Almost 90 staff from Coventry's Whitley Depot were involved in the unofficial strike on Tuesday that affected tens of thousands of residents, the city council said. The workers said they were protesting over the suspension of a colleague. The council said the ongoing issue was still being resolved, but staff had returned to work for now. More on this and other stores from Coventry and Warwickshire Unite union says it is considering its position to hold a ballot for industrial action, pending the outcome of a decision on its members' suspended colleague. Its union convenor was suspended by the council for organising an unofficial protest on Monday, union representatives said. However, the council disputes the claim. Councillor Rachel Lancaster said the worker in question had not been suspended for organising a protest. She said his suspension was being investigated, but the authority would not comment further.

Summary: Bin crews who went on strike leaving 30,000 homes with full rubbish bins have returned to work.


The developments at 1 Undershaft and 22 Bishopsgate were approved by the City of London Corporation earlier this year. Mr Khan said both would include a free public observation platform. The 73-storey tower at 1 Undershaft, known as the Trelis, will be 305 metres (1,000ft) high - just five metres shorter than the tip of the Shard. The Bishopsgate development comes ten years after the ill-fated Pinnacle was granted planning position. That development was eventually abandoned, leaving a half-finished nine-storey shaft pointing towards the sky after funding dried up four years ago. City Hall said the new developments would deliver nearly Â£6m in contributions to affordable housing, which the Corporation of London will use to deliver affordable homes on its wider estates across the city. It will also provide more than Â£14m towards the construction of the Crossrail project. It said the plans include a significant expansion of public open space on the sites, as well as office accommodation for almost 20,000 workers. Mr Khan, said: "These two projects represent a significant investment in the heart of London's economy and are a clear sign that the capital is open for business. "They will be highly-visible signs of London's enduring appeal as a place to invest. "These new landmark buildings will offer world-class offices and it's great news that the development of the site at 22 Bishopsgate can now proceed, as this has lain unused for almost five years. "What's more, Londoners and visitors alike should have the opportunity to take in the views from the upper reaches of these new buildings, for free, and I'm really pleased we have been able to secure this as part of the plans."

Summary: London mayor Sadiq Khan has approved the building of two new skyscrapers for the capital.


Joachim Low's world champions went ahead through Mario Gomez's penalty after 13 minutes. But Slovakia, who are in the same group as England and Wales in France, hit back through Marek Hamsik, Michal Duris and Juraj Kucka in Augsburg. The game was played in heavy rain with concerns the match might be abandoned. Germany, who are in the same group as Northern Ireland at Euro 2016, have to finalise their 23-man squad by midnight on Tuesday. Elsewhere, Euro 2012 winners Spain continued their preparations for the defence of their title with a 3-1 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Switzerland. Celta Vigo forward Nolito scored the opening two goals for Vicente del Bosque's side. Chelsea midfielder Pedro added a late third after Emir Spahic, who was later sent off, had reduced the deficit for Bosnia. Spain gave a debut at right-back for Arsenal's Hector Bellerin. Southampton's Graziano Pelle scored the only goal as Italy beat Scotland 1-0 in Malta, while Portugal - who meet England at Wembley on Thursday - were 3-0 winners at home to Norway.

Summary: Germany suffered a third defeat in four games as they were beaten 3-1 by Slovakia in the final match before their Euro 2016 squad is finalised.


It also saw £400m of instant access savings cash being withdrawn in a period that saw it being put up for sale before a rescue deal was agreed. However, half-year losses narrowed to £135.2m from £177m last year. In June, the Co-operative Bank agreed a £700m rescue package to stop itself from being wound up. The bank said that the deal was progressing to plan and was "on track" to be completed by September. The Co-op Bank was rescued from the brink of collapse by a group of hedge funds in 2013, after bad property loans contributed to a £1.5bn hole in its finances. In February this year, the bank was put up for sale after it was unable to reach a strong enough financial footing to satisfy Bank of England regulations. However, the sale plan was dropped after its existing investors agreed to a rescue deal, which will see them swap their debt for a stake in the bank. The Co-op Group's stake in the bank will fall from 20% to about 1%. Chief executive Liam Coleman said the completion of the restructuring would "secure the future of the Co-operative Bank as a viable stand-alone entity". He also said that trading in the first half of the year had been "resilient", given the backdrop of the talks over the bank's future. Although the bank had lost current accounts, the fall was less than 2% of its total, and it still had 1.4 million current account customers. "The vast majority of customers have remained very loyal as we have progressed the sale and capital raise process and I am extremely grateful for their ongoing support," Mr Coleman said. "Of course there is more hard work ahead, and, like other banks, we recognise there are risks to the UK economy, but this is a great bank and we are positive about the future."

Summary: The Co-operative Bank has said it lost about 25,000 current accounts during the first half of the year amid the uncertainty over its future.


Over the weekend, many of you sent emails, tweets and Facebook messages to share your views. I thought I'd share a few of them here. A lot of the notes concerned the use of the word "dongle" itself. Tim: "I appreciate the alliteration, but 'dongle' (and 'dilemma') are wrong in this case. 'Adapter anarchy' might have been better. A dongle is not an adapter, even if Wikipedia cites it as an additional usage of the word." This was echoed by several readers on Twitter. @jeffdyeruk: "Clearly you don't know what 'dongle' or 'legacy' means." @Dadge: "Connectors and adapter are the right words, aren't they? Not sure why you use the word dongle." Though several readers disagreed over precisely what a dongle is, the broad consensus is that the word should be reserved for devices that can be plugged in directly - like an adapter that adds wi-fi to a laptop. I'd argue the word, like many in technology, is evolving to cover any little bit of kit you stick into your computer. But I suspect this won't be the end of it. On Reddit, Asterysk wrote: "I still laugh at the word dongle. I'm 29." Me too, on both counts. In the piece, I declared that we should perhaps give Apple a break as it often ditches bits of tech we think we can't live without, only to be proven right a year or so down the line. I said the company's ditching of the CD/DVD port was one case where it had got it right as barely anyone used CDs of DVDs anymore. Well, turns out I was wrong. @Warren_S_Nel: "Just read your article about Apple, and I regularly put CDs into my brand new Windows laptop." @MWJowett: "The last time i put a CD in my laptop was yesterday!" @HampshireHog66: "You asked 'when did you last put a CD in your PC?' Last night. It was a very good movie." But the wider truth is that disc use has plummeted. Services such as Netflix and Steam mean we no longer need to head out to the likes of Blockbuster to rent or buy movies and video games - at least that's true for those of us that have a decent broadband connection However, this underlines the issue many have with Apple's latest decision. @mr_vpw: "I'm not sure your comparison to the DVD drive is fair. Downloads were already standard. USB-A isn't even vaguely abandoned." The underlying discussion of this dongle (adapterâ€¦) debate is one about Apple's future direction. I wrote that "only an idiot" would write off Apple - the richest company in the world - at this point. But, via email, one reader took exception to that view too. Rob: "As someone who believes Apple's days are numbered, why am I an idiot to think so? Historically, Apple has almost gone under a number of times. Each time, Jobs has returned to pull the company's fat from the fire. If he can do that again, I think it's more than Apple he'll be saving. "Since his passing, Apple has

Summary: Few pieces on this blog have provoked a reaction quite like my piece published on Friday about Apple and its "dongle dilemma".


In June, the government in England said agency spending was to be capped and it has now unveiled details of how that will work. From April, NHS trusts will not be able to pay more than 55% more to agencies than it costs to pay a member of staff for a shift. It comes amid mounting pressure on NHS finances. Figures released last week showed trusts had overspent by £930m in the last three months - with agency spending highlighted as one of the biggest factors. Ministers believe the move will save £1bn by April 2018 - the equivalent of shaving 10% from the £3.3bn annual agency bill. Reports have emerged of agencies being paid thousands of pounds to supply nurses and doctors for shifts. The new limit will start to be phased in from November - with the "shift rate plus 55%" limit kicking in in full from April. Agencies are being allowed to charge more to reflect the costs they face in terms of administration and National Insurance contributions. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "For too long, staffing agencies have been able to rip off the NHS by charging extortionate hourly rates which cost billions of pounds a year and undermine staff working hard to deliver high-quality care. "The tough new controls on spending that we're putting in place will help the NHS improve continuity of care for patients and invest in the front line - while putting an end to the days of unscrupulous companies charging up to £3,500 a shift for a doctor."

Summary: Ministers have set out details of how they aim to save the NHS £1bn on agency staff costs over the next three years.


