Sgt Patrick Swanton said: "There has been enough tragedy and there has been enough bloodshed." Seven people remain in hospital and 170 are in custody. About 50 weapons were recovered from the scene. Sgt Swanton said the fight may have started when someone's foot was run over in a car park. There was also anger that an uninvited gang had shown up at a meeting between other gangs, hosted by the restaurant Twin Peaks. On Tuesday morning, police continued to pore over the multiple crime scenes - the restaurant areas, the bar, the toilets and the car park. Police are keeping members of the rival gangs in different parts of the jail, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported. Three of the men arrested were mistakenly charged with lesser offences and were released on Tuesday after posting a $50,000 (Â£32,000) bond. Texas officials said all three men were arrested again and are being held on more serious charges. On Monday night, they began removing motorcycles and other vehicles from the area. Tow trucks are requiring a heavy police escort when they move the vehicles away from the scene. Around 80 cars or pickup trucks still need to be carried away. The restaurant meeting was meant for a coalition of invited bike groups and the organisers had requested the outdoor seating area for the event. A bike gang which was not invited to the meeting showed up, and a "disturbance in the parking lot" followed, according to Mr Swanton. That incident sparked the larger gun battle, which ultimately left nine people dead. The names of the deceased have not been released, because family members are still being notified. Mr Swanton would not say how long the shoot-out lasted, but said that police responded "within seconds if not within at least a minute". He said that police were not inside the restaurant because they "were not welcomed by management". The sergeant said that the "credible" threats made against law enforcement in recent days are diminishing. "We think that those threats are toning down a bit. We appreciate that," he said, but noted that police are asking for "cooperation from known criminal bike gangs".

Summary: Police in Texas are calling on members of rival motorcycle gangs to stop fighting after a deadly weekend shoot-out in Waco left nine dead.


It is one of the oldest tools in the book to get rid of someone who is either too powerful, too dangerous or too inconvenient. But most assassins choose a straight-forward method: Julius Caesar was stabbed to death, Abraham Lincoln was shot. It is now being speculated that the death of Kim Jong-nam - Kim Jong-un's oldest half-brother - may have been another one. If that proves true, its rumoured method - which supposedly saw two female assassins placing a poison-laced handkerchief over his mouth as he walked through the airport - puts his assassination among a select list of those killed by people who have chosen a more unusual route. Alexander Litvinenko's death is arguably the most high profile assassination of recent years. The former KGB agent became ill on 1 November 2006, hours after having tea at the upmarket Millennium Hotel in Mayfair with two fellow former agents. After his death, those agents would become the main suspects in his murder. When Mr Litvinenko was admitted to hospital on 3 November, he told doctors he had been poisoned. Later, he would personally name Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he was responsible for "everything that happened to him". Meanwhile, his hair began to fall out and his organs began shutting down - but doctors at London's University College Hospital could not find a cause. Eventually, it fell to scientists at Britain's top-secret nuclear research site at Aldermaston in Berkshire to discover what was killing Mr Litvinenko from the inside: Polonium 210, a particle which was used in the first nuclear bombs, and is 100% deadly. There was nothing doctors could do. Mr Litvinenko, who told the BBC's Russia service he had been looking into the assassination of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya the previous month when he was attacked, died on 23 November. Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov was waiting for a bus on Waterloo Bridge on 7 September 1978 when he felt a stab in his thigh. Mr Markov, 49, looked back to see a man with an umbrella running away and taking a taxi. It was only later, after finishing a day's work for the BBC's Bulgarian service and having returned home to south London, that he became unwell. Mr Markov, an opponent of Bulgaria's then-Communist government, died four days later. He had, officials later discovered, been poisoned with ricin which appeared to have been injected into his thigh, possibly by the umbrella. No one was ever charged with his murder, one of the most notorious of the Cold War, but Mr Markov had his own theories, telling doctors he believed the KGB had played a role in the attack. JÃ¶rg Jenatsch was a one-time preacher who went on to be a politician and leading figure during Switzerland's 30 Year War. But for all his achievements in life, it is probably Mr Jenatsch's death in 1639 in a hostel in Chur which is most memorable. Mr Jenatsch, who had recently been knighted for his services, was having a party during the town's carnival when a group turned up and asked to

Summary: There is nothing new about a high-profile or outspoken person being assassinated.


The government allowed councils to increase council tax by 2% this year to spend on care - and most have done so. But, according to a survey of all 151 social care directors, there is still a shortfall of nearly £1bn. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services said councils had no option but to reduce the services. Directors in charge of care for older people and adults with disabilities indicated in the annual survey only about half of this shortfall could be met by efficiency savings. Instead, they said, 39% of the shortfall would have to be covered by cuts to services, with those provided to the elderly most at risk. This could lead to day centres being closed, fewer hours of help being provided in people's homes and an increase in rationing resulting in a cut in the number of people actually getting services, the ADASS said. The rest of the savings will be met by other measures, such as increasing the fees people are charged - unlike with NHS services, people can be asked to make a contribution to the care they get. ADASS president Harold Bodmer said: "We have been arguing for some time that adult social care needs to be given the same protection and investment as the NHS. Services are already being cut, and the outlook for future care is bleak. "We are at a tipping point where social care is in jeopardy." £19.7bn will be spent on care services in 2016-17 £13.8bn will come from council funds - 1.2% more than last year £5.9bn will be raised from charges, the NHS and other sources £940m short of what is needed The funding councils get from ministers for services has been cut this year. But, to help protect social care in particular, Chancellor George Osborne gave them permission to raise council tax by up to 2% if the income was to be used for care services. He said this would put the sector on a sound financial footing after years of budgets being squeezed. But the ADASS survey indicates that despite 95% of local authorities raising council tax, there is still a shortfall in the budget. Directors said £13.8bn had been set aside for social care in 2016-17 - a 1.2% increase in cash terms on the previous year. Another £5.9bn is expected to come in from other sources, such as fees people pay and the Better Care Fund, a separate pot of money largely funded by the NHS, to which councils have access. But that still leaves the sector £940m short, the survey indicates. ADASS said this was because of the increasing pressures from the ageing population and the cost of meeting the National Living Wage, which was brought in in April and is estimated to cost councils more than £600m this year. Richard Humphries, of the King's Fund think tank, said the findings should be of "huge concern". But a Department of Health spokeswoman said the council tax precept would raise more money in time - local authorities can increase it by 2%

Summary: Care services are facing cuts this year as rises in council tax have failed to plug the gaps in budgets in England, town hall chiefs are warning.


