A Lords EU committee has called for an immediate "unilateral undertaking" that EU nationals can continue to live, work and study in the UK after Brexit. It said failure to do this would have a severe impact on migrants' rights. Ministers say they expect this to happen but need equivalent guarantees for UK citizens on the Continent. The question of what will happen to the estimated 2.9 million citizens of other EU countries who have made their home in the UK in recent years is one of the most controversial arising from the UK's vote to leave the EU in June's referendum. The government has said it expects an early resolution of the issue once official talks on the terms of the UK's separation from the EU begin next spring. But it has refrained from giving any guarantees on their future status - saying this is impossible without similar safeguards for the estimated 1.2 million Britons living in Spain, France, Italy and other EU countries. But the Lords EU Justice sub-committee said the UK should not wait to hear from other EU countries and that making a binding commitment now was "morally the right thing to do". If this was not possible before Article 50 is triggered, expected before the end of March, the peers said the issue should be negotiated separately from other matters to ensure a "preliminary" agreement as quickly as possible. Without any agreement, it said EU nationals living in the UK would be subject to "Byzantine" national immigration laws and many would be unable to meet the criteria for permanent residency despite having been here for more than five years. "The government is under a moral obligation to give a unilateral declaration immediately to safeguard the EU citizenship rights of all EU nationals in the UK when the UK withdraws from the EU," said Baroness Kennedy QC, the Labour peer who chairs the cross-party committee. "I also believe that such a gesture will stimulate reciprocal commitments from the other EU countries where UK citizens are currently living. "For the last six months, the lives of EU citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living in the EU have been shrouded in anxiety. "Their rights to live, work and reside in their country of choice are now so unclear that people have no idea how, or even where, they should plan their futures." The government has said it wants to limit the currently unconditional right of EU citizens to come to the UK as part of the Brexit settlement. In their report, the peers said the principle of "acquired rights" was narrow and hard to enforce in international law and that the full scope of rights would have to be guaranteed in the Brexit agreement for it to withstand legal challenge. Officials have indicated there would have to be some cut-off point after which full rights could not be guaranteed but have not said when this would be. A government spokesman said: "We're determined to get the best possible deal for the UK and are preparing for a

Summary: The UK has a "moral" duty to guarantee the status of EU nationals living in the country ahead of negotiations over its exit, a group of peers has said.


A number of houses were broken into early on Monday, officers said. Goods left outside affected homes in the Calderdale of West Yorkshire were also stolen, it emerged. "It is impossible to comprehend why anyone would want to bring further suffering to those already in a very vulnerable situation," said acting Supt Mark Grange, of North Yorkshire Police. Houses in Huntingdon Road, York, were targeted after the River Foss broke its banks, with one being looted after the back door was forced, as well as tools being taken from a shed at another property. West Yorkshire Police said it had received reports of people using white vans to take "dry goods left outside flooded homes", in the Calderdale area. No arrests have been made in connection with the thefts and burglaries, which emerged after the levels of the Foss dropped by several metres on Tuesday. Six severe flood warnings, in place since Boxing Day, were lifted by the Environment Agency, which said emergency repairs to the Foss Barrier had allowed four of eight pumps to begin working again. Areas across northern England however, are braced for further disruption as Storm Frank, which hit the UK late on Tuesday, brings in more high winds and heavy rain.

Summary: Looters who targeted flood victims' homes in York have been condemned by police.


Harry John Neville Vane, the 11th Baron Barnard, died at Raby Castle near Staindrop on Sunday. He was 92. In a short statement, his family said he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones. Lord Barnard, who succeeded his father in 1964, held numerous titles in County Durham. He is survived by five children. The Raby estate covers large parts of Teesdale including numerous farms and houses which can be recognised by their whitewashed walls. Raby Castle staff tweeted: "So much thanks for the messages of condolence we've received. Lord Barnard will be sadly missed." The Vane family have held the Barnard title since 1698. Click here for more on this story and other news from across the North East

Summary: Lord Barnard has died at his County Durham castle, his family has confirmed.


The 22-year-old, who won the English Amateur Championship last summer, had previously said she would stay amateur. Giles. who is the first golfer to win all three major English women's amateur titles, has applied for the Access Series of the European Ladies Tour. "This season just gone I achieved everything I wanted to achieve in the amateur game, so I'm ready to take on the pro game now," she said. "I'm hoping to eventually end up in America on the LPGA tour, that's where everyone really aims to get to, that's where the best competition is, that's where the best golf courses are and it would be a really awesome experience to go out there." Giles says she is inspired by Charley Hull, who like Giles had an impressive amateur career before turning professional at the age of 16. "I'd love to play in the Solheim Cup one day, that would be the aim," she added to BBC Radio Cornwall. "That's what Charley Hull's done in the last few years, she was an amateur playing in the same stuff I was playing in and now she's doing really well in America and played two Solheim Cups."

Summary: Cornwall golfer Sammie Giles says she is planning to turn professional.


Morocco start their Group C campaign against DR Congo on Monday, then face Togo on 20 January and take on Ivory Coast four days later. Rherras, 23, and Cameroon midfielder Arnaud Djoum, 27, will miss Hearts' Scottish Cup meeting with Raith Rovers on 22 January. Cameroon are in Group A with Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau and hosts Gabon. Djoum has five international caps while Rherras made his Morocco debut in August. Scottish Premiership clubs are currently on their winter break and Hearts' next league fixture is away to Celtic on 29 January.

Summary: Hearts left-back Faycal Rherras has been given a late call-up to Morocco's Africa Cup of Nations squad.


State-funded Holyport College near Maidenhead, opened to pupils for the first time in September. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were given a tour of the school before unveiling a plaque watched by its 122 pupils, staff and parents. Holyport College, sponsored by Eton College, accepts boarders and gives its pupils access to some of Eton's facilities. During the visit, the royal couple met Sir Nicholas Winton, who lives near the school which has named its reception building after him. Sir Nicholas, dubbed the "British Schindler", helped to save hundreds of children, mainly from Jewish families, from the Nazis by transporting them by train from Prague to the UK in 1939. The wheelchair-bound 105-year-old said: "I think it's a wonderful honour to have the building named after me. "I hope the school will make contact with a school in the Czech Republic that is also named after me." Other guests included Home Secretary Theresa May, MP for Maidenhead. The school was proposed in February 2012 and then approved by the Department for Education through the free schools programme in June 2012. Once it reaches capacity, the school will have 500 pupils, including 225 boarders aged 11-19 years. Parents pay £3,850 a term for boarders but daytime education is free. Free schools, which anyone can apply to set up, are funded directly by central government and are free from local council control.

Summary: A free school in Berkshire has been officially opened by the Queen.


The online retail giant reported a $92m profit compared to a $126m loss for the same period a year ago. Sales also rose 20% to $23.2bn in the second quarter to the end of June, boosted by strong growth in the US. Its shares, which fell 1.3% during the day, leapt 18.5% to $571.24 a share in after-hours trading on Wall Street. The firm was also upbeat on its prospects for the current third quarter, forecasting sales would grow between 13% and 24% compared to last year, much higher than analysts had predicted. Sales in North America rose 25.5% to $13.8bn in the second quarter, driven by purchases of electronic goods and general merchandise, helping to drive the strong performance. Its cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services, also made a contribution, with sales up 81% compared to the same quarter last year. It said its widely promoted "Prime Day" on 15th July - which offered special deals to customers who signed up to its fast delivery service - had been a success with more new members trying it globally than any other day in the firm's history. Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos credited hard work for the results: "The teams at Amazon have been working hard for customers," he said. Throughout its history, Amazon's revenue has climbed while its profit has hovered around or below zero. On Thursday evening, the e-commerce company reported a profit. As customers in North America bought electronics and others products, sales in its biggest market rose more than 25% compared to last year. And if you thought Microsoft's cloud computing business did well, then take a look at Amazon web services which includes its cloud business - revenue soared more than 80 percent. The only slight negative was that sales growth outside the US wasn't nearly as impressive. Still after years of ploughing its cash into new technology , mostly aimed at making it easier and faster for customers to get what they want, the results are starting to pay off - at least in the eyes of Wall Street

Summary: Amazon shares have surged more than 18% in after-hours trading after it reported a surprise profit and better-than-expected sales figures.


A late Clint Hill equaliser secured a 1-1 draw at Celtic Park and Murty said the team had proved a point. "I'm pleased for the players," he said after his last game in charge. "They showed the kind of tenacity and grit that they've been questioned about. "It's a difficult environment, but two outstanding saves from Craig Gordon or it could have been more." A Celtic victory would have been their 23rd in succession in the league and their 18th in all competitions. The Premiership leaders took a first-half lead thanks to Stuart Armstrong's well-taken goal. Rangers, in front of their new manager, Pedro Caixinha, who was watching from the stands, continued to battle and were rewarded with Hill's 88th-minute goal. "He saw the players deal with an unbelievable atmosphere," Murty said. "It takes a real man's performance to play in that and stand up to it. "I'd been challenging them all week, saying you're the only ones who believe in yourselves. "They showed that right to the end and I'm proud of them. "From the moment I saw them at breakfast, I knew they were right where I wanted them to be." The two Glasgow rivals will meet again in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on 23 April. Murty, who had gone into the league game with a record of three wins and two defeats in his previous matches in charge, hands over to Caixinha with the side sitting third in the table. "This should give them lots of confidence," he said. "They didn't get rattled or lose their discipline. "We made it difficult for them and put a shift in." Caixinha will hold a staff meeting at Rangers' Auchenhowie training ground on Monday as he begins his spell in charge of the first-team. In a message on Rangers' Twitter account, he urged fans to back the team. "We are doing our very best, in a club like this, to keep up a track of winning," said the Portuguese manager. "We want a winning mentality. We want a winning team. And you [the Rangers supporters] need to be here to support us." Murty is expected to return to his role as head coach of the development squad.

