He plans a packed, whistle-stop tour of Jordan, the Palestinian territories and Israel - setting a new rhythm for papal travel which recalls the enthusiasm for foreign pilgrimages shown by his ground-breaking predecessors who kick-started papal travel in the 20th Century. He will deliver a total of 13 speeches, all in Italian, which will be translated into the other five main languages used by the Vatican: English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese. Translations will also be offered into Arabic in Amman and Bethlehem, and into Hebrew in Jerusalem. Pope Francis' native language is Spanish, but he normally communicates in fluent Italian; he is not comfortable speaking or working in English. Pope Francis will in fact be the fourth leader of the Roman Catholic Church to visit Jerusalem, after Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who went there in 2009. Significantly, Pope Francis is taking along as part of the Vatican delegation on his rapid tour two old friends from Argentina - a rabbi, and an imam who used to run the Islamic Centre in Buenos Aires. The Pope has co-authored a book with his Jewish friend and was equally close to his Muslim colleague when he was archbishop in the Argentine capital. Vividly aware of the potential political and religious minefields awaiting him during this journey, he has prepared himself well for his second overseas sortie and can turn to his friends for instant advice. The official reason for the Pope's journey is in fact to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting in Jerusalem between Pope Paul VI and the head of the Orthodox Church, Patriarch Athenagoras. The meeting ended 900 years of separation and enduring antagonism between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity. The two leaders lifted mutual decrees of excommunication. Pope Francis will have no fewer than four separate meetings in Jerusalem with Athenagoras's successor, Bartholomew, "first among equals" in the Orthodox world. Although it is highly unlikely that there will be any spectacular announcement of reunion, Pope Francis's gesture of holding a joint prayer meeting with the head of the Orthodox Church in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - the place where, according to tradition, Jesus Christ was laid to rest after his crucifixion - will be a remarkable event. It follows his bold decision to invite Bartholomew to the Vatican for his official inauguration last year, and it means that efforts to re-establish Christian unity are high up on the list of Francis's priorities. The Pope's namesake, Saint Francis, never actually made it to Jerusalem, or to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He did however travel as far as Acre - now part of Israel - in 1219, laying the foundations for a Franciscan presence in the Middle East which has, somewhat miraculously, endured until this day. Some 300 Franciscan friars are officially entrusted by the Vatican with the custody and upkeep of the Holy Places in the Middle East. However, they have been denuded of their Christian heritage to the extent that one leading local Catholic churchman has described

Summary: Pope Francis sets out from Rome this weekend on his first visit to the Middle East as pontiff, specifically to the lands designated as "Holy" not only by the world's Christians, but also by members of the two other major monotheistic faiths.


Clark, 33, and Hunter, 29, receive MBEs after helping England lift the World Cup for the first time in 20 years. Northern Ireland boxer Patrick Barnes, 27, and Scotland's judoka Euan Burton, 35, who both won Commonwealth gold medals last summer, are made MBEs. Athlete Steve Cram, 54, a former 1500m world champion, has been awarded a CBE. Media playback is not supported on this device BBC athletics commentator Cram, who was made an MBE in 1986, spent 13 years as the head of the English Institute of Sport, until he stepped down from the post in August. Under Cram's chairmanship, the EIS has played an increasingly important role in developing sports science and sports medicine for elite athletes in more than 30 Olympic and Paralympic sports, and contributed to the record medal haul at the London 2012 Olympic Games. "It's really fantastic to have this recognition, especially all these years after I stopped competing," said Cram. "A large part of my journey since then has been the EIS and we have put a lot of things in place to give support to our Olympic programmes." Another former athlete, Dame Mary Peters, 75, the 1972 Olympic pentathlon champion, is made a Companion of Honour, and Wendy Sly, who won silver in the 3,000m at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, receives an MBE for services to athletics. The awards include recognition of the success of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Burton, who was Scotland's flag bearer at the Glasgow Games, retired after winning judo gold in the 100kg division, while Barnes won gold in the men's light-flyweight boxing competition. Kate Richardson-Walsh, 34, captain of the England women's hockey team that won silver at the Commonwealth Games, also receives an MBE. Gordon Matheson, leader of Glasgow City Council, receives a CBE and Jon Doig, the chief executive of Commonwealth Games Scotland, an OBE. Brendon Batson, 61, receives an OBE for services to football after being made an MBE in 2000. The former West Bromwich Albion defender, 61, who has been chair of Sporting Equals since 2010, is a major supporter of the Show Racism the Red Card campaign and an ambassador for anti-discrimination body Kick It Out. Former Portsmouth defender Linvoy Primus, 41, is awarded an MBE for services to football and charity in Portsmouth, while Jim Boyce, 70, a vice president at world football's governing body Fifa, receives the OBE for services to football in Northern Ireland. David Collier, 59, who stepped down as chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board last summer after a successful 10-year spell, receives an OBE. Edward Gillespie, 62, who spent 32 years as the managing director at Cheltenham racecourse, has been awarded an OBE for services to horse racing. Awards to grassroots sport include a British Empire Medal to Shirley Callaghan, who has dedicated more than 31 years of voluntary service to gymnastics at Ladywell Gymnastics Club in London. Dame Mary Peters. For services to sport and to the community in Northern Ireland. Steve Cram MBE. For services to sport. Brendon Batson MBE. For services

Summary: Women's Rugby World Cup winners Sarah Hunter and Rochelle Clark are among the sports stars recognised in the Queen's New Year's Honours.


The position became vacant after Angus Robertson lost his seat in the general election. Ian Blackford, Joanna Cherry, Tommy Sheppard and Drew Hendry have all confirmed their candidacy. They were all first elected in 2015. The party said its new Westminster group leader would be announced on Wednesday evening. The SNP won the general election in Scotland, despite losing 21 seats. They will start the new parliament with 35 MPs. Mr Robertson lost his Moray constituency seat to the Conservatives' Douglas Ross after Thursday's vote.

Summary: Four SNP MPs have said they are hoping to be the party's next leader at Westminster.


Students from Wales will be able to claim up to £4,954 in grants and borrow the rest, wherever they study. The announcement comes ahead of the publication of the Diamond report into higher education and student finance. One senior academic has warned that Welsh universities could become "second rate" if they could not increase fees. Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said: "This decision gives certainty for those who want to go to university for the academic year 2017/18, giving people the option to study where they choose, including in England where tuition fees are set to increase." Currently, students from Wales pay the first £3,900 of their annual tuition fees, with the Welsh Government paying up to £5,100. As well as the tuition fee grant and loans, Ms Williams announced a means-tested maintenance grant of up to £5,161. She has argued that living costs are a bigger barrier than tuition fees to poorer students going to university. The UK government linked its permission for higher fees at English universities to better teaching, with the new maximum of £9,250 possibly increasing by inflation in future years. In August, Swansea University vice-chancellor Prof Richard Davies warned higher education in Wales risked becoming "second rate" if colleges could not increase their fees as in England. Responding to Friday's announcement, he claimed there had not been "enough time for the Welsh Government to look at this properly since the announcement in England". "I hope they find some way of allowing for inflation," he added. The National Union of Students president Fflur Elin welcomed the news. She said: "We want to ensure that students from all backgrounds can access high quality courses. The cost of the courses should not be a barrier." Welsh Conservatives education spokesman, Darren Millar AM, said: "We welcome the move towards means-tested maintenance grants and the anchoring of tuition fee costs."

Summary: Welsh university tuition fees will be pegged at £9,000 next year despite colleges in England being given the go-ahead to charge up to £9,250.


The 41-year-old, from Crawley, West Sussex, is believed to have bombed a jail in Aleppo on 6 February. The footage shows Majid next to a large armoured truck bomb that was driven into the walls of the prison. His family said they believed he was in Syria for humanitarian purposes. Anti-terror police searched Majid's house in Langley Green on Wednesday. Officials have not confirmed his identity citing a lack of DNA evidence, although community sources in Crawley have confirmed to Mr Gardner that Majid is the man in the video. Mr Gardner said: "The 43-minute video clearly shows Mr Majid from Crawley in Sussex, dressed in white next to the large armoured truck bomb, which he is believed to have driven into the walls of Aleppo prison on 6 February." Majid is believed to have been responsible for the prison attack that resulted in inmates escaping. By Frank GardnerBBC security correspondent This video provides the final chilling proof that a Sussex man, loved by his family and friends, chose to blow himself up in Syria in the cause of jihad. Abdul Waheed Majid told them he was going for humanitarian reasons. But the video, apparently filmed in a wood in northern Syria last week, clearly shows him surrounded by armed jihadist fighters and next to the armoured truck bomb later rammed into the walls of Aleppo prison and detonated. The suicide bombing has alarmed counter terrorism officials here in Britain as they fear that other jihadists who go out to Syria may come into contact with hardcore al-Qaeda operatives who may urge them to turn their attentions away from the Syrian regime and instead attack targets in the West. The bombing, in the north of Syria, is thought to have been the first carried out in the country by a Briton. People living near Majid's home told the BBC he left some weeks ago for Syria. An al-Qaeda-linked rebel group, the al-Nusra Front, had named Majid by an alias - Abu Suleiman al-Britani. Counter-terrorism police raided a second house in Crawley on Thursday, which was believed to have been occupied by one of Majid's close friends. That house is also the former home of schoolgirl Sarah Payne's killer Roy Whiting, according to neighbours. The South East Counter Terrorism Unit said there had been no arrests following the searches in Crawley. The Manchester home of student Abu Layth has also been searched by police. He is believed to have been killed while fighting in Syria. Inquiries are continuing into how Layth, whose family name is Khalid Raoufi, died. Greater Manchester Police have confirmed his family is not under investigation.