As communist regimes collapsed across the world, Castro kept the red flag flying right on the doorstep of his greatest enemy, the United States. A divisive figure, his supporters praised him as a champion of socialism, the soldier-politician who had given Cuba back to the people. But he faced accusations of brutally suppressing opposition and pursuing policies that crippled the Cuban economy. Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on 13 August 1926, the illegitimate son of a wealthy farmer, Angel MarÃa Bautista Castro y Argiz, who had emigrated to Cuba from Spain. His mother, Lina Ruz GonzÃ¡lez was a farm servant who became his father's mistress, and later, after Fidel's birth, his wife. Castro attended Catholic schools in Santiago before going on to the Jesuit-run El Colegio de Belen in Havana. However, he failed to excel academically, preferring to spend his time in sporting activities. It was while studying law at Havana University in the mid-1940s that he became a political activist, honing his skills as a passionate public speaker. His targets included the Cuban government, led by the president Ramon Grau, which was mired in accusations of corruption. Violent protests became the order of the day and Castro found himself targeted by the police. He also became part of a plot to overthrow Rafael Trujillo, the right-wing leader of the Dominican Republic but the attempt was thwarted after US intervention. In 1948 Castro married Mirta Diaz-Balart, the daughter of a wealthy Cuban politician. Far from encouraging him to join the country's elite, he turned increasingly to Marxism. He believed Cuba's economic problems were a result of unbridled capitalism that could only be solved by a people's revolution. After graduating Castro set up a legal practice but it failed to prosper and he was continually in debt. He remained a political activist, taking part in a series of often violent demonstrations. In 1952 Fulgencio Batista launched a military coup which overthrew the government of the Cuban president, Carlos PrÃo. Batista's policy of closer ties with the United States and the suppression of socialist organisations ran counter to Castro's fundamental political beliefs. After legal challenges had failed Castro formed an organisation called The Movement, which worked underground in a bid to overthrow the Batista regime. Cuba had become a haven for the playboy rich, and was run largely by organised crime syndicates. Prostitution, gambling and drug trafficking were endemic. In July 1953 Castro planned an attack on the Moncada army barracks near Santiago in order to seize weapons for use in an armed uprising. The attack failed and many revolutionaries were killed or captured. Castro was one of a number of prisoners who went on trial in September 1953. Castro used his court appearance to expose atrocities committed by the army which further raised his profile, particularly among members of the foreign press who were allowed to attend the hearing. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. In the event he was released in a general amnesty in May 1955 having served just 19 months in relatively comfortable conditions. During his short

Summary: Fidel Castro ruled Cuba as a one party state for almost half a century.


I know Stan - who I face in the semi-final on Friday - and we have both won three Grand Slams but I don't compare myself with other players in that sense. It's not what I'm playing for. Over the last few years Stan has played great in the Slams, he's been very consistent. In the US Open final last year he definitely deserved to win. I also think when he played the French Open final here with Novak Djokovic, he played extremely well. He deserves the titles that he's got but his success doesn't affect how I feel about mine. Whether it's Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak or Stan, I don't need to think about the amount of Slams they have for any motivation. Media playback is not supported on this device Four or five years ago, I don't think anyone would have thought I'd have a chance to win a French Open. I never would have expected to reach the semis here five times and play in the final at the beginning of my career, no chance. That doesn't mean I didn't think I could play well on this surface. I do feel like in the middle part of my career, physically I was hampered a bit on the clay. I did struggle a lot with my back for a couple of years and that didn't help, but I got to the quarter-finals for the first time back in 2009 when I was still pretty young. I had some chances in that match against Fernando Gonzalez too. I actually watched it back a few weeks ago and I played some good stuff. It's always quite interesting to see how your game's changed, so I just watched some of my matches over the years at the French Open. I was surprised, because my perception of my clay-court game when I was younger was that it was bad - that I didn't know what I was doing, didn't play well, struggled with my movement - but when I actually watched it back I was pretty good! Media playback is not supported on this device It's interesting as athletes how we can view performances very differently at the time, and then with a little bit of distance. I didn't feel like I played particularly well against Kei Nishikori on Wednesday, and that might have been the case, but there have been plenty of matches where I thought I played great, and looked back and went 'wow!' because it really wasn't great tennis. Sometimes your perception can come from what other people are saying about you - that you're not able to play on clay, or that you're just not good enough - and it's important sometimes to get that little bit of distance and then actually watch it back. At the beginning of the clay-court season we looked at a couple of matches from 2016, because I did feel I played well on the clay last year, and one of those matches was the semi-final against Stan in Paris. It had nothing to

Summary: Trying to win tournaments I've never won before is a huge motivation, but I'm not trying to compete with Stan Wawrinka in terms of the numbers.


Russell sustained the injury in Glasgow Warriors' Pro12 semi-final defeat by Connacht in May. "We don't expect him to play in the first two or three games of the season," Townsend told BBC Scotland. "We'll just see what happens over the next few weeks." Russell was stretchered off during Glasgow's defeat in Galway after a sickening collision with team-mate Zander Fagerson in the first minute of the match. The Scotland playmaker was kept in hospital for over a week for observation, but is now back in light training. "He's working on skills, he's very keen to be involved," Townsend continued. "Everything has gone well so far with his recovery, but obviously we're being very cautious on when he can come back to training with the team and also full training. "So far his progress has been really good."

Summary: Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend says Finn Russell is progressing well in his recovery from a serious head injury, but still expects him to miss the start of the season.


Medical discharge papers show 12-year-old Luana Gomes was treated for the effects of the highly toxic gas, which may have been released by burning of insulation or plastics during the fire. Her sister and mother were also treated for risk of cyanide poisoning. Mrs Gomes was seven months pregnant at the time of the blaze and lost her unborn baby. It has previously been reported that three Grenfell survivors were treated with a cyanide antidote but this is the first confirmation of a cyanide poisoning diagnosis. Andreia Gomes and her daughters were placed in medically induced comas when they were admitted to Kings College Hospital. Mrs Gomes was unconscious for four days, Luana for six days and her sister Megan was kept in a coma for a week. Luana's discharge record states that she was diagnosed with "smoke inhalation injury" and "cyanide poisoning". It also records that she received two doses of hydroxycobalamine "for cyanide poisoning". All three women were treated with a cyanide antidote though only Luana was diagnosed as having been poisoned. Victims of cyanide are effectively choked by the toxic gas. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, confusion, vomiting and convulsions. At high concentrations it can cause rapid death. "The effects are really quick... you could die within seconds depending on the level of exposure," says clinical toxicologist and emergency medicine and critical care consultant Dr Johann Grundlingh. "When you breathe in oxygen normally, your cells produce energy. Cyanide blocks your capability to produce energy from oxygen." Mrs Gomes feels deep anger towards whoever was responsible for deciding to place cheaper, less fire retardant cladding on Grenfell Tower. "You just killed my son," she said. "If it was in a normal situation, I could have gone out. And he was seven months. He could have survived... But because of the conditions, he passed away." Her husband Marcio Gomes told BBC Newsnight he decided to make a run for it with his family at around 04:00 when flames began to engulf his bedroom in their 21st floor flat. He described how he and his family had to step over a number of bodies as they groped their way, gasping for breath, down the smoke-filled staircase. "What I didn't account for was the amount of bodies we had to trip over or step on. We were stepping on people's arms or legs." The family was taken together to Kings College Hospital. Only Mr Gomes, who was also treated for smoke inhalation, remained conscious. He said he realised, even though he was not told explicitly, that their unborn child, who the couple had already named Logan, had died. "Andreia didn't know what was going on because she was in an induced coma. My daughters were all in intensive care in induced comas as well. "I knew something was wrong straight away when they told me in these scenarios they take the mother as a priority. So I broke down, because I knew what they were saying, without saying it. Then later on, they said the baby had passed away." Most cases of cyanide poisoning

Summary: At least one survivor of the Grenfell Tower fire was diagnosed with cyanide poisoning, BBC Newsnight has learned.


The 22-year-old batted to within nine overs of the close for 157 as they progressed to 470-8, a lead of 64. He shared stands of 121 with George Bailey (62) and 172 with James Franklin, the latter a Middlesex sixth-wicket record against Yorkshire. Franklin fell for 99 just before stumps as paceman Jack Brooks claimed 5-89. England batsman Nick Compton's recent decision to take a break from cricket led to Eskinazi's elevation to the Middlesex first team and he responded with 106 against Lancashire last week. His latest innings was even better as he advanced his score steadily from his overnight 19 not out and went to three figures off 224 deliveries with a boundary off Steven Patterson, having had a let-off on 84 when Kane Williamson floored a slip chance. By then he had lost Bailey, who was dropped on 36, and Simpson, both to catches by Tim Bresnan, but Franklin settled in well after taking 30 balls to score his first run. His partnership with Franklin beat the previous sixth-wicket record for Yorkshire of 166 by Norman Featherstone and Larry Gomes, also at Scarborough, in 1975. Eskinazi was eventually caught at deep mid-wicket off Brooks, having struck 23 fours in all, and Paul Stirling, Ollie Rayner and Franklin followed as Yorkshire hit back late on, but a draw looks by far the most likely result on the final day.

Summary: Stevie Eskinazi hit a second successive Championship hundred as Middlesex fought back strongly on day three against Yorkshire at Scarborough.


The Mill, in Ipswich, which is 233ft (71m) high, has a specially-built nesting box that is home to five chicks waiting to fledge. It was built in 2009 but peregrines did not nest there until 2014. Steve Piotrowski, from the Suffolk Ornithologists Group, said: "Hopefully they will colonise other urban sites, which are becoming important habitats." The Mill, which remains uncompleted after work building the flats halted in 2009, is believed to be the tallest residential building in East Anglia. Mr Piotrowski added: "It's a species which is protected and it plays a role in killing feral pigeons on Ipswich Waterfront." A webcam has also been set up by Ipswich Haven Marina to monitor the chicks' progress. 180mph (290km/h) the top diving speed of a peregrine falcon 1,400 the number of breeding pairs in the UK, according to the latest figures 365 the number of breeding pairs in the UK back in 1961 3-4 the number of eggs a hen would usually lay in a year

Summary: Peregrine chicks nesting in a 23-storey tower block have been ringed to help monitor their future movements.


It was posted on Thursday on Twitter by the south Belfast politician. A number of politicians from Northern Ireland tweeted pictures of their ballot papers. However, Ms Hanna's photo showed her daughter holding a pencil with her hand, appearing to mark a ballot paper for the EU Referendum. A spokesperson for the Electoral Office said: "We would strongly discourage anyone from taking photographs inside the polling station." EU Referendum results The spokesperson added that "the requirement for secrecy around the conduct of the ballot is set out in the Representation of the People Act (1983)". The BBC contacted the SDLP press office to get a comment from Claire Hanna but is still awaiting a reply. However, in a Facebook post, Ms Hanna said: "This is literally the stupidest article I have ever read on what is the absolute opposite of a slow news day." Northern Ireland has voted to remain in the EU Referendum by a majority of 56% to 44%. However, the UK, as a whole, has voted by a narrow margin to leave the EU. Overall, 440,437 people in Northern Ireland voted to Remain in the EU and 349,442 to Leave. Out of 18 constituencies, 11 voted to stay in the European Union. The turnout in Northern Ireland was 62.7% with 789,879 people voting in the referendum. Get the results in full.

