Liverpool made 11 changes and Tottenham 10 on Tuesday and the 10 top-flight teams made 71 changes, with a number of young or fringe players involved. "I feel for the fans," said 55-year-old Waddle. "They should know who is going to play in the competition." Former Tottenham manager David Pleat also said he was "very disappointed". Pleat, who reached the semi-finals of the competition in 1987 as manager of Tottenham, said teams are treating the competition as a "secondary affair". "It is almost as if the Premier League clubs have got together and said we are not going to give the competition our full attention," he said. Ex-Spurs and Newcastle player Waddle said clubs should announce their squad for the cup's fixtures in advance at the start of the week. "It would mean that if you're travelling a long way you'd know that it will be a weaker side and you may not buy a ticket," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "For me, it is a total rip-off." Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, whose side are fifth in the Premier League and second in their Champions League group, defended his decision to use some of the younger members of his squad in Tuesday's 2-1 defeat at Anfield. "The young players are very important for our future, to be a better squad," he said. "I think it was a fantastic opportunity to show their quality and a great experience to capitalise on, to take positive things for the future."

Summary: The EFL Cup is a "total rip-off" for fans because Premier League managers field weakened teams, says former England winger Chris Waddle.


The think tank's pre-election report, based on parties' spending pledges, says schools face up to 12% in real-terms cuts over the next parliament. It says increasing pupil numbers and staff wages are adding to the pressure. The Association of School and College Leaders said it presented a "bleak picture for education funding". The IFS says day-to-day spending on schools has been relatively well-protected by the coalition government compared with other public service areas, but after the election that will change whoever is in government. Analysing the spending pledges of the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats, the IFS said they all suggest a real-terms reduction of 7% per child by 2020. When the extra costs of teachers' pensions, national insurance contributions and wage increases are included, the real-terms reduction in spending could be closer to 12%, the report said. The Conservatives have said they will protect school spending per pupil, while Labour and the Liberal Democrats have committed to protecting the education budget for three to 19-year-olds - covering early years, schools and 16-19 education - in real terms. But the IFS said: "Pupil numbers are expected to grow by 7% between January 2016 and January 2020, whilst economy-wide inflation between 2015-16 and 2019-20 is currently forecast to be 7.7%. "As a result, the overall level of school spending could grow by similar amounts under the different proposals. However, if only just met, all these proposals imply real-terms cuts in spending per pupil." In response to the report, the Conservatives said they were committed to delivering a good deal for schools, and would spend at least half a billion pounds more than Labour. Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said his party had a better plan than what he called the Tories' "big cuts", while the Liberal Democrats insisted they would protect education budgets in real terms. ASCL deputy general secretary Malcolm Trobe said: "It is imperative that the government elected in May addresses this issue quickly and ensures that education funding is sufficient, sustainable and equitable. "We recognise that there is considerable pressure on the national budget but the country must invest in education both for its long-term prosperity and, most importantly, the future of our children." Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said that the golden age of education funding was coming to an end right at the time when the demands and expectations of schools were accelerating. "These budget cuts come at a time when cost pressures on schools from pensions and national insurance are also increasing. "Salary increases are not funded by the government and you can't keep reducing salaries in real terms and still attract talented people into the profession."

Summary: Schools in England will have less to spend per pupil over the next five years, no matter who wins the election, the Institute for Fiscal Studies says.


Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said the deaths of Abdul Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli and other members of the group's "cabinet" would hamper its operations. He gave no details about how Qaduli, an Iraqi also known as Hajji Iman, died. However, NBC News earlier reported he was killed during a raid by US special forces in Syria on Thursday morning. Defence officials said the troops landed in helicopters and lay in wait as Qaduli drove past them in a car. There was an attempt to capture Qaduli alive, but the situation escalated and the militant and three other people in the vehicle were killed, the officials added. The US authorities had offered a reward of $7m (Â£5m) for Qaduli. Using an acronym for IS based on its former name, Mr Carter told a news conference in Washington on Friday: "We are systematically eliminating Isil's cabinet." He described Qaduli as a "senior leader", who served as a finance minister and who was also responsible for "external affairs and plots". The ethnic Turkmen was born in 1957 or 1959 in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, which has been controlled by IS since 2014, according to the US. He joined al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) - a precursor of IS - in 2004 under the leadership of the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, serving as his deputy and the leader in Mosul. After his release from an Iraqi prison in early 2012, he joined IS forces in Syria. Last year, some sources identified Qaduli as the second-in-command of IS, known as "Abu Alaa al-Afari", who was said to have taken temporary charge of IS after its overall leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was allegedly injured in an air strike. "The removal of this Isil leader will hamper the organisation's ability to conduct operations both inside and outside of Iraq and Syria," Mr Carter said. "This is the second senior Isil leader we have targeted this month, after confirming the death of Isil's so-called 'minister of war' a short time ago." Tarkhan Batirashvili, a Georgian known as Omar Shishani, died of the injuries he sustained in a US air strike in north-eastern Syria on 4 March, US officials said last week. However, the IS-linked Amaq news agency subsequently cited an unidentified source as denying Shishani was dead. Mr Carter said the US military had killed other senior IS figures in recent days. They included a man known as Abu Sara, who was tasked with paying fighters in northern Iraq, and "a number of Isil associates who were directly involved in external plotting and training", the defence secretary added. But he cautioned: "As you know, leaders can be replaced. These leaders have been around for a long time - they are senior and experienced, and eliminating them is an important objective and result. They will be replaced and we will continue to go after their leadership."

Summary: The US has announced that it has killed a number of leading Islamic State (IS) militants in the past week, including the purported second-in-command.


The contaminated meat was discovered by a dog walker on the Cuckoo Trail in Hailsham on Wednesday. The sausages, which had been sliced open and filled with the blue pellets, were handed in to police. The RSPCA warned that dogs ingesting even small amounts of some substances could suffer kidney failure and die. A spokesman said: "The RSPCA is deeply concerned about any spate of suspected poisonings, but especially one where evidence suggests it may be deliberate. "Animals, and especially dogs, are often extremely curious and will be drawn to food. "If anyone suspects that their dog has been poisoned they must take it to a vet immediately. If possible, they should take a sample of what the dog has eaten." Poisoning is a criminal offence in the UK under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The maximum penalty for those found guilty is up to six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to Â£20,000.

Summary: Cocktail sausages believed to have been stuffed with toxic slug pellets have been found at a popular dog-walking spot in East Sussex.


A newspaper report has suggested the UK government plans to "scale back and axe rail electrification projects". During Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron told Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards that ministers were committed to the London-Swansea scheme. But he said Network Rail needed to get its costs "under control". Mr Edwards asked: "Can you inform the house and the people of Wales whether it continues to be the policy of your government to complete [the upgrade] to Swansea by 2018 and part-fund the Valley lines?" Mr Cameron replied: "We're absolutely committed to electrifying the Great Western Main Line to Cardiff, through to Swansea. "We're also contributing Â£125m to the cost of the wider Valley lines electrification. It's vital that this work goes ahead. "We do need to make sure that Network Rail gets its costs under control and has strong leadership in place and we'll make sure those things happen."

Summary: David Cameron has been challenged to say whether a project to electrify rail lines between London and Swansea will be completed by 2018.


Chris Coleman's side are on the brink of qualifying for Euro 2016 after beating Cyprus and drawing with Israel. They will swap places with Chile, who are set to drop one to ninth spot, and remain above England, who will stay 10th despite two wins. Northern Ireland, 41st in the current rankings, are expected to move above Scotland, currently 31st. Had Wales beaten Israel, they would have risen to fourth but reaching eighth is still the sixth time in the last seven rankings that they have set a new record. Argentina will stay top, while Germany will regain second place from Belgium, who drop to third.

Summary: Wales will rise to a new high of eighth when the next Fifa world rankings are released on 1 October.


The probe relates to allegations that Electronic Monitoring Service (EMS) employees were paid to fit the devices loosely so they could be removed, The Sun said. The newspaper alleges some of those under curfew were able to pull off the tags and go out for the night. EMS said it was an "isolated issue". The Ministry of Justice said it was urgently investigating. Two current and one former members of EMS staff have been arrested, the Metropolitan Police said. A further 11 people have also been questioned. The Sun said the matter came to light after an offender was arrested when they should have been under curfew. A 46-year-old former EMS employee was arrested in Romford, east London, for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and the theft of tagging equipment. Police said a house was searched and items of evidence recovered. A 45-year-old man from Barking and a 57-year-old woman from Romford have been questioned for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. A further 11 people - none of whom are former or current EMS employees - have been questioned on the same charge. All 14 have been bailed to dates in April. An EMS spokesperson said: "We have a zero tolerance policy against any of our employees who act in any way to undermine the robustness of the electronic monitoring service. "The small number of employees being investigated regarding this isolated issue were swiftly taken off duties and we are closely co-operating with the Metropolitan Police Service."

Summary: Three people have been arrested by police investigating the alleged misuse of electronic tags used to monitor criminals.