Summary: A video has been posted online showing British man Abdul Waheed Majid, who is thought to have carried out a suicide bombing in Syria, the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner has said.


The Co Wicklow fighter beat Victoria Torres of Mexico on a unanimous decision to make the semi-finals. All four semi-finalists in Kazakhstan qualify for August's Olympics. Middleweight Savannah Marshall became the 10th British boxer to book a place in Brazil by outpointing Chinese third seed Li Qian in her quarter-final bout. Taylor, 29, who is guaranteed at least a bronze medal, impressed in Tuesday's quarter-final with a clinical display and is aiming for a sixth world title. The Bray boxer beat Agnes Alexiusson of Sweden and Argentina's Dayana Sanchez in Astana before prevailing against Torres over four rounds. Taylor was surprisingly beaten in the Olympic qualifier in Turkey last month. Azerbaijan's Yana Alekseevna handed Taylor her first defeat in five years at the European Olympic qualifiers to leave the five-time world champion still seeking Rio qualification. Alekseevna's victory in Samsun was Taylor's first defeat in 63 contests. Meanwhile, Marshall, 25, will next face Dutch fighter Nouchka Fontijn for a place in the final. Compatriot Nicola Adams kept on track for the first world gold of her career as she squeezed through against Yu-Ting Lin of Chinese Taipei in their flyweight bout. Adams, who has already qualified for the Olympics, goes up against home favourite Ahaina Shekerbekova on Thursday, and knows she will not have to fight big rival Ren Cancan, who withdrew with food poisoning. Great Britain's Sandy Ryan missed out on a world medal in the non-Olympic light-welterweight division as she lost on a unanimous decision to China's Wenlu Yang.

Summary: London 2012 gold medallist Katie Taylor will defend her lightweight title in Rio after securing an Olympic Games berth at the World Championships.


The 29-year-old England international has not made a final decision, but is understood to favour extending his time at the King Power Stadium. Arsenal made a reported bid of £20m for Vardy, activating a release clause in his contract and offering him a deal reported to be worth £120,000 a week. Leicester responded with an offer said to be worth £100,000. Arsenal do not plan to improve their offer and are thought to be pursuing alternative options. Vardy, who joined Leicester from non-league Fleetwood Town for £1m in 2012, signed a three-year deal in February, and the Foxes' new offer would extend that into a fourth year. Arsenal's offer was a three-year contract with the option of a fourth. Vardy, whose tally of 24 league goals last season was bettered only by Tottenham's Harry Kane, is currently with the England squad at Euro 2016. The Gunners asked Vardy to give them an answer before he flew to France, but he wanted to focus on the competition.

Summary: Leicester striker Jamie Vardy is set to reject an offer to join Arsenal and stay with the Premier League champions.


The latest available figures show that during 2014 there were 16.5 suicides per 100,000 in Northern Ireland. Scotland had the second highest rate, at 14.5, followed by 10.3 in England and 9.2 in Wales. It is the second consecutive year that Northern Ireland has recorded the UK's highest suicide rate. However, the overall number of suicides in Northern Ireland decreased in 2014, falling to 268 compared to 303 deaths. This reflected a small decrease in the total number of suicides across the UK as a whole in 2014, where the overall figure fell by 2%. Last month, the Irish News reported that since the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998, more people have taken their own lives in Northern Ireland than were killed during the Troubles. Prof Siobhan O'Neill, from Ulster University' Psychology Research Institute, told the BBC there may be a link between those decades of conflict and the deaths of some of those who have taken their lives in a time of relative peace. "Deprivation certainly is one of the legacy issues and we know that those areas that are deprived, that have high levels of deprivation, have also been the same areas that were exposed to conflict. "Those are the areas where our suicide rates are highest," she added. That link between deprivation and despair means that the legacy of the Troubles is having an impact on another generation in places like Londonderry. Emma Johnston works with the charity Youth Action Northern Ireland which tries to get young people to talk about their mental health. One of the locations where she tries to help them is the job centre. "Every programme that we deliver, at its core, at its very essence, is focusing around young people's mental health and while we may not frame it to begin with in that way, it's about raising them up, making them more resilient and maybe trying to raise their optimism for their future," she said. One young woman who attends a support group in Londonderry told the BBC she had attempted suicide 16 times before getting help. "It's only now in the past couple of months that I've been really coming out and been able to talk about it," she said. Another said the intervention of a concerned friend forced her to address her mental health problems. "When I was going through depression it took one of my friends nearly breaking into my house to find me. Eventually then I realised that other people are there to support," she said. A spokeswoman for Northern Ireland's Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) said reducing the suicide rate "continues to be a priority". "Over Â£7m is allocated annually to suicide prevention in Northern Ireland by DHSSPS," she said. "This is more per head of population than any other UK country and does not take into account the significant contribution from the charities and the community sector, mental health services, and from other Northern Ireland departments." Meanwhile, a new sports-based charity, founded by former Manchester United player and Northern Ireland international

Summary: Northern Ireland continues to have the highest rate of suicide in the UK, per head of population, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).


Allen left the Swans for Liverpool in 2012 but his time at Anfield has been hampered by injuries. The 24-year-old played in his side's 1-0 win at Swansea and Taylor said: "I've always known he was a great player, we know in Wales what a good player he is. "He just needed to be fit. He's a key player and he's in great form." Taylor added: "He's had problems with injuries which he couldn't have helped, like when he got smashed in Andorra. Allen has just over two years left on his current Liverpool deal but revealed he has opened talks with the club. He has been in impressive form for Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool side of late and Taylor says Allen goes about his role in a quiet and effective manner. "Unless you are a real football person and know the game and see the game like we do, because we're in it, then you may not see the nuts and bolts that Joe does so well," left-back Taylor added. "It's massive. Look at Leon [Britton] down here over the years, he doesn't spray the passes like [Steven] Gerrard but the nuts and bolts to make your team tick, that's what Joe does. "That's why Brendan took him there for a lot of money." Allen and Taylor are set to be included in Wales' squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Israel in Haifa on 28 March. Wales manager Chris Coleman will announce the squad on Wednesday with his unbeaten Wales side facing the Group B leaders. "We all want to be in the team and we all want to qualify," Taylor added. "These next few games are massive towards that. They're all big but now we feel we've really got a chance and we don't want to let that go."

Summary: Midfielder Joe Allen is showing the form that earned him a move to Liverpool, says former Swansea City team-mate Neil Taylor.


The aircraft have brought in medical equipment and food and water supplies from the Red Cross and the UN children's fund (Unicef). The UN has warned that basic services are unravelling in Yemen, with widespread food and fuel shortages. Meanwhile, Pakistan has ruled itself out of joining the Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen. Pakistan's parliament voted against joining its ally, Saudi Arabia, saying in a resolution that it should "maintain neutrality" in Yemen. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its plane landed in Sanaa carrying 16 tonnes of medical aid, including drugs and surgical equipment. Unicef's plane has flown in the same amount of aid - bringing food supplements for 20,000 children as well as medical supplies. "The supplies we have managed to bring in today can make the difference between life and death for children and their families," said Unicef's Julien Harneis. The arrival of the flights comes after days of delays while both organisations waited for clearance from all sides in the conflict to land in Yemen. The UN's humanitarian co-ordinator for Yemen has called for a humanitarian "pause" in the bombardment and fighting on the ground to allow the aid to be delivered. Johannes van der Klaauw told reporters in Geneva that the conflict has now spread to 15 of Yemen's 22 provinces. He described the situation in Aden in particular as "catastrophic", a descent into urban warfare, with control of the air and seaports shifting daily between rival groups. A million people in the city risk being cut off from access to clean water within a matter of days unless additional fuel is brought in, he said. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says almost 650 people have been killed and more than 2,200 have been injured since 19 March, but Mr van der Klaauw said the actual number of casualties is likely to be far higher because many are not being brought to hospital or are being buried immediately. Yemen has been in chaos since Houthi rebels, backed by army units loyal to the ousted former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, took full control of Sanaa in January and placed current President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi under house arrest. Mr Hadi escaped and took refuge in Aden in February, but left the country at the end of March when the Houthis reached the outskirts of the southern port city. Saudi Arabia began air strikes two weeks ago against the Houthis, a Zaidi Shia rebel movement that the US and Saudi Arabia allege is receiving military assistance from regional Shia power Iran. But they have failed to halt the Houthi advance into Aden, as well as neighbouring southern and eastern provinces. Overnight, coalition aircraft targeted the defence ministry building in Sanaa and weapons storage sites. Saudi Arabia asked Pakistan last month to contribute ships, aircraft and troops to the campaign to restore Mr Hadi to power. But after days of debate, Pakistan's parliament voted to "maintain neutrality in the Yemen conflict so as to be able to play a proactive diplomatic role to end the crisis".

Summary: Two planes carrying much-needed relief supplies have arrived in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.


BT is paying the money to Deutsche Telekom and Orange to avoid legal action over the issue. The two companies now hold stakes in BT as a consequence of the deal that saw them sell the EE mobile network to the UK company. The charge led to BT's first-quarter profits falling 42% to £418m. In January, BT wrote down the value of its Italian unit by £530m after it said it had uncovered years of "inappropriate behaviour". It said it had found evidence of improper accounting practices, leading to "the overstatement of earnings in our Italian business over a number of years". The Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the UK's accountancy watchdog, is investigating the auditing of BT's financial statements for the years 2015-17. Separately, BT announced that Marc Allera had been appointed as chief executive of its combined BT consumer business, while Cathryn Ross - currently chief executive of Ofwat - will become its new director of regulatory affairs.

Summary: Profits at telecoms group BT have fallen after it took a £225m charge related to its Italian accounting scandal.