Summary: Rangers caretaker Graeme Murty praised his players for answering their critics as they ended Celtic's winning streak.


The 30-year-old has not won Olympic gold, having fallen short at the 2008 and 2012 Games. He hopes to compete in the multi-event omnium in Rio. "If he can't make the top three, he would pursue his dreams of the Tour de France yellow jersey," said Sutton. "I believe he can do it, we wouldn't have selected him otherwise. That's not us being brutal, that's Cav being Cav, probably the greatest road sprinter of all time. He needs to know he can go to Rio and get the medal." Cavendish has had a successful road season to date, having won the Tour of Qatar. He is aiming to compete at the Tour de France, although men's endurance coach Heiko Salzwedel believes the Isle of Man rider will have to prioritise. "If you ask me realistically, riding for two or three weeks on the Tour de France, he might be fit for the [Olympic] road race but not for the Olympic omnium," he said. "Cav has to digest and make a decision about this Cavendish will also compete in the madison - a non-Olympic event - with Sir Bradley Wiggins at the World Championships, being held in London early next month. They combined to win the title eight years ago.

Summary: Mark Cavendish must finish in the omnium top three at the Track Cycling World Championships to have a chance of competing at the Olympics, says British Cycling technical chief Shane Sutton.


Developer Sirius Minerals wants to mine near Whitby and build a 23-mile (37km) tunnel to a Teeside processing plant. Chris Fraser, of Sirius, said its case stood "up to scrutiny" and it was determined to pursue the plan. The North York Moors National Park Authority is to consider a planning application on 30 June. The 229-page report by the park authority does not make any recommendation about the proposed mine. It acknowledged that there were likely to be economic benefits but said the proposal did not represent "exceptional circumstances". The report said the National Park Authority's statutory responsibility was to "conserve and enhance the North York Moors for the enjoyment of present and future generations". Sirius said it believed exceptional circumstances had been demonstrated and the mining was in the public interest, with environmental effects "mitigated". The term "potash" is used to describe a range of minerals containing potassium, and the proposal is to mine polyhalite. The mine would transform North Yorkshire's economy, Ryedale District Council and Scarborough Borough Council has claimed. However a report published earlier this month suggested that the five-year construction phase of the mine would cost the area's tourism industry £10m a year. The Campaign for National Parks said it hoped the authority would reject the planning application. The decision was an "important test of the protection afforded national parks" and there were strong planning grounds for turning it down, it added. Plans include a construction of a minehead at Dove's Nest Farm and Haxby Plantation about 1.6 miles (2.5km) from the village of Sneaton involving mining shafts, buildings, roads and a helicopter landing site on a 64-hectare site.

Summary: A report into a planned £1.7bn potash mine has said its economic benefits do not outweigh the harm it would cause the North York Moors national park.


The competition will be extended to 64 teams, with sides from 16 of the 21 category one academies invited to join League One and League Two clubs. In a change from the current knock-out format, there will be 16 regional groups of four for the opening round. The proposals were approved at the English Football League's annual general meeting in Portugal this week. Since the decision was announced Portsmouth, Accrington Stanley, AFC Wimbledon, Hartlepool United and Luton Town have released statements to confirm they voted against the trial. EFL clubs approve academy 'Rooney Rule' In a statement, the EFL said it was piloting the changes as part of their "ongoing commitment to creating more and better home grown players". The changes will see the 16 academy sides evenly distributed throughout the groups alongside the League One and League Two clubs, with the competition continuing to run on a north/south basis until the final. Each team will play each other once in the group stage, with the academy team getting just one home game. The knockout stages will be single ties apart from the semi-finals, where there will be two legs. At the AGM, clubs approved a 'Rooney Rule'-style application process to try to improve the number of black and ethnic minority coaches in the game. They also discussed the EFL's proposals to add a new division of 20 teams to the English pyramid - meaning that there would be 100 teams in a five-division structure, rather than the current set-up of 92 clubs across four tiers. There are currently 24 teams in the Championship, League One and League Two, below the 20-club Premier League. The final decision on those proposals will be taken in June 2017.

Summary: Premier League academy teams will be allowed to play in the EFL Trophy in a one-season trial in 2016-17.


The seats in the Grand Tier are located five boxes away from the royal box in the Grade I listed building. Agents Harrods Estates said it was the first time such a box had come on the market in almost a decade and there had "already been a bit of interest". Buying the box will give the owner access to two-thirds of events. They will also become a member of the Corporation of the Hall of Arts and Science which helps to operate the South Kensington building. Nicholas Shaw of Harrods Estates said it was "the most expensive box we have ever offered for sale". The box is on the western side of the auditorium and has approximately 849 years remaining on its lease. A five-seat box situated on the second tier, whose previous owners included Earl Spencer and the Duke of Devonshire, went on sale in 2011 for £550,000.

Summary: A 12-seat private box in the Royal Albert Hall close to where the Queen sits when she attends events has gone on sale for £2.5m.


The 26-year-old ex-Fulham, Gillingham, Aldershot, Macclesfield and Dover Athletic forward first arrived in Shropshire on loan from Oakwell in last season's January window. After being injured in his first game, he came back to help Shrewsbury stave off relegation from League One. Payne has signed a two-year contract with the Shrews. He is expected to figure in this Saturday's home game with Rochdale, against whom he scored his first goal for Shrewsbury four months ago. He is the fifth striker brought in by Town boss Paul Hurst since the end of last season, among his 12 summer signings. Goalkeepers: Craig MacGillivray (Walsall), Dean Henderson (Manchester United - loan) Defenders: Zak Jules (Reading), James Bolton (Gateshead) Midfield: Jon Nolan (Chesterfield), Ebou Adams (Norwich City - loan), Daniel James (Swansea City - loan) Strikers: Lenell John-Lewis (Newport), Arthur Gnahoua (Kidderminster Harriers), Carlton Morris (Norwich City - loan), Niall Ennis (Wolves - loan), Stefan Payne (Barnsley) Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Shrewsbury Town have re-signed striker Stefan Payne from Championship side Barnsley for an undisclosed fee.


St Mary's Church in Llanfair Kilgeddin, between Abergavenny and Raglan, was targeted between 2 and 3 August. An oak door, valued at about Â£1,000, was damaged, along with four oil lamps dating back 300 years. Metal organ pipes and a brass plaque were stolen. Matthew Saunders, director of Friends of Friendless Churches, said: "They left it looking like a bomb landed." Gwent Police is investigating the theft and Mr Saunders said he thought thieves were targeting metal inside the building. "It's completely absurd because the metal is worth practically nothing," he said. "We're very upset by it, but we will not be deterred from opening the church." Friends of Friendless Churches saved St Mary's from closure when it took over in the late 1980s. The building is medieval in origin. Mr Saunders said the total value of the theft and damage was not fully known, adding: "It's both petty and monstrously disrespectful." A decision on what to do about the missing pipes from the mid-19th Century organ will be taken when the church committee meets in October.

Summary: "Monstrously disrespectful" thieves have wrecked and ransacked a church in Monmouthshire.


The 80-year-old Tokyo market is known for its tuna auctions which supply many of the capital's top sushi restaurants. Smoke could be seen billowing from shops on the outskirts of the market on Thursday, as dozens of fire engines tackled the flames. The fire was out by Thursday night and there were no reports of injuries. Tsukiji's interior industrial market - where the famous tuna auctions take place - was undamaged and the area was open to tourists as usual. The blaze broke out at about 16:50 local time (07:50 GMT), Japanese broadcaster NHK said, in the outer region of the market and close to the surrounding area's narrow streets. The area is home to many sushi restaurants and shops, some of which have been evacuated, NHK reports. The cause of the fire is not yet known. The blaze seems to have affected several old wooden buildings. The market was constructed in 1935, in the aftermath of the great Kanto earthquake of 1923, and built largely from corrugated iron sheds. Today, it is a sprawling, busy market, but is seen by many as rundown and overcrowded. Nonetheless, its enormous volume and variety of produce means it receives tens of thousands of tourist visitors each year. The market is due to be moved by the end of 2017. Efforts to move the market to a more modern location have been met with resistance by many of the workers, some of whom have been in the family business for generations. Tokyo's governor, Yuriko Koike, has previously said the market needs to be rebuilt because of its age - and the associated risk of it being vulnerable to earthquakes, which are not uncommon in Japan.

Summary: Firefighters have extinguished a blaze at Japan's famous Tsukiji fish market - the largest in the world and a top tourist attraction.


The rules will also apply to less senior staff who could nonetheless do serious harm to a bank. It comes two years after a parliamentary commission proposed a shake-up of the UK banking industry in the wake of the financial crisis. The regime will take effect from March. The new rules follow a public outcry after a series of scandals in the industry, including Libor rigging and foreign exchange rate fixing. The Chancellor George Osborne said in his annual Mansion House speech last month: "The public rightly asks why it is that after so many scandals, and such cost to the country, so few individuals have faced punishment in the courts." The Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, said at the same event that the "age of irresponsibility" was over as he set out new plans for jail terms for rogue bankers and traders who manipulate markets to be lengthened from seven to 10 years. Earlier today, the former UBS and Citigroup trader Tom Hayes, who is accused of manipulating the Libor rate, told a court at his trial that senior managers knew what he was doing. "I acted with complete transparency... My managers knew, my manager's manager knew. In some cases the CEO [chief executive] was aware of it," he said. Mr Hayes is the first person to be prosecuted over the Libor scandal which cost Barclays Bank a then record Â£290m in 2012 before Royal Bank of Scotland Â£390m for its part in the scandal. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) - part of the Bank of England - said their new rules would place the "burden of proof" on top banking executives in incidents of wrongdoing within their companies. The rules replace existing arrangements that require regulators to prove senior executives were responsible for wrongdoing. FCA chief executive Martin Wheatley said: "Today we have given clarity on rules that will embed personal accountability into the culture of the City. New conduct rules will add further momentum to improving standards across the industry." The PRA's rule book sets out a list of key individuals to be held to account including chief executives, finance directors, chairmen and senior non-independent directors. It means senior banking figures will be subject to a new "presumption of responsibility", meaning they will be guilty of misconduct if rules are broken in a part of a bank under their control. The PRA will consider what they knew or ought to have known about the breach, scrutinising meeting minutes, email and telephone records. Bankers will avoid punishment if they can show they took reasonable steps to avoid rules being broken, such as pre-emptive actions including reviews of the business. A certification regime will cover staff who give investment advice as well as traders submitting benchmarks - such as for interbank lending rate Libor. The FCA said it was consulting on expanding the latter to cover a wider scope of traders' activity. Regulators are also proposing a new package of measures to formalise banks' procedures for whistleblowing. British Bankers' Association (BBA) executive director Simon Hills

Summary: City regulators have published final rules that make top bank executives responsible for the misconduct of their employees -unless they can show they took steps to stop it.


