Cracks in its structure were spotted in March and the area was sealed off. The IFA has confirmed to the BBC that it received a preliminary engineer's report into the damage and is studying the findings. The venue is scheduled to host the Euro 2016 qualifier against Romania on 13 June. Kevin McShane of the Institute of Civil Engineers told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme that it was a surprise "nothing more serious" had happened because the foundations had moved. "We can see at the base of the columns that the wall and the beams have moved," he said. "That's caused stress throughout the structure, given the shape of the structure it's very top heavy, it's leaning on one side towards the pitch. "So if there's some problems with the foundation, the natural reaction of the whole structure is to try to topple over onto the pitch." On Wednesday, the IFA's chief executive Patrick Nelson said staging the international at Windsor Park remained its "only focus". He said an alternative venue for the qualifier, such as the Kingspan Stadium, had not yet been considered. It is believed that at least two independent reports are being carried out on the damaged stand, with cracks first spotted on 31 March, two days after Northern Ireland's Euro 2016 qualifier against Finland. Linfield are unable to use their home venue and the Irish Cup final on 2 May, which was scheduled to be played at Windsor Park, has been switched to the Oval.

Summary: The Irish Football Association (IFA) has been advised to demolish the damaged west stand at Windsor Park, the BBC understands.


But it leaves the issue at the heart of the dispute unresolved: could the FBI have forced Apple to help it unlock the device? It is unlikely that this will be the last time a law enforcement agency tries to compel a tech company to help bypass security measures. It had been reported that there were about a dozen other cases in which the US Justice Department was pursuing court orders to force Apple to help its investigators. The highest profile of these was in Brooklyn, New York, where the FBI wanted access to an iPhone belonging to a defendant who had already pleaded guilty to drug dealing. In that case, a federal judge had rejected the DoJ's effort to invoke the All Writs Act - a three-centuries-old statute that allows court orders to be issued in circumstances where other laws don't apply. The DoJ had launched an appeal, but it is not yet clear if it will continue or drop it. Its decision may be based on whether the technique used to extract data from Farook's handset can be used in other cases. The New York case involved an iPhone 5S running the iOS 7 operating system, while the San Bernardino, California case was about an iPhone 5C running the more modern iOS 9. What works against one device might not work against the other. But assuming the US government will at some point try again to use the All Writs Act to force Apple or some other tech company to circumvent its data protection measures, it may take a Supreme Court ruling to determine whether this is truly within the authorities' power. At this point, there is nothing to compel the FBI to reveal how it was done, although Apple is likely to be pressing hard to find out. The tech firm's lawyers have already said they would want details of the technique to be made public if evidence from the cracked iPhone is later used at trial. But it could remain secret. There is scope within US law for the authorities to withhold the source of information if it was supplied to them on a confidential basis, and to protect sensitive intelligence-gathering methodologies. Not necessarily. The court order originally obtained by the FBI had instructed Apple to come up with a special version of its operating system that would have prevented Farook's iPhone from deleting its data or imposing long lockout periods if too many incorrect passcode guesses were made. However, the latest court filings do not say that someone else has now done this, but merely that some data stored on the device has been obtained. Researchers at the cybersecurity firm IOActive had proposed that one way of getting data off an iPhone would be to "de-cap" its memory chips. The process they described involved using acid and lasers to expose and copy ID information about the device so that efforts to crack its passcode could be simulated on another computer without risk of triggering the original iPhone's self-destruct tool. If indeed this is what happened, it is

Summary: The US government's declaration that it has "successfully accessed the data stored on [San Bernardino gunman] Farook's iPhone and therefore no longer requires" assistance from Apple, ends a six week-long legal clash between the tech firm and the FBI.


The company reported a 21.8% increase in pre-tax profits to Â£14.5m for the year to 27 November. Ocado chief executive Tim Steiner said it had achieved "robust trading" in a challenging environment. However, the average order size fell 2.7% to Â£108.10 against the backdrop of continuing supermarket price wars. The rise of German competitors Aldi and Lidl has shaken up the sector, putting pressure on the big four supermarkets, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons. But investors welcomed Ocado's latest results, sending its share price up by more than 7% to 262p in morning trading. Annual revenues rose 14.8% to Â£1.27bn, and the retailer's customer base grew by almost 14% over the year to 580,000. However, Ocado said it was still in continued talks with several international retailers in regards to a partnership using the Ocado Smart Platform. When it released its full-year results in February last year, Ocado said it was in "advanced discussions with multiple potential international partners" for the platform, adding it expected to sign "multiple deals" in the medium term. Analysts believe agreements with retailers in the US and western Europe are important in driving Ocado's share price. George Salmon, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown said: "The group has long said it's making progress on deals with third parties, but there hasn't been much in the way of tangible progress recently. "The appointment of Luke Jensen [from Sainsbury's] as head of Ocado's Smart Platform will raise hopes that the group can finally get someone to sign on the dotted line." However, Mr Salmon warned that "following Amazon's entry into the market, competitive pressures are rising in its core business". "In this context, it's arguably more important than ever for the group to get something over the line." Last year, Morrisons agreed to supply groceries to Amazon customers in the UK under a new deal with the US online giant. Amazon's entry into the market was seen as escalating competition in the sector. In August 2016, Morrisons also built on its existing relationship with Ocado expanding its home delivery service nationwide in a new deal with the online grocer. Ocado said it had "provided the capability and execution for strong growth" in regard to its partnership with Morrisons.

Summary: Online grocer Ocado has announced a rise in annual profits, but a long-awaited overseas deal has not yet materialised.


The incident occurred at around 13:00 (11:00 GMT) on the 4,010m (13,155ft) Lagginhorn mountain. "The five climbers fell several hundred metres. They all died at the scene," a local police statement said. The hikers were descending the Lagginhorn when they fell. Police said it was not yet clear what caused the accident. The BBC's correspondent in Geneva, Imogen Foulkes, says it appears the five were roped together. A sixth climber who had not made the final attempt at the summit, because he felt unwell, raised the alarm immediately. Police said he had been airlifted to safety by helicopter. Police confirmed the hikers were all foreign, but said they would not disclose their nationalities until their families had been informed. Lagginhorn is the lowest of the 4,000-metre chain of mountains in the Alps, about 10km from the Italian border. It is regarded as one of the easier peaks to climb. Weather conditions in the area were said to be relatively good.

Summary: Five foreign climbers have fallen to their deaths in the Valais canton in the Swiss Alps.


As first reported by the Southend Echo, Doreen Mann became stuck in her bath and kept herself warm by topping it up with hot water. Fortunately, Sonia Congrave, 39, became concerned when Mrs Mann did not appear at Tomassi's cafe for a couple of days. She called the police who helped the 86-year-old out of the tub last week. For more on this and other stories, visit Essex Live "Doreen is an amazing lady," Ms Congrave said. "When she didn't come in for a day or two, we realised something was wrong." Mrs Mann said she usually went to the cafe four times a week for lunch and a glass of wine and described the establishment as "her second home". Ms Congrave said now planned to pop round to Mrs Mann's to help her in and out of the bath. She also plans to buy her a mobile telephone for emergencies.

Summary: An elderly woman, who was stuck in her bath for four days, was rescued by a waitress who realised she had not come in for her usual lunch and wine.


The accident, involving a Jaguar which struck a bridge barrier, happened at 05:45 at Junction 18 Charing Cross in the city. The affected lane and slip road reopened at 09:00 following repairs. Police said a 38-year-old man had been taken by ambulance to Glasgow Royal Infirmary following the crash. His condition was not thought to be life-threatening. Traffic Scotland had warned drivers that the route was likely to remain shut through the early morning rush hour. The delays affected traffic from Glasgow Airport and drivers on the M77 from Junction 5. At one point, the tailback stretched as far back as Junction 29, St James Interchange. The queues had largely dissipated by mid morning but traffic was slower than usual.

Summary: Drivers have faced a seven-mile tailback after an early morning accident on the M8 in Glasgow caused damage to a bridge.


"We will absolutely want him to have the death penalty," Nikki Haley told NBC television. Suspect Dylann Roof, 21, is due to make his first court appearance on Friday. He was arrested on Thursday more than 200 miles away in North Carolina and flown back to South Carolina. Police are treating the killings at the Emanuel AME Church on Wednesday evening as a hate crime. Prayer vigils have been held in churches in Charleston and across the US for the six women and three men who died. At the vigil for victim Sharonda Singleton, her teenage children told the BBC they had forgiven her killer and wanted to focus on moving on in a positive way. "We already forgive him for what he's done," said her son, Chris. "And there's nothing but love from our side of the family. Love is stronger than hate." Churches in Charleston were full to overflowing on Thursday evening as prayer services were held. Some services were held outdoors. Hundreds gathered outside the Emanuel AME Church to pay tribute. Governor Haley told NBC's Today show that South Carolina had been "hurt" by the deaths of nine innocent people. She said she wanted the suspect tried on state charges in South Carolina rather than federal charges. Mr Roof is due to appear in court via video link for a bail hearing on Friday. He is being held at a detention centre in the Charleston area, the county sheriff's office said. He was detained on Thursday after police acting on a tip-off stopped his car in Shelby, North Carolina. Police had earlier released CCTV images of the suspect and the dark saloon car he had driven away in. Mr Roof's social media presence suggests he was interested in white supremacy. His Facebook profile page shows a picture of him wearing a jacket with flag-patches from apartheid-era South Africa and Rhodesia - the name of Zimbabwe during the era of white minority rule. He also had a Confederate flag plate on his car. Dalton Tyler, who said he was a friend of Mr Roof, told ABC News the suspect had spoken in support of racial segregation and had said "he wanted to start a civil war". It emerged on Thursday that the gunman had sat in a Bible study group at the church for nearly an hour before launching his attack. In pictures: Americans share images of racial imbalance after Charleston "The suspect entered the group and was accepted by them, as they believed that he wanted to join them in this Bible study," Charleston County Coroner Rae Wilson said. She said he then became "very aggressive and violent". Eight people died at the scene and one person died later in hospital. There were three survivors. The victims were named as Pastor Clementa Pinckney, 41; Cynthia Hurd, 54; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Ms Singleton, 45; Myra Thompson, 59; Ethel Lance, 70; Susie Jackson, 87; the Rev Daniel Simmons Sr, 74; and DePayne Doctor. Cynthia Taylor, a niece of Ms Jackson, said she had spoken to a survivor, Felecia Sanders, who said

Summary: The man suspected of shooting dead nine people at an African-American church in Charleston should face the death penalty if convicted, South Carolina's governor has said.