Members of the drivers union Aslef are due to walk out for three days in the dispute over driver-only trains. Southern's parent company Govia Thameslink (GTR) has asked the Court of Appeal to overturn last week's High Court refusal to ban the strike action. A decision will be given at the end of the hearing, due to last all day. Lord Justice Elias, sitting with Lord Justice Lewison and Lord Justice Lloyd Jones, have been asked to overturn the refusal to grant an injunction blocking the "unprecedented" action. GTR has already been hit by a series of strikes by the RMT union in a long-running dispute over the role of conductors. Drivers are due to strike on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, with a week-long walkout planned from 9 to 14 January. Southern said given the timing of the Court of Appeal's decision, it would be too late to get trains and drivers in the correct position for Tuesday, and any services it could run would be "extremely limited". Angie Doll, passenger services director, said: "We hope for the sake of our passengers our application to the Court of Appeal is successful. "Even if we are able to stop the strikes through the court, services will still be very heavily impacted tomorrow. "We will work through the night to try and provide as many services as possible, but we are still advising passengers not to travel as we will not be able to offer a robust service they can rely on. "We are sorry but the industrial action by Aslef leaves us no viable alternative, but be assured we will do all we can overnight," she said. The RMT union, which has been staging strikes since April, is also planning further stoppages either side of Christmas. 00:01: Tuesday 13 December to 23:59 Wednesday 14 December (Aslef) 00:01 Friday 16 December to 23:59: Friday 16 December (Aslef) 00:01 Monday 19 December to 23:59 Tuesday 20 December (RMT) 00:01 Saturday 31 December to 23:59 Monday 2 January (RMT) 00:01 Monday 9 January to 23:59: Saturday 14 January (Aslef)

Summary: Strike-hit rail operator Southern has warned passengers not to travel on Tuesday, irrespective of the outcome of a last-ditch bid to halt a walkout.


Hain, the top run-scorer in last year's competition, helped his side reach their revised target of 159 in a game reduced to 30 overs. He was aided by Will Porterfield's 63 in an unbroken first-wicket stand. Northants struggled to 154 all out in their 30 overs, with Rob Keogh (64) the only one to make a real impression. England international Ben Duckett was caught by Hain for seven off the bowling of Rikki Clarke (2-18), one of seven Northants batsmen to fail to get out of single figures as Oliver Hannon-Dalby (3-24) impressed. Hain returned to the side having been left out of their previous County Championship game, on the day he received a reprimand from the ECB's Cricket Discipline Commission. He was reported by the umpires during Warwickshire's Second XI Championship match against Worcestershire at Flagge Meadow last week, for a Level One breach of the code (bowling a fast short pitched ball and/or accidental high full pitched ball that results in the bowler being disallowed from bowling any further in that innings). The penalty is a reprimand, which will remain on his record for two years. The accumulation of nine or more penalty points in any two-year period will result in an automatic suspension. Hain scored more runs in the One-Day Cup last season than any other batsman (540 in 10 innings). Northants coach David Ripley told BBC Radio Northampton: "We just haven't come out of the blocks at all. We've been very well beaten. It's a pretty grim effort all round really. "We had the sharp end of the conditions batting first, we had to stop start and couldn't get any partnerships together. But still our performance is way down from where we expect it to be. "I expected our bowlers to be a handful and I was hopeful we could pull off something special but we never got started with the ball either." Warwickshire batsman Sam Hain told BBC WM: "I felt a bit of pressure coming into this competition so it's nice to get on the board here with a few runs. "Especially after the start to my season in the red-ball game. I'm a little stumped to why it hasn't happened in the Championship. "But I have no qualms about my white-ball game and now I have a block of games to work with now."

Summary: Sam Hain's unbeaten 89 helped holders Warwickshire race to a 10-wicket victory over Northants in a rain-affected One-Day Cup match.


The front of the note will continue to feature Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott alongside The Mound in Edinburgh. The Glenfinnan Viaduct will remain on the reverse of the design. However, it will now feature a steam locomotive hauling a heritage tourist train. The locomotive is a Stanier "Black 5", which was designed for London, Midland and Scottish Railway and often seen on the West Highland line. The new note, which was designed by banknote manufacturer De La Rue, is slightly smaller than the existing paper version in circulation. It includes security features incorporated in the bank's new polymer £5 note, which entered circulation in October. They include an anti-counterfeit "window effect", built into the windows of the image of The Mound, and metallic ink which changes colour as the note is moved. There is also a new "tactile emboss", created by a series of raised dots, which is designed to aid the visually impaired. All existing paper Bank of Scotland £10 notes will be gradually withdrawn following the issue of the new note. However, they will continue to be accepted at shops, banks and cash payment machines. Mike Moran, director at Bank of Scotland, said: "Bank of Scotland has been issuing bank notes for more than 320 years, evolving our designs to pay homage to our heritage. "The new note retains our much loved design of Sir Walter Scott with the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct pictured on the back and we've evolved the design by introducing the popular heritage tourist train crossing the bridge. "With polymer notes being cleaner, more secure, and more durable than paper notes, I'm sure our new £10 note will prove popular across Scotland."

Summary: Bank of Scotland has unveiled the design of its new £10 polymer note, which is due to enter circulation in the autumn.


It's all about #TheDress and whether it's blue and black (#blueandblack) or white and gold (#whiteandgold). The whole debate started when Scottish singer Caitlin McNeill posted a picture of a dress on her Tumblr blog. She asked her followers: "Guys please help me - is this dress white and gold, or blue and black? Me and my friends can't agree and we are freaking... out." Caitlin told Newsbeat that it all started when her friend's mum wore the dress at a wedding. "Two of my very good friends were getting married and they has asked me to put together a band to come and play at the wedding," she says. "This was a wedding on the tiny island that we come from on the west coast of Scotland called Colonsay and about 100 people were there. "A week beforehand the bride had been sent by her mother a picture of the dress she was going to wear and when the bride showed her fiance, they disagreed about what colour it was. "She was like, 'It's white and gold' and he said, 'It's blue and black'. "So they posted it on Facebook to try and see what their friends were saying but that caused carnage on Facebook. "We forgot about it until we saw it at the wedding which the mother of the bride was wearing and it was obviously blue and black." Read Newsbeat's interview with Caitlin McNeill YouTube talent manager Sarah Weichel then spotted it on Tumblr and the rest is Twitter history... Turns out a lot of people cared and thousands are still debating the colour of that badly-taken snapshot. Various US news outlets have written stories about how the human eyes see different colours and why some people see blue and black while others see gold and white. BuzzFeed's original article has been shared more than 20 million times and tech site Wired explains the science of colour. The prime minster of Singapore liked the bit about science so much, he posted about it on his Facebook page. And photo experts Adobe got involved as well, sending out this tweet. It got celebrities talking on Twitter. And then the memes started... It's all great news for the makers of the Â£50 dress. A quick check online shows Roman Women's Lace Detail Bodycon Dress is available in Royal Blue - so blue then... And the company says it's looking into doing a gold and white version of the dress. A spokesman told Newsbeat: "We're looking into getting it through the approval stages. "We want to do it but it depends on the speed. We're trying to get it done as soon as possible. "We are in contact with the suppliers to establish if we can get it manufactured in white and gold." Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: It's the debate of the year so far - well - on Twitter at least and has been the top trending topic worldwide.


Steven Van de Velde, 21, pleaded guilty at Aylesbury Crown Court to three counts of rape against a child. The court heard how he travelled from Amsterdam in August 2014 and raped the girl near Furzton Lake, and at an address in Milton Keynes. Van de Velde, who will be sentenced in March, returned to the Netherlands, but was extradited and arrested in January. Click here for more on this story and all the latest news across Beds, Herts and Bucks The court heard how Van de Velde, of Cornelis De Wittlaan, Den Haag, was aware of the girl's age, having had conversations on various social networking sites. A survey for CBBC Newsround suggests more than three-quarters of children aged 10 to 12 in the UK have social media accounts, even though they are below the age limit of 13.

Summary: A Dutch international volleyball player travelled to Milton Keynes and raped a 12-year-old girl he met on Facebook.


The facility has already helped groom 100 national and one world champion as well as Commonwealth Games medallists. Ms Jones, 18, from Bangor, Gwynedd, recently brought back a gold medal from the Youth Commonwealth Games in Apia, Samoa. The grant-funded extension has new physiotherapy and activity areas.

Summary: Gold medal weightlifter Catrin Jones has opened a £125,000 extension at the Holyhead and Anglesey weightlifting and fitness centre.


Several of Cathro's recent signings are from various countries abroad, leading to some questioning their appreciation of the standards fans expect. "This is tens of thousands of people's Real Madrid," said Cathro. "Everybody understands clearly the size, the importance, how much love and passion there is for this club." Hearts remain in fourth place in the Premiership but have gone four games without a victory. Last week's Scottish Cup defeat by city rivals Hibernian, who are in the Championship, was followed by a top-flight defeat away to Partick Thistle. More to follow.

Summary: Hearts head coach Ian Cathro insists his players have a full understanding of the size and magnitude of the club they represent.


Goodluck Jonathan said it had been not just an attack on Nigeria, but an attack on the international community. The radical Islamist group, Boko Haram, told the BBC it was behind the blast in the capital, which left at least 23 people dead and 81 wounded. Mr Jonathan said the group was a "local problem" that had to be dealt with. Boko Haram, which is fighting for the establishment of Sharia law in Nigeria, is alleged to have had contacts with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which operates in North Africa, and al-Shabab in Somalia. The BBC's Mark Doyle in Abuja says Friday's suicide attack shows Boko Haram, whose name roughly translates as "Western education is forbidden", is getting bolder and that Nigeria has a growing security crisis. For two years, the Islamist group has been targeting government and mounting a campaign of killings, but attacking the United Nations in the heart of the capital is a major escalation, our correspondent adds. The bomber drove his vehicle through the headquarters' two security barriers, then crashed into the reception area before detonating the explosives. The blast was powerful enough to bring down parts of the structure, where about 400 UN personnel work, and blow out the windows of nearby buildings. Standing among the broken glass and twisted metal on Saturday, President Jonathan told reporters: "I and all Nigerians are shocked." "Terrorist attacks on any individual or part of the world is a terrorist attack on the rest of the world," he added. "Terrorists don't care about who is anywhere." "We will work with the UN and other world leaders to ensure that terrorism is brought under control." When asked by the BBC what he would do about Boko Haram, he gave no direct answer but acknowledged it posed a threat. "Boko Haram is a local group linked up with terrorist activities and as a government, we are working on it and we will bring it under control." Our correspondent says Nigeria's government has tried negotiating with Boko Haram and cracking down hard, but neither tactic has worked. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday that he condemned "this terrible act utterly", and sent Deputy Secretary General Asha-Rose Migiro and Under-Secretary General for Security Greg Starr to Nigeria. On Saturday, the UN's top official in Nigeria said nine of its staff were confirmed dead and that dozens were being treated in hospital. "We have lost motivated, bright, selfless people who were working only for the good of Nigeria and the world," said Agathe Lawson, the UN's acting resident co-ordinator. "Our priority now is to ensure those who are injured and the families of those who died are cared for." Mr Lawson said that her "second and urgent priority" was to ensure that UN operations continued in Africa's most populous nation. "We will not be deterred in our mission to work to improve the lives of Nigerians. This is why we are here," she added. Shortly after President Jonathan left the bomb site, agents from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrived to

Summary: Nigeria's president has promised to bring terrorism under control, during a visit to the scene of Friday's bombing at the UN's headquarters in Abuja.