Ingram made 101 not out off 47 balls and, although Wright later matched his score, Glamorgan won by 18 runs. Colin Ackermann hit a six off the final ball as Leicestershire edged out Lancashire in a thrilling finish. Surrey beat Somerset despite a 12-run over-rate penalty and there were also wins for holders Northants and Kent. A total of 66 sixes were struck in Sunday's five games, 19 of them in the Sussex v Glamorgan game. While South Africa's Test team crashed to a 211-run defeat against England at Lord's, it was a good day for some of their compatriots on the county circuit - especially those playing for Glamorgan. Chief among them was Ingram, who hit seven sixes to rescue his side from 7-2. He added 130 with former Proteas batsman Jacques Rudolph (49) and then 70 off the final six overs with Johannesburg-born Chris Cooke (37 not out) as they posted 198-3. When it was Glamorgan's turn to field, Ingram weighed in with the wickets of Ross Taylor and Ben Brown. And although Wright equalled Ingram's sixes tally in his 101 off 53 balls, he fell to another South African, Marchant de Lange, in the penultimate over as they came up short on 180-6. At Aigburth, Liam Livingstone (48 off 34 balls) and Jos Buttler (39 off 21) were the main contributors to Lancashire Lightning's 173-9. Leicestershire looked comfortable needing only six off the final over, but Mathew Pillans was run out after four singles to start the over. Ackermann was on strike for the final ball from Kyle Jarvis and managed to clear the rope at deep extra cover to finish with an unbeaten 62 off 41 balls as they won by three wickets. "In T20 cricket you have to come in with good intent, to hit the ball and to run hard," he told BBC Radio Leicester. Somerset looked dead and buried against Surrey at The Oval as they were reduced to 82-7 after Arran Finch's 61 off 42 balls led the home side to 181-7. But Surrey had reckoned without New Zealander Corey Anderson, who raced to a 30-ball half-century - and a decision by the umpires to award 12 penalty runs to the visitors because of their poor over-rate. Somerset needed 12 to win off the last over, but Anderson was run out for 81 - and innings featuring seven sixes - and Surrey scraped home by four runs. "They said we were tight, but I certainly was trying to do everything I could (to keep the rate up)," Surrey skipper Jade Dernbach told BBC Radio London. "The other night, being on TV, there seemed to be a different kind of timekeeping taking place compared to this game. I'd like to see some consistency from a captain's point of view, so we know we're at. But we still got over the line and that's the most important thing." Essex import Mohammed Amir came in for some rough treatment from the Kent batsmen at Beckenham, with Joe Denly hitting three sixes and a four in his second

Summary: Glamorgan's Colin Ingram and Luke Wright of Sussex hit the first T20 Blast centuries of the summer in a high-scoring clash at Arundel.


The woman was hit by the car on Emma Street at about 09:40 on Monday and became trapped between the pavement and the vehicle. Firefighters used chocks and blocks to stabilise the car and free the casualty. Police and the ambulance service also attended, and the woman was treated by paramedics for a leg injury.

Summary: Fire crews had to free a 79-year-old woman who was trapped under a car following a crash in Blairgowrie.


Rosie Batty, 52, from Tyabb, a small town in Victoria, began her work after her son Luke, 11, was stabbed to death. She received the award from Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott at a ceremony at Parliament House, Canberra. The award winners are selected from public nominations and announced ahead of Australia Day, on 26 January. The 2015 Young Australian of the Year is 21-year-old West Australian Drisana Levitzke-Gray, a young deaf woman who advocates for other deaf people. Senior Australian of the Year is 61-year-old Jackie French from New South Wales, a children's author and advocate for children with learning difficulties, and the Australian Local Hero is 41-year-old Juliette Wright from Queensland, who established an online platform to get goods and services to vulnerable and marginalised people. This year was the first time in the 55-year history of the awards that women have secured the top honour in all four categories. The recipients were great Australians and great role models, said chairman of the National Australia Day Council, Ben Roberts-Smith. "It is a great moment in the 55-year history of these awards to honour four women. "Rosie, Jackie, Drisana and Juliette remind us of the many ways in which women contribute to our nation; that women are a force for change, a voice for rights, influencers, educators and the heart of our communities," he said. After her son's death, UK-born Ms Batty emerged as an articulate and powerful advocate for the rights of women and children living in violent relationships, giving new force to efforts to prevent family violence across Australia. Family violence activists say Ms Batty's ability to explain to the public why so many women struggle to protect their children from violent partners helped make the issue of family violence a key campaign issue for all political parties in last November's Victoria state election. Greg Anderson, 54, killed Luke Batty in front of shocked onlookers at a cricket oval in Tyabb. The father and son had been playing together during an access visit in February 2014 when Anderson suddenly struck his son with a cricket bat and stabbed him. Anderson was shot by police after threatening them with a knife when they tried to detain him. He died later in hospital. Ms Batty was at the cricket ground when the attack happened. The public killing shocked Australians in a way that many other acts of family violence committed every week in the country have not.

Summary: A woman who became a campaigner against domestic violence after her son was killed by his father last February has been named Australian of the Year.


Gareth Graham was giving evidence to a Stormont inquiry into the National Asset Management Agency's (Nama) Â£1bn sale of its Northern Ireland loan portfolio. Loans held by his property companies were sold to Cerberus, the US investment fund, as part of that deal. Mr Graham said he has tapes of "thousands" of phone calls made by Frank Cushnahan, a businessman who worked with him and was later a Nama advisor. The tapes were made between 2005 and 2008 when Mr Cushnahan worked with the Graham family's bookmaking business. The committee was told the tapes would be made available to law enforcement agencies. Phonecalls in and out of the Grahams' business were recorded for regulatory reasons. The business relationship between the Grahams and Mr Cushnahan broke down in 2008. Mr Graham claimed Mr Cushnahan was then "intent on destroying our businesses". Mr Cushnahan has previously issued a statement to the media denying any wrongdoing. Mr Graham added that he has already spoken to the National Crime Agency and made a complaint to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Read more: Nama deal - the background and the key figures Mr Graham said Mr Cushnahan relinquished his shareholding in the bookmaking business in 2010 but kept a 5% shareholding in the Grahams' property businesses. The loans held by those property businesses were later moved into Nama. Mr Graham said that should have led to a declaration of interest by Mr Cushnahan when he became a Nama advisor. Mr Cushnahan has previously said he did give up the property firm interests and that it was due to an "administrative error" that he was still listed as a shareholder. Nama committee minutes seen by the BBC also show that Mr Cushnahan did make declarations of interests on a number of occasions. Mr Graham is fighting a High Court battle in an attempt to win back control of his firms. He told the committee that Cerberus had been "ruthless, unjust and unreasonable". Earlier, the committee voted to call loyalist blogger and flag protestor Jamie Bryson to give evidence to its inquiry. Mr Bryson has made allegations on social media regarding the deal and has written to the committee claiming to have relevant information. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) members of the committee and the Alliance Party's Judith Cochrane voted against calling him. The DUP's Jim Wells said he opposed calling Mr Bryson as he could make "even wilder allegations" under committee privilege than the claims on his blogs. Mrs Cochrane voted against on the basis that the committee needed to take further steps to ensure Mr Bryson's evidence remains with the inquiry's terms of reference. The committee has been investigating the circumstances of the Nama deal after an allegation by Irish politician Mick Wallace that a Northern Ireland politician was in line for a Â£7m payment as a result of the transaction. But it has been constrained in the questions it can ask as events surrounding the loan sale are now being investigated by police. Last week, the Law Society of Northern Ireland appeared before the committee but

Summary: A Belfast businessman has said he has hundreds of hours of tapes showing an "ingrained culture of inappropriate and possibly illegal conduct" across political, banking, legal and accountancy sectors.


For chief executive Somnath Saha, the economics of tea are simple and brutal. Typhoo Tea produces 125 million tea bags a week at its factory in Moreton, Wirral, which have just one ingredient - tea leaves, and they are imported. Black tea is a global commodity, traded in dollars. Following the fall in sterling since the Brexit vote, costs have soared for this renowned brand as 95% of its sales are in the UK. "This is an absolute disaster for a company the size of ours," says Mr Saha. "The very sharp fall in the pound means the impact is at least a quarter of a million pounds a month for us. This is having a very negative impact on our business and we are really suffering. It's now come to a point where it's not sustainable for us." The news comes amid warnings of rising prices in the grocery sector, and with supermarket chain Morrisons increasing the cost of a jar of Marmite by 12.5%. There are plenty of winners from the fall in the value of sterling. But Typhoo Tea is a graphic illustration of what it's like for a business with one raw imported material. Typhoo has been trading for more than a century. These days, most of its black tea comes from Kenya. It's then blended and packaged on site. The company also packages own-label tea for most of the major supermarkets. In addition, it produces a range of herbal teas and those ingredients are sourced in euros. It's a high-volume, low-margin business. The cost of the ingredient depends on the quality of the leaf. A typical 80kg bag of black tea could be bought for £90 to £100 at the beginning of the year. The company says that same bag now costs £120 to £150 at the weekly international auctions. In other words, it is paying an awful lot more for the same amount of tea. "We don't have big enough margins between us and retailers to absorb all these costs. We're looking at how to mitigate some of them, from our labour, overheads and marketing costs, which will affect the growth of the business and employment in long run. But some of these currency costs will have to be passed on, as neither us nor the retailers can absorb any more cost increases," Mr Saha says. Like other suppliers, he is in discussions with the supermarkets about price rises. He denies posturing to try to secure a better deal. "Absolutely not. This is a really serious situation for us. Nobody wants to do this, but ultimately some of the costs will go to the shoppers. There is no other option," Mr Saha says. "It's one of the favourite drinks of this country. It's very unfortunate. It's nobody's fault - it's due to the economic conditions." Typhoo Tea is owned by the Indian conglomerate Apeejay Surrendra Group, which Mr Saha says has supported the UK business for the last few months. But he warned that if the fall in the pound was sustained, his business would be

Summary: The cost of a cuppa will have to rise, according to the boss of Typhoo.


