The Information Commissioner is to be asked to overrule a decision by the National Archives to keep the documents about the trial of Stephen Ward hidden. The submission is being made by lawyer Geoffrey Robertson QC. It is believed Ward killed himself as his trial for living off immoral earnings was ending. Ward, an artist and osteopath living in London, had in 1961 introduced 21-year-old reputed call girl Christine Keeler to the Secretary of State for War, John Profumo. The minister and Ms Keeler - who is also thought to have had relations with an attache at the Russian embassy, Yevgeny Ivanov - started an affair. When challenged, Profumo initially denied the relationship - but was later forced to admit that he had lied in March 1963, in a scandal that threatened to topple the Conservative government of the time. Ward, who many believe was a victim of a cover-up, is understood to have killed himself on the last day of his trial at the Old Bailey, where he was found guilty of living off the immoral earnings of Ms Keeler and her friend Mandy Rice-Davies, who were referred to at the time of the court case as prostitutes. Mr Robertson, the author of Stephen Ward was Innocent, OK, said that he was making the appeal because keeping documents about Ward's trial hidden "was irrational and ignores the public interest and the interests of history in discovering the truth about Ward's conviction, which is widely viewed as a miscarriage of justice". He added: "Releasing the official trial transcript is important to work out why Ward was ever prosecuted, and it will assist the case for overturning his conviction." The National Archives refused Mr Robertson access to most of its file on Ward, which is believed to include the police statements used to charge him with living off the earnings of Ms Keeler and Ms Rice-Davies. Mr Robertson argues in his book that neither woman was a prostitute, and both in fact lived off Ward's earnings as a celebrated osteopath and portrait artist. The file on Ward is currently closed from public view until 2046, because this is 100 years after the birth of Ms Rice-Davies, the youngest of the trial witnesses. The Information Commissioner is set to make a decision to see if it can be opened earlier. According to Mr Robertson, this "will cast an important new light on one of the worst miscarriages of justice in modern British history, and help explain how Stephen Ward was made the scapegoat for the Profumo affair by prosecuting him for crimes that neither he nor anyone else ever committed". A spokesman for the National Archives said it did not want to provide a comment. A spokesman for the Information Commissioner's Office said it had not yet received Mr Robertson's submission.

Summary: A decision to keep documents relating to a man who was at the centre of the Profumo sex scandal hidden should be overturned, a leading lawyer has said.


A Sporting Equals audit found 26 of 601 board members - just over 4% - are from BAME backgrounds. Only two of 68 chairpersons or chief executives are BAME. "Talking to other athletes and sportspeople, they are expressing concern that it is a world not open for them," said Briton Ohuruogu, 32. "They won't be welcomed, won't be valued and it is very negative. They have gone as far as they can as athletes but they don't feel there is any more room for them to go." Shadow sports minister Rosena Allin-Khan told BBC Sport that "greater representation" was needed in boardrooms to "increase role models". The Labour MP for Tooting added: "It is about empowering people who are already at the top of their game and those who have finished their sporting career and want to take up a position in the boardroom." Sporting Equals works to promote ethnic diversity in sport, and its audit included responses from grassroots sports organisations funded by Sport England and some institutions funded by UK Sport. Taking into account the UK BAME population of 14%, it revealed: Wasim Khan was the first Britain-born Pakistani to play professional county cricket, and was part of Warwickshire's double-winning side in 1995. In 2014, Leicestershire made him the first BAME chief executive of a county cricket club. "There is still a huge amount of work to be done but, for the first time, we have seen some real positive work," he told BBC Sport at a Sporting Equals event in London. "One of the excuses thrown is that there is not enough talent in the BAME community but that will be addressed now. "This is not based around tokenism; this is on merit. We want people to have a competitive chance of getting into sport." Khan said he had to "break the mould" as a youngster but said change is now taking place. For the first time, England's cricket team have four Britain-born Muslims in their side - Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Haseeb Hameed and Zafar Ansari. Khan added: "In terms of diversity, you can see it is starting to happen in cricket and they are leading the way. "We need to make sure more are making it into leadership positions because there are enough role models now."

Summary: Barriers exist for black, Asian and minority ethnic people entering sports administration, says former Olympic and world 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu.


Losing access to EU databases like the Schengen Information System would be an "abrupt shock" to policing, they say. Their report says if there is "tension" between maintaining security and bringing control of laws to Westminster and say security should take priority. The government says co-operation on security is a priority and it will do what is needed "to keep people safe". The report from the Lords EU Home Affairs sub-committee concedes that security co-operation is one policy area where a "positive outcome" is in everyone's interests. But it warns that, as a post-Brexit UK would no longer be part of the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice - which EU states see as providing oversight and checks and balances - things might be more difficult than imagined. "Even with the utmost goodwill on both sides, and a recognition of the mutual interest at stake, there may be practical constraints on how closely the UK and the EU 27 can work together in future if they are no longer bound by the same rules, enforced by the same supranational institutions." It warns that there is "some doubt" as to whether the remaining 27 EU states will be happy to sign up to "bespoke adjudication arrangements envisaged by the government". The government could well encounter "tension" between two of its aims - bringing back control of laws to Westminster and maintaining strong security co-operation, it says. "In our view, the safety of the people of the UK should be the overriding consideration in attempting to resolve that tension." The report covers various areas of security co-operation that will be subject to re-negotiation. On Europol, the policing co-operation agency, the committee warned that agreement already in place with other non-EU countries would "not be sufficient to meet the UK's needs" and the UK must push for a deal which "goes further". On SIS II - a European-wide database that alerts agencies to missing people and criminals on-the-run - the committee warned its loss would be "an abrupt shock to UK policing" and would pose a risk to public safety and the government should push for a "bespoke solution" which would see it get access to "the full suite of data-sharing tools on which the UK currently relies". The European Arrest Warrant - which replaced piecemeal extradition arrangements between member states in 2004 - has been controversial with some arguing it is a threat to UK sovereignty and can mean UK suspects are extradited on spurious grounds. But the committee argued it remained a "critical component of the UK's law enforcement capabilities". It argued that, after Brexit, the best option might be to seek a bilateral extradition agreement that is as similar as possible to the EAW - as Norway and Iceland have done. "An operational gap between the EAW ceasing to apply and a suitable replacement coming into force would pose an unacceptable risk." In response, Policing Minister Brandon Lewis said: "Co-operation on law enforcement and security with our European and global allies remains a priority for the government. "We will do

Summary: Brexit could leave the UK "less safe" unless security co-operation with the EU is maintained, peers have warned.


Hawes appears in the second series of BBC drama The Missing, which focuses on children who have disappeared. She said: "Having three children myself, I have tended to stay away from these sorts of dramas in the past. "It all felt too close to home, it's one of those stories you see on the news." Hawes, the star of Line of Duty and Ashes to Ashes, added: "You don't want to look at it, but in the end you can't help it because it's riveting." The second series of The Missing - written by brothers Harry and Jack Williams - begins with a young British woman being found collapsed in a German town square. It later transpires the woman - Alice Webster, played by Abigail Hardingham - has been missing for 11 years. The series explores how her family and the local community cope with her return. Hawes and The Walking Dead actor David Morrissey play the young girl's parents, Staff Sergeant Sam Webster and his wife Gemma. Speaking about her decision to sign up to the show, Hawes said: "I was sent the first six scripts and I sat down one evening and thought, 'Oh I'll take a look at the first one.' "By the end of the evening I had read them all, like I was making my way through a box set. I just couldn't stop. So I was very excited." The first series of the BBC One drama, which starred James Nesbitt, aired in 2014. The forthcoming series stars an almost entirely different cast - detective Julien Baptiste, played by TchÃ©ky Karyo, is the only character to return. It will again tell the story over two timelines, starting in 2014 when Alice returned and then moving to the present day. The programme will also examine Alice's possible connection to another missing girl whose case Baptiste has examined. Harry Williams said: "We didn't want to recreate the same story, we wanted to do something different. "Rather than losing someone, it's about finding someone, and whether that is the happy ending that everyone thinks it is." The Missing will return on 12 October. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Keeley Hawes says she has previously stayed away from acting in dramas about missing children as they "felt too close to home".


X Factor bosses confirmed that they're following doctor's advice. The judge, who's been mentoring Italian singer Andrea Faustini, has been ill for several days. Tulisa Contostavlos has been chosen to join the panel as a stand-in. It's thought she is a natural choice as she has been a judge on the show previously in 2011-12. She also featured in the show this year as a guest mentor at Louis Walsh's judges house and during Jukebox week she chose Stereo Kicks' song. The former Spice Girl didn't appear at an X Factor press conference on Thursday and missed rehearsals. The 39-year-old joined fellow judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini this series. She was left with only one contestant in the series after Paul Akister was eliminated in the fifth week of the live shows. Mel B appeared at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday where 20-year-old Faustini performed in a charity concert. Last month, there were worries that Cheryl would miss an X Factor show because of a throat infection. However she eventually appeared as normal. In 2011, then-judge Kelly Rowland missed a live show because of illness. Her last-minute replacement was a former winner of the show Alexandra Burke. The bookies' favourite to win this year's competition is Fleur East. The X Factor final is on ITV on both Saturday and Sunday nights. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Mel B will miss the X Factor final on Saturday night because she is too unwell.