He is a copy of one of the world's first ever robots, and has gone on show at the Science Museum in London. Eric was originally built in 1928 by Captain WH Richards and AH Reffell. However, after he amazed crowds all over the world, Eric mysteriously disappeared - never to be seen again. That is until 2016, when the Science Museum launched a campaign to raise money to build a copy of Eric. Artist and robot builder Giles Walker agreed to help build the new and improved Eric. However, the only information he had to go off were old newspaper stories, a short video from the 1920s, and a scribbled copy of the original building plans. Instead of his old gears and pulleys, Eric is now operated by wires and motors. It took Giles five months to build the new robot and he stands at a whopping two metres tall. He is made from aluminium and can move his arms and head, and speak a number of phrases. Ben Russell, who put Eric on display at the Science Museum, said: "As the UK's first robot, Eric holds a unique place in our history. "He was everything we now imagine a robot to be - a talking, moving mechanical person."

Summary: Eric the robot is no ordinary robot.


Senna's family sent a helmet used by the three-time champion in 1987 to give to Hamilton when he earned a 65th pole, which he did in Canada on Saturday. "It is the most special thing I have, beyond all trophies," said Hamilton. "As I kid I thought maybe one day I can get to Formula 1 and emulate Ayrton. To equal him; I just can't believe it." Hamilton has long since surpassed Senna's record of 41 wins - he did so at the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix - and now has 55. In both poles and wins, he now lags behind only seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, who claimed 68 poles and 91 victories. Asked whether surpassing Senna's marks meant more than Schumacher's, Hamilton said: "I haven't got to the 68 of Michael so I can't really say. I can't look that far ahead at the moment. "Ayrton was the guy I noticed from the beginning. I think it was the colour of the helmet. So I am honoured to be honoured by that family. "To think that I am that close to Michael's record is incredible - I plan on getting there but that is all ifs and buts." Hamilton, who repeatedly looked at Senna's helmet as he sat in the post-qualifying news conference, said the achievement was even more special given it happened at one of his favourite races - where he claimed his first pole and win back in his debut season of 2007. "I knew 65 was there and waiting; I knew Montreal has been a beautiful place for me," he said. "I thought if I was going to get that special pole anywhere, it was going to be here. "But you can only hope it is going to go well, and often it doesn't. "The lap started perfectly, very smooth, no mistakes, built it up and then the last corner which has always been a strength of mine." He added: "I am honoured to be among those great drivers, the legends. Ultimately just very proud. "It wouldn't be possible without all the work from my family. "This is just the tip of the iceberg. No-one knows how hard we worked to get here. I am proud to have got the Hamilton name here. If this was my last day in the sport, the Hamilton name will remain there forever." The helmet Hamilton was given is a replica, for travel and insurance reasons, but he will be receiving a genuine helmet that Senna used at a later date. But Hamilton said he was expecting a tough battle in the race with his title rival, Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel, who qualified second and leads him by 25 points in the championship. "Ferrari are very, very strong in the races," Hamilton said. "It was a very close battle last year between us and I can only imagine this year it is going to be pushing all the way to the end. "We have a car that is not working everywhere. It is a great car but it is a trickier car

Summary: Lewis Hamilton says being presented with one of Ayrton Senna's helmets for equalling the Brazilian's pole record means more to him than any trophy.


The Scottish Gamekeepers' Association said the latest employment figures showed the sector was outperforming other areas of the economy. North Highland College in Thurso reported that every one of this year's Higher National Certificate students has secured a job on a sporting estate. Country sports are thought to be worth Â£240m a year to the Scottish economy. The gamekeeping and wildlife management course was designed to provide students with training in conservation as well as traditional gamekeeping skills, including snaring and the use of firearms. North Highland College gamekeeping lecturer Richard MacNicol said: "The modern gamekeeper has to have a rounded, balanced approach to land management. "Our graduates are helping to support the rural economy and a diverse, well managed countryside." Borders College and Scotland's Rural University College in Fife also said the skills obtained by their students were proving valuable to landowners. The Scottish Gamekeepers' Association has welcomed the news. SGA chairman Alex Hogg said: "This is a major success story and the three colleges deserve immense credit. "We are creating youth jobs at a time when the economy is faltering and young people, especially in remote areas, have few other opportunities." There is real frustration amongst landowners and the gamekeepers they employ about the profession's image. Political and media attention often focuses on cases of wildlife crime, most notably the illegal persecution of birds of prey. Gamekeepers believe they do not get the credit they deserve for the stewardship of our countryside, while landowners argue the economic benefit of country sports is often overlooked. They are hoping the new generation of gamekeepers being trained by Scotland's colleges will help change that. Angus McNicol, of Cawdor Estates near Nairn, told BBC Scotland: "It's a highly-trained profession these days. It's very different to how things were in the past."

Summary: Colleges across Scotland are reporting strong demand from sporting estates for newly-trained gamekeepers.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 37-year-old was competing in his first race of the season, after missing the start of the World Cup campaign following an operation on his back. But his arm clipped a flag near the end of the super G course in Colorado and his right leg was severely lacerated. "Feeling lucky since things could have been way worse," Miller later tweeted. Some 15 skiers did not finish the race at the Beaver Creek resort in Colorado, won by Austrian Hannes Reichelt. World Cup super-G points leader Kjetil Jansrud was another casualty but was able to finish fourth despite injuring his shoulder in the process. Miller had the fastest time over the first half among the early starters, before his left arm slammed into a gate at about 100 km/h. He spiralled down the icy track and appeared to fall on one of his skis, which caused the wound. At 37 years and 115 days old, Miller was hoping to become the oldest gold medallist in an individual event at the world championships. He has won six Olympic medals, five world championship medals and was overall World Cup champion in 2005 and 2008.

Summary: Former Olympic and world champion Bode Miller will miss the remainder of the Alpine World Ski Championships after having surgery on a torn hamstring.


Samir Hussain suffered severe burns and was scarred for life in the unprovoked attack in the Cineworld car park in Crawley, West Sussex, in August 2015. Michael McPherson, 28, from south-west London, threw the acid after leaving a screening of Straight Outta Compton. At an earlier hearing at Hove Crown Court, he admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Lee Bates, also from south-west London, was with McPherson at the time of the attack. He admitted common assault in February, and was given a two-year conditional discharge for his role in the attack. Mr Hussain, 29, from Redhill in Surrey, still has to wear a mask to protect his face, and has had several skin grafts. He suffered severe burns to his face, neck and right arm.

Summary: A man who threw sulphuric acid into the face of a shop worker outside a cinema has been jailed for eight years.


Polk County Sheriff Johnny Moats said the Georgia prisoners, who all have committed minor crimes, would each have their sentences shortened by 25%. The work crew had been cutting grass at a public cemetery when the corrections officer who was guarding them collapsed in the heat. The six men used the guard's phone to call police and began performing CPR. "When that happened, in my opinion, it wasn't about who is in jail and who wasn't," inmate Greg Williams told 11alive.com. "It was about a man going down and we had to help him," he continued. The work crew ran to the lone officer after he fell to the ground and removed his bullet-proof vest to perform CPR. Rather than take his pistol and run off, they used his mobile phone to call for an ambulance. "None of my guys ran," the officer told WKYC. "None of them did anything they shouldn't have done." The family of the officer, who does not wish to be identified, bought a lunch of pizza and cupcakes for his incarcerated rescuers the next day. Sheriff Moats said that "anytime we have a trustee or inmate crew that goes beyond normal duties, we cut them some extra time off". The inmates' reaction also "really speaks a lot about my officers too, how they treat these inmates", he added. "They treat them like people. Like family." Their actions come in stark contrast to two other Georgia convicts who were arraigned on Wednesday on charges of murdering two prison guards while being transported between prisons. Prosecutors say they intend to seek the death penalty for Donnie Rowe and Ricky Dubose, who were captured in Tennessee after a three-day manhunt.

Summary: Six US prisoners are being rewarded for saving a prison officer who had suffered a suspected heart attack.


The officer was taken to hospital where his condition was described as "stable", a Merseyside Police spokesman said. He said the force was investigating an "assault of a member of staff at HMP Altcourse on Wednesday". The BBC understands the attack took place in a transfer area and the inmate was on remand facing serious charges. Director for HMP Altcourse Steve Williams said: "We continue to support the officer and his family."

Summary: A prison officer has had his neck slashed by an inmate at a prison on Merseyside, the BBC understands.