Alfie Hyett was found by his mother Louise Hembrow at home in Hereford last March. Police told the inquest they found no evidence to support a claim he was copying a choking game that encouraged people to block their airways. A verdict of accidental death was recorded at Hereford Town Hall. More on this and other stories from Hereford and Worcester When the inquest opened in June, Mark Bricknell, senior coroner for Herefordshire, heard Alfie died of vagal inhibition, which causes the heart to stop through the stimulation of the vagus nerve in the neck. Before the inquest, Ms Hembrow told the BBC she believed her son had taken part in the game where the brain is starved of oxygen to create an adrenalin rush. However, Det Sgt Mark Jinks, from West Mercia Police, said there was no evidence he had researched the game or discussed it with friends. Mr Bricknell said he believed Alfie had tied the scarf around his neck out of childhood curiosity or experimentation without realising the potential consequences, and had not meant to take his own life.

Summary: A 10-year-old boy found hanged in his bedroom "did not understand the risks of putting a scarf around his neck", a coroner has said.


BBC News NI will provide audiences with its most extensive election coverage to date on our news website. Users will be able to follow live feeds of what is happening in their own constituencies, with stage by stage results for every seat. Live streams across all 18 battlegrounds will deliver the latest audio, video and news updates from the count centres. Also on our news website we'll have Northern Ireland-wide results, infographics and analysis from BBC News NI's team of political correspondents; social media updates from every count; and we will stream audio and video feeds of our television and radio output to ensure no election action is missed. As well as our website coverage, special live programming will start on BBC One NI at 14:30 BST on Friday, 6 May and continue throughout the day as results start to come in. Coverage will move to BBC Two NI from 19:00 to 22:00 BST, before returning to BBC One NI from 22:35 BST. The election results breakdown coverage will continue on Saturday, 7 May from 10:30 BST. From 14:00-22:00 BST on Friday, May 6 and 10:00 to 13:00 BST on Saturday, 7 May, BBC Radio Ulster will bring listeners news and analysis on all the latest election results and hear the action from the constituency count centres. On Friday, 6 May, Radio Foyle will feature an election special from 16:00-22:00 BST, co-presented by Enda McClafferty at the count centre in Londonderry and Elaine McGee in the BBC Radio Foyle studio. On 8 May, an hour-long special Sunday News at 13:00 BST, will bring listeners all the latest election news. "BBC News NI reporters will be at every count to bring you the results as they come in and, for the first time, you will be able to follow the stages of every count on BBC News NI Online," Kathleen Carragher, head of BBC News NI, said. "We'll also have political reaction and analysis from the politicians themselves and from commentators. And the audience can, of course, join the debate through texting and social media."

Summary: With the assembly election now upon us, BBC News NI 's multi-platform coverage will be bringing you all the results as soon as they come in.


Bed Bahadur Sunuwar was one of more than 150 local and foreign runners in the race, which began at Nepal's base camp. The annual run marks the anniversary of the first summit of the peak by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953. The winner completed the race, which ended about 2,000 metres further down the slopes, in four hours and 10 seconds. "The route is very challenging but amazing too. I feel proud to be the winner," the 29-year-old man said. Around 30 local runners were joined by about 130 from around the world, including the UK, US, China and Australia. A Nepali man was also the winner in 2015. This is the first climbing season on Everest after two seasons hit by disasters - an avalanche that killed 16 mountain guides in 2014, and a fatal earthquake in 2015. The 2016 season has not been without tragedy though, with several deaths from altitude sickness during a particularly busy period on the peak. On Friday, officials announced they had found the body of an Indian climber on the upper slopes, taking the season's death toll to four.

Summary: A Nepali soldier has won the world's highest marathon on Mount Everest.


The Conservatives won power promising: "If an EU migrant's child is living abroad, then they should receive no child benefit". The letter from EU President Donald Tusk, setting out a possible new deal for the UK, says something rather different - such benefits could be indexed "to the standard of living in the member state where the child resides". Rather than "no child benefit", EU migrants from poorer countries would receive less child benefit. Opponents of the Tusk deal have been quick to suggest even this negotiated position is impractical. So could it work? There are approximately 2.4 million EU migrants living in the UK - but less than 1% of them are receiving child benefit for children back in their homeland. Revenue & Customs suggests about 20,000 EU nationals receive the payment in respect of 34,000 children in their country of origin at an estimated cost of about £30m. Most of those payments are for children resident in Poland, but several thousand Irish and French citizens resident in the UK also receive UK child benefit payments for children residing elsewhere. It is a situation many regard as unfair. However, simply stopping the benefit altogether has proved tricky because it breaches a fundamental principle of the European Union - that EU citizens should have the same access to social protection as others in the country where they are living and working. What makes child benefit unique among welfare payments is the recipient of the money - the adult EU migrant - can be in one country while the dependent is in another. So the solution proposed is that "equal access" takes into account the living standard of the country where the child resides. We do not yet know the details, but it is likely that average or "median" incomes could be used as a measure for living standards in each member state. In the UK, child benefit for the first child is £20.70 a week - roughly 5% of the weekly median income. That 5% figure could be used to calculate the payment in each EU state, based on its own median income. In Romania, for example, rather than £20.70, the rate based on Romanian average incomes might be about £3.50. A similar figure could be derived for each EU member state and the payments adjusted accordingly. Almost all would be lower - but some single-market countries, such as Luxembourg, might expect a higher rate to reflect their higher living standards. There have been suggestions having many different rates for child benefit would give government computers the collywobbles. However, HMRC (which administers child benefit) and the Department for Work and Pensions already complete millions of complex international welfare transactions every year. EU or EEA (European Economic Area) citizens living in the UK fill out a detailed form before they can claim benefits. Sometimes, their work and social security history requires money transfers between countries to reflect residency in different parts of the EU. Experts say it would be feasible and, arguably, fairer to introduce such a system. But it would not make

Summary: It is not quite the pledge he made in his manifesto, but is David Cameron's compromise on paying child benefit to EU migrants workable?


Drifters was made in 1929 by acclaimed Scottish documentary-maker John Grierson. It shows fishermen harvesting shoals of herring off Scotland's east coast. East London-born sound artist Jason Singh will provide vocal sound effects during screenings of the film in Lerwick, Helmsdale and Anstruther. The tour, called Following the Fleet, is supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and also by Film Hub Scotland, which is part of the British Film Institute's Film Audience Network. Between 31 August and 18 September, the film and performances will be held at venues in Baltasound and Lerwick on Shetland, Stromness on Orkney, Helmsdale in Sutherland, Aberdeen and Anstruther. Singh, who will also deliver workshops on beatboxing and other sound effects for secondary school pupils at the venues, said: "I'm really excited about the Following The Fleet tour. "I am keen to see what people will make of a live beatboxed score to a silent film. "I'm also really looking forward to running workshops as it will give people the opportunity to explore their own voices in new ways and it will also give me the chance to meet, share and explore with new communities and cultures."

Summary: A silent film made 87 years ago about Scottish herring fishermen is shown at venues across Scotland accompanied by performances by a beatboxer.


The WDBS was launched this week to give more people with disabilities the opportunity to play cue sports. The first event will take place on 28 and 29 November at the South West Snooker Academy in Gloucester. Five different disability classification groups will participate at the tournament. The WDBS has been set up under the auspices of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, with help from the English Federation of Disability Sport. "We are delighted to announce the tournament and are sure it will be a great success," said WDBS chairman Nigel Mawer. "We encourage anyone eligible to take part regardless of their snooker standard. It's a fantastic opportunity to meet others, get free coaching, and compete in a competitive environment."

Summary: The first tournament staged by the new World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) body will take place in Gloucester in November.


Hammersmith and Fulham council's planning committee have backed plans to demolish the current 41,600-capacity Stamford Bridge stadium. The plans include a walkway from the nearby District Line station. "We are grateful that planning permission was granted for the redevelopment of our historic home," Chelsea said in a statement. "The committee decision does not mean that work can begin on site. This is just the latest step, although a significant one, that we have to take before we can commence work, including obtaining various other permissions." London Mayor Sadiq Khan will have the final say on whether Chelsea can build their new stadium. The new stadium has been designed by architects Herzog and de Meuron, who were also responsible for the "Birds Nest" Olympic stadium in Beijing. The proposals could mean owner Roman Abramovich has to find a temporary home for the current Premier League leaders for up to three years, with both Twickenham Stadium and Wembley Stadium being looked at as possible options. Chelsea might, however, struggle to use Wembley as north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur will occupy the national stadium for at least the 2017-18 football season as work finishes on Spurs' own new 61,000-capacity stadium. Chelsea could stay at Stamford Bridge while the work takes place but this is thought to be the most expensive option. Mr Abramovich has wanted to increase capacity at Chelsea on match days for a number of years. He previously attempted to buy Battersea Power Station with a view to redeveloping the site into a new stadium, ultimately losing out to property developers who are currently building luxury apartments at the site. Ten years ago Arsenal built the 60,000-seat Emirates Stadium, last summer West Ham moved to the 57,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London, and Spurs are currently redeveloping their White Hart Lane ground. The current 41,663-capacity Stamford Bridge is the seventh biggest stadium used by a Premier League team, well behind Manchester United's 76,000-seater stadium at Old Trafford.

Summary: Chelsea Football Club have been given permission by the local council to build a new £500m 60,000-seat stadium.


Police Scotland said the emergency services were alerted to the incident at about 13:00. A coastguard helicopter and lifeboat joined rescue teams looking for the man. A post on the RNLI Montrose Lifeboat Facebook page said it had been stood down at 18:20 "due to failing light".

Summary: A major search is under way for a man believed to have fallen from cliffs at Arbroath in Angus.


9 July 2017 Last updated at 14:27 BST The How To Train Your Dragon author gave Martin some great writing and reading tips ready for the summer!