The Dutch-owned firm suspended deliveries last month after losing funding. It had been delivering about 3m letters every week in the three cities, in direct competition with Royal Mail. The private equity arm of Lloyds bank decided not to invest, triggering a review. Parent group PostNL said the firm had begun a consultation with affected staff "to minimise the impact of the decision". The company also pointed out it would continue to collect 80m items a week to be fed into the Royal Mail system for final delivery. A statement released by PostNL said: "Following the termination of the discussions on the proposed investment in Whistl UK to fund the further rollout of its current end-to-end (E2E) activities, we have assessed alternative scenarios for Whistl's E2E operations. "Further to this assessment, it has been decided to end Whistl's E2E operations. "Whistl remains committed to further developing its successful activities in the UK, including downstream access (DSA) service, door-drop media, packets and parcels and logistics." About 1,800 workers were employed by Whistl, with many on zero-hours contracts. Whistl is the second largest postal operator in the UK.

Summary: Postal business Whistl has confirmed it is ending its home delivery service in London, Liverpool and Manchester, putting up to 1,800 jobs at risk.


The supervised injection site opened in Vancouver in 2003 with a federal exemption permitting illegal drug use. Its supporters say it has helped prevent overdoses, reduced infections, and curbed crime and open drug use. But the federal government said in 2008 that the facility should close, arguing it promoted addiction. The top court issued its unanimous 9-0 decision on Friday. Addicts must bring their own drugs to the Insite facility, where they are supplied with clean needles and sterilised water. They inject at 12 stainless-steel alcoves with mirrors on the walls so nurses on a raised platform can see them. The court said in its ruling that in the clinic's eight-year history, "Insite has been proven to save lives with no discernible negative impact on the public safety and health objectives of Canada". "The risk of death and disease to injection drug users is grossly disproportionate to any benefit that Canada might derive from presenting a uniform stance on the possession of narcotics." Correspondents say the ruling suggests the right of a province to provide healthcare supersedes the federal government's right to enforce drug laws. It is thought that the Supreme Court's decision could pave the way for similar facilities to open in other parts of Canada. The ruling was welcomed by users of the facility and healthcare professionals alike. A crowd celebrated on the street outside Insite. "Addiction-related drug use is a health issue and not a criminal justice issue," Debra Lynkowski, chief executive of the Canadian Public Health Association, told reporters. "Collectively, we have the responsibility to protect the health of all Canadians, no matter what their situation." But Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq was disappointed with the decision. She told the Canadian parliament: "Our government believes that spending more money on treatment and to help people get off drugs is the best investment we can make." She added that the government would be reviewing the court's decision. The facility has been operating under the constitutional exemption to Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. But the federal government refused to renew the exemption in 2008, arguing that "harm-reduction" programmes diverted funding from addiction-treatment programmes. The Supreme Court's ruling supports a decision made in 2008 by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. As of 2009, there were 65 injection facilities in 27 cities in Canada, Australia and western Europe, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Summary: North America's only legal drug-injection site can stay open, Canada's Supreme Court rules, in a defeat for the country's conservative government.


In the latest mishap, US citizens Bob Weise and Steve Shapiro, both 71, had to seek help in Hayle Harbour, Cornwall, when their sailing boat tipped over, causing a fire on board. Veteran sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is among those criticising the pair. The duo previously told BBC News they were experienced enough for the trip. The boat, named Nora, left Norway in July and is aiming for the US state of Maine. Sir Robin said: "This is no longer a joke. "It costs between Â£6,000 and Â£8,000 every time a lifeboat is launched. These guys are costing the RNLI a fortune. "They need to frankly pack it in or, I hate to say it, get the hell out of our waters." James Instance, from Falmouth Coastguard, said he was not aware of anyone being rescued so many times in a short space of time. Peter Haddock, Hayle harbourmaster, said he was worried about the sailors' safety and that of emergency services. Mr Haddock said he raised the alarm on Tuesday after seeing smoke coming from the vessel's forward hatch and described the pair as a "catastrophe waiting to happen". Fire crews extinguished a "small fire" on the 18-tonne yacht, which Mr Shapiro said was caused by a candle, and that "otherwise there was no real damage". Mr Shapiro, a screenwriter and author from California, said he had been sailing since he was nine and "people had a right to be angry". "But it's not justifiable, we have the right to the services as much as anybody else. "The volunteer organisations volunteered to come out, it was their decision." Mr Shapiro is accompanied by Mr Weise, who is an ex-US Army helicopter pilot and Vietnam veteran. The RNLI and Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) refused to comment on how much the rescues would have cost. A spokeswoman for the MCA said: "Search resources are always used in incidents where people report seeing someone in trouble. "We would always urge people to call 999 and ask for the coastguard if they're in danger or think someone else might be in distress. "We never put a price on human life. If we get a 999 call we respond and treat it as an emergency."

Summary: Two yachtsmen who have been rescued nine times in seven months have been described as a "catastrophe waiting to happen" and urged to "leave UK waters".


Police said the 61-year-old man had left his own vehicle when he was struck by the lorry shortly after 13:00. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The eastbound carriageway was closed at Junction 3 while emergency services attended, but has since reopened. Police said they were attempting to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

Summary: A man has died after being hit by a lorry on the M8 at Livingston in West Lothian.


The South Africa-born 30-year-old claimed 6-66 on his debut against Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford. Wagner, who had a stint with Northants in 2014, joined the Red Rose as their overseas player for the 2016 campaign. "It's a great club and a great place. I always had something for Lancashire when I played here for Ormskirk in 2008," he told BBC Radio Lancashire. "I came to watch quite a few games for Lancashire and when England played here as well, so I love the ground and everything about it. "For me to come over here was an easy decision and to come and play a part in such a special club is pretty awesome. I'm lucky to be here." Wagner's figures were the best by a bowler making his Lancashire first-class debut since 1923.