A ceremony at India Gate will be an opportunity to honour a sacrifice that was in the past overlooked in both Britain and India. The 70,000 Indian soldiers who fought and died for the British during World War One were once viewed in India as part of its difficult colonial history. In a day devoted to paying tribute, William and Kate will also, quite literally, retrace Mahatma Gandhi's final footsteps before he was murdered. The country's founding father - who once declared that non-violence, was a weapon for the brave - had a vision, which wasn't realised, of an independent, united land. It was Prince William's relative, Louis Mountbatten - the last Viceroy - who oversaw the creation of India and Pakistan. Prince William, with his wife, will end the day by speaking about his grandmother - a woman soon to turn 90, who's Britain's longest reigning monarch but who was never Queen Empress of India.

Summary: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first official visit to India moves on to New Delhi.


The 28-year-old was a free agent after leaving Exeter's biggest rivals at the end of his contract in the summer. Reid has also played for Yeovil Town, West Bromwich Albion, Brentford and Rotherham United. He scored a hat-trick against Exeter in the Devon derby in 2015 - the first in the fixture since 1929 - and could make his debut for the Grecians against Argyle in League Two on Saturday. Reid scored 21 goals for Argyle during the 2013-14 season while on loan at Home Park and 20 the season after. But last term he managed just seven goals as he was hampered by a foot injury, later telling the BBC that his season had been a 'write off'. Exeter need more firepower, having scored just six goals in the league so far this season, with half of those coming in their 3-2 victory at Colchester earlier this month. "I have been in talks with a few teams, but I met the manager (Paul Tisdale) on Sunday in a nice pub in Bath and he explained what he wanted to do for me," said Reid "I went home feeling refreshed and it left me with a massive smile on my face. I just couldn't wait to get the deal over the line." "I played against his teams for years now throughout my career and Exeter, whether they have been in the division above or League Two, have always been good on the eye to watch," he added.

Summary: Exeter City have signed former Plymouth Argyle top scorer Reuben Reid.


Three converted first-half tries from Cory Hill, Ashton Hewitt and Jason Tovey gave the Welsh side a 24-0 lead at the break that did not flatter them. Carl Meyer crossed after the break for a fourth try to secure the bonus point. Paddy Butler, Mosese Ratuvou and Watisoni Votu all added tries for Pau but the Dragons were always in control. Victory leaves the Dragons top of Pool Two, two points above second-placed Sale Sharks after their win over Castres. Second row Hill's brilliant individual try gave the visitors an early lead, before a Tovey penalty made it 10-0 and then Sarel Pretorious' pass saw Hewitt burst through a gap in the Pau defence to cross for the second try. Tovey ran clear after a mistake by the French side to add the Dragons' third try and he duly converted, before kicking through to Meyer for the fourth try after the break. With Hill sent to the sin-bin, Pau capitalised to score through Butler, but they failed to convert and a Tovey drop-goal made it 34-5. Word Cup-winning New Zealand centre Conrad Smith came on for his Pau debut and, shortly afterwards, Ratuvou barged his way over the line for the home side's second try. Fijian Votu added a late third score but Pau remain bottom of the pool. Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones told BBC Radio Wales: "We're absolutely delighted. It was a great performance from us. It was as good as we get "We were a far better team than them and we deserved to come away with the spoils. "We kept (Colin) Slade quiet and they couldn't deal with us." Pau: Damien Traille; Sireli Bobo, Julien Fumat (c), Jale Vatubua, Mosese Ratuvou; Colin Slade, Thierry Lacrampe; Jérémy Hurou, Mehdi Boundjema, Sylvain Charlet; Daniel Ramsay, Julien Pierre; Josefa Ulago Domolailai, Paddy Butler, Brice Monzeglio. Replacements: Quentin Lespiaucq Brettes, Julien Jacquot, Euan Murray, James Coughlan, Sean Dougall, Thibault Daubagna, Conrad Smith, Watisoni Votu. Newport Gwent Dragons: Carl Meyer; Nick Scott, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Ashton Hewitt; Jason Tovey, Sarel Pretorious; Phil Price, Elliot Dee, Lloyd Fairbrother; Cory Lewis Hill, Rynard Landman (c); Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau. Replacement: Rhys Buckley, Brok Harris, Shaun Knight, Matthew Screech, Ollie Griffiths, Charlie Davies, Dorian Jones, Ross Wardle. Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland) Touch judges: Frank Murphy (Ireland), Stuart Douglas (Ireland) TMO: Kevin Beggs (Ireland) Citing commissioner: Dave Guyan (England)

Summary: Newport Gwent Dragons enjoyed a comfortable bonus-point win in Pau to edge one step closer to reaching the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals.


Mr Whyte, 46, is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow for acquiring the club by fraud, which he denies. The trial has heard Mr Whyte paid previous owner Sir David one pound for his majority shareholding. Phil Betts, who worked with Mr Whyte, said the coin was flipped in a "light-hearted" way at Sir David's lawyers. Mr Betts, a finance broker and a key associate in the buyout, told the court that someone then said: "Congratulations, you are now the owner of Glasgow Rangers football club". The witness recalled being at the May 2011 meeting as the businessman acquired Sir David's majority stake in the club. Mr Betts told how he took photos at the gathering which he described as being "light hearted". Mr Whyte denies a charge of fraud and a second allegation under the Companies Act in connection with the takeover. Mr Betts told how he got involved in Mr Whyte's bid for Rangers after first meeting him in 2009. The 54 year-old recalled Mr Whyte had wanted his interest to be "low profile". He told the trial Mr Whyte had wanted to raise £10m. But Mr Betts said Whyte later claimed he was "struggling" to do so and "could not understand why". Mr Betts then got in touch with a contact in the financial sector. This individual said he had someone who could help with funding. Mr Betts and Mr Whyte went on to meet this person at a Starbucks coffee shop near St Paul's in London, he said. It eventually resulted in a meeting with Ticketus, which "expressed an interest" in Mr Whyte's proposal. Prosecutors have said Mr Whyte took out a loan from the firm against three years season tickets to help fund the takeover. Mr Betts said Mr Whyte had been "pleased" at the Ticketus interest. But the witness added: "He then asked me to ask them would they consider £20m. "I think I laughed. I said I would ask as long as he was happy to receive a no." However, Mr Betts recalled "after some deliberation" Ticketus came back and said they would be "interested". Mr Whyte eventually struck a £1 deal with Sir David to take over at Rangers. Mr Betts told how he travelled to Edinburgh in May 2011 for the buyout to be completed. He said initially the trip to Scotland involved sitting in a lawyer's office "twiddling our thumbs". But the Whyte and Murray groups later went to Sir David's office in the capital. Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC asked Mr Betts if he photos at the meeting. Mr Betts: "Two or three - at the signing of the paperwork at the offices of the Murray group." Mr Prentice: "Once the signing occurred was a £1 coin provided?" Mr Betts replied: "There was, but I do not know from who. It was flicked across the table to the lawyers of the Murray Group. "It was all light-hearted." The advocate depute went on: "Was anything said?" Mr Betts: "Congratulations, you are now owner of Glasgow Rangers Football Club, I think." The

Summary: Craig Whyte's takeover of Rangers was sealed with a pound coin being tossed across a table in Sir David Murray's office, a court has heard.


Murray won 6-3 6-0 in 65 minutes to set up a final against world number one Novak Djokovic on Sunday (20:00 BST). The result means the Scot will overtake Swiss Roger Federer in Monday's new ATP rankings and return to number two for the first time since 2013. "It's good to get back close to the top," Murray said. The US Open gets under way on 31 August, and it was following the same tournament last year that Murray lost his place in the top 10 after losing to Djokovic in the quarter-finals in New York. "It's nice to get back especially after everything I went through last year with the hip surgery and dropping out of the top 10. A lot of questions were being asked about how my game was physically. "I'll keep working hard and try to get that one spot higher." Djokovic beat unseeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-4 6-4 in the first semi-final. The Serb improved his record against Chardy to 10-0 with victory in one hour and 20 minutes, despite requiring several bouts of treatment on a sore right elbow. "It comes and goes, now is not very pleasant," Djokvoic said of the problem. "Every day is a new day. I try to bury the pain, play with the pain, it is part of what we do." Murray, 28, powered away from Nishikori, converting six break points and winning the last eight games in a row, including 12 of the last 13 points. He now faces another chance to end a losing streak against Djokovic that stretches across eight matches back to the 2013 Wimbledon final.

Summary: Britain's Andy Murray swept past Kei Nishikori to reach the final of the Rogers Cup in Montreal and guarantee a return to second in the world rankings.


Michelle Logue said Gerard Mulligan did not see a psychiatrist for weeks after he killed his father, despite being on suicide watch for some of that time. She said Mr Mulligan's solicitor phoned the prison regularly to try to arrange a psychiatric appointment. His first visit with a psychiatrist was on 2 November, Ms Logue said. Mr Mulligan took his own life at the high security jail on Saturday evening. The Prison Service said the PSNI, coroner and prisoner ombudsman have launched investigations into the death. The 44-year-old had been on remand charged with murdering his father, Gerald Mulligan, at his home in Limehurst Way, Lisburn, on 25 September. Ms Logue said in a letter to her from prison, Mr Mulligan said "he had never felt as alone in his entire life". "His solicitor told me he had been ringing... to try and get him an appointment with a psychiatrist, but he only saw the psychiatrist last Wednesday," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme. "So he hadn't seen or spoken to anybody about these mental health issues for all those weeks." Prison authorities and staff must show more understanding for inmates, said Ms Logue. "The people in there have done wrong but they have to be treated as human beings," she said. "They have to be more caring and sympathetic. To me they do what they have to do, but no more." Ms Logue said Mr Mulligan had tried to phone her several times on the day he took his life. "I was working on the Saturday morning and he tried to phone me twice," she said. "He tried to phone me four times in two minutes on the Saturday afternoon at 15:30 and I had laid down for a sleep and missed his calls - the same day that he killed himself. "I feel terrible guilt, because I was the love of his life and he told me I was the only thing that was keeping him going. "So I believe maybe if I'd have spoken to him I could have stopped him on that day. But I believe it was inevitable [that he would eventually take his own life]. "I think he thought when he couldn't get through to me that I had fell out with him and that's a very haunting thought for me." Listen again to the interview on Radio Ulster's Talkback programme.

