kim Jong-il is thought to have made one recorded public utterance in his 18-year rule - and that was a single sentence.

Summary: Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters have shown up on stage in North Korea in a concert for leader Kim Jong-un, raising some eyebrows.


MSPs are to examine what long-term impact the 2014 Commonwealth Games has had in increasing participation and access to sport. Committee convener Neil Findlay said members wanted to find out why "a large proportion of the population" does not take part in more physical activity. The committee has also set up an online survey to gather views from the public. They will hold a round-table session in February to take evidence from people involved in the provision of sports facilities, clubs and activities, as well as a series of fact-finding visits. Mr Findlay said: "What we want to determine almost three years after the Commonwealth Games were held in Scotland is the impact on the number of people taking part in sport. Most importantly, has it led to an increase in participation, and what more can be done to improve Scotland's relationship with sport? "January is always a time when thoughts turn to New Year's resolutions and getting fitter after the indulgence of the Christmas period. We thought this was an opportune time to ask people in Scotland why they don't or can't take part in sport and the barriers they face whether it be access, money or other reasons? "Our committee wants to understand what motivates people to take part in sport but more importantly why a large proportion of our population doesn't undertake as much physical activity as they could." During the most recent session of questions to the first minister, Mr Findlay pressed Nicola Sturgeon on how "cutting the sport budget as proposed in the draft budget will encourage more people in working class communities to engage in sport". Ms Sturgeon replied: "We support sport in many ways, such as our investment in facilities, through school sport and through major events. The issue is about the different ways in which we support people who take part in activity. "One thing that we have to do is to get young people into the habit of activity and sport at a much earlier age. That is why the daily mile, which I mentioned earlier and which is such a simple thing, is potentially transformational. "Not that long ago, I was at a school in Edinburgh where it was not the primary school kids but the nursery school kids who were doing the daily mile. All those things taken together are vital and, frankly, whatever our political disagreements, all of us in the chamber should be able to get behind that."

Summary: Holyrood's health and sport committee has launched an inquiry into barriers to accessing sport in Scotland.


The 17-year-old was fired at from point blank range on her school bus in 2012. It was her punishment for keeping a written diary about her life under Taliban rule, which was broadcast by the BBC. After recovering from her injuries, she took her campaign global. She believed girls had the right to stay in school to be educated, which the Taliban was against. "My message for children all around the world is that they should stand up for their rights," Malala Yousafzai told a press conference in Birmingham. She also revealed that she was in a chemistry class when a teacher told her she had won the award. The prestigious Nobel Prize is the highest accolade in the academic world, created in 1901 by Swedish inventor and manufacturer Alfred Nobel. This year Malala shares the prize with Indian child rights campaigner, Kailash Satyarthi. The Nobel Prize is decided by a committee of five people in Norway. Thousands of people are nominated each year and the list is long and often secretive. The award has been won by US presidents, world campaigners and even the European Union's won it. Before Malala the youngest person to receive a Nobel Prize was Sir William Lawrence Bragg at the age of 25 for physics in 1915. Bragg and his father, Sir William Henry Bragg, won the award jointly for their work with X-ray spectra, X-ray diffraction and crystal structure. Malala, who now lives in Birmingham, has become well known for her education campaign work. She spent her 16th birthday giving a speech to the UN and Angelina Jolie set up a Malala Fund as a charity to help girls in education. Dedicated to her work, the teenager has said in the past that she doesn't use social media so she can focus on her studies. School friends of Malala, Shazia Ramzan and Kainat Riaz, who were also injured in gun cross-fire on the school bus in Pakistan, told Newsbeat: "We are very proud about the award." The young women, who now study in the UK, talked about the freedom they now enjoy and how Malala "likes to play tennis, read books and listens to slow, classical music". Shazia Ramzan added: "In my city [in Pakistan] girls' education is improved because of Malala." The Nobel Peace Prize is one of five awards; the other categories are chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine and literature. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Teenager Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan, who was shot in the head by the Taliban, has become the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize.


Robbie Hall opened the scoring for Oxford before a first-half own goal from Yellows keeper Simon Eastwood levelled. Defender Kelly then headed the hosts in front - his first goal for the Dons - and after an eventful second half, Wimbledon saw the game out to get their play-off push back on track. Hall struck after seven minutes, darting inside and hitting a powerful dipping strike from 25 yards into the bottom corner. But the hosts were back level six minutes later, Dean Parrett crashing a fierce drive off the crossbar which hit the desperately unlucky Eastwood on the back and dribbled in. Wimbledon were in front in the 28th minute after a Parrett corner was met by a towering Kelly header. The Dons were rampant after the break, with Lyle Taylor and Dom Poleon guilty of spurning multiple opportunities to extend their lead, but in the end it did not matter. Report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, AFC Wimbledon 2, Oxford United 1. Second Half ends, AFC Wimbledon 2, Oxford United 1. Attempt blocked. Alfie Egan (AFC Wimbledon) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Robert Hall (Oxford United). Sean Kelly (AFC Wimbledon) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Sean Kelly (AFC Wimbledon). Robert Hall (Oxford United) wins a free kick on the right wing. Attempt blocked. Kane Hemmings (Oxford United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Dominic Poleon (AFC Wimbledon) is shown the yellow card. Foul by Dominic Poleon (AFC Wimbledon). Marvin Johnson (Oxford United) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Substitution, Oxford United. Joe Rothwell replaces Ryan Taylor. Dominic Poleon (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by John Lundstram (Oxford United). Foul by Jake Reeves (AFC Wimbledon). Chris Maguire (Oxford United) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Attempt saved. Chris Whelpdale (AFC Wimbledon) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Attempt missed. Marvin Johnson (Oxford United) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left misses to the right. Attempt blocked. Chris Maguire (Oxford United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Alfie Egan replaces Dean Parrett. Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Chris Whelpdale replaces Lyle Taylor. Substitution, Oxford United. Liam Sercombe replaces Ryan Ledson. Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Philip Edwards. Marvin Johnson (Oxford United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Barry Fuller (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Marvin Johnson (Oxford United). Dominic Poleon (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Kane Hemmings (Oxford United). Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Tyrone Barnett replaces Tom Elliott. Attempt missed. Ryan Taylor (Oxford United) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Curtis Nelson. Attempt blocked. Jake Reeves (AFC Wimbledon) right footed shot from outside the box

Summary: Sean Kelly scored a rare goal as AFC Wimbledon put their disappointing festive period behind them and came from behind to beat Oxford 2-1.


The Labour leader told activists during a speech in Bedford: "Every single person in our country could make the difference in this election." He warned that the NHS faced "savage cuts" and a "financial time bomb". He promised to "keep going to the last minutes of the last hours of this campaign to rescue the NHS." The best of BBC News' Election 2015 specials

Summary: Ed Miliband has made a plea for people to come out and vote on 7 May, claiming the race to govern "is going to be one of the closest we've ever seen".


