Judges changed his conviction from manslaughter to murder last week. He has already served one year in prison. Pistorius now faces a minimum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment - to be set after a hearing on 18 April 2016. He will also appeal against his murder conviction in the Constitutional Court, his lawyer has said. This could see delays of many more months, says the BBC's Karen Allen at the high court in the South African capital, Pretoria. Now that Oscar Pistorius has been granted bail, it must have come as a huge relief that he will spend Christmas at home. Sitting in court, I was left with an impression that the judge was not interested in imposing strict conditions. Pistorius himself looked relaxed, chatting and laughing with his legal team during the brief adjournment while the judge was considering his fate. The double amputee's bail application also revealed that he had enrolled to study "a BSc business with law degree" at the London School of Economics. Pistorius indicated in court documents that he intended to lodge an appeal to the highest court in the land. This would be the very last legal avenue available for the disgraced athlete to overturn his conviction. Bail has been set at 10,000 rand ($700, Â£450). Pistorius was deemed not to be a flight risk by Judge Audrey Ledwaba. Pistorius can remain under house arrest at his uncle's home until sentencing next year, and will be electronically tagged. He also has to hand over his passport. He will be able to leave the house between 7am and midday, but will only be able to move within a 20km (12 miles) radius. He is currently under house arrest after spending one year of his original five-year sentence in jail. In his bail affidavit, he said he had no income. During the hearing, his lawyer said he was only able to pay a sum of 10,000 rand for his bail. The 29-year-old killed Ms Steenkamp on Valentine's Day after shooting four times through a locked toilet door. Pistorius is a six-time Paralympic gold medallist whose legs were amputated below the knee as a baby. He made history by becoming the first amputee sprinter to compete at the Olympics, in 2012, running on prosthetic "blades". Last week, South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein accepted prosecution arguments and ruled that the lower court did not correctly apply the concept of "dolus eventualis" - whether Pistorius knew that a death would be a likely result of his actions. When will he be sentenced? The date set for the sentencing hearing has been set for 18 April. The minimum sentence for murder is 15 years, but the judge does have the discretion to lower it. Can he appeal? Yes, but only if his lawyers are convinced that the appeal judges violated his constitutional rights. So it is a high threshold, and hard to meet. Is this the end of Pistorius' professional athletics career? Almost certainly. He is 29, and will be past his prime by the time he is freed.

Summary: South African Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been granted bail while he awaits sentence for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013.


Jannette Black, head of Springhill and Auchenback Primary School in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, was seen at a minor injuries unit on Wednesday. East Renfrewshire Council confirmed that the incident had taken place and said an investigation into the circumstances was ongoing. Police Scotland said the incident had not been reported to them. A council spokesman said: "We can confirm that an incident took place at the school [on Wednesday]. "No serious injuries were sustained and the member of staff involved did not require hospital treatment, however, did attend a local minor injuries unit as a precaution. "Incidents of this nature are extremely rare in our schools and we have a zero tolerance approach to violence at work." The local authority rejected claims that the incident was the latest one linking the school with anti-social behaviour or a lack of action by the council's education department. A statement said: "Any incident relating to violence which is reported to us is investigated thoroughly and the appropriate action taken. "We do not accept the claims that have been made about the management of either our schools or the education department. "In fact, a recent Education Scotland report on this school highlights a number of areas of improvement which have been achieved under the current management."

Summary: A primary school head teacher was taken to hospital following an attack by a pupil.


The UK's advertising watchdog has upheld a complaint that the electronics chain had encouraged viewers to believe they could watch ultra-high definition broadcasts of the Euro 2016 football championship. It follows an earlier rebuke about an advert shown in 2014. Content in 4K is still relatively uncommon, posing a challenge to stores. The format is marketed as providing four times as much detail as 1080p high definition transmissions, because the screens have that many times more pixels. Sky's recent launch of its Ultra HD service last week has improved matters. But until then, BT was the only broadcaster transmitting 4K content to UK audiences and its offering was often limited to one football match a week. Other alternatives include a limited number of shows and films on streaming services including Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and YouTube. Currys PC World - which is owned by DSG Retail - screened the most recent of the two offending adverts on 4 June, six days before the Uefa (Union of European Football Associations) competition began. "We know some people will do whatever it takes to watch the football on the right TV," stated the voiceover, before providing details of two 4K televisions. The advert did not explicitly refer to Euro 2016, but the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) noted that it had contained a graphic of a rotating football made up of the flags of the various competing teams. Part of the store's defence was that, even though the Euro 2016 games were not broadcast in 4K, the TVs had the ability to "upscale" the footage to improve picture quality. This involves using software to infer what each of the extra pixels should show, rather than just making each square of four pixels the same colour. The technique cannot put back the original detail because it was never included in the lower-resolution broadcast, but algorithms can try to deduce what would have been shown. The retailer's ad had been submitted to Clearcast - a clearance service for advertisers. That firm defended its decision to approve the contents on the basis that the TVs had been described as being 4K-ready. This, it explained, implied there was no guarantee that consumers would actually be able to see content in the format. However, the ASA rejected these responses saying it still felt consumers were likely to have believed they could watch the matches in "genuine 4K definition". Its verdict followed an earlier ruling against a Currys PC World ad that had said Ultra HD TVs allowed families to watch their "favourite Christmas movies in greater detail". The firm had again justified its description by pointing to the sets' upscaling abilities. But the ASA said it believed viewers had been misled to believe they would be able to see the films in "full" 4K quality and added that if the firm meant to refer to upscaling, it should be clearer about the fact.

Summary: Currys PC World has been reprimanded for a second time about broadcasting misleading adverts for 4K televisions.


This is the full statement to the inquests from his cousin, Anthony Goggins: Joseph Daniel McCarthy was born on 11 February 1968 and died at the age of 21 years. Joseph, who was known as Joe, was born to Sean and Anne McCarthy, two years after their eldest son, Jeremy, was born. Sean and Anne had just the two boys. His parents worked extremely hard to ensure that both Jeremy and Joe had an excellent education. Joe was a typical boy; he often got into harmless mischief, but had an endearing personality that it was easy to forgive him for whatever wrongdoing he did. His mum Anne said that he could "charm the birds from the trees with his chat". Joe was born in Ealing, London, and attended Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Primary School. Joe's mum and dad were deeply involved in their church and community, and Joe and Jeremy were involved in all church activities. Profiles of all those who died Joe was a natural leader, confident without being arrogant. He started winning sports awards from the age of seven, coming first place in numerous sports events held at Mount Carmel. He was an all-round sportsperson and liked nothing better than training for either a swimming certificate or a long jump or even cricket ball throwing. Joe loved being outdoors playing any kind of sport, although football was his favourite. He was on the Mount Carmel football team, which was part of the Ealing Schools Football Association and Joe practised really hard with his football team to win each year in the competition, yet when they became the runners up, he was still overjoyed, something his mum recalled years later to me. When Joe became captain of the team, they won the competition. It was the first time that the middle school had won a trophy since joining the ESFA in 1973. Joe was so proud that the team won the cup and would not take any of the credit himself, laughing and joking about it, saying it was all luck. He was a Beaver Scout and could not wait to become a Cub Scout and then a Scout. His brother Jeremy and himself were very keen Scout members and won many cups for their Scout pack. In 1977, when Joe was just nine-years-old, the Scout pack won the Ealing five-a-side league and then added the knock-out cup to their triumph. Joe really liked to win, but was also a great loser. Joe was entering gymnastics competitions from a very early age and won The Sunday Times British Amateur Gymnastics award for his age group. Academically, Joe was clever. He did not find school difficult, he enjoyed going to school and he was a great communicator and loved the interaction that took place at school, both with teachers and peers alike. He found all subjects easy and Anne and Sean were always at home to help with the boys' homework. They encouraged both boys to study and avail of their education. Joe gained entrance into the most prestigious non-fee paying Roman

Summary: A student from London who was studying in Sheffield, Joseph McCarthy met some friends before the match.


A Derry board statement said Barton had been appointed in September 2015 "for an agreed period of two years". "We would like to sincerely thank Damian, his management and all players who have represented their county during this period," it read. The statement added that nominations for the job would be sought from clubs. Barton had a creditable first year in charge of Derry as his side reached the Dr McKenna Cup Final and also narrowly missed out on qualifying for the All-Ireland quarter-finals after losing by a point to eventual semi-finalists Tipperary in the last qualifying round. However despite that promising opening season, Barton's squad was badly depleted this year by the withdrawal of several experienced campaigners. The under-strength Oak Leafers suffered relegation to Division Three of the Football League on points difference and then were well beaten by Tyrone in their opening Ulster SFC game for the second successive season. While they regrouped to beat Waterford in the qualifiers, Saturday's extra-time defeat by Mayo saw Derry exiting from the championship. Barton side were leading the Castlebar game up until a minute from the end of normal time but despite a brave effort, Derry had nothing left in extra time as Mayo eventually won 2-21 to 1-13.

Summary: Damian Barton's reign as Derry football manager appears to be over after the county's GAA board asked for nominations for the post.