Maj Matthew Collins, 38, from Backwell, in Somerset, and L/Sgt Mark Burgan, 28, from Liverpool, died on Wednesday when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb. Their commanding officer said their loss was "a devastating blow". Their deaths take to 362 the total number of UK military personnel to have died in Afghanistan since 2001. Maj Collins joined 1st Battalion Irish Guards and had also served in Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Northern Ireland and Iraq. He was the company commander of Number 3 Company, and leaves behind two children and his wife, Lucy. His family said in a statement: "Not only a soldier but a caring husband, devoted father to Freya and Charlie, caring son, wonderful brother and friend to many. We will all miss him and remember him always." L/Sgt Mark Burgan joined the Guards in 1999 and had also served in Northern Ireland and Iraq. His wife, Leanne, said: "I am so honoured to be Mark's wife. I will always love my hero. "Mark was an extremely proud Irish Guardsman, dad, husband, brother and son. He will forever be in our hearts." The two men were returning to base from an operation aimed at disrupting insurgent groups in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb. Lt Col Christopher Ghika, commanding officer of 1st Battalion Irish Guards, said: "Two more committed and professional soldiers it would be hard to meet; they epitomised what it meant to be a member of this family regiment." He said Maj Collins had played a key role in training Afghan soldiers, adding: "It is a telling fact that there is a deep sense of sorrow hanging over the 3rd Kandak of the Afghan Brigade today, such is the respect in which they held Matt Collins." Speaking about L/Sgt Burgan, Lt Col Ghika said: "The notes given to me by his company commander, alongside whom he died, say it all: 'Knows what has to be done, does it brilliantly and has the next thing ready before you ask'." The commanding officer added: "It is perhaps a comment on the character of this regiment that both Lucy Collins and Leanne Burgan are the daughters of distinguished and long serving Irish Guardsmen. "The events of last night are a family tragedy in every sense." Defence Secretary Liam Fox said both were men "of great experience and exemplary commitment". "They have laid down their lives protecting our national security, a loss made all the more poignant as they were so close to finishing their tour of duty and returning home," he said.

Summary: Two soldiers from 1st Battalion Irish Guards killed in Afghanistan just six days before they were due to return home have been named.


A letter has been sent to all 45 elected members setting out Market Abuse Regulations. They have been asked to sign the letter acknowledging the terms and return it to the authority's legal department. It comes after the council became the first in Scotland to issue bonds on the stock exchange worth £370m. That followed credit rating agency Moody's assigning Aberdeen an Aa2 rating. It will be used to fund infrastructure projects including the new Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) and the City Centre Masterplan. The local authority said the bonds were less expensive than other available loans. BBC Scotland understands that some councillors were initially concerned about the terms of the letter and whether it would impact on their ability to raise concerns publicly about the council's finances. Insider dealing - where a person uses inside financial information to their benefit - is a criminal offence and is punishable by a heavy fine or imprisonment. Market abuse is when someone can be given an unlimited fine for disclosing financial information that might affect the value of bonds and investments. As well as councillors, senior officials at Aberdeen City Council are also included in the insiders list that must be disclosed to the Financial Conduct Authority on request. An Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: "Aberdeen City Council successfully issued bonds on the London Stock Exchange in 2016 and as a result must comply with the Market Abuse Regulations. "In line with these regulations, the council is obliged to keep a list of those individuals who have access to inside information. "Elected members and staff who have been identified as having access to inside information relating to Aberdeen City Council have been notified in writing and asked to acknowledge receipt of that letter, which contains further detail of the insider list and its purpose. "Training sessions on the Bond and compliance with associated regulations are under way for elected members and staff, underlining the responsibilities of the organisation and individuals. It should be stressed that the requirements for confidentiality in relation to specific subjects and issues are in line with the existing terms of employment and Councillors' Code of Conduct. "The Bond issue was the subject of several reports to full Council in 2016, which outlined the implications of the public listing on the London Stock Exchange and made it clear it was highly likely all elected members would be on the Aberdeen City Council Insider List. These reports were considered and recommendations approved by elected members during full Council prior to the Bond issue." The council said that so far no one had refused to sign the letter, and councillors have been given until Friday to respond. Currently all of Scotland's councillors are governed by a code of conduct. In extreme cases, a councillor can be disqualified from office for five years for any breach. Aberdeen City Councillors now face a potential police investigation if they are suspected of breaching Market Abuse Regulations.

Summary: Aberdeen councillors are being warned they face prison or fines if they break London Stock Exchange laws on insider dealing, BBC Scotland has learned.


Both teams had first-half openings, with Clarets defender Michael Keane twice unable to keep headers on target, while Hull's Robert Snodgrass failed to beat Tom Heaton with a volley. Moses Odubajo forced another save from Heaton at the start of the second half. Tigers keeper Allan McGregor spilled Joey Barton's shot to Sam Vokes and he kept his cool to slot home the rebound. The result meant the third-placed Clarets are one point behind both the Tigers and Middlesbrough, but have played more games than both. Media playback is not supported on this device Hull hammered Dyche's men 3-0 when the two sides last met on Boxing Day, but a repeat of that never looked likely with the hosts deserving their narrow win. Barton came close to opening the scoring after half an hour when his skidding free-kick forced a low save from McGregor before the keeper denied the same player from a header. The pivotal moment in the game came in the 77th minute when Wales international Vokes reacted quickest to McGregor's save from another Barton effort. Hull substitute Chuba Akpom had a shot saved but he could not prevent his side suffering a first defeat since 28 December. Burnley manager Sean Dyche: "I always knew it was going to be tight, but looking back I think we controlled the quality of the game overall. "Hull are a very strong defensive side with a real depth of experience, but we've managed to breach them one more time than they breached us. "We're right up there in the hunt, but nothing will be decided yet." Hull manager Steve Bruce: "There was loads of heart and endeavour out there, and that from two top-class teams. It was never going to be a classic in weather like that. "We carved out some great chances, but maybe we just missed that killer instinct in front of goal that you need. "We've lost, but you just have to accept the result and move on. And we will do. "We've played well in really difficult conditions. It's been an opportunity missed for us to create a bit of daylight at the top, but I couldn't fault the players." Match ends, Burnley 1, Hull City 0. Second Half ends, Burnley 1, Hull City 0. Substitution, Burnley. Rouwen Hennings replaces Andre Gray. Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Allan McGregor. Foul by Joey Barton (Burnley). Isaac Hayden (Hull City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Delay over. They are ready to continue. Substitution, Hull City. Tom Huddlestone replaces Jake Livermore. Delay in match Ben Mee (Burnley) because of an injury. Offside, Burnley. David Jones tries a through ball, but Sam Vokes is caught offside. George Boyd (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Robert Snodgrass (Hull City). Sam Vokes (Burnley) is shown the yellow card. Sam Vokes (Burnley) has gone down, but that's a dive. Attempt blocked. Andre Gray (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by George Boyd. Goal! Burnley 1, Hull City 0. Sam Vokes (Burnley) right footed shot

Summary: Burnley celebrated boss Sean Dyche's new contract by beating leaders Hull City to close within a point of them.


The 26-year-old Swede joins the League One club on a two-year deal, with the option of a one-year extension. Former Malmo and Hacken player Pekalski is Oxford United's fourth overseas signing since manager Pep Clotet was appointed in July. "I'm happy to be here and it's been a pretty natural decision to make the move," he told BBC Radio Oxford. "After 11 years of playing in Sweden, I was looking for something that would be a challenge and a bit of an adventure. "I've worked with Pep before (at Malmo), he's a brilliant coach and I've heard a lot about Oxford's ambition, which I think is really interesting." Pekalski has made 15 appearances for Halmstads in the Swedish top division this season after joining the club in March. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Oxford United have signed midfielder Ivo Pekalski from Swedish side Halmstads for an undisclosed fee.


The deal will keep the Ivory Coast international at the Etihad Stadium until 2017. "This is where I want to be," the 29-year-old told the club website. "I will never forget how I have been treated here by the fans, the club and the owners and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to finish my career as a Manchester City player." Toure joined City from Barcelona for a reported £24m in 2010, having helped the Spanish giants win the Champions League title a year earlier. The box-to-box midfielder has since been an integral member of Roberto Mancini's side, scoring the winning goal in the 2011 FA Cup final and a crucial double against Newcastle United last May to keep the eventual Premier League champions in the title hunt. We must try to finish on a high note and then start preparing to win more next season Toure has scored eight goals this season as City have progressed to a Wembley FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea on Sunday 14 April, but his side made an early Champions League exit and are 15 points behind Manchester United in the league with only seven games remaining. "Of course now it looks likely that we will not successfully defend the Premier League title and that is sad for all of us," Toure added. "But we can still finish second and win the FA Cup for a second time in three years and that is still an achievement for a club that won nothing for a long time. "We must try to finish on a high note and then start preparing to win more next season. Football is always a challenge and always a puzzle to solve and that is why we all love the game. "You have to use your skill, intelligence and strength to constantly improve and that is what we at City intend to do."