Summary: The partner of a man who took his own life in Maghaberry Prison while on remand for the murder of his father has criticised the care he received.


Supermarket worker David Sinclair, 34, shook his five-month-old son Joshua in a fit of anger, causing him to die at Hairmyres Hospital hours later. At the High Court in Glasgow, Sinclair pleaded guilty to culpable homicide in regard to the infant's death on 6 December, 2012. He is due to return to the court for sentencing next month. Sinclair was originally charged with murder, but admitted the reduced charge of culpable homicide, just days before he was due to go on trial. Prosecutor Ashley Edwards said that on the day the child died, Sinclair and his now wife Kirsty and Joshua went swimming and then shopping in East Kilbride. At 17:30 Kirsty Sinclair went out to meet her mother and sister. Just 11 minutes later she received a phone call from Sinclair, who sounded "shocked". He told her: "Joshua isn't breathing properly, come home right away." He then hung up and dialled 999. The court heard that Kirsty Sinclair, who is pregnant, married Sinclair on the anniversary of their son's first birthday on 9 July 2013, and had said she was standing by him. Initially the cause of Joshua's death was unascertained, but the case was reviewed by a team of medical experts who discovered evidence of trauma in the eyes and brain which could only have been caused non-accidentally close to the time of death. One of the experts, Dr Peter Richards, consultant paediatric neuro-surgeon at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, said: "This would be compatible with him having suffered a shaking injury involving handling at greater force than encountered in everyday life. "It would be compatible with a shaking event where a carer, who has not planned to injure a child, has a momentary loss of control with tragic consequences." Defending QC, Ian Duguid, told the court that Sinclair had found it "unimaginable" that the handling of his child would have resulted in such catastrophic injuries. The barrister added: "He is extremely remorseful for the events which have ensued. Witnesses in double figures would have come forward to talk of his caring abilities as a parent." Det Ch Insp Laura McLuckie, who was the senior investigating officer in the case, said: "David Sinclair admitted to being responsible for the death of his baby son, Joshua, who died needlessly at a young and vulnerable age. "My sincere condolences go out to Joshua's extended family, who have endured this harrowing incident and continue to live with the pain of Joshua's untimely death. "A defenceless baby died at the hands of his father, the one person whose role was to protect and care for him."

Summary: A man has admitted killing his baby son in a "harrowing incident" at his home in East Kilbride.


The charges start from 1 April 2017 and will increase BT's annual valuation fourfold, from £165m to £743m. "We are extremely disappointed by the new rateable values, which are clearly excessive," BT said. On Friday, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) published revaluation details of 1.96 million non-domestic properties in England and Wales. But BT said: "It is highly likely that an increase of this size would lead to higher prices for consumers and businesses." The telecoms giant warned that if the proposed new rates are brought in, "it could have a negative impact on future investment in the network". That point was echoed by Virgin Media chief executive Tom Mockridge, who said: "The Chancellor Philip Hammond is choosing to side-step responsibility for a huge increase in infrastructure taxes, at the very moment after the Brexit vote the UK needs to maximise investment into its digital fibre network." BT said it will challenge the VOA's "method and assumptions". "The Government has made it clear that it wants companies such as BT to invest heavily in the UK. We have stepped up to that challenge but we need a more joined up and logical approach from the public sector if there is to be a more conducive environment for investment," the company said. The proposed rates will be welcomed by many small businesses, which will see a drop in their charges. That is because they have overpaid in recent years, as rates have been based on 2008 valuations which are now out of date, said the Federation of Small Businesses. Chairman Mike Cherry said: "Many businesses across the country will be getting some relief from years of overpayment or see their rates remain steady. "In other areas, there will be a big jump between the old valuation and the new one. To avoid such big discrepancies in payments, we believe more frequent valuations are necessary." But he added that transitional relief plans, which were announced by the government earlier this week, will help reduce some of the pain for those facing a big rate hike. Under proposed changes to Small Business Rate Relief announced in the March 2016 Budget, small firms with a rateable value of less than £12,000 will pay no business rates at all, with further assistance handed to those with a rateable value of under £51,000. "It means that today's revaluations could have big consequences, especially for those firms on the margins of these cut-off points," said Mr Cherry. Local Government Minister Marcus Jones said: "Local firms also need to be confident that the rates they pay are accurate and fair, no matter where they are in the country, and these updates will give them that reassurance. "We are committed to helping all businesses flourish and as we make the system fairer up and down the country, nearly three quarters of companies will see no change, or even a fall, in their bills - including 600,000 who from next April will have their bills cut altogether. "But for the small minority of businesses that do face an increase, we're putting in

Summary: BT has condemned "excessive" new business rates, which it says will push up the cost of broadband services.


The cuts, which will be spread across the country, represent 7.5% of the company's 16,000-strong workforce. The move follows the merger earlier this year of the two networks which together have 30 million customers. At the time analysts warned the move would mean some staff overlap and would therefore mean a reduction in staff numbers. The jobs will go from back office, headquarters and management. The group said no cuts would be made among customer service or store staff. Its main offices are in London, Bristol and Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

Summary: Everything Everywhere, the company that runs Orange and T-Mobile in the UK has said that it will cut 1,200 jobs.


Bomb disposal officers examined a suspicious item found at Thiepval Barracks but it was found to be "nothing untoward", police said. A number of homes had been evacuated, but people have been allowed to return. Part of the Belsize Road, which had been closed, has now reopened.

Summary: A security alert at an Army base in Lisburn in County Antrim has ended.


Media playback is not supported on this device Pennetta, the 26th seed, won 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 to become only the second Italian woman to win one of the tennis majors. She then said: "I make a big decision in my life - this is the way I like to say goodbye to tennis." The 33-year-old from Brindisi confirmed she plans to play the rest of the season before retiring. "One month ago I decided that this is the way I would say goodbye to tennis," added Pennetta, who collected a winner's cheque of $3.3m (£2.1m). "This is my last and I couldn't think of finishing in a better way." Vinci, ranked 43rd in the world, had stunned Serena Williams in the semi-finals, ending the world number one's bid for a calendar Grand Slam. The 32-year-old from Taranto, said: "I am really happy and really happy for Flavia. It's tough to play against a player who you have known for a long time. "I tried to play my best, but Flavia played unbelievable and I have to say congrats to her." Pennetta later cleared up any confusion arising from her surprise post-match announcement on court. "I will play until the end of this year but it was my last match here in New York," she explained. The new world number eight will play two tournaments in China, as well as the WTA Finals in Singapore if she qualifies, before calling it a day. "Sometimes it's getting hard for me to compete," said Pennetta, who joins 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone as a female Italian Grand Slam winner. "You have to fight every week and if you don't in the way I did today, it's going to be bad. I don't feel like I have this power any more. "It was a really hard decision but I'm really happy I did it. I'm really happy and proud of myself." Vinci, asked what their appearance in the final together had proved, said: "I beat Serena - a miracle. Two Italians can reach the final - a second miracle. And one Italian player can win a Grand Slam." The absence of Williams from the final day had led to fears that the stadium might be half empty, but a full house of 23,771 did see history made, albeit Italian history. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was courtside after flying in for the first final between two of his compatriots since the open era began in 1968. It was Pennetta who prevailed after making the running from the outset, breaking serve at the seventh attempt in a dramatic seventh game. Vinci was tentative, making little headway with her sliced backhand until a Pennetta error brought her level at 4-4. A tie-break was required and again it was Pennetta who held her game together better, clinching it with a serve after four errors from Vinci. Pennetta raced 4-0 clear in the second, a big enough lead to absorb a brief fightback from Vinci, and the darkening skies above loomed as the biggest threat to her hopes. The drizzle

Summary: Flavia Pennetta beat fellow Italian Roberta Vinci to win her first Grand Slam title at the US Open, and then announced her retirement.


University of Aberdeen researchers found the link remained even after taking account of the smoking habits of the women themselves who miscarried. But no link was found between exposure to cigarette smoke in the womb and a decrease in fertility. The study examines data from 12,321 women born before 31 December 1972. The university said an analysis of the data also showed that women exposed to cigarette smoke in the womb were more likely to have a pregnancy than those whose mothers did not smoke. Women exposed to cigarette smoke in the womb were also likely to have a pregnancy earlier than those not exposed. Dr Sohinee Bhattacharya, a pregnancy and childbirth expert from the University of Aberdeen, said previous research had suggested there may be a "small decrease" in the fertility of women whose mothers smoked in pregnancy. "This study used a databank in Aberdeen to look at the birth records of more than 12,000 women and followed them through for 40 years to see whether being born to a smoker had any impact on women's future fertility," she said. "The study did not find a link between mothers' smoking and a decrease in fertility in their daughters. "Women whose mothers smoked were more likely to have a pregnancy, but this study suggests that this could simply be linked to the fact that they were also more likely to get pregnant at an earlier age and could be related to socioeconomic status. "Worryingly the study did find a significant increase in the chances of having a miscarriage among the women whose mothers had smoked when pregnant with them. " The lead author of the paper, Sam Tweed, completed the work as part of his undergraduate degree and graduated from the University of Aberdeen's Medical School in June. The research was published in the Human Reproduction Open journal.

Summary: Women exposed to cigarette smoke while in their mothers' wombs are more likely to experience miscarriage as adults, according to a study.


Police investigating the attack in Lochgelly on Saturday night said two males aged 16 and 19 were being held. A 22-year-old man was injured outside the Premier Stores on Francis Street just before 22:00. He was being treated at Victoria Hospital where his condition is said to be stable. The suspects are expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

Summary: Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with an attempted murder outside a shop in Fife.