Summary: New Zealand seamer Neil Wagner has spoken of his pride at being able to play for Lancashire this season.


The president should not be "afraid" to choose his heir and his word would be "final", Grace Mugabe said. Mr Mugabe is the world's oldest ruler, and his Zanu-PF party has nominated him to stand for re-election next year. But rival factions have been vying to strengthen their position as concern about his health mounts. Mr Mugabe looks increasingly frail, and has been on three medical trips to Singapore this year. However, his aides have played down fears about his health, saying he goes to Singapore only for specialised eye treatment. "President, don't be afraid. Tell us who is your choice, which horse we should back," Mrs Mugabe told a meeting of Zanu-PF's women's wing, AFP news agency reports. "If you tell us the horse to back, we will rise in our numbers and openly support that horse. Why should our horse be concealed?" she added, in a speech switching between English and local language Shona. Mr Mugabe was present when his 52-year-old wife made the comments, but did not respond. She has been rumoured as a potential successor, as has Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mr Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, and is expected to defeat his main rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, in next year's poll. The opposition says the electoral commission is biased and will rig the poll in Mr Mugabe's favour. Last year, Zanu-PF youth leader Kudzai Chipanga said that "it was written in the Bible that he [Mr Mugabe] won't just rule the country but would die in office". In February, Mrs Mugabe said her husband was so popular that if he died, he could run as a corpse and still win in an election.

Summary: Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, 93, has been urged by his wife to name his successor in order to end divisions over who the next leader will be.


The US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) said the 35-year-old failed to provide details of his whereabouts for testing on three occasions within 18 months. He will be stripped of any result he achieved from 17 November, 2012, the date of his third failure to comply. Gold: 2004 Olympic 200m, 2001 World Indoor Championships 200m Silver: 2008 Olympic 200m, 2004 Olympic 4x100m relay, 2004 World Indoor Championships 60m Bronze: 2001 World Championships 200m But his agent said Crawford retired after missing out on London 2012. Crawford failed to qualify for last year's Olympics after finishing seventh in the US trials final. "He's 35 years of age, and has moved on," his representative Kimberly Holland told Reuters. "Unfortunately, his announcement wasn't enough, as he had to complete retirement paper work to be removed from the testing pool." Crawford also won silver in the 200m and the 4x100m relay at the Beijing Olympics. When Usain Bolt won the first of his Olympic 200m titles in 2008, Crawford originally finished fourth, but was given the silver medal after Wallace Spearmon and Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles were disqualified for running out of their lanes. Crawford later gave his medal to Martina, who would have been the first Olympic medallist from his country. In 2003, he took part in a US television programme that saw him race against a zebra and a giraffe. He beat the giraffe but lost twice to the zebra after demanding a rematch following a false start. Crawford won the Olympic 200m title in 2004, clocking a personal best of 19.79 seconds to defeat compatriots Bernard Williams and Justin Gatlin. Usada said his ban would begin from 17 April, the date he received the sanction.

Summary: America's Shawn Crawford, the 2004 Olympic 200m gold medallist, has been banned for two years for not complying with out-of-competition drugs testing.


Moses John, 14, and Pauline Watson, 46, vanished in May 2015 from their home in Northampton. It is believed Ms Watson has links to various parts of London. Moses, who has special educational needs, was at the centre of family court proceedings, in which children are not normally identified. For more stories, visit BBC Northamptonshire Live Northamptonshire County Council, which has responsibility for Moses's welfare, said the judge, Mr Justice Michael Keehan, had agreed to disclose the identity of the boy because of the level of concern about his well-being. Police said Moses was about 5ft 9ins (1.75m) tall, while his mother was about 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall. The pair had a "very close relationship" and were rarely seen apart. Police say Ms Watson has links to London boroughs including Croydon, Islington, Merton, Sutton, Southwark and Lambeth. Speaking at the High Court, Mr Justice Keehan said: "I am gravely concerned for his welfare so long as his whereabouts, presumably in the care of his mother, remain unknown."

Summary: A teenage boy who disappeared with his mother a year ago has been named by a High Court judge in an "exceptional" attempt to trace him.


A brick was hurled through the window of the house, followed by a petrol bomb and a pipe bomb, which did not explode. Supt Gordon McCalmont said it was a "reckless act at the hands of what we believe to be a loyalist paramilitary gang". A meeting to discuss ongoing tensions in the area was held on Tuesday. On Saturday night, shots were fired at a house at nearby Rossdowney Drive where a toddler was asleep in a upstairs bedroom. The latest attack happened at about 10:30 BST on Monday, and the victim said he did not know why his house was targeted. "I don't know why anyone has anything against me because I don't really know anybody," said Andrew Logue. The 62-year-old, who is originally from Carndonagh in County Donegal and has been living in the mainly unionist estate for three months, said he was still in shock. "I couldn't believe someone would do that to the likes of myself," he told BBC News NI. "It doesn't bother me what religion you're from. We all get cut, we bleed the same colour." On Tuesday night, political, community, religious and statutory leaders in the area issued a joint statement after discussing the ongoing tensions. "For those who are responsible for the use of violence against any of our people or any part of our city, we say 'put away your guns and bombs and bring to an end the misery that you are imposing on our community'," they said. "The city has always shown leadership in how it deals with community tensions and, following today's meeting, everyone has reaffirmed their commitment to ensure that this city speaks with one voice and if you hurt one of us, you hurt us all. "We would appeal to anyone who has any information in relation to any of the recent attacks to give that information to the PSNI." Earlier, Supt McCalmont said the bomb had been left "in the heart of the local community". "This was a concerning attack that took the form of a brick hurled through a window, followed by a petrol bomb and then a pipe bomb," he said. "Thankfully, the pipe bomb didn't explode, or we could have been looking at something very different today." After the attack, a number of people were moved out of their homes to a local community centre. Sinn FÃ©in MP Elisha McCallion called on community leaders to defuse the situation. "An urgent approach involving all the relevant agencies and community representatives is required in order to address this issue before someone is seriously injured or even killed," she said. Foyle DUP MLA Gary Middleton described the attack as "reckless and senseless". "Paramilitary activity has no place in our society today and those who still continue to cling to criminality and violence are to be unequivocally condemned for their actions," he said. SDLP councillor Martin Reilly said it was "a despicable attack" that could have had devastating consequences. "Those behind this depraved attack have no place in our city. Their violence has been rejected by people

Summary: Police are investigating a possible sectarian motive for an overnight attack in Londonderry's Waterside area.