Summary: Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has signed a new four-year contract with the Premier League club.


Three Pugs, a Chihuahua, a Jug - a Pug crossed with a Jack Russell - and a Puggle, a Pug-Beagle crossbreed, were taken in Kemble Road, Forest Hill. A witness said they saw two men load the animals into a black VW van and drive off. The Met confirmed four dogs were swiped in a similar incident outside a house in nearby Streatham in July. Dog owner Yuriko Matsukawa, whose five-year-old pug Pia was taken earlier, said the stolen pets were valuable, with pug puppies worth around Â£1,000. She added: "I'm devastated. I'm desperate to be reunited with her." The Evening Standard reported the dogs in Streatham were stolen from a dog walker's van in Glennie Road. The Met Police confirmed the pets were still missing. The Greater London Authority said last month there had been an an increase in dog thefts in the capital since 2013. It found dog thefts made up the majority of domestic pet thefts across London and had increased from 186 in 2014 to 217 in 2015.

Summary: Six pets worth thousands of pounds have been stolen from a dog walker's van in south London.


The actor was killed by his own car at his home in Los Angeles in June. It struck him after rolling backwards down the steep drive, pinning him against a brick postbox pillar and a security fence. Court records show Victor and Irina Yelchin filed to become administrators of their son's estate on Friday. The filing states Yelchin left behind at least $641,000 (£486,000) in personal property and had $731,000 (£554,000) in equity in his home. Yelchin was best known for playing Pavel Chekov in the new Star Trek films. TMZ reports that Yelchin's parents plan to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler, which made the Jeep that killed their son. They are expected to announce their intentions to file the suit at a press conference on Tuesday. In April, the company recalled 1.1m vehicles worldwide over the risk they could roll away after drivers exit. The vehicle that killed Yelchin, who was 27 years old, was one of those subject to a recall because the gear shifters confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly. Fiat Chrysler offered their sympathies to Yelchin's family in a statement, but said it could not comment on their plans for a lawsuit. The company added it was speeding up its recall of the vehicle. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Anton Yelchin did not write a will before he died and left behind a $1.4m (£1.06m) estate, according to court documents filed by his parents.


The Reds had failed to score more than once in their previous 10 League Two games, but were dominant against Warren Feeney's side. County striker Scott Boden opened the scoring at the wrong end when his header beat Joe Day after 36 minutes. Shamir Fenelon then headed home eight minutes after the break, before Newport's Medy Elito was sent off with five minutes left for two yellow cards. "It was disappointing, I don't think we got going from the first whistle, we couldn't get into a rhythm and our passing was poor," Newport manager Feeney told BBC Radio Wales. "We have to put it to bed and move on to the next game, we are still in a fantastic position to avoid relegation and that is still my aim. "You have ups and downs in a season and this was a down, the worst performance since I have been the manager. No-one likes to get beaten."

Summary: Crawley completed a double over Newport County with a comfortable 2-0 victory.


The unfortunate moggy was found by Darren Sumner when the vehicle broke down in Reading, Berkshire. Mr Sumner said: "He was warm and scared so I sat and stroked him for about 30 minutes until I coaxed him out." The RSPCA wants to reunite the cat with his owner, thought to be in Tottenham where the van started its journey. The cat, nicknamed Sparky, was unscathed by his ordeal on 28 August. Mr Sumner, who took the cat home overnight, said: "He used a litter tray so I think he's probably someone's pet. "He woke me up at about 3am in the morning for a play. I hope his owners can be found." Sparky, who is thought to be about a year old, was taken to the vet for a check up. He was also scanned to see if he was micro-chipped - which would have revealed details of his owner - but unfortunately no chip was found. Helena Peace, from the RSPCA in Reading, said: "He was traumatised but physically unhurt. He's certainly used up one of his nine lives."

Summary: A cat has been rescued from under the bonnet of a van after travelling about 60 miles in a space behind the heater matrix.


The teenager said James Comey's decision to publicise part of the FBI's investigation into Mr Weiner had led to her being hounded by news reporters. Mr Comey announced last week that the investigation had turned up fresh emails relating to Hillary Clinton. Mr Weiner is married to Mrs Clinton's political aide Huma Abedin. In an open letter, the teenager said reporters had "canvassed" her area. "Every media outlet from local to national has contacted me and my family to get my 'story'", she wrote. "Why couldn't your letter have waited until after the election, so I would not have to be the centre of attention the last week of the election cycle?" She accused the FBI director of taking a "vague approach" in announcing that emails had been discovered on Mr Weiner's laptop that related to Mrs Clinton. She said the lack of detail in his announcement led reporters to chase her for clues about what might have been found. In the letter, addressed directly to Mr Comey and published by Buzzfeed, the alleged victim wrote: "I am the 15-year-old (now 16) who was the victim of Anthony Weiner. "I now add you to the list of people who have victimized me. I told my story originally to protect other young girls that might be a victim of online predators." She went on to say: "I thought your job as FBI Director was to protect me. I thought if I co-operated with your investigation, my identity as a minor would be kept secret. That is no longer the case. My family and I are barraged by reporters' phone calls and emails. "I have been even been blamed in a newspaper for causing Donald Trump to now be leading in some polls and costing Hillary the election. "Anthony Weiner is the abuser. Your letter helped that abuse to continue. How can I rebuild my life when you have made finding out my "story" the goal of every reporter?" She signed the letter "Girl that lost her faith in America". Mr Weiner and Ms Abedin recently split following a series of revelations that Mr Weiner had exchanged sexual messages with other women. Reports on Thursday said he had entered a rehab clinic to treat sex addiction. The FBI last month closed a large-scale investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server, but Mr Comey announced last week that the law enforcement body was examining fresh emails found on Mr Weiner's laptop. The FBI director has been heavily criticised by leading Democrats, who allege that the timing of his announcement threatens to influence next week's general election. US law prohibits public officials such as Mr Comey from using their position to influence the outcome of an election. Opinion polls showed that Mrs Clinton's lead over her Republican rival Donald Trump had narrowed slightly in the wake of Mr Comey's announcement. Both candidates have been campaigning in the key swing state of Florida ahead of next Tuesday's election.

Summary: A 15-year-old girl who was allegedly sent indecent messages by former US congressman Anthony Weiner has criticised the director of the FBI.


There's no getting away from it - the big-screen adaptation of the 1990s TV series is simply two hours of pure entertainment. The action sequences are huge, the soundtrack is awesome, and the people are ludicrously good looking. But it's also just totally ridiculous, which may not surprise those who have seen the trailer. Or read the somewhat less-than-kind reviews. Dwayne Johnson - the highest paid (and most annoyingly likeable) movie star in the world - takes the lead in the reboot as Mitch alongside Zac Efron, who plays Brody. Kelly Rohrbach, Alexandra Daddario and Priyanka Chopra also star, and there are, most importantly, cameo appearances from David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson. (I would've thought they'd want to keep those as a surprise, personally, but their names appear in giant letters at the beginning alongside the rest of the cast.) But this incarnation of Baywatch is much more knowing and tongue-in-cheek than it was in Hasselhoff and Anderson's day. The film itself is long - presumably to allow for the slow-motion button to be used to its full potential when any character is running down the shoreline. Those who lived through the TV show will remember the appeal of such bouncy scenes, which were a key part of helping the series become a worldwide phenomenon. And a phenomenon it was. Baywatch became the most-watched television show in the world at the time and represented a huge cultural shift. Anderson was the embodiment of a look which rose to prominence in the 90s - skinny, blonde, and enhanced by plastic surgery. But strangely, the show arguably also had a moral compass, which may help explain why it got its early evening slot on TV. The lifeguards were portrayed as something of a family, working as a cohesive team and looking out for each other while saving lives. A lot of the storylines felt wholesome and saw characters doing the "right thing" - an odd juxtaposition with the highly sexualised elements of the series. Mitch's relationship with his son is a good example - Hasselhoff's character is seen as a model single father to Hobie, doing his best to raise him with good morals and life skills despite the absence of the boy's mother. But in many other ways, Baywatch is rather problematic. It goes without saying that, in real life, very few of us indeed look as good as the Baywatch lifeguards as they dash down the beach in their orange swimsuits. The male characters played by Johnson and Efron are muscular to a borderline unhealthy degree, while the women are tanned, big-chested and and impossibly skinny. Nearly 30 years on from the show's TV premiere, you'd like to think we've come further than still accepting these as beauty ideals. Stars such as Lena Dunham and Sarah Hyland have started to hit back at "body shaming" in recent years - a term which barely existed when the TV show aired. Social media has helped drive a movement of being proud of who you are and how you look, and there's now a bigger

Summary: It's strange to go to the cinema and come out feeling like you've seen an utterly brilliant film and a truly awful film at the same time - but the new Baywatch really does tick both boxes.


Walt Disney said subscriber numbers for its sports channel ESPN had dropped. Viewers are moving away from packages offered by cable companies to simpler services and stand-alone streaming. Time Warner also fell 9%, despite better-than-expected profit figures. The Dow Jones shed 0.06% to 17,067 points. The S&P 500 gained 0.31% to 2,099.88 points. The Nasdaq rose 0.67% to 5,139.95 points. Discovery Communications fell 13% after reporting lower advertising sales and a strong dollar for below forecast profits. Twenty-First Century Fox were down 7%, CBS down 5% and Viacom shares 7%. Barton Crockett, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets, said: "If Disney can get dinged, maybe nobody's safe." But bucking the trend, Dish Network reported higher-than-expected revenue and profit and shares rose 4%. Priceline Group rose 6% after the travel company reported profit and revenue that beat analysts' forecasts. First Solar, up 17% and Ralph Lauren, turned an earlier 2.3%, gain into a loss of 1% despite releasing results that pleased investors. Economic data was disappointing. Private employers hired 185,000 workers last month, according to the ADP National Employment Report. That fell short of economists' forecasts for an increase of 215,000. The report also revised down June's private payroll gains to 229,000 from the 237,000 reported before. Investors will be looking to Friday's non-farm payroll data.