In a statement , Nato described Saudi-born Sakhar al-Taifi as the group's second most senior figure in Afghanistan. He commanded foreign insurgents and directed attacks against coalition and Afghan forces, the statement said. But Taliban sources in Kunar deny Al-Taifi was killed and claim he left the area three months ago. Sakhar al-Taifi died in "a precision air strike" in the Watapur district of Kunar province on Sunday night, according to the Nato statement. Another rank-and-file member of al-Qaeda was killed at the same time, it said. But Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told the Afghan Islamic Press news agency that a bombing raid in the area had killed two Afghan Taliban. "There are no al-Qaeda fighters in Watapur and no foreign national was killed there," he said. Al-Taifi, who also went by the names of Mustaq and Nasim, arranged for weapons and insurgent fighters to be transported into Afghanistan, Nato says. He reportedly had strong links to Taliban fighters in the area. Senior intelligence officials have told the BBC's Bilal Sarwary that al-Taifi had expertise in making roadside bombs and suicide vests, but that he also funded and trained suicide attackers in Kunar. Al-Taifi replaced the al-Qaeda commander Abu Ikhlas al-Masri who was captured in Afghanistan's volatile Kunar province. Nato estimates that there are fewer than 100 al-Qaeda operatives in the country. However, the border with Pakistan where the fighters operate is porous, says the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Kabul. Troops on the ground often report hearing the voices of Arabic-speaking insurgents over radios - when they do, immediate attacks are launched against those sites, he says. Kunar has always been known as a crucible of conflict - a haven for millitants in the north-eastern corner of Afghanistan and bordering Pakistan's tribal areas. Correspondents say it is one of the first ports of call for insurgents crossing the mountain passes from Pakistan. Among the many documents seized from the compound of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan after he was killed last May was a letter to Atiya Abdul Rahman, al-Qaeda's top operational planner, in which the al-Qaeda leader advised militants to seek refuge in Kunar because of its terrain. "Kunar is more fortified due to its rougher terrain and many mountains, rivers and trees, and it can accommodate hundreds of the brothers without being spotted by the enemy. This will defend the brothers from the aircraft," he wrote.

Summary: One of the most senior al-Qaeda figures in Afghanistan was killed in a weekend air strike, Nato-led forces say.


French just edged into the top eight in the individual event for a place in Rio, with Samantha Murray 10th and Freyja Prentice 13th. Their combined scores helped them finish ahead of Italy and Germany. Olympic champion Laura Asadauskaite claimed the women's European gold. Asadauskaite, who started the run-shoot a combined 59 seconds behind eventual silver medallist Elodie Clouvel of France, had already secured her place in Rio by winning the World Cup final in June. It meant ninth-placed Alice Sotero of Italy was also rewarded with an Olympic berth in a race which saw Germany's Lena Schoneborn take bronze at the University of Bath. French was delighted by her career-best result which secured Britain their third Olympic place - following Joe Choong's seventh place in the men's event on Saturday and Murray's fifth at the 2015 World Championships. "It's amazing, I never thought I would be able to do it," French told BBC Sport. "I thought I was pretty average all day to be honest, but held it together in the run-shoot at the end and now I just have to stay strong next year." Murray - the silver medallist at London 2012 and 2014 World champion - was expected to challenge for her first European title. She ranked second after the swimming and fourth after the fencing stages, but dropped to ninth after the showjumping round and struggling with her shooting in the final event. "There was a lot of pressure," Murray admitted to BBC Sport. "I've had a difficult year with some injuries and some personal things going on so hopefully next season will be a fresh start. I'm looking forward to a clean slate." World junior champion and 2014 Youth Olympic silver medallist Francesca Summers finished 29th in her senior international debut.

Summary: British pentathletes claimed women's team gold as Kate French secured Olympic qualification on the final day of the European Championships in Bath.


Mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n dweud ei bod yn gwireddu un o'i phrif addewidion, drwy fwy na dyblu'r terfyn sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio cyn codi tâl am ofal cymdeithasol preswyl. Hyd yn hyn, roedd gan bobl yr hawl i gadw £24,000 o'u cyfalaf pan yn mynd i ofal preswyl, ond mae hynny'n codi ddydd Llun i £30,000. Nod y llywodraeth, yn unol â'i chynllun pum mlynedd 'Symud Cymru Ymlaen', yw codi'r trothwy i £50,000 yn y pen draw. Awdurdodau lleol sy'n gyfrifol am ariannu gofal rhywun os yw ei gyfalaf yn llai na £30,000. Os ydyn nhw'n codi swm, bydd hwnnw'n seiliedig ar yr incwm sydd ar gael i'r unigolyn. Ymysg newidiadau eraill sy'n cael eu cyflwyno mae diystyru'r Pensiwn Anabledd Rhyfel, fel bod dim rhaid i gyn-filwyr ddefnyddio unrhyw ran o'r pensiwn hwn i dalu am eu gofal. Mae'r llywodraeth yn dweud bod y newidiadau yn rhan o ystod eang o fesurau i wella gofal cymdeithasol yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys buddsoddiad o £55m. Dywedodd y Gweinidog Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, Rebecca Evans: "Mae pobl hŷn, sydd wedi chwarae eu rhan ac wedi cyfrannu'n ariannol ar hyd eu hoes, yn haeddu mwy o degwch. "Dyna pam y byddwn ni, dros gyfnod y Cynulliad hwn, yn dyblu swm yr arian y caiff pobl hŷn ei gadw pan fyddan nhw mewn gofal. "Dw i'n falch o allu dweud y caiff pobl gadw £30,000 heb iddo gael ei ddefnyddio i dalu am eu gofal o heddiw ymlaen. Bydd hyn yn cynyddu i £50,000 dros y blynyddoedd nesaf." Dylai unrhyw rai sy'n meddwl y gallen nhw, neu aelod o'u teulu, elwa ar y trefniadau newydd, gysylltu â'u hawdurdod lleol.

Summary: Mae rheolau newydd yn dod i rym ddydd Llun i geisio galluogi pobl mewn oed i gadw mwy o'u harian pan yn byw mewn gofal preswyl.


Schools and businesses were shut and airport services suspended, as the cyclone made landfall with heavy rain and winds of up to 140km/h (85mph). Teams from the army and National Disaster Relief Force, along with two naval ships, are on standby. Fishermen in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have been warned not to go to sea. Police said disaster management teams had evacuated more than 15,000 people from low-lying areas. The Tamil Nadu state government said in a statement that 260 trees in the city had fallen as a result of strong winds. Parts of the city have also been flooded. Winds were so strong that glass panels were torn from the facade of Chennai's Hyatt-Regency hotel. YK Reddy, director of the meteorology department in Hyderabad, told BBC Hindi the storm would weaken after making landfall. The storm comes about a year after Chennai experienced devastating floods which killed 70 people. In December 2011, more than 30 people died and many homes were damaged after a cyclone struck near the town of Pondicherry. And in May 2010 at least 23 people died as a powerful cyclone caused widespread havoc across Andhra Pradesh.

Summary: At least seven people have been killed and thousands evacuated from coastal areas in two southern Indian states, as Cyclone Vardah lashed Chennai (Madras).


The country's current T20 Challenge series consists of six teams but the new T20 Global League would be made up of eight city-based franchises. "We are confident the window we have chosen will make it possible to attract top-class players," said CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat. CSA informed the International Cricket Council of its plans this week. A worldwide tender has been put out by CSA and the deadline for expressions of interest is Friday, 3 March. "Our vision is to drive the creation of a new T20 destination league that would energise the sport of cricket in South Africa by creating a global platform for the best-in-class to perform and showcase their talent to a global audience," said CSA president Chris Nenzani. "We have received a very favourable response to our plans from the ICC and member boards and look to their support."

Summary: Cricket South Africa is planning to launch a new Twenty20 league to be played in late 2017.


Paramedics found Ellie Butler lying beside a low child's stool at her home in Sutton, south-west London. Her father Ben Butler claims she fell, but the prosecution said her injuries were caused by being thrown against a wall or hit with a "blunt weapon". The 36-year-old denies murder and a separate charge of child cruelty. At the Old Bailey, prosecutor Ed Brown QC said a post-mortem examination revealed the child suffered skull fractures from at least two severe impacts. Read more updates on this story and other news from London He said the doctor who carried out the examination and a neurological pathologist agreed her injuries were unlikely to have been caused by an accidental fall. A third expert, a forensic pathologist, believed Ellie's major head injury was "the result of one or more very forceful blunt impacts, arising through being thrown against a wall or the ground, or struck with a heavy blunt weapon", the court heard. "A domestic accident could not have given rise to these complex, catastrophic and rapidly fatal injuries," Mr Brown added. The court has heard how Ellie's parents, Mr Butler and Jennie Gray, summoned an ambulance two hours after her injuries were believed to have been caused. Mr Butler and Ms Gray, also 36, deny child cruelty over an untreated broken shoulder Ellie suffered weeks before her death. Ms Gray has admitted perverting the course of justice. Mr Brown told jurors it was a "distressing case" of a father accused of murdering his daughter and failing to seek medical help for her earlier injury. Ms Gray had been "determined and persistent" in trying to protect him by hiding and destroying evidence, he said. On the day of Ellie's death, on 28 October 2013, Mr Butler and Ms Gray exchanged a series of phone calls and texts, records show. He tried to call her at her office at 12:46 but reached a voicemail message and sent a text asking her to "answer". Her colleague Tracey Bernstein said in a statement that the way Ms Gray got up and left the office was "just not right". Another former workmate, Victoria Harris, said she had seen Ms Gray looking "agitated" on the phone. "It did appear to me it was more than just a secret conversation," she added. Minutes later Ms Gray was caught on CCTV dashing out of her office, near the Old Bailey. She sent a text to her manager to say she had left for home as she was "feeling unwell". But taxi driver Derek Greenwood, who drove her back to Sutton, overheard her on her mobile phone saying loudly "you have done what?", "you have gone where?" and "you're joking". The court also heard from their neighbour, Lucy Jackson who recalled hearing arguments and a raised male voice coming from their home. Jurors have previously been told that Mr Butler has had a conviction for assaulting Ellie as a baby quashed. Her parents then won a High Court ruling to return her to the family from foster care. The trial continues.

Summary: A six-year-old girl's "catastrophic" head injuries could not have been caused by an accidental fall, as claimed by her father, a court heard.