The group wants to hold the events on 4 March in Locharbriggs - where it is based - and nearby Dumfries. Dumfries and Galloway Council's licensing panel is being asked to issue permission for both events. However, a parish priest in Dumfries has objected to the march saying it has "no reason whatsoever, historical or otherwise" to be held in the town. The council has to be consulted by anyone wishing to hold any public procession. The Locharbriggs Loyal Orange Lodge wants to stage one march through Dumfries at 15:30 on Saturday 4 March lasting for about 45 minutes. It would follow a route along New Abbey Road, Laurieknowe, Galloway Street, Buccleuch Street, High Street, Shakespeare Street and Nith Place before ending at the Dock Park. The second procession - starting at 18:00 - would take place for about half an hour through Locharbriggs. It has been estimated that 75 people would take part in the Dumfries procession and 50 people in the Locharbriggs one. Fr Jim Hayes of St Teresa's RC church has made a representation against the marches. He said he was "dismayed" to see a procession being brought into the "heart of Dumfries". He said he hoped marches of this kind by "any group of any persuasion" would "disappear from Scottish life altogether".

Summary: An Orange Lodge in southern Scotland is seeking approval for two processions to mark its 25th anniversary.


Normally, clocks are put forward an hour on the last Sunday in March, and then put back an hour on the last Sunday in October. In 2016, summer time will last from 27 March to 30 October. During that time, we move our clocks forward by an hour - so, if you normally get up at 8am, it will feel like 7am. The change is called 'daylight saving', and the idea is to make the most of natural daylight, by arranging for the hours of the day when we do the most things to happen when it's light. Starting the day earlier means that mornings are darker, but it stays light for longer in the evenings. It was first done in the UK in 1916 - 100 years ago - during the First World War. The aim was to save fuel, and give people more time to work in the fields. Now, some people think that we should have British Summer Time all year round.

Summary: At 1am on Easter Sunday, the clocks moved forward by one hour, marking the start of British Summer Time.


His return comes after an invitation of fellow co-founder Jack Dorsey, who was brought back as chief executive in 2015. Mr Dorsey has been trying to reboot Twitter, which claims more than 300 million monthly users, but has struggled to turn a profit. Twitter's stock bounced nearly 2% on the news. Mr Stone said he will focus on the culture of the company. "I'll shape the experience internally so it's also felt outside the company," he wrote. "More soon." Mr Stone left Twitter in 2011, after the exit of fellow co-founders. He went on to start the publishing platform Medium and a search app, Jelly Industries, which Pinterest acquired this year. Twitter co-founder talks about the future of social media Dorsey: Twitter will take time to fix After a recent visit to Twitter, Mr Stone said he couldn't turn down the chance to work there again. "When I stood next to Jack addressing the crowd of employees, I felt the energy, and I was overcome with emotion," he wrote in a post on Medium. "I realised in that moment that Twitter was the most important work of my life." Mr Dorsey also shared the news on Twitter, writing: "Excited to have Biz's energy and heart back at Twitter! #BizIsBack"

Summary: Twitter co-founder Biz Stone has said he plans to rejoin the social media site in the next few weeks.


Unite said workers at the Atomic Weapons Establishment's (AWE) two Berkshire sites would strike for 12 days over a pensions dispute. AWE, which builds the UK's Trident submarine warheads, said it had put "resilient measures in place". It added that its pension scheme was "very competitive". The walk-out of around 700 workers at Aldermaston and Burghfield in June, July, August and September will bring the number of strike days since November to 30. Unite regional officer Bob Middleton said: "We know that our members' action has caused serious disruption to the production of the Trident warheads. "We also know that convoys to Scotland carrying the missiles have been limited." The dispute centres on Unite's claim that promises about pensions were broken after the scheme was moved to the private sector in the 1990s. An AWE spokesperson said: "We are actively seeking to re-engage with Unite to find a positive resolution to this dispute." The union Prospect agreed a pension settlement for its AWE members in February.

Summary: A union claims strikes have resulted in "serious disruption" to the UK's nuclear weapons programme as it announced further industrial action.


Since George Osborne applauded Google's tax agreement with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) two weeks ago, public sentiment has been mounting against what many feel are unduly favourable tax arrangements for the world's multinationals. In front of MPs, Google's president for Europe, Matt Brittin defended the company's UK tax arrangements. Its public stance has been that: "Governments make tax law, the tax authorities independently enforce the law, and Google complies with the law." In which case, the authorities in the UK and beyond seem to be concluding that what's required is a change in the law. Chancellor George Osborne has already instigated a clampdown on the way multinationals shift their profits to different jurisdictions to pay less tax, known as the "diverted profits tax". HMRC has said that the new tax, which came into effect in April last year, is aimed at capturing tax from organisations that don't pay corporation tax on their profits in the UK. Google, says HMRC, has paid the taxes that it is supposed to pay. Which, say critics, suggests this new tax doesn't go far enough. Last month, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) successfully brokered an agreement designed to improve the current system. All 31 of its member countries, which include the US, Bermuda and Guernsey, have agreed to share information on the tax international firms pay, leaving them less room for moving their profits into low tax jurisdictions. But the plan would still require implementation at national level. At the heart of the agreement is the concept of transparency, in particular what is known as "country-by-country reporting". This would force companies to tell the tax office of each country in which they operate, how many staff they employ there, what their revenues and profit are and how much tax they pay. The European Commission has proposed EU member states do the same. If its plan is approved, which experts say is unlikely as any direct tax measures require unanimity, it could eventually be turned into law by individual countries. The Commission has said it is also looking separately at whether these accounts should be opened up to public scrutiny and will publish its findings in the spring. If such scrutiny were ever implemented, it could be a powerful incentive for firms to change, says Richard Murphy, professor of international political economy at London's City University. "If multinationals feel that they are out of the public eye, then they feel they can carry on the same way with the tax authorities - and nothing changes. "It is only by having their affairs in the public eye, when everyone can see the choices they are making and the press can have a field day, that you have behavioural change." The prospect is already making investors nervous, according to Prof Murphy: "Investors are crucial to this. They are beginning to question which companies are free-riding. If there is public scrutiny of their accounts that represents a real risk, it could result in a real change in perception of those companies." Momentum appears to be building behind

Summary: When Google's European boss, Matt Brittin, appeared before the House of Commons' Public Accounts Committee on Thursday he faced a wave of indignant questioning from MPs.