Summary: (Close): Disney shares closed down 9% after disappointing earnings figures sparking share price falls in rival cable companies.


Joe Cardle slotted in his eighth of the season before setting up Kallum Higginbotham to extend the Pars' lead. Dumbarton's Craig Barr hit the crossbar with a second-half header but the Sons then had Andy Dowie sent off for two bookings. Substitutes Nicky Clark and Andy Ryan added late goals to add gloss to the visitors' victory. That is four wins on the bounce for Allan Johnston's men and on this form Dunfermline appear to be more than capable of sustaining a promotion challenge. Of the six players playing in midfield or attack, only Nate Wedderburn really sits back. That security allowed Cardle, Higginbotham, Declan McManus, Dean Shiels and Callum Smith to roam forward in the first half. Cardle converted at the back post after a messy scramble following good initial play down the right by McManus. A superb counter-attack brought the Pars their second, as Higginbotham rolled the ball calmly into the far corner from a fairly tight angle. Dumbarton nearly reduced the deficit, but Barr's header bounced off the woodwork after he had connected with Tom Walsh's corner. The Sons also felt aggrieved not to be given a penalty when Ally Roy appeared to be clipped just inside the box. Dowie was given his marching orders with 15 minutes to go, before Clark made his comeback from an ankle injury to head in David Hopkirk's cross. Clark then back-heeled to tee up another substitute Ryan for a well-executed, low curled shot into the far left corner. Dunfermline manager Allan Johnston: "I'm happy but I'm realistic as well because we know it's only the start of the season. We've started really strongly, we've got a really good, competitive squad and we've got people that can score goals. "We're defending really well as well, so it's a good balance to have. We've just to make sure we keep up that kind of performance. "I don't think we lacked confidence last season, it was a step up and it took us a bit of time to get in our stride. It's about consistency and coming to places like Dumbarton and winning. We can't take our foot off the gas." Dumbarton manager Stevie Aitken: "We gave Dunfermline a two-goal start and you can't do that with a team of the quality of Dunfermline. There was indecision by the goalkeeper in the first one, then we gave the ball away cheaply for the second. "Second half there was plenty of endeavour and we hit the crossbar, but it was a disappointing day. "Danny Handling has come in and has this problem with his knee we weren't aware of. We don't know what's wrong with it, but we can't go into a game having to take a player off after 10 minutes because of a knee injury - so we'll have to get that looked at." Match ends, Dumbarton 0, Dunfermline Athletic 4. Second Half ends, Dumbarton 0, Dunfermline Athletic 4. Attempt blocked. Christian Nade (Dumbarton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Foul by Stuart Carswell (Dumbarton). Kallum Higginbotham (Dunfermline Athletic) wins a

Summary: Dunfermline climbed to the top of the Championship with an emphatic victory at Dumbarton.


It warned last year that profits would be Â£20m lower than in the year before. Operating profits were down 22% at Â£69.5m, in line with that guidance, but the company also chopped its dividend from 42p to 25p. De La Rue, which is more than 200 years old, makes notes for 150 countries including the UK. Shares in De La Rue fell by 10% in early trade before recovering slightly. However, in lunchtime trade they were still 47.5p, or 8.6%, lower at 506p. The company complained last year that its latest contract from the Bank of England was less favourable and that other countries would be encouraged to improve their contracts when renegotiating. It has been battling rising costs, largely the price of paper, for a number of years. De La Rue, which has customers in 65 countries, also makes biometric passports.

Summary: Shares in banknote printer De La Rue tumbled almost 9% after the firm reported lower full-year profits and cut its dividend by 40%.


Wales international McCusker, 30, has impressed in the back row since a return from injury last month. Eleventh-placed Irish face Northampton on Saturday, looking for a first Premiership away win in almost a year. "We'll be keen to stay in touch with them as much as possible," McCusker told BBC Radio Berkshire. Irish sit level on points with fellow strugglers Newcastle ahead of the trip to Franklin's Gardens and will be keen to maintain the momentum of their recent home form. "We've had some games recently where we've been in it or just behind at half-time," said McCusker. "But in the second half we've had games where we've just capitulated and been a totally different team. "If we let Northampton get too far ahead, they'll be buoyed by that." The former Scarlets captain left the Pro 12 club in September by mutual agreement as he joined Irish on an initial one-year deal. Capped six times by his country, McCusker admitted the decision was driven by a need to play more games. "I didn't really know how I'd ever leave," he said. "But circumstances changed and it wasn't the place I had fallen in love with. "So it made the decision a lot easier. It was probably the right time and felt like the right thing to do."

Summary: London Irish number eight Rob McCusker believes confidence can flourish among his team-mates after their crucial Premiership victory against Worcester.


Some firms said they could not recruit or retain the staff they needed. The Local Government Association said it was the result of "historic under-funding" and an ageing population. The government declined an interview but said English councils had received £9.25bn for social care. The figure for the number of cancelled contracts comes from a Freedom of Information request, which was responded to by 197 of 212 UK councils. According to the research, carried out for Panorama by Opus Restructuring and Company Watch, 69 home care companies have closed in the last three months and one in four of the UK's 2,500 home care companies is at risk of insolvency. Councillor Izzi Seccombe from the Local Government Association - which represents councils across England and Wales - said: "We have warned that the combination of the historic under-funding of adult social care, and the significant pressures of an ageing population and the national living wage, are pushing the care provider market to the brink of collapse. "These figures show the enormous strain providers are under, and emphasises the urgent need for a long-term, sustainable solution to the social care funding crisis." Many home care companies say their biggest problem is recruitment and retention of carers. The Centre for Workforce Intelligence estimates at least two million more carers will be needed by 2025 in England alone, in both in-home care and care homes, to cope with growing demand. Last October, the regulator for England, the Care Quality Commission, warned that adult social care was at a tipping point. One home care company, Cymorth Llaw, which had contracts with three councils in north Wales, told Panorama it had recently stopped working with one - Conwy, which had initially paid £14.20 an hour for care. It offered to raise that to £15, but the company decided that still wasn't enough and handed back the contract. Ken Hogg, at Cymorth Llaw, said: "We didn't think we could do it for the money - it was as simple as that. "We pay as much [in wages] as we possibly can and we've always paid above what was the national minimum wage and the national living wage. "[Carers] get a mileage allowance, they get paid travelling time between their clients." Mr Hogg said the company was legally obliged to pay 1% pension and 13.8% national insurance contributions, along with training and other staff-associated costs, which "doesn't leave a great deal". Conwy Council said it was committed to supporting vulnerable people in communities, despite the financial challenges. Home care company Mears used to have a contract with Liverpool City Council but cancelled it in July, saying £13.10 an hour was not enough to cover costs. Mears said it needed at least £15 an hour, and like other companies across the UK, argued its costs are often greater than what councils pay. Alan Long, executive director at Mears, said: "That was a terrible thing to do for both service users and for care staff. "We absolutely did not take that lightly, but frankly what choice did we have? "We just

Summary: Care firms have cancelled contracts with 95 UK councils, saying they cannot deliver services for the amount they are being paid, a BBC Panorama investigation has found.


American Chris Zablocki again finished second, while James Faudemer was the first Jersey runner home in a new personal best of 2:39.15. Nollaigh O'Neill, who led from early on, dominated the women's race. "I'm so happy, but the time was slow," said the 44-year-old Irish runner. "I was flying up until about mile 20 or 21 and my quads started to seize and tighten up, so I just had to pull back and run strong and smart." O'Neill made it over the line at the Weighbridge just outside the three hour mark (3:01.48) and more than 10 minutes clear of second-placed Ffion Davies. More than 400 runners took on the full 26-mile course, with hundreds more in the 3K fun run and relay events. While Troshkin stole the headlines in the men's race, Faudemer's run smashing quarter of an hour off his personal best was amongst the local highlights. "I'm just so happy," Faudemer told BBC Radio Jersey. "Long distance running is picking up in Jersey - I knew I had it in me with the sessions I've done in the build up. "The support was amazing throughout the whole course, friends and family, it was awesome and made a big difference." SportsHub Men, featuring Jersey's top triathlete Dan Halksworth, took the relay title while SportsHub Women were the first female team home. Peter Holmes won the 3K race, narrowly ahead of Jack Kennedy.

Summary: Russian Aleksey Troshkin won the Jersey Marathon for the third year in a row, with his time of two hours, 18 minutes and 28 seconds just outside his own course record.


2 December 2015 Last updated at 09:17 GMT Emi, 22, wrote The Things She Told Me to reflect her own experiences as a woman, but she hopes it will resonate across the world. The Sudanese-American who originates from Darfur only began writing slam poetry - work that is written for performance and that is often powerful and emotional in tone - when she arrived at university. She is studying anthropology and molecular biology at Yale, and is one of the BBC's 100 Women 2015 Our 100 Women season showcases two weeks of inspirational stories about the BBC 100 Women and others who defy stereotypes around the world. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram using the hashtag #100Women and listen to our programmes here.

Summary: Emi Mahmoud, the reigning World Poetry Slam Champion, has written a poem for the BBC 100 Women season.