Summary: Martin's behind the scenes at CBBC's Summer Social and caught up with author Cressida Cowell.


Maybe you're a Doctor Who fan, or you can't wait for the Big Fat Quiz of the Year, or you love Downton Abbey? Charlotte Moore has already seen every festive show going out on BBC One. She's the controller of the channel and it's her job to make sure that there's "something for everyone to watch" over the holidays. "It's such an important part of the year's schedule for me," she says and even though she's already seen the shows, she'll still be watching TV on Christmas Day. "There's something incredibly nice about sitting around with your family and watching them enjoy the programmes as well." According to Charlotte, it's all about planning. "My advice would be don't panic if you've got to go to church in the morning and you're going to miss something you really want to see or if you're going to miss something in the evening because you've got a family dinner. "When you're trying to work out the best moment to have Christmas dinner - you can't have it in the middle of Doctor Who can you - but you can plan." And if you work it out in advance, then you can let other people watch the channel of their choice and then you can catch up later. "The great thing is iPlayer allows you to watch it at any time." Charlotte expects the media to report on Christmas ratings, as they do every year, but she says the audience figures are not her priority. "The most important thing is for people to feel there's a really rich offering across the Christmas period." Don't Tell the Bride: Let it Snow!: 22 December, 9pm, BBC Three - Emma wants an upmarket wedding but Steve has plans to base the big day on an animated Christmas film. Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special: 25 December, 5pm, BBC One - Bruce Forsyth is back in the ballroom as six celebrities compete for the glitterball trophy. Doctor Who: 25 December, 6.15pm, BBC One - The Doctor and Clara meet Santa in a brand new adventure for the Time Lord. Marvel Avengers Assemble: 26 December, 8.30pm, BBC One - Earth's mightiest heroes - Iron Man, Captain America and Thor - must work with with agents Black Widow and Hawkeye to save the planet. Esio Trot: 1 January, 6.30pm, BBC One - Dustin Hoffman and Judi Dench star in this children's book adaptation about a man, a woman and a tortoise. Like many people, Charlotte also looks forward to the classics, when it comes to festive television. "We've got 101 Dalmatians which is one of my favourites. I love that film and knowing that I'll be able to sit there with my kids watching it again will be a real treat. "I love those classic episodes of The Vicar of Dibley or Royle Family. "Christmas is about feeling that you're with the things you love and as much as there's fantastic new content, I think it's really nice that people have some of their favourite films to watch too." Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter

Summary: There's bound to be at least one television programme you're looking forward to watching this Christmas.


The Committee on Standards in Public Life is rewriting its guidelines on potential conflicts of interests. It wants to know what the "reasonable limits" should be and whether they should be different for ministers and backbench MPs. It comes after controversy over George Osborne's jobs in banking, public speaking and journalism. The Conservative MP for Tatton, in Cheshire, will take up his new role as editor of the London Evening Standard on 2 May, according to sources at the newspaper. Within 24 hours he will head off to Paris to address hedge fund managers and investors, according to the Press Association. Standards committee chairman Lord Bew said: "We welcome views from the public and any interested parties on these issues. "For example, what factors should be taken into account in determining the 'reasonable limits' on MPs' outside interests and is the current level of transparency sufficient?" The consultation will run until Friday, 28 April. The committee's findings of the review will be reported to the Commons Committee on Standards' review of the Code of Conduct for MPs in June.

Summary: An ethics watchdog want to know what the public thinks about MPs having second jobs.


In saying that, you may think I've gone mad - given that the Smith Commission has apparently made some huge decisions. Here is what stands out for me from today's announcement. 1) The Scottish parliament will have total control over income tax rates and the thresholds at which they kick in (but Westminster will still set the tax-free allowance). 2) Revenue raised from the first 10 percentage points of VAT on Scottish spending will be allotted to the Scottish government. 3) The Scottish parliament will have power both to create new benefits and vary some planned and existing benefits - including the housing cost element of Universal Credit, benefits for carers and the disabled, and cold weather related payments. There are lots of other important new powers being transferred to Holyrood, including the ability to lower the voting age, change speed limits, license frackers, influence the new BBC Charter, and - possibly - change abortion rules. But it is the transfer of big tax and spending powers that creates significant fiscal and economic uncertainties - whose resolution may have serious political consequences. The lynchpin of all this is what the Commission calls the fiscal framework for the new devolution, which includes a number of principles. Perhaps the most important is that at the precise moment that the new powers are devolved, Scotland's budget and the UK's budget should neither be bigger or smaller as a result of this transfer to Holyrood of new spending and taxing powers. Or to put it another way, the block grant paid to Scotland under the Barnett formula should be reduced to account for taxes devolved to Scotland and increased to account for spending transferred to Scotland - and future payments under the new Barnett formula should be indexed to protect their real value. Or to put it another way, neither Scots taxpayers or those in the rest of the UK should suffer detriment as a direct result of the new devolution. Which is all very well to say, but my goodness it will be hard for Westminster and Holyrood to agree and implement. The point is that income tax receipts and benefit payments vary considerably with the economic cycle. So determining at any point in time precisely what revenues and costs Holyrood is assuming will be pretty tricky. And it is not just adjusting for the economic cycle that will be difficult. Right now, for example, the British government's take from income tax is well below what it expected it would be, given the apparent buoyancy of the economy. So what if the new grant formula was set on the basis of the current depressed income tax revenues, and then a few weeks later tax revenues suddenly and unexpectedly surged back to past trends? If that were to happen the Scots would enjoy a terrific permanent windfall - and taxpayers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland would presumably feel pretty miffed. Similarly the Smith Commission says Scotland should have new powers to borrow, because otherwise it could find itself running out of money in an economic

Summary: The really important stuff on economic and fiscal devolution to Scotland is yet to be decided.


UK Steel says rising competition and falling prices are damaging firms. The call for action comes days after Thai steel firm SSI halted production at its Teesside plant due to falling demand, putting 2,000 jobs at risk. Among other measures, UK Steel wants the government to lower business rates and relax emissions targets. In a statement it said: "The UK steel sector is vital to the success of manufacturing, employing 30,000 well-paid and highly skilled people, often in areas with higher-than-average unemployment. "In 2013 it made a Â£9.5bn contribution to the UK economy and had a Â£4.9bn export value." John Park from the Community trade union told the BBC that it was having trouble getting through to the company's management in Thailand. "A lot of the things that are happening at SSI are decisions that are being taken thousands of miles away," he said. "I'm not sure they know themselves exactly what the solution looks like. We would hope that we can find a positive solution to this situation that secures steelmaking on Teesside and supports the community." During its conference in London on Thursday, UK Steel is expected to outline a number of steps which the government can take in the short-term to "demonstrate its commitment to the UK steel industry". UK Steel, which is part of the manufacturing trade body EEF, is urging the government to encourage the use of British-produced steel in major infrastructure projects. It also asked the government to consider relaxing rules on emissions targets for manufacturers - which UK Steel said would cost the steel industry Â£500m by 2019. A spokesperson for UK Steel told the BBC that the government's business rates are much higher than competitors' in France and Germany - sometimes up to 10 times higher. UK Steel also said that bills for industries heavily reliant on energy usage were too high and that a review of these rates - announced in the Budget - should be brought forward. The call comes days after business minister Anna Soubry said that, because of strict EU rules, the government is "limited" in what it can do to help the ailing Teesside steel plant owned by SSI . About 2,000 jobs are under threat and unions say they have not been told what the current pause in production means. Contractors who supply workers and equipment to the site have been seen withdrawing their property. On Wednesday, Stockton South MP James Wharton told the BBC: "At this stage things are still ongoing. Things are very very difficult, I don't want to give false hope about the challenges that are before us for this company. "

Summary: UK steel manufacturers will urge the government to take steps to protect the industry in the face of what they describe as a "perfect storm".


This is revealed in a BBC analysis of recent inspection data collated by the Food Standards Agency. I have compared the hygiene records of some of the UK's most popular restaurant chains. Other brands which also do badly include Pizza Gogo and Little Chef, where about one in five of the restaurants inspected were unsatisfactory. On the other hand brands such as Nando's and Pret a Manger have hundreds of outlets, all of which reach an acceptable level. The ratings reflect how food is prepared, cooked and stored, as well as the cleanliness and condition of buildings and how the business is managed. The Food Standards Agency collects these hygiene inspection ratings from nearly all councils in the UK and lets you search for individual scores for nearly half a million shops or restaurants on its website. You can also look at the food outlets in a particular area. We scraped all this data from the FSA site to compile a national table comparing some leading restaurant brands. This shows what proportion of each chain's inspected outlets were found to be unsatisfactory - and the figures vary widely. Many chains have no or very few establishments which are unsatisfactory, but there are some brands where a higher proportion of outlets failed to meet acceptable standards of food hygiene. An FSA spokesperson said: "Food safety officers from local authorities will follow up with low-rated outlets and will work with them to improve hygiene standards." A restaurant is considered unsatisfactory if it scores 0, 1 or 2 (out of 5) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or as "improvement required" in Scotland. Many chains are franchise operations in which separately owned establishments trade under the same name and serve the same menu in line with the brand's requirements. All the chains were given the chance to check the data, but most did not comment. However, Little Chef says that it recognises it has to make progress and the company is initiating an investment programme to drive its hygiene standards up. Patisserie Valerie says that it acts immediately to remedy unsatisfactory ratings and that "we await our next inspections with confidence". Wimpy also states it takes corrective action when any of its restaurants is found to be below par. TGI Friday's, which scores well, says it is investing a seven-figure sum to achieve maximum five-star ratings in all its establishments. Zizzi, another chain with a good record, says it is pleased that the ratings reflect its operating standards. The ability to compare different restaurants in this way illustrates the opening up of official information over the past few years, as well as some of the continuing obstacles. It might seem hard to believe now, but before the Freedom of Information Act came into force in 2005, this sort of public health information was often kept secret by some local authorities. One early case which helped to establish the principle that the public should have access to such data involved a hotel in Bridgend, in south Wales, which had numerous breaches of good hygiene. Bridgend Council

Summary: Around one in three of the fast food outlets trading under the names of Dixy Chicken and Chicken Cottage failed to meet satisfactory levels for food hygiene when they were last inspected.