Máiría Cahill won a by-election to fill the seat left vacant after Jimmy Harte of the Labour party resigned. Labour candidate Ms Cahill won 122 of the 188 valid votes cast by serving senators and members of parliament. Last year, she told the BBC she had been raped by an IRA man when she was 16, with the organisation forcing her into silence to protect itself. The man she accused of raping her was prosecuted but later acquitted of all charges against him after two separate court cases in 2014. Earlier this year, Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service apologised to Ms Cahill after a report into how it handled her allegations found delays in her case had been "unacceptable". Ms Cahill is a member of one of the Irish republican movement's most prominent families. But on Thursday, ahead of the by-election, she told Irish state broadcaster RTÉ she no longer considers herself a republican. She said she was "deeply sorry" for her involvement in the dissident group Republican Network for Unity, adding that it coincided with a vulnerable point in her life. "I didn't think about it at the time and I've had a lot of reflection since" she said. After her election, Ms Cahill said she would invite sex abuse organisations to the senate to discuss support for victims. "I want to use my time [in the senate] to continue to work for victims of abuse," she said. "That is the issue that has brought me to where I am today and it is the issue that I will continue to campaign on during my time as a senator. "I also want to use my time to explore ways of engaging young jobseekers in this country and to help change their lives for the better." Ms Cahill had been the favourite to win the by-election. The other candidates who stood were Fianna Fáil's Keith Swanick, who received 38 votes, Sinead Burke of Sinn Féin, who won 18 votes, and independent candidate Gerry Beades, who received 10.

Summary: A Belfast woman who has accused the IRA of a sex abuse cover-up has won a seat in the Irish senate.


Tourists may have caught a glimpse of the future monarch in uniform riding his horse Wellesley in The Mall. As Colonel of the Irish Guards, Prince William inspected the troops ahead of the parade on 17 June. More than 6,000 spectators watched the inspection in Horse Guards Parade. There were more than 200 military horses on parade and 400 musicians. Trooping the Colour has commemorated the birthday of the sovereign for more than 250 years. It also functions as a display of army drills, music and horsemanship. The Duke of Cambridge became the Colonel of the Irish Guards in 2011. The last time the battalion trooped the colour in front of the Queen was in 2009.

Summary: The Duke of Cambridge has taken part in the military rehearsal for the Queen's Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, for the first time.


Victoria and South Australia are experiencing higher than expected numbers of mice, the CSIRO said. The agency characterises a mouse plague as more than 1,000 mice per hectare (2,471 per acre). If conditions bring enough food, the population could hit that number within months, researcher Steve Henry said. "We had a terrific spring this year which lead to record crops," Mr Henry told the BBC. "Those conditions that lead to great crops are also really favourable for mice." The CSIRO could not give a current figure for mice per hectare, but said data from traps and anecdotal evidence pointed to a population spike. About five mice per hectare would be considered normal, Mr Henry said. Mouse plagues regularly occur only in Australia's grain belts and a province in north-west China, the CSIRO said. Victoria and South Australia occupy a large part of the Murray-Darling Basin, a fertile region accounting for almost 40% of Australia's agricultural income, according to the government. Outbreaks of mice create a significant financial hit to farmers who are forced to buy costly bait and often re-sow crops. Mr Henry said outbreaks also led to stress in rural communities. "It's the fact that they are invading people's houses, they're in their vehicles, everywhere they turn around there's a mouse," he said. "People in the cities are aghast when they have a mouse in the house. These people in the country, they're jamming up every crack in their house with steel wool to stop the mice from getting in." Mice were introduced to Australia by European settlers. They have few natural predators and face little competition from native wildlife.

Summary: Australia's science agency has warned that spring rains have created ideal conditions for a mouse plague in the country's breadbasket.


The decision comes as some clinicians warned it could put patients at risk. The unit would carry out complex vascular surgery for potentially life-threatening conditions like abdominal aortic aneurysms. However, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said this only represented about 20% of its vascular treatments. The health board insisted the majority of its vascular services would still be carried out at the other hospital sites across north Wales, including Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor and Wrexham Maelor Hospital. "Currently, around 300 complex vascular surgery operations are carried out each year in North Wales - representing about 20% of our vascular activity - and we are committed to continuing the majority of our work at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and Wrexham Maelor Hospital," said Dr Evan Moore, the board's executive medical director. "Units such as these - which provide a hub for major vascular arterial operations - are being created across the UK, and there is strong evidence that such sites improve clinical outcomes and patient safety, whilst attracting the best staff and help to develop the best infrastructure." Vascular medicine covers a wide range of medical procedures and interventions, from screening for risks of aneurysms - where weakened walls of major blood vessels could burst - to treating varicose veins, stroke prevention and helping ensure dialysis patients can continue their treatment. But speaking ahead of the announcement, one consultant physician at Ysbyty Gwynedd raised concerns. "This is an integrated service, and other aspects of what we do here would be threatened - radiology, urology and gastroenterology to name just a few," Dr Mahdi Jibani told BBC Wales. Ken Jones of the North Wales Kidney Association added: "If this service goes, it will cost lives, there's no two ways about it." Arfon assembly member Sian Gwenllian said it represented "yet another example of services creeping eastwards". But Dr Moore argued that far from hitting services at other hospitals in the region, vascular services would benefit from a specialised hub. "Hubs such as the one we have planned, built on the considerable knowledge, skills and practices already here, would protect connected services at these locations. "These include outpatient consultations, investigations, diagnostic procedures, varicose vein and day case surgeries. It will also ensure strong support for other services such as accident and emergency, urology surgery and renal therapy."

Summary: Health chiefs in north Wales have confirmed plans to site a specialist vascular unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Denbighshire.