The USA had taken a one-point lead into the final day at Nairn with the scores at 6.5-5.5. However, the home players won the final day's play by 5-3, with Northern Ireland's Stephanie Meadow scoring the crucial point as she beat Amy Anderson. It means Europe or Great Britain and Ireland hold all the major trophies they compete for against the USA. The Curtis Cup joins the Ryder, Solheim and Walker Cups on this side of the Atlantic for the first time in golf history. Britain and Ireland 10.5 - 9.5 United States Singles Kelly Tidy (B&I) def. Austin Ernst (US) 2&1 Amy Boulden (B&I) def. Emily Tubert (US) 3&1 Holly Clyburn (B&I) def. Erica Popson (US) 3&2 Lisa McCloskey (US) def. Pamela Pretswell (B&I) 4&3 Tiffany Lua (US) def. Bronte Law (B&I) 2 up Charley Hull (B&I) def. Lindy Duncan (US) 5&3 Stephanie Meadow (B&I) def. Amy Anderson (US) 4&2 Brooke Pancake (US) def. Leona Maguire (B&I) 6&5

Summary: Great Britain and Ireland ended a 16-year wait for Curtis Cup glory by beating the United States.


The World Athletics Gala was scheduled for Saturday, 28 November in Monaco. However, Lord Coe, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, said: "This is not the time for the athletics family to be gathering in celebration of our sport." The male and female athletes of the year will now be announced online. Coe added: "We will rightly still honour the outstanding achievements of the sport's athletes. "Therefore the athlete of the year and other annual honours will still be awarded and will be promoted and announced on the internet and social media. "The IAAF will seek a suitable occasion in the future for the presentation of these awards to be made to the winners." British distance runner Mo Farah, who won the 5,000m and 10,000m double at the World Championships, is nominated for the athlete of the year award. Among others, Farah is joined on the list by Jamaica's Usain Bolt, who claimed the 100m and 200m sprint double in Beijing and Dutch sprinter Dafne Schippers, who won 200m gold and 100m silver. The gala is run by the IAAF's own charitable foundation and Coe had to ask the foundation to cancel it, as it is not under the IAAF's control. Diack remains under investigation by French prosecutors, with the 82-year-old under suspicion of receiving money in 2011 in return for deferring sanctions against Russian athletes who failed drug tests. Diack, who was IAAF president from 1999 to August of this year, is yet to comment on the allegations. Meanwhile, four men, including the son of former president Lamine Diack, have been charged by the IAAF with breaching its code of ethics.

Summary: Athletics' annual awards ceremony has been cancelled by the sport's governing body in the wake of investigations into former president Lamine Diack.


Chris King, 57, of Doncaster, lost both hands, except his thumbs, in an accident at work four years ago. He had the complex operation at Leeds General Infirmary in July. The Leeds Rhinos fan is also looking forward to being able to clap when he goes to watch the rugby league team. Live updates and more stories from South Yorkshire Mr King can now do a range of tasks, including writing, making a cup of tea and gardening, and has progressed faster than his surgeon anticipated. He next hopes to tie his own shoelaces and button up his shirt. "It's been going fantastically," he said. "I can make a fist, I can hold a pen, I can do more or less the same functions as I could with my original hands." Mr King's accident involved a metal pressing machine and left him close to death. A team of "unsung heroes" at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital saved his life and enabled the later transplant surgery, he said. Professor Simon Kay, a consultant plastic surgeon, performed Mr King's double transplant. The hospital is hoping the procedure could one day be as routine as a kidney transplant. Mr King said he wanted to again thank the family of the person who donated the hands. He also encouraged others to become donors and provide "this wonderful gift".

Summary: The first person in the UK to have a double hand transplant has written a letter of thanks to his surgeon, nine months after his pioneering operation.


The reconstruction shows the brain's anatomy in microscopic detail, enabling researchers to see features smaller than a strand of hair. It will be made freely available to neuroscientists to help them in their research. The model has been published in the journal Science. The research team had to slice 7,400 sections from the brain of a deceased 65-year-old woman, each half the thickness of a human hair. The team then had to stain each slice to bring out the anatomical detail and scan them into the computer in high definition. The final step was to reassemble the scanned slices inside the computer. In all, 80 billion neurons have been captured in this painstaking process which took 10 years to complete. The result is a 3D high definition digital brain into which researchers can zoom to study areas of interest in microscopic detail. One of the researchers involved, Prof Katrin Amunts from the Julich Research Centre in Germany, said that it was "like using Google Earth. You can see details that are not visible before we had this 3D reconstruction". Another member of the team, Prof Alan Evans of McGill University in Canada, described the achievement as a "technical tour de force". Among the neuroscientists who will be using Big Brain is Prof Paul Fletcher, a psychiatrist at Cambridge University who is scanning the brains of patients to learn more about eating disorders. Big Brain, he says, goes a "step further" than the best scans he can obtain by enabling him to see details at the level at which brain computations take place. "We will be able to study the responses seen in people and map it on to an atlas that goes close to the individual layers of the brain's cortex, to the very cells themselves". Big Brain is one among many recent big neuroscience initiatives. Researchers in the US have recently begun a Â£24m Human Connectome Project which involves incredibly detailed scans to show the connections between important areas of the brain. A few weeks ago President Obama announced a Â£64m initiative to map the human brain to help find cures for disorders such as Alzheimer's. And the European Union has proposed a billion pound programme that will in effect create a brain from scratch using computer technology. Among the biggest investors in brain research is the Wellcome Trust which invests Â£80m each year in the field. According to its head of neuroscience and mental health Dr John Williams, the drive behind the large increase in funding is concern over an ageing population in industrialised countries "Disorders of the brain and mind such as dementia and schizophrenia and depression are a major burden on society. "For a funder like Wellcome the challenge is how we build knowledge that will allow us to develop drugs and therapies that can help patients and their families." Follow Pallab on Twitter

Summary: Researchers have created the first high-resolution 3D digital model of the human brain, which they have called "Big Brain".


The Italian announced on Friday that he was willing to agree a takeover with supporters and forgo any profit. The supporters' group said on Tuesday that they believed Cellino would sell them the club for £30m. "We've been informed by the lawyers of Cellino he no longer wishes to sell to Leeds fans," LFU said in a statement. "Our insistence on him confirming his verbal offer of exclusivity in a legally binding agreement has forced transparency on his motives. It is much better that we identify this insincerity now before we spend our shareholders' money. "This exercise has proved our capacity to adapt to any acquisition scenario very quickly. We now know we have the capacity to do both a minority and majority deal, and it has shown that Leeds fans have a desire for fan ownership. "We hope that Massimo will treat the club and fans with respect and honour." Cellino, who is appealing against a second Football League ban, said at the start of the week he would no longer attend matches at Elland Road. The Whites are 17th in the second tier after winning their first home match since 4 March against Cardiff on Tuesday.