Negotiations over the fiscal framework have been going on since March 2015, with a lengthy deadlock over the issue of Scotland's block grant. Confirming a deal had been done, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said "not a single penny" would be taken from the Scottish government's budget. Details of the deal will be published soon so Holyrood scrutiny can begin. The deal, which is the financial basis for new powers to be devolved as part of the Scotland Bill, was settled after Chancellor George Osborne spoke to Ms Sturgeon on the phone. He said the agreement created a "stronger Scotland in a stronger UK". The MP told the BBC: "It delivers on the vow we made to the people of Scotland. "It is fair to the taxpayers of all of the UK and it gives Scotland one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world." Ms Sturgeon and Finance Secretary John Swinney had earlier informed MSPs that there was only one issue outstanding in the talks, the substance of a five-year review of the agreement. The two sides had disputed a key line of the Smith Commission agreement on new powers, which said there should be "no detriment" to either the UK or Scottish budgets as a result of the deal. Ms Sturgeon said the deal agreed would see "not a single penny of detriment" now or "at any point in the future". Addressing parliament, she added: "There is now an agreement in principle that we can recommend to parliament. "There will be not a single penny of detriment to the Scottish government's budget as a result of the devolution of powers during the transition period, for the next six years to March 2022." She paid tribute to Mr Swinney over his role in the protracted negotiations, saying it had been much "harder work than it should have been" to stop the Treasury from carrying out a "cash grab" from Scottish budgets. Prime Minister David Cameron said it was "a significant day of devolution", which would deliver a "powerhouse parliament" in Scotland. He added: "We have reached a deal which is fair to Scotland and fair to the whole of the UK. "It delivers accountability to the Scottish government and transforms politics in Scotland. It means May's Holyrood elections can be fought on the issues which matter most: how the Scottish government should use these extensive new powers, rather than what they are. "I welcome this agreement which shows that Scotland's two governments can work constructively together for the benefit of Scottish people." Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale welcomed the deal, saying it was "a historic moment for Scotland". Her party had backed the Scottish government's position in the negotiations. She said: "Scottish politics will never be the same again thanks to these new powers. We have entered a new and exciting era of devolution." Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, who later gave evidence to the devolution committee on the matter, said he was "very pleased" that a deal had been reached. He insisted he had "always been confident" an

Summary: The Scottish and UK governments have reached a financial deal enabling new powers for Holyrood.


The charges relate to a 20-year-old from Slovakia allegedly sold by a gang in Greater Manchester who organised a marriage to a man facing deportation. The five will appear before Rochdale and Bury magistrates on Friday. Police said immigration services had also dealt with three men for overstaying their visas. Mohammed Ali, 40, and Hateji Yakuyb, 57, both of Ashfield Road, Rochdale, Anna Cicakova, 34, and Malik Ramzan, 27, both of Wesley Street, Failsworth, and Rehman Ghani, 39, of St Heliers Drive, Cheetham Hill, have all been charged with conspiracy to hold another person in slavery or servitude and conspiracy to intentionally arrange or facilitate entry into the UK of a person with a view to their exploitation.

Summary: Four men and a woman have been charged over allegations of human trafficking involving a woman almost tricked into an abortion after a sham marriage.


The SEP V fund will invest up to £20m in growth-stage technology businesses based mainly in the UK and Ireland. It will also play "an active and supportive role" in their development. SEP said investments in companies in other European countries would also be considered. According to SEP, the fund was over-subscribed and closed above target. SEP managing partner Calum Paterson said: "This is another great milestone for us and reflects extremely well on the calibre of our team. "The new fund gives us a very strong platform to continue to invest in companies with world-class potential and we thank all of our investors for their support." SEP portfolio companies currently employ more than 5,500 people and have aggregate revenues of more than £1bn. They include Edinburgh-based travel search company Skyscanner and online car finance specialist Zuto, which is based in Manchester. Non-UK companies in the portfolio include Berlin-based language learning company Babbel and Dublin-based e-commerce analytics company Clavis Insight. SEP has 45 partners and employees across its Glasgow, London and Edinburgh offices.

Summary: Glasgow-based venture capital firm Scottish Equity Partners (SEP) has raised £260m for a new fund that will focus on high-growth technology companies.


Find out how you can submit your images and videos below. If you have a picture you'd like to share, email us at england@bbc.co.uk, post it on Facebook or tweet it to @BBCEngland. You can also find us on Instagram - use #englandsbigpicture to share an image there. You can also see a recent archive of pictures on our England's Big Picture board on Pinterest. When emailing pictures, please make sure you include the following information: Please note that whilst we welcome all your pictures, we are more likely to use those which have been taken in the past week. If you submit a picture, you do so in accordance with the BBC's Terms and Conditions. In contributing to England's Big Picture you agree to grant us a royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to publish and otherwise use the material in any way that we want, and in any media worldwide. It's important to note, however, that you still own the copyright to everything you contribute to England's Big Picture, and that if your image is accepted, we will publish your name alongside. The BBC cannot guarantee that all pictures will be used and we reserve the right to edit your comments. At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws collecting any kind of media.

Summary: Each day we feature a photograph sent in from across England.


Thousands of fans celebrated on the pitch at full-time after the Seagulls beat Wigan. The promotion came 34 years after the club reached the FA Cup Final but was relegated. The club's chief executive Paul Barber said a 25,000-strong crowd remained at the stadium after the game on Sunday. Virgo said the scenes of euphoria at the Amex stadium followed the heartache and "dark, dark times" since 1983. From brink of disaster to the Premier League "Nothing will ever top this success in the history of the football club," he said. "They're not just going into a big league, they're going into a worldwide league and the club now will be seen all over the world." Championship leaders are promoted to the Premier League Mr Barber said: "We stayed in the ground for quite a long time because we had about 25,000 people we had to look after. "We can never encourage people to go on the pitch, but we knew they would and we knew that people had waited a very, very long time for this moment and we certainly weren't going to spoil it." Describing the scenes as "unbelievable", he added: "They'll last in people's memories for a lifetime." Setting out the club's plans before the next season, he said managers had to look at players' contracts and the stadium needed infrastructure improvements of up to Â£5m, including floodlights, media facilities and improvements to the players' area. "We're going to have some of the biggest clubs in the world visit the city and no doubt all of them will be bringing huge numbers of fans as well - so this is a special time, not just for the football club but for the whole city." The club last played in the old First Division in 1983 - they reached the FA Cup Final that year but got relegated. In 1997, the club had to sell the Goldstone Ground to pay off some of its debts. It spent two seasons 70 miles away at Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium. The club then moved into the Withdean Stadium in 1999 - a council-owned athletics track on the suburbs of Brighton. Chairman Tony Bloom's arrival eight years ago paved the way for their new permanent home at the Amex stadium and the success that followed. DJ and Albion fan Norman Cook, better known as Fatboy Slim, who lives in Hove, said he was going to enjoy the moment "from now until the middle of August". "I'm going to make the most of it and enjoy it because reality will kick in. "In the middle of August we could get pasted, but it's going to be part of a learning curve," he said. Lifelong Albion fan Attila the Stockbroker - aka John Baine - said: "It's an incredible journey. Twenty years ago, bottom of the league with no ground. Now we're going into the Premier League." Ingram Losner, who has supported Brighton since he was a child and travelled from the US to watch the match, said: "The atmosphere was just building up throughout the day,

Summary: Nothing will ever top Brighton and Hove Albion's promotion to the Premier League, the club's former defender Adam Virgo has said.


Charlie Webster, 33, who has worked for Sky and ITV, became unwell after watching the Olympic opening ceremony. She remains in intensive care but doctors have said they are "very happy with Charlie's neurological results". Her mother said: "The fact Charlotte is now conscious is amazing." Ms Webster is being kept on dialysis as her kidneys are not responding to treatment and is being supported by a respirator. Her mother said in a statement that she had been able to speak to her family. "Charlotte knows she nearly died," she said. "She mouthed to me earlier, 'look at all the machines keeping me alive'. "Charlotte is really strong but as the doctors keep reminding me, everyone heals differently. "I am just so thankful that she's able to communicate with us again. "It's been the worst imaginable time - we have been beside ourselves with worry but the fact Charlotte is now conscious is amazing. "Knowing Charlotte, the thing she'll be most annoyed about is that she's missed the Olympics." Her management said that she managed to say to her mother, "I can't believe you have been here all week", and later, "Have you been to the beach?" A spokeswoman for the presenter said: "Charlie's family and friends have been incredibly touched by the overwhelming support and love shown to Charlie today. "Their main focus now is for Charlie to be stable enough to fly back to the UK." The former Sky Sports News presenter was admitted to hospital after becoming unwell while watching the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on August 5. Doctors initially believed she was dehydrated after the bike ride but her condition deteriorated. On 9 August she wrote on Twitter: "I'm getting there... awful few days with serious infection #Rio." Two days later she fell unconscious and was placed into a coma. The Ride to Rio left the UK on 27 June, with Ms Webster and her colleagues cycling 90 miles a day with only one rest day each week before arriving at the Maracana stadium on 4 August. It marked the 10th anniversary of a cycle ride undertaken by charity fundraiser Jane Tomlinson before her death. Mrs Tomlinson was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2000 and died in 2007 after raising almost Â£2m for charity.