City had led 2-0 from the first leg after their European debut on Thursday. Defenders Jennifer Beattie and Lucy Bronze fired in from first-half corners to extend the new English champions' lead, as they controlled possession. Beattie headed in her second after the break, before Isobel Christiansen slotted in City's fourth late on. Nick Cushing's side have now kept 19 clean sheets in 24 matches in all competitions so far in 2016. Scotland centre-back Beattie opened the scoring with a low volley from a right-wing corner on 23 minutes and rose unmarked to head in from another right-wing cross after the break. Striker Jane Ross had also clipped the inside of the post before Bronze - who netted in stoppage time at the end of the first leg - had drilled home from close range before half-time. Christiansen's neat fourth added to the margin of victory, after Zvezda striker Daryna Apanaschenko had struck the crossbar with their best effort of a one-sided tie. Zvezda - who reached the last-16 stage in both of the past two seasons and finished second in the Russian league in September - had not lost a home Champions League match since 2009. Manchester City Women: Bardsley, Bronze (Corboz 77), Stokes, Beattie, Houghton (c), Asllani (Middag 53), Scott, Duggan, Christiansen, Ross, Walsh. Subs not used: Hourihan, Parris. Zvezda: Zvarich, Kurochkina, Pozdeeva, Pantyukhina, Orlov, Apanaschenko (c), Makarenko, Andrushchak, Nurgalieva, Kipyatkova. Referee: Riem Hussein Attendance: TBC

Summary: Manchester City reached the last 16 of the Women's Champions League as a 4-0 victory in Russia sealed a dominant, 6-0 aggregate win over Zvezda 2005.


The number of Welsh MPs will fall from 40 to 29 at the next general election as part of a move to reduce the number of MPs across the UK from 650 to 600. The changes are being made as a result of rules that require broadly equal numbers of voters in each constituency. Welsh constituencies currently have, on average, fewer voters than English ones. Changes that would have cut the number of Welsh MPs from 40 to 30 were blocked by the Liberal Democrats during the coalition government after an outcry from Labour MPs. Stand by for a repeat of that row. Today's revised proposals are based on new figures on the electoral register. The average number of voters in each constituency, according to the Office for National Statistics, is 54,300 in Wales, 66,700 in Scotland, 68,200 in Northern Ireland and 70,100 in England. The Boundary Commission for Wales said it would publish "initial proposals" for Welsh constituencies later this year, to be followed by a period of consultation. The new map will be drawn with the goal of ensuring each seat has between 71,031 and 78,507 electors. The average size of the electorate per constituency across the UK is 74,769, with the electorate of each constituency having to be within 5% of that - meaning each must have between 71,031 and 78,507 voters. Under the proposals, England will lose 32 MPs, Northern Ireland one and Scotland six to create a smaller House of Commons.

Summary: Wales will lose more than a quarter of its MPs under a review of parliamentary constituencies.


Solomona scored 40 tries in the 2016 season, including a record total of 40 in Super League. Tigers chairman Steve Gill said in October that the 23-year-old Samoan was not for sale and would be returning to the club on 7 November. BBC Sport understands Solomona has held talks with rugby union side Sale. The Premiership club declined to comment on the story.

Summary: Castleford Tigers are to take legal action against winger Denny Solomona after he failed to return to the club for pre-season training.


Mark Jennens, 40, was accused of manslaughter when his mother died after a row at their West Midlands home over Christmas dinner in 2015. The prosecution argued he threw her to the floor causing a fractured hip. But after a jury cleared him, he said: "For the first time in 18 months I can look myself in the eye in the mirror." Mr Jennens, of Brierley Hill, was the carer for his 78-year-old mother, who suffered from lung cancer. He admitted the pair had a difficult relationship. "She was a Jekyll and Hyde. She could be lovely or she could be evil, you never quite knew what you were getting," he told the BBC. Describing what happened on Christmas Eve, he said she fell after he picked her up by her arms in a "tragic accident" following their dispute. "My mother has been a difficult character and I'd been her sole carer for 10 years," he said. "She was being aggressive as per usual. Thousands of times she has been aggressive before. "And this one time I wanted to cry to be quite honest. So I went to pick her up to put her outside the door for two minutes so I could sit there and have a sob. "Well she went [fell] over and I phoned the police and ambulance." His mother was taken to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, but later contracted pneumonia and died on 18 January 2016. Mr Jennens said he was "absolutely gobsmacked" after he was arrested shortly after. "Next thing you know I'm being done for manslaughter," he said. During his trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, it was reported the prosecution described what happened as "a cascade of events all led from a fractured hip which she suffered at her son's hands." But Mr Jennens' defence barrister argued there had been a "break in the chain of causation" when Hazel was incorrectly administered Salbutamol in hospital two days before she died. The jury cleared Mr Jennens in less than 90 minutes. "It was never prison that bothered me," he said. "No matter how difficult a relationship you've got with your mum you are always going to love them. "My mum had terminal lung cancer," he said, adding the family didn't know that his mother had been told a year before she died she had six months to live. He believes the case should never have been brought and that there were many gaps, including unanswered questions about her medical care. "Now the jury has come back unanimously after an hour-and-a-half it confirms there was no case to answer," he said. Mr Jennens said his family had "never doubted me for a second" and shared his relief. "I'm more relieved for my sisters because in hindsight I think they have suffered more than me," he said. He said he had been under enormous stress looking after his mother and has called for changes to aspects of social care. His mother had refused help from social service which meant he was not able to get a "vital bit

Summary: A son cleared of killing his mother has spoken of his relief, saying: "Who wants the stigma of being known as 'the bloke who kills their mum?'"