Summary: The SDLP MLA Claire Hanna has tweeted a photo of her daughter appearing to mark her referendum ballot paper in a polling station booth.


Hansen has made six changes as New Zealand play for the first time since beating Australia 34-17 in the World Cup final. Wales have not beaten the Kiwis in more than 62 years, a fact Hansen believes provides extra motivation. "They are desperate to re-write some history so that makes them a really dangerous beast I think," Hansen said. The Welsh run of 26 consecutive defeats against New Zealand includes three when Hansen was Wales coach between 2002 and 2004. He added: "They see us as the team they want to beat and you know there's enough history been written about how long it's been - and it's going to happen one day. "This is a really good Welsh side and it could happen this weekend if we don't turn up and play as well as we can." Wales were outscored by five tries to one in a 27-13 defeat by England the last time they played, and coach Warren Gatland has made five changes from that match. But Hansen believes the result was a reflection of Wales' lack of match-fitness rather than the quality of their performance. He also thinks Wales are adapting their game to match the greater speed of matches in the southern hemisphere. Media playback is not supported on this device "The northern hemisphere are starting to realise they have to change their game and we saw that against England," said Hansen. "They hadn't played for some time ahead of that game and for the first 30-40 minutes against England they played really well. "They fell away a little bit due to lack of game time in the second half so they have changed their game a little bit."

Summary: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says Wales are a "dangerous beast" ahead of Saturday's first test in Auckland.


BBC Technology reporter Chris Foxx and security expert Prof Alan Woodward provide some answers. WannaCry ransomware cyber-attacks slow but fears remain "Practically speaking, it's not possible to completely isolate the NHS network," said cyber-security expert Prof Alan Woodward. "The NHS sends emails to patients who have email addresses outside of the NHS network. "People in the NHS also use the internet heavily for research, just like academics. "Even a private network can be compromised, especially in an organisation with thousands of people using it daily. "Once [a virus] has managed to enter the larger network, it can then use vulnerabilities to spread," said Prof Woodward. Since serving customers online is now part of banks' bread and butter, you would expect cyber-security to be at the very top of their priorities. Cyber-security is a game of cat and mouse, with criminals always thinking of new ways to attack systems, so no organisation is totally impenetrable. This ransomware outbreak is mostly likely to affect your finances if you get infected and pay the ransom, which security experts say you should not do. There is absolutely no guarantee the criminals would give your files back. If you run a business, there is detailed guidance on the National Cyber Security Centre website you can follow to make sure your company is protected. Microsoft has already identified the way this specific strain of ransomware spread from device to device, and has issued a issued a fix. As long as your operating system is up-to-date, you should be protected from this strain of ransomware. Always make sure you are running the latest version of your operating system with the latest security fixes installed - and run up-to-date anti-virus software from a trusted company. Although this strain of ransomware was not spread by email, always beware suspicious emails asking you to click links or download attachments. Criminals will often use a widely publicised virus outbreak to send scam emails, pretending to offer help. To prevent heartbreak, if the worst comes to the worst you should keep a backup copy of important files, photos and videos on an external hard drive. Make sure to disconnect the drive from your computer after making your backup, so ransomware can't access it if your computer is infected. "The bottom line is that all you can really do is keep your software, including your virus checker, up to date. Ideally have updates set to automatic," said Prof Woodward. The purpose of a ransomware attack is to extort money from victims. It is a powerful attack because people may fear losing their documents and photographs and so may be more likely to pay. When it hits businesses and hospitals, there is extra pressure to get rid of the ransomware quickly. The government has said the ransomware outbreak at the NHS was not a targeted attack on the UK's health service. It may be that the attackers created their virus without knowing exactly how far it would spread. No. This strain of ransomware was spread from device to device by taking advantage of an old security

Summary: After a cyber-attack disrupted IT services across the globe, many people have written to the BBC with questions about why it happened, how you can protect your computers and smartphones, and if the attackers will be caught.


The 25-year-old is one of the hottest properties on the transfer market. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has made his signing a top priority. The Reds refused to comment on renewed speculation but it is expected they will intensify efforts to reach a deal with both Southampton and the player. Chelsea and Manchester City have both been heavily linked with the defender, who joined Southampton from Celtic for £13m in September 2015. But BBC Sport understands Van Dijk wants to move to Anfield in what would be a major coup for Klopp and Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, who are willing to spend big after qualification for next season's Champions League. Liverpool still have to reach an agreement with Southampton - and a demand for a fee well in excess of £50m could mean negotiations will be complicated before any deal nears a conclusion. Former club Celtic are also understood to have a 10% sell-on agreement. Van Dijk missed the final five months of the season after sustaining an ankle injury following a challenge by Leicester City's Jamie Vardy in Southampton's 3-0 win at St Mary's on 22 January. It forced him to miss Southampton's EFL Cup final loss to Manchester United at Wembley.

Summary: Liverpool are poised to win the race to sign Southampton's £50m-rated Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk after it emerged he wants to move to Anfield if he leaves St Mary's.


After the blood-letting of the early part of the year following the Ashes, they have been desperate for some stability - to keep Alastair Cook in charge for the World Cup, which starts in February. But following the 5-2 series defeat in Sri Lanka, their fourth in a row under Cook, the time has come to realise he is not the man to lead them in the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. Here are four reasons why. Since Cook took over as one-day captain in 2011, there have been changes to the one-day format - the introduction of two new balls, theoretically an advantage for bowlers, offset by the limitation to four of the number of men allowed on the boundary. Scores have risen around the world (the average is about 270 now) and the number of totals of more than 300 has doubled. Openers who set out to bat the innings and make 100 should now look at a minimum of 150. Cook does not have the proactive game for this objective. His last ODI hundred was 45 games ago, and he lacks the power and range to have a major impact. His strike rate this year is only low 70s (openers need to have a minimum of 80). Being inventive does not come naturally and he can be controlled at the crease. That is underlined by the relative statistics of Cook and other international openers over the past 12 months. He has by far the lowest combined average and strike rate (a reliable measure of the effectiveness of a batsman) and is therefore holding England back. One-day internationals are very much pre-planned operations, organised in the dressing room. Batsmen know their specific roles, bowlers know roughly which overs they are going to bowl. ODIs are much less free-flowing than Tests, therefore captaincy is a less vital influence. Every player must deserve his place in the team, there is no need to 'carry' a captain. Though he has been short of runs himself, Eoin Morgan is a must-pick for England and actually has excellent tactical nous and a calm demeanour (and plays well when he's in charge). And, as a middle-order player, he does not have to have half a mind on batting in those frenetic late overs of an innings in the field, which can be very distracting. Morgan is now playing in the Big Bash in Australia so will get advance preparation for the World Cup. Both the England management and members of the team are nervous of jettisoning Cook because of the stability and reassurance he brings as a batsman and a man. They are thinking particularly of England's first World Cup match against Australia in the MCG cauldron in front of 80,000 baying Aussies, and the need to send out at least one opener with authority and experience. But this burden is playing heavily on Cook's mind and inhibiting him. He is so taut with determination, he can barely move to the ball. It is even affecting his fielding. The opposition almost feel sorry for him.

Summary: The England selectors will sit down on Friday to decide what to do about the one-day captaincy.


Emergency services were called to the fire in Insch just after midnight when a local resident noticed smoke emerging from a property in High Street. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze had breached the roof of the building. Residents in nearby flats were evacuated to a community centre but there were no casualties. Six fire engines from nearby towns, including a height appliance from Aberdeen, were sent to tackle the fire. Crews, including four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, used water jets to douse the flames. The fire service said the blaze was finally extinguished at 02:23 but they remained on the scene for several hours. They added that an investigation will be carried out in due course.

Summary: Residents were evacuated from their homes in an Aberdeenshire town after a blaze broke out in a nearby bank.


A strong El Nino is likely to increase prices of staple foods such as rice, coffee, sugar and cocoa, say scientists. Forecasters agree that the El Nino effect, which can drive droughts and flooding, is under way in the tropical Pacific. But they say it is too early to say how severe it will be. Reduced rainfall could be felt in India and West Africa as early as June, say scientists. The consequences of El Nino are much less clear for Europe and the UK, although they can lead to British winters that are dry with heavy snowfall. "It's likely there will be at least a moderate El Nino this year," said Prof Adam Scaife of the Met Office. "I think there is very good agreement across the different [forecasting] centres that this is coming." He said there was a 70% chance of a "moderate" El Nino event towards the end of this year that is likely to lead to droughts and crop failures. Although it is too early to say how strong the event will be and whether it will persist throughout the year, a strong El Nino has the potential to "disrupt global food markets", said Dr Nick Klingaman of the University of Reading. He said coffee plantations in Brazil "already on the brink of failure" could be jeopardised, while reduced rainfall in Australia could affect banana and sugarcane crops as well as cattle herds. A moderately strong El Nino in 2002 was linked with a drier monsoon than normal in India, ruining crops such as groundnut and rice. "Most El Ninos historically have had a global impact on food prices," he said. "We tend to see an increase in price of 5 to 10% on average for things like coffee, soybeans and cocoa." The El Nino five years ago was linked with poor monsoons in Southeast Asia, droughts in southern Australia, the Philippines and Ecuador, blizzards in the US, heatwaves in Brazil and extreme flooding in Mexico. Prof Eric Guilyardi of the University of Reading said current models point to an event on a similar scale to that of 2009/10, but perhaps as strong as in 1997/98, which was particularly extreme. However, he cautioned that "every El Nino is different, so its impacts are different". The warming of parts of the ocean is also likely to have a knock-on effect for global temperatures. "Global temperatures are very high and this is partly attributable to the El Nino evolving now," said Prof Scaife. The El Nino is a warming of the Pacific Ocean as part of a complex cycle linking atmosphere and ocean. An El Nino comes along about every two to seven years as part of a natural cycle. Research suggests that extreme El Nino events will become more likely as global temperatures rise. Models suggest that climate change could double the number of extreme El Ninos after 2050. Follow Helen on Twitter.