The 24-year-old wildcard from Stockport, ranked 164, overcame the world number 94 2-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-0 to reach the second round. But British number three Johanna Konta lost 6-4 3-6 6-4 to China's Peng Shuai. James Ward, Dan Cox, Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund were also beaten in the men's singles first round. Broady will face either 16th seed Caroline Wozniacki or Israel's Shahar Peer - Wozniacki led 6-3 2-0 when play was suspended for the day - in the second round. Having lost her Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) funding as a 17-year-old in 2007 for "unprofessional behaviour" on a night out, Broady has had to pay her own way on the circuit since. "I don't think they (the LTA) will try and take credit for it, I'll laugh in someone's face if they try and say it was them," said Broady. "It's definitely made me hungrier. If I don't win, I don't have any money." A year ago Broady was exploring alternative career possibilities, but she has guaranteed herself prize money of at least £43,000 with victory over Babos. "When I was looking at other things to do, it was specifically because I couldn't fund my tennis," she recalled. "It was hindering my tennis and I wasn't getting the best out of it. "This time last year I was lucky enough to get a wildcard into Wimbledon qualifying. The week before that, I was researching how to become an au pair, and going to go live in another country. "I was going for Paris and looking at doing first aid courses, language courses, to become an au pair, because I couldn't afford to play tennis. But I won a qualifying round and that got me through for a while, then I had some wins in the doubles and that helped me pay for the singles." Broady believes the fact she does not get LTA funding has made her hungrier for success. "If I don't win, I don't have any money. I have to fight harder on court," she added. "The difference a year can make is amazing. I think I'll be fine for a year or so now. It's very satisfying knowing that it's me that has achieved this." Ward made 30 unforced errors, failed to convert any of his three break points and won just five games as he lost 6-2 6-2 6-1 to 17th seed Mikhail Youzhny, while Cox was beaten 6-2 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 by Frenchman Jeremy Chardy. Evans was a 6-1 7-5 3-6 7-6 (7-5) loser at the hands of Russian Andrey Kuznetsov; while Edmund, last year's junior semi-finalist, found Austria's Andreas Haider-Maurer too strong and lost 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-2. "It went OK," said Edmund. "I got off to a good start, but struggled a bit at the end of the first set. I'm glad I got my game back to take it to a tie-break. I thought I was unlucky to lose the second. He played a good third set. I have lots of experience to take, so it's not all bad." Konta

Summary: British number four Naomi Broady won her first match at a Grand Slam as she came from a set down to beat Hungary's Timea Babos at Wimbledon.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 27 August 2015 Last updated at 17:56 BST Both games are free to play but have some features which cost money to add. The Advertising Standards Agency, the UK authority in charge of checking advertising, say that the games put too much pressure on children to buy these additional features. That's because they say things like 'Moshi Monster needs you', or tells players they will be 'super popular' if they pay to become members. Now the companies behind both Moshi and Bin Weevils say they have changed the games and will stick to the rules in the future. Watch Newsround reporter Jenny's full report on this.

Summary: The popular online games Moshi Monsters and Bin Weevils have found themselves in trouble for putting unfair pressure on children to make in-game purchases.


The carrier initially launched the three-times-a-day service until 21 October while the Severn Tunnel was closed as part of the rail electrification programme. But it said there had been a "very promising" uptake, with 95% of passengers surveyed saying they would continue using it. The service has now been extended. Tickets are now available for the coming weeks, with Cardiff Airport chief executive Roger Lewis saying "the immediate future" is secure. He wants to see continued use to make it a long-term route at the airport. Flybe's chief revenue officer Vincent Hodder said: "This route has quite simply taken off, quickly becoming an early success. "We have been heartened by the response it has received." The flight time is about an hour, but the record journey to date is 35 minutes.

Summary: Flights between Cardiff and London City airports will continue while demand exists, the airline Flybe has said.


Cheng says a lot of people who aren't funny are afraid to be "weird" or "deviate from what's normal". This is a mistake, he says, arguing that comedians shouldn't be worried about having controversial views. "I think a lot of funniness comes from ideas which may be different, and that's why a lot of comedians come from a different background and have a different point of view," he says. "Embrace that." Cheng himself dropped out of his maths degree at Cambridge University in 2008 to become a professional poker player before later getting into comedy. He brings an analytical approach to his comedy, using graphs and a PowerPoint presentation in his Edinburgh performance. Read about the joke that won him the award, here. With the growth of online streaming sites like Netflix, there is a lot of comedy available. Cheng says those wanting to be funnier should be watching plenty of it - particularly the things they find most funny. Doing this helps develop a sense of humour and potentially a distinct comedic voice, Cheng says. "Start off imitating it and you will find your own voice, because a lot of comedy comes by imitating enough things, which can create a different voice." Making friends laugh doesn't only make you and them feel good - it can be a stepping stone to making others laugh, Cheng argues. "If you make your friends laugh I think it's one of the greatest ways to connect with people. It's a stepping stone to making others laugh." While Cheng didn't do it himself, he knows other comedians and friends who have taken stand-up and improvisational comedy courses. These courses can give people an understanding of joke writing and experience of performing in a supportive environment. Cheng developed his own comedy skills in the familiar environment of students gigs in Cambridge, where he continued to live after dropping out of his degree in 2008. Cheng says social media can be a good place to try out jokes without the pressure of getting on stage. "It's a good way, because you don't have to go in front of people and you can realise 'I know how to do this.'" But above all else, Cheng has some words of encouragement for people who hope to be funny. "If you have a sense of humour then you probably have the potential to be funny," he adds. "Being a Chinese comedian is much easier than being a female comedian because no one ever comes up to you after a gig and says 'you were pretty funny... for a Chinese comedian'." "I walked in on my flatmate looking at an optical illusion with his pants down. He jumped up and screamed 'it's not what it looks like!'" Ken Cheng is performing at The Cellar, Pleasance Courtyard, at the Fringe Festival, each day at 16:45 BST until 27 August.

Summary: The winner of the best joke award at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Ken Cheng, shares five tips on how to be funnier, be it on stage or just in front of a group of friends.


Speak to candidates knocking on doors in each of Wales's 22 local authority areas and they will tell you that voters appreciate a bit of trash talk. Local councils are responsible for keeping land in their area clear of litter and refuse, including dog mess. So how are they doing? And what issues do they face in trying to keep our streets, town centres, parks and beaches clean and tidy? Based on the latest How Clean Are Our Streets report, an annual independent survey funded by Welsh Government and carried out by Keep Wales Tidy (KWT), you could argue that the situation looks rosy. The survey has been going since 2007, monitoring more than 3,000 streets across Wales. This year, there were reductions in all types of litter recorded with dog fouling and smoking-related rubbish at their lowest levels yet. The survey's cleanliness indicator gave an all-Wales score of 69.3 - the highest yet, although there are still challenges for urban areas and the gap between the lowest and highest figures is still widening. However, with litter estimated to cost Welsh taxpayers an estimated Â£70m a year in clean-up costs, there is an emphasis that dealing with it cannot lie with councils alone. Jemma Bere, policy and research manager for KWT, said: "Even though progress is being made, litter remains a real and persistent problem for many communities. To effectively reduce litter in Wales, it's vital that we continue to work in partnership with local and national government, agencies, businesses and schools, developing a more joined up approach." That is echoed by councils themselves, given the financial position they are in. Since 2009/10 expenditure across Wales's local authorities on environmental services, which includes bin collection and street cleaning, has seen a 12% cut, while money spent on regulation has fallen by 47%. Councils are having to work in different ways, partnering with charities, encouraging volunteers to carry out street clean-ups and take up offers from private agencies to catch litter-droppers on their behalf. Tim Peppin, director of regeneration and sustainable development at the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) told me that the quality of the local environment was "always at the forefront" for councils. "The appearance of an area really counts. So local authorities have been trying really hard on issues such as litter, fly-tipping and dog mess against a backdrop of budgets for environmental services being squeezed." "A lot of effort goes into thing like route planning for emptying bins in public areas so they don't overflow." Social care 'headache' for Welsh councils Looking for better school marks Increasingly private agencies are taking over when it comes to enforcement action. They operate on a no-fee basis, taking a cut of any fines they dish out on the council's behalf instead. It has meant that despite a period of much tighter budgets, the number of fixed penalties issued by Welsh councils for littering has increased sharply - chiefly where private firms have been used for litter enforcement. Wrexham Council had faced a litter clear-up bill of Â£1.2m but a year ago brought

Summary: Politicians are often accused of talking rubbish, but when it comes to Thursday's local election that may well do them some favours.