Alun Davies, who has responsibility for broadcasting, warned Wales had a "weakening" media and a lack of accountability was partly responsible. But he stopped short of calling for devolved powers over the sector, during a media conference speech in Cardiff. "I worry, and I am concerned, that Wales has a weak, indigenous media that is weakening," he said. "And I am concerned that we don't always have the structures to enable us to have a conversation, apart from informally. "The formal structures of accountability, formal structures of regulation and the formal structures to actually deliver policy. "I think that is something which we do need to recognise, and is something that we need to debate and discuss. "Not simply within government, or within the National Assembly, but within and throughout our society." Mr Davies called for the assembly to have a greater role in holding media companies to account. "I make no case for the devolution of responsibility for broadcasting to Wales or to the Welsh Government," he added. "However, I do make the case for the accountability for broadcasting to be shared across the institutions of the United Kingdom." Media bosses do give occasional evidence to assembly committees examining the media in Wales, but there is no formal arrangement that requires them to appear or submit evidence. Since the renewal of the BBC's charter, the Welsh Government has been given a stronger role in appointing the Wales representative to the BBC board. It used its veto to oppose the appointment of the UK government's choice for the position, Dr Carol Bell, earlier this year. Dr Ruth McElroy, a media lecturer at the University of South Wales, said Wales' traditional media had weakened as the industry adapted to changing audience habits. She told BBC Wales: "We have seen a great deal of closures of local newspapers. That's been a long-standing theme, and it's been greater in Wales than in the rest of the UK. "I think what we have to do is be realistic that we are now in a digital age, and that modes of news delivery might be different in the future." She added ministers should be more prepared to intervene to support media in Wales. "There definitely is a place for government intervention. I think that sometimes, in the UK, we have been hostile to that, almost ideologically. "In other parts of the world they are not, and they are reaping the benefits as a result."

Summary: Media companies should be more accountable to the National Assembly, a Welsh Government minister has said.


He said he disagreed with the views expressed by FTSE 100 bosses in a letter published on Tuesday. Heads of companies including BT, Marks & Spencer and Vodafone said an EU exit would deter investment in the UK. But Mr Woodford argued it was very difficult to build a credible economic argument for the UK either staying in or leaving the union. Rather, the debate was a political argument about issues such as immigration and sovereignty, he said. The long-term economic implications may not be as extreme as some have suggested, but regardless of the outcome of the 23 June referendum the effect would be profound, according to the high-profile fund manager. A vote to leave could also spark a crisis for the EU project, which Mr Woodford said was facing an array of challenges on a macro-economic and political level. There were fundamental political differences between member states on a range of important issues, as well as an immigration crisis and a stagnant eurozone economy. "ECB chief Mario Draghi is printing money and trying to do his bit, but the macro headwinds are intense and unemployment remains high. It is these problems that a UK exit could shine a brighter light on," Mr Woodford told the BBC. He believed investors should be braced for more "extraordinary monetary policy" by the world's central banks, such as negative interest rates and negative yields on 10-year government bonds. The global economy also faced a slowdown as well as the threat of deflation, while big problems remained in China, which was adjusting to cope with much slower economic growth. Major FTSE 100 companies such as Shell, BP and HSBC would all be forced to cut their dividends this year amid continuing low oil prices and poor investment returns, Mr Woodford predicted. On Tuesday, mining giant BHP Billiton said it was slashing its dividend, abandoning a long-held policy of maintaining or increasing payments to shareholders, reducing the payout from 62 US cents a share to just 16 cents. Mr Woodford is considered in the industry as one of the UK's best-performing fund managers. He rose to prominence during a 25-year career at Invesco Perpetual for taking a long-term view on investments. One of the best-known examples of his strategy was refusing to invest in the dotcom boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Last year he set up his own fund, Woodford Investment Management.

Summary: Leaving the EU would not necessarily damage the UK economy, fund manager Neil Woodford has reiterated.


A judge made the ruling last month. A case had been taken by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission against the Department of Justice. The judge said there should be exemptions in the law for women who were the victims of sexual crime and in cases of fatal foetal abnormality. He said the current legal provisions in Northern Ireland breached the European Convention on Human Rights. Unlike other parts of the UK, the 1967 Abortion Act does not apply to Northern Ireland, where abortions are illegal except where the life or mental health of the mother is in danger. Anyone who unlawfully carries out an abortion could be jailed for life. The judge's ruling did not change the law but had placed an onus on the Northern Ireland Assembly to legislate on the issue. John Larkin QC, the attorney general, said at the time he was "profoundly disappointed" by the decision and was considering the grounds for appeal. Amnesty International, the human rights organisation, said it would resist any attempt to overturn the judge's ruling. Its Northern Ireland director, Patrick Corrigan, said: "The assembly must bring Northern Ireland's abortion laws into the 21st Century and into line with international law as a matter of urgency."

Summary: The attorney general has lodged an appeal to a High Court ruling that found Northern Ireland's abortion legislation to be "incompatible" with human rights law.


Marshall Leonard is being held by police after throwing a bomb into one of the department stores in Tupelo, Mississippi, early on Sunday. Mr Leonard is known in the city for the 4ft (1.2m) flag he flies over his car. Nobody was hurt or injured by the improvised device that produced only a loud bang but no damage. "An employee was sitting in the vestibule taking a break. He told the employee to run - that he was going to blow the place up," said Police Chief Bart Aguirre. The suspect then threw the newspaper-wrapped package into the store - around 0130 local time (0630 GMT). Walmart, along with several other retailers, pulled the battle flag and other memorabilia from their shelves following the killing in June of nine black worshippers at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. The man charged with the killings was pictured holding the flag. Explosives experts said that the package contained enough explosive material to damage the store, but its poor assembly rendered it ineffective. He was arrested by police about a half-hour later when his silver Mazda adorned with stickers of battle flag and the Mississippi state flag - which itself features an inset Confederate battle flag - was seen running a red traffic light. "He's a strong supporter of keeping that flag flying," the police chief said. "This is his way of bring attention to that". Mr Leonard, who lives alone and is unemployed, does not currently have a lawyer, but will be appointed one by a judge if it is deemed he cannot afford one. The Confederate battle flag became a potent symbol for the southern states fighting the Civil War as they sought to break away from the union. It is seen by some as an icon of slavery and racism while others say the banner symbolises their heritage and history.

Summary: A man apparently angered by Walmart's decision to stop selling Confederate battle flags has been accused of bombing one of the retailer's stores.


Scientists have shown how the insects will use the Milky Way to orientate themselves as they roll their balls of muck along the ground. Humans, birds and seals are all known to navigate by the stars. But this could be the first example of an insect doing so. The study by Marie Dacke is reported in the journal Current Biology. "The dung beetles are not necessarily rolling with the Milky Way or 90 degrees to it; they can go at any angle to this band of light in the sky. They use it as a reference," the Lund University, Sweden, researcher told BBC News. Dung beetles like to run in straight lines. When they find a pile of droppings, they shape a small ball and start pushing it away to a safe distance where they can eat it, usually underground. Getting a good bearing is important because unless the insect rolls a direct course, it risks turning back towards the dung pile where another beetle will almost certainly try to steal its prized ball. Dr Dacke had previously shown that dung beetles were able to keep a straight line by taking cues from the Sun, the Moon, and even the pattern of polarised light formed around these light sources. But it was the animals' capacity to maintain course even on clear Moonless nights that intrigued the researcher. So the native South African took the insects (Scarabaeus satyrus) into the Johannesburg planetarium where she could control the type of star fields a beetle might see overhead. Importantly, she put the beetles in a container with blackened walls to be sure the animals were not using information from landmarks on the horizon, which in the wild might be trees, for example. The beetles performed best when confronted with a perfect starry sky projected on to the planetarium dome, but coped just as well when shown only the diffuse bar of light that is the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy. Dr Dacke thinks it is the bar more than the points of light that is important. "These beetles have compound eyes," she told the BBC. "It's known that crabs, which also have compound eyes, can see a few of the brightest stars in the sky. Maybe the beetles can do this as well, but we don't know that yet; it's something we're looking at. However, when we show them just the bright stars in the sky, they get lost. So it's not them that the beetles are using to orientate themselves." And indeed, in the field, Dr Dacke has seen beetles run in to trouble when the Milky Way briefly lies flat on the horizon at particular times of the year. The question is how many other animals might use similar night-time navigation. It has been suggested some frogs and even spiders are using stars for orientation. The Lund researcher is sure there will be many more creatures out there doing it; scientists just need to go look. "I think night-flying moths and night-flying locusts could benefit from using a star compass similar to

Summary: They may be down in the dirt but it seems dung beetles also have their eyes on the stars.


It said the number of homes on the market was close to record lows, partly because of low rates of construction. Nevertheless, its latest figures show that annual house price inflation has fallen, from 5.6% in August to 5.3% in September. Between August and September, prices rose by just 0.3%, half the 0.6% rise in the previous month. The average price of a house or flat in the UK is now Â£206,015, it said. Even though demand for homes has fallen, the number of new properties coming on to the market has also gone down. The Nationwide's chief economist, Robert Gardner, said housebuilders should have more confidence that people will want to buy any homes they build. And he said they have plenty of sites where they could begin construction. "The major housebuilders appear to have capacity to expand output, with most reporting land banks that could support around five years' worth of construction at current rates of building activity." Government figures show that in the last year, 139,000 new houses were completed in England. This compares to the need for 225,000 new homes a year, said Mr Gardner. "The number of new homes built in England has picked up, but is still not sufficient to keep up with the expected increase in the population," he said. The industry responded by saying that there had already been a huge increase in supply, and it was planning to deliver even more. "House builders have massively increased output over the past few years and continue to recruit the people and buy the land necessary to deliver even more desperately needed homes," said Stewart Baseley. executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation (HBF). "Reversing decades of under supply requires government to continue to implement pro development policies and lenders to ensure buyers can get a mortgage," he told the BBC. But Mr Gardner said that in particular, not enough homes are being built in London and its suburbs. Over the last year, the housing stock in the capital has risen by 2.9%, whereas a rise of 4.3% could have been expected, he added. Where can I afford to live?

Summary: Housebuilders should get on and build more houses, the Nationwide Building Society has declared.