Summary: Leeds United chairman Massimo Cellino has told Leeds Fans United he no longer wishes to sell them his majority stake in the club.


Sarah Papachristophorou admitted supplying substances to the victim, 77, and stealing up to Â£1,000 from him. The 47-year-old, who worked as a nurse for more than 20 years, was sacked from her job at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital following the allegations. She was caught when the victim's relatives set up a secret camera. CCTV showing her taking cash was played at her Birmingham Crown Court sentencing. The former health worker had also pleaded guilty to supplying the man, who was a family friend, with zopiclone, tramadol and diazepam. She had taken the class C drugs from her work, which the sentencing judge described as "a gross breach of ethics". Papachristophorou's barrister Daniel Church asked for a suspended jail term, adding the former nurse, of Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, had shown genuine remorse. But Judge Philip Parker QC said the aggravating features of the case were "odious and despicable" and jailed the married mother of two for 12 months. A spokesman for the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust said Papachristophorou no longer worked for the organisation, having been dismissed on 10 May.

Summary: An NHS hospital nurse who supplied a man with prescription drugs taken from her workplace has been jailed for what a judge called "despicable" crimes.


The now famous photo was taken during a speech in the capital, Bangui, and has been tweeted more than 100,000 times. Tweeters have been making thousands of imaginary rap lyrics, known as bars, under the hashtag #PopeBars. The Pope was in the CAR as part of a three-nation tour to Africa which also took him to Kenya and Uganda. The visit was Pope Francis' first to the continent and he spent six days in the three countries where he was greeted by thousands of the faithful. In Bangui he also addressed Muslim worshippers in a mosque where he said that "Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters". The country has experienced after nearly three years of violence between Christians and Muslims. After the Pope left the CAR for Rome, Twitter users began to imagine what subjects the pontiff could be rapping about: Read more about the Pope's visit to Africa:

Summary: A photo of Pope Francis has gone viral on social media after he was captured in a classic rapper pose during a visit to the Central African Republic (CAR).


The 83-year-old has long complained at being named as prince rather than king. It had been expected that the pair would be buried together in a specially-designed sarcophagus at Roskilde Cathedral. The queen, 77, is said to have accepted her husband's decision. "It is no secret that the prince for many years has been unhappy with his role and the title he has been awarded in the Danish monarchy," the Royal Danish House's director of communications told the tabloid BT. "For the prince, the decision not to be buried beside the queen is the natural consequence of not having been treated equally to his spouse - by not having the title and role he has desired." Born Henri Marie Jean AndrÃ© de Laborde de Monpezat in France in 1934, he and the queen have two sons. Henrik retired from public life last year. The royal house said despite rumours to the contrary the prince wants to be buried in Denmark rather than France.

Summary: Prince Henrik of Denmark will not be buried next to his wife Queen Margrethe, royal officials say, with the prince unhappy at never being designated her equal.


Public policy researcher Dr Mark Lang said his study in Pontypool, Torfaen, showed real diversity within a single town. What this type of "deep place" research does is look in fine detail at different neighbourhoods and avoid generalisations with both stereotypes and statistics. He believes looking at economic data on too-wide a scale can miss entrenched pockets of poverty within communities, which on the face of it look to be doing well. "Pontypool is a real mixture of people clearly with little money and people who are relatively affluent, living in close proximity," he said. "Many of those who don't have a great deal of resources use the town centre while those who do have, tend by and large not to come here. As a focus of community attention, I think that's a shame." Dr Lang, who has published similar work about Tredegar, is hoping the approach can help create jobs and revitalise town centres. Pontypool is a town with a population of about 23,400, six miles south of the Blaenavon world heritage site. Its iron forging dates back to Tudor times and the "Pontypool front row" were Wales rugby stars the 1970s. Nearly 3,700 people live on the Trevethin estate, over the Afon Lwyd river, which stands on a hill overlooking the town centre, a mile away. More than half of those are in a part of the estate - classified as "Trevethin 1" - which all figures point to as being the poorest area. It also has the densest population and the largest proportion (28.3%) of under-15s. POCKETS OF POVERTY Source: All Around Us - The Pontypool Deep Place Study When looking at relative economic deprivation, Wales is split up into 1,900 different districts. "Trevethin 1" is classed as 35th most deprived in this often-used index. Three other districts in Pontypool come into the top 20% most deprived in Wales. Trevethin also scores 22nd worst in Wales when it comes to health factors. A total of 60% of housing in Trevethin is rented. There is plenty of visible work going on to improve housing by Bron Afon, the social enterprise which has rented homes in place of the council for the past eight years. Torfaen council, with £8.2m from the Welsh Government's Vibrant and Viable places programme, has earmarked money for housing improvements and regenerating town centre properties. This report points to the link between poverty and rent arrears - and there are 5,475 homes owing money in Trevethin. At the heart of the report is the argument that local solutions are needed to tackle these very local problems. This means "far greater empowerment" of people and local communities. VIEWS FROM THE MARKET STALLS A key part of the report looked at Pontypool town centre, which "needs to be designed as the heart of the community" and its future prosperity will depend on local people's continued relationship with it. This includes a "concerted effort" to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour to make it a place to go in the evenings. Pontypool Indoor Market dates back more than 120 years but

Summary: Sometimes living in Wales it is too easy to look around and conclude there are simply "rich" areas and "poor" areas.


Ym mis Ionawr, fe bleidleisiodd y cyngor sir i ollwng y ffrwd Saesneg yn Ysgol Llangennech ger Llanelli. Yn ystod y ddadl honno fe gyfeiriodd un cynghorydd Llafur at y penderfyniad fel "arwahanu" ac fel "apartheid ar ei waethaf", tra bod un ymgyrchydd blaenllaw wedi awgrymu y gallai pobl sy'n anhapus "groesi'r ffin". Yn ystod sesiwn holi'r Prif Weinidog yn y Senedd, fe gyhuddodd arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood rhai aelodau Llafur o weithio gydag UKIP mewn ymgyrch yn erbyn y newidiadau. Dywedodd Mr Jones: "Mae yna rai sylwadau sydd wedi cael eu gwneud gan wleidyddion nad wyf yn cytuno â nhw. "Rwyf wedi gweld y sylwadau hynny ac yr wyf yn credu ei fod yn hynod o bwysig nawr bod pobl yn tawelu, a bod y gwenwyndra rydym wedi ei brofi yn lleihau." "Lle Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin ydy hi i egluro'r penderfyniadau a wnaed ganddynt yn Llangennech." Ychwanegodd Mr Jones fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i gyrraedd targed o 1m o siaradwyr Cymraeg.