Roughly based on the shape of a cruise ship, the behemoth is situated at the NEC complex on the outskirts of the city - officially part of Solihull and an area few people would have on their mini-break hot list. So how will it compare to other resort destinations? Nestled within the sprawling NEC, Resorts World is not in a glamorous spot. It is bordered by the M42 motorway, Birmingham Airport and the large housing estate of Chelmsley Wood. But does that matter? The Genting Group is not aiming for guests at the resort to have a local experience. With an Asian-themed spa, Australasian-themed restaurant and New York-themed bar, Birmingham - or even the UK - does not intrude. The idea, which has proved popular in Malaysia and the Philippines, is that once through the doors of Resorts World, visitors could be anywhere. Or nowhere. The business behind Resorts World, Malaysian conglomerate the Genting Group, already owns and runs more than 40 casinos in the UK - as well as casino resorts in the Philippines, Bahamas, New York, Singapore and Malaysia. The International Casino in Birmingham will have more than 100 slot machines, as well as roulette, poker, blackjack and baccarat. The 100-seat sports bar, with large multi-screens and "luxurious private viewing booths" facilitates live match play, and with no windows for daylight to remind gamblers how time is passing, it is open 24 hours a day. Resorts World respects gender difference. Away from the sports bar and its rampant masculinity, there is a drinks menu for those of us without a Y chromosome: "For the ladies we offer an extensive list of tantalising cocktails, why not try our Genting Spring Punch or the Hurricane Rita?" It may be smaller and arguably less glamorous than Las Vegas - but once inside, a casino is a casino. The Genting Hotel promises its rooms "offer a self-contained sanctuary to make you feel right at home". Facilities include a Smart TV, coffee machine, ironing board and a bed. Like the world-famous Bellagio casino and hotel in Las Vegas, Resorts World Birmingham enjoys a waterfront location. There may not be a spectacular fountain display, but guests in Birmingham can opt for one of the five-star suites, "complete with panoramic lakeside views". An Asian-themed spa is due to open in the next few months, with a private entrance "away from the eyes of the public" for hotel guests, so they can come down from their rooms wearing dressing gowns without being exposed to the stares of shoppers and gamblers. The ground floor of Resorts World Birmingham houses more than 50 shops - all of them outlet stores. Deliberately less aspirational than the high-end retailers of Bicester Shopping Village, Resorts World offers an eclectic mix. Yves Delorme ("a passion for luxury home linens since 1845") is just round the corner from Hallmark's discounted greetings card shop. Fitness fanatics can check out Nike's outlet store before popping to nearby Holland and Barrett for health food - unless cut-price chocolate at Thornton's proves too tempting. And should you wish to

Summary: Persuading the public to spend their holiday in a 12-storey building on the edge of the M42 may seem like a tough task for the people behind Resorts World in Birmingham.


The confirmation of the timetable comes hours after four French soldiers were killed and five others wounded. The Taliban said one of their suicide bombers carried out the attack on a Nato convoy in Kapisa province. Withdrawing French troops by the end of 2012 had been one of Mr Hollande's election pledges. The date means that French forces will leave the country two years before the main Nato pullout. Violence has risen across the country in recent weeks, with the Taliban targeting both the Afghan forces and the 130,000 foreign troops remaining in the country. Afghan officials said the bomber in Saturday's attack approached a French Nato convoy wearing a burka. Several Afghan civilians were also wounded in the attack. Mr Hollande said in a statement that a "national tribute" would be paid to the soldiers. Until the pullout is completed, "everything must be done for our troops to meet their obligations but with... the greatest vigilance for the lives of the soldiers," he added. France is currently the fifth largest contributor to Nato's Isaf force, with nearly 3,300 soldiers. The deaths bring to 87 the total number of French fatalities in the country since 2001. In January the killing of four French soldiers in Kapisa prompted then-President Nicolas Sarkozy to announce a withdrawal by the end of 2013. Mr Hollande brought it forward by a further year, fulfilling an election pledge.

Summary: France will begin its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in July and complete it by the end of the year, French President Francois Hollande has said.


Thomas Morris, 31, was discovered in his cell at HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes, in June 2016. An inquest has heard how he sought mental health care before his death. Nicola Marfleet, acting governor, told the hearing: "I accept management checks had failed on different levels. I am responsible, I will always accept that." The inquest has previously heard how Mr Morris was moved to a single cell after throwing his television on to a landing. Asked whether Mr Morris might still be alive had he not been moved to a solo cell, Ms Marfleet said: "In hindsight that may have saved his life, but maybe leaving him where he was would have caused harm. "One individual throwing a TV onto a landing narrowly missing an inmate could be the thing that tips the wing into us losing control. "My duty is to care for each prisoner. A decision is not made in isolation." She told how the jail had a staff "deficit", meaning there is "a regular trickle of resignations which means we are routinely short of officers". The inquest continues.

Summary: The governor of a prison where an inmate was found hanged in his cell has admitted "checks failed".


It is unprecedented for all 11 Justices to sit for a single case and that is saying a lot for an institution that in one guise or another has existed for more than 600 years. But, judging so far from the furore greeting the judiciary's involvement in Brexit, it may be a case of safety in numbers. Howls of protest and anger from Brexit-supporting politicians and newspapers greeted the decision by the High Court on 3 November that Parliament must vote on Article 50 before it can be triggered. But the Supreme Court has made it clear that it is highly unlikely to be swayed by such considerations when it starts its deliberations on 5 December. In an exclusive interview with the BBC, one of the judges, Lord Kerr of Tonaghmore, confessed to feeling unabashed by the predicted public and press interest in the case. "I think that it's not a question of my looking forward to it but I can perfectly well understand why the public is extremely interested in it," he told me. "And that's a good thing. Our communications staff and our reception staff are well prepared to cater for that public interest and to ensure that as much facility for those who are interested in it is provided, so that the public can hear the arguments as they are presented. "I think that's an entirely healthy thing. So I'm not particularly looking forward to the public interest but I'm certainly not disheartened by it." The government appealed to the Supreme Court after a "lower court", in this case the High Court, ruled that Parliament must vote before the triggering of Article 50. The High Court had upheld the challenge by businesswoman Gina Miller that Prime Minister Theresa May had no authority by use of the Royal Prerogative to start the process of the UK leaving the EU. Several Brexit-supporting newspapers attacked the decision, with the Daily Mail describing the judges as "enemies of the people". Lord Kerr declined to comment about the newspaper headlines but said: "I think the important message that I would like to convey is that we as judges apply the law. "We are not involved in reaching decisions based on anything other than the legal principles as they are presented to us and the legal analysis which we conduct as to these extremely difficult and complicated questions. "That's not to say that we don't have personal views but we are all extremely conscious of the need to set aside our personal views and to apply the law as we conceive it to be." The Supreme Court is based in Parliament Square next to both Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. The court formally began in October 2009 housed in a building previously used as a crown court. Before 1965 it was home to Middlesex County Council, which was officially abolished in a reorganisation of London's local government. The Supreme Court took over the functions of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords and its justices also sit as the Judicial Committee of

Summary: All 11 senior judges of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom will decide the most significant British constitutional question for years - whether the government has the power to trigger Article 50 of the EU Lisbon Treaty to begin Brexit.


It follows reports in a German paper of repeated clashes between Theresa May and Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker at a Downing Street dinner. EU sources claimed UK misunderstanding of the talks process, and ignorance about how Brussels works, could lead to no deal being agreed on the UK's exit. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said the reports were "tittle-tattle". She said the emergence of the reports was "not the right way" of negotiating, but the UK was committed to negotiating in "good faith". According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine, the prime minister and Mr Juncker reportedly clashed over Mrs May's desire to make Brexit "a success" and whether the issue of protecting the rights of expat UK and EU nationals could be agreed as early as June. The newspaper claimed Mr Juncker said: "I leave... 10 times more sceptical than I was before." In a speech later on Tuesday, Mrs May - who has dismissed the account as "Brussels gossip" - will cite the need to stand up to the other 27 EU countries "We have seen in recent days, it will not be easy," she will say. "The negotiations ahead will be tough. Across the table from us sit 27 European member states who are united in their determination to do a deal that works for them." The German newspaper's report of the dinner last Wednesday, which looks to have come via European Commission sources, said that after the PM said she wanted to "make Brexit a success", Mr Juncker's response was: "Brexit cannot be a success. The more I hear, the more sceptical I become." And when she said the UK owes no money to the EU, the president informed her that she was not leaving a "golf club". The article said that, after last week's dinner, Mr Juncker was shocked at Mrs May's suggestion that a deal on citizens' rights could be achieved so quickly. The German newspaper report also suggested Mr Juncker said there would be no trade deal between the UK and the rest of the EU if the UK failed to pay the "divorce" bill which it is expected to be asked for. Reports also claim that the morning after the dinner last Wednesday Mr Juncker told German chancellor Angela Merkel that Mrs May was "on a different galaxy". A senior Conservative source told the BBC that the party would "rise above" all the media coverage but rejected accounts of the dinner, saying: "We really, really do not recognise those reports." Ms Rudd said the UK would not be responding to the claims but the government had set out a clear plan and priorities for the talks and Mrs May was the best person to negotiate a Brexit deal that was in the UK's "national interest". "Once you start engaging in gossip, in tittle-tattle in this way, it (will) carry on and who knows where it will lead?" she told BBC Breakfast. "Nobody knows how much truth there is in gossip. But there are ways of conveying what is going on and this is not the right way.

Summary: The UK will not enter into "a briefing war" with the European Commission over Brexit talks, Tory sources have said.


The Saudi foreign ministry said the UN needs to be reformed first. It said the Security Council had failed in its duties towards Syria as well as in other world conflicts. Saudi Arabia has previously expressed frustration at what it sees as an international failure to act on Syria, where it staunchly backs the rebels. There has been no official reaction from the UN, but diplomats there expressed surprise at Riyadh's announcement. Russia's foreign ministry called the move bewildering, and said Saudi Arabia's criticism of the UN Security Council about its actions over Syria "is particularly strange". By Bridget KendallDiplomatic correspondent, BBC News Usually there is fierce competition to secure one of the 10 rotating seats on the UN Security Council - a chance to sit alongside the five permanent members for two years on the top UN body which rules on international security issues. Instead Saudi Arabia has used the coveted position to lodge a very public protest. This is the second protest from Saudi Arabia. Earlier this month the Saudi foreign minister pulled out of giving a speech at the UN General Assembly, expressing similar frustration. It is a dramatic gesture, but whether it makes immediate reform of the Security Council more likely, as the Saudis demand, is probably questionable. The announcement came hours after Saudi Arabia was elected for the first time to one of the 10 rotating seats on the Security Council. The non-permanent members sit on the council for two years, along with the five permanent members - the US, the UK, France, China and Russia. "Work mechanisms and double-standards on the Security Council prevent it from carrying out its duties and assuming its responsibilities in keeping world peace," the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement. "Therefore Saudi Arabia... has no other option but to turn down Security Council membership until it is reformed and given the means to accomplish its duties and assume its responsibilities in preserving the world's peace and security," it added. The failure "to find a solution to the Palestinian cause for 65 years" had led to "numerous wars that have threatened world peace," the foreign ministry said. It also criticised the UN's "failure" to rid the Middle East region of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons. And it accused the UN of allowing the Syrian government "to kill its own people with chemical weapons... without confronting it or imposing any deterrent sanctions". The UN Security Council last month finally broke a two-and-a-half year deadlock on how to deal with conflict in Syria after voting unanimously to adopt a binding resolution on ridding the country of chemical weapons. Saudi observers say Riyadh would have been working for years to gain a place on the UN Security Council, so such a decision would have to have been made at the very top of the kingdom's leadership. One Security Council diplomat, quoted by AFP, said the announcement was "totally unexpected" and without precedent. Another said: "There was nothing controversial about the election. But the government has made it clear in recent weeks that

Summary: Saudi Arabia has turned down a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, accusing the world body of "double standards".