State media also repeated threats to the US Pacific island of Guam, which it called "an advanced base of invasion". The missile launched on Tuesday crossed Japan's northern Hokkaido island, triggering public alerts to take cover, before landing in the sea. The UN Security Council has unanimously condemned North Korea for its actions. Meeting late on Tuesday in New York, the council called the launch "outrageous", demanding North Korea cease all missile testing. While the statement said the regime's actions were a threat to all UN member states, it did not threaten new sanctions against Pyongyang. Russia and China said US military activity in the region was partly to blame for the increase in tensions, and urged negotiations. Arriving for a visit to Japan, British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday called on China to put more pressure on North Korea, saying that Beijing had a key role in the international response to Pyongyang's "reckless provocation". North Korea has repeatedly conducted missile launches in recent months, despite being barred from doing so under UN rules. The latest, a domestically made Hwasong-12, was launched early on Tuesday Korean time from a site near Pyongyang. It travelled some 2,700km (1,678 miles), at an unusually low height for North Korean missile tests, over Hokkaido before crashing about 1,180km off Japan's eastern coast. Japan sent out alerts telling people in Hokkaido to take cover. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later called it "unprecedented, serious and a grave threat". For the first time, North Korea's official news agency KCNA admitted deliberately firing a ballistic missile across Japan. Previous projectiles which crossed the mainland were later claimed to have been satellite launches. It said the launch was in direct response to joint US-South Korean military drills which are currently taking place, as well as to mark the anniversary of the Japan-Korea treaty of 1910, which saw Japanese forces annex the Korean peninsula. KCNA, quoting leader Kim Jong-un, said that, "like a real war", the latest drill was "the first step of the military operation of the KPA [Korean People's Army] in the Pacific and a meaningful prelude to containing Guam". Mr Kim has also ordered more rocket drills targeting the region, it said. North Korea first threatened to fire missiles towards Guam - a major US military centre in the Pacific and where some 160,000 US citizens live - earlier this month. US officials had suggested that the fact it had not carried out its threat so far was a sign of possible progress. US President Donald Trump, in a statement released by the White House, said the world had "received North Korea's latest message loud and clear". "This regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour," he said. "Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table." Earlier this month, President Trump warned Pyongyang would face "fire and fury" if it continued to threaten the

Summary: North Korea says its firing of a missile over Japan was "the first step" of military operations in the Pacific, signalling plans for more launches.


It follows an incident which saw a S92 spin more than 180 degrees on landing. One-off inspections of the tail rotor on all S92 helicopters around the world took place last week, following the incident on the West Franklin platform in December. Operators are now being told to increase inspections on the aircraft's tail rotor. No-one was injured in the incident, but there was significant damage to the deck of the platform. As a result of the initial safety checks, 11 tail rotor bearings were returned to manufacturer Sikorsky for further tests. The Federal Aviation Administration has now said further inspections using specialist cameras must be carried out every 10 hours of flying time. North Sea operators said they were fully complying with the latest directive.

Summary: Additional checks are being carried on a North Sea helicopter fleet in the wake of safety fears.


The off-duty officer suffered serious leg injuries in a booby-trap car bomb near Castlederg, County Tyrone. The accused has also been charged with causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property and membership of a proscribed organisation. He is due to appear before Strabane Magistrates Court on Thursday. A 44-year-old man arrested on Wednesday remains in custody, while a 37-year-old man has been released unconditionally.

Summary: A 38-year-old man is due to appear in court charged with the attempted murder of a Catholic police officer in 2008.


The Big Sleep Hotel, once part-owned by Hollywood star John Malkovich, received complaints from guests about blood stains on walls, rubbish on floors and unclean bathrooms. X-Ray also found dirty duvets, mouldy windows and dead insects. The hotel, now owned by Compass Hospitality, has promised to improve. The Big Sleep, opposite the Motorpoint Arena, was hailed as a "designer budget hotel" when it was opened by Malkovich in 1999. But unhappy customers have spoken to X-Ray about how shocked they were by the cleanliness in the rooms when they visited. Jan Jones, 58, from Porthcawl in Bridgend county, paid Â£68 to stay at the hotel following a night out with friends in January. But she said when she went to her room, it was strewn with rubbish and the bed was unmade. "I really thought it was occupied by someone because it was just an absolute mess," she said. "There were empty food containers in there, there were empty beer bottles, the mattress was exposed and it was stained. "The bathroom was filthy dirty. And the smell was awful because there was stale food in there. It was just shocking." Another guest, Lina Tsaltampasi from Thessaloniki, Greece, who stayed in September, bought cleaning products to clean the room herself. After speaking to guests, the BBC X-Ray team also booked a room at the hotel and presenter Omar Hamdi found a broken bed and a stained mattress and bedding. "Everywhere I looked there was grime," he said. "A blood stain on the wall, hairs on the bedding, thick dust on the skirting boards, and stains in not one, but both drawers of the bedside table." The Big Sleep apologised and said its "lapses in quality" were unacceptable. It said it was taking action to improve its housekeeping and to tackle poor management. It added it was confident the hotel would be transformed once its current refurbishment was complete. The hotel has said it will refund all the customers featured on X-Ray.

Summary: A hotel in the heart of Cardiff has admitted "unacceptable" failings, after a BBC Wales investigation uncovered dirty rooms.


Sun Maya Tamang, 50, is accused of killing Man Limbu, who was found unconscious at a flat in Victoria Road, Aldershot, on Friday. She is also accused of attempted murder, aggravated burglary and false imprisonment relating to an incident at a property in Grove Road. Ms Tamang, of Victoria Road, is due at Basingstoke magistrates on Tuesday. Police said Man Limbu was discovered at 17:30 GMT on Friday and was later pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives said the alleged attempted murder, burglary and false imprisonment related to a 47-year-old woman.

Summary: A woman has been charged with murdering a 75-year-old man and with attempting to murder a woman on the same day.


Media playback is not supported on this device Wes Hoolahan gave the Republic a deserved lead shortly after half-time with a crisply struck half-volley worthy of opening the scoring in any match. Martin O'Neill's team had struck the woodwork and gone close several times prior to scoring. But, after taking the lead they found themselves under increasing pressure and conceded when Clark, chosen ahead of Richard Keogh in the centre of defence, headed a low cross from Zlatan Ibrahimovic into his own net. The equaliser came from one of the few moments of quality from the Sweden captain, who collected a neat backheel from substitute John Guidetti and raced to the byeline before drilling in a low cross. Jeff Hendrick drew a late save from Andreas Isaksson but there was to be no winner at the end of a feisty, scrappy match the Republic shaded but could not close out. Commitment, passion and determination were much in evidence at the Stade de France, with those workmanlike qualities comfortably eclipsing any quality and finesse on show. But, in the end, neither side had quite enough to prevail and are left to ponder a result that is hardly disastrous but not exactly what either wanted. Both have remaining Group E fixtures against Italy and Belgium - the two favourites to progress - and have arguably missed out on their best chance to get a crucial victory. In a tournament with 16 qualifiers from the group stage, three points would have taken one of them a huge step towards reaching the next round. Media playback is not supported on this device The Republic lost all three of their games at Euro 2012, when Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni set up his team to try to stymie their opponents and snatch the points. Yet after qualifying from a group that included Poland and Germany, there was no lack of adventure and ambition here in Paris. Robbie Brady was a menace down the left, Hendrick struck the crossbar with a caressed right-foot strike and drew a superb save with a crisp shot from the edge of the area, and John O'Shea was inches from converting Clark's flick-on. There was also no disputing the quality of Hoolahan's goal three minutes after the restart. Seamus Coleman delivered a superb cross after a teasing, jinking run down the right and Hoolahan, who had found space at a premium in a generally congested midfield, superbly smashed home a half-volley from 14 yards across goal and beyond Isaksson. Hendrick forced another save from the Sweden goalkeeper with a low strike after his team conceded and the men in green showed enough to suggest that whatever happens to them in this tournament they will leave everything on the field. Ibrahimovic said before the match that "the legend can still deliver", but it did not look like it for most of the match. On many occasions - especially during the first half - the 34-year-old was drawn so deep in search of the ball that he looked more like a midfielder. Ibrahimovic, strongly linked with

Summary: Ciaran Clark scored an agonising own goal as the Republic of Ireland were held to a frustrating draw against Sweden in their opening Euro 2016 fixture in Paris.


The move earlier this year sparked widespread public and political backlash with many questioning whether the British royal deserved Australia's top honour. It came after Mr Abbot revived Australia's honours system last year. The new cabinet under Malcolm Turnbull is set to review the honours system. Mr Turnbull, the new prime minister, ousted Mr Abbott from power in an internal party challenge last month. On 26 January - Australia's national day - Mr Abbott announced he had nominated Queen Elizabeth II's husband to receive the knighthood. He had said then that the Duke of Edinburgh's life of "service and dedication" should be honoured. The Queen awarded the knighthood in April. Asked on Thursday in an interview with radio station 3AW about his decision, Mr Abbott said: "Obviously it was an injudicious appointment." Australia's honours system The move was met with scorn from many among the Australian public, who questioned the Prince's contributions to Australia and pointed out that as a British royal he was a symbol of another country. Some media outlets called it a "Knightmare", opposition leader Bill Shorten called it "anachronistic", and Mr Abbott faced criticism from within his own Liberal party. Mr Turnbull, who used to chair Australia's republican movement, had previously defended the honours system's revival in 2014, noting that most republics have an honours system and an order of knighthood. But he is now said to be in favour of abolishing the system, according to Australian media reports.

Summary: Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said his decision to award Prince Philip a knighthood was "injudicious".


Henrietta Yakubu, a spokesman for the aviation authority, said repair works were completed 24 hours ahead of schedule. An Ethiopian Airlines flight was the first to land on Tuesday morning. Flights had been diverted to Kaduna, 160 km (100 miles) from the capital, and some international carriers refused to operate the new route. Those airlines are now taking bookings for flights later this week. The runway at Nnamdi Azikiwe airport was supposed to be upgraded in 2002 - it was built in 1982 and was only meant to have a 20-year lifespan. There have been celebrations that the repair project was completed ahead of time but the fact the capital was without a functioning airport for more than a month highlights the state of Nigeria's crumbling infrastructure, the BBC's Martin Patience says.

Summary: Nigeria's airport in the capital, Abuja, has reopened six weeks after it was closed for urgent repairs.