It was back in the early 1980s that Mr Gardner, then aged 27, and his toddler son were homeless for a year in San Francisco. Enrolled on a low-paid trainee scheme at a stock brokerage, he didn't have enough money to raise the deposit to rent an apartment. So Mr Gardner, who was estranged from his partner, and Chris Jr would instead sleep wherever they could. In addition to the toilet at a railway station, they'd bed down in parks, at a church shelter, or under his desk at work after everyone else had gone home. They ate in soup kitchens, and what little money he had was spent on putting his son in day nursery so he could go to work. Despite this adversity, Mr Gardner thrived in his job. A natural at selling stocks and shares, at the end of his training period his firm, Dean Witter Reynolds (DWR), made him a full employee. Finally able to rent a home for himself and his son, his career then rapidly ascended into the stratosphere, and in 1987 he opened his own investment firm, Gardner Rich. Today Mr Gardner, 62, is worth an estimated $60m (Â£48m), travels the world as a motivational speaker, and sponsors a number of homeless charities and organisations that combat violence against women. Add the fact that Mr Gardner had a very troubled childhood, and served time in prison immediately before the internship at DWR, and you can understand why Hollywood came calling when he was writing his best-selling autobiography The Pursuit of Happyness (the misspelling is deliberate). The movie of the same name was released in 2006, and Will Smith was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Mr Gardner. Looking back on his life, Mr Gardner tells the BBC that he "wouldn't change anything". "I went through pain as a child so my children wouldn't have to," he says. "I made a decision as a five-year-old boy that my kids will know who their father is. "The rest of my destiny came forward because I made the right choices." Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mr Gardner never knew his real father. Instead he was brought up in poverty by his mother Bettye Jean and a physically abusive, alcoholic stepfather. There was also a period spent in a foster home after his mother, in a fit of despair, tried to kill her partner. Despite the woes of his childhood, Mr Gardner says his mum was an inspiration. "I have one of those old-fashioned mothers who told me every single day, 'Son, you can do or be anything that you want to do or be.' "And I believed it, I bought into it 100%." He adds that one day as a child he was watching a college basketball game on TV when he commented that one of the players would make a million dollars. "My mum said, 'Son, one day it will be you who'll make a million dollars.' Until she said those words the thought had never entered my mind." The million dollars didn't arrive

Summary: When Chris Gardner and his young son were sleeping rough on the floor of a public toilet, he could never have dreamt that his life story would be turned into a hit Hollywood movie.


The governing body said it had been "deliberately misled" by the club about a deal to sell player transfer fee rights to an outside investor. FC Twente says it will not appeal. Fifa has banned third-party player ownership as a threat to the game's integrity because investors can inflate transfer fees to make a profit. The Dutch FA says the punishment, including a 45,250 euros (£34,000) fine, follows Twente's failure to reveal full details of a third-party ownership contract with Malta-based Doyen Sports Investments. The Enschede-based club won their only Dutch League title under Steve McClaren, now the Newcastle boss, in 2009-10 but are currently third from bottom in the Dutch Eredivisie. FC Twente said that the sanctions would "hit hard at the heart of our club". Twente's professional licence will be revoked if they fail to fully cooperate with an independent investigation into the club's structure, added the Dutch FA.

Summary: FC Twente have been banned from European competition for three years by the Royal Netherlands Football Association.


Two years ago, that border comprised two parallel dirt tracks, one on the Bulgarian, one on the Turkish side. Now a razor-wire fence, 1.5m (5ft) thick, welcomes would-be migrants. Thirty kilometres is already completed, while 100km more remains under construction. "The purpose of the fence," says Philip Gunev, deputy interior minister, "is to divert flows of migrants towards border crossing points where our limited financial resources allow us to protect European borders in a more efficient way". Such official checkpoints, he insists, are safer for asylum seekers than trudging long distances, often with small children, over the rough, hilly terrain the fence now cuts across. Fixed and mobile cameras, mounted on four-by-four vehicles, complete the picture along the whole length of the border. In the past eight years, since joining the European Union, Bulgaria has spent €300m (£215m) of mostly EU money, reinforcing this border. Another €100m is available to complete the job until 2020. Only €2m will be received for the better integration of refugees in the same period. Krassimir Kanev, director of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, a human rights advocacy groups, is unhappy with the checkpoints. "The only way to get through is to pay smugglers," he says, arguing that only the richer migrants get a chance to try. "And there's nothing safe about being cramped in the hidden compartment of a truck in the heat of summer." About one third of Bulgaria's migrants are caught on the border with Turkey, another third as they head north or west inside Bulgaria, and the rest on the Serbian or Romanian borders, as they try to continue their journey towards Hungary on their way to Germany. Bulgaria has one of the highest rates of granting refugee status in the EU. Refugee status means they also receive a Convention Travel Document (CTD) and under the 1951 Refugee Convention they can travel on to anywhere in the EU and stay for up to 90 days. In practice, few ever come back, travelling to Germany or elsewhere. At the Harmanli refugee camp in south-eastern Bulgaria, two police buses bring more asylum seekers. Children wave happily, adults look more concerned. Conditions here are much better than they were in 2013, when overcrowding, appalling sanitary conditions, and the alleged cruelty of guards gave Bulgaria a bad name. Some asylum seekers still express frustration at delays with their applications. A group of men hold up a snake they killed in the camp the day before. But most acknowledge a big improvement in conditions for the 1,600 refugees here. Bulgaria is facing growing pressure from Western governments to identify exactly who they do let in. Ninety percent arrive with no documents whatsoever because they were taken by the smugglers who brought them this far. In an upstairs room at Harmanli, officers from the Bulgarian intelligence services cross-examine the refugees, most of whom are Syrian Kurds. While Harmanli is an open camp, those deemed suspect are taken to a prison at Busmantsi, near Sofia, where they can be detained for up to a year, while more investigations are carried out.

Summary: In the control room of the Bulgarian border police at Elhovo, set back from the country's 270km (165 mile) long border with Turkey, officers control banks of CCTV screens.


10 May 2012 Last updated at 18:49 BST

Summary: Hayley visits a school where mobile phones have been banned.


Police said accelerant was poured through the letter box of a house at St Agnes Place and set alight at about 22:30 BST on Wednesday. The fire was put out before emergency services arrived. It damaged the front door and caused some smoke damage to the house. The children, and two women aged 23 and 61, were unharmed. Police said they are working to establish a motive for the attack and want to hear from witnesses. Detectives can be contacted at Musgrave Police Station by calling 101.

Summary: Three children aged between four and six and two women have escaped injury in an arson attack in west Belfast.


The firm said Christmas order numbers for this year had fallen and the Lincs Turkeys processing plant was no longer economically viable. A consultation has begun with the workforce at the Grainthorpe factory. The Lincs Turkeys farming operation, which in 2013 featured a company farmer in a Christmas advert for supermarket chain Waitrose, is unaffected. A spokesperson for Bernard Matthews said: "The consultation is expected to result in a reduction of approximately 80 employees out of a [total company] workforce of 2,130." The spokesperson said the decision "was not taken lightly", adding that "processing requirements will be integrated into the Norfolk and Suffolk sites". Craig Leyland, of East Lindsey District Council, said the authority was standing by with advice. "It is very difficult. We have tried to intervene in the past in situations where we have had these decisions being made. Effectively they are commercial decisions and it's very hard to intervene in that case," he said. Bernard Matthews acquired Lincs Turkeys in 2010.

Summary: Bernard Matthews is to close a processing plant in Lincolnshire with the loss of up to 80 jobs.


The facilities at The Green, in Thorne, will undergo renovation after funding was secured from the Town Centre Innovation Fund and Doncaster Council. Thomas Crapper, whose name is synonymous with public conveniences, was born in Thorne, in 1836. The work, due to start on Monday, is expected to take six weeks to complete. The leader of Thorne & Moorends Town Council Martin Williams said: "So many toilets are closing down all over the place so we thought that it would be good to refurbish some so all of the shoppers have got some decent facilities. "I can't get him [Thomas Crapper] to open them but we could make it a memorial to him and put up a blue plaque." Public toilets in South Parade will be opened while the work is completed. According to the Thomas Crapper & Co website, despite popular thought Mr Crapper did not invent the WC but was behind a number of important innovations in sanitation. Mr Crapper died in 1910 and is buried in Elmers End Cemetery, in Beckenham, Kent.

Summary: A Â£30,000 project to refurbish the public toilets in the birthplace of legendary lavatory maker Thomas Crapper is set to begin.


England won the day-night Test - the first game in the three-match series - by an innings and 209 runs inside three days at Edgbaston. West Indies have not won a Test in England for 17 years. "Every time they have arrived in England, they seem to have got worse," Vaughan told BBC Test Match Special. West Indies lost 19 wickets on Saturday to be bowled out for 168 and 137 in reply to England's 514-8 declared. Their squad is without established stars Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy after a disagreement with Cricket West Indies over selection. However, their decline from the all-conquering side of the 1980s can be traced back to the mid-1990s - they have not won a series away from home against a team other than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe since 1995. "There are a lot of young players in the West Indies side and you need to give them time, but I find it difficult to think they can go on without any senior players," said Vaughan, who captained England in 51 of his 82 Tests. "There is no one there to teach them. I really fear that this series could be one of the saddest for Test cricket." England, who were rated as the worst team in the world in 1999, drew a three-Test series in West Indies as recently as 2015. "I don't think this era of cricket is any different to any other era," said England coach Trevor Bayliss. "There have always been strong teams and one or two that are struggling. "West Indies are going through a rough time but 20, 40, 60 years ago there were other teams that were going through rough periods." England captain Joe Root said West Indies' display should not detract from the performance of his side, who beat South Africa 3-1 in their previous Test series this summer. "We talk about being ruthless," he said. "We played some really good cricket and it's important we look to back that up." Jermaine Blackwood, who scored an unbeaten 79 off 76 in the first innings, was the only West Indies batsmen to pass 40 in a game in which England's Alastair Cook made 243 and Root 136. West Indies skipper Jason Holder said: "We just weren't up for scratch. "We lacked consistency when we bowled and we didn't put up any runs in either the first or the second innings. "Each player has to look themselves in the mirror and see in what way they can improve. "It's important for us to regroup. This series is not lost. It's important we don't drop our heads. Obviously I believe. I have to believe." The day-night Test, the first to be held in the UK, was arranged partly to help England prepare for the Ashes, where they will meet Australia in a floodlit Test in Adelaide. "To have a taste of it before the Ashes is important," said Root. "The visuals of the ball, getting used to batting at different points in the day, there will be different challenges that lie

Summary: The remainder of England's series against West Indies will be "sad to watch", says former England captain Michael Vaughan.