Summary: Global food markets could be disrupted by the El Nino event predicted for later this year.


The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) expressed "serious concerns" to the European Commission about the deal. It warned the merger could cause "long-term damage" for UK consumers as it would leave only three mobile networks. CK Hutchison, the owner of Three, said it was "very disappointed" the CMA had published the letter. The European Commission has until 19 May to make a decision on Three's proposed £10.5bn takeover of O2. Hutchison said: "It is no surprise that CMA opposes the merger. It always has, and so has Ofcom. But it is for the Commission to assess any competition concerns, on the basis of the facts and proposed remedies." Sky, Virgin, Tesco and UK Broadband have agreed to use Three-O2's share of UK airwaves to offer their own mobile packages, the company said. "The entry of so many diverse, strong and committed players will ensure that there is plenty of competition in the UK market and plenty of counter offers to any supposed price increases post-merger," it said. Three's owner added that it would invest £5bn in UK mobile infrastructure and that new entrants would add a further £5bn. The planned purchase of O2 by Hutchison, which is owned by Asia's richest person Li Ka-shing, was announced early last year. If approved, the deal would leave just two other major UK operators: EE and Vodafone. Hutchison sent its suggested remedies to the European Commission last week to smooth the takeover. The CMA said the remedies "fall well short" and insisted the Commission should instead force most of O2 or Three's mobile network to be sold off after the deal. "Absent such structural remedies, the only option available to the Commission is prohibition," Alex Chisholm, chief executive of the CMA, said in the letter to the European Commission. European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager will make the final decision on the deal, rather than UK regulators. "At best we see UK deal approval odds at 50/50. The risk, here, is the decision could become increasingly political (from a UK perspective it already is) as it's so close to the Brexit vote," said Mandeep Singh, a partner at Redburn analysts. Campaigners for a British exit from the EU - known as "Brexit" - have already raised concerns about the European Commission having the final say instead of the CMA or Ofcom. The Commission has previously approved deals in Ireland, Austria and Germany that reduced the number of mobile networks from four to three. The UK telecoms market is going through significant change, with broadband, mobile and subscription TV providers increasingly competing with each other. BT re-entered the mobile market earlier this year after its £12.5bn takeover of EE was approved by the CMA. Tom Mockridge, Virgin Media chief executive, said: "A combined O2-Three would provide a counter balance to the strength of BT/EE, offering an alternative source of capacity to other providers who will drive competition in their own right."

Summary: The planned merger of mobile networks O2 and Three should be blocked or severely restricted by EU regulators, the UK competition watchdog has said.


The 29-year-old led Sarries to the Premiership and European Champions Cup titles last season while Hargreaves was sidelined through injury. Barritt has made 171 appearances since joining Saracens in 2008 and has won 26 international caps for England. Director of rugby Mark McCall said Barritt had shown "exceptional leadership qualities". The Ulsterman continued: "He is ideally qualified to be our captain. "Brad is someone who leads through example - through his actions, attitude and application. He is one of the most competitive players I have ever come across. "He stepped in to the captaincy role last season in Alistair's absence with real aplomb." Saracens begin their defence of the Premiership title against Worcester on Saturday, 3 September while the north London side have been drawn to face Toulon, Sale and Scarlets in the pool stage of the Champions Cup.

Summary: Double winners Saracens have appointed centre Brad Barritt as captain, replacing Alistair Hargreaves.


The sentence follows his conviction last month on charges that include espionage. Officials did not give details about the sentence but said in a statement it included jail time. Jason Rezaian, 39, has been detained in Iran for more than a year. The Post has dismissed the charges as absurd. "In brief, it is a prison sentence," judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said in a statement on Iranian state TV. He added that the verdict is "not finalised" - referring to an expected appeal. Rezaian's lawyer, Leila Ahsan, told the Associated Press news agency she had not been informed of the verdict or the details of the sentence. The foreign editor of the Washington Post, Douglas Jehl, said in a statement that Rezaian's "trial and sentence are a sham, and he should be released immediately". He added that the journalist had already spent 487 days in prison. Rezaian, his wife, who is also a journalist, and two photojournalists were arrested in July 2014 in Iran. Rezaian was the only one of the group not to be released. The Post's Tehran bureau chief since 2012, he was charged with espionage and distributing propaganda against the Islamic Republic. He is a dual Iranian-American citizen and was tried in four hearings behind closed doors. He was convicted in October. Earlier reports said Rezaian could face 10 to 20 years in prison.

Summary: Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian has been sentenced to an unspecified prison term in Iran, the country's judiciary has said.


The Australian navy ship HMAS Maitland and four merchant vessels were involved in rescue operations 75km (45 miles) south-west of Indonesia's Java Island. The search followed a distress call on Wednesday from a vessel which said it had 150 people on board. Indonesian teams had searched the waters, but could not locate the boat. The country's search and rescue agency, Basarnas, sent two boats and a helicopter to the area on Wednesday but found nothing and returned to base. But on Thursday a merchant vessel said it had found six people in the water, and more survivors were rescued during the day. "Three survivors have serious injuries, but are in a stable condition. They are on board HMAS Maitland," the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said in a statement. It added that merchant vessels APL Bahrain, Gwenolen, AR Carelia and Da Ging Xia were involved in the search. Source: Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship Captain Manuel Nistorescu from the APL Bahrain ship told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper that a group of Afghan men he picked up had been in the water for 24 hours. There were also women and children on the missing boat, he added. "They had an engine break and the water was coming, and the pump for pumping out the water was not working and the boat sinks. This is what I understand from them," he said. The number of missing people could not be confirmed, Australia's Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare told reporters. "We have grave fears for a lot more," he said. ''Don't underestimate how difficult this task is; don't underestimate how big the sea that we're searching is.'' Asylum seekers often target Christmas Island, off Australia's northwest coast, to get to the country. They make the journey from Indonesia in boats that are usually overloaded and poorly maintained. In June, a boat with 200 asylum seekers sank near the island - 17 bodies were found and another 70 were feared dead after a three-day search. That was the second boat to sink in a week, reigniting the debate on asylum in parliament. Earlier this month, lawmakers approved the re-opening of offshore processing camps for asylum seekers in Nauru and PNG. The moves are aimed at deterring asylum seekers from making the dangerous journey to Australia by boat, amid an increasing number of arrivals. Australia says it will also increase its intake of refugees to 20,000 a year, from the current 13,750, in line with recommendations by an expert panel.

Summary: Australian and commercial ships plucked 55 people from the sea as a search continued after a boat carrying asylum seekers was believed to have sunk.


Gerry Holtham was commissioned by the Welsh government to look at the pros and cons of the way that government gets its budget. He found, among other things, that Wales would be treated more generously if Wales were funded on the basis of need rather than the population-based Barnett formula. Politicians have used his findings ever since to make the case for a change to the formula on the basis of the shortfall suffered by the Welsh government. I've been talking to Gerry Holtham as part of a discussion on a report he wrote for the Institute of Welsh Affairs. So how big is that shortfall? He told me: "At the time we did the research it was Â£300 m to Â£400 m a year less than it would get if it were an English region getting needs-based grants. We don't know what that is now. "Given the squeeze on public finances it's probably a smaller number, the shortfall is probably less than it was then. Even then, it was only a couple of per cent of the Welsh budget so we're probably down to one per cent of the Welsh budget." In comments that may yet be worth recalling the next time you hear a politician use his figures, he added: "It's not going to change the world. Welsh government has to find a way forward apart from just complaining about the grant."

Summary: He is Wales's most quoted economist, his name often called in aid by those who think the country is under-funded from Westminster.


The long-running debate over the future of the B-listed building could finally be decided by Perth and Kinross Council next week. A meeting of the full council will discuss two bids, which re-imagine the hall as either a luxury hotel or an indoor food market and community hub. Experts hired by the council have recommended backing the market plan. Demolition plans are on hold until the redevelopment proposals are considered. The Edwardian building, which dates back to 1911, was closed 10 years ago after a modern new concert hall was opened in the city. The council wanted to demolish it to make way for a new civic square, and hoped Historic Scotland would withdraw its objection to this plan if no firm plans for redevelopment could be agreed. Councillors agreed exactly a year ago to publicly market a 125-year lease for the hall to finally settle whether a realistic alternative to demolition exists. Five bids were received, but only two were found to be compliant with guidelines. One is a £4.8m proposal from the Seventy Group, previously backed by city planners, to convert the building into a 32-room hotel, with a rooftop bar and restaurant open to the public. The other, from Perth Market Place Ltd to use the main hall as a food hall and the lesser hall as a community space for hire, had been rejected by experts at an earlier draft stage. Redevelopment would cost £2.7m, with backing from Market Place Europe and Groupe Geraud, Europe's largest investor and operator of specialist markets. In a report to councillors, independent firm Jones Laing LaSalle recommended choosing the marketplace bid, which they said was far more detailed than the one they had previously advised against accepting. They said the chief difference between the bids was that Seventy Group proposed to pay a nominal £1 a year in rent, while Perth Market Place Ltd offered to pay £20,000, plus 7.5% of their annual turnover above that sum. They also said that the Seventy Group proposal had only outlined 65% of the required funding, which was a "significant weakness" of the hotel bid. If councillors give their backing to either proposal, council officers will be instructed to agree lease terms with the preferred bidder for approval at a later meeting. Officers noted that "an element of risk will require to be borne by the council until a lease is signed" should a chosen plan fall through.