Sheikh Nawwaf al-Melhem, a leader of the officially-tolerated opposition People's Party, told the BBC he had brokered an agreement between the state and inmates at Hama Central Prison. The prison's power and water supplies had now been restored, he said. Interior Minister Mohammed Shaar said the situation at the prison was normal and denied there had been any disorder. Human rights and opposition activists say the prisoners took guards hostage about a week ago as they tried to halt the transfer of several inmates to another facility where they believed they might be executed. Security forces reportedly surrounded the jail and twice failed to retake it by force. Sheikh Nawwaf, who is also a prominent tribal leader in central Syria, said he travelled to Hama Prison on Saturday afternoon. The inmates' demands focused on ensuring fair and speedy trials for those detained without trial, and the release of those held without charge, he added. Sheikh Nawwaf said he had presented the demands to Mr Shaar and Justice Minister Najm Hamad al-Ahmed in Hama on Sunday. He said a deal to end the mutiny was reached later that day and included a promise from the government of fair trials for political detainees. Leading rights activist Mazen Darwish, who is in touch with the prisoners, confirmed that a verbal agreement had been reached, but did not give any details. Another activist told Reuters news agency the government had "agreed to most of our demands to release those political detainees held without charge". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group that monitors the conflict in Syria, reported that 26 detainees would be released soon. Later on Monday, the official Sana news agency reported that Mr Shaar and Mr Ahmed had visited the prison, and that they promised to "provide inmates' needs" and ensure that none were mistreated. But it also cited a statement by the interior minister as saying that the situation there was "normal, contrary to the lies and fabrications spread by malicious media outlets as part of their anti-Syria propaganda". The reported deal came after conditions worsened inside the prison, with authorities cutting electricity and water supplies, and inmates reporting a food shortage and serious medical cases. Security forces also tried to storm the cell block where the prisoners were holding out on Friday and Saturday, using tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition. The BBC was told that 15 prisoners were shot and wounded. The revolt was sparked by a move to transfer several detainees to the notorious Sednaya Prison near Damascus. "You can't imagine, even in your worst nightmare, what kind of torture [takes place] in Sednaya," a lawyer who is in contact with the prisoners told the BBC. One activist group, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, has documented the arrest and detention of more than 117,000 people in Syria since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

Summary: A deal is reported to have been reached to end a mutiny at a prison in Syria by hundreds of mostly political detainees.


A gothic horror novel, a Victorian murder mystery and a biography of the creator of modern environmentalism were also category winners. The overall Costa book of the year will be revealed on 26 January. Atkinson won the top prize in 1995 with Behind the Scenes at the Museum. Other category winners include former teacher and librarian, Andrew Michael Hurley, who has won the first novel award for his debut, The Loney. The gothic horror initially had a first print run of just 300 copies. The judges called it "as close to the perfect first novel as you can get". Scottish poet Don Paterson won the poetry category for a second time for his "tour de force" collection titled 40 Sonnets. He last won the award 12 years ago. Historian and writer Andrea Wulf won the biography award for The Invention of Nature: The Adventures of Alexander Von Humboldt, The Lost Hero of Science. She tells the story of the visionary German naturalist whose ideas changed the way we see the natural world and created modern environmentalism. Young adult fiction and children's writer Frances Hardinge won the children's book award with The Lie Tree, a Victorian murder mystery. The five Costa book award winners each win Â£5,000 and are all now in the running to win the Costa book of the year. It is the only major UK book prize that is open solely to authors resident in the UK. Last year's Costa book of the year went to Helen Macdonald's H is for Hawk. In 2013 it was The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer and in 2012 it was Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel.

Summary: Kate Atkinson has won the Costa novel award for the second time in three years for A God in Ruins - the companion novel to Life After Life, which won the award in 2013.


The freighter sank after the collision on Wednesday night, about 11km (7 miles) off the Indonesian island Batam, Singapore officials said. It was carrying 560 tonnes of fuel but there are no reports of an oil spill. The Singapore Strait is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, although major accidents are rare. Officials said the tanker Stolt Commitment, registered in the Cayman Islands, collided with freighter Thorco Cloud, which had the Antigua and Barbuda flag, around 20:00 local time (1200 GMT). The tanker had only minor damage. The missing are among the freighter's crew of 12 men. The rest were rescued and are currently being treated in a Singapore hospital. Anti-pollution craft have been put on standby in case of an oil spill, said Singapore's marine and port authority.

Summary: Authorities from Singapore and Indonesia are searching for six people, after a chemical tanker collided with a freighter in the Singapore Strait.


New measures announced by ECB boss Mario Draghi to support the region's economy did not meet market expectations. At close, the FTSE 100 was 145.93 points lower at 6,274.00 Whitbread rose 0.28% after Credit Suisse raised its price target for the hotel and coffee shop operator. Biggest faller was Sports Direct, down 5.4%, as Goldman Sachs cut its target price. Mining shares weighed on the index after metals prices fell, with BHP Billiton down 3.3%. Copper prices hit a one-week low and other metal prices fell as the dollar rose following comments from Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen. Ms Yellen said the US economy had "recovered substantially" and consumer spending was "particularly solid", raising expectations of a US rate rise this month. Shares in Ashtead Group fell nearly 5% after Exane BNP Paribas cut its rating on the equipment hire group to "neutral" from "outperform". In the FTSE 250, Go-Ahead Group shares were up 2.3% after it was announced that London Midland, in which Go-Ahead owns a 65% stake, will continue to run the West Midlands rail franchise until October 2017. On the currency markets, the pound was up 0.94% against the dollar to $1.5092, but fell 1.67% against the euro to â‚¬1.3845.

Summary: (Close): The FTSE slumped in afternoon trade after being ahead at midday.


Warren Whiteley and Johan Goosen went over to give South Africa an early lead before an Adam Coleman try reduced the arrears to 14-13 at the break. Eben Etzebeth was shown a yellow card for the visitors just after the restart then Bernard Foley scored a crucial try to seal a morale-boosting win. Earlier on Saturday, New Zealand beat Argentina to stay top of the table. The Wallabies, who stay bottom, eventually opened their account in this year's championship after back-to-back defeats by the All Blacks. They have had their troubles since losing the World Cup Final to New Zealand at Twickenham in October. A 3-0 series defeat to England and those defeats to New Zealand had put pressure on coach Michael Cheika. Many Wallabies fans voted with their feet and the Suncorp Stadium was half empty as the Springboks heaped on further misery in the opening minutes. Whiteley barged over for his third international try, then Goosen dived over after Adriaan Strauss intercepted a Quade Cooper punt. There were boos around the stadium with the Wallabies trailing 14-3, but they were soon silenced as a high pass from Will Genia picked out Coleman who went over in the corner. The home side carried the momentum into the second-half and Foley gave them the lead for the first time with a penalty after Etzebeth was sin-binned for a challenge. Samu Kerevi thought he had gone over in the corner for the Wallabies but his knee was adjudged to have been in touch before he grounded the ball. The Wallabies were now under the cosh and Foley gave the home side some breathing space when he dived over after a dummy pass. Australia: Folau, Haylett-Petty, Kerevi, Foley, Hodge, Cooper, Genia, Pocock, Hooper, Mumm, Coleman, Douglas, Kepu, Moore, Sio. Replacements: Polota-Nau, Slipper, Alaalatoa, Arnold, McMahon, Phipps, Kuridrani, Mitchell. South Africa: Goosen, Habana, Kriel, de Jongh, Hougaard; Jantjies, de Klerk; Whiteley, Mohoje, Louw, de Jager, Etzebeth, Adriaanse, Strauss, Mtawarira. Replacements: Mbonambi, Kitshoff, Nyakane, Mostert, du Toit, Kriel, Steyn, Mapoe.

Summary: Australia ended a six-match losing run with a 23-17 victory over South Africa in the Rugby Championship in Brisbane.


John Askey's men were second-best on the day, but rallied in the last minute and striker Chris Holroyd bundled in from close range to draw his side level. The Daggers nosed in front in the first quarter when Corey Whitely squared for Fejiri Okenabirhie, and the onrushing midfielder dispatched firmly into the bottom corner. John Still's men remained in relative control before the interval, but could not put the match beyond doubt. Whitely struck the top of Craig Ross's bar on the stroke of half-time. They remained largely on top in the second half, but were to be undone by Holroyd's sucker punch. Report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Dagenham and Redbridge 1, Macclesfield Town 1. Second Half ends, Dagenham and Redbridge 1, Macclesfield Town 1. Substitution, Dagenham and Redbridge. Shomari Barnwell replaces Jordan Maguire-Drew. Goal! Dagenham and Redbridge 1, Macclesfield Town 1. Chris Holroyd (Macclesfield Town). Substitution, Macclesfield Town. Chris Sutherland replaces Danny Whitaker. Substitution, Dagenham and Redbridge. Josh Staunton replaces Craig Robson. Frankie Raymond (Dagenham and Redbridge) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Corey Whitely (Dagenham and Redbridge) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Second Half begins Dagenham and Redbridge 1, Macclesfield Town 0. First Half ends, Dagenham and Redbridge 1, Macclesfield Town 0. Substitution, Dagenham and Redbridge. Luke Howell replaces Fejiri Okenabirhie. Paul Lewis (Macclesfield Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Goal! Dagenham and Redbridge 1, Macclesfield Town 0. Fejiri Okenabirhie (Dagenham and Redbridge). First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Summary: Macclesfield earned a last-minute point from a 1-1 draw at second-placed Dagenham.