Margaret Greenwood won in Wirral West after securing 18,898 votes - just 417 more than Ms McVey. Wirral West was one of the key marginal seats in the North West, with Ms McVey the Tories' sole Westminster representative from Merseyside. "I was the only Conservative MP on Merseyside and it shows we have a lot more to do," she said. "You have your highs and lows in politics, but I'm going to pick myself up, dust myself down, and I'm going back out there to become an MP because I believe in the Conservative party and all it stands for - you ain't seen the last of me yet." Former NHS campaigner Ms Greenwood said: "It's just a fantastic result. We've worked phenomenally hard." She added: "We are all thrilled. It's been about talking to people on their doorsteps. We've had about 13,000 conversations with people during this campaign." Nigel Evans, Conservative MP for Ribble Valley, called for the Prime Minister to appoint Ms McVey into the House of Lords. He said: "She is top quality and we can't afford to lose that sort of talent, I think she would make a great contribution from the other place." Ms McVey was born in Liverpool and rose to become a cabinet minister after a career as a TV presenter. Elsewhere, Labour held Bootle, with Sefton council leader Peter Down becoming MP and winning a massive majority with 33,619 of the votes. UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall came in second, but was way behind with 4,915 votes. Across Merseyside, Labour hung on to seats in Birkenhead, Garston & Halewood, Knowsley, Liverpool Riverside, Liverpool Walton, Liverpool Wavertree, Liverpool West Derby, St Helens North, St Helens South & Whiston, Sefton Central, Wallasey and Wirral South. While the Tories were wiped out on Merseyside, the Liberal Democrats retained the sole seat of Southport. To find out your election result, go to BBC Election 2015.

Summary: The Conservative employment minister Esther McVey has narrowly lost her Merseyside seat to Labour.


The Ministry of the Defence (MoD) has had a tracking station on the isle since 1957. It is linked to a missile range controlled from a military site on Benbecula in the Western Isles. The National Trust for Scotland, which manages St Kilda along with the MoD, said the planned new buildings were "sympathetic and sustainable". St Kilda lies about 40 miles (64km) west of North Uist, the nearest inhabited place to the archipelago. The last islanders left St Kilda in 1930 and people only now live on Hirta on a temporary basis to work at the military site, or on wildlife conservation projects. The MoD, working with its defence contractors QinetiQ and Skye-based architects Wittets, has submitted a planning application to Western Isles local authority, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, for a redevelopment and environmental upgrading of its 50-year-old St Kilda facilities. Galliford Try International and Hugh Broughton Architects have been appointed to develop the design of the new buildings. NTS said the firms would be using expertise gained through building similar facilities in environments with challenging climates, including work for the British Antarctic Survey. Lower parts of the new buildings would be "curtained" with stone walls designed to blend into the St Kildan landscape. Wood panelling over the exterior walls will attain colours through weathering that will complement the surrounding scenery and roofs will be planted with native St Kildan grasses, said NTS. Susan Bain, the trust's property manager for St Kilda, said: "We have been very impressed by the extent to which the MoD and its partners have gone to make sure they come up with proposals that will enhance the existing site and are both sympathetic and sustainable in the vitally important context of St Kilda. "Most traces of the buildings from the 1960s will be removed and their replacements will be entirely appropriate to the setting in terms of design profile and best environmental practice. "Every detail has been considered, down to ensuring that there is no chance of contaminant flora or fauna from the mainland being brought to St Kilda during the construction phase." She added: "The military has a long association with St Kilda going back to the First World War and we are very pleased to have worked in partnership with the MoD since 1957. "This has been entirely beneficial to our conservation activities on St Kilda and we look forward to this relationship continuing well into the future."

Summary: New military facilities are to be built on the island of Hirta in the remote St Kilda archipelago.


The front pages of print and online media are dominated by the result of the vote, in which the "yes" camp comfortably won the two-thirds majority required to send the proceedings to the next stage. The majority of Brazil's established mass-circulation newspapers are traditionally conservative, and view the vote as a massive defeat for the embattled president. The front page of the printed edition of the right-leaning paper O Globo carries a photo of MPs celebrating the outcome accompanied by the headline "Close to the End". The website of another right-of-centre paper, Folha de Sao Paulo, features one of the first images to emerge after the announcement of the result - a photo of a smiling Vice-President Michel Temer. His party was until recently in a coalition with Ms Rousseff's Workers' Party but recently left the coalition in order to support the impeachment. He is also the person who will take over as interim president if Ms Rousseff is impeached. But a popular blog written by Ricardo Noblat for O Globo warns that Mr Temer has "no room for error". Mr Noblat points out that Ms Rousseff and Mr Temer differ in everything from temperament to priorities. He argues that if Mr Temer ends up stepping in for Ms Rousseff he will be thrown in at the deep end with very little time to put his mark on the presidency. Some left-wing media outlets stress that the impeachment process is not yet over. The online magazine Revista Forum carries a piece headlined "Dilma's impeachment still needs to go through the Senate", which points out that Ms Rousseff's defeat in the lower house is not quite the final nail in her political coffin. Another online centre-left magazine, Carta Capital, features an interview with senior Workers' Party official and MP Paulo Pimenta. In the interview, Mr Pimenta labels those who voted for impeachment as "racists, homophobes, the gun squad and landowners". Even some centre-right media outlets, such as Estado de Sao Paulo, note wryly that many MPs who voted in favour of impeachment are themselves being investigated for corruption. Several MPs come under criticism for the speeches they made when casting their votes. Revista Forum features an article on MP Jair Bolsonaro, who dedicated his vote to "the memory of Colonel Carlos Alberto Brilhante Ustra" - who was found guilty of torture and kidnapping during the 1964-1985 military dictatorship. Many papers also highlight the reactions of anti- and pro-impeachment protestors who took to the streets on Sunday. Centre-right daily Correio Braziliense features a photo of Ms Rousseff's supporters crying, juxtaposing it with a photo of pro-impeachment protestors celebrating. Twitter has been inundated with opinion since the start of the proceedings on Friday, and several hashtags have emerged which represent both sides of the spectrum. Those in support of impeachment are posting tweets under the hashtage #TchauQuerida (#ByeDarling), in an ironic reference to a tapped phone conversation between President Rousseff and former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. On the other side, #RespeiteAsUrnas (#RespectTheBallots) refers to the 54 million people who elected President Rousseff and

Summary: The response of Brazilian media to the vote for impeachment proceedings to go ahead against President Dilma Rousseff illustrates the political divide in the country, with many outlets adopting a stance along left-right lines.


Reports of the white substance on beaches started appearing last October after one dog died from eating it on a Cornwall beach. Since then the substance has been seen as far away as south Devon. Bad weather has washed in large boulder-like clumps of palm oil at Perranporth. Dog owners are being warned to keep their pets away from the white waxy substance, which smells like diesel. Chris Gardner, of St Clements Vets in Truro, said: "We have been lucky we haven't lost any dogs through them eating palm oil. "We were seeing dogs on a daily basis two weeks ago. Then it went quiet in the storms, probably because there weren't so many people on the beaches. "But we had a dog brought in yesterday from Porthtowan. It is still an ongoing issue." Reports of the substance had come from Porthtowan and Gwithian. "I have seen 2ft-diameter lumps," said Mr Gardner. "It has a strong diesel smell, so if you smell it on your dog get advice immediately." Vets treat poisoned dogs by making them vomit and giving them liquid charcoal to absorb the substance. The substance was analysed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Palm oil has a wide variety of uses and is found in food, soaps and shampoos, and biofuels. The source has yet to be identified.

Summary: Cornwall vets say they have been seeing a dog every day that has been poisoned by palm oil washed up on beaches.


Crews from Kent Fire and Rescue Service worked through the night to tackle the blaze at Estuary View Business Park. Stephanie Harris, who was in the area, said there was a "sudden" and "huge explosion" at about 22:00 BST on Friday. An engineer who was repairing the gas main at the time is in hospital after suffering burns in the explosion. Another man was treated at the scene of the blaze, which has now been extinguished. Southern Gas Networks said the exact cause of the explosion has not yet been established. It said 600 homes in the Old Thanet Way area were without gas and it was working to restore the supply. A spokesman said: "It is too early to know what caused the fire last night but an investigation is under way. "We would like to reassure the local community that we are continuing to closely monitor the situation to ensure their safety." Kent Fire and Rescue said the gas main was isolated shortly before 03:00 on Saturday. A spokesman said: "It is not known what caused the explosion at this stage."

Summary: A gas mains exploded into flames causing homes to "shake" in Whitstable, Kent.