Summary: Mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi galw ar bobl i bwyllo yn y ffrae chwerw dros y penderfyniad i newid statws iaith ysgol gynradd yn Sir Gaerfyrddin.


In a game of few chances, Yeovil were denied what would have been the winning goal in the second half when Tom Eaves' header hit the crossbar. Exeter went close in the first half when Reuben Reid was put through on goal, with Artur Krysiak forced to rush out and clear the danger. Ollie Watkins also threatened for the visitors when his fierce drive from 25 yards only just passed the crossbar. There were bizarre scenes at the end of the opening period as a whistle from the crowd was mistaken by everyone for the half-time signal. It resulted in mass confusion around Huish Park as referee Tim Robinson was forced to bring the players back onto the pitch before playing the remaining few seconds of the half. Yeovil had a penalty claim turned down early in the second after the ball appeared to strike the arm of Exeter's Jordan Moore-Taylor in the box. There then followed a golden chance for Yeovil when Ryan Dickson found Eaves with a peach of a cross, but the header looped past the helpless Christy Pym and cannoned off the bar. Substitute Liam McAlinden went close for the visitors in the closing stages but Krysiak was equal to his shot. Report supplied by the Press Association Match ends, Yeovil Town 0, Exeter City 0. Second Half ends, Yeovil Town 0, Exeter City 0. Foul by Otis Khan (Yeovil Town). Joel Grant (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Tom Eaves (Yeovil Town) is shown the yellow card. Foul by Otis Khan (Yeovil Town). Jake Taylor (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Tom Eaves (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Ryan Harley (Exeter City). Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Ryan Dickson. Liam Shephard (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Joel Grant (Exeter City). Nathan Smith (Yeovil Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Nathan Smith (Yeovil Town). Jake Taylor (Exeter City) wins a free kick on the right wing. Corner, Yeovil Town. Conceded by Jack Stacey. Substitution, Exeter City. Joel Grant replaces Lee Holmes. Substitution, Yeovil Town. Francois Zoko replaces Ben Whitfield. Matt Butcher (Yeovil Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Matt Butcher (Yeovil Town). Ryan Harley (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. Tom Eaves (Yeovil Town) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Attempt saved. Liam McAlinden (Exeter City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Alex Lawless (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Ollie Watkins (Exeter City). Foul by Ryan Dickson (Yeovil Town). Lloyd James (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Liam McAlinden (Exeter City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Alex Lacey (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Liam

Summary: Yeovil and Exeter played out an uninspiring goalless draw at Huish Park.


Mkhitaryan, 27, signed for £26m from Borussia Dortmund but was left out of the side repeatedly until recently. But in his third successive start, he struck his first United goal in their Europa League win over Zorya Luhansk. "He worked really hard physically, tactically and we know the talent is there," said Mourinho, 53. Mkhitaryan was a substitute in United's opening-day win at Bournemouth but was hauled off at half-time in his first league start at Manchester City in September and did not feature again in the Premier League until late November. During the Armenian's absence, Mourinho said the midfielder needed time to adapt to the English game and called on the 2015-16 Bundesliga players' player of the year to "do more". "He has a strong mentality," Mourinho added. "He was very determined to fight against his difficult adaptation, and he's doing that in the best way. "He fought to improve tactically, he fought to improve physically, and now he is playing good in the Premier League, good in the Europa League and the EFL Cup, and now evolving a bit more happiness for him, so I'm very pleased." Mkhitaryan's excellent run and finish put United ahead in Ukraine and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's late strike sent them into Monday's last-32 draw as Group A runners-up behind Fenerbahce. Mourinho rested several players including goalkeeper David De Gea and his stand-in Sergio Romero was visibly surprised when a firecracker landed in his six-yard box during the first half. "Maybe Uefa is not happy and maybe Uefa now takes some money from Zorya, which I think Zorya doesn't deserve," added Mourinho.

Summary: Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has praised Henrikh Mkhitaryan's fighting qualities in adapting to his summer move to Old Trafford.


Joseph Romano was one of 23 Americans tried and sentenced by Italian courts for kidnap over the CIA-led operation to abduct a cleric known as Abu Omar. The Egyptian said he was flown to his home country and tortured there. Mr Napolitano's office cited what it said were changes to US security policy undertaken by President Barack Obama. It said Mr Obama had "immediately after his election, put an end to an approach to the challenges to national security... considered by Italy and the European Union not compatible with fundamental principles of rule of law". It added that the Italian president "hoped to provide a solution to an affair considered by the United States to be without precedent because of the conviction of a US military officer of Nato for deeds committed on Italian soil". The statement said the decision to pardon Col Romano was inspired by the same principle that Italy hoped to see used in the case of two Italian marines facing murder charges in India over the shooting of two fishermen. Abu Omar was subject to the process known as extraordinary rendition, through which the CIA transferred terrorism suspects to countries that practised torture. The policy was increasingly used in the wake of the 11 September, 2001 attacks in the US. Italian courts convicted 22 CIA personnel over the Abu Omar case. All are believed to be living in the US and are unlikely to serve their sentences. Col Romano was the only American convicted who was not a CIA employee. At the time of the rendition, he was in charge of the northern Italian military air base at Aviano, where Abu Omar was flown before continuing to Egypt via Germany. The Italian trials, which began in 2007, were the first to convict Americans over extraordinary rendition. Last month, a court in Milan sentenced Italy's former intelligence chief Nicolo Pollari to 10 years in prison, and his former deputy, Marco Mancini, to nine years, over the Abu Omar case. Both are expected to appeal.

Summary: Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has pardoned a US Air Force colonel convicted in absentia over the rendition of an Egyptian imam in 2003.


The company plans to invest £15m in the facility to accommodate larger tankers of up to 120,000 tonnes' capacity. Currently, most tankers docking in Irish ports are 15,000 to 20,000 tonnes in capacity. LCC said increased capacity "could lead to energy cost savings for businesses and consumers in the future". Cloghan Point Oil has a jetty which stretches more than 1km into Belfast Lough to a point with a depth of 17 metres water draft. It has been sold by AES, the US energy company which owns Kilroot and Ballylumford power stations. Daniel Loughran, director at LCC Group, said: "We will soon be able to bring in larger tankers from around the world, including the US, the Middle East and South America. "This hasn't been possible to date, so the local market has been limited in where it can source oil. "Being able to dock vessels of this size will bring significant benefits to consumers and industry in the long-run, as the increase in supply logistics and efficiencies should lead to a reduction in price that can be passed on to the end user." LCC also owns an oil terminal at Maydown as well as having interest in electricity and gas distribution and the Go petrol station chain. In 2015 the company made a pre-tax profit of £13.5m on turnover of £544m.