The number eight was capped 15 times at international level, touring Australia and New Zealand and skippering the side during the 1965 Five Nations. Perry featured for Cambridge in the 1958 Varsity match, before going on to play for Bedford between 1962 and 1966. He made 105 appearances and scored 115 points for Bedford. A Bedford statement said: "The club extends its deepest sympathy to David's family."

Summary: Former England rugby union captain David Perry has died at the age of 79.


Entitled 100 Stories of Migration, some of the images are positive and celebratory. There's a picture of a smiling young mother and her child from Somalia on the beach at Brighton. Most images though are menacing and hostile, reflecting the UK and the Midlands' often contradictory response to migrants. Some show National Front marches in the 1970s and a landlady's window notice saying in stark terms: "No coloureds". "What we wanted to do was to challenge people," curator Sarah Plumb told me. "It's about asking them to question some of their negative stereotypes that are presented around migrants, often in the mainstream media." Screened on the staircase is the 1968 Birmingham speech of Enoch Powell. His anti-immigration "Rivers of Blood" warning to West Midlands Conservatives still casts a long political shadow. Prof Martin Halliwell, deputy pro-vice-chancellor at the University of Leicester, has been building links with university colleagues in Gujarat in west India. But UK political sensitivities over migrants is clouding attempts at deeper exchanges. "The government's tightening of visas for migrants from Eastern Europe has affected us dramatically and detrimentally, especially in South Asia," he said. "We are seeing a drying up of the flow of students, which is vital for the life of our universities." On Leicester's Hinckley Road, the Polish delis reflect the arrival of new migrants. In excess of 45,000 migrants have settled in the East Midlands since 2011 alone. That's the estimate in findings compiled for the BBC by researchers at Oxford University. According to new figures from the Office of National Statistics, net annual migration to the UK last year was under 300,000, with the largest group coming from Poland. The East Midlands parliamentary constituencies with the biggest migrants are Boston and Skegness in Lincolnshire, with 9,500, and Nottingham East with just over 8,000. It's the food processing industries and farms that have made the East Midlands a particularly popular destination of choice. Only London noticeably attracts more. "Migrant labour is hugely important to the East Midlands," said Simon Fisher, of the National Farmers' Union in Lincolnshire. "They offer us the labour flexibility for picking potatoes and vegetables. Without them, we wouldn't be producing the food we do." But that influx worries East Midlands council leaders. They commissioned their own research on the knock-on effects, in a report entitled The Impact of International Migration on the East Midlands. It revealed that up to 448,200 people in the East Midlands were foreign born. That's 10% of the region's population, compared with the UK average of 13.8%. "Our findings showed there was an economic benefit from migration," said councillor Paul Kenny, leader of Boston Borough Council and chairman of the migration board of East Midlands Councils. "But we also know from our experience that there are issues for our local communities." In its report, it presses for "People in the region have got concerns about migration and we need to make sure we address those needs," he added. "It's about working together in partnership. What we are saying to the future government is that we want the East

Summary: At the University of Leicester, there's been a remarkable exhibition of photographs charting the impact of immigration on Britain and the city itself.


The £12m January signing from West Bromwich Albion has yet to score for the Potters in nine appearances. But Hughes told BBC Radio Stoke he is backing the 23-year-old to justify the transfer fee Stoke paid for him. "Next season is when we feel Saido will have the maximum impact," said Hughes. "It's always difficult coming in half-term, so to speak, during the January transfer window, but he's integrated well within the squad - there's no issues in terms of that." After missing so much football during the 16 months between Albion turning down his move to Tottenham in August 2015 and his eventual move to Stoke, Berahino made only his fifth Stoke start in Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Liverpool. "He hasn't played a lot of football and is still getting up to speed, it's fair to say," said Hughes. "But these games between now and the end of the season will be invaluable in terms of him understanding what we are about and what he needs to do. "We want to get him scoring and get him off and running - that will be good for him. Then we'll see a marked difference next season in terms of his impact." It is now over a year since Burundi-born former England Under-21 international Berahino scored his last goal - in Albion's 3-2 home win over Crystal Palace in February 2016.

Summary: Stoke City manager Mark Hughes says that fans should give January signing Saido Berahino time to make an impact in the Potteries, and that he should be truly judged from next season.


Daley dived twice from 10m and once from 3m, while Gallantree completed the reverse routines. They scored 434.65, with Ukraine (426.45) winning silver and China (425.40) bronze in Kazan, Russia. Britain won bronze on Tuesday in the synchronised 3m springboard. It is the first time Britain has claimed two medals at a World diving championships and Gallantree becomes the first British female to win a medal at World level. "We didn't have any expectations ahead of the competition as we know China is so strong and it felt surreal to be competing and, the next thing, we're on top of the podium," said Olympic bronze medallist Daley. "It's an insane feeling and thanks to Becky for diving so well." Gallantree said she could not believe she and Daley had won, saying: "We came in for a bit of fun and to practise ahead of our individual events, but it became a bit more than that. "I never thought I would be a world champion and it's amazing to say now that I am." Earlier on Wednesday, Olympian Tonia Couch qualified for Thursday's individual 10m platform final and in doing so secured Team GB a place in the event at the Rio Olympics. The British pair were in third after the first round of an event which featured China's multiple world champion Ruolin Chen and USA's London 2012 10m champion David Boudia. Two stunning routines by Daley and solid performances from Gallantree saw them move clear of their opponents in the final rounds. Daley was using the non-Olympic Team event as a warm-up before his individual 10m platform campaign begins on Saturday. Gallantree, who came 10th alongside Alicia Blagg in the synchronised 3m springboard final on Saturday, will compete in the individual 3m event on Friday.

Summary: British divers have claimed their second medal of the World Aquatics Championships with Tom Daley and Rebecca Gallantree combining to win gold in the team event.


Microplastics from tyres and textiles are a bigger source of marine pollution than the breakdown of larger plastic waste in some areas, says the IUCN. Up to 30% of plastic released into the oceans each year comes from primary microplastics, not the disintegration of larger pieces, a report found. Debris from tyre abrasion and synthetic fabrics are the main sources, they say. The IUCN reviewed data from seven global regions to look at how much of the estimated 9.5 million tonnes of new plastic waste released into the oceans each year comes from primary microplastics. These are tiny plastic particles from the likes of consumer products rather than the degradation of larger bits of plastic in the oceans. The report found between 15% and 31% of plastic pollution came from primary microplastics, of which the biggest contributors (almost two-thirds) were abrasion of synthetic textiles, while washing, and abrasion of tyres, while driving. Synthetic rubber, made from a variant of plastic, makes up around 60% of the rubber used in tyres. Other sources included microbeads in cosmetics, which contributed about 2% of the releases to the ocean globally. FranÃ§ois Simard, deputy director of IUCN's marine programme, said the findings came as a surprise. "We discovered that most of the microplastics are coming from either the clothes or from the tyres," he told BBC News. "Microplastics are going everywhere in the sea and into the food chain, let's close the plastic tap." IUCN director general Inger Andersen said the report was "a real eye-opener". "Our daily activities, such as washing clothes and driving, significantly contribute to the pollution choking our oceans, with potentially disastrous effects on the rich diversity of life within them, and on human health," she said. The release of microbeads from cosmetic products has received widespread publicity, resulting in action from manufacturers. However, solving plastic pollution from tyres and synthetic clothes will be harder to address. Joao de Sousa, marine project manager for the IUCN's global marine programme, said solutions must include product and infrastructure design as well as consumer behaviour. For example, synthetic clothes could be designed to shed fewer fibres and consumers can act by choosing natural fabrics. In parts of the world, such as North America, primary microplastics are a bigger source of marine plastic pollution than plastic waste, according to the report. Meanwhile, synthetic textiles are the main source of primary microplastics in Asia and tyres dominate in the Americas, Europe and Central Asia. Last month, a separate report by a scientific body that advises the UN on marine environmental protection highlighted concerns about debris from vehicle tyres. Report co-editor Peter Kershaw called for further investigation and partnerships with industry to tackle the problem. Follow Helen on Twitter.

Summary: Particles of debris from car tyres are ending up in the ocean as "plastic soup", conservationists warn.


Martin Hamilton's body was discovered by a dog walker in woodland near West Calder on 17 December. The 53-year-old, who was from Glasgow, was released from prison in September 2014 but was sought by police in April for breaching the terms of his licence. Police described him at the time as "potentially dangerous". His death was being treated as unexplained. Hamilton was nicknamed the Blackhill Butcher, after the Glasgow housing estate from which he operated. He had been on the police's most-wanted list before he was jailed in 2000 over a string of charges including drug dealing, torture, abduction and sodomy. Hamilton was sentenced to a minimum of nine years in prison after being found guilty at the High Court in Inverness. The case was moved 200 miles from Glasgow amid fears that witnesses could be intimidated. Hamilton had evaded justice on 12 previous occasions when witnesses were too terrified to testify. In court, a sickening picture emerged of how Hamilton, also known as the Fat Controller, entrapped young men with offers of drugs. Two young drug addicts were imprisoned in a Glasgow flat, stabbed through the cheek and had boiling water poured over them. Another attack in Edinburgh included an attempt to cut off a victim's finger. Passing sentence, judge Lord Kingarth said: "You showed yourself capable of taking sadistic pleasure in the infliction of pain and the inspiration of real terror over long periods. You pose a substantial danger to the public." When Police Scotland issued an appeal to find Hamilton in April they said he may be dangerous and urged members of the public not to approach him. A further appeal was made in June. In October, an appeal was made on the BBC's Crimewatch programme and the Crimestoppers charity also offered a reward of Â£2,000 for information leading to his arrest. Det Supt Kenny Graham said the site near West Calder where the remains were found would stay closed off or several more days "whilst we complete further searches and specialists carry out their work". The nearby B7105 will also remain closed. Det Supt Graham said: "My condolences go out to the family of Martin Hamilton, who have had to receive such devastating news so close to Christmas. "A team of officers is dedicated to this inquiry, so we can seek to give them answers as quickly as possible. "We are continuing to conduct examinations with various scientific experts to establish exactly when and how Mr Hamilton died, and to ensure any evidence available can be captured from the scene and from the remains themselves."