The 1448 clash was the first decisive victory for a Scottish force over the English since the Battle of Otterburn, 60 years earlier. It was the final pitched battle between the two countries in the period of the Hundred Years War. The inventory aims to raise awareness of "important battlefield sites". Historic Environment Scotland's Philip Robertson said: "Following an application from a member of the public, we carried out further research into the Battle of Sark, and found that it met the criteria to be added to the inventory. "The battle was fought during a fascinating and tumultuous period of Scottish history, and we hope that by adding it to the inventory we will raise awareness of the battlefield site, stimulate further research around it, and develop its potential as an educational resource and site for visitors." Renewed border skirmishing saw Henry Percy, future 3rd earl of Northumberland, defeated by Hugh Douglas, earl of Ormond, on 23 October 1448. The encounter took place on the river Sark, near Gretna. Percy was taken prisoner and had to be ransomed. The following year the English burned Dumfries and Dunbar, and the Scots Alnwick and Warkworth. Source: The Oxford Companion to British History The Inventory of Historic Battlefields was created in 2011 and helps with the protection and management of battlefields. The full list of other battlefields, added in three phases, are: Alford (1645), Ancrum Moor (1545), Auldearn (1645), Bannockburn (1314), Bothwell Bridge (1679), Culloden (1746), Dunbar II (1650), Dupplin Moor (1332), Falkirk II (1746), Glenshiel (1719), Harlaw (1411), Killiecrankie (1689), Kilsyth (1645), Philiphaugh (1645), Pinkie (1547), Prestonpans (1745) and Sheriffmuir (1715). Barra (1308), Carbisdale (1650), Cromdale (1690), Drumclog (1679), Fyvie (1645), Inverkeithing II (1651), Inverlochy II (1645), Linlithgow Bridge (1526), Mulroy (1688), Rullion Green (1666) and Stirling Bridge (1297). Blar-na-Leine (1544), Dunbar I (1296), Dunkeld (1689), Glenlivet (1594), Inverlochy I (1431), Langside (1568), Loudoun Hill (1307), Roslin (1303), Sauchieburn (1488), Skirmish Hill (1526) and Tippermuir (1644).

Summary: The site of the Battle of Sark near Gretna has been added to Scotland's Inventory of Historic Battlefields taking the total to 40.


Gary Carter, a freelance rugby reporter who works for The Sun, was found with head injuries outside Bethnal Green station at 01:00 GMT on 6 November. The Met Police said they had been called to an altercation between two men. Mr Carter, 36, is in a critical condition in hospital. James Flanagan 35, of Marsden Street, has been charged with grievous bodily harm. Mr Carter's wife, Gemma Carter, tweeted "Pray for my husband #rflfamily" referencing his role within the rugby league community. She also thanked well-wishers for their "amazing support during this very difficult time" and added "[I'm] praying @GaryCarter_1979 will pull through". A 22-year-old man was also arrested in connection with the incident for affray towards attending paramedics. He has been bailed.

Summary: A sports journalist is in a critical condition after an attack in London.


6 June 2016 Last updated at 12:49 BST The loophole could mean thieves who exploit the bugs gain time to break into and steal a vehicle. The vulnerability can also be used to fiddle with some of the car's settings and drain its battery. The wi-fi weaknesses have been demonstrated to Mitsubishi, which is now working on a way to fix them. Read the full story

Summary: The alarm on Mitsubishi's Outlander hybrid car can be turned off via security bugs in its on-board wi-fi, researchers have found.


Wreaths were also laid above the wreck of HMS Royal Oak to mark the 75th anniversary of its sinking. The warship was torpedoed by a German U-boat while it was at anchor in Scapa Flow in Orkney. Most of the 1,234 crew were asleep below deck, and 834 - including many boy sailors - died. The wreaths formed part of the first significant Royal Oak anniversary not to be attended by any of the remaining survivors. There are believed to be just three men who survived the sinking still alive today. However, families of the the crew, and the community in Orkney, have vowed to carry on the act of remembrance for generations to come. The Royal Oak, which also served in World War One, including the Battle of Jutland, is an official maritime war grave. The memorial service was conducted by the Reverend David Dawson and the Last Post was played by bugler Chris Bray of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Band Scotland. Relatives of the survivors and those who lost their lives were taken to the site of the wreck by HMS Bangor. Rear Admiral John Clink said: "It is entirely my honour to have been able to pay tribute to the 834 men who lost their lives in Scapa Flow 75 years ago. "And we remember, too, those who survived that tragedy, living with difficult memories of their lost friends from that terrible night throughout their lives. "The Royal Navy will never forget." Orkney councillor, Dr Stephen Clackson, whose grandfather Seaman Ronald Clackson lost his life at the age of 20, was at the service, which was attended by a number of Royal Navy dignitaries. "It's important to keep the memory alive," Dr Clackson said. "My son is only three years younger than my grandfather was when he was killed." "Being aboard HMS Bangor was fascinating and it gave us a picture of what it would have been like for my grandfather, seeing how enclosed it was and the thought of being trapped down there when the torpedo hit." The White Ensign was exchanged from the wreck for a new one by the Royal Navy's Northern Diving Group from HM Naval Base Clyde last week. It was later presented to Henry Blythe, whose uncle died on the Royal Oak.

Summary: More than 100 people attended a ceremony to remember the crew of a battleship which sank in 1939.


The three sides will play two matches apiece in the series, which will help New Zealand and Bangladesh prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy in England. "Gone are the days, we hope, of being starved of the matches we deserve," said Cricket Ireland's Warren Deutrom. Dates and venues for the series - in May 2017 - are yet to be confirmed. "Rather than getting nine or 10 ODIs in the four years between World Cups, we aim to play at least that number annually," added chief executive Deutrom. "For years now, we have been asking for more matches to test our players, to raise the profile of our sport, to bring in new fans, and to attract more investment." Ireland have a busy schedule of home fixtures arranged for this summer, with two games against Sri Lanka in June, a five-match series against Afghanistan in Belfast in July plus two encounters with Pakistan in August. The Irish will also take on South Africa and Australia in South Africa in late September. Earlier this week, the ICC announced it had given both Ireland and Afghanistan more than £340,000 to help the two countries arrange more matches as they attempt to improve their world ranking and secure places at the 2019 World Cup. Next year's New Zealand games will see Ireland coach John Bracewell face his native country. "We are now getting the volume of cricket that the team needs to take their cricket to the next level," he said. "With home advantage in at least 13 ODIs we'll certainly have plenty of opportunities to test ourselves against quality opposition." Ireland defeated Bangladesh at the 2007 World Cup but then lost against them four years later in India. The Irish lost their first one-day international against New Zealand at the 2007 World Cup in Guyana and were beaten again in their only other meeting in Aberdeen a year later.

Summary: Ireland will host New Zealand and Bangladesh in a one-day tri-series next year as they continue their efforts to play more games against full members.


Saracens full-back Goode, who has a minor ankle injury, is England's only concern following the 40-9 win over Italy on Sunday. After winning their first two games, England now have a weekend off before facing Ireland on 27 February. Bath back Devoto, 22, is uncapped, but was an unused replacement in the opening win against Scotland. He was dropped from the 23-man match squad against Italy when head coach Eddie Jones opted for a six-two split between forwards and backs among the replacements, with Maro Itoje coming on to the bench and subsequently winning his first cap. England training squad: Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Ollie Devoto (Bath), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath), Alex Goode (Saracens), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Jack Nowell (Exeter), Anthony Watson (Bath), Ben Youngs (Leicester). Forwards: Dan Cole (Leicester), Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), James Haskell (Wasps), Paul Hill (Northampton), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens).

Summary: Ollie Devoto will train with England as injury cover for Alex Goode before the Six Nations match against Ireland.


The singer, due to perform at the Brit Awards on Wednesday night, follows in the footsteps of fellow US star Katy Perry who won last year. Swift was presented with her award at the event by another winner, Sam Smith, who was named musician of the year. Cara Delevingne won the breakthrough actress award. She'll appear in DC Comics film Suicide Squad next year. Guests at the event at the Sky Garden at London's 20 Fenchurch Street, commonly known as the Walkie Talkie Tower because of its distinctive shape, included Pixie Geldof and Naomi Campbell. MARC by Marc Jacobs designers Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley were awarded the contemporary brand award and were pictured backstage with MIA. Pop stars Nick Jonas and model David Gandy were there as well. Burberry boss Christopher Bailey won the editor's choice award while Luke Evans, one of the stars of The Hobbit, was named actor of the year. He was handed his award by Ellie Goulding. Meanwhile, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was named model of the year. She said: "I would say since, very early on in my modelling career everyone always told me, 'By the time you're 27 it's going to be over, so make sure you plan something else'. "And I'm 27 now and I think for me it was always really important that I'd built something for myself afterwards, and I hope that's what I'm doing and we'll see." Jourdan Dunn, Daisy Lowe and Naomi Campbell all put in appearances. The Elle Style Awards were hosted by Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Nick Grimshaw. Also putting in appearances were Mollie King from the Saturdays and a pregnant Abbey Clancy. Model and actress Lily Cole, who set up her own social network which invites people to give their services and skills away to help others, won the H&M conscious award. She received her gong from Olivia Wilde. Honourable Woman star Maggie Gyllenhaal won the TV actress award. She was presented with her gong by Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie, who plays Brienne of Tarth in the show. And Ashley Williams was handed her emerging designer prize by Pixie Geldof. X Factor producer Simon Cowell was recognised for his outstanding contribution to entertainment and was there with partner Lauren Silverman. Cowell said: "It's a fantastic time to be British. It really is. It's like a badge of honour at the moment." Alexa Chung and F1 champion Lewis Hamilton also posed for the cameras. The film actress gong went to Diane Kruger while the red carpet designer award went to Mary Katrantzou. Calvin Harris was there too. The event, now in its 18th year, also saw Australian actress Rebel Wilson named rising star with Jennifer Saunders photographed with her on the red carpet. Before winning her award she said: "I have left room in my luggage for a trophy so if I win a trophy it will be fine because I have room to take it on the plane." Lindsay Lohan was there as well. Designer of the year went to Erdem Moralioglu, who was photographed with

Summary: Taylor Swift has been named woman of the year at this year's Elle Style Awards.