Summary: LCC, the Cookstown-based energy firm, has bought the Cloghan Point oil terminal near Carrickfergus in a multi-million pound deal.


Lodsys has said that Rovio and other developers violated its patents with games on Apple's iOS platform and Google's Android. Lodsys is embroiled in lawsuits with other big technology companies, including Apple. Rovio said it had not received any direct contact regarding the complaint. "As soon as we receive more information we will take appropriate action," a spokesperson said. Angry Birds is one of the most popular game applications. Rovio marketing chief Peter Vesterbacka said last week that the game had surpassed 300 million downloads. Lodsys, a company that licenses patents but does not have any other business, added five new defendants to a suit filed in May with a US district court in Texas. Along with Rovio, it named Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive which makes Grand Theft Auto, Atari and others in the list of companies it says are violating its patents. Take-Two declined to comment. Electronic Arts and Atari were not immediately available for comment.

Summary: Rovio, the Finnish maker of the Angry Birds game, is being sued by a licensing company for infringing its patents.


Vivien Ayling was driving to work along the A27 when she says the jet crashed on the road beside her. She told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I saw this plane coming towards me and I thought 'Gosh, he's really low, is that allowed?' "And then all of a sudden he got lower and I thought 'He's going to come straight into me' and then he veered off to my right and he just smacked straight on to the opposite carriageway to me, and then there was this massive great fireball and smoke went up." The aftermath was "like a bomb exploding", she said, adding: "I decided to drive on through it - it fortunately went over my head. "I stopped, looked back and thought there's going to be another explosion with all this aviation fuel around so I thought what do I do? So I thought best get out of there. "You don't know what you'd do in that situation. I did what I felt was right in a split second." She believes pilot Andy Hill was trying to avoid the road: "He obviously was trying to get to the field rather to land on them, on the road. That's probably why he veered off and didn't end up in my carriageway." Dave Hampton was at the air show with his family. "We were behind the marquee at the time, having a picnic and we had literally turned up 10 minutes before," he said. "We saw the Hawker Hunter fly over the marquee, we saw it fly up, then we saw it almost turn around to come back. "Our two boys who are very passionate about planes asked where the plane was and we said it would be along in a minute when we heard what sounded like a sonic boom - it sounded like the plane had broken the sound barrier. "People around us then started standing up and saying 'Oh my God, it's come down' and at that time we looked over and we saw the big plume of smoke coming over the marquee." Gairo Gomez, who works at the nearby Ricardo Technological Centre, said the whole building shook. "I saw the plane going down. I heard a huge bang and the glass was shaking and the doors were banging, the whole building was shaking. "I saw some smoke later on, but at the time I didn't realise what had happened." Archie Tipple was a spectator at the event. "We were stood on a footbridge by the Red Lion Inn, about 300m from the A27. "I was photographing the aircraft as it started its display and as it climbed and climbed and climbed I thought, this is pretty good. "But he was coming in a little bit low and I was still photographing it as it came down and then all of a sudden you just knew what was coming. "It just immediately changed the atmosphere, from a festive one to something quite sombre," he said. Nicholas Hair described the aftermath at the airfield. "Strangely enough the first thing that

Summary: Eyewitnesses have described the scene as a vintage jet crashed while performing at an air show in West Sussex.


Media playback is not supported on this device Seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe sums up the Championships at the All England Club rather well. Pristine surfaces, the all-white dress code, strawberries and, most importantly, the world's best tennis players all striving for one of sport's most prestigious prizes. And it is all about to start again. Here are the key things you need to know. The gates open at Wimbledon on Monday, but the fun started a week ago. Qualifying began on Monday, 26 June as lower-ranked players not automatically in the draw competed for the 16 remaining men's places and 12 women's spots. Britain's Alex Ward, ranked world number 855, took one of them, but the likes of Marcus Willis, Liam Broady and Katy Dunne did not make it. The seedings, given to the top 32 players in each singles draw, were announced on Wednesday. Things really started getting moving on Friday, when the draw was made. Play begins on the outside courts at 11:30 BST on Monday, before Britain's Andy Murray, the reigning men's champion, has the honour of opening on Centre Court at 13:00 BST. Murray, Wimbledon champion in 2013 and 2016, has struggled with a hip injury in the lead-up to his title defence. The world number one was forced him to pull out of two warm-up matches at the Hurlingham Club, but practised at the All England Club on Friday and Saturday. And, putting aside his injury concerns, the Scot has been well short of his blistering form 12 months ago. Media playback is not supported on this device The Scot's start to the grass-court season has not been ideal - he lost his only match on the surface so far this year. Murray, 30, won the Queen's title before both Wimbledon triumphs, but this month he suffered a surprise first-round defeat by Australian world number 90 Jordan Thompson at the Aegon Championships. "There is no guarantee that I won't do well at Wimbledon, but it certainly would have helped to have had more matches," said Murray before his injury troubles. Seven-time champion Roger Federer, fresh from winning his fourth title of the year at the Halle Open, is still seen by many as the man to beat. The 35-year-old Swiss won the Australian Open in January - a record 18th Grand Slam title. Another success at Wimbledon will put him clear of the men's record of seven singles titles he shares with Pete Sampras, and move him to within one of Martina Navratilova's all-time record of nine. Federer's long-time rival Rafael Nadal is also among the Wimbledon favourites after winning his 10th French Open crown at Roland Garros. Nadal, 31, has overcome his own injury problems to climb back up to second in the world rankings. Novak Djokovic held all four Grand Slam titles going into last year's Championships. Now he holds none. The 30-year-old Serb, who rediscovered some form by winning the Eastbourne title, has dropped to fourth in the world rankings after a troubled year in which he has split with his coaching

Summary: "There's a certain beauty and majesty to Wimbledon - the elegance, the way the grass looks on TV."


Jordan believes the 84-year-old, who has been in charge since 1978, should allow "somebody radical" to take over. F1 owners CVC Capital Partners and RSE Ventures, working with investors from Qatar, are in talks about a takeover of the sport. "I think he's done a remarkable job but time has played its role and he should go," Jordan told BBC Radio 5 live. "We need to leave it for the next generation in a better state. He has to keep asking himself that and where the timeframe is for him to leave. I think it's now." Media playback is not supported on this device RSE Ventures is headed by Stephen Ross, the owner of NFL franchise Miami Dolphins. They are planning a bid for CVC's 35.5% controlling stake in the holding company that owns F1. Ecclestone's position at the head of F1's commercial arm has come under scrutiny in the past year - he fought bribery charges in Germany while there have been concerns that the sport is losing its appeal. While acknowledging how Ecclestone had grown F1, Jordan welcomed the possibility of new people running a sport which is "going through a bit of a dip". He added: "The man is a legend. He has taken the sport from absolutely nowhere but, at the end of the day, he's not immortal. He may think he is but he's not. "There are times you have to say 'look, I've done everything that I can do'. "It does need somebody radical in there who is going to really shake it all about and go back to basics." Max Mosley, the former president of motorsport's governing body the FIA, told 5 live on Wednesday that Ecclestone's role "won't change" if a takeover of F1 is completed.