Summary: Two proposals to save Perth's demolition-threatened City Hall are to be considered by councillors.


Bridgend county council wants to knock down Malc's Cafe in Rest Bay, to make way for the new modern facility. Porthcawl Civic Trust Society has objected to the two-storey building saying it was "out of accord" with the area's character. Councillors have backed it but said traffic plans must still be agreed. The proposals were being considered by the council's development control committee on Thursday. The council hopes the building - with public toilets, changing rooms, a new cafe/bistro, function room and covered dog walkers' area - will be used by water sports clubs. Residents said the plans would increase parking problems, late-night noise and anti-social behaviour, and the height of the building would impact on the "unspoilt" appearance of the coastline. The council said: "If successful, the water sports centre and cafe at Rest Bay will provide new high-quality facilities near the award-winning blue flag beach while establishing an iconic, contemporary attraction capable of supporting and developing sports and leisure activities in the area." Approving the proposals, the committee has imposed a number of conditions in a bid to ease the public concerns. The centre will not be allowed to operate after 21:00 in the evening and staff parking, turning area and delivery yard plans must be agreed. The council said a traffic management plan for the development must also be submitted and approved before construction can get under way.

Summary: Plans to build a new water sports centre in Porthcawl have been approved, despite concerns it could spoil the coastline.


Colin McKay, 34, was found guilty of attacking the woman twice, raping a 15-year-old girl and indecently assaulting another female in West Lothian. McKay had denied the offences but was found guilty after an earlier trial at the High Court in Edinburgh. Sentencing him, Judge Lady Wolffe told him he had preyed on "vulnerable women". She ordered that he be kept under supervision for a further two years and be put on the sex offenders register. McKay was found guilty of raping the mother on two occasions at her home in the summer of 2005 and raping the teenage girl the same year at a house in West Lothian. The court heard that he turning up at the first victim's door and attacked her after removing the baby from her arms. He was also convicted of carrying out the indecent assault on the third victim at a house in Armadale in 2011. The judge said that the case disclosed him to be "a predatory sexual offender preying on vulnerable women when the opportunity arose". Lady Wolffe said: "You have been convicted of a number of predatory rapes of women who were vulnerable by reason of their age or circumstances." She told McKay he had been assessed as posing a high risk of further violent offending. She added: "You are noted as adopting a position of extreme denial and blame your victims." Defence counsel Ian Duguid QC said: "His evidence was to deny categorically that any of these allegations took place." But the defence counsel acknowledged that a jail sentence was "inevitable" following his conviction for the offences. Mr Duguid said the proceedings had been a "chastening" experience for McKay and added: "He is unlikely to be involved in any kind of this activity in the future."

Summary: A man who raped a mother moments after taking her baby from her arms has been jailed for eight years.


Media playback is not supported on this device Forest have slipped to 17th in the table, having won just once in eight Championship matches. Cohen, 29, told BBC Nottingham Sport bad results were not down to "a couple of little mix-ups with payments". "That is not any kind of reason why we are not getting results," Cohen said. "Anyone that says that is lying and using it as an excuse to hide the fact they are not doing well enough." Reds owner and chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi is close to selling up to a United States consortium, but has denied reports he is demanding a large annual salary and huge bonuses as part of any takeover deal. The Guardian article also claimed the players had to be placated over late payments and unpaid bonuses. But Cohen, Forest's longest-serving player having joined in 2007, added: "There have been issues over the years and everything has always been resolved, but because results are not going well and the media have got involved it has magnified the situation. "They always get sorted out, as they will be this time, and then we move on. "You don't want it to happen and would rather everything just ran completely smoothly but they are small issues. Talk of players' revolt - if that was going to happen then I missed it. "It's not as big an issue as everyone is saying but you want to iron out the small details. "There is a good relationship and always has been between the chairman and players and that hasn't changed over the last few weeks. I would be surprised if the same story had come if we had won the last five games."

Summary: Nottingham Forest captain Chris Cohen says the club's impending takeover, off-field distractions and "small issues" with late payments and unpaid bonuses are no excuse for poor form.


The Public Accounts Committee criticised the Department for Transport (DfT) for buying stock itself for the Intercity Express programme and the Thameslink project. The MPs also said it was "extremely disappointing" that the Thameslink carriages would not be built in the UK. The DfT said the schemes would "bring enormous benefits to passengers". The committee said the government had decided to lead on the procurement on the two schemes, "despite having no previous experience of doing so". The contracts are to supply, finance and maintain the new carriages. Previously, this would be done by the train operating companies, the report said. But in this instance, the DfT had decided to intervene because of the "massive scale and complexity of both procurements". A Hitachi-led consortium is supplying 866 new carriages for the Intercity Express programme, which will replace ageing trains on the Great Western and East Coast lines. In the other contract, German company Siemens is supplying 1,140 new Thameslink coaches to provide improved capacity on cross-London rail routes. The combined cost of the two contracts is about £10.5bn. The report said that by buying the trains directly, the DfT had taken on the risk of passenger forecasts being wrong. "If demand proves to be lower than forecast, taxpayers would have to cover the costs of any financial shortfall," it said. "These two major projects also demonstrate yet again that the department has limited capacity and capability to manage large-scale procurements, and that it remains overly reliant on consultants." The MPs welcomed Hitachi's decision to build 592 carriages in County Durham, creating a reported 900 new jobs, but committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge added: "It is extremely disappointing that Siemens will not also be manufacturing the Thameslink carriages in the UK, when the £2.8bn contract is funded by the UK taxpayer and farepayer." The MPs said the government should be "more assertive" in asking for information from contractors in this area. Siemens is building the 1,140 carriages in Germany, but claims up to 2,000 jobs will be created in the UK supply chain. Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT transport union, said: "The companies using these trains get to privatise the profits while the public get to shoulder over £10bn of risks. It is an absolute disgrace." A DfT spokesman said: "Successive governments have considered how best to deliver these orders and have come to the same conclusion, that government should lead with expert support and advice from the train operating companies. "IEP and Thameslink are making excellent progress and are on track to deliver very good value for taxpayers and improved services for passengers. They are also creating thousands of new jobs across the UK rail industry."

Summary: Taxpayers have been left "bearing all the risk" from purchases of new trains worth £10.5bn, MPs say.


The schoolgirl's body has never been found after she disappeared in 1994. Two years after she went missing, police dug up parts of her sister's house and garden looking for the body. The inquest was told that that the information that led to the search was based on an overheard conversation. It came from an unnamed source who Brian McVicker, the senior investigating officer at the time, described as sincere. Mr McVicker told the inquest in Belfast that, in his opinion, the source was a "genuine person trying to help the police at a time when it didn't happen in that area". Arlene, from Castlederg, was 15 years old when she disappeared after a night out in County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. Convicted child killer Robert Howard, who died in prison last year, was the main suspect in her disappearance. Nothing was found in the search of Kathleen Arkinson's home in 1996. Counsel for the Arkinson family said to Mr McVicker: "You could be honest as the day is long but reciting something you overheard other people say doesn't vouch for credibility." Mr McVicker said that with hindsight he still believed "it was the right course of action". Asked why that was the case, he said: "To ascertain if the information was correct; to remove any cloud of suspicion from the Arkinson family; and to put the spotlight back on Robert Howard as the main suspect." The inquest heard that Mr McVicker met the source, whom he did not know, and a conduit from whom the information was passed to the police. The conduit, who has not been named, was described by the retired police officer as a "person held in high esteem in that area". Another witness who gave evidence to the inquest on Thursday was retired police detective Arnold McAllister, who interviewed Howard. He said he could not remember the outcome of a complaint to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland regarding the police investigation into Arlene's disappearance, in spite of having been interviewed by the ombudsman's office. The then ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, upheld the complaint, finding that police had not acted properly or expeditiously to arrest Howard. The ombudsman found there were grounds to arrest Howard 48 hours after Arlene went missing. Mr McVicker said he had been involved in a large amount of terrorist-related work at the time and was asked if the investigation into Arlene's disappearance was "a bit of a nuisance to you". "Definitely not," he said. He said he could not remember why it took 46 days to arrest Howard. He accepted the delay in arresting Howard was because police had no evidence against him.

Summary: A decision to extensively search the home of the sister of missing County Tyrone girl Arlene Arkinson was prompted by hearsay, an inquest into the teenager's death has heard.