Summary: Human remains found in West Lothian last week have been identified as one of Scotland's most wanted men.


The £80,000 needed for a monument to Alice Hawkins was given in one donation from a city businessman. Ms Hawkins, a shoe machinist, helped lead the Suffragette campaign in Leicester and gave speeches in London. Her grandson said the statue would be in recognition of all the women who fought for universal suffrage. The anonymous donor had originally pledged some of the funds needed for the artwork but was moved to donate the full amount after watching the film Suffragette. Ms Hawkins' grandson, Peter Barratt, said the donor had "made dreams and ambitions come true". "The statue will feature Alice but it is in recognition of all the women in the Leicester Suffragette movement 100 years ago, to gain a basic human right that that we all have today." Ms Hawkins left school in Stafford in 1876 to start work as a shoe machinist, later joining Equity Shoes, which encouraged workers to take part in political activism. From there she joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and was one of 18 women to be jailed when they were charged by mounted police in Hyde Park in February 1907. After her time in prison, she organised meetings and protests in Leicester, inviting Sylvia Pankhurst and helping form the city's section of the WSPU. She died in 1946, aged 83, and was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave. Mr Barratt said he was now inviting ideas from artists for the statue and hoped it would be put up in about 18 months' time.

Summary: A statute to a Leicester woman, jailed five times for her part in the Suffragette movement, will be built after an anonymous donor came forward.


Aseel Muthana, from Cardiff, followed his older brother Nasser - who is already on the UN's list - in travelling to Syria in early 2014. From Syria the 18-year-old told the BBC in an online interview last year: "I am willing to die but Allah knows the truth behind the words." He faces a travel ban and a freeze of his assets. The other four UK jihadists fighting or recruiting for Islamic State militants in Syria who are subject to UN sanctions at the UK's request are: Aseel's brother, Nasser Muthana, from Cardiff, Omar Hussain from High Wycombe, Aqsa Mahmood from Glasgow and Sally-Anne Jones from Chatham in Kent. The move is a new tactic to stem the flow of recruits to the IS group. At least 700 Britons have travelled to support or fight for jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq, according to British police. About half have since returned to the UK. The UN sanctions regime was set up to tackle suspected al-Qaeda terrorism and extended to IS. The UN list contains the names of 72 organisations and 231 individuals. British nationals Abu Hamza al-Masri, currently serving a life sentence in prison after being found guilty of supporting terrorism, and Syrian-born Mohammed al Ghabra, 35, from east London, who has been linked to al-Qaeda, were already on the list.

Summary: A fifth UK jihadist fighting for Islamic State militants in Syria has been added to a UN sanctions list.


The victim, in his 60s, had been karting at the Ellough Park circuit in Suffolk on Sunday afternoon. Ambulance crews found the man unconscious and not breathing when they arrived at the track near Beccles and treated him at the scene but he died there. Suffolk Police have started an investigation into the death, working with Waveney District Council. More updates on this news story and other stories in Suffolk A spokesperson for the council said: "As part of our responsibility for health and safety issues, our Environmental Protection team are working with Suffolk Police regarding this incident to establish the course of events."

Summary: A man has died after apparently being thrown from a go-kart at a track.


She was making dinner in her flat in the Leith area of Edinburgh when she made the discovery. The woman called for a friend to help contain the animal, only to find it had disappeared. It was later found in a cupboard and is now being cared for by the Scottish SPCA, which has named him Zak while it tries to trace his owner. The California Kingsnake is non-venomous but can bite and rattle its tail. It is thought he may have squeezed through the pipework in the block of flats. Fiona Thorburn, of the Scottish SPCA, said: "The lady was just about to have her dinner and got a real fright when she reached into the drawer to grab cutlery and found Zak curled up on the knives and forks. "As she has a phobia of snakes, she called her friend for help to contain him only to discover that he had disappeared from the drawer. "Thankfully they managed to locate him in a cupboard elsewhere in the kitchen before he sneaked away. "Zak is quite large for an escapee and it's usually smaller snakes that can squeeze through pipework in flats. "However, all snakes can be really good escape artists, so there's every chance Zak has an owner nearby who is looking for him."

Summary: A woman with a fear of snakes discovered a 2ft-long kingsnake curled up in her kitchen drawer.


The female spaniel was found by an off-duty policeman in West Malling, Kent, on Wednesday morning. The charity said the dog - thought to be a springer or cocker spaniel - had been thrown into an enclosed gateway to a designated dog walking field. It believed the pup, which has a docked tail, was left the night before. RSPCA inspector Rosie Russon said: "This poor pup is lucky to be alive. When she was found, there was frozen solid faeces on the floor next to her. "How she survived in such freezing conditions, I don't know." The dog is receiving treatment for a skin condition and sore eye at the charity's centre in Chobham, Surrey. Ms Russon said that after a 14-day abandonment notice ends and she is fully recovered, the team will find her a new home. She added: "It's outrageous that somebody thought this was an appropriate way to dump their dog. It was an extremely cruel thing to do." The charity is keen to hear from anyone who may have information.

Summary: A dog is "lucky to be alive" after it was discovered "dumped" over a six foot fence, surrounded by "frozen solid faeces", the RSPCA has said.


A 10-year spending plan, published in 2015, added £24.4bn for new maritime patrol aircraft, infantry vehicles, and to speed up the purchase of F35B jets. However, a National Audit Office report warned it must first find £5.8bn in new savings to meet the extra commitments. Defence minister Harriett Baldwin said it was delivering an affordable plan. The government set out its Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) in November 2015, announcing £12bn in extra defence spending. The review included plans for nine Boeing P8 maritime patrol aircraft - to replace the RAF's scrapped Nimrod jets - and that the purchase of 24 new F35 fighter aircraft would be accelerated. The NAO report said additional planned expenditure amounted to £24.4bn of new commitments to the MoD budget. The projected cost of funding the plan increased to £178bn - a rise of 7% - it said. 4,500 miles (7,200 km) maximum range without refuelling 490 knots (910km/h; 560mph) maximum speed 28 P-8A Poseidon aircraft in use by the United States 2 other countries, India and Australia, have variants of the aircraft in use or on order The review said the MoD was already having to use a £10bn contingency fund set aside for emergencies and will have to find another £5.8bn in savings over the next 10 years. The report warned the MoD had yet to generate £2.5bn of the £7.1bn savings already factored into the plan. However, head of the NAO, Sir Amyas Morse, said the affordability of the equipment plan "is at greater risk than at any time since its inception". "It is worrying to see that the costs of the new commitments arising from the review considerably exceed the net increase in funding for the plan. "There is little room for unplanned cost growth and the MoD must actively guard against the risk of a return to previous practice where affordability could only be maintained by delaying or reducing the scope of projects." The spending plans have also been hit by recent currency fluctuations as the MoD looks to buy new equipment from the US. Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin said the 10-year plan would deliver "the best kit for our armed forces at the best value for the taxpayer". "We are focused on maintaining an affordable programme and delivering the efficiencies we need to reinvest in cutting-edge ships, planes, versatile strike brigades, and greater cyber capabilities, so that our Armed Forces have the equipment they need to keep the UK safe and secure."

Summary: The Ministry of Defence will struggle to afford plans to buy new jets, ships and armoured vehicles, the government spending watchdog has warned.


JP Morgan Chase and American Express were among the biggest risers on the Dow Jones index, up 2.01% and 1% respectively. Overall, the Dow was up 141.49 points or 0.66% at 21,452.15. The broader-based S&P 500 was 21.31 points or 0.88% higher at 2,440.69, while the tech-focused Nasdaq was up 87.79 points or 1.43% at 6,234.41.

Summary: Wall Street shares closed higher on Wednesday, with financial stocks leading the way.


After the show, a cast member thanked Mr Pence for attending and read a letter to him on stage. "We, sir, are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us," Brandon Dixon said. The incident has angered President-elect Donald Trump, who has accused the cast of "harassing" his running mate. The President-elect has gone as far as to demand an apology to a "very good man", apparently misunderstanding that the cast implored the audience to stop booing Mr Pence. "Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing. This should not happen!" Mr Trump tweeted. "The theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!" His tweet did not go unnoticed by Mr Dixon, who immediately stepped in to defend his castmates. "@realDonaldTrump conversation is not harassment sir," he wrote. "And I appreciate @mike_pence for stopping to listen." Mr Pence was loudly booed as he entered the theatre. Audience members said the performance was repeatedly stopped because of jeers. However, the message, which was reportedly penned by the show's writers when they learned that Mr Pence planned to attend, was greeted with cheers from the audience at the Richard Rogers Theatre in New York. An audience member tweeted to say there was a three-minute standing ovation when one character performed a song directly to Mr Pence which included the lyrics: "A small query for you / What comes next? / You've been freed / Do you know how hard it is to lead?" When Mr Dixon addressed theatregoers at the end, he urged them not to boo and asked Mr Pence, who was leaving, to stay and listen. "You know, we had a guest in the audience this evening, and Vice-President-elect Pence, I see you are walking out but I hope you will hear us. "There's nothing to boo here, ladies and gentlemen... We have a message for you, sir, and we hope you will hear us out." Mr Dixon continued: "We truly hope that his show has inspired you to uphold our American values and work on behalf of all of us. "We truly thank you for sharing this wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men and women of different colours, creeds, and orientations." A staunch conservative, Mr Pence sparked an outcry earlier this year after signing a law critics said discriminated against the LGBT community by allowing businesses to refuse service over religious beliefs. He later amended the bill. He is not the first high-profile politician to attend the critically-acclaimed and hugely popular Hamilton, which tells the story of US founding father Alexander Hamilton. President Barack Obama saw the musical last year and joined the cast backstage after the performance. Hillary Clinton, who lost to Mr Trump in last week's election, also saw the show. She was supported by its creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, during her campaign. Read more: Trump's vice-president-elect: Who

Summary: US Vice-President-elect Mike Pence was booed on Friday at a performance of the hit musical Hamilton.