Summary: A television sports presenter who contracted malaria in Rio following a 3,000-mile charity cycle ride has been brought out of her medically induced coma, her manager has said.


The regulator's chief executive, Leslie Titcomb, said on Monday she had learnt of the sale of BHS, then part of Sir Philip's Arcadia retail group, through reading the newspapers. Arcadia's company secretary has written on behalf of Sir Philip saying she was given advance notice of the sale. The regulator's spokesman said she had known but with too few details. The spokesman said: "We did discuss the proposed terms of a potential deal with trustees and the employer, however, we were not given sufficient information at that time to assess the potential impact on the BHS pension scheme." He added: "As we have launched an anti-avoidance investigation we need to take care not to prejudice our case." BHS was sold for a Â£1 in March 2015 to a little known group of businessmen called Retail Acquisitions. It collapsed into administration two weeks ago with debts of Â£1.3bn and two parliamentary committees are investigating it. The letter to the Work and Pensions Committee and the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee said the regulator had been notified by email on 6 February, 2015 that a decision had been taken to market the sale of BHS. She was also informed that "two parties had already expressed an interest in a solvent transaction and that negotiations were ongoing with both of them", according to the letter. It goes on to say that later in February 2015, the BHS pension scheme trustees and their advisers were made aware of the terms of the proposed sale and met the proposed purchaser. The letter also states that Sir Philip understood that the trustees had discussions about the sale with the regulator at the beginning of March. The regulator then sought an urgent meeting to find out how the proposed sale could affect the BHS pension schemes. The letter said a meeting between Sir Philip and The Pensions Regulator took place on 4 March, where they were made aware of the "key terms" of the sale. The regulator's spokesman said: "When addressing the Work and Pensions Select Committee, Lesley Titcomb said that we were not informed of the confirmation of the actual sale of BHS to Retail Acquisitions Ltd until March 11. "She explained that we were engaged with the trustees and the employer in the weeks leading up to the sale, and that we were aware a sale was a possibility." During the lengthy parliamentary session, Ms Titcomb said she was unable to answer specific questions about BHS because of her continuing investigation. Her team is looking into whether BHS' previous owners had avoided their financial obligations to the pensions schemes. The letter also responded to questions raised by some MPs about the amount of dividend payments paid out by BHS. The letter said that a total of Â£423m had been awarded to directors but that there had been no payments made for the past 12 years. The payments reflected the "significant" profits the business had made for the three years to the end of 2004. Former Trustees of the BHS pension scheme are due to appear before

Summary: Sir Philip Green, the former BHS boss, says the head of the Pensions Regulator gave MPs "incorrect" evidence.


Moses, 25, starred as Nigeria clinched the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, but his search for consistency on the international scene has been hampered by a series of niggling injuries. His last Super Eagles appearance was in the 2-0 loss to France at the 2014 World Cup but he insists his commitment to Nigeria should not be questioned. Unfortunately, I have not been able to play due to injuries but I have an unwavering commitment to Nigeria "I'm proud of being a Nigerian international and am always committed to playing for my country," Moses told BBC Sport. "It's the best feeling representing your country and I always want to perform and give 100% for the team. "Unfortunately, I have not been able to play due to injuries but I have an unwavering commitment to Nigeria." Moses' debut and last international appearance came under Stephen Keshi, who was fired after the country failed to qualify for the 2015 Nations Cup. Keshi's successor, Sunday Oliseh, said Moses remains part of his plans despite pulling out of crucial friendlies against DR Congo and Cameroon last October. Oliseh's comments were a timely boost for fit-again Moses who has played in West Ham's last five matches after recovering from a hamstring injury. "There is a new manager and the team has been doing well but without me," said Moses, who misses the involvement. "I'm prepared to give it my all and fight for a place on a regular basis, that's my aim. "This is football, a competitive stage and I have to fight hard to get in but I don't mind doing that." Former Crystal Palace and Wigan player Moses joined Chelsea in August 2012, but has spent the past two seasons on loan. Moses, who also had loan spells at Liverpool in 2013-14 and Stoke last season, moved to West Ham on loan in September 2015 after signing a new four-year deal with his parent club. At international level, he committed himself to Nigeria despite having represented England at junior levels, up to the Under-21 team.

Summary: West Ham winger Victor Moses has reiterated his commitment to Nigeria after he was accused by fans and local media in Nigeria of putting club before country.


In some hotels featured by the Fifa-appointed agency Match, room rates will be up to five times higher during the tournament, a recent study suggests. The board fears that "stratospheric" costs could damage the country's image. The World Cup opening match will be on 12 June 2014, in Sao Paulo. The board, known as Embratur, said that Match should change its policy of blocking hotel rooms and also called upon the agency to reduce its mark-up rates. "We propose that the companies involved conduct new rounds of negotiations to lead to a restructuring of the prices,'' the board was quoted as saying in a document by the Associated Press news agency. The board claimed: "Fifa/Match charges mark-up rates of more than 40% on the amount contracted with the hotel, something that contributes decisively to the increase of the already high rates." However, Match said that it does not regulate room rates and that prices are set "by the hotel owners and other tourism stakeholders". "As of yet it is totally unclear to Match Services on what criteria Embratur has been comparing rates as we have not been consulted in this matter," AP quoted the agency as saying. It added that if hotels lowered their rates if would "readily pass the benefit of any such reduction to its customers". The World Cup is one of the most popular sporting events and is expected to attract a large number of tourists to the host country. According to Fifa, the 2006 World Cup held in Germany was attended by more than 3.3 million fans - with many of them flying in from all across the world. Fifa is expecting a similar demand for the 2014 World Cup. Brazil's tourism board said that it was concerned that if fans coming from outside the country had to pay excessive prices, it might hurt the country in the long run. "We want to guarantee economic success and a legacy for the country that goes beyond the 2014 World Cup,'' it said. In June, there were widespread protests in Brazil where the high cost of preparations for the World Cup was among the issues raised.

Summary: Brazil's tourism board has asked world football governing body Fifa and hotel operators to try to bring down hotel prices â€“ which have reportedly sky-rocketed for the World Cup period.


They are the latest in a series of deadly attacks in France that have been getting more frequent in recent years. Previous attacks have included the killing of soldiers and schoolchildren by a lone gunman in the Toulouse region, shootings at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, and a co-ordinated assault by gunmen and suicide bombers on a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars in Paris. 11-22 March, Toulouse and Montauban: Gunman Mohammed Merah, 23, a French citizen of Algerian extraction, killed three soldiers on 11 and 15 March, before shooting three children and a teacher at a Jewish school on 19 March. He was eventually killed on 22 March during a lengthy police siege at his flat in Toulouse. 23 May, La Defense, Paris: A French soldier was stabbed in the neck by a convert to Islam, named as Alexandre Dhaussy. The soldier survived. 20 December, Joue-les-Tours: A Burundi-born French national attacked three police officers with a knife, shouting "God is great!" in Arabic. He was shot dead by police. 21 December, Dijon: A driver shouting "God is great" in Arabic ran down pedestrians in Dijon, eastern France, injuring 11 people. 22 December, Nantes: At a Christmas market in western France, 10 people were injured when a van drove into pedestrians, before the driver attempted suicide. 7-9 January, Charlie Hebdo offices and Hypercacher supermarket, Paris: Brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi attacked the offices of French magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, killing 12 people including the editor and celebrated cartoonists. The following day a policewoman was murdered by Amedy Coulibaly, who then held up a Jewish supermarket, killing four people. The Kouachi brothers and Coulibaly were all killed after separate hostage stand-offs with police. 3 February, Nice: A man wielding a knife attacked and wounded three soldiers patrolling outside a Jewish community centre in Nice. The attacker was named as Moussa Coulibaly, a Malian with no apparent link to the Paris gunman of the same surname. 19 April, Villejuif, Paris: Sid Ahmed Ghlam, a 24-year-old Algerian national, was arrested by police after he apparently shot himself by accident. Investigators believe he was planning attacks on "one or two churches" in the Paris suburbs. He was charged with terror offences and the murder of a woman found in a burning car. 26 June, Saint-Quentin-Fallavier: A man was found decapitated and several others injured at a factory near Lyon. Several explosions were heard and one of the suspects was arrested by police. French President Francois Hollande has described it as a terrorist attack. 21 August, Oignies: A mass shooting was averted on a high-speed train travelling between Amsterdam and Paris, when a passenger armed with an automatic pistol and a box cutter was subdued by six passengers. Three people were injured in the struggle, which took place on a section of track in northern France. 13-14 November, Paris: Gunmen and suicide bombers hit a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars, almost simultaneously - and left 130 people dead and hundreds wounded. The deadliest attack of the night came at a

Summary: The attack on a church near Rouen in northern France comes just 12 days after a lorry attack on people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice.


Len McCluskey joined Unite members from the Oxford Bus Company on the picket line earlier, and warned seven other bus depots run by the Go Ahead Group could be affected. Drivers have walked out on two separate days angry that they were only paid for three bank holidays over Christmas. Oxford Bus Company said its drivers were among the highest paid anywhere. 'Incredible resolution' Mr McCluskey warned that unless the issue was resolved, bus services in London and other parts of the country could also expect industrial action. He said: "I sincerely hope that the Oxford Bus Company pays heed to the incredible resolution of Unite's members. "They are in no mood to roll over, and they know that they have the full support of their union in their corner. "Unless the company restores facility time and starts treating our members with respect I will have no option but to take this dispute to every Go Ahead depot in the country." But Phil Southall, the managing director of Oxford Bus Company, said it was continuing to run about 90% of services. He added: "This is purely a local issue to Oxford about the Christmas and New Year bank holidays. "We were willing to agree to suspend any legal action, reinstate the recognition agreement and the stand down time at Unite's request if strike action was called off and no further dates announced. "It is becoming clearer that this strike is about Unite the union and not about our drivers' and engineers' best interests." The Go Ahead Group says its operations include eight regional bus companies, one of which is in London, where it provides about 24% of services on behalf of Transport for London.