Kakuta, 23, moved to Stamford Bridge from Lens in 2007 and was on loan at Rayo Vallecano last season, where he played 35 games. The Frenchman played 16 times for the Blues, but spent time on loan at six different clubs. In September 2009, Chelsea were barred from signing new players after being found guilty of inducing Kakuta to break his contract with Lens. The ban was lifted by a court in February 2010 after the two clubs reached an agreement on his signing. It is thought Sevilla have had to pay a fee for Kakuta because he is under 24. In October 2014, failed footballer Medi Abalimba was sentenced to four years in prison after masquerading as Kakuta. Manchester Crown Court heard Abalimba went on a £20,000 shopping spree at Selfridges, stayed at top hotels and even hired a helicopter. Click here to read the full story

Summary: Chelsea's out-of-contract winger Gael Kakuta has joined La Liga side Sevilla.


The number eight made his comeback from a knee injury last weekend, and is included in a 24-man training party to prepare for the Calcutta Cup match. Vunipola has been lined up to replace Nathan Hughes in the starting XV. Scrum half Ben Youngs, wing Jack Nowell and centre Jonathan Joseph are also poised for returns to the backline. Vunipola made his comeback ahead of schedule for his club Saracens on Sunday, after three months out with ligament damage. And England head coach Eddie Jones appears set to bring him back at the first time of asking, after England's training plans on Tuesday showed Vunipola would start in the back row. Bath centre Joseph, who was left out of the squad that beat Italy, is set to replace Ben Te'o at outside centre, while it's likely Youngs will be preferred to Danny Care, with Nowell edging out Jonny May. England will confirm their starting XV and replacements on Thursday morning. Jones' side lead the Six Nations table with three wins from their three matches. Forwards (13) Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers) Jamie George (Saracens) Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) James Haskell (Wasps) Nathan Hughes (Wasps) Maro Itoje (Saracens) Joe Launchbury (Wasps) Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) Joe Marler (Harlequins) Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins) Billy Vunipola (Saracens) Mako Vunipola (Saracens) Tom Wood (Northampton Saints) Backs (11) Mike Brown (Harlequins) Danny Care (Harlequins) Elliot Daly (Wasps) Owen Farrell (Saracens) George Ford (Bath Rugby) Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby) Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby) Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs) Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors) Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby) Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Summary: Billy Vunipola will feature against Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday, after being confirmed in England's matchday squad.


South Africa needed only 14.4 overs to reach their target of 172, with AB de Villiers making 71 in just 29 balls. It gave them a 2-0 T20 series win to go with their 3-2 one-day series victory. "The first half of the trip was very exciting," Bayliss said. "But we got worse as the series went on, and South Africa got better." England won the four-match Test series 2-1 and took a 2-0 lead in the one-day international contest, before losing the final five fixtures on the tour (three ODIs and two T20s). Their batting collapsed dramatically at the Wanderers, with seven wickets falling for 14 runs and the bowlers were then subjected to an onslaught from De Villiers and Hashim Amla, who took their team to 121-0 after just eight overs. The South Africans struck 16 fours and nine sixes, with Amla unbeaten on 69 from 38 balls. Such an emphatic defeat was ominous for England, who begin their ICC World Twenty20 campaign against West Indies in Mumbai on 16 March and face South Africa two days later. "It's a bit of a reminder for people at home not to get too far ahead of themselves," Bayliss admitted. "We have played some good cricket, but this is a young group of players and performances like this will happen from time to time." The tourists changed their team for Sunday's match at the Wanderers, bringing in batsman Sam Billings for bowling all-rounder David Willey. "In India we'll definitely be playing two spinners, so we just wanted to try having that extra batter, which we've done before, and just the five bowlers," Bayliss added. Asked about the effects of a long tour he added: "I'm sure fatigue had a very small part to do with it, probably more mental than anything else. We've been away for five months apart from a week in between, when you count the UAE. "But that's something these young players have got to get used to and if that's part of the learning curve for these young guys, there's something to learn from." England skipper Eoin Morgan, who was run out at the non striker's end for 38, lamented: "Quite simply, we underperformed. "The majority of our batting went really well - we were on course to get 185, 190, possibly 200. "Myself and Jos Buttler were going really well, then we lost two wickets in two balls, and then from there we lost six wickets in the space of no time. I don't think we were too far behind the game, but the way we started with the ball allowed South Africa to get on top. "The inconsistency is because we are inexperienced, and that is going to come. With that comes a great brand of cricket that is really exciting and can beat any side in the world."

Summary: England coach Trevor Bayliss admitted South Africa's nine-wicket Twenty20 thrashing of his team in Johannesburg was "men against boys".


The situation inside the city is very stressful. Everyone knows more destruction is coming. There is not much movement on the streets and people are not leaving their homes, unless absolutely necessary or if there is an emergency. Some try to store food in case the city falls under siege. We are very scared, and we are worried that the final stages are going to take long. IS will not give up and withdraw that easily and the whole operation might take as long as it did in east Mosul. The hospitals are not fully functioning, and IS is using them to treat its own fighters only. Civilians go to private clinics if they need to get treatment. This is of course very expensive. IS is forcing some of the doctors to stay at the hospitals to treat their fighters. There are a number of civilians who are trying to leave towards Syria, but this only happens covertly. I have become used to the situation here. Though I am very worried about my family's safety. I won't lie, I am scared too and I don't know if I am going to die in an air strike or killed by an IS fighter. I work for an anti-IS group called Sound and Picture and I am always worried that something could happen to my family because of me, or that they will see me in an IS video if get captured. IS is reinforcing its presence in the outskirts of the western part of the city. It is converting some of the houses into secret offices and operation rooms. They have also banned their fighters from taking breaks or going on leave. We hear the sound of bombs and clashes all over the city. Planes have been flying over the city constantly over the past two weeks. The city is a ghost town now. You very rarely find people on the streets. Busiest times are during prayer times, as IS still forces people to go to the mosques. In some mosques, names are being taken of those attending to later punish those who didn't attend the prayers. We are all concerned it is going to take a long time till the city is liberated. After all, it took a long time for the east to be liberated. Many people have died or were injured. We are also worried about food supplies and medicine stocks. If the situation continues as it is, we will run low on goods very soon. The medical situation is very worrying. Essential medicine, like insulin, are not there as IS took most of the stock. My father has diabetes and I can't provide him with insulin or other medication. His health is getting worse. My mother has high blood pressure and I can't buy her the necessary medicine; it is either not available or too expensive. I don't know what to do or how to help them. People, including my neighbours, are trying to leave, but very few can afford to do so. Some people had to pay $800

Summary: Civilians in western Mosul describe what it is like there at the moment, as Iraqi forces try to drive out so-called Islamic State (IS).


O'Grady dedicated the final hour of his Sunday show to the entertainer, who died last week following a stroke at her Spanish villa. He told his listeners: "We lost the queen of showbiz herself and I lost a very good friend." The presenter appeared to be overcome with emotion after playing the star's 1966 hit Alfie. "That always does me in that one - completely finishes me off," he said. O'Grady joked about Black's wish to be remembered as a singer rather than a presenter, saying: "She said to me 'I want singer on my headstone', and I said, 'Why do you want to be known for being a sewing machine?'" The presenter played a host of songs by Black, including You're My World and a duet with her friend Cliff Richard. Since her death on 2 August, Black has made a posthumous comeback to the UK music charts with her 1983 compilation album The Very Best Of... reaching number 14 in the album chart. O'Grady added: "Cilla is back in the chart and she would be absolutely thrilled - she would be modest about it, but she would be thrilled." Black's body was flown back to the UK, her publicist confirmed on Friday but no funeral details have yet been released.

Summary: BBC Radio 2 presenter Paul O'Grady has choked up as he paid tribute to his "good friend" Cilla Black.


Lawyers have applied for a judicial review of the decision to close Conisbrough, Cedar and Thorne social education centres. The centres provide day care and activities for people with severe learning difficulties. Doncaster Council wants to shut them as part of a "modernisation" process to save the local authority money. Martin Chadwick, whose daughter has used Cedar care home for 20 years, said he was considering joining the legal action. He said: "It's crucial that Sarah goes to the centre, she needs it and we need her to go there for her health and wellbeing." A hearing over the application for a judicial review is expected to take place in September. Pat Higgs, assistant director of adult social care at Doncaster Council, said: "The decision in respect of the modernisation of day services was taken due to a number of factors, including the age, location and condition of the current buildings. "

Summary: Legal action could be taken over a decision to close three day-care centres in Doncaster.


The proposed walking and cycling path between Carmarthen and Llandeilo is expected to cost between £5m and £8m. On Thursday, Carmarthenshire's planning committee approved the western phase between White Mill and Nantgaredig. It is estimated the path could attract over 15,000 visitors a year, generating up to £2m in the local economy. Work on the first section, between Fronun and Bwlch Bach, started in December 2016. The council said negotiations with landowners were ongoing with the scheme being developed in phases.

Summary: The second section of the 16-mile (25.7km) Tywi Valley Path in Carmarthenshire has been given the go-ahead.