Media playback is not supported on this device The Latics have lost all three of their games this season but could have picked up a point against Walsall were it not for Erhun Oztumer's 90th-minute winner. Sheridan's side have conceded seven goals in their opening three fixtures. "I'm watching players who I'm telling at half-time are excellent, and in the second half they're not at the races," he told BBC Radio Manchester. "I pick the team, I need five or six players. I need changes to the system and some players, unfortunately, are not good enough at this moment to get in the team. "A couple of them are playing as well and I don't like saying that, but we're not going to go where I want us to go." Saturday's defeat by Walsall means Oldham are now without a win in their past six games in all competitions. "Luckily for me only two games have gone in the season, and I want to sort it out as quickly as I can," Sheridan continued. "There's lots of positives to take from [the defeat by Walsall] but we've only had a drink and sat down for 10 minutes, so why am I watching a different team in the second half?"

Summary: Oldham boss John Sheridan says he needs at least five or six new signings before the transfer window shuts.


Brian O'Hagan, 22, whose address was given as Maghaberry prison, abused members of the hospital's A&E department as they tried to treat him for head injuries. The incident happened hours after O'Hagan was caught stealing a bottle of alcohol from a supermarket. The judge said that his behaviour in the hospital was appalling. A prosecution solicitor said his behaviour upset other patients in the hospital. The judge warned that neither he nor other judges would tolerate what he called the loutish behaviour by people in the hospital.

Summary: A man who verbally abused staff at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry has been jailed for 10 months.


Net profit was up by 1% to €1.69bn (£1.51bn). In the UK, its biggest market, Santander said the Brexit vote had resulted in "economic uncertainty and financial market volatility". It said it had put aside £30m extra for Payment Protection Insurance claims. The bank's net profit for the quarter dropped to £477m in the UK, down from £496m for the same period last year. It was also down in its third-biggest market, Spain. However, its second-biggest market, Brazil, saw a "strong performance", with an increase in both profit and net interest income. The group's net interest income - the money it made on lending, measured by the difference between the interest it gets from borrowers and what it pays savers - fell by 2.3% to €7.79bn. "While the low-interest-rate environment within developed economies remains a challenge for parts of our business, the resilience of our business model has allowed us to continue to deliver, with our Latin American and consumer finance franchises growing particularly well throughout the year.," said the group's executive chairman, Ana Botin. However, she added: "We expect to end 2016 exceeding last year's profit, enabling us to increase our dividend per share and earnings per share." In its UK management statement, the bank said it expected the country's decision to leave the EU to result in the near term in "lower consumer confidence and, over time, lower economic growth". "In addition, the lower value of sterling, when combined with an ongoing increase in oil prices, is likely to lead to higher inflation," it added. Nathan Bostock, UK chief executive, added: "Although we have not seen a material impact on our business in the short period since the EU referendum, we do expect a more challenging macroeconomic environment ahead." The additional £30m provision for PPI mis-selling in the third quarter means that in the first nine months of this year, Santander has set aside £397m for compensation and related costs. It said the provision "represents our best estimate of future PPI-related claims costs, including the impact of the delayed two-year time bar". Lloyds Banking Group announced on Thursday it had set aside an extra £1bn in the third quarter to handle PPI costs. Challenger bank Metro Bank also reported quarterly profits on Wednesday. The bank, which listed on the London Stock Exchange in March, saw underlying pre-tax profits jump by 118% to £600,000 compared with the second quarter, when it made a loss of £3.4m. It did not report an equivalent figure for the third quarter of 2015. Its net interest margin was 1.95% - up from 1.93%, compared with the second quarter, where, again, it did not report an equivalent figure. Metro, which offers retail, business and private banking, said customer accounts had risen from 780,000 in the three months to 30 September to 848,000. Lending increased by 73% to £5.19bn. while total deposits were up 66% to £7.3bn. "I am delighted to announce another strong quarter, with substantial growth across lending, deposits and customer accounts, as well as the bank reporting its first quarterly underlying profit," said chief

Summary: Spanish bank Santander has reported a rise in net profit in the third quarter compared with a year ago, helped by its performance in emerging markets in Latin America.


Since the pair crashed in Spain in May, Hamilton has won four out of five races to move to within one point of Rosberg. "Ever since the low of Barcelona I've been able to cultivate this really strong mental attitude," he said. "I'm feeling fresh, powerful and confident heading to Hungary." World champion Hamilton, 31, has won four times in Hungary, but his last victory at the circuit came in 2013 and he was sixth last year. "I have incredible support there, so I can't wait to get out on track," said the Briton. "The past couple of years I haven't had the smoothest of weekends in Budapest - but I know I've got the pace, so I'm gunning to turn that around this time." German Rosberg, 31, finished eighth in Hungary last year and has a highest-placed finish of fourth at the Hungaroring. He said: "The battle is on with Lewis and I'm feeling great in myself and great in the car - so bring it on." Mercedes chief Toto Wolff is expecting a tough challenge this weekend and said the track "plays to the strength of our rivals". He added: "The Red Bull, for example, is a car that functions well where high drag isn't penalised as much as at other types of circuit. "In wet conditions and at low-speed circuits such as the Hungaroring, they are a major threat. "We will need to be flawless to come out on top." Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Lewis Hamilton says he is "feeling that fire inside me" as he tries to leapfrog Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg at the top of the drivers' championship in Hungary this weekend.


Mr Pompeo said he was "honoured and humbled" to accept US President-elect Donald Trump's job offer as Central Intelligence Agency director. The 52-year-old, a three-term tea party Republican from Wichita, Kansas, is a vehement critic of the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran. He has also defended the National Security Agency's bulk data collection programme and opposes shutting the prison at Guantanamo Bay. After visiting the detention facility in 2013, he remarked that some inmates who had declared a hunger strike looked like they had put on weight. Mr Pompeo also defended the CIA after the 2014 release of the Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Torture, which detailed such interrogation practices as waterboarding. He declared: "These men and women are not torturers, they are patriots". The CIA tactics, he declared, "were within the law, within the constitution". Mr Pompeo graduated first in his class at West Point and graduated from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of its Law Review. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 with the support of the Republican mega-donors Charles and David Koch. Mr Pompeo became a member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Before joining Congress, Mr Pompeo founded an aviation parts firm and an oilfield supply company. He was accused of Islamophobia for remarks he made following the deadly 2013 Boston marathon bombing. Mr Pompeo took to the House floor to suggest some Islamic faith leaders might be tacitly encouraging terrorist attacks. "When the most devastating terrorist attacks on America in the last 20 years come overwhelmingly from people of a single faith and are performed in the name of that faith a special obligation falls on those that are the leaders of that faith," he said. "Instead of responding, silence has made these Islamic leaders across America potentially complicit in these acts and, more importantly still, in those that may well follow." While he was a congressional candidate in 2010, one of his campaign aides sent a tweet linking to an article that labelled his Indian-American Democratic opponent Raj Goyle a "turban topper". Mr Pompeo apologised; his campaign also sent out billboard ads urging everyone to "vote American". He also served on the House Select Benghazi Committee, a special panel created in 2014 to investigate the deadly attack two years earlier on a US diplomatic compound in Libya. Democrats described it as a political witch hunt against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Mr Pompeo released a report afterwards accusing her of intentionally misleading Americans about the nature of the attack to help President Barack Obama's re-election bid.

Summary: The United States' likely new spymaster, Mike Pompeo, is a hardline Republican Congressman and a national security hawk with a background in military and intelligence affairs.


The visitors moved on from their overnight 182-7 to 313 all out, giving them a first-innings lead of 188 runs. Ollie Robinson (81) and Ben Brown (71) put on 133 for the eighth wicket. Having been bowled out for 135 on day one, Leicestershire fared little better as paceman Jofra Archer (3-31) added to his four first-innings wickets. David Wiese (3-20) helped Sussex to 22 points from the match - enough to lift them above Worcestershire and up to third in the Division Two table. Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove: "We didn't play well, and it was pretty disappointing. To put in a performance like that on the back of the defeat by Essex was poor. "I think the effort and respect we should have showed wasn't there. We were lucky to be in the game this morning, thanks to Neil Dexter's efforts on day one, but no-one helped him out. "I don't think there's been a reaction to the news [director of elite performance] Andrew McDonald is leaving, definitely not. "This is professional sport, people move on, so I'd be pretty disappointed if I heard any of the boys talking about that. There are no excuses." Sussex captain Ben Brown: "It takes a lot of character to come back from losing as comprehensively as we did against Kent last week, but we have to understand we're a young side and there are going to be ups and downs. "We had a long honest chat about moving forward, and this is a step in that direction. "I felt there was a huge amount in the pitch, it wasn't a great one to be perfectly honest, and Ollie and I looked to counter-attack this morning. As we went on it got a little bit easier, as it always does, and we took it to the opposition, and a lead of 178 was always going to be decisive: to get over 300 on a 160 pitch was a fantastic effort. "Jofra Archer is a great talent, he'll have good and bad spells, but he bowled some frightening deliveries, cleaning guys up with balls going like off-spinners at 85mph."

Summary: Sussex completed victory over Leicestershire by an innings and 59 runs inside two days by skittling them for just 119 at Grace Road.