The 35-year-old victim was attacked outside Barclays Bank in London Road, North End, Portsmouth at about 15:20 BST on Saturday. The men, aged 41 and 42, were arrested on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to murder. They are both in police custody. It is understood the victim's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. Police said they are appealing for witnesses.

Summary: Two men have been arrested after a woman was stabbed in the back as she walked in a busy shopping street.


Despite this, net use among this group is growing with the numbers trying the net doubling since 2011, it found. It also revealed that 25% of disabled people have yet to use the net - a figure campaigners called "shocking". About 88% of all UK adults, about 46 million people, used the net in the last three months, it said. The ONS bulletin on net use in the first three months of 2016 revealed that 91% of people living in London went online regularly. By contrast, in Northern Ireland only 82% of people are regular users of online sites and services. Pete Lee, from the ONS's surveys and economic division, said the statistics revealed some significant changes in usage and exposed those sectors of the population where net use remained low or patchy. Net use among women aged 75 and over had grown by 169% since 2011, it found. However, it found that a significant number of older people who start using the net did not do so consistently. About 5% of those aged 75 or more had stopped using the net in early 2016. "While we have seen a notable increase in internet usage across all groups in recent years, many older and disabled people are still not online," said Mr Lee. Mark Atkinson, chief executive at disability charity Scope, said it was "shocking" that 25% of disabled people had not used the net as it created a significant digital divide. "Digital access has the power to make life cost less," he said. "Many people go online to compare the best consumer deals and offers." "Life costs more if you are disabled, from higher energy bills to specialist equipment. Scope research shows these costs add up to on average Â£550 per month," he added.

Summary: Almost two-thirds of people aged over 75 have never gone online, suggest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).


The initiative at The Meadows, along the Melville Drive side, comes ahead of a wildlife meadow being planted. At least 10 large tree logs have been installed by the City of Edinburgh Council after Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield requested them. The logs have been donated by the forestry service. Lesley Hinds, City of Edinburgh Council's environment convener, said: "We have been working closely with Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links over recent months to install these logs, which will not only deter drivers from parking along the edge of the Meadows, but will help our efforts to encourage and diversify wildlife in the area, along with a new wildflower meadow."

Summary: Logs have been embedded into the grass at a huge city park in Edinburgh in a bid to encourage insects and other wildlife to the area.


The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties said staffing and leadership were particular concerns. It recommended the Scottish government and NHS boards agree minimum safe staffing levels for all professions in hospitals. The Scottish government said NHS staffing was at its highest-ever level. The academy set up a working group to look at how the health service could learn from past failures. It followed three previous reports into serious failings of care in the Scottish health service. They looked at problems of staffing and leadership at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI); above-average mortality rates at NHS Lanarkshire; and the worst-ever outbreak of C-difficile infection, at Vale of Leven Hospital. The academy's report, Learning from Serious Failings in Care, identified key issues to be addressed, including: The working group was chaired by Prof Alan Paterson of Strathclyde University and involved senior experts from the Royal Colleges in Scotland. Prof Paterson said: "It is clear that serious failings in team working between clinical staff and NHS management played a significant role in the failings in care identified. "These failings are deep-rooted and systemic. They must not be ignored if we are to learn from them and to prevent repetition. "It is also clear that a combination of factors led to some appalling failings in care, a loss of basic compassion and the prioritisation of inappropriate targets over patient care. In addition, leadership and accountability were all too often sadly lacking and bullying endemic. "While there have been responses to the individual published reports of inquiries and reviews into failings in care, there is little evidence to suggest that we are tackling the underlying systemic failings which exist." The report recommended that hospital staffing levels should be based on "best evidence". It said priority should be given to developing minimum safe staffing for acute medicine and medicine for the elderly wards. Among its 20 recommendations was a suggestion that there should be less reliance on locum and agency staff, and a call for quality of care to be put ahead of meeting targets, It also raised concerns about staff sickness, saying this could be an indication of deteriorating morale and should be used as "an early warning system". Royal College of Nursing Scotland Director Theresa Fyffe said: "These are hard-hitting recommendations and will make uncomfortable reading for many managers and leaders in our health service." She added: "Too often, failures in care are down to unsafe staffing levels. We know that quality of care is inextricably linked to having the right number of suitably skilled staff in the right place at the right time, with the right balance between registered nurses and unregistered staff. "Having appropriately trained and experienced staff must be a priority for all health boards if they are to deliver safe, high quality care to patients." The Scottish government's national clinical director for healthcare quality, Prof Jason Leitch, said: "We are committed to driving up standards in our NHS which is why we have led the way in responding to the reports detailed in the Scottish Academy's report. "We are absolutely clear

Summary: A body representing health professionals in Scotland has said major changes are needed to address "systemic failures" in the NHS.


Pupils at Denbigh High School were disciplined on the first day of term on Monday, for breaches of policy including "the wearing of inappropriate trousers, skirts and footwear". The students were taken from their normal lessons and moved to a "learning suite". About 20 of them returned to normal classes by the end of the day. Head teacher Simeon Molloy said: "We believe that standards across the board, including uniform, contribute to a positive learning environment. "At the end of the last school year we held several school assemblies that outlined our school uniform policy. "We followed this up by telephoning parents and sending out letters with photographs and information on the style of trousers and length of skirts." He added: "We have spoken with every parent of every student involved in this matter to explain individual issues with each pupil's uniform. We will continue to uphold our high expectations." Students flouting uniform rules were sent home from lessons at a Kent academy - a day after police intervened in angry scenes at the school gates on the first day of term.

Summary: A head teacher has defended excluding 72 students from regular classes for not complying with uniform rules.


Gerald Jacob's family said he had retired last December and had been planning to "continue his life travelling" with partner. The incident at Loggerheads is believed to have happened on Saturday at 19:30 GMT. Police were alerted to the crash scene on Sunday just before midday. "Gerry, as we all knew him, loved life and lived it to the full," they said. North Wales Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident on Ruthin Road involving a grey BMW car which was found in a hedge.

Summary: A family has paid tribute to a "very special" 66-year-old man who died in a crash near Mold, Flintshire.


Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness was speaking ahead of Saturday's meeting by his party's ard chomhairle (national executive) to discuss the crisis. He said he was told the UK government plans to impose £12bn in welfare cuts. He said Tory ministers plan a further £13bn in cuts across UK government departments. The issue of welfare reform and its impact on Northern Ireland's budget has caused serious political difficulties at Stormont in recent years. The crisis deepened earlier this week when the Welfare Bill was blocked by Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Green Party's only MLA. The welfare legislation was an important part of last December's Stormont House Agreement, and would have provided a number of mitigation measures to protect people on benefits who may otherwise lose out under planned welfare changes. Some of the reforms are already in force in other parts of the UK, but speaking ahead of this party's meeting in Dublin, Mr McGuinness said Northern Ireland was different from the rest of the UK. "I am not prepared to reside over the austerity agenda that the British government are inflicting on our executive. My conscience would not allow me to do it. "So I think what we have to do is rally the forces, both in Dublin, in the United State of America, and make it clear to David Cameron that this approach is folly of the worst kind," he said. But First Minister Peter Robinson, who leads the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), said there would be no renegotiation of the Stormont House Agreement. He warned that failing to implement welfare reform would result in "£600m of cuts to vital public services". Mr Robinson was interviewed at the Irish Open golf tournament, during his first public appearance since suffering heart attack last Monday. "I've had the experience of being in hospital, talking to medical staff, knowing the difficulties that they're facing, the fact that without the funds that they presently have there would be loss of life, it would be an issue for public safety," Mr Robinson said. "So, we do have to deal with all of these issues, but if they can't be dealt with then Her Majesty's government is going to have to step in and deal with them themselves." On Wednesday, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said she could not rule out Westminster having to step in to legislate on welfare matters in Northern Ireland.

Summary: Northern Ireland's deputy first minister has described the political situation at Stormont as "very grave" due to the row over welfare reform.


The fire started at the "A list" Cirque Le Soir venue on London's Ganton Street, just off Carnaby Street at about 04:55 GMT. Station manager Nic Myatt said: "No-one was inside at the time and there were no injuries." The cause of the fire is under investigation. Cirque le Soir, a basement venue, describes itself as "London's most A-list club and decadent circus". Entertainers perform on four stages at the nightclub, a popular venue for celebrities, with minimum spends starting "from as little as Â£100 per head" for a party of 500. London Fire Brigade said it managed to contain the fire so it did not travel to the restaurant and offices above it.

Summary: More than 50 firefighters have tackled a blaze at a Soho nightclub.