In November 2014, Charlie was training in Sweden when she lost control of her skis, veering off course into the forest and landing on a boulder. After a year of rehabilitation, she is back in Austria training. Following a race on Sunday, she has now been launched up the rankings for alpine slalom skiing to number 84. Charlie, who has skied since she was seven, fought hard to get back in the game, and managed to make it to the world skiing championships just 11 weeks after the crash. And last Sunday, when competing in a race in Austria, she achieved a result that has pushed her into the top 100 skiers in her category in the world. Back home in Perth this week, she said: "It's been a turbulent journey. I've had a lot of ups and downs over the last year. "After making it to world championships, I had a good few races back in Europe and I made loads of personal bests. "But by the time we got to March, I had more back problems than I'd ever had before. "It wasn't happening that well for me." Charlie said that before her accident, making it into the top 100 was still her goal and now - just over a year later - she's delighted to have made that happen. "We've come out this season with everything we were looking to get," she said. "It's quite rewarding to have that after after a long periods of constant rehab and recovery and things going wrong." She added: "We knew what kind of result I'd need to be able to get into the top 100. "On Sunday, I had a race in Austria that I won by 1.4 seconds or something like that. Immediately we knew that that was going to be a good enough result to get me into the top 100. "I was number 84 and it was really cool to see that next to your name. "There's still a lot more work I want to do - I want to be number one in the world. "Everything was really worth it in the end."

Summary: Just over a year after breaking her spine, Scottish skier Charlie Guest has made it into the list of the world's top 100.


The world number two dropped serve in the first game of the match but was rarely troubled by the American in his first outing since GB's Davis Cup semi-final victory over Australia on 20 September. Murray, 28, said: "I played well, moved well and it was a good start for me." He will face another American, John Isner, in the third round. Isner's 6-3 7-6 (7-5) victory over Belgian David Goffin prevented a dress-rehearsal meeting between the world number 16 and Murray before next month's Davis Cup final. World number one Novak Djokovic also reached round three, beating Slovakia's Martin Klizan 6-2 6-1. Rafael Nadal also made it through but had a much tougher time. It took Nadal two hours and 43 minutes to overcome Croatia's Ivo Karlovic 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-4). Looking ahead to facing Isner, Murray told Sky Sports: "I think he quite likes the conditions here because it's quick and he's a tough guy to play against." After starting slowly against Johnson, Murray broke the American's serve three times to claim the first set. The Scot encountered greater resistance in the second set and two double faults in a row helped gift Johnson two break points at 3-3. But a precise drop volley allowed Murray to see off the danger. With Johnson serving at 4-5, a lob set up three match points and Murray clinched it at the second opportunity when the American sent a forehand long after one hour and 16 minutes. Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios could be facing another fine after being given his second code violation of the tournament. The Australian smashed away a loose ball and nearly hit a linesman after losing the second set in a 1-6 6-4 6-4 defeat by Japan's Kei Nishikori. Kyrgios, 20, was fined $1,500 (£984) on Tuesday after calling the tournament a "circus" and complaining about the ball kids during his win over Andreas Haider-Maurer. He could trigger a 28-day ban if he incurs $5,000 (£3,256) in fines before February - a penalty stemming from the suspended ban he received for a sexual comment about Stan Wawrinka's girlfriend during a match in August.

Summary: Britain's Andy Murray had a comfortable 6-2 6-4 victory over Steve Johnson in his opening Shanghai Masters match.


The 14% fall in net income to $4bn (Â£3bn) was not as bad as feared. In June, chief executive Michael Corbat warned of a 25% fall in net income. Consumer banking in North America had a weak quarter. Net income fell 22%, hit by falling sales and higher costs. But its trading operations were strong in the April-to-June period, with a 10% increase in revenue to $4.7bn. In particular, the bank's bond trading business did well, reporting a 14% increase in revenue to $3.5bn. Citigroup attributed the rise to more activity from its big clients. However, banking analyst Christopher Wheeler from Atlantic Securities believes that business saw a boost in trading activity following the UK's vote to leave the European Union. In a statement accompanying the results, Mr Corbat said: "These results demonstrate our ability to generate solid earnings in a challenging and volatile environment, again highlighting the resilience of our institution." Rival banking giant Wells Fargo reported a 3.5% fall in quarterly net income to $5.17bn, which was in line with market expectations. Wells Fargo profits were hit by the company making extra provisions for loans going bad.

Summary: Citigroup's profits fell in the second quarter because of weakness at its consumer banking business.


Hayley Court was employed by South Yorkshire Police (SYP) just after the hearings began in 2014. Documents seen by BBC News show she was told a "performance issue" was her "failure" to "redress the imbalance" in the media's reporting of the inquests. SYP said her claims of "unethical practice" were "not substantiated". Ms Court, 30, was taken on as the force's Hillsborough communications specialist with a salary of more than Â£50,000 but has since left. She said when she took the job she had hoped to illustrate the SYP force of 2014, when the inquests began, was not the same as it had been in 1989 - the year of the disaster. But she said "very quickly" she felt like she "had been fed a line". "I felt like I had been told my job would be one thing, but actually it was something very different." She said she felt "very foolish" and "naive". "I felt like I was then part of the problem, which couldn't have been further from what I was trying to achieve by accepting the role in the first place. And I felt that I was letting people down by continuing to be part of it." Ms Court spent around four months doing the job and went daily to the coroner's court in Warrington, Cheshire. But after raising concerns within the force about her role she became ill with anxiety and depression and was signed off work. Her job involved writing daily reports about the hearings, which were sent to former and serving South Yorkshire Police officers, as well as liaising with reporters covering the inquests. Jurors ruled 96 Liverpool fans who died at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final had been unlawfully killed. They also criticised SYP's planning for the match and highlighted a catalogue of failures by senior officers on the day. The stadium was also said to have contained "defects" that contributed to the disaster, and Sheffield Wednesday FC and South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service were criticised. The supporters were exonerated of any blame. Ms Court sat in on meetings between South Yorkshire Police's legal team during the inquests. Describing her impression of their approach to the case, she said: "If [SYP] was going to be found partly responsible for what happened, then all the other interested parties should be found partly responsible as well. "And if that meant perpetuating the comments about fans being drunk, if that meant perpetuating comments about fans forcing gates, then that is how they were going to do it. "No-one could have failed to see that SYP was going to be found largely responsible for what happened at Hillsborough, and I think it was more about if there is less responsibility that we can take, then we should seek to make sure that is the outcome." She said she was "surprised" that the force was "still perpetuating this defensiveness", despite issuing an apology for police failures in 2012, more than a year before the inquests began. Ms Court claimed she was repeatedly told to tell the media what "line" they

Summary: A former South Yorkshire Police press officer claimed she was asked to "spin" news during the Hillsborough inquests, the BBC can reveal.