Smith, 22, competed at London 2012, claimed Commonwealth gold at Glasgow 2014 and was the favourite for GB's sole female weightlifting place in Rio. However, she dislocated her shoulder during the GB trials and selectors opted for rising-star Rebekah Tiler. "I don't want to ever miss out again," Smith told BBC Sport. She travelled to out to the 2008 Beijing Games as part of the British Olympic Association's athlete ambition programme for youngsters who have the potential to compete in future Olympics. Four years later she fulfilled that promise and set a new British record en-route to a 11th-place finish, but her Rio dreams ended after undergoing surgery on her injured shoulder. "The summer was bitter sweet for me," she said. "It was amazing to see Team GB do so well, but being stuck on a sofa watching it from afar was a little painful. "My injury rehab is going well, but I've not lifted since June - had surgery in July. "I'm still very much looking forward to the Commonwealth Games and I'm going to do everything in my power to qualify and try to defend my title." Media playback is not supported on this device Smith - a two-time Commonwealth medallist - has been named as one of Commonwealth Games England's (CGE) 25 athlete ambassadors for the 2018 Games in Gold Coast, Australia. Backed by £4m of Sport England funding CGE are planning to send the largest and best-prepared team to an overseas Commonwealth Games ever. As part of the package offered to each of the sport will be access to their Brisbane-based for 10 days in the build-up to the Games in April 2018. "The support we receive is amazing and there was a big difference between 2010 to 2014 as they listen to athletes," said Smith. "The village [in Glasgow] had all the facilities we need, as it will in Australia and I owe a lot a lot of the success I've had in the Games to that."

Summary: Weightlifter Zoe Smith insists the "pain" of missing the Rio Olympics is providing her with 'huge motivation' to return to the sport.


Konta, 25, was chasing the biggest title of her career but unravelled against the Polish number three seed after a battling first-set display. The 11th seed, who has made the world top 10, fought back from 4-2 but could not make it 5-5 after missing a volley. "I'm very pleased with this week, it was pretty spectacular," said Konta. "I'm really enjoying my journey and looking forward to matches like this against players like Agnieszka," she added. Media playback is not supported on this device Konta became the first British woman for 32 years to make the world top 10 after reaching the final. The last British woman to achieve that before her was Jo Durie in 1984. Relive finals day at the China Open In the men's final, Andy Murray secured his fifth singles title of 2016 - and 40th of his career - by beating Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 7-6 (7-2). After dropping her serve twice in each set, Konta tried to even the scoreline in the second, pushing Radwanska to two break points in the sixth game. However, Radwanska shot a forehand down the line to save her service game. Konta held the next with a forehand drop shot, only for her opponent to then serve for the title, firing her only ace of the match. BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller Konta was well beaten in the end by the world number three, but will officially be a top-10 player on Monday morning and now has a very good chance of qualifying for the season-ending championships in Singapore. Konta has moved into the eighth and final qualifying position, but has only a 10-point advantage over ninth-placed Slovak Dominika Cibulkova. There are two qualifying weeks remaining, with Konta now heading to Hong Kong, where she has drawn fellow Britain Naomi Broady in the first round.

Summary: British number one Johanna Konta was overpowered 6-4 6-2 by world number three Agnieszka Radwanska in the final of the China Open.


Translink said platform one was closed until further notice and Belfast-bound passengers on the Larne line should travel on to Central Station and change back to Yorkgate. The ticket office at the north Belfast station has also been closed. Translink offered a Â£1,000 reward for information which leads to a successful prosecution. "We have a zero tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour ," the train operator added. Police received reports of vandalism at 05:45 BST and officers are at the scene.

Summary: Passengers are facing disruption after Yorkgate station in Belfast was "extensively vandalised" overnight.


The event occurs when the waters of the Pacific become exceptionally warm and distort weather patterns around the world. Researchers say parts of the Pacific are likely to be 2C warmer than usual. The WMO says that this year's event is strengthening and will peak by the end of this year. The strongest El Nino on record was in 1997-98, but there were events that were significantly above the norm in 1972-73 and again ten years later in 1982-83. Scientists say that the event now underway is sending sea temperatures in parts of the Pacific to levels not seen since the late 1990s. In a statement the WMO said that this El Nino was gathering strength. "Models and expert opinion suggest that surface water temperatures in the east-central tropical Pacific Ocean are likely to exceed 2C above average, potentially placing this El Nino event among the four strongest events since 1950," it said. The WMO says that patterns of cloudiness and rainfall near the international dateline developed during the second quarter of this year and have been well maintained. These patterns are considered essential in triggering El Nino's global climate impacts which are more likely to be felt over the next six to eight months. "Compared to the last major El Nino event in 1997-1998, there is much more information available," said Maxx Dilley from WMO. "We have better models and are much more prepared." "It is a test case for the early warning systems and climate information systems of WMO members and we are hoping that will be of assistance to some of the affected countries," said Mr Dilley The phenomenon can alter established weather patterns in different parts of the world, bringing severe drought to parts of Asia while at the same time bringing heavy flooding to some parts of North America. It can increase flooding in the Horn of Africa while making Southern Africa drier. The events are likely to lead to a decrease in storm events in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico and an increase in storminess in the eastern Pacific. This El Nino has also impacted the South Asian monsoon. "We are seeing that the Indian monsoon right now is almost 12% below normal. There is only a month left of the summer monsoon season making it difficult to recover," said WMO's El Nino expert Rupa Kumar Kolli. "That was the kind of early warning information we can extract from the El Nino signal and it helps policy makers to prepare," he said. Currently, the Pacific is seeing a surge of hurricane activity, with three category four strength tropical storms swirling around the Hawaiian islands. Researchers say that these hurricanes can disrupt the predominant easterly trade winds that are found along the equator. This disruption allows more heat to build up in the eastern part of the Pacific, adding more fuel to stormy conditions. But researchers cautioned that the scale of impacts, especially in the northern hemisphere, is very hard to read because there is also an Arctic warming effect seen in the Atlantic jet

Summary: The current El Nino weather phenomenon could be one of the strongest on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).


Party leader Leanne Wood said inequality had grown after decades of gradual erosion of pay and conditions. She accused the Tories of "hostility" to trade unions and Labour of being "embarrassed" about its links to them. Plaid Cymru has called for a "living wage" and more say for employees, and an end to zero-hours contracts. The party has claimed increasing the statutory minimum wage of Â£6.50 an hour to the higher Â£7.85 living wage would boost pay for 250,000 people in Wales by 2020. It added that the measure could create up to 20,000 jobs through higher spending in local communities. Calling for a Royal Commission to examine wider workplace issues, Ms Wood said: "It would be an opportunity for communities, trade unions, businesses and the public to get involved in a conversation about the kind of conditions we all want to see for working people."

Summary: Low pay and workers' rights should be investigated by a Royal Commission looking at industrial relations, Plaid Cymru has said.


David Mair, a Swansea University cyber-terrorism researcher, has helped scrutinise the jihadist messages published online by terrorist groups. He said there were also key differences in ideology - most notably between so-called Islamic State and al-Qaeda. He presented his research to a Nato counter-terrorism summit in Turkey. Mr Mair was part of a Swansea team collaborating with the University of Massachusetts' Centre for Terrorism and Security Studies to analyse jihadist messages contained in online terrorist magazines. He argues the differences in ideologies among terrorist groups means, rather than one anti-terrorism counter-narrative, the West needs to tailor individual messages to debunk each competing philosophy. "As their name suggests, Islamic State's propaganda focuses closely on building a caliphate [a state governed in accordance with Islamic law, or Sharia, by God's deputy on Earth, or caliph]," he said. "They're reaching out to disaffected young men, and claim to be offering them the chance to come to Syria and be part of a brotherhood, to belong in a way that they argue Muslims can't in the West. "Al-Qaeda's message is much more focused on the religious imperative of jihad against the 'Crusaders', providing instructions to create your own bomb, and exalting individual 'lone wolf'-type attacks at home in Europe and America. "They're two very different themes, which need countering separately. "Whilst we need to demonstrate why life with IS doesn't offer the way out they're claiming, we also need to tackle head-on the false-religion arguments put forward by al-Qaeda." However, Mr Mair believes that, in order to start winning the battle for hearts and minds, the West needs to overcome credibility issues it has in the eyes of many radicalised youngsters. "A common theme in all the terrorist magazines was the process of 'othering', whereby they create a them-and-us narrative of Western oppression of Muslims which can only be defeated through violent jihad," he said. "In the light of that, any opposing view put forward by white middle-class people like me is just playing into their hands. "What we need to do is to empower the voices of people from within the Muslim community; in particular women and younger people who can have an enormous influence on thinking. "We need to provide the platforms and the data to allow these people to make their point, but the government can't be seen to be the ones who're pulling the strings or we'll be undermining the message all over again." Mr Mair said tackling the "push-factors" of poverty, social exclusion and a lack of positive role models for young Muslim men was also vital in countering radicalisation. He also believes recent media coverage of the Paris atrocities have been a positive step in undermining terrorist propaganda. "Much like the Blitz, terrorist attacks are much more about the people that survive than the people who are killed," he added. "They want to scare people out of their normal way of life and, after 9/11, they nearly succeeded in bankrupting the airline industry. "However, as well as reporting on the casualties, after the Paris attacks media coverage has very much

Summary: Gaining control of the online propaganda battle could be the most vital component in defeating Islamist militants, an expert has said.