The Landmark Trust has funding for Llwyn Celyn farmhouse in Monmouthshire, with the aim of restoring its 500-plus years of architectural legacy. The Grade 1 Listed medieval hall house is considered the most significant inhabited "at risk" building in Wales. Welsh heritage body Cadw and the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) gave grants totalling Â£670,000. Thought to date from around 1480, the property is said to represent key developments in Welsh architecture between the 15th and 18th Centuries and a textbook example of the development of the British manor house. Largely untouched for the past century, the house is in more than six acres (2.6 hectares) of ground, near Llanvihangel Crucorney in the Llanthony Valley, and still has smoke-blackened roofs from its early years - the chimneys and floors were added in the 17th Century. Jennifer Stewart, of the NHMF, said the aim of the work was to "build up the story and the story book of who lived in the property at different stages". She said: "Because it has been in private hands for 100 years, we really don't know that much about it. "Unlike modern houses, we don't know what is behind the panelling. We want to see what this house is like inside and what it was like to live in this house. There's a huge amount to be discovered there." However, it is thought that the original owner must have been someone of considerable status and wealth and there is possibly a connection with Llanthony Priory which is situated less than six miles away. The Landmark Trust is to begin fundraising for the restoration and the house, which sits within the Brecon Beacons National Park, will be available for rent as holiday accommodation. SOURCE: Cadw Ms Stewart added: "Often the way to preserve [buildings like this] is to find them a use. This is an other way to find a modern use for an ancient building. "This is helping the building to "breathe" if you like. If people have enjoyed their stay, they may well provide additional funds." Peter Pearce, director of the Landmark Trust, said: "The importance of Llwyn Celyn in helping us understand the development of high status Welsh houses more fully cannot be understated."

Summary: It may not look like much now, but this in-need-of-attention property is set to be a holiday let for history fans.


Addressing a meeting of backbenchers, the PM reportedly said she would serve as "long as you want me to do". One senior backbencher told the BBC that she had appeared "contrite and genuine but not on her knees". It comes amid confusion over whether the Queen's Speech will be delayed as talks continue to form a government. A senior minister has said he was "optimistic" that the Conservatives and Democratic Unionists will reach an agreement in the coming days to allow a proposed Tory minority government get its plans for the year ahead through the Commons, possibly as early as next Monday. But First Secretary of State Damian Green said he could not confirm the Queen's Speech will proceed as planned on 19 June. Labour said the government was "in chaos" and continued to be "in denial" about the message voters had sent about their opposition to an "extreme Brexit". Mrs May addressed a packed meeting of the 1922 Committee for 90 minutes after her failure to win the election outright prompted days of speculation about her future. According to reports of the meeting, she accepted personal responsibility for calling the snap election and for the result, which saw her party lose its overall majority and have to rely on the support of others. Mrs May, who earlier chaired a two-hour cabinet meeting, reportedly told the committee, a group of backbench MPs, that the DUP would not have a "veto" on the government's agenda, and there would be no watering down of equalities laws over which the two parties disagree. The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the PM's "colleagues were demanding contrition and sounds like they got it". While calls for Mrs May to go had "faded", she said her authority was "extremely fractured" and had acknowledged she was not "calling the shots" any more. Reacting to the meeting, Tory MP Julian Knight said that the prime minister had been "humble and steadfast and certain that we have to get on with the job of government and negotiating Brexit". His colleague Sarah Wollaston tweeted: "Conservative MPs all said they were standing with TM. As far as I'm concerned that hasn't changed." One Conservative ex-minister told the BBC that Theresa May "did brilliantly", suggesting that "the "Maybot" disappeared and we got a real leader back". In the wake of Friday's setback, Conservative figures have said the party needs to learn the lessons of its failure to win an overall majority and change direction in some key areas. Gavin Barwell, who lost his seat but has since been appointed Mrs May's chief of staff, said Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had "tapped into" public anger over Brexit and austerity, saying some voters were dismayed about the prospect of years of future public sector pay freezes. He told the BBC's Panorama his party had to listen to Remain voters about their concerns. Meanwhile his colleague George Freeman said it was time for the government to "drop a hard Brexit" message and return to a "message of hope" he said Mrs May articulated when she first

Summary: Theresa May has apologised to Tory MPs for the party's election performance, telling them "I got us into this mess I'll get us out of it."


It is a pretty astonishing story of rebirth. Ten years ago al-Qaeda was on the run. It had lost training camps, money and men - crushed by American and Pakistani operations. And then, to make matters worse, its local franchise in Iraq went off the rails, becoming so barbaric that al-Qaeda's own supporters turned against it. So how did al-Qaeda turn things around? In a word: strategy. It learnt from its mistakes and went on a charm offensive - delivering gas and water to people, taking over bakeries and selling cut-price bread. And it seems to be working. Al-Qaeda and its affiliates are known to operate in Syria and Iraq, in Afghanistan and in Yemen, and in several African countries including Mali, Somalia and Niger. While IS is losing support all over the Middle East, al-Qaeda's star is rising. In fact, it is now so popular that, in the long run, al-Qaeda may pose the greater threat. You can listen to The Inquiry: What happened to al-Qaeda? on the BBC World Service website or download the programme podcast.

Summary: Barely out of the headlines a few years ago, al-Qaeda may now appear to have been eclipsed by so-called Islamic State - but, according to four of the world's leading experts on the organisation founded by Osama Bin Laden, it is more dangerous than ever, as The Inquiry team explains.


The Dow Jones hit a new record high closing up 24.45 points to 18,372.12. The S&P 500 climbed just 0.29 points to 2,152.43, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq index slipped 17.09 to 5,005.73. Investors remained cautious ahead of the corporate earnings season, with major firms due to release results over the next few weeks, starting with JP Morgan on Thursday. Shares in JP Morgan Chase slipped 0.2%. Delta Airlines which also reports quarterly results on Thursday closed 1.5% lower. Health insurance providers saw a rise in their share price after a report said healthcare spending in the US would rise by 5.8% per year over the next decade. Insurance provider Humana gained 4.3%, while Aetna climbed 3.2%. Shares of Juno Therapeutics added 9.5% despite a lawsuit that was filed against it this week. The lawsuit alleges that Juno and its chief executive Hans Bishop misled investors about the death of a patient in a drug trial. Global oil prices fell by 4%. Brent crude oil dropped to $46.48 per barrel and West Texas crude slipped to $45 per barrel.

Summary: (Closed): Wall Street finished with mixed results as a three-day rally showed signs of slowing.


Guy Hedger was shot by intruders who entered a house in St Ives, near Ringwood, Dorset, just after 03:00 BST on Sunday. He later died in hospital. The men, who wore balaclavas, stole jewellery including designer watches before fleeing the property. No arrests have been made and police have not recovered the shotgun used to kill the 61-year-old. A helicopter was used to search the area following the shooting, which police believe was a planned burglary that turned violent. Detectives said a second person who was in the Â£1m Castlewood property at the time of the break-in was "deeply affected by the incident" and is currently being supported by specially trained officers. He lived in the property with his husband of 12 years, Simon-Pierre Hedger-Cooper, according to the Press Association. Det Ch Insp Sarah Derbyshire said: "At this stage we are still trying to establish exactly what happened at the address and how and why the victim was shot dead. "I am appealing for anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the area, or was in the area at that time, to contact Dorset Police as soon as possible." A spokesman for his former employer, insurance firm Liverpool Victoria (LV), said: "We were all shocked to hear that our friend and colleague Guy Hedger... died over the weekend in such tragic circumstances. "Our heartfelt condolences and sympathy are with his family and loved ones at this incredibly sad time." Through his work as marketing and brand director at LV, Mr Hedger became a director at Avonbourne International and Business and Enterprise Trust, which runs colleges and a primary school in the Bournemouth area. The trust's CEO Debbie Godfrey-Phuare said: "Guy was a very kind and generous man who volunteered and gave his time freely to Avonbourne. "[He] had a deep passion for education and was dedicated to expanding the experience and knowledge of children in Bournemouth." Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning

Summary: Police are searching for at least two people over the shooting of a marketing executive who was shot in his own home.


Reports say some protesters tried to enter the government building but were pushed back by police. Thousands of protesters gathered on European Square again after a huge rally on Sunday - the biggest since the 2004 Orange Revolution. They are angry at the government's decision not to sign a major trade and association deal with the EU. In recent weeks the government has come under Russian pressure not to sign the pact, but to join a Russian-led customs union with former Soviet states instead. Opposition leaders, including world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, called the government's decision "shameful" and vowed to keep up mass protests in central Kiev indefinitely. The activists included supporters of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, who urged the government to release her - a plea that has also been made by EU politicians. Ms Tymoshenko wants to get treatment in Germany for chronic back pain and the EU has made her release a key condition for signing the pact with Kiev. But last week Ukraine's parliament rejected legislation that would have enabled her to go. More than 100,000 people rallied in Kiev on Sunday, the opposition said. Police estimated the crowd at about 50,000. Hundreds of protesters stayed in tents on the square overnight, despite an order from the authorities not to do so. Tents were a big feature of the pro-Western Orange Revolution, which challenged Russia's traditional influence in Ukrainian politics. Viktor Yanukovych is president now, having been elected in 2010, but back in 2004 he was toppled by the Orange Revolution after an election widely condemned as fraudulent. The authorities have launched criminal proceedings against some activists who clashed with police on Sunday. By David SternBBC News, Kiev The crowds have diminished considerably after yesterday's gigantic and historic demonstration in central Kiev. But tensions have not lessened. More confrontations between protesters and police early Monday morning in front of Ukraine's government building indicate that the situation remains very volatile. A few thousand people turned out on Monday, and around 200 spent the night on two main squares, where rallies continue today. In an echo of the Orange Revolution nine years ago, protesters set up a tent camp in front of the main demonstration's stage. Ukrainian opposition leaders say political actions will continue through the week until the Vilnius summit, where Ukrainian officials were supposed to sign the free trade agreement with the EU. Many demonstrators say that they believe President Viktor Yanukovych will succumb to the pressure of the rallies and complete another about-turn - and sign the agreement. This of course depends on whether the protesters can maintain their own momentum over the coming days. The Interfax-Ukraine new agency said several hundred protesters gathered outside the government building on Monday and various objects "started flying in the direction of the police", prompting the police to don gas masks and form a human chain. Some activists told a BBC reporter at the scene that there were athletic-looking young people in the crowd whom they suspected of being agents provocateurs. In addition to Vitali Klitschko, opposition leaders

Summary: Ukrainian police have used tear gas in fresh clashes with pro-EU activists in the heart of Ukraine's capital Kiev.