Summary: The leader of England's biggest union has warned that a strike by bus drivers in Oxford over pay could spread.


Nobbs, 80, from Ripon, North Yorkshire, also wrote for The Two Ronnies, Ken Dodd, Frankie Howerd and Radio 4's The Maltby Collection. The creator of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin also wrote 20 novels. Comedian John Cleese said he was a "lovely kind, gentle man with a delicious sense of humour". He said on Twitter: "Very sad today to hear of the death of David Nobbs. First worked with him on the Frost Report in 1966. "He wrote many top-class shows and books. His masterwork: the Reggie Perrin shows." The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, first broadcast in the 1970s, told the story of a man, played by Leonard Rossiter, desperate to escape his dull marriage, disappointing children and daily grind of his job. The British Humanist Association's chief executive Andrew Copson said: "David Nobbs was a very special talent and we were all honoured to have worked with him over his years as a patron of the BHA." Ricky Gervais, creator of The Office, also paid tribute to Nobbs, by borrowing a catchphrase from the character CJ, played by John Barron, who was Perrin's tyrannical boss. He tweeted: "I didn't get where I am today by not knowing what a genius David Nobbs was. RIP." And Little Britain star Matt Lucas wrote: "Reggie Perrin and A Bit Of A Do were masterpieces. David Nobbs leaves the world a richer place." Author Irvine Welsh, who wrote the novel Trainspotting, said: "Very sad to hear of the death of inspirational David Nobbs, who I had quite a few laughs with. "A comic genius and an excellent human being."

Summary: Writer David Nobbs, best known for creating the television character Reginald Perrin, has died, the British Humanist Association has said.


Cyclists have suffered punctures and pet-owners and runners have been warned to beware along the three-mile (4.8km) route, from Mumbles to the centre of Swansea. The council said the drawing pins, found at several locations, appeared to have been left "deliberately". A spokesman said it was "extremely irresponsible and dangerous". The council warned those planning to use the waterfront over the Easter weekend to be aware. "Some cyclists have already reported punctured tyres because of the drawing pins," the spokesman added. "We are asking members of the public who use the promenade daily to be the 'eyes and ears' of the council and the police by reporting anything suspicious they see on the seafront." Swansea is also organising extra sweeps of the promenade.

Summary: A warning has been issued after a stretch of the Swansea Bay promenade was showered with drawing pins.


The number reaching Greece was 210,265, and for Italy it was 8,129, according to the UNHCR. Many are refugees from Syria. At least 70 people have drowned trying to reach Greek islands in the past week. The bodies of four men were recovered from the Aegean Sea on Monday after their boat sank. Another seven people were missing off the island of Farmakonisi. On Sunday, the bodies of 10 people were recovered from a capsized boat a short distance from Samos. Six of the dead were children and another child's body was found on a beach. This year alone, 3,440 have drowned or have been declared missing while trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, the UN agency says. The International Organization for Migration says more than 400 people died while travelling to Greece. According to the UN, 744,175 have arrived on Europe's shores, the vast majority on Greek islands such as Lesbos and Samos. The pull of Lesbos - five migrant stories from Greece Grief and illness - the hard trip to Samos Europe's migrant crisis - special report Most migrants arrive packed into unseaworthy boats, having paid huge sums to people smugglers. Rough seas have made the crossing from Turkey perilous, and worsening weather conditions appear to have had no effect on the numbers trying to leave. Most head north via the Balkans to Germany, hoping to get asylum. Germany expects at least 800,000 asylum seekers this year - some estimates put it as high as 1.5 million. That is at least four times the number who arrived last year. Chancellor Angela Merkel has been trying to come to an agreement with her coalition partners on restricting the numbers heading for Germany. Her Christian Social Union (CSU) ally Horst Seehofer is pushing for transit zones to be set up to process arrivals near the country's borders. Mrs Merkel's CDU party backs the idea, however Social Democrat leader Sigmar Gabriel is opposed to the zones amid concerns that they might resemble concentration camps.

Summary: A monthly record of 218,394 migrants and refugees reached Europe by sea in October, the UN says, almost as many as the total number of arrivals in 2014.


The reality of the Dark Hedges did not live up to the fantasy for those visiting the tunnel of trees, made famous by Game of Thrones. There was no chance of an unspoilt picture with cars and coaches blocking the road and honking their horns. There are plans to close the road to traffic permanently. Four objections have been raised to the plans and they are currently being considered, the Department of Infrastructure said. Jonathan Hobbs, who works for voluntary campaign group NI Greenways, caught the chaos on camera when visiting the County Antrim attraction with his family on Easter Monday. "You were jostling for space with cars and coaches and I could not let the kids out of my sight," he said. "Tourists travel thousands of miles to come to see this great Game of Thrones location. "It was a horrible environment and not selling the right image of Northern Ireland." He also expressed concern about the damage being caused to the trees' roots by the volume of traffic. A hotel on the Dark Hedges estate, which is just a few minutes' walk from the tourist site, posted on its Facebook page that it has plenty of free car parking. McComb's Coaches said it had discussed using the car park at a nearby golf club but access to the Dark Hedges would involve crossing a road "where cars go at such terrific speed, it would be an accident waiting to happen". Caroline McComb, one of the company's directors, said unlike most other coach firms, hers would be in favour of closing the road as long as the infrastructure was put in place and the Dark Hedges remained free of charge. "People absolutely love the Dark Hedges," she told BBC news NI. "They just want a picture there and it is becoming more and more difficult to get one. "There's lots of blame being put on the buses and coaches with regards to damage, but it is just not being maintained. "Someone needs to take ownership or it will get more run down." Jamie Laverty, 27, who works near the Dark Hedges and is originally from the nearby village of Stranocum, believes the majority of locals would be in favour of closing the road as the tourist attraction brings in revenue, but there would be some local landowners who would have objections. "I pass the Dark Hedges on my way to work and even early in the morning, there are cars there," he said. "It is a beautiful natural phenomenon and we need the tourist infrastructure if it is still going to be here in 30 years." A Department for Infrastructure spokeswoman said the proposed traffic order would ban most vehicles from the Bregagh Road, encompassing The Dark Hedges, between its junctions with Ballinlea Road and Ballykenver Road. A package of measures, she added, would aim to "provide an improved experience for local people and visitors alike while helping to reduce the environmental impact on the tree tunnel". Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said it was "working with the landowners and

Summary: It was a case of not being able to see the wood for the cars at one of Northern Ireland's top tourist attractions over the Easter weekend.


Avast carried out the check to coincide with the first day of the Mobile World Congress trade show in the city. In addition, it said it had found more than 470,000 other types of vulnerable smart devices. The firm warned that unsuspecting owners could be spied upon as a consequence. "If webcams are set to livestream for example, hackers or anyone can connect making it easy for cybercriminals to spy on... oblivious school pupils, workers or citizens nearby," said the firm's chief executive Vince Steckler in a statement. "[But] what is far more likely is the possibility of a cyber-crook hijacking an insecure webcam, coffee machine or smart TV to turn it into a bot which, as part of a wider botnet, could be used in co-ordinated attacks on servers to take down major websites." Avast used the connected-objects search engine Shodan to identify the devices. It said to qualify they needed to either: It carried out the study to help promote its own security tools. But another independent expert said he thought the public needed to be aware of the threat. "This research underlines just how easy it is to locate potentially vulnerable 'smart' devices and how they might be compromised," said Ken Munro, from the cybersecurity testing specialists Pen Test Partners. "That's not to say that all internet-connected devices can be easily compromised; for example some more recent kettles, coffee machines and fridges are much harder to hack than earlier models. "But consumers should exercise caution with smart devices. Ask yourself first if you actually need that device, then think about what data it might collect about you and expose. "For example, baby monitors with video and two-way audio would obviously be more concerning than a simple audio-only device."

Summary: A leading security company says it has discovered 22,000 hackable internet-connected baby monitors and other types of webcam in Barcelona.


Mole Valley District Council is consulting on plans to move boundaries to allow the building of up to 2,200 homes over the next 13 years. The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has now started a campaign called Save Surrey's Countryside. The council said there was insufficient land available in built-up areas for new homes and other development. Andy Smith, from the Surrey branch of the CPRE, said the group was concerned about development around places like Guildford, Reigate and Leatherhead. "These areas have been built and built over the years," he said. "All these towns have expanded to such an extent we have to say enough is enough." Mole Valley District Council said it was is looking at green belt land around the area's towns and larger villages to see if there was potential for development. John Northcott, the councillor responsible for planning, said: "This consultation document does not identify sites for development or suggest land that could be taken out of the green belt. "Instead it sets out a process for reviewing the green belt boundary and we will use the findings of the consultation to help shape our future work."

Summary: A campaign has begun to fight a proposal to remove land from the green belt in Surrey to build housing.


The 27-year-old has played in two Tests, 48 one-day internationals and 18 Twenty20 matches for Pakistan. Both men were later bailed until April pending further inquiries. Jamshed is among three players who were recently suspended for violating a cricket anti-corruption code. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also suspended Pakistan internationals Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif, who are due to appear in front of the board on Wednesday. Jamshed has not commented on the allegations. The spot-fixing allegations relate to the Pakistan Super League - the country's top-flight cricket championship which is held in the United Arab Emirates for security reasons. Khan and Latif play in the Pakistan Super League for current champions Islamabad United. The PCB previously said it was investigating "an international syndicate which is believed to be attempting to corrupt the PSL".