Lewis Elliot, 19, predicted both teams would score in both halves of the Crawley v Carlisle, Hibernian v Aberdeen and Chelsea v Tottenham games. The bet came in at odds of 6,858/1 when Eden Hazard scored for Chelsea in their FA Cup semi-final. "I am absolutely delighted," said Mr Elliot. "I went crazy when Hazard scored." The first two legs of his bet came in as Aberdeen reached the Scottish Cup final with a 3-2 win over Hibs. Later, Crawley and Carlisle shared the spoils in a 3-3 draw in League Two. Mr Elliot's win was confirmed at Wembley on Saturday evening, with Chelsea's Willian and Spurs' Harry Kane scoring in the first half of the two London sides' cup clash. Dele Alli scored for Tottenham just after the break to leave Lewis requiring just one more Chelsea goal to land his bumper bet. That goal came courtesy of Eden Hazard, who scored in the 75th minute to give the Blues the lead and send them on their way to the FA Cup final.

Summary: An apprentice joiner from Hawick has won more than £20,000 from a £3 football bet.


Harry Gould, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, will be presented with the Legion d'Honneur by the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire. Mr Gould served with the Royal Army Service Corps and was involved in the transportation of supplies to troops. The charity that helped him apply said Mr Gould had been unaware he was eligible until told over a cup of tea. Latest stories from Staffordshire Mr Gould said he had been 18 years old when he landed at Arromanches, in Normandy. "We had to come off the landing crafts. There were thousands of [men] just dead on the ground. "The cargo we were carrying was mainly fresh water, ammunition and food. "The water was important because the water in in Normandy had been polluted by the Germans." Later, as Mr Gould was travelling in convoy, the two wagons in front of him exploded after being hit by aircraft fire. "It made you feel terrible, but you had to keep going," he said. He said he had been overwhelmed when learning he was eligible to receive the medal. "It's like having an OBE in this country," he said. Geoff Harriman, chairman of Tri Services and Veterans Support Centre, helped Mr Gould apply for the honour. "Through conversations over a cup of tea, we found out Harry took part in the D-Day landings," he said. "We knew the French government were awarding medals, so we applied on his behalf. "It's France's highest award to non-French nationals. It's a way of saying thank you for assisting in the liberation of France."

Summary: A 91-year-old former soldier has been awarded one of France's highest honours for his role in the D-Day landings.


The stamps will feature characters such as Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and Yoda and will also feature three scenes from the new film, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. They will go on sale on 20 October.

Summary: Eighteen new first class stamps are being released by the Royal Mail to celebrate the Star Wars movies.


The Supreme Court has ruled against a father who took his daughter on an unauthorised term-time break. But between travel companies' elevated school holiday prices and the need to juggle work commitments, some parents say they cannot always go away during the school holidays and that it should be their decision to make. Hayley, 39, says she is "fuming" at the ruling. Together with her husband Martin, the couple, from Cheshire, took their children Archie, aged five, and Ruby, six, out of school in January to attend a family wedding in India. As Archie was under five at the time, his absence did not cause problems. But Ruby's did. Not long after they returned, letters arrived from the local council to inform them that they were being fined a total of Â£120. "I'm not going to pay it," she said. "They basically brandish you a criminal." Hayley had asked the school for permission but says she never received a reply. "Why should you be dictated to?" she said. "It's made no difference to Ruby. She's never missed anything important. "India was such a different country to go to. It taught them things. It was such a good experience." Hayley is frustrated by what she sees as inconsistencies in the enforcement of the rules. "Some children have a really bad attendance but don't get fined. Ruby's attendance was close to 100%. "We took work on the plane and I encouraged her to do writing and reading while we were away." There has been criticism that the rule does not allow enough discretion for people's individual circumstances. Marcus, 41, has a very good reason for not being able to take his children away during school holidays - it is his job to refurbish schools while the pupils are away. "You need to spend time with your children. Just saying no is unrealistic for people," he said. "I haven't been able to go away during the summer break since my children were born." Harry, his eldest, is nine and Samuel is five. With his partner Laura, Marcus took his children out of school for two weeks in October to visit Disney World in Florida. "It was a very special one," he said. "The memories will last for a lifetime. "They swam with dolphins and Harry came back with loads of knowledge about dolphins." But the school recorded the absence as unauthorised leave and Marcus is worried they may now be fined. "They sympathised with my situation but said that they could not risk getting into trouble authorising it," he said. "My children have high attendance rates and I understand the need to prevent unnecessary absence, but if you make the children do a diary and read while on holiday then I honestly do not see the harm going during term-time." Though the Supreme Court ruling might make Marcus think twice about taking his children out of school to go on holiday, he does not think it would stop him. "I feel I deserve time with my children away from work, school and day-to-day pressures. "I

Summary: Would you take your children out of school during term-time?


People have reported dead fish in Aberaeron, Aberystwyth, Barmouth, Harlech and Chwilog. Other beaches are also likely to be affected. NRW experts said it was a "natural phenomenon" caused by mackerel and other fish chasing food in calm seas. Rowland Sharp, marine fisheries officer for NRW, said: "The calm seas means that mackerel chase small fish all the way on to the beaches. "The fish in these bait balls will ground themselves on beaches in an effort to escape." He added: "It may appear worrying, but it's only nature at work really."

Summary: Reports of thousands of small fish being washed up on beaches in Ceredigion and Gwynedd are no cause for concern, said Natural Resources Wales (NRW).


The country's Consul General will present more than 40 Ushakov Medals to surviving veterans and representatives of those who have died. Other ceremonies for veterans are being held in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness before Remembrance Sunday. From 1941 to 1945, Allied ships sailed from Scotland and Iceland to Russia to supply it with food and weapons. More than 3,000 seamen lost their lives to the freezing conditions and attacks by German submarines and aircraft. In total, 214 Ushakov Medals are being presented by the Consul General Andrey Pritsepov to veterans or their families in Scotland. The Consul General said: "The Ushakov Medal is one of Russia's most important naval awards, presented only to those who demonstrated courage in sea warfare. "These medals are well-deserved by the Scottish veterans of the Arctic Convoys who sailed alongside our fathers and grandfathers on extremely dangerous missions and returned home victorious against all odds." The ceremony at Glasgow City Chambers on Friday is being hosted by Lord Provost Sadie Docherty. She said: "In this centenary year of the outbreak of the First World War, we are remembering the fallen in all conflicts and the bravery of those who defend our shores and freedoms. "Those who served in the notorious Arctic Convoys have a special place in history and we owe them a huge debt for their bravery and tenacity. "I know it means a great deal to the veterans and their families that they are finally being honoured in this fashion for their role in maintaining a vital naval lifeline that helped Britain and her allies win the war." The medal is named after Fyodor Ushakov, an 18th Century naval commander who never lost a battle and the patron saint of the Russian navy. The medal was originally established in 1944 for those who demonstrated courage and prowess in sea warfare. It is now awarded to veterans "for personal courage and valour shown during World War Two while participating in the Arctic Convoys". Convoys left the Clyde and Loch Ewe in Wester Ross during the effort to supply Russia with food and weapons from 1941 to 1945. The British Merchant Navy, along with Russian, US, Canadian, Norwegian and Dutch merchant fleets, were involved. In total, 78 convoys sailed to and from Russia under escort from Allied warships.

Summary: Russia is honouring Scottish veterans of the World War Two Arctic Convoys at a ceremony in Glasgow.


The remains of this large, rodent-like creature give clues about how mammals "took over" when dinosaurs died out. They think the newly-discovered species was a plant-eating creature that looked a bit like a beaver. The researchers noticed, in particular, the animal's teeth, which were designed for chewing plants. This group of now-extinct mammals lived alongside the dinosaurs and thrived for more than 100 million years. The scientists say that this discovery helps explain how mammals made it through the event which killed off dinosaurs, thought to be an asteroid hitting Earth. "A whole lot of mammals did die, but this group is one that made it through pretty well," Dr Brusatte explained. "That asteroid hit and suddenly the dinosaurs are wiped out. It looks like mammals were just waiting their turn and as soon as the dinosaurs disappeared, they thrived."

Summary: Scientists have discovered a species of ancient mammal that survived the event that led to the end of the dinosaurs.


The SPFL has set up a working group to examine the issue of unacceptable conduct. And it is understood that they would seek financial assistance from the Scottish government. The facial recognition system was mentioned at a meeting of all 42 clubs on Tuesday. The debate over the extent to which clubs should be held accountable for the conduct of their followers has been sparked by recent incidents involving Rangers, Celtic and Dundee United supporters. Hibernian's visit to Ibrox on 28 December was marred by sectarian chants from the home end, while there were complaints of sectarian songs during Celtic's Scottish Cup trip to Stranraer. Celtic and Dundee United have both condemned their own fans for setting off pyrotechnics. SPFL board member Mike Mulraney revealed there was not appetite to introduce new strict liability rules. The Alloa chairman said there is "no chance whatsoever" of clubs agreeing to regulations that could see them punished for the conduct of supporters regardless of whether the club itself is to blame. A spokesman for the league body said: "The SPFL is working with government and other partners with the aim of establishing a workable solution to help rid our football grounds of unacceptable conduct. "This work is at an early stage and is not being led by any one club. "The issue of unacceptable conduct is something that the SPFL, its board and its member clubs are absolutely committed to addressing. "Recognising that certain behaviours are for society to face and address as a whole, we believe football can take a leading role in moving this issue forward for Scottish society." The prospect of facial recognition technology has been met with scepticism from the Scottish Football Supporters' Association. Chairman Simon Barrow said the fans' group is concerned by "a rushed move towards intrusive surveillance". He added: "There needs to be careful consultation with fans and clubs, alongside wider consideration of how to deal effectively and proportionately with threatening and insulting behaviour. "The best way forward will involve working with the great majority of supporters who deplore such abuses, rather than making them feel under accusation themselves."

Summary: The Scottish Professional Football League is considering the use of facial recognition technology at stadiums to help combat anti-social behaviour.