The Isle of Man Met Office predicts wind speeds could reach up to 55mph (88km/h) later and on Thursday. The 08:45 GMT sailing between Douglas and Heysham and the 14:15 are affected, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company said. A spokesman said the 19:45 and overnight service could also face disruption or cancellation. Affected passengers have been asked to contact the company. The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for cold and windy weather on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with a "likelihood of hail, snow and temperatures close to zero". It has also issued a flood warning for Peel promenade at high tide at 10:15.

Summary: Strong winds have led to the cancellation of two ferry crossings between the Isle of Man and Lancashire.


The rainbow flags with the Jewish symbol "made people feel unsafe", an organiser told the Windy City Times. Laurel Grauer said she was told to leave the so-called Dyke March "because my flag was a trigger to people that they found offensive". The organisers later hit back, saying Israel hides behind LGBT-rights. "It was a flag from my congregation which celebrates my queer, Jewish identity which I have done for over a decade marching in the Dyke March with the same flag," Ms Grauer told Windy City Times. Ms Grauer, who works for A Wider Bridge, which supports LGBT people in Israel, said she lost count of how many times she was verbally harassed by other marchers on Saturday. The Dyke March takes place one day ahead of the city's official Pride March. It is described by organisers as being a "more inclusive, more social justice-oriented" march than the city's main Pride parade. In a social media post, the Dyke March said: "This decision was made after [the expelled marchers] repeatedly expressed support for Zionism during conversations with Dyke March Collective members." Ms Grauer told the Times: "People asked me if I was a Zionist and I said, 'yes, I do care about the state of Israel, but I also believe in a two-state solution and an independent Palestine.' "It's hard to swallow the idea of inclusion when you are excluding people from that," she continued. "People are saying, 'You can be gay but not in this way.' We do not feel welcomed. We do not feel included." In a statement, the Dyke March Collective later accused Ms Grauer's organistion of "using Israel's supposed 'LGBTQ tolerance' to pinkwash the violent occupation of Palestine". A Wider Bridge hit back in a statement, saying: "That the organisers would choose to dismiss long-time community members for choosing to express their Jewish identity or spirituality runs counter to the very values the Dyke March claims to uphold, and veers down a dangerous path toward anti-Semitism." They called upon the Dyke March Collective to issue a full apology. Red State, a conservative blog, wrote: "When you're the organizer of a gay pride parade meant to celebrate 'inclusiveness,' then you're not just engaging in bigotry and anti-Semitism, but you're saying to the world you're also a giant hypocrite."

Summary: Organisers of an LGBT-rights festival in Chicago are being accused of anti-Semitism after they expelled marchers carrying the Star of David.


It followed a "network-wide failure" that caused delays, a Metrolink spokeswoman said. There had been a communications failure between the control room in the depot and trams on the network, she added. Metrolink boss Danny Vaughan said: "I'd like to apologise once again and thank passengers for their understanding." There is no indication the fault was caused by hacking. In May, the tram network was shut down because control room staff lost visible sight of trams.

Summary: All tram services have resumed in Greater Manchester after the whole network shut down on Saturday following a communications problem.


Concerned that their messages may be intercepted, the leadership has also banned members from using smart phones. The group has long run what is regarded as a slick media machine. Even without smart phones, it has been known for its sophisticated handling of social media, a reputation at odds with its regular bans on communication technology for Somali citizens. In particular, it has made extensive use of Twitter in order to get its message across. It has also devoted considerable resources to producing a series of promotional videos. Al-Shabab's material aims to spread the group's ideology of establishing an Islamic state in Somalia, in line with al-Qaeda's stated ambition of setting up a global Islamic caliphate. It wants to achieve this both by military conquest and also the conversion of souls - for which communication technology is a key tool. Al-Shabab's well-produced video documentaries deliver the jihadi narrative in an appealing form to Somali audiences in the diaspora. They are aimed at young people of Somali origin such as Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow, a suspect in last year's Westgate mall attack in Kenya. His family is said to have moved to Norway as refugees in 1999. The group's documentaries are produced by its media arm, the al-Kataib foundation. Many of them show al-Shabab engaging in charity work and other activities that depict the group as a legitimate authority. However, they can also be quite gruesome - showing the corpses of those they have killed, including alleged spies who are often beheaded. And they contain threats to their perceived enemies - in Somalia, neighbouring countries such as Kenya which are helping Somalia's government and the West. The videos portray al-Shabab's fight as part of a wider global conflict in which Islam is under threat. Al-Shabab also has its own radio station, Radio Andalus. The group has acquired half a dozen relay stations, mainly by seizing private radio stations such as HornAfrik, Holy Koran Radio and the Global Broadcasting Corporation radio and their equipment - including some from the BBC. The website Kismaayo News reported that by 2013, the group had 50 journalists working for Andalus radio. When it comes to recruiting presenters, al-Shabab is known for its attention to detail. It generally takes care to use presenters with British or American accents to deliver its English language audio statements. With statements in Arabic, standard Arabic is used, and the presenters clearly have a high level of education in the language and in Islamic texts. Swahili-language presenters use classical Kiswahili as spoken in Tanzania and coastal Kenya. The majority of al-Shabab's audio output, though, is in Somali and is presented articulately and fluently. A number of pro-al-Shabab websites have emerged, which host material produced by the group and act as vehicles for furthering its military aims. The content is intended to frustrate efforts by the Somali government and its allies - mainly the African Union forces fighting in Somalia - to eliminate the group. Al-Shabab has often used Twitter to challenge the veracity of claims made by the African Union forces. Its Twitter accounts are

Summary: A recent al-Shabab directive that all its members change their mobile phone numbers shows how tech-savvy the al-Qaeda-linked Somali Islamist group remains and how their communications strategy is key to their survival.


The RSPCA visited Margaret Greaves's house after concerns were raised about the welfare of dogs at the property. Inspectors found 30 dogs living in "their own little prison cells" with no food or water. Six puppies, two cats and two parrots were also found. The dogs were found in squalid conditions all over the house, as well as seven living in a van. RSPCA inspector Laura Kirkham said: "They were living in their own little prison cells - it was absolutely horrific. "There were faeces and urine in the crates and, in some, there were two dogs in each. "The smell was disgusting, it was so overpowering that it was burning my throat." Five of the dogs were put to sleep on veterinary advice and a puppy removed from the property died from natural causes. The remaining animals are in RSPCA care or have been re-homed. Greaves, of Rookery Lane, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, was given a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Mansfield Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. She was also banned from keeping any animal for three years. The RSPCA said Greaves ran a Nottinghamshire-based dog flyball team and has previously competed in national and international competitions. Flyball sees two teams of four dogs each racing side-by-side over a 51ft (15.6m) course, releasing and catching a ball.

Summary: A flyball trainer who competed internationally has been banned from keeping dogs for life after 40 animals were found at her home in "horrific" conditions.


The 53-year-old was due to have what he described as "simple and straightforward" surgery on Monday to relieve a "tightness of the arteries". However, after extensive tests Allen was allowed to return home and will take first-team training on Thursday. Barnet are 12th in the table, two points off the play-off places. A statement on the club website said tests on Allen's condition are ongoing.

Summary: Barnet manager Martin Allen will take charge of Saturday's League Two match against Crewe after a surgeon decided not to operate on a minor heart issue.


Media playback is not supported on this device Laura Robson and Kyle Edmund were both beaten in straight sets, with James Ward, Alex Ward, Brydan Klein and Naomi Broady also out on the opening day. Evans, 26, won 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (9-7) 7-5 against Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff in three hours and 17 minutes. British number ones Andy Murray and Johanna Konta play on Tuesday. Fifteen British players made the main singles draws - the most at the All England Club since 2006 - though that number was significantly reduced on a tough opening day for the home hopes. But, in the most remarkable story of the day, British qualifier Willis - ranked 772 in the world - was a straight-set victor over world number 54 Ricardis Berankis. "He's a good guy, friendly, harmless," Evans said of Willis. "Not a bad bone really. He's a bit of a clown. What you see is what you get with him. "He's just a bit of a joker, just enjoys himself. You know, he's a really nice guy, one of my good friends." Media playback is not supported on this device Evans has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance in the past year, climbing more than 650 places up the world rankings since dropping to 772nd in May 2015. Questions were raised about the Birmingham player's commitment to the sport when he did not turn up to a Futures event, while he also struggled with a knee injury. But he has rediscovered his fitness and form in the past 12 months, helping Great Britain win the Davis Cup and claiming three ATP Challenger titles. Now he has been further rewarded with his first win in the men's singles at Wimbledon. With just five places between Evans and world number 86 Struff in the rankings, it was not surprising to see a tight match on court 18. Evans took the first set before the pair traded tie-break wins, then the Briton shook off an injury scare in the fourth to secure his progress to huge acclaim. "It was a good one, tough one," said Evans. "I really enjoyed it, every part of the match, even the second set. It was good to get the win in the end, get another Brit through." Edmund, the British number three, went down 6-2 7-5 6-4 to France's Adrian Mannarino, the world number 55. Defeat means the 21-year-old is still waiting for his first win in the men's singles at Wimbledon. The Yorkshireman had the honour of being the first home player to walk out on to court, but was unable to provide a winning start for a partisan crowd on court two. Ranked 13 places below his opponent, he lost his serve early in the first set and never recovered in an edgy display. Mannarino, who reached the last 16 here in 2013, broke again in the opening game of the second set, before Edmund finally started to cause the French number nine some problems with his crunching forehands. There was a brief glimmer of hope for Edmund when he broke

Summary: Dan Evans and Marcus Willis were the only Britons to win on the opening day of Wimbledon as six other home players lost their first-round matches.