Yassin Salhi, 35, caused an explosion by ramming his vehicle into an area containing flammable liquids, prosecutors say. His boss, the owner of a delivery firm, was found beheaded alongside flags with Arabic inscriptions. President Francois Hollande has held a security meeting with ministers. Prime Minister Manuel Valls cut short his visit to South America to return to France which is on its highest state of alert after the attack in the small town of Saint-Quentin-Fallavier some 40km (25 miles) from Lyon. Officials and residents of Saint-Quentin-Fallavier gathered outside the town hall on Saturday morning to observe a minute's silence. Mr Salhi was arrested at the Air Products factory on Friday morning. Later, anti-terror police searched the apartment of Mr Salhi, a father-of-three, in the Moines neighbourhood of the town. They took his wife and sister into custody. Another man was arrested but released without charge. Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre, spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor's office, has said police have so far not found any motive or possible foreign connection, and that Mr Salhi is not speaking to investigators. Under French anti-terrorism laws, suspects can be held for up to four days before either being released or charged. Yassin Salhi had been investigated in the past about his alleged links with Islamist militants. It is alleged he was waved through the gates of the factory because he was a regular delivery driver. Police and firefighters later found a half-destroyed car which had been rammed into canisters containing chemicals and a man trying to ignite more. Mr Salhi's boss, a 54-year-old man whose name has not been released by police, was found beheaded at the scene. His head had been placed on the factory railings. It is not clear when he died. Speaking after the attack, President Hollande said: "We have no doubt that the attack was to blow up the building. It bears the hallmarks of a terrorist attack." He said the attack would remind people of the attacks in and around Paris in January that killed 17 people. "We all remember what happened before in our country. There is therefore a lot of emotion," he said. US-owned Air Products makes gases and chemicals and has employees in 50 countries around the world. Chief Executive Seifi Ghasemi said: "I believe I speak for all of our Air Products family around the world in expressing our deepest sympathies to the family of the victim of this unspeakable act. "My heart also goes out to the people who work at the site and their families."

Summary: A man suspected of carrying out an attack on a factory near Lyon in France in which a man was found decapitated continues to be questioned by police.


About 40,000 homes have been damaged by floods caused by heavy rains, and 20,000 people have been rescued. In Livingston Parish, home to 138,000 people, officials estimate that 75% of homes have been completely destroyed. Residents returning to their homes are finding standing water, mould, and pest infestations, while the threat of further flooding and rainfall remains. David Key arrived at his house in Prairieville by boat this morning to find five inches (12.7 cm) of "muddy nasty bayou water". "I'm not going to lie, I cried uncontrollably," he said. "But you have to push forward and make it through. Like everybody says, you still have your family." The National Weather Service is predicting that the chance of thunderstorms will continue in the region throughout the week, with temperatures expected to reach 32C (92F). At an afternoon press conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards updated the death toll to eight people, and described how emergency crews are continuing with rescues. "Nobody is going to be forgotten and we're going work around the clock," Mr Edwards said, calling the disaster a "historic flooding event". "It's unprecedented," he told reporters. "We understand that there are a lot of people who are suffering." Emergency crews are checking washed away cars for the bodies of motorists who may have become trapped inside. Floodwaters have been receding today in most of the effected areas, however water levels are rising in the southern parts of the state as the excess water washes downriver and out to sea.

Summary: Residents are beginning to return to their flooded homes, even as more rains are expected in the state of Louisiana.


Media playback is not supported on this device Gareth Furlong gave Wales the lead in the first period before securing a second goal from a penalty stroke. Rupert Shipperley finished a strong team goal to take Wales 3-0 up as they dominated the game. Wales will now face either Ireland in Saturday's semi-finals with the hope of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in India. Co-captain Luke Hawker says they squad have developed over the course of the eight-day tournament. "It is probably the first time this week we've put a 70 minute display together on both sides of the ball. "Really pleasing to come away with the three goals and the victory but equally as pleasing to keep a clean sheet. That's something we pride ourselves on. "We keep pushing ourselves. Keep asking a bit more. Every time we go back to the video and review the game just gone. "Both our rest days were down here on the training ground and fine tuning really. It's great to see that transferring into on field performances" A top-two finish in the eight-team tournament would lift Wales in the rankings and give them a chance of a first World Cup appearance. Their victory against Italy puts them just one win away from the final, which would enable them to qualify for the World League Semi Finals tournament to be played this summer, which acts as a World Cup qualifier. Wales could also qualify for the 2018 Commonwealth Games if they are ranked in the top 10 eligible nations by the end of the season. "For us this is a victory in a sense. The tournament and coming here and getting to semi-final is great for us as a group," Hawker continued. "We are not the sort of squad who will rest on our laurels. The hard work's done. I think we can play with a bit of freedom and go on and see if we can get that cherry at the end."

Summary: Wales men's hockey team are through to the semi-finals of the World League 2 tournament with a 3-0 win over Italy.


Suleiman Al-Sadi, from Bristol, said members of staff at a store in the city whistled and laughed at him while he was shopping for a sofa last Tuesday. He said he was "shocked and horrified" when they made jokes about his "camp" appearance. DFS said an investigation was under way and several staff had been suspended. Mr Al-Sadi said "five sales guys" looked at him and started laughing when he walked into the shop at Cribbs Causeway. He said one of them joked they "should probably take him to look around the beds". "I was shocked, confused, horrified. A couple of them started whistling. I felt like I'd stepped back into the 1970s. "They were trying to taunt me. It was making fun and jokes of my appearance. They didn't take me seriously." Mr Al-Sadi complained to DFS. The company said it was "disappointed" to hear of the allegations and was "taking it extremely seriously". A spokesman said: "We have apologised to the customer for any unintentional distress caused and remain in regular dialogue with him as we look into the issue further. "Following the complaint, a formal investigation is under way and several employees have been suspended pending completion of the investigation. "Should anyone be found to have breached our standards, further disciplinary action will be taken."

Summary: A number of employees at a DFS furniture store have been suspended over allegations they made fun at the appearance of a customer.


Llai na mis ar ôl dechrau ar ei swydd newydd, mae is-ganghellor Prifysgol Aberystwyth, Elizabeth Treasure, wedi ysgrifennu llythyr at staff yn gofyn iddyn nhw ystyried diswyddiadau gwirfoddol. Yn y llythyr, sydd wedi dod i law BBC Cymru Fyw, mae'r is-ganghellor yn dweud bod angen i'r brifysgol wneud arbedion o fwy na £11m dros y ddwy flynedd nesaf. Fe ddywedodd undeb UNSAIN bod pryder am ddyfodol "150 o swyddi". Daw'r newyddion ychydig fisoedd ar ôl i Brifysgol De Cymru gadarnhau bod 139 o swyddi yn cael eu colli ar draws tri champws yn Nhrefforest, Casnewydd a Chaerdydd. Dywedodd Prifysgol Aberystwyth bod toriadau yn sgil newidiadau a heriau, yn cynnwys cystadleuaeth gynyddol am fyfyrwyr a chostau cynyddol. "O ganlyniad i'r ffactorau hyn, rydym yn wynebu diffyg yn y gyllideb ac yn darogan bod angen gwneud arbedion sylweddol o £6m yn 2017-18 a £5.4m yn 2018-19," meddai llefarydd. Yn ôl y brifysgol, mae ansicrwydd ariannol pellach o ganlyniad i benderfyniad y DU i adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd, yn ogystal â rheoliadau fisa mwy llym ar gyfer myfyrwyr rhyngwladol. Ychwanegodd y llefarydd na fydd newid i gyllidebau prosiectau cyfalaf Campws Arloesi a Menter Aberystwyth, Pantycelyn a'r Hen Goleg. Doedd y brifysgol ddim am gadarnhau nifer y swyddi, na'r adrannau lle gallai swyddi gael eu colli. Mae'r undeb UNSAIN yn cynrychioli tua 300 o staff Prifysgol Aberystwyth. Dywedodd swyddog ardal Ceredigion, Jeff Baker: "Mae'r brifysgol wedi cwrdd â'r undebau llafur ac o ystyried graddfa'r arbedion sydd eu hangen, rydyn ni'n deall bod hyd at 150 o swyddi mewn perygl." Ychwanegodd: "Prifysgol Aberystwyth yw un o'r tri chyflogwr mwyaf yn y gorllewin a bydd y golled yma'n cael dylanwad anferthol ar yr economi'n lleol. "Dylai unrhyw ddiswyddiadau gael eu cyflwyno'n deg ar bob lefel, ac ein gobaith yw sicrhau mesurau ychwanegol i amddiffyn staff cyflogedig sydd ar raddfa is. "Mae staff ar y cyflogau isaf eisoes wedi cael eu bwrw gan doriadau i'w hawliau pensiwn." Ychwanegodd y swyddog bod amserlen y brifysgol o gyflwyno'r newidiadau cyn diwedd mis Mai yn "gwbl afrealistig".

Summary: Mae diswyddiadau yn "debygol iawn" o gael eu cyflwyno ym Mhrifysgol Aberystwyth, yn ôl is-ganghellor y sefydliad.