Summary: Bernie Ecclestone should step down as Formula 1 supremo, says BBC chief F1 pundit Eddie Jordan.


But it was no run-of-the-mill event. Hosted by the company's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) employee network, and billed as a "LGBT recruiting and networking dinner", it triggered controversy in this largely conservative nation-state. Local newspaper MyPaper ran a piece ahead of the dinner entitled: "Wanted by Goldman Sachs: LGBT employees". News of the event caused enough handwringing that Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing publicly expressed concern. While discrimination had "no place in our society", foreign companies should "respect local culture and context" and "not venture into public advocacy for causes that sow discord among Singaporeans", he said. The incident, however, raised questions over how far companies should pursue their diversity policies in countries which may not agree with them. The minister's statement comes as more multinational companies are stepping up to publicly support Singapore's annual gay rights event, Pink Dot, happening on 28 June. Gay sex is banned in Singapore, but companies including Google, Barclays, J P Morgan, Goldman Sachs and BP are on board as corporate supporters for what has become the city-state's biggest annual gathering organised by civil society. None of the companies have indicated they will pull out, despite Mr Chan's warning. Asked why it went ahead with its dinner, a Goldman Sachs spokesman told the BBC it regularly holds recruitment events and "our goal is to hire the best people we can find and to build diverse teams". Asked about their stance, JP Morgan said it "believes in the importance of diversity in the workplace", while Barclays said that it is committed to "a culture of meritocracy, where people are judged on professional performance rather than their personal lives". Google, meanwhile, said "a diversity of perspectives, experiences and cultures" among its workers would lead to "the type of products and innovation that everyone can benefit from". 'Good sense' The issue of gay rights has become increasingly fraught in Singapore. The authorities have pledged not to actively enforce the law that bans gay sex, but public promotion of homosexuality in the media is frowned upon. From Pink Dot to "pink whale" Last year's Pink Dot drew 21,000 attendees, and organisers expect even more this year. The first Pink Dot in 2009 saw 2,500 pink-clad supporters forming the eponymous dot at Hong Lim Park. Over the years, that dot has expanded to cover the entire park, which takes up nearly a hectare in Singapore's city centre. Organisers now jokingly call it a "pink whale". Pink Dot has moved carefully, eschewing traditional protest activism for a soft-pedal approach. It touts a fuzzy slogan "Supporting the freedom to love" and its main event is a family picnic. This may have made it easier for the authorities to let Pink Dot carry on, although they have set limits on how far it can grow. For the second time in a row, the authorities have turned down their application to shift the event to a larger space at Marina Bay, calling the proposed venue not "suitable". Organisers were "disappointed", but understood that officials had "a duty to balance

Summary: In May, a dozen university students showed up for dinner at Goldman Sachs' office in Singapore's business district.


The proportion achieving A* to C grades in both maths and maths numeracy exams was 46.1%. The first tranche of more than 20,000 pupils sat the papers last November. The new qualifications started being taught in 2015 and were brought in as part of reforms to improve numeracy standards. The chief executive of exam board WJEC Gareth Pierce said: "Students and teachers in Wales should be extremely pleased with the successes demonstrated by the results in both these new qualifications." Mr Pierce added: "There is of course plenty of time remaining within Year 11 for those candidates who wish to aim for improvement on the grade achieved on this occasion." Schools started teaching the new qualifications in September 2015 and the majority of pupils will sit them, as usual, in the summer. The GCSE numeracy qualification assesses the maths that pupils will need in their everyday lives, at work and in other subject areas in school. More than 12% of nearly 29,000 pupils who took the exam achieved the very top A and A* grades. The GCSE mathematics exam involves aspects needed for scientific, technical or further maths study. About 10% of the 22,686 pupils who took this exam got the highest A and A* grades. Education Secretary Kirsty Williams also congratulated the students and said the "made in Wales" qualifications were aimed at raising standards by placing a sharper focus on literacy and numeracy. "The new qualifications are part of extensive reforms to our education system to give our young people the right skills and knowledge to thrive in the modern word," she said. "Our national mission is to raise standards and make sure everybody has a chance to succeed." They are being called "significantly different" from the old GCSEs, with warnings about taking care when comparing them with previous results. For the whole of the last academic year, 65.5% of 16 year olds got A* to C grades.

Summary: The first students in Wales have received their results for the new-look GCSE maths exams.


The firm will rent voice and data capacity from two existing operators - Sprint and T-Mobile - and use existing wi-fi hotspots, rather than build new infrastructure from scratch. Initially, Project Fi will only be offered to Nexus 6 handset owners. Google Fiber, the firm's "ultra-fast" broadband service, is already seen as a disruptive force in the US telecoms market. It has been credited with encouraging Comcast and Time Warner Cable to offer their own customers speed boosts without higher prices. However, Fiber's roll-out involved Google buying infrastructure built by companies that had collapsed as well as laying its own fibre optic cables - giving it full control of the service. By contrast, one expert said running a mobile virtual network - which is dependent on rivals' equipment - might limit Project Fi's impact. "The example of MVNOs in the US and elsewhere suggests that it's hard for their operators to dramatically change the industry because of their nature," said Ian Fogg from the IHS Technology consultancy. "But the past isn't always a guide to the future. "No-one would have thought that a handset manufacturer could transform the mobile industry by teaming up with one network - but that's what happened with Apple and AT&T when the iPhone launched. "And Google itself has repeatedly shown that it is capable of changing the direction of an industry by entering it." Examples of existing MVNOs include Tesco Mobile, GiffGaff, Red Pocket Mobile and Virgin Mobile. Sundar Pichai, chief of Google's Android platform, first mentioned the company's plan to create a phone network in February, but provided little detail at the time. The company has now revealed that its subscribers will be automatically switched between 4G signals provided by Sprint and T-Mobile, depending on whichever is stronger at the time. They will also be able to make calls over wi-fi without having to use a special app, similar in nature to the Wi-fi Calling facility recently introduced by EE in the UK. "As you go about your day, Project Fi automatically connects you to more than a million free, open wi-fi hotspots we've verified as fast and reliable," Google said on its blog. "Once you're connected, we help secure your data through encryption. When you're not on wi-fi, we move you between whichever of our partner networks is delivering the fastest speed, so you get 4G LTE in more places." When alternatives are not available, users will also be able to use 3G and 2G signals. Customers will only be billed for the amount of data they actually use, rather than having an allowance that resets every month, as is typical on existing services. The way this will work is that customers will pay a $20 (£13.30) monthly fee for unlimited calls and texts, an extra $10 for mobile data access while in the US and abroad, and then a further $10 for each gigabyte of data they decide to consume. "Let's say you go with 3GB for $30 and only use 1.4GB one month. You'll get $16 back, so you only pay for what

Summary: Google has detailed its plan to run a mobile phone network in the US.