Summary: Pakistan batsman Nasir Jamshed was one of two men arrested by the National Crime Agency in Britain on Monday as part of an investigation into cricket corruption, the BBC understands.


The force of the blast shook buildings several miles away. SpaceX said "an anomaly" had occurred while the rocket was being loaded with fuel. No-one was injured, it said. The rocket's payload, an Israeli-built communications satellite for Facebook due to launch on Saturday, was also destroyed, it added. Facebook, in partnership with Eutelsat Communications, had been due to use the Amos-6 satellite to deliver broadband internet coverage for swathes of sub-Saharan Africa as part of its Internet.org initiative. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who is currently visiting Africa, said he was "deeply disappointed" to hear that the satellite had been destroyed. "We remain committed to our mission of connecting everyone, and we will keep working until everyone has the opportunities this satellite would have provided," he wrote on his Facebook account. A leading Israeli space official said the loss of the Amos-6 satellite, valued at more than $200m (Â£150m) and owned by Spacecom, was a major blow to the industry. "As far as the Israeli communications satellite industry is concerned, this is a very severe blow which could place the future of the industry in doubt if it is not dragged out of the mud," said the chairman of the Israel Space Agency, Isaac Ben-Israel. SpaceX rocket explodes on launch pad Cape Canaveral Air Force Station said a "significant" explosion had happened just after 09:00 (14:00 GMT) at Launch Complex 40, which is leased by SpaceX. SpaceX said in a statement: "The anomaly originated around the upper stage oxygen tanks and occurred during propellant loading of the vehicle. A history of SpaceX in pictures "As per standard operating procedure, all personnel were clear of the pad and no-one was injured. We are continuing to review the data to identify the root cause." SpaceX is aiming to create a new era of reusable rockets and affordable private space travel and has used its Falcon-9 rocket to take supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). In December last year, the California-based company successfully landed a Falcon-9 back on Earth after a mission to launch orbiting satellites - a first in rocketry. SpaceX is run out of Hawthorne near Los Angeles by Elon Musk, who made his fortune with internet companies. As well as being the rocket company's CEO, he also heads up the Tesla electric car company. Whatever the details of what went wrong at the launch-pad, this is bad news for one of the most ambitious-ever space programmes. SpaceX has big dreams for cheap, frequent and distant space travel. This test-firing was meant to be routine, part of an accelerating series of launches. Beyond it, SpaceX is looking to make history by re-using one of the massive first stages that was returned to Earth intact. The company is also preparing to fly astronauts to the International Space Station. Most exotic of all, the company's boss, Elon Musk, is due later this month to unveil his plans for a Mars colony, and how that would take effect. There had been talk of the first SpaceX unmanned mission to the Red Planet in a couple of

Summary: A rocket operated by the aerospace company SpaceX has exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral where it was being test-fired ahead of a launch.


Teams are set to be composed of big-name players and sevens specialists. New Zealand's Sonny Bill Williams is already playing full-time sevens but British clubs seem unlikely to release players until shortly before the Games. "It is a very condensed programme and that puts us up against it," said Amor. "The door is open for players from the 15-a-side game to put their hand up but the guys playing on the Sevens World Series, tournament in and tournament out, are in the driving seat." In addition to 2015 Rugby World Cup-winner Williams, global names such as South Africa's Bryan Habana and Australia's Quade Cooper are keen on Olympic spots, while Wales wing George North and England back Danny Cipriani are among the home nations stars to have expressed an interest. However, many of the players on show in Rio are likely to be sevens specialists who only play the abbreviated form of the game and have competed in the Sevens World Series for some time already, England, Wales and Scotland compete separately on the Sevens World Series, but will come together to form a team for the Olympics. And Amor hopes to hear before the end of the year if an application to field a Great Britain team at the second-tier Grand Prix Sevens series in summer 2016 will be approved. The Grand Prix series consisted of three events last year and the 2016 finale will take place at Exeter's Sandy Park on 9-10 July - a month before the Olympic sevens tournament takes place. While World Rugby's regulations state that players must be free to play in the Olympics themselves, clubs are under no such obligations to release their stars for the Sevens World Series, which begins on Friday in Dubai. English side Wasps said in August that they would only allow players such as winger Christian Wade to join up with Great Britain two weeks before the start of the Olympics, in line with Premiership Rugby policy. "We are working to see if there is a way of accessing players at the right time that works for both them and Team GB, while not compromising player performances for their clubs," Amor said. "Ideally we get these players playing at some point on the Sevens World Series, if not then we put them into the Rugby Europe's Grand Prix Series in the summer and see if we can fast track their fitness and game understanding. "It is a nice problem to have - how do we blend those players and teams together, the playing styles, the strengths of the individual players in what will be a short space of time. "There is no nationality quota put in place. The challenges we have are unique and it is about working through them to send the best team we can."

Summary: Coach Simon Amor says getting hold of 15-a-side players and integrating them in time for Rio has already put Great Britain's sevens team at a disadvantage ahead of the 2016 Olympics.


The Iron nearly took the lead when Russell Penn headed Manny Parry's effort off the line. It was one of the few highlights of the first half, and affairs did not spring to life until the hour mark. Jack Midson broke the deadlock for Braintree with a firm header from Reece Hall-Johnson's cross. James Bolton's close-range header was fielded by Sam Beasant as the Tynesiders pushed for an equaliser. McLaughlin eventually provided it five minutes from time, and Gateshead could even have won it a minute later when Jordan Burrow fired wide when in on goal. Report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Gateshead 1, Braintree Town 1. Second Half ends, Gateshead 1, Braintree Town 1. Substitution, Braintree Town. Lee Barnard replaces Michael Cheek. Gus Mafuta (Gateshead) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Goal! Gateshead 1, Braintree Town 1. Patrick McLaughlin (Gateshead) converts the penalty with a. Substitution, Gateshead. Gus Mafuta replaces Danny Johnson. Substitution, Gateshead. Luke Hannant replaces Sam Jones. Substitution, Braintree Town. Ebou Adams replaces Chez Isaac. Substitution, Gateshead. Wes York replaces Russell Penn. Goal! Gateshead 0, Braintree Town 1. Michael Cheek (Braintree Town). Substitution, Braintree Town. Reece Hall-Johnson replaces Monty Patterson. Second Half begins Gateshead 0, Braintree Town 0. First Half ends, Gateshead 0, Braintree Town 0. Danny Johnson (Gateshead) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Summary: Paddy McLaughlin's late penalty salvaged a point for Gateshead as they drew at home with Braintree in the National League.


Welsh cynghanedd group Carmarthen Bardic School is celebrating its 25th anniversary and hopes to publish a collection of poems written by past members. It has helped train a number of National Eisteddfod winners including Mererid Hopwood, who tutors for the group, and Aneirin Karadog. The lessons are held over a pint at the Carmarthen Quins Rugby Club. Cynghanedd has bee present in Welsh language rhyming since the 6th Century, and developed into a complex set of poetic rules from about the 13th Century. Geraint Roberts, one of the original members, said: "There's a very close correlation between the development of the Welsh language and cynghanedd. "We set homework and that's a critical part of it - going over the homework, looking over mistakes and looking for ways of improving and developing." One of its youngest members, 15-year-old Dafydd Llywelyn, said: "My forefathers learnt this craft and I want to keep the tradition alive."

Summary: A group is calling on former members to contribute poems for a new book.


The firm, which operates services across the West Midlands, said it would now operate up to March 2016. The Department for Transport (DfT) said the process of awarding a contract beyond then had not begun. In March London Midland announced it would shed 150 jobs, while in November it said driver shortages had led to cancelled or delayed services. Figures showed about 20% of its 1,311 daily services were delayed or cancelled throughout October. The firm has said the 150 redundancies would focus on head office and support staff and would not affect services. A DfT spokesman said during the extra six months it would be "working closely with the company to ensure they continue to improve the service they provide to passengers". The process had not yet started of awarding a so-called management contract to run from March 2016 to June 2017, the department said. It added a new franchise was planned to run from June 2017, which also has not yet been awarded.

Summary: London Midland has had its franchise extended by six months, the train company has announced.


The search giant plans to stop allowing ads for loans due within 60 days or with an interest rate of 36% or higher. Google's director of product policy David Graff said: "Our hope is that fewer people will be exposed to misleading or harmful products." Many payday lenders rely on internet searches to generate customers. The Online Lenders Association called Google's move "disappointing". "It's disappointing that a site created to help give users full access to information is making arbitrary choices on the advertisements users are allowed to see from legal businesses," said the group's president, Lisa McGreevy. It is possible Google's move could have more impact on curbing the industry than government regulation. The change takes effect on 13 July. This is not the first time that Google has banned ads from certain industries. Ads for counterfeit goods, weapons, explosives, tobacco products and hate speech are all banned by Google. Payday lenders have bee accused of targeting the poor and trapping them in a cycle of borrowing with high interest rates. These types of loans are often used for unexpected or short-term expenses, such as medical bills, but come with very high interest rates and fees. The change to Google's advertising policy will only affect lenders that fall into the short-term high-interest category. "This change is designed to protect our users from deceptive or harmful financial products and will not affect companies offering loans such as mortgages, car loans, student loans, commercial loans, or revolving lines of credit," Mr Graff said. Russell Hamblin-Boone, chief executive of The Consumer Finance Association (CFA) said it was disappointed by the move. "Short term loans are a legal source of credit used by millions of people across the UK, and the industry is highly regulated, with a cap on the total cost of credit," said Russell Hamblin-Boone, the CFA's chief executive. "Under such intense scrutiny the rogue firms have been driven out of the market, and reputable lenders will only lend to people who can afford to borrow."

Summary: Google has announced plans to ban ads from so-called payday lenders, in a move the company hopes will limit what it calls a "harmful" industry.