It had been thought that being unhappy was bad for health - particularly for the heart. But the decade-long analysis, published in the Lancet, said previous studies had just confused cause and effect. However, experts argued that unhappiness in childhood may still have a lasting impact. A series of studies had shown that how happy people are, strongly predicts how long they are going to live. Ideas included detrimental changes in stress hormones or the immune system resulting in a higher risk of death. But the research team in the UK and Australia said those studies failed to deal with reverse causality - namely, that people who are ill are not very happy. Participants in the Million Women Study were asked to regularly rate their health, happiness and levels of stress. The results showed that whether people were "never", "usually" or "mostly" happy had no impact on their odds of dying during the duration of the study once other factors such as health or whether they smoked were taken into account. Dr Bette Liu, one of the researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia, said: "Illness makes you unhappy, but unhappiness itself doesn't make you ill. "We found no direct effect of unhappiness or stress on mortality, even in a 10-year study of a million women." Co-author Prof Sir Richard Peto, from the University of Oxford, said light smokers had double the risk of an early death and regular smokers had three times the risk of dying during the study period, but that happiness was "irrelevant". He said it could have indirect effects if people started consuming large amounts of alcohol or massively overeating, but happiness itself "does not have any material, direct, effect on mortality". But he warned the myth may be too entrenched to shake off: "People will still believe stress causes heart attacks after this story has been and gone. "It isn't true, but it suits people to believe it." In a commentary, Dr Philipe de Souto Barreto and professor Yves Rolland from the University Hospital of Toulouse in France, said: "Further research from a lifecourse perspective is needed since happiness during critical periods, such as childhood, could have important consequences on health in adulthood."

Summary: Being miserable or stressed will not increase your risk of dying, according to the UK's Million Women Study.


Formula 1's bosses decided on Thursday not to introduce the protection until 2018 because they felt the 'halo' device tested so far needed more work. But Rosberg said: "It is all ready to go. It just needs to be put on the car. "For sure we all want it to be put on the car as soon as possible. I am disappointed and we'll look into that." Some drivers believe it was the right decision to postpone the introduction of the halo. Media playback is not supported on this device Renault's Jolyon Palmer said: "F1 safety is very good at the moment. We have very big run offs, I am pretty happy with the safety levels we have at the moment. "It is personal preference, I know a lot of the drivers, especially the younger ones, are in the same camp as me." But Rosberg said: "The large majority of drivers agree we need to get it on the car as soon as possible. It makes sense. "It is such a huge step for safety." The Grand Prix Drivers' Association [GPDA] has been vocal in pushing for the introduction of the halo and on Thursday its chairman, former F1 driver Alexander Wurz, said he "hoped F1 does not come to regret the decision". Wurz added that it "could almost be seen as 'business first and safety second'". Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, a director of the GPDA, said: "I haven't read exactly what the reasoning was. It still remains positive that from 2018 onwards it is going to be on the car." The decision to postpone the introduction of the halo caught some team insiders by surprise as all had been given the impression so far this year by the FIA, motorsport's world governing body, that it was working towards introducing the device in 2017. F1 race director Charlie Whiting said the main reason for the delay was to give more time for drivers to assess its impact. Whiting said: "The decision was taken that simply because only three drivers have ever tried it, and they have only done a total of four laps. "This was something that everyone felt was quite a relevant thing and it wouldn't really be feasible to expect, in the short term, to get the relevant number of laps with the halo. That was the reason for introducing if for 2018 instead of 2017." Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg says he is "disappointed" with the decision to postpone the introduction of extra cockpit head protection until 2018.


22 November 2015 Last updated at 14:58 GMT Yusf Pirot said he wanted to show people that "not all Muslims are terrorists". Another video of a blindfolded Muslim man asking for hugs in the aftermath of the Paris attacks has also gone viral.

Summary: A video of a blindfolded Muslim teenager in Nottingham giving out free hugs has attracted millions of views on social media.


Welfare crews warned it risked death because it was so woolly from living in the wild for several years. More than 40kg (88lb) of wool was removed in what the RSPCA says is the heaviest wool haul from one shearing. National shearing champion Ian Elkins was urgently called in on Wednesday to tackle the mammoth merino. Mr Elkins described Thursday's marathon sheering session as one of his biggest challenges, saying he had never seen anything like it in 35 years of work. Chris the sheep had to be sedated during the very delicate operation. Mr Elkins said he was proud Australia had claimed the title from New Zealand, likening it to "the rivalry on the rugby field". The massive bundle of fleece tipped the scales at more than 42kg (92lb), but was revised down to 40kg (88lb) to counter the weight of the bag. Animal welfare officials said Chris was "four-to-five times its normal size" before going under the knife. In 2004, Shrek the New Zealand sheep was found after six years on the loose. The animal - also a merino - later lost his giant 27kg (60lb) fleece in a televised shearing broadcast live around the world.

Summary: An overgrown Australian sheep affectionately named Chris has set a new unofficial world record following a hair cut from five shearers.


The government's policy was challenged over data security and privacy concerns. Aadhaar, which means foundation, started out as a voluntary programme to help tackle benefit fraud. However, it has become increasingly critical for any financial transactions and for access to welfare schemes. States have been using Aadhaar to transfer government pensions, scholarships, wages for a landmark rural jobs-for-work scheme and benefits for cooking fuel to targeted recipients, and distribute cheap food to the poor. The government argues that Aadhaar has cut waste, removed fakes, curbed corruption and made substantial savings. But questions have been raised about the moral authority of the government to force citizens to share biometric data. Activists say it is in breach of the UN's Fundamental Right of Privacy.

Summary: India's Supreme Court has rejected an attempt to stop the government making a controversial biometric identity card mandatory for social welfare schemes.


A large tipper truck was observed delivering the tyres under cover of darkness on Wednesday night. A council spokesperson said the bonfire was on land owned by the Housing Executive (NIHE) in Ballybeen. "The council has been in touch with the NIHE to raise the issue of the tyres at the site and to request the matter is investigated," they said. "The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has also been contacted by the council regarding the nature and volume of the bonfire material." Asked about the burning of tyres on bonfires on the Radio Ulster's Nolan programme, community worker Jim Wilson there was "a very, very small minority we are talking about where we have problems". "You're talking about businesses making money out of it, and that comes down to the PSNI to deal with it." Meanwhile, Belfast City Council said it had received reports that tyres had been collected at a bonfire at Avoneil in the east of the city. "We have been engaging with the local community at this site to have the tyres removed and will continue in our efforts to manage the negative impacts of the bonfire which includes the burning of tyres," a spokesperson said. Ulster Unionist Cllr Jim Rodgers said the inclusion of tyres in bonfires was "a worrying development". He said that councillors had met the police and asked them to be "more pro-active" regarding bonfires.

Summary: Lisburn and Castlereagh Council is investigating the dumping of tyres at a bonfire site in Dundonald.


Nile Ranger was involved in the first meaningful chance as his neat flick found Anthony Wordsworth on the edge of the box, but the midfielder's low shot was well saved by James Shea. Ranger then got a brilliant opener for Southend in the 35th minute, shuffling past three players and prodding a shot into the right-hand corner while off balance to score his third goal in as many games. The Dons had been wasteful in possession but Lyle Taylor nearly latched onto Tom Soares' through-ball just before half-time. Simon Cox doubled Southend's lead shortly after the hour mark after taking advantage of a fortunate rebound in midfield and lashing past Shea from 20 yards. Shrimpers substitute Theo Robinson hit the post after latching on to a ball over the top, but the away side were rarely troubled at the other end as they maintained their play-off hopes. Match report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, AFC Wimbledon 0, Southend United 2. Second Half ends, AFC Wimbledon 0, Southend United 2. Foul by Darius Charles (AFC Wimbledon). (Southend United) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Dean Parrett (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Theo Robinson (Southend United). Will Nightingale (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Nile Ranger (Southend United). Attempt blocked. Darius Charles (AFC Wimbledon) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Foul by Andy Barcham (AFC Wimbledon). Will Atkinson (Southend United) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Paul Robinson (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Nile Ranger (Southend United). Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Dominic Poleon replaces Lyle Taylor. Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Tyrone Barnett replaces Tom Elliott. Corner, Southend United. Conceded by Darius Charles. Theo Robinson (Southend United) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Substitution, Southend United. Theo Robinson replaces Simon Cox. Delay over. They are ready to continue. Delay in match Simon Cox (Southend United) because of an injury. Lyle Taylor (AFC Wimbledon) is shown the yellow card. Attempt blocked. Dean Parrett (AFC Wimbledon) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Delay in match Andy Barcham (AFC Wimbledon) because of an injury. Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Jason Demetriou. Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Dean Parrett replaces Tom Soares. Attempt missed. Lyle Taylor (AFC Wimbledon) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Goal! AFC Wimbledon 0, Southend United 2. Simon Cox (Southend United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Anton Ferdinand. Attempt missed. Jake Reeves (AFC Wimbledon) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Will Nightingale (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Ben Coker (Southend United). Corner, Southend United. Conceded by James Shea. Attempt saved. Will Atkinson (Southend United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom

Summary: Phil Brown marked his fourth anniversary in charge of Southend with a third consecutive win as his side beat Wimbledon in League One.


The move could allow it to eventually better compete with the likes of YouTube and traditional television channels for advertising revenue. Users with Apple TV, Amazon's Fire TV and Samsung's Smart TVs will be able to watch Facebook's user-generated videos directly on their televisions. The announcement is in line with Facebook's increasing focus on video. The company has recently been paying creators for exclusive premium video content, and is heavily promoting the Facebook Live feature that allows users to live stream events. Facebook says the standalone app will be released "soon". The only screen Facebook doesn't dominate right now is the biggest one in your home. The company's decision to launch these TV apps - which we've been expecting for some time now - is the first significant step the company has made to build its challenge to the likes of Netflix and Hulu. To do that, though, it will need to offer programmes that are of a far higher quality than what is on Facebook right now. That will require big investment in getting top talent to make Facebook-only video. One interesting move will be how it plans to make money from TV. If Facebook feels it can make its content free (with income coming from advertising), then it could give subscriber services like Netflix and Amazon Prime serious pause for thought. The announcement by the social media giant was made together with several other news about the company's video features. Videos will now autoplay sound in the news feed and will be displayed in full, even if they are vertical.

Summary: Facebook is to roll out an app that lets users watch the platform's video content on television.