Marco Archer Cardoso Moreira, 53, was arrested in 2003 after police at Jakarta airport found 13.4 kg of cocaine hidden in his hang glider. Brazil says he was the first Brazilian national to be executed abroad and has warned it will damage relations. Five other convicts from Indonesia, Malawi, Nigeria, Vietnam and the Netherlands, were executed on Sunday. Convicted of drugs charges, they faced a firing squad in Central Java province shortly after midnight local time. Five were executed on the island of Nusa Kambangan and the other one, a Vietnamese woman, was executed in the small central Javanese town of Boyolali. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said in a statement that she was "outraged and dismayed". "Relations between the two countries have been affected," said Ms Rousseff. "The Brazilian ambassador to Jakarta has been recalled for consultations," she added. The Netherlands has also recalled its ambassador, after Foreign Minister Bert Koenders called the execution of Dutch citizen Ang Kiem Soe, 52, "an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity". Indonesia has some of the world's toughest drug laws. The country resumed executions in 2013 after an unofficial four-year moratorium. The country's Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo said "hopefully, this will have a deterrent effect". President Joko Widodo has said that he will show no mercy towards drug criminals because they have ruined the lives of so many. Ms Rousseff had made a plea for clemency on Friday, but it was rejected by Mr Widodo. She told her Indonesian counterpart that she respected the sovereignty and judicial system of his country but as a mother and head of state she was making the appeal for humanitarian reasons. Brazil says Mr Widodo said he understood the Brazilian president's concern but said he could not commute the sentence as the full legal process had been followed. Human rights group Amnesty International urged the Indonesian government to halt executions immediately, and eventually abolish the death penalty. Moreira said in a video recorded by a friend that he regretted trying to smuggle cocaine into Indonesia. "I am aware that I committed a serious offence, but I believe I deserve another chance. Everyone makes mistakes." A second Brazilian national, Rodrigo Muxfeldt Gularte, remains on death row in Indonesia, also convicted with drug trafficking offences. Brazil abolished the death penalty in times of peace when it became a republic in 1889.

Summary: Brazil says it is "outraged" by the execution of one of its citizens in Indonesia for drug trafficking.


If all over-30s followed recommended guidelines on exercise, nearly 3,000 lives could be saved each year in Australia alone, say researchers. More needs to be done to warn women of inactivity, as it outweighs other risk factors such as obesity, they say. Lack of exercise is a known major risk factor for heart disease, says the British Heart Foundation. A team at the University of Queensland, Australia tracked the health of more than 30,000 women born in the 1920s, 1940s and 1970s. They found smoking had the greatest impact on women's heart disease risk below the age of 30. However, as women got older and more gave up smoking, it was overtaken by physical inactivity as the dominant influence on heart disease risk. Continuing efforts to encourage people to stop smoking were warranted, the researchers reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. But they said greater effort were needed to promote exercise, which they describe as a "Cinderella" risk factor compared with obesity. "We need a lot more effort to keep middle-aged women active and then keep them active into old age," Prof Wendy Brown, of the university's centre for research on exercise, physical activity and health, told BBC News. "If you can do at least 30 minutes and preferably 45 minutes a day, you'll see huge improvements in your health and reduce your risk of heart disease by half." According to NHS Choices, adults aged 19-64 years are recommended to do 150 minutes of weekly physical activity, or 30 minutes on five days a week. Commenting on the study, Thembi Nkala, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said physical inactivity was a known major risk factor for heart disease. "Interestingly, this study shows its dominant influence on heart disease amongst women, and suggests a greater need to promote regular physical activity amongst this group," she said. "It's important to remember that heart disease is linked to other factors such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. "It's essential to manage these too, as the more risk factors you have, the greater your chance of heart disease. "

Summary: Lack of exercise is the biggest risk factor for heart disease in women aged 30 and above, according to a study.


The Telegraph reported that players would be given permission to compete in the lucrative Twenty20 competition. But Strauss, 38, said: "I can't foresee any circumstances in which we would weaken our Test team in order to allow a player to play in the IPL or any other franchise-based competition." The IPL takes place in April and May. England play Sri Lanka in two Tests in May 2016, their first action of the domestic summer. Strauss told BBC Test Match Special on Wednesday that "more separation" of the Test and one-day teams will improve their chances of winning the World Cup. Asked about the IPL and the Big Bash, Australia's Twenty20 tournament, he said: "I'm a massive fan. "If you are an overseas player, what those Twenty20 competitions do is put you under real pressure. You have to stand up and deliver." England players, including current ODI captain Eoin Morgan, have competed in the IPL, although they have never missed Tests to do so. Strauss has returned to the UK from the United Arab Emirates, where England lost the first game in the four-match one-day series against Pakistan. One man quick to air his views on the subject was former England batsman Kevin Pietersen, who found himself at odds with the England and Wales Cricket Board over his desire to play in the IPL and commented on Twitter about the developments. "With this decision now, the whole situation is proving to be personal!" he wrote. "[Eoin] Morgan missed an international this year as captain! Missing any Eng cricket for IPL is what I'm on about! Such hypocrisy!" Pietersen was told by Strauss in May that he would not be part of the team's plans for the summer because there was a "massive trust issue". The South African-born batsman was instead offered an advisory role with the England one-day team, but rejected the opportunity. He referred to that offer on Friday when he added: "Why should I advise when I'm still good enough to walk into any England side if there wasn't personal grudges?!"

Summary: England players will not be allowed to miss Test matches to play in the Indian Premier League, says director of cricket Andrew Strauss.


Helen Rossenberg worked for Bourne End Academy in Buckinghamshire from September to December 2015. A conduct panel heard the 59-year-old pushed one student, grabbed another by the hair and trod on a third's foot. The panel also found an allegation she referred to a student with special needs as "thick" proven. Ms Rossenberg did not attend the National College for Teaching and Leadership hearing. LIVE: For more on this and other Buckinghamshire stories It is understood Ms Rossenberg accepted she made a comment that had some absent students been present in class "all they would do is sit there scratching their balls". In banning Ms Rossenberg from teaching, the panel found "there had been a rapid escalation in the seriousness of the incidents that pupils were exposed to by Ms Rossenberg's behaviour, both oral and physical".

Summary: A teacher who claimed all some pupils would do in a class is "sit there scratching their balls" has been banned from the profession.


The High Court in Edinburgh heard Craig Wilson, 30, Alan Piper, 26, and Malcolm Amos, 40, were caught during police surveillance on 25 November 2015. Amos had drugs worth £25,000, which he collected from Piper in a car on Lauder Road, Edinburgh. As part of the same surveillance operation, police caught Wilson coming out a house in Glen Street, Paisley, with packages worth £175,000. Advocate depute Derek Ogg QC said all the packages were forensically tested and found to be about 70% pure cocaine, except for one package which was of poor quality. The prosecutor said Wilson, from Cardonald, Piper, from Paisley, and Amos, from Edinburgh, had no previous convictions, and had "very limited experience of any involvement beyond being couriers". Judge Lord McEwan deferred sentence until next month.

Summary: Three men have admitted transporting cocaine worth about £200,000.


The 13-year-old was cycling on the green trail near the Ranger Station at about 17:00 on Monday when he was approached by a man. The suspect was 5ft 2in (1.57m) tall, of medium to large build, and had white hair but was balding. He was wearing a mustard coloured jacket, a red jumper, jeans and brown dress shoes. Officers have appealed for information. They are particularly keen to trace a dog walker who was in the area at the time. He is described as being in his 30s, and was walking a black and white bulldog-type dog.

Summary: Police are investigating after a teenage boy was indecently assaulted in Dundee's Templeton Woods.


Conner Marshall, 18, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, died four days after being found critically injured at Trecco Bay Caravan Park, Porthcawl. A man from Caerphilly will now appear at Bridgend Magistrates' Court on Monday. Police say they still want to speak to anyone in Trecco Bay between midnight and 07:00 GMT on Sunday, 8 March. Det Supt Paul Hurley from South Wales Police added: "I would like to reassure residents and visitors to Porthcawl and Trecco Bay caravan park that this appears to be an isolated incident on a well-managed site. "Parkdean Trecco Bay Management are continuing to work closely with South Wales Police and I would like to thank both Parkdean and the local community for their support and assistance. "Our thoughts are with Conner's family and all those affected by this tragic incident - and we are continuing to support his family with specially trained officers." A family tribute described the teenager as "a unique, caring and compassionate young man with a warm, infectious smile complete with a cheeky wink".

Summary: A 26-year-old man has been charged with murdering a south Wales teenager at a holiday caravan park.