The Boulogne prosecutor said Gen Christian Piquemal, who is in his 70s, was suffering from poor health. He was released on bail, according to reports. Gen Piquemal is accused of helping to organise the rally on Saturday. Police had told supporters of the anti-Islamic group Pegida to disperse, and then fired tear gas to break them up. They were taking part in a Europe-wide demonstration against what they say is the Islamisation of the continent. The northern port city of Calais is home to thousands of asylum seekers who are living in a camp known as the "Jungle" while they try to slip illegally into the UK. Gen Piquemal was one of several people arrested on Saturday. News of his release on Monday was greeted with cheers by a group of his supporters gathered outside the court in Boulogne. They than sang the French national anthem. Some reports on French media said Gen Piquemal had been admitted to hospital on Monday morning, but this was not confirmed. Gen Piquemal, who commanded the elite French Foreign Legion for five years, is accused of playing a "principal role" in organising the illegal demonstration. He could face up to a year in prison and a heavy fine if found guilty. Gen Piquemal was one of about 150 Pegida supporters who had gathered in Calais chanting slogans such as "We must not let Calais die" and "Calais is part of France". At the time of his arrest, Gen Piquemal said he was "shocked" that officers had broken up the protest during the singing of the national anthem. "I expected you to be at attention, singing with us but not one of you opened your mouth," he told them. French authorities had banned all rallies in Calais "regardless of the organisers".

Summary: The court hearing for a former French Foreign Legion commander arrested at a banned anti-Islam rally in Calais has been delayed until 12 May.


The pop star owns Shafin Developments Limited with his brother Finbarr. It was involved in developments in Counties Leitrim and Sligo. KPMG has been appointed as the receiver behalf of the Ulster Bank. Westlife is one of the most successful boy bands of the last decade, selling more than 44m records. In 2010, Westlife made the Irish Sunday Times musicians' rich list for the first time, with an estimated combined fortune of Â£31m. The band, which also includes Mark Feehily, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne, shared fifth place with singer Chris de Burgh. The fifth member of the orginal line-up, Bryan McFadden, left Westlife in 2004 to embark on a solo career. Last October, the band announced they would split up in 2012. A final, farewell tour is due to start in Wales on 10 May. On Thursday, KPMG confirmed that Patrick Horkan has been appointed as the receiver and manager to Mr Filan's company. KPMG said Shafin Developments Limited's assets include four residential properties and a part developed site at the Hillcrest Development in Dromahair, Co Leitrim. It added the firm also has "an interest in a site at Carraroe, County Sligo". A spokeswoman said the move did not apply to Mr Filan's personal assets. Shafin Developments Limited was established in 2004 and is registered in Mr Filan's home county of Sligo.

Summary: A property development company belonging to the Westlife singer Shane Filan has been placed in receivership in the Republic of Ireland.


The 23-year-old joined Barrow at the start of the season from Stenhousemuir but made only six National League appearances for the Cumbrian side. Murray began his career at Scottish club Motherwell and also had spells with Arbroath and Clyde. Southport are 19th in the table, two points above the relegation zone.

Summary: Southport have signed defender Euan Murray from fellow National League club Barrow on a deal until the end of the season.


The Ivory Coast international, 27, said he wanted to leave in August and was a target for Everton. However, a move did not materialise for Kone, signed from French Ligue 1 club Lorient in January. "Lamine is an important player for this club and I made that clear to him from the outset," said Sunderland manager David Moyes. Kone was signed by Moyes' predecessor Sam Allardyce and played a key role in their survival in the top flight last season. Moyes added: "He only been playing in the Premier League since January, but in that time we have already seen what he is capable of. "The challenge for Lamine now is to build on what has been a very positive introduction to English football and to continue to improve and grow as a player."

Summary: Sunderland defender Lamine Kone has signed a new five-year contract with the Premier League club.


The inquiry, carried out by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, England's NHS medical director, was set up following the Mid-Staffordshire Hospital scandal. A report into high death rates at two hospitals in Mid-Staffordshire earlier this year found there were hundreds more deaths than expected, with patients let down by poor standards of care. The table below shows how the 14 NHS trusts covered by the review scored in two measures of mortality. A score much above 100 is higher than the national average. All of the data has been standardised to take into account the different case-mix at hospitals - for example, hospitals that treat more elderly patients might be expected to have higher death rates.

Summary: Fourteen NHS trusts in England have been investigated as part of a review into higher-than-expected hospital death rates.


Millie the cat has been left with a suspected broken jaw from the attack, which the RSPCA described as "sickening". The video shows two men walking towards Millie in Derby, then one kicks her and she flies several feet in the air. It happened outside the Guinness Trust flats in Sidney Street at about 16:25 GMT on Thursday. RSPCA inspector Sarah Burrows said: "It is an unprovoked attack which has sadly left Millie with a suspected broken jaw. "Inflicting such a horrific attack on a defenceless cat is sickening and it's important we track down the people responsible." The charity asked anyone with information to contact them. They warned that anyone found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal could face up to six months in prison and a fine of up to Â£20,000.

Summary: The RSPCA is trying to find a man who was caught on CCTV kicking a cat "very hard" into the air.


Henri van Breda, 21, is also charged with the attempted murder of his sister who survived with severe head injuries. Mr Van Breda said in a statement that the murders were carried out by an axe-wielding intruder. No arrests were made in this horrific case for 18 months until the accused handed himself over in June 2016. Mr Van Breda's sister Marli is expected to be a key witness during the trial in Cape Town. But there are concerns about how much she remembers about the night of the murders as she suffers from amnesia. She was 16 at the time of the attack. The run-up to the trial has attracted international interest in the story of a son born into privilege allegedly unleashing a brutal attack on his family, whose fortune was estimated at $16m (Â£12.5m). In a statement read out by his lawyer, Mr Van Breda said he was in a toilet when he saw a man wielding an axe hacking his brother Rudi in bed. His father, who then burst in, "trying to tackle the attacker" was also struck by the alleged intruder, he said. "I also recall the attacker was laughing", he added. His mother and sister were then assaulted. Mr Van Breda is also facing charges of tampering with a crime scene.