McKinnon was also interviewed for the vacancy at St Mirren, but the Paisley club instead appointed Dumbarton's Ian Murray. The 44-year-old has joined Rovers on a two-year contract. Chief executive Eric Drysdale said: "Ray ticks all the boxes and we are confident he can take us forward." Rovers were seeking a new manager after Grant Murray, who had been in charge for three years, was sacked in April following five straight defeats. Now Malpas, the 52-year-old former Motherwell and Swindon Town manager who had been in his role since December, has also left the Kirkcaldy club. "As promised, the board has taken great care in its search for someone to replace Grant Murray," said Drysdale. "We spoke in detail to four of the very best candidates from a very long list of applicants. "Only one, Ray, was formally offered the job and we are very pleased that he has accepted." Former Rovers player McKinnon, who previously managed junior club Lochee United, recently signed a new contract at Glebe Park. First-team coach Laurie Ellis took charge of the Kirkcaldy side for the final Scottish Championship match of the season - a 2-2 draw away to Dumbarton - as they finished in sixth place. McKinnon, who took over as Brechin boss in 2012, led his side to a fourth-place finish in League One this season. However, they missed out on promotion after losing 2-1 on aggregate to Alloa Athletic in their play-off semi-final. McKinnon, who began his career at Tannadice, had two spells as a player at Stark's Park. He made five appearances in 2000 after leaving Livingston before joining Portadown, and Rovers were his final senior club, making 12 appearances in 2003 after leaving Montrose. McKinnon also had spells with Nottingham Forest, Luton Town, Stirling Albion, East Fife and Torquay United and finished his career in junior football with Lochee and Broughty Athletic.

Summary: Ray McKinnon has left Brechin City to become Raith Rovers manager, with Maurice Malpas standing down as director of football at Stark's Park.


400 Football League games later, however, Flynn will lead the Exiles to Crewe Alexandra at the weekend as their manager after the sacking of Graham Westley, albeit with the club teetering on the edge of being relegated back to non-league. But the wilderness of the non-league scene is exactly where the lifelong association between Flynn and Newport begun. Given a reprieve by manager Tim Harris and a chance with the first team after his youth team axing, Flynn also found employment as a postman. Thanks to his form with the Exiles, a nickname earned rather than chosen after years spent out of the city as a reformed club without a home, Flynn impressed as a midfielder with an eye for goal. In the non-league pyramid at least, this postman did always deliver. A switch to full time football was the dream, achieved with a transfer to Barry Town, a move that changed the course of Flynn's life. There was to be no future in shelf stacking or letter delivering for Flynn after joining the full time Welsh Premier League side, as he went on to make over 400 Football League appearances for the likes of Gillingham, Wigan and Bradford City. He returned to his first club and first love Newport County five years ago, helping to steer them to a promotion 25 years in the making. Flynn was 'heartbroken' when the club released him as Terry Butcher axed 11 players, after Newport's millionaire chairman Les Scadding opted to walk away from the club. He soon returned when the Supporters' Trust succeeded Scadding, working in various roles including as a club ambassador, in marketing, and as a first team coach. He even found time to get in a few games for Welsh League third-tier side Undy, so it was no surprise this season when Flynn came out of retirement to help the beleaguered Exiles. Flynn's career at County, and in football, was almost over before it started. "I got kicked out of the youth team. The youth team manager Glyn Jones asked me what I had done at the weekend and I said I had played for Pill. He said 'I know, I saw in the local paper you scored a hat-trick.' So he kicked me out for breaking his rules," he recalls. "I went away crying, it killed me. But the next day Tim Harris rang me and said 'come and train with the first team.' I had just started working as a postman and I had been stacking shelves in Tesco. so it was a relief. "I earned a contract though and then a move to Barry, which meant I went full time. "But I always looked out for Newport, for my entire career and I played over 400 games in the Football League. "It was hard to leave the club and the city. I had to do it to better my career, to better my life." Flynn, generally a bubbly and talkative character, struggles to express how he feels about his hometown club. "It is really difficult to put it

Summary: When Newport County threw a teenage Michael Flynn out of their youth academy for defying club rules, he feared he would spend his life doing his part time job, stacking shelves in the local supermarket.


The Markit/CIPS construction purchasing managers' index rose to 56 from 53.1, its highest level since December 2015. A figure above 50 indicates expansion. Builders also hired more workers and ordered more supplies to deal with an increase in new projects. Economists said the sector was recovering after a slow start to 2017. "A sustained rebound in residential building provides an encouraging sign that the recent a soft patch for property values has not deterred new housing supply," said Tim Moore, senior economist at IHS Markit. "Instead, strong labour market conditions, resilient demand and ultra-low mortgage rates appear to have helped boost work on residential development projects." The data contrasts with reports earlier this week suggesting greater caution by homebuyers and lenders. Building society Nationwide said house prices had fallen for a third consecutive in May - the longest run of decline since 2009, just after the financial crisis. Meanwhile, the Bank of England said loan approvals fell to a seven-month low in April. The latest Markit/CIPS construction reading was still much weaker than the post-crisis high of 64.6 seen in January 2014. However, the survey found there had been solid rises across the whole sector in May, including in civil engineering and commercial building. Input prices for construction firms also rose at the slowest pace for seven months, despite the prolonged weakness of the pound. Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the result suggested the Brexit vote's "dampening influence on construction activity is fading". But he added: "Note, however, that the PMI has had to exceed 53 in the past to signal growth. "May's PMI reading, therefore, is consistent with quarter-on-quarter growth in construction output of only about 0.5%."

Summary: Activity in the UK construction sector expanded at its fastest rate in 17 months in May, boosted by a surprise rebound in homebuilding, a survey says.


Biju John, 44, pleaded guilty to outraging public decency in Harlow and was due to be sentenced in 2011 when he fled the UK. The details emerged as John was struck off by a panel, which heard one of his victims felt "degraded and scared". Essex Police said John was still wanted by officers. John, then a doctor at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, took covert videos of women, without their knowledge, at The Harvey Centre in April 2011. It is understood he used a bag containing a concealed camera. One victim told police: "The incident has made me feel dirty and degraded. I feel like I can't wear a skirt anymore and I am going to be scared every time I see a man with a bag. "I feel violated as if he has actually touched me inappropriately. At this moment in time I am very upset and shocked." Chelmsford magistrates released John on bail to be sentenced in May 2011, by which time he had already left the UK. The panel heard he then phoned his colleague Jeffrey Philips, a consultant in intensive care. "He understood that Dr John had flown out on the day of the Royal wedding, which took place on 29 April 2011, in the belief that the airport would be quiet," the panel heard. Police broke down the door of his rented flat in Dads Wood, Harlow, a week later and found food in the fridge that was weeks out of date. Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service said it had served notice about its hearing to John's parents in India. In reaching its decision, the panel said: "Public confidence in the medical profession would be seriously undermined if Dr John was not erased from the medical register after indicating a guilty plea to an offence related to his actions in filming beneath women's skirts, and then fleeing the country prior to sentencing. It added: "Ms A [the victim] had been caused significant and understandable distress. "In addition, it considered that the public would also regard Dr John's action in absconding before sentencing to be wholly reprehensible and unbecoming of a doctor. An Essex Police spokeswoman said: "He is believed to have left the country and is currently wanted." A hospital spokeswoman said: "Dr Biju John joined The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust as an anaesthetic registrar on 14 April 2009. "Following his arrest on 10 April 2011 internal disciplinary proceedings were instigated and he was immediately excluded from duty."

Summary: A hospital doctor who went on the run after covertly filming up women's skirts in a shopping centre has been struck off.


The tradesman was using a portable toilet on a Sydney building site on Wednesday morning when he was bitten. A spokesperson for St George Hospital confirmed that a 21-year-old man was treated for a redback bite. The redback spider, closely related to the black widow spider, is distinguished by a long red stripe on its abdomen. The spider's bite causes severe pain, sweating and nausea. The BBC spoke to the owners of the property who confirmed that the man had been bitten on the penis as described in media reports. He was later discharged from hospital in a stable condition. Although there are recorded cases of deaths from redback bites, none have occurred since the development of antivenom in 1956.

Summary: An Australian man has taken himself to hospital after a venomous redback spider bit him on the penis.


Lt Col Gill Wilkinson was commanding officer of 154 (Scottish) Regiment Royal Logistic, based in Dunfermline. She handed over to her husband, Lt Col Alan Wilkinson, last month. The exchange makes the pair, who married in 1998, the highest ranking couple to follow each other in a command role. Gill, 45, originally from Northern Ireland, was in the Army from the mid-90s but left when her two children were born. She re-enlisted in the Army reserve in 2003 and took command of the regiment in 2014. Husband Alan, 46, who was also in the Army before joining the Army Reserve, took on the role of main carer for their children when Gill became CO (commanding officer). Gill told BBC Scotland: "It almost feels like I handed over the children to him two-and-a-half years before taking command and this feels very similar. "You do feel a responsibility for a regiment. It is quite a parental role. Your soldiers are like your family. "Normally when a commanding officer leaves command they don't look back at the regiment, they leave the next CO to carry on. "Obviously I'm trying to do that but I can keep an eye out and ask how people are getting on and satisfy that parental bit." Alan, originally from the Borders, met Gill at Dundee University before joining the Army. He joined the reserves in 2009. Alan said taking over from his wife was no different to any new job. He said: "We have worked closely together throughout our career in the Army. I was in the fortunate position of being able to speak to Gill in the months before about it so it only took about four days to handover. It was fine." Gill, who will now work with the Army Reserve part-time, said opportunities for women were "getting wider". She said: "When I joined the Royal Logistic Corps it was because it offered, as far as I was concerned, the greatest opportunity to do the same job as men were doing. "It is still majority male but the regiment I was commanding was about a quarter to a third female." "I think ever since I joined the Army it has been increasing with more and more opportunities opening up. "But we are really at the final bastion now where women are moving into combat roles." Alan says his wife has offered him advice on his new role. He says: "Some is good, some I listen to but I do make my own assessment."

Summary: A Scottish couple made an unusual bit of British military history when the wife handed over command of an Army unit to her husband.