Experts have found dog intelligence works similarly to human intelligence. Recent studies have also shown brighter people tend to live longer. Scientists think if they can prove the same is true in dogs they can use them to study health issues such as dementia. Dr Rosalind Arden, a research associate at the London School of Economics, which carried out the study with Edinburgh University, said the discovery could have "far reaching implications for understanding human health and disease and canine health and disease". She said: "We asked the question, if a dog is good at one test does it tend to be better than average at the other test? And we found that yes that's true. "This is the first step in trying to develop a really snappy, reliable dog IQ test, and that has got implications that aren't obvious at first." Scientists put the intelligence of 68 working border collies to the test by devising a series of cognitive tasks for them to carry out. One involved finding their way to a food reward they could see but was behind a barrier - meaning they had to work out to go around the barrier rather than try to dig under it. Another involved offering two plates of food and assessing if the dogs learnt to go to the one with the bigger portion, while a third task examined how many times a dogs followed a human pointing gesture. Those that performed well in one of these tasks tended to be above average in the others too. Dr Arden said scientists have known for some time that brighter people tend to live longer. However, this can be notoriously tricky to investigate because our lifestyle choices - whether we smoke, and how much we eat, drink and exercise - have a major impact on our health. Dogs offer a good insight because they are "basically teetotal", Dr Arden said. They also have another important trait - like humans, they naturally acquire dementia. This causes their behaviour and brain structure to change, Dr Arden said. She added: "You'll find a dog that changes its social habits, it doesn't want to be petted any more, it becomes introverted and alone. They reproduce lots of the disturbances found in human dementia." Researchers stressed they have only established that dog intelligence is measurable, as it is in humans, but have yet to establish if this is linked to health. Dr Mark Adams, research fellow at Edinburgh University, said: "This is only a first step, but we are aiming to create a dog IQ test that is reliable, valid and can be administered quickly. "Such a test could rapidly improve our understanding of the connection between dog intelligence, health, even lifespan, and be the foundation of 'dognitive epidemiology'. "Dogs are excellent for this kind of work because they are willing to participate and seem to enjoy taking part." The research is published in the journal Intelligence.

Summary: A dog IQ test has been developed by scientists who said it could pave the way for breakthroughs in the understanding of the link between intelligence and health.


The claim has baffled many of those who live in Birmingham and led to a series of satirical tweets under the Twitter hashtag #FoxNewsFacts. So what are the facts about the city that likes to position itself as England's second metropolis? According to the city council, more than one million people live in Birmingham. The council also says the city is ethnically mixed - around 42% of residents are from an ethnic group other than white. It is religiously diverse, with 46.1% of Birmingham residents saying they are Christian, 21.8% Muslim and 19.3% had no religion. The council also says Birmingham's population is relatively youthful - 45.7% of Birmingham residents are under 30, compared with 36.8% for England. In contrast 12.9% of residents are over 65, compared with 16.9% nationally. Did you know the Reverend Wilbert Awdry wrote some of the Thomas the Tank Engine books at St. Nicholas' Church in Kings Norton, where he worked as a curate? He grew up at Box in Wiltshire, and is supposed to have got the idea of engines talking ("I CAN do it. I WILL do it....") from the sound as they puffed up the incline on the Great Western line nearby. He worked in Birmingham from 1940 to 1946. Within Birmingham lies the "village" of Bournville, which was built by the Cadbury family for the chocolate factory's workers. It contains no pubs because the family were Quakers. The company was founded in 1824 by John Cadbury and, by 1930, had become the 24th largest manufacturing firm in Britain. Rita McLean, former head of museums and heritage at Birmingham Museums, said: "The Cadbury family made a fortune from chocolate. "Beatrice Cadbury inherited a sizeable amount. But in the 1920s, she turned her back on the opulent lifestyle and gave her shares to the workers at the Bournville factory." The creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle lived and worked in Aston between 1878 and 1881. Historian Ben Waddington said: "Birmingham may not be the first city you associate with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or his creation Sherlock Holmes. "But Conan Doyle was working as a chemist in the city while studying at the University of Edinburgh. "In the short story, The Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk, Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson come to Birmingham to investigate an office at 126B Corporation Street. "Conan Doyle's earliest mysteries were written while he lived in the city and a lot of Birmingham names crop up in the stories, including Baskerville." According to the educational film More Canals Than Venice, in 1875 three quarters of the world wrote using pen nibs made in Birmingham. During the industry's heyday, there were more than 100 companies manufacturing pens in the city. However, by the end of the 19th Century, the number of manufacturers had declined to just 12. And in the following century, Laslo Biro's ballpoint pen invention, in 1938, sounded the death knell for the mass production of traditional pen nibs. One of the UK's first petrol-driven cars was built in Birmingham by engineer Frederick Lanchester while he

Summary: A terrorism commentator has apologised for suggesting Birmingham was a "Muslim-only city" where non-Muslims dare not venture during an interview on US broadcaster Fox News.


The 23-year-old clocked his sixth sub-10 second time of the season as he came home in 9.99, ahead of Asafa Powell. Gatlin was fourth in 10.14, behind Femi Ogunode (10.13) and ahead of De Grasse, who was fifth in 10.21. Jamaica's Olympic champion Elaine Thompson beat the Netherlands' Dafne Schippers in the 200m. The pair were separated by only a tenth of a second in last year's Olympic final, and Thompson triumphed in Doha by 0.26 seconds in a time of 22.19. Britain's Robbie Grabarz, who took silver in the European Indoors in March, claimed second place in the high jump, clearing 2.31m in his first outdoor event of the season. Olympic champion Caster Semenya claimed a commanding victory in the 800m, coming home in a world-leading time of one minute 56.61 seconds. Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba, who won silver behind the South African in Rio, was the only other woman to better that time in the whole of 2016. Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba - who broke a 22-year-old 1500m world record in 2015 and won silver over the distance in Rio - was fifth in her first 800m outing. Olympic champion Thomas Rohler threw 93.90m to win the javelin competition by more than four metres. The German's throw moves him to second in the all-time list, with only Czech great Jan Zelezny having thrown further. Desiree Henry was well short of the 22.69 she clocked earlier this year in California as the 21-year-old finished seventh in the 200m. Holly Bradshaw, who missed the indoor season with injury, finished fourth in the pole vault with a best of 4.55m. Cindy Ofili finished down in seventh as American world record-holder Kendra Harrison won the 100m hurdles in 12.59, while Andrew Butchart came eighth in the 3,000m and Chris Baker finished seventh in the high jump.

Summary: South Africa's Akani Simbine continued his impressive start to 2017 by beating Justin Gatlin and Andre de Grasse in the 100m at the Doha Diamond League.


It follows a decision by Education Minister Peter Weir to reverse a long-standing departmental policy. A circular sent to school principals on Wednesday removes any prohibition on using academic selection to decide what post-primary school pupils transfer to. As a result primary schools can prepare pupils for the AQE and GL Assessment tests during normal class time. Teachers allowed off the 'naughty step' However, the education minister has decided against re-introducing a common, department-run 11-plus test, admitting there was not enough political support to bring back an official exam. "I have been resolutely supportive of academic selection and, indeed, the right of people to have academic selection," Mr Weir told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme. "This is actually about providing freedom to schools. They now have the freedom to choose whether to prepare their pupils, what level of help and assistance they can give in terms of preparation tests." He said his decision to allow primary schools to formally prepare pupils for unofficial tests was "reflecting the reality of what is happening out on the ground, rather than trying to pretend that essentially, testing does not exist". However, Mr Weir said no school would be "compelled" to carry out the preparation. The 11-plus exam, which used to determine entry into grammar schools, was abolished in 2008. Unofficial exams have been used by many grammar schools to decide which pupils to admit since then, but primary schools were not allowed to help pupils to prepare for those. Previous departmental guidance said that primary schools "should not facilitate unregulated entrance test arrangements in any way". They were therefore prohibited from "supplying support materials, carrying out any preparation for unregulated tests during core teaching hours, offering afternoon coaching in exam technique, or providing familiarisation with a test environment". Mr Weir has now changed that, meaning primary schools can help pupils prepare for the AQE and GL Assessment tests if they wish. Mr Weir is the first DUP education minister since the establishment of the Assembly in 1998. Only Sinn Féin had held the education post until this year, and all of their ministers had expressed opposition to academic selection.

Summary: Primary schools in Northern Ireland are now free to prepare pupils for unregulated transfer tests.


Media playback is not supported on this device The pair, silver medallists at the 2012 Olympics in London, only needed to finish the medal race on Thursday to win gold, and came in eighth. New Zealand's Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie won silver and Camille Lecointre and Helene Defrance of France took bronze. Britain have now won 21 gold medals in Rio, and a second in sailing after Giles Scott's win in the men's Finn. Wales' Mills, 28, and 36-year-old Clark, who comes from Essex, held a 20-point lead going into the medal race after winning three times and never finishing below eighth in the 10 races in the first series. The medal race had been scheduled to take place on Wednesday, but had been postponed until Thursday because of a lack of wind. Only a disqualification or technical problem could have denied Mills and Clark, fourth in the world rankings, and they stayed out of trouble as they were eighth out of 10. Slovenia won the final race but it was not enough to earn them a medal. The United States were in the bronze-medal position until a late mistake dropped them down to last place in the medal race, and seventh overall. "I can't believe it. It has actually been the best feeling ever," Mills told BBC One. "We have forgotten all about London. We are so proud to come back after it and we've worked so hard to get the upgrade to gold. Thank you to everyone back home for the support. "It is all we have ever dreamed of and we are so happy." Clark added: "The first moment I sailed with Hannah, I knew we could do something special. "We have been together through ups and downs and been with each other all the way." Ian Walker, two-time Olympic silver medallist: "That is thoroughly deserved. Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark have worked tirelessly since silver in London 2012. "They have eliminated all of their weaknesses and it has all come together here in Rio. "I don't think we saw the best of Mills and Clark today but they won't care about that and I don't care about that." Britain have been the most successful nation in sailing in three of the past four Olympics. The only exception was London 2012, when Sir Ben Ainslie's fourth career Olympic title was his country's only gold of the Games. Ainslie's Finn class is one area Britain have dominated in recent times, with his three golds in successive Games sandwiched between Scott in Rio and Iain Percy at Sydney 2000. Mills and Clark's success takes Britain to the top of the Rio sailing medal list, by virtue of Nick Dempsey's silver in the windsurfing, with the Netherlands also winning two golds. It also means Britain have won 12 Olympic sailing gold medals in the past four Games. Media playback is not supported on this device Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Great Britain's Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark have won gold in the women's 470 sailing event at the 2016 Rio Olympics.