The TV broadcaster said some of the UK's most common species have suffered "significant declines" in recent years. Many have experienced "several poor years", he added, due to cold weather and with their habitats under threat. Warm weather this year has given some species, such as the meadow brown and red admiral "a good start", he said. More than three quarters of the UK's butterflies have declined in the last 40 years, with numbers falling quicker in towns and cities, experts say. Sir David, president of Butterfly Conservation, said that despite a warm summer last year, species like the small tortoiseshell, peacock, meadow brown and gatekeeper had seen numbers fall due to a warm winter and a subsequent cold spring. "Worryingly, we are now seeing the fortunes of some of our once common butterflies mirror those of our rarest species and they too are now also suffering significant declines with butterflies declining more rapidly in urban areas than in the countryside," Sir David added. "In the last decade our butterflies have experienced several poor years and although resilient, they simply cannot sustain repeated losses, especially if the habitats they need in order to rebuild their populations are also under threat." He said 2017 has been a good year for species so far, but added: "Butterflies really need this to continue." Sir David urged members of the public to take part in the annual Big Butterfly Count to see if common species can bounce back this year.

Summary: Butterflies in the UK are facing "a vital" period following a worrying decline in their numbers, naturalist Sir David Attenborough has warned.


The US Treasury said that Senat Shipping was providing "extensive support" to a North Korean company already under sanctions. It means that any assets the firm holds in the US are frozen and prohibits US citizens from doing business with it. Senat Shipping has denied the allegations. The US Treasury makes clear that measures against Senat Shipping also extend to the company's president, Leonard Lai. It said that Senat Shipping was co-operating with Ocean Maritime Management Company (OMMC), a North Korean firm already under sanctions. In 2013, a ship operated by OMMC was seized by Panamanian authorities for hiding undeclared military equipment from Cuba under its cargo of sugar. According to US authorities, Senat arranged the purchase, repair, certification, and crewing of vessels for OMMC. "Arms shipments transported by OMMC serve as a key resource for North Korea's ongoing proliferation activities," said a US Treasury press release. The United Nations and the US imposed sanctions on OMMC in July 2014 for the attempted arms import into North Korea. Senat Shipping's statement confirmed that it had chartered OMMC vessels in the past to operate part of its business but says since then it had stopped dealing with all North Korean ship owners. The firm denies all of the accusations brought against it by the US. Company president Leonard Lai said the US move to put him and his company on the blacklist was "purely based on my historical dealings with OMMC and not based on anything illegal". Under UN sanctions, North Korea is banned from weapons exports and the import of all but small arms. There are also separate US sanctions also target Pyongyang's nuclear arms programme.

Summary: The US has blacklisted a Singapore-based shipping firm over allegations it is supporting illicit arms shipments to North Korea.


Datawind was among four finalists in a competition organised by UK Trade and Investment. The firm hopes the Ubislate, which sells for Â£22 ($35), will make digital connectivity more affordable. The three other finalists in the Smart UK Project were Blippar, P2i and QRpedia. Seventy-nine UK-based companies entered the competition in December. A key factor in selecting the finalists was that they demonstrated the potential to become global businesses. The winner of the competition was announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. As well as the prestige of winning, Datawind will get free design consultancy and free software. Russell Buckley, one of the Smart UK Project judges, said: "We were very impressed by the quality of all the finalists. "It was a tough decision but we are very pleased that Datawind has won. "There is a global potential and the will to transform lives and society, all using the resources of a British company." Suneet Singh Tuli, chief executive of Datawind, said the result was a "great validation of our vision".

Summary: The makers of a 7in (17.8cm) Android tablet have been named "UK's Most Innovative Mobile Company".


Stewart Hosie and Angus MacNeil are both reported to have had affairs with journalist Serena Cowdy. Mr Carlaw said he had written to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the BBC she had seen no evidence of any breach of parliamentary expenses rules. But Ms Sturgeon, who is also the SNP leader, said it was for the watchdog to decide. She also said that "even politicians have a right to privacy". Labour MP Graham Jones is understood to have made a separate complaint about Mr MacNeil and Mr Hosie to a second watchdog, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa). Mr MacNeil is said to have stayed with Ms Cowdy at the Park Plaza hotel in London, and then claimed for the room on expenses. Ms Cowdy is reported to have later been involved in a relationship with SNP deputy leader Mr Hosie, who recently separated from his wife, SNP MSP Shona Robison. Mr Carlaw, the Scottish Conservative deputy leader, wrote to the standards commissioner, Kathryn Hudson, saying "it has been alleged in several media reports" that Mr MacNeil and Mr Hosie had "conducted their respective affairs in either accommodation or hotels paid for by the taxpayer". He said this would break rules which say members should only use expenses "in support of parliamentary duties", and nothing that could "cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons". In response, the SNP said: "The expenses were approved by the Commons authorities in line with the rules on MP's London accommodation, and none of them involved any additional cost to the public purse beyond that. "This is the height of hypocrisy from the Tories, given the extent of flagrant abuse of expenses by their MPs which has been exposed in recent years - they simply don't have a leg to stand on when it come to this issue." Prime Minister David Cameron also made a veiled reference to the allegations in the House of Commons, when he said: "I know the SNP have got other things on their mind - I think actually it's mostly the same thing on their minds." Questions about the use of hotel accommodation have chiefly focused on Mr MacNeil. The MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles) has claimed about Â£90,000 in accommodation expenses since 2010/11, including Â£17,823.97 in 2014/15 - the period in which he was said to have been having an affair with Ms Cowdy. The vast majority of the claims have been for hotels in the London area. This is despite Mr MacNeil owning a flat in Lambeth, which is about a 15-minute walk from the House of Commons. Mr MacNeil, who separated from his wife last year, is understood to have bought the flat under previous Westminster expenses rules, which allowed him to charge mortgage interest payments to his parliamentary expenses. But when the rules changed following the MPs' expenses scandal, Mr MacNeil became one of several MPs who chose to rent out their properties and instead claim expenses for staying in hotels or rented accommodation when

Summary: Tory MSP Jackson Carlaw is to report two SNP MPs to a Westminster watchdog over allegations they claimed expenses for accommodation while carrying out extra-marital affairs.


The Snowdon Partnership launched a consultation on Thursday, outlining the ways it wants to promote and safeguard the area. It follows concerns about visitor numbers, litter and strains on rescue teams, facilities and the environment. Snowdonia National Park Authority said it hoped to create the "best plan possible for the area". According to the partnership, Snowdon is the third most visited attraction in Wales with 582,000 visitors and the busiest mountain in the UK. John Harold, the director of The Snowdonia Society, said the mountain has seen "a dramatic increase in visitors to the area over the last few years". "There are issues surrounding the pressures of use. We are looking at litter, at footpath erosion, the need for people to be aware of their responsibilities and the challenges they are setting themselves when they set out on the mountain, at sustainable transport," he said. "We celebrate the mountain - people do value it and enjoy their time here - so we are not interested in turning people away. "We are looking at the positives and putting the limited resources that the partner bodies have to get the best outcome." The partnership also wants to build on the success of tourism, saying about Â£69m is directly spent by visitors in local communities. Tracey Evans, chief executive of charity The Outdoor Partnership, said: "Outdoor pursuit tourism is the biggest income generator in the area and it's about managing it properly, identifying those honey pot areas and dealing with the challenges. "There is no one single answer. Do we need to look at an improved sherpa [bus] service, do we need a tourism tax where hoteliers and caterers come on board and the money is reinvested into the area? "This partnership approach should go some way to addressing these issues." Helen Pye, Snowdonia National Park Authority's partnerships manager, said: "People's views and ideas are extremely important to us which is why we're providing this opportunity for people to give their feedback on the draft plan. "Ensuring input from others is so important so that we can produce the best plan possible for the area, and the plan as a result will evolve and be adapted as appropriate." The online consultation runs until 7 July.

Summary: A drive is under way to protect the future of Snowdon following a rise in visitors to the mountain.


You are less likely, perhaps, to think of Bach, Haydn, Chopin and Rachmaninov. But for one native Easter Islander, these long-dead European composers are a daily inspiration. Mahani Teave started playing classical music as a young girl growing up on the South Pacific island, one of the most isolated places on earth. But within a year her piano teacher had left. The only piano on the island fell into disrepair and Teave's career looked to be heading the same way. But her mother had other plans. She moved the entire family more than 3,700km (2,300 miles) to the Chilean mainland so her daughter could continue to play. Teave completed university and went on to study music in the United States and Germany, where she is now based. Aged 29, she is regarded as one of the region's finest pianists. Teave describes her childhood as idyllic. "I was in complete contact with nature, swimming in the ocean, climbing trees, running freely. I wish everyone could enjoy that kind of childhood." But on an island with a population of fewer than 5,000 people, it was culturally limited. "There was really no chance to develop," she recalls. "When the piano teacher arrived, her idea was to retire, but then this child turns up and says to her, 'I want to learn piano, please teach me!' So that's how I started. I'd go and practise with her for hours every day. "When the teacher left, my mum said it was just too cruel, to allow children to dream but then not be able to fulfil them. That's when we moved to mainland Chile." Teave says she used to find it difficult to reconcile her Polynesian roots with her love of European classical music. "They were two completely different worlds," she says. "But the more I travelled I came to realise that we're all one people, with the same feelings and the same problems. And it's the same with music. It's about different ways of expressing the same feelings." Two decades after she first sat down at a piano, Teave is trying to ensure that the next generation of Easter Island children have things easier than she did. She has started a music school on the island and has persuaded people to donate instruments. Piano classes started in April and violin classes in June. "The idea is to add cello, guitar and ukulele lessons," she says. "One very generous gentleman has kindly offered to donate a grand piano." The school has teachers but their salaries are only guaranteed until later in the year. Teave is trying to ensure funding does not dry up. "It's been shown that youth orchestras have a real impact on society. If you're in an orchestra you learn to respect the conductor, to listen to your fellow musicians, to work together. And those are important values. "The alcoholism rate on Easter Island is really high, and one wonders why. I think it's because of the amount of talent and energy that ends up wasted and going nowhere." Teave is currently playing a series

Summary: Think of the remote Chilean outpost of Easter Island and you are likely to think of the giant stone statues that are dotted around the island and whose origins are shrouded in mystery.