Summary: A man accused of killing his parents and older brother in a frenzied axe attack in Stellenbosh in South Africa has pleaded not guilty to murder.


The 29-year-old, competing in her first international sprint regatta, came second in the K1 1,000 event in Montemor-o-Velho. Broughton said: "I was happy to get out there and put a good race together. "I'm always a bit slow off the start so I knew I had to stick at my own thing but I knew in the middle it would all settle down."

Summary: Great Britain's Lizzie Broughton has won silver at the Canoe Sprint World Cup in Portugal.


The words for Be Mery were found "doodled" in the back of a monk's prayer book dating back to about 1500. It is the only surviving book of its type from the East Sussex abbey, built on the site of the Battle of Hastings. Visitors will be able to hear a recording of the song for the first time since the Reformation. The carol was found by English Heritage historian Dr Michael Carter while he was researching the history of Battle Abbey. Live: More news from Sussex The service book is now in the library of Trinity College, in Cambridge. Dr Carter said: "This carol is clear evidence that the Battle monks were very much part of the thriving devotional culture of Catholic England, a culture brutally cut short by the Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries which extinguished 500 years of religious life at Battle. "Our new exhibition has been designed to reveal insights into that life, the importance of prayer and worship, the tremendous power and wealth of the abbey and what it was like to be an ordinary monk there." Be Mery has been performed and recorded for English Heritage by Schola Gregoriana: The Association for Gregorian Chant. The new permanent exhibition opens on Saturday in the abbey gatehouse. Source: English Heritage

Summary: A long-forgotten medieval carol has been set to music for the first time in 500 years as part of an exhibition about monks at Battle Abbey.


Unions say there have been 20,000 job losses in the country since a Supreme Court ruling on 17 July which made it easier for companies to sack employees. The ruling allows employers to fire any worker without any benefits as long as they are given three months' notice. The Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions has described the ruling as "madness". ZBC will close a TV channel, according to the Zimbabwean news site the Daily News. In addition, the offices of the state radio station Voice of Zimbabwe have also closed, reports Voice of America. Last week the Daily News reported that state-owned newspapers had fired hundreds of workers. This, it added, was despite the state-owned media "leading a crusade against scores of other companies, including media organizations", that have laid off staff. Local media reported that over the weekend heavily armed police blocked the country's main workers' union from protesting against the recent wave of job losses.

Summary: The state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has fired almost 300 employees, including managers and journalists, state-run media report.


Dr Steve Forman, who has played with David Bowie and Pink Floyd, could not extend his visa due to salary restrictions. Dr Forman has taught at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) in Glasgow for four years. He is currently appealing against the Home Office decision. The UK government website states that the "appropriate salary rate" for an experienced higher education teaching professional who wishes a visa to remain in the UK is Â£31,200. Dr Forman said he could not meet this minimum salary requirements for a Tier 2 visa. He therefore applied for leave outside of the rules under Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to respect for their private and family life. The Home Office said that Dr Forman could not demonstrate the requirements needed to stay in the UK. Dr Forman's film score credits include ET and Pretty Woman and he has recorded with The Beach Boys, David Bowie and Fleetwood Mac. He said: "I would like to see the UK Border Agency look at the value gained and the value lost from me leaving Scotland when I am contributing full-time to society on many different levels. "I am in the community playing traditional music with some of the finest musicians I have ever heard. I would like to stay involved with life and I would like to do this in Scotland where I live, where my friends are and where my family is." A change.org petition for the reinstatement of Steve Forman's work visa has attracted nearly 1,500 signatures since it was started on Tuesday morning. He has been in the UK for more than seven years and has taught at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) for four years. His position there has been suspended pending confirmation of his status. A Scottish government spokesman said: "The talent and expertise of people such as Steve Forman make a welcome contribution to developing Scotland's future musical talent. The Scottish government is aware of Mr Forman's situation and we are liaising with the Home Office on this case. "This case reinforces existing Scottish government concerns that immigration policy in the UK is inflexible and does not address Scotland's particular economic and demographic needs." Dr Forman's solicitor Fraser Latta described the case as "truly exceptional" and said that the Home Office had "clearly failed to give proper consideration to his individual rights and the rights of the community which he is a valued member of". He said it was indicative of the current immigration system where a talented and respected person can be disregarded rather than cherished. A spokesperson for RCS said: "Steve Forman will be sorely missed by staff and the students. He is a well-respected teacher and an expert in his area. "We have been very supportive of Steve. We have done our utmost to support him through this for some time now. The UK Border Agency made a decision on his eligibility to stay in the UK and we have to abide by that." A Home Office spokesperson

Summary: The Scottish government has called on the Home Office to reconsider the case of an American percussionist who is at risk of being deported from Scotland.


Monarch, easyJet, Thomson Airways and Thomas Cook Airlines have now cancelled all outbound flights to the Egyptian resort up to 25 November. British Airways is not selling new tickets for flights up to 23 November. Flights were halted last week after the UK government said the Sinai plane crash which killed 224 people on 31 October may have been caused by a bomb. Ministers made the decision after experts reviewed the security at Sharm el-Sheikh airport. Some 20,000 British nationals, at least 9,000 of them holidaymakers, were thought to be in the resort at the time. Inbound flights to the UK resumed on Friday and by Monday evening, some 7,473 passengers had been brought back. They are only allowed to travel with hand baggage; hold luggage is to be flown back separately in the next week. Announcing the cancellations up to 25 November, a Monarch spokesman said: "We recognise this is a very frustrating situation and apologise for the inconvenience this is causing our customers." Thomson said: "All customers booked to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh in this period will be provided with a full refund or can amend to any holiday currently on sale. "Customers travelling to Sharm el-Sheikh up to and including 10 December 2015 will be able to amend their booking free of charge to any holiday taken by the end of April 2016." Easyjet said it hoped to bring all of its customers home by the end of next weekend at the latest. "Our plan is to bring home as many passengers every day as we can, and to prioritise those who have been delayed the longest," it said. "The reality of this is that many of our passengers will be delayed for up to three days." British Airways says it is keeping the situation beyond Thursday "under review", but is not taking bookings from new passengers on flights up to and including 23 November. The US and the UK have both said intelligence points to the strong possibility the crash in the Sinai Peninsula was caused by a bomb - militants affiliated to so-called Islamic State, also known as Isil, have claimed responsibility. Egypt has now launched its own inquiry into what happened after a member of the international team investigating the crash last week told Reuters that they were "90% sure" that a sound heard in the last moments of the recording of the plane's cockpit voice recorder was an explosion caused by a bomb.

Summary: Airlines have suspended flights from the UK to Sharm el-Sheikh for at least the next two weeks.