They'll headline the British Summer Time festival on 20 June. The band, who got back together for a pair of reunion shows in the park six years ago, join Taylor Swift, Kylie and The Who on the bill. Speaking at a news conference in a London Chinatown restaurant, frontman Damon Albarn joked: "I love it because I can cycle to work". They'll be the only band ever to play Hyde Park four times after this performance. Bassist Alex James says that "since we made our last record as a four-piece we have probably only done 20 gigs. "So for me every time we play together it feels special but in order to keep doing it we need something news to do." Blur are also working on their first studio album as four-piece in 16 years, The Magic Whip. Guitarist Graham Coxon said they started recording in Hong Kong when a gig was cancelled. He said: "we thought we'd put a few days, five or six days, to good use". The album is influenced by the band's time in Far East. Damon Albarn confirmed one song was about time he spent in North Korea: "it's my impression of the place, in a very abstract veiled way. "When you listen to it is pretty self explanatory what it's about". The singer also said it was nice to work with a basic set-up when they first started to make the album to see what they could create. He told the news conference that "we didn't have much stuff so it was like recording when we first started doing stuff. It was a really small studio, it was really hot and claustrophobic. "We just went in there and knocked about some ideas." The album will be released on 27 April. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Blur are heading back to Hyde Park with their first album in more than a decade.


Police opened fire and used tear gas to disperse the crowds, but the news of the death brought more protesters onto the streets of the city of Srinagar. The area was in a security lockdown during Mr Modi's visit. Kashmir, claimed by both India and Pakistan in its entirety, has been a flashpoint for more than 60 years. The two South Asian rivals have fought two wars over the region in the Himalayas. During his one-day trip, Mr Modi steered clear of discussing politics. Instead, he focused on an aid package to the region, promising $12bn (Â£8bn). Mr Modi expressed hopes that his could "change the fate of Kashmir". "I want to build a new Kashmir, a powerful Kashmir," the prime minister said. But several separatist leaders warned that a political problem could not have an economic solution. "PM Modi has made the same mistake of weighing the Kashmir issue in rupees," said Omar Abdullah, the former chief minister of the state.

Summary: A demonstrator has been killed in clashes with government troops in Indian-administered Kashmir, following a visit there by PM Narendra Modi.


The National Enquirer and RadarOnline reported a 35-minute recording, apparently of the actor, making threats about former porn star Scottine Ross. Ms Ross has taken legal action against Sheen, claiming he physically abused her and had sex with her without disclosing his HIV positive status. Sheen has not commented on the reports. Earlier this week, police officers served a search warrant on the New York headquarters of American Media Inc, the parent company of both RadarOnline and the Enquirer. According to the warrant, the Los Angeles police investigation was triggered when Ms Ross made a complaint on 31 March saying she feared for her life after reading the reports. On Thursday, the publications - neither of which have published the audio alleged to contain the star saying he would like to see a former fiancee "have her head kicked in" - refused to hand over the material to police. Dylan Howard, the Enquirer's editor-in-chief and editorial director of RadarOnline, told Reuters the outlets had no plans to turn over documents or identify their sources. He said the search warrant, signed by an LA County Superior Court judge, was illegal under both state and federal law preventing the use of such warrants against media organisations relating to "newsworthy" information. He said: "We do believe that a judge did issue this order against the law, and that's why we will not be complying with its order." In a televised interview in November 2015, Sheen said he had been diagnosed with HIV four years earlier. The former star of Two and Half Men and films including Wall Street and Platoon admitted his history of drink and drug abuse was a "bad decision" but said it was "impossible" he would have passed HIV on to anyone else. In December, Ms Ross - who was engaged to Sheen in 2014 before the relationship was broken off - filed a legal action against him accusing him of "physical, psychological and emotional abuse".

Summary: Actor Charlie Sheen is facing a police investigation over claims he made threats against an ex-girlfriend, who is suing him for assault and battery.


Media playback is not supported on this device It is 25 years since Howard Wilkinson led Leeds to the 1992 title, the year before the Premier League was formed. "I don't think it will last another 25 years," said Wenger, referring to "many promising young English managers". Wenger also defended his players after they were criticised for being too friendly with the Manchester United team prior to Sunday's game. And he offered sympathy to striker Lucas Perez over his lack of first-team action. The Gunners face Southampton in the Premier League at St Mary's on Wednesday, knowing a win will left them above Manchester United into fifth in the table, three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City. To mark 25 years since the last English manager won the top flight, at 19:30 BST on Tuesday a BBC Radio 5 live special asks if an English manager will ever win the Premier League. Wenger, who has won the title three times with Arsenal since taking over from Bruce Rioch in 1996, said: "I don't think it is especially an England problem, it is down to the fact the Premier League has attraction power internationally and today all the big clubs have foreign managers. "Before, many Scottish people have won the championship in England. We have many young English managers who are promising. "The English federation has done a good job in educating coaches and you will see a change in that. "When I arrived I remember there were articles saying foreign managers can never win the championship. "It will change again, I'm convinced, we are at a turning point in English football history and some English managers will win the Premier League." Media playback is not supported on this device Match of the Day 2 pundits Phil Neville and Martin Keown criticised Arsenal and Manchester United players for hugging and laughing in the tunnel before the Gunners' 2-0 victory at the Emirates on Sunday. The former suggested that Nacho Monreal looked like he was "going to a christening". When asked about the incident, Wenger responded: "I understand the pundits are a bit surprised. Ten, 15 years ago that didn't exist but it is an international thing now - you watch Real Madrid versus Barcelona and it is the same. "It doesn't stop making players focused. It is pictures we're not used to seeing but it is part of the modern game. Maybe it happened 10, 15 years ago but you didn't have cameras in the tunnel." Arsenal signed Perez for £17.1m from Deportivo La Coruna in August 2016 but the 28-year-old Spaniard has made just 21 appearances for the Gunners this season, starting only twice in the Premier League. He has scored seven times, including a hat-trick in the Champions League group game at Basel. "He is a top quality striker, I couldn't give him the games he wants and deserves and I feel sorry for him," said Wenger. "Don't take anything away from his quality. I would love to [keep him] if I am the manager but we have to sit down together

Summary: It is only a matter of time before an English manager wins the Premier League title, says Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.


It had been in talks with stadium operators the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) for six months over a naming-rights deal. But a Vodafone spokesman confirmed the company has "no plans to sponsor the London Stadium". A stadium spokesperson said they were still "actively seeking a naming rights partner". "Interest remains high within the market and we are confident we will find the right partner," they said. Vodafone has reported an annual loss of £5.2bn but denied this was a factor in its decision. A raid by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officials on West Ham's offices last month was also ruled out as a reason for the company to pull out, sources at the club and Vodafone have said. It is understood talks ceased because Vodafone did not think the range of events at the stadium where the 2012 Olympic Games was held was attractive enough for marketing purposes. The venue can only host a limited number of events because of its use as a football ground, although the World Athletics Championships and several concerts will be staged there this summer. This is the second time a sponsorship deal at the £750m stadium has faltered. Indian conglomerate Mahindra had been in talks with the LLDC last year. West Ham are unlikely to see any direct benefits from a sponsorship deal as under the tenancy arrangement, the LLDC take the first £4m a year from any naming-rights contract.

Summary: Telecoms company Vodafone has pulled out of a £20m deal to sponsor West Ham's London Stadium home.


A US team of researchers found that forecasted shifts in climate by 2070 would occur too quickly for species of grass to adapt to the new conditions. The species facing an uncertain future include wheat, corn, rice and sorghum, which provide almost half of the calories consumed by humans. The findings appear in the Royal Society Biology Letter journal. Not only does the grass family (Poaceae) of more than 11,000 species form the staple of people's diets across the globe, natural grasslands cover about a quarter of the planet's land area and provide a home to a rich diversity of dependent flora and fauna. The team from the University of Arizona, US, observed: "Thus, if climate change has strong negative impacts on grasses, there might be significant consequences for both global biodiversity and for humans." In order to gain an insight into the impact of projected climate change on the world's grasses, they estimated the rates of climate change niche change in a representative sample of 236 grass species and compared these rates with rates of projected climate change by 2070. "A climatic niche is basically the temperature and precipitation conditions where a species occurs," explained co-author John Wiens from the university's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. "What is important about it is that if you are thinking about one species living in one place and it can only survive under a limited set of conditions then, as the climate changes, it either has to shift its climatic niche or it is going to go locally extinct." He told BBC News: "In other words, it either has to accommodate those new conditions or it will not be able to survive there any more." The team examined how quickly the grass species' climatic niches were able to change, based on they had changed in the past. "What we found was that they do not change all that much - a few degrees Celsius over a million years. There are just small changes over long time scales," Dr Wiens observed. "In some ways, that is the most important part of the story; these climatic niches generally seem to change relatively little and relatively slowly. "Then we looked at future climate projections for a range of localities, and we asked how much they were going to change." The team found that the difference between the rates of change in the study's grass species' climate niche and projected changes in a location's climate was often "20,000-fold". "The findings are similar across all the groups so they could be applied to wild species as well as to the cultivated ones. There is no way that cultivated species are somehow exempt from our findings," Dr Wiens added. These finding present a bleak outlook; apparently squashing the hope that crop species would be able to cope with a warming world. The study does not show species going globally extinct, rather it highlights how conditions are projected to change in a way that is beyond the climate niche of species, therefore species are likely to disappear from that location.

Summary: A study has highlighted the risk posed by projected climate change on the world's ability to grow enough food.