Jones, 33, announced his retirement after being left out of Wales' 2015 Six Nations squad. Gatland says he would have "preferred" Jones to delay his decision until after the 2015 Rugby World Cup. "I was as surprised as anyone when Adam made the decision to retire," said Gatland. Media playback is not supported on this device "I would have preferred it to have been perhaps after the World Cup because he wasn't out of contention in our minds in terms of the World Cup." Tight-head Jones made 95 appearances for Wales, winning three Grand Slams, and played five Tests for the British and Irish Lions over two tours in 2009 and 2013. The former Neath and Ospreys player's last appearance for Wales was the 38-16 defeat by South Africa in the first Test of their June 2014 tour. His Test future was cast in doubt after he was replaced by Samson Lee after just 30 minutes of that game, having struggled in the scrum. He was then left out of Wales' autumn 2014 series and was placed on standby for the Six Nations in case of injury. Gatland at the time said that the door was open for Jones to force his way back into the squad for the World Cup, but the prop said that he made up his mind before Christmas that if he was not chosen for the squad he would retire. Jones is set to continue playing for Cardiff Blues, who he joined on a one-year deal in August 2014 after his Ospreys contract expired. Wales, meanwhile, kick off their Six Nations campaign at home against England on Friday, 6 February. "As a coach you've got to make some hard calls sometimes and we've been very pleased with the progress in particularly Samson Lee over the last 12 months," explained Gatland. "But sometimes you make that call when you're looking for some depth in certain positions. "He's [Jones] made that decision to retire and we have to respect him for that."

Summary: Wales coach Warren Gatland says he was surprised by the timing of prop Adam Jones' retirement from international rugby.


The former Manchester United players say their St. Michael's development would transform Jackson's Row near Manchester Town Hall. Their Â£200m proposal includes a five-star hotel, apartments, offices and restaurants. Plans are expected to be submitted to the city council later this year. Giggs and Neville revealed details of their proposed development in July. A synagogue would be rebuilt, but the 19th Century Sir Ralph Abercromby pub and the former Bootle Street police station would be demolished. The online petition claims two tower blocks at the centre of the scheme "are grossly inappropriate to this location". "They don't reflect, respond to or respect their surroundings," the petition continues. "They are in the wrong place, out of proportion and overwhelm everything around them, including the town hall, central library and both old and new buildings in the city centre." Stretford resident Paul Moore, who has signed the petition, said: "I work and socialise in Manchester city centre and think the history and uniqueness of the city is being lost by these glass soulless towers. To demolish historic buildings to make way for these is a crime." Matt Harby said: "I'm not opposed to the designs per se (I've seen a lot worse), but this is completely the wrong site for it." Neville and Giggs were involved in the development of Hotel Football, near their former club's Old Trafford stadium. They are also turning the former Manchester Stock Exchange into a luxury hotel. Before renovation started earlier this year, they allowed homeless people to stay in the building.

Summary: More than 1,500 people have signed a petition against Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs' "grossly inappropriate" plans to redevelop part of central Manchester.


The England striker fired in off the post from Danny Drinkwater's ball before Wes Morgan volleyed in from a right-wing corner after the break. Leicester's Riyad Mahrez had a penalty saved by Lukasz Fabianski, who also blocked Shinji Okazaki's follow-up. Swansea pulled one back when Leroy Fer headed in from Modou Barrow's cross. How these players managed to produce a good show in relentless torrential rain is remarkable. Heavy rain coupled with thunder and lightning added an extra dimension to proceedings, which Leicester coped with better than their opponents. Vardy, who barely had a sniff of a chance in the opening two league games, gave Claudio Ranieri's side the lead with a very typical Leicester goal. One-touch football on the edge of their own area, involving Daniel Amartey, resulted in Drinkwater playing a long through-ball for Vardy to chase. The 29-year-old latched on to it and thumped home his shot via the woodwork. It was the minimum the Foxes deserved having dominated possession, and they increased their lead after half-time when captain Morgan lashed in a fierce volley. The defending champions should have made it 3-0 but Fabianski guessed where Mahrez would place his spot-kick after Okazaki had been fouled in the area by Jordi Amat. The Japanese forward then saw his follow-up saved by the Polish keeper. Francesco Guidolin's side had gone AWOL as an attacking force during the first 30 minutes of this game as Leicester harried and pushed them back. Bar a couple of tame Gylfi Sigurdsson efforts, it appeared it might be a case of how many Leicester would score after Morgan made it 2-0. But then the Swans clicked into gear. Gambian winger Modou Barrow, who was sensational down the right and put in a handful of great deliveries, was justly rewarded for his efforts when Dutch midfielder Fer got on the end of another peach of a cross in the 81st minute. Foxes full-back Danny Simpson also had to be on hand to clear another Barrow cross, with striker Fernando Llorente poised in the area. Leicester's number one Kasper Schmeichel had little to do in the game, but his one vital interception resulted in him coming off the pitch. The Danish goalkeeper was at his sharpest as he rushed out to beat Fernando Llorente to the ball, but he appeared to hurt himself in doing so. Schmeichel signalled to the bench as the penalty drama played out in the Swansea box, and was soon replaced by summer signing Ron-Robert Zieler. After the game, Ranieri said Schmeichel had aggravated a hernia, but should not be out for long. "He has a small hernia," the manager said. "He was due for an operation on Monday, but he should be ready for our next match." Schmeichel will have a two-week recovery period after his surgery, with Leicester's next game on 10 September at Liverpool. Alan Shearer: "I thought it was nonsensical to not have Danny Drinkwater in the squad for the Euros when other players were not fit. "Against Swansea he had more passes, more touches and covered more

Summary: Jamie Vardy scored his first goal of the season to help champions Leicester record their first win with victory over Swansea in very wet conditions.


15 March 2016 Last updated at 07:19 GMT The Microtugs are a group of tiny robots who are being developed by a team of researchers from Stanford University in America. The scientists who invented them tried to mimic the way that certain animals move and work together, such as ants and geckos. On their own the Microtugs can move objects that are up to 2,000 times heavier than themselves, however the researchers decided to see if the robots could work together to pull even bigger and heavier objects. Six of the Microtugs were able to pull a full size car - which weighed about 1800kg - meaning that together the robots were able to move more than 3,000 times their combined body weight!

Summary: When you think about super-strong robots, these little guys might not come to mind - but they are the Hulks of the robot world!


The Scot, 23, beat Russian Liliya Shobukhova's record by 1.45 seconds to post a new mark of eight minutes 26.41 seconds, fifth on the world-best list. Muir is preparing for next month's European Indoor Championships. England's Andrew Pozzi won the 60m hurdles in Germany in 7.44 seconds - the fastest time in the world this year and-third fastest in British history. Pozzi ran a personal best of 7.49 in the heats before bettering that mark as he finished 0.14secs outside Colin Jackson's British record in the final. Dina Asher-Smith set a world best time of 7.13 in the 60m heats before being edged into second in the final by Jamaican Gayon Evans (7.14). Muir broke the British indoor 5,000m indoor record in Glasgow last month, and took Kelly Holmes' British 1500m record outdoors last July. She then beat her own 1500m mark in Paris on her way to winning last year's Diamond League title. As well as the European Indoor Championships in Belgrade in early March, she is also targeting a medal at the World Championships in London in August, after finishing seventh in last year's 1500m Olympic final in Rio. Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Laura Muir continued her recent record-breaking form by setting a European 3,000m indoor record in Karlsruhe.


The Radio 2 jockey and former Newsnight anchor will be joined by Radio 1 Newsbeat presenter Tina Daheley when the programme returns in September. They will replace Kirsty Young, Matthew Amroliwala and Martin Bayfield, who have all left the show. The programme will be shown in a new regular weekly slot, with each episode broadcast live from a "mobile incident studio" near the scene of a crime. The changes are billed as a revamp for the show, which has been appealing for viewers' information about unsolved crimes since the first episode aired in 1984. The first four-week series will begin in early September, followed by another block of episodes in early 2017. Sophie Raworth and Jason Mohammad co-presented episodes earlier this year, but they will now make way for Vine and Daheley. Crimewatch executive editor Joe Mather said Vine had "the perfect mix of serious journalism alongside genuine empathy towards the victims of crime and their families". Viewers also know Vine from shows including Points of View, The Politics Show, Panorama and Eggheads, plus as the king of the swingometer in the BBC's election coverage and from his stint on Strictly Come Dancing. He said: "I grew up watching Crimewatch. It is one of the most powerful programmes the BBC has ever broadcast, with the power to change and save lives, and of course to solve crimes." Daheley added: "I feel very privileged to join a programme that's allowed ordinary viewers to help bring criminals to justice and make our communities safer. "Young people often suffer most from crime, so I'm especially keen to use my journalistic skills and experience engaging young audiences at Radio 1 to make sure they feel part of the new-look show." Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Broadcaster Jeremy Vine is to be one of the new hosts of BBC One's Crimewatch.


But two leading Scottish butchers have said they are happy to make changes to their traditional Scottish recipes to make it suitable for the US market. They are looking into adapted haggis recipes which do not include ingredients - such as sheep lung - which are not allowed across the pond. Alternative cuts of meat have been suggested to get around the American rules which prevent haggis imports. Butcher Simon Howie said he could see no problem with adapting his haggis recipe for the US market. He suggested replacing the sheep lung that the recipe calls for with lamb shoulder or flank meat to make it suitable. Mr Howie, who is the world's largest producer of haggis, said this would change the texture slightly but the taste would be broadly similar. James Macsween, of Macsween of Edinburgh, said they had already started adapting the recipe using only approved ingredients in anticipation of a change in US law. Haggis imports have been outlawed in the US since 1971. The country's food standards agency prohibits sheep lungs - one of the key ingredients - in food products. Sheep lungs are "considered an inedible item" in the US, a spokesman for the country's Food Safety and Inspection Service has previously said. Recipes for haggis can vary, but it is often comprised of offal - often a mixture made from the sheep's "pluck" - liver, heart and lungs - minced with spices, suet, onions and oatmeal which is soaked in stock then stuffed inside a sheep's stomach bag. The stuffed stomach is then boiled, and often served with neeps 'n' tatties - or mashed swede and potatoes. James Macsween, managing director of Macsween of Edinburgh, said lifting the ban on haggis imports to the US was a "massive opportunity" for the Scottish haggis industry. The US export market would be roughly equivalent to half of the UK sales, Mr Howie estimated. "We are ready to launch Macsween haggis in the US if there is a change in the current situation by the FDA," said Mr Macsween. Richard Lochhead, the rural affairs secretary, told the BBC: "Tens of millions of Americans want to enjoy Scotland's national dish. "If we managed to get into that market that would create jobs back here in Scotland and millions of pounds to the Scottish economy." Any changes to the recipe would only be for the US market, according to Simon Howie. The Perthshire-based butcher added: "Haggis is eaten by a large proportion of the Americans who visit Scotland so it makes sense to get the product on the shelves of their home supermarkets. "Haggis is always a talking point."

Summary: Haggis imports have been outlawed in the US for more than 40 years.


Poplars Medical Practice in Low Hill was rated by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors who looked at how safe, effective and well-led it was. They inspected 45 GP surgeries across England. Two were rated as outstanding, in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, and Oldham. Inspectors said staff at the Hall Practice, Gerrards Cross routinely referred to national health guidelines, received appropriate training and GPs' special interests and expertise were utilised. In Oldham, patients at Hope Citadel Healthcare rated the practice higher than others for almost all aspects of care, inspectors reported. Five others surgeries required improvements, inspectors found. The Low Hill surgery served more than 3,200 patients in one of the most deprived areas in the UK, the CQC said. Inspectors found systems to manage and address risks were not properly implemented, knowledge of and reference to national guidelines was inconsistent and there were no completed audits of patient outcomes. It was rated good in a category for caring but inspectors said it required improvement for providing responsive services. A CQC spokesman said further measures may be taken if sufficient improvement was not visible in the coming months. Prof Steve Field, chief inspector of general practice, said the vast majority of England's GPs provided a safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led service. "Patients should be able to expect high-quality and consistent care from every GP practice," he said. "Where we have required improvement, we will expect the practice to take the necessary steps to address the issue, and we will return at a later date to check that those improvements have been made." Practices put it into special measures got more support from NHS England to help them improve, he said.

Summary: A GP surgery in Wolverhampton has been put into special measures after being rated inadequate by a healthcare watchdog.


He'll be blasting off in December and will spend six months on-board the International Space Station (ISS). So, we thought now would be a good time to tell you our top astronaut facts...

Summary: The European Space Agency's first British astronaut, Tim Peake, is completing the final preparations before his mission to space.


Peter Metcalf was involved in defending the force against unlawful arrest claims after the 1984 Orgreave clash. He also played a key role in reviewing statements after Hillsborough. Deputy Chief Constable Peter Hayes and Assistant Chief Constable Walter Jackson are connected to both cases. The officers, who were involved in a review of the evidence after Orgreave and have links to Hillsborough, have both denied any wrongdoing. Mr Metcalf did not wish to comment on Orgreave when approached by the BBC. About 10,000 strikers and 5,000 police officers clashed at Orgreave coking plant in June 1984. Mr Hayes ordered a review of the way evidence had been gathered about Orgreave and was later involved in co-ordinating the force's evidence after the disaster at the Sheffield stadium. Mr Jackson was given the job of reviewing the Orgreave evidence and was at Hillsborough to watch the FA Cup semi-final after signing off the policing plan. The parallels between Hillsborough and Orgreave have been drawn before. Now evidence is starting to emerge showing the actual links, the names of people involved in the aftermath of both. There have been claims the way South Yorkshire Police conducted themselves after 'The Battle of Orgreave' fed into their response to the Hillsborough disaster. There have been growing calls for some form of investigation to fully understand what happened during the miners' strike and how that may have shown a culture within the South Yorkshire force that endured long after. But it should also be remembered these are very different incidents. Nobody died at Orgreave. Although miners were put on trial, the cases collapsed so there was no miscarriage of justice. That said, the miners have always carried a sense of injustice about what happened. Their calls for an inquiry now have the backing of some of the Hillsborough families. It's up to the home secretary to decide what happens next. Mr Metcalf wrote a note saying he had been told some of the police statements did not match the video evidence at Orgreave. His note also records Mr Metcalfe as saying that he had been told that senior officers were reluctant to provide anything that might undermine the case. Last year, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it had identified possible cases of attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to Orgreave. However, the police watchdog decided an investigation was not in the public interest. Former miners' union president Arthur Scargill has called for an inquiry into the Battle of Orgreave disorder. More than 120 officers and pickets were injured and 93 people were arrested following clashes at the coking plant. Campaigners have called on Dave Jones, the interim chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, to open up the force's archives on Orgreave. The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign said it wanted Mr Jones to intervene in its legal bid to push Home Secretary Theresa May to hold a public inquiry. Mr Jones said he would "welcome an appropriate independent assessment of Orgreave". "The Hillsborough inquests have brought into sharp focus the need to understand

Summary: Senior officers and a solicitor who were involved in the South Yorkshire Police response to Hillsborough and the so-called Battle of Orgreave can be named for the first time.


BBC Two sitcom Boy Meets Girl and EastEnders have both been shortlisted for their portrayal of transgender issues. Transgender actress Rebecca Root and the first ever transgender actor in a TV soap opera, Riley Carter Millington, have also been nominated. Nick Grimshaw, Boy George and Sue Perkins are among the other nominees. Sarah Garrett, founder of the awards, explained: "The British LGBT Awards are vital in highlighting those who have done good by the LGBT community and are also important in promoting LGBT acceptance." "The commissioning of Boy Meets Girl was a particularly landmark moment in British television history as was the introduction of a transgender character to Eastenders. "The BBC should be proud of its commitment to diversity and groundbreaking coverage of LGBT issues," she said. Speaking in August last year, actress Rebecca Root, who plays Judy in Boy Meets Girl said: "I really believe that it will demystify my community, it will increase the visibility of the trans population. "In a way it's a shame, it's 2015 for goodness sake, and we're only having this conversation now. But better late than never." The British LGBT Awards take place at London's Grand Connaught Rooms on 13 May. Here are the nominees... Alan Carr Boy George Caitlyn Jenner Ru Paul Kieron Richardson Ruby Rose Ben Whishaw Dustin Lance Black Adele Jess Glynne Halsey Little Mix Zayn Malik Frank Ocean Sam Smith Years and Years Cher Jennifer Saunders Hillary Clinton Stephen Fry Lady Gaga Sir Ian McKellen Bette Midler George Takei Eddie Redmayne Danny Dyer Nigella Lawson Holly Willoughby Brian May Kim Cattrall James Sutton Zoe Sugg (Zoella) Olly Alexander Rebecca Root Jake Graff Hannah Hart Sean Miley Moore Philip Armstrong David Morgan Rose and Rosie Clare Balding Vicki Beeching Nick Grimshaw Evan Davis Paul O'Grady RuPaul Sue Perkins Gok Wan Boy Meets Girl, BBC Caitlyn Jenner, Vanity Fair cover Eastenders transgender storyline, BBC Hollyoak HIV storyline, Lime Pictures/ Channel 4 London Spy, BBC Mhairi Black MP elected to Parliament Ireland votes for marriage equality Gay marriage in USA Nicola Adams John Amaechi Keegan Hirst Nigel Owens Mark McAdam Sam Stanley Heather Stanning Casey Stoney

Summary: The shortlist for the annual British LGBT Awards has been announced with the BBC nominated multiple times.


The midfielders have both agreed three-year deals at Dens Park. Williams, 28, moved to the Highlands in the summer of 2013 from Kendal Town and has made 35 appearances this term. Former Kidderminster player Vincent, 26, also joined in 2013 and scored the winning goal when Caley Thistle won the Scottish Cup last season. Vincent has been troubled by injuries this season and has been limited to 16 outings, the last of which came on 2 January. "It's two boys we've been chasing for a long time," manager Paul Hartley told BBC Scotland. "They've been part of a very successful Inverness team over the last couple of seasons. "Danny is versatile, he can play in a number of positions. It's the same with Vincent, anywhere across the middle." Meanwhile, Paul McGowan and Darren O'Dea have signed new contracts at Dens Park. Midfielder McGowan, 28, has agreed a two-year extension, while former Celtic defender O'Dea, 29, has earned a three-year deal, having joined the club in January. "We've been trying to build a squad over the last two years and this summer there will only be maybe three or four changes," added Hartley.

Summary: Inverness Caledonian Thistle duo James Vincent and Danny Williams have signed pre-contracts to join Premiership rivals Dundee next season.


Police called to the property in St George's Hill, Weybridge, at about 10:00 BST by ambulance crews also found a man in his 30s with serious injuries. Formal identification has not yet taken place, Surrey Police said. St George's Hill is a private, gated estate with a golf club and tennis club, where six-bedroom homes are listed for about £14m. Det Ch Insp Jason Taylor said officers believed they knew the identity of the woman and the man, who was taken to hospital for treatment. He said next-of-kin had been informed. "The investigation into this tragic incident is still in the very early stages but at this time I believe this to be an isolated incident," the detective said. The 964-acre estate is described by the St George's Hill Residents' Association as having been "designed for driven, motivated and successful high achievers".

Summary: A murder inquiry is under way after the body of a woman in her 30s was found at a house in an exclusive part of Surrey.


Millie Thompson died on 23 October 2012 after eating shepherd's pie at Ramillies Hall School and Nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester. An inquest jury returned a misadventure verdict, and said no-one was to blame. South Manchester Coroner John Pollard is writing to the government as a "matter of national importance". The jury at Oldham Magistrates' Court heard that Millie started coughing and crying in a high chair during her mashed lunchtime feed from a supervisor before her lips turned blue. A nursery supervisor - whose basic first aid certificate had expired - shouted for help and passed Millie to a colleague who had paediatric first aid training and gave the baby back slaps. Millie's condition fluctuated and then deteriorated as an ambulance arrived 10 minutes after staff dialled 999. There were no signs of life as she was taken to Stepping Hill Hospital, and she was pronounced dead soon after arrival. Mr Pollard also said he would be writing to the North West Ambulance Service after it emerged that the 999 call handler in the choking incident admitted she made two "fundamental" errors in responding to nursery staff's call. After terminating the call, North West Ambulance Service employee Aaliyah Ormerod also made the comment: "Jeez, stop giving me information," the inquest heard. Ms Ormerod said she had wrongly graded the call and did not recognise it as an immediate life-threatening situation, which meant a rapid response vehicle was not sent to the nursery. She also accepted she should have stayed on the phone until the ambulance arrived, the inquest heard. The coroner said he expected her employers to take action over the end-of-call comment which he said had "added insult to injury, quite literally". Mr Pollard said he would write to the chief executive of the ambulance service regarding call handler training over child illnesses. he also said all vehicles should have appropriate paediatric equipment on board.

Summary: A coroner has called for paediatric first aid training for all nursery staff after a nine-month-old baby choked while eating her nursery lunch.


Heavy snow affected routes across the country, including the main motorways, after the Met Office issued an amber "be prepared" warning for much of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. Tulloch Bridge in Inverness-shire saw the deepest snow in Scotland with 23cm (9ins) while there was 9cm (3ins) in Aviemore. Further snow is now expected. A missing woman was airlifted to hospital after she was found unconscious in blizzard conditions in the Scottish Borders, while a car skidded on ice and fell off the road into the basement area of a building in Edinburgh. A Royal Navy Search and Rescue helicopter was used to help a sick one-year-old who had become stranded in a house near Langholm because of the snow. The youth was airlifted to hospital in Carlisle by a sea king helicopter after an ambulance became stuck in the snow and an air ambulance from Glasgow was not cleared to fly, reported the Royal Navy. Out of the 122 schools in Dumfries and Galloway, 80 have been closed because of the weather. BBC Scotland's Willie Johnston has reported "dreadful conditions" on the A75 near Carrutherstown. Meanwhile, Highland Council said 18 schools and nurseries in its area are closed because of the weather. About 10 others have been closed to pupils who have to travel by bus, or were opened later. Scottish Borders Council said three of its schools were closed, while eight schools were shut in South Lanarkshire, along with two in South Ayrshire. Flights at Inverness Airport and Kirkwall Airport were disrupted on Thursday morning while the M9 was closed for an hour between junction 5 (Bo'ness) and junction 6 (Falkirk) after a cattle lorry overturned. The Met Office has issued yellow "be aware" warnings for all of Scotland for the remainder of Thursday and Friday. The warnings will remain in place for northern and western regions of the country for Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Showers of sleet, snow and hail are expected to continue through Thursday and Friday morning. Between 1-3cm of further snow could fall on lower levels. More snow and strong winds are forecast for the north and west of Scotland on Saturday and Sunday. BBC weather forecaster Darren Bett said icy conditions were expected to follow the snow on Thursday. He said: "Tonight ice is going to be more of a concern. "We have a band of wetter weather moving down from the north later in the evening. Overnight most of it will fall as rain, but there will be snow on the highest ground. "But there will be breaks in the cloud and skies will clear again, so tricky for the gritters tonight and tricky for anyone on the roads." Ch Supt Iain Murray, from Police Scotland, urged motorists to carefully plan their journeys and said localised conditions could make driving difficult. "If you do decide to travel, ensure your vehicle is well prepared before setting off; make sure your windscreens are completely free of snow and ice, and your lights are working and clean," he said. Check out the latest travel news for

Summary: Wintry weather has caused hazardous driving conditions across parts of Scotland and has led to more than 100 school closures.


Hundreds of witnesses have given testimony to the inquiry that has been examining allegations of historical abuse and neglect. A report is expected next year. The HIA was set up in 2013 to investigate child abuse in residential institutions in Northern Ireland over a 73-year period, up to 1995. Analysis - BBC News NI's Kevin Sharkey Men and women who were vulnerable children in care in Northern Ireland between 1922 and 1995 have appeared before the inquiry to give accounts of their childhood abuse. Now middle-aged or elderly, they travelled to Northern Ireland from across the UK and Ireland. Many others gave evidence from around the world, particularly from Australia. Now they must all wait until the final report is given to politicians at Stormont, six months from now. Ministers will then decide how to respond to a number of issues, including compensation. These included a range of institutions, run by the church, state and voluntary sector. It has been led by retired judge Sir Anthony Hart.

Summary: Public hearings at the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (HIA) come to an end on Friday after two and a half years.


Ryan Counsell, 28, a Muslim convert from Nottingham, denies four charges, including having possession of an al-Qaeda bomb-making guide. He told Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday he downloaded the videos due to a "business interest". He said he wanted to create a "catalogue of propaganda" online. More on this story and other news in Nottinghamshire The married father, who worked at the Hyson Green branch of Asda in Nottingham, told the judge he downloaded videos so he could analyse and write articles about them. The jury was shown several of the videos, including footage of explosions and material explaining the structure of the caliphate (an Islamic state). When asked to explain why he watched this video he said it was something he found "interesting". He said its "main purpose" was "to show how Islamic State claim to organise themselves". Asked why he had named a folder of material on his computer entitled "alleged Jihad", he told the jury: "It is something that I do not believe they are actually performing with a genuinely religious motivation. "I believe it's just a form of terrorism, it is nothing to do with the religion. That's why I titled it alleged Jihad." Counsell is charged with preparing acts of terrorism by obtaining information about Islamic terrorist groups in the Philippines, arranging to travel to the Philippines to join and fight for an Islamic terrorist group, and purchasing equipment and clothing for use when having joined such a group. The trial continues.

Summary: A supermarket worker accused of trying to join a terrorist group watched Islamic State (IS) videos to learn more about propaganda, a court has heard.


Dominic Doyle, 21, was an innocent bystander who was stabbed during a night out in Denton on 7 June 2015. His mother, Rhian Jones, is supporting a week-long knife surrender by police to get knives off the street. She said: "I'm hoping that if I can help somebody else, just one person, then I feel like I've done my bit." "He was my life, he was my only child and I just exist," she said. "It's changed me totally and everybody around me. He was my life. "I just want people to speak to their kids, be honest with them, be open, talk to them, have the conversations about what's right and what's wrong." Colin McDonald was jailed for 15 years in February after being found guilty of Dominic Doyle's manslaughter following a trial at Manchester Crown Court. The "Bin the Blade" campaign by Greater Manchester Police sees dedicated bins placed into 11 police stations in Greater Manchester. Knives - including illegal weapons or any other unwanted bladed instruments - can be dropped off in the bins safely and anonymously until 27 November. Det Ch Insp Debbie Dooley said: "Knives pose a serious risk within our communities and the more we can take off our streets, the greater chance we have of saving lives."

Summary: The mother of a man who died from stab wounds after a brawl outside a pub in Greater Manchester has said "life will never be the same" without him.


Media playback is not supported on this device The Swiss, 35, won 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 to reach his 11th Wimbledon final, having last won the title in 2012. He will face Croatia's Marin Cilic after the seventh seed beat American 24th seed Sam Querrey 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 on Centre Court on Sunday. Cilic, 28, is into his second major final after winning the 2014 US Open. "It's unbelievable," said Cilic, the second Croat to reach the men's final after Goran Ivanisevic won in 2001. "I've been playing really great tennis." Federer has already added to his lengthy list of achievements by reaching a record 29th Grand Slam final, becoming the second-oldest man to do so after the 39-year-old Ken Rosewall reached the 1974 Wimbledon final. Having waited five years to win his 18th major title at this year's Australian Open, Federer could make it 19 only six months later. "I feel very privileged to be in another final," he said. "I've got the pleasure to play on Centre Court another time. I can't believe it's almost true again. I'm happy to have a day off to reflect on what I've done at the tournament." Media playback is not supported on this device Federer had won his past seven matches against Berdych, and 18 of 24 in all, but the Czech made him work for number 19. There were just three breaks of serve over two hours and 18 minutes, two for Federer, who hit 53 winners to Berdych's 31 in a high-quality contest. After dropping only one point on his serve as he eased 4-1 clear, Federer offered up two double faults that allowed Berdych to peg him back and earn a tie-break. Again Berdych came back from an early deficit to trail 4-3 but a forehand error returned the advantage and Federer capitalised to clinch the set. It was a blow for the Czech, but he fended off break points early in the second and kept pace with the seven-time champion. Federer needed to produce a magnificent dipping forehand winner to hold serve at 3-3, and it was the same shot that would dominate the second tie-break. Four brilliant forehands in a row gave the Swiss a 5-1 lead that proved enough for a two-set lead, and there was more magic off that wing in the third. Berdych saw a chance to extend the contest disappear when Federer saved two break points with successive aces before breaking in the next game. At 5-3, the Swiss produced a stunning forehand flicked pass that had the 15,000 spectators on Centre Court gasping, and moments later he served out victory in his 42nd Grand Slam semi-final. Federer saved a match point on his way to beating Cilic in last year's quarter-finals, and said: "Last time we had a brutal match - I was two sets down. I had to get lucky to win. "Marin is a great guy. He's a lovely guy, in his first Wimbledon final. "He crushed me at the US Open a few years ago. I

Summary: Roger Federer is one win from a historic eighth Wimbledon title after beating Czech 11th seed Tomas Berdych in straight sets in the semi-final.


Media playback is not supported on this device Britain's Murray and Switzerland's Hingis won 6-4 6-4 in one hour four minutes on Centre Court. Both Murray and Hingis are bidding for their second Wimbledon mixed doubles titles. Britain's Heather Watson and Finland's Henri Kontinen, who won the title last year, are also into the last four. They progressed via a 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-5 win over India's Rohan Bopanna and Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski and will play the second-seeded pair, Brazilian Bruno Soares and Russian Elena Vesnina, in the semi-finals. Kontinen is hoping to pick up his third Grand Slam title after winning the Australian Open doubles in January alongside John Peers. Murray, who lifted the SW19 mixed doubles title in 2007 alongside Serbia's Jelena Jankovic, and Hingis, who won it in 2015 with Indian Leander Paes, will play the Spanish-Brazilian combination of Maria Martinez Sanchez and Marcelo Demoliner. The pair only announced their partnership last week and again looked comfortable as a partnership on the court. Hingis has won five mixed doubles titles at Grand Slams as well as 12 women's doubles and five singles competitions - including Wimbledon in 1997. Murray won men's doubles titles at the Australian Open and US Open last year with Brazil's Bruno Soares. Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Jamie Murray and Martina Hingis beat British pair Ken Skupski and Jocelyn Rae to reach the Wimbledon mixed doubles semi-finals.


Well it's worked as a game at least, the Angry Birds app was the first to get 500 million downloads. So inevitably its makers Rovio are now dipping their toes into the world of film. An animated feature is set for release in 2016, and they've just announced the cast. The main character "Red" is set to be played by Jason Sudeikis, and in his first role since Frozen, Josh Gad will play Speedy Chuck. Arguably the most useful bird, the Bomb, will be played by Danny McBride, who appeared in This is the End with Seth Rogan last year. Bill Hader however, will be on the receiving end of the birds' anger after joining the Pork Side. Maya Rudolph will act the role of Matilda, and the smooth-talking Tyrion Lannister, or Peter Dinklage, will swap the Game of Thrones set for providing the voice of the Mighty Eagle. There are a number of supporting roles being added to the flock too, including the YouTube stars Smosh (Ian Andrew Hecox and Anthony Padilla), who have more than 30 million subscribers. While it might be Rovio's first go at films, they've already enjoyed screen success with their recent animated TV series notching up more than 3 billion views in its first 18 months. The film's producer Josh Cohen says: "I'm extremely proud of this cast. "These are some of the funniest people out there today, and we're thrilled to have them all on board." Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: It's your classic storyline, a group of different birds hurling themselves towards different structures to take out some green piggies.


He stood on the touchline after the final whistle in Trnava to make sure his players acknowledged the away fans, and then applauded them himself, but the support's response to the final whistle was a damning verdict. There was plenty of ire at Hampden on Saturday, too, when two points were discarded against Lithuania, and it is the weight of public opinion that will bear most heavily on the mind and status of the national team's manager. The departures of his immediate predecessors - Craig Levein and George Burley - felt necessary, that's why the decisions were made. Strachan banked a significant amount of goodwill during the first half of the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, but it has dwindled markedly since then. In 29 days, Scotland travel to Wembley to face England, and during that time there will be reflection, calls for recrimination, and eventually an element of resolution. The immediate reactions to the 3-0 defeat in Slovakia were emotional, but there is a growing body of evidence from Strachan's time in charge. Some of the noise ought to be dismissed. It is absurd to suggest that Strachan does not want to be in the job. He may have spent time after the failure to reach the Euro finals in France assessing his willingness to lead the squad for another campaign, but he wanted to carry on; he is a passionate Scot and a committed coach. He cares for his players, which explains some of his exaggerated post-match comments. He no doubt described Chris Martin's display against Lithuania as "outstanding" because he had already made the decision to start Steven Fletcher against Slovakia and did not want the Fulham striker to be the scapegoat for Saturday's 1-1 draw - but supporters have grown weary of the deflection tactics. Media playback is not supported on this device The players remain committed to the manager, while some of his predecessors have struggled to hold squads together, but that is not always enough. It should also be acknowledged that a new manager would not suddenly find himself working with a different squad of more talented players. Even so, there are decisions that Strachan has consistently made that warrant scrutiny, not least because his position is now under question. If the Scotland support no longer believes in the manager, then it does not matter if he still believes in his work with the players. Since defeating the Republic of Ireland at Celtic Park in November 2014, Scotland have played nine competitive matches and won only three of them - against Gibraltar, twice, and Malta. There have been defeats to Germany, Georgia and Slovakia, and damaging draws away to the Republic of Ireland and at home to Poland and Lithuania. Under Strachan, Scotland have failed to deliver a defining victory over a leading side in their group, or when it was needed most. At the critical moment, there has been a collapse of will. In Dublin, in Tbilisi and in Trvana, Scotland have performed poorly, failing to assert themselves, to play with confidence or poise. When Strachan's

Summary: The jeers of the Scotland fans will still be ringing in Gordon Strachan's ears.


The shadow chancellor told the BBC Jeremy Corbyn had shown leadership by insisting the referendum result must be honoured and the UK should leave. But he said Labour would not back a "kamikaze" exit which hurt the economy. Some shadow ministers have suggested they would quit if forced to vote for kick-starting official EU exit talks. Dozens of Labour MPs who support remaining in the EU could be willing to defy the leadership if it whips them into voting for Brexit in the event of a Commons vote which could take place in the coming weeks. The government has said it will notify the EU of its decision to leave, beginning two years of talks about the terms of exit, by the end of March. Whether Parliament is asked to approve the Article 50 decision hinges on a Supreme Court ruling, due on Tuesday, into whether MPs and peers are required to have their say. The Labour leadership have been accused of "dithering" over their approach and are under pressure to clarify whether they will oppose the government's plan of leaving the single market and the customs union and restricting EU migration. Mr McDonnell said the debate was polarised between those who wanted to overturn the referendum result and, on the other hand, those who backed a so-called hard Brexit and saw the UK's future outside the EU as a virtual tax haven. Labour, he suggested, stood between these two poles and supported a negotiated settlement with the EU to protect jobs, wages and living standards. "Jeremy Corbyn has taken a rather courageous position in that he recognises that you have to bring the country together at some stage and it will be over a traditional British compromise," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr show. "Somewhere along the line there will be a sensible compromise and it will be Labour that is driving that compromise." Asked whether Labour MPs would be whipped to support the Article 50 process, he said the opposition had made it clear all along the referendum vote must be honoured. But he said Labour would seek to amend any government plans to guarantee the fullest scrutiny in Parliament and enable MPs from all parties to "influence the negotiations". Speaking on Sky News, Mr Corbyn said he would "ask" Labour MPs to respect the result while asked explicitly whether Labour wanted to stay in the single market, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott told the BBC's Sunday Politics that "in terms of jobs and the economy, of course we should be". Nick Clegg, the former Lib Dem leader who is now the party's Brexit spokesman, said Labour had suffered a "catastrophic loss of nerve" over Europe. "This absolute lack of clarity from Labour on the biggest issue of our times - dithering helplessly in the middle of the road - is only going to make their fate even worse." While he expected ministers to win any vote on Article 50, he told Andrew Marr he expected Theresa May to run into trouble if she "digs her heels in" in during

Summary: Labour would back a "sensible British compromise" over Brexit, John McDonnell has said, amid calls for the party to clarify its position.


It said such a move would "reduce the burden" on passengers who could instead go to claims companies which would take a cut of any payouts. Hundreds of flights were grounded by last Saturday's IT problems. BA said that it had "no desire to be obstructive" and would fully honour its compensation obligations. The problems, which continued throughout last weekend, disrupted the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers around the world. Under EU law, passengers can claim compensation from BA for travel disruption, worth up to 600 euros (Â£524). They can also claim expenses for items such as hotels, meals and phone calls - a matter that led to a dispute with insurers during the week. Which? said the airline sector was out of step with other service industries. In a letter to BA chief executive Alex Cruz, Alex Neill from Which? wrote: "You have 'profusely' apologised to passengers, many of whom have had their holidays ruined, and have 'committed' to following the rules on compensation. "This does not go far enough and is simply not good enough. You have failed your customers once and are in grave danger of doing it again. "By simplifying the compensation process, you have an opportunity to minimise the additional stress and inconvenience you cause your customers and ensure they are not pushed into the arms of claims management companies, who will take a large part of the money they are owed. "British Airways can, and should, seek to automatically issue statutory compensation to all affected passengers. "This would reduce the burden on passengers and mean they get back what they are legally entitled to quicker. "It would also allow you to focus on dealing with the individual additional expenses incurred by affected passengers on a case-by-case basis. "Disruptions like last weekend only highlight that it is time for all airlines to introduce measures so that, where possible, passengers are compensated automatically for delays and cancellations." A BA spokeswoman said: "We sincerely apologise for the difficulties and frustration customers faced during the huge disruption across the bank holiday weekend. "We will fully honour our EU compensation obligations and have set up a link on the home page of our website to enable customers to submit their claims as quickly and conveniently as possible. "We have no desire to be obstructive in any way and have put additional resources into our call centres to process claims as speedily as possible." According to one comparison website, an estimated 70% of all airline customers who have a right to a payout do not claim. Virgin became the first rail company to automatically compensate some train passengers if they are delayed. Travellers using its services on the West Coast main line - and who book their tickets via the company app or website - receive automatic repayments. Communications regulator Ofcom is also investigating the use of automatic compensation when phone or internet services fail. At present, customers tend to go through one of two ombudsman services.

Summary: British Airways should automatically compensate thousands of customers who were caught up in disruption last weekend, says consumer group Which?