A planned December bout fell through because the fighters "ran out of time", said Klitschko's manager Bernd Boente. "That'll be the biggest heavyweight fight for years," former world champion Klitschko, 40, told German newspaper Bild. The WBA has yet to state whether its vacant title would be on the line. Promotor Eddie Hearn initially blamed confusion over the titles on offer and a "minor injury" to Ukrainian Klitschko for the failure to arrange a December date. Find out how to get into boxing with our special guide. Klitschko, who will turn 41 in March, lost his WBA WBO and IBF belts to Tyson Fury in November 2015. Two attempts to stage a rematch collapsed because the Briton suffered an ankle injury and was then declared "medically unfit". Fury has since vacated his WBO and WBA titles. Joshua won the IBF belt with victory over Charles Martin in April. "I want to box in March or April against IBF world champion Anthony Joshua," said Klitschko. "I've never thought about stopping, not once, after the defeat and losing my belts. Know someone who volunteers in sport and deserves recognition for their efforts? Give them the chance to shine by nominating them. "As long as I can perform in the ring, am fit and motivated, I'll keep going. There will be a couple of big, spectacular fights with me in the ring." Joshua, 27, has won all of his 17 fights since turning professional following his gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics. He is expected to find an alternative opponent for his 10 December fight at Manchester Arena. Former British champion David Price tweeted that he is "coming to knock you out", while American Eric Molina has also reportedly been contacted about a bout.

Summary: Wladimir Klitschko says he wants to fight British heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua in "March or April".


Steven Preston went missing on 18 September 1992 from his home in Wirral. New information suggests Mr Preston, then 23, may have "been murdered and buried in a specific area near junction 5 of the M53", said Supt Ian Hassall. Officers are carrying out an "extensive land search" in the Eastham area of Wirral, Merseyside Police said. Supt Hassall said Mr Preston was last seen by his mum, Isobel, as "he waved from his bedroom window to her when she left for work at 08:45" BST from their home in Heath Road, Bebington. "Isobel said there had been no arguments and Steven had left home without his jacket or prescription for medication he was on", he said. He was reported missing five days later but was never found. "Today a painstaking search is being carried out following information recently obtained by detectives, which suggest that Steven may have been murdered and buried in a specific area of land near to junction 5 of the M53 motorway", Supt Hassall added. Mr Preston's sister, Jane, said she was "anxious to find out what happened to her brother after all these years." She said he was "a gentle, kind and funny lad" who "didn't have a nasty bone in him." "He adored my mum and it destroyed her when he disappeared. She knew instantly that he wouldn't have just left and never contact her again and that something awful must have happened to him", she said. Supt Hassall appealed for information, saying: "Sadly, Steven's mother, Isobel, and half-brother, Michael Connolly have died since his disappearance, never knowing what had happened to him. "A young man in 20s doesn't just leave home and vanish into thin air. Somebody, somewhere must know where he is, or what happened to him."

Summary: New information suggests a man who disappeared almost 25 years ago may have been killed and buried on land in Merseyside, police say.


Works by Matisse, Picasso, Gustav Klimt and Ben Nicholson will be offered at auction at Christie's in February, as well as Sting's Steinway piano. The auction house said the couple had collected the works "with passion and knowledge" over 20 years. One painting, Nicholson's March 55 (amethyst) could fetch up to £500,000. The British abstract painter's 1955 work previously hung in the music room at their house in Queen Anne's Gate. It will be auctioned alongside Robert Mapplethorpe photographs, Matisse's Jazz series and Picasso's lithograph Le Corsage a Carreaux. Prints by Georges Braque and Rene Magritte, as well as well as more contemporary artists such as Carsten Holler, will be auctioned alongside 20th century furniture and lighting by Post-War masters including Yves Klein. Andy Waters, head of private collection sales for Christie's London said the Queen Anne's Gate home had "effortlessly combined luxury, rarity and colour". "Each work of art was carefully chosen and the resulting collection is a testament to Sting and Trudie Styler's informed eye for art and design," said Waters. The couple, whose four children are now grown up, decided to sell the works after buying a new home in London's Battersea power station development. A Christie's spokesperson said they felt it was "time for a change". More than 200 separate lots are due to be auctioned on 24 February 2016, with estimates ranging from £1,000 to £500,000. Christie's said the collection also demonstrated the couple's support for young contemporary artists. It includes works by Emily Allchurch and Giles Alexander and a "striking" series of panels by Russian artist Veronica Smirnoff, specially commissioned for the staircase of the house.

Summary: Musician Sting and wife Trudie Styler are selling more than 200 items from their art collection, previously housed in their former family home in London.


The Yemeni troops, along with a force of local tribesman, were backed by the United Arab Emirates and US forces. The US views Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) as the most dangerous wing of the terror group. AQAP has taken advantage of the chaos of the Yemeni civil war to expand in the oil and gas rich south. The aim of the mission was to "degrade" AQAP's abilities, Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said. But local people said the militants did not put up a fight, and simply melted away into the mountains. As a result, the province's main cities are said to be under government control for the first time in years.

Summary: Forces backing Yemen's government have reportedly driven al-Qaeda fighters out of the main cities of the southern province of Shabwa.


The tournament saw the leading 24 after Saturday's third round playing a series of six-hole knockout stroke play games. Santos remarkably holed from 255 yards for his albatross on 18 to beat Chile's Nico Geyger at the last-16 stage. But Santos soon exited and 23-year-old Sciot-Siegrist beat Italy's Alessandro Tadini in the final at Galgorm Castle. The unique format saw the players competing over the 17th, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and 18th holes at the Ballymena venue. University of Louisville graduate Sciot-Siegrist played the six shootout holes in three under par as he birdied both par threes and also the closing hole after two putting from 25 feet following a nerveless approach shot. The Paris native, whose mother hails from Dublin, was earning his first Challenge Tour triumph as he denied Tadini, 43, a fifth success on Europe's second-tier circuit. Tadini led after the first hole in the decider after chipping in from off the green but former US collegiate star Sciot-Siegrist bossed the remaining five holes as he fired to within eight feet on both the par threes. "It's amazing," said the 23-year-old Frenchman. "It's my first full season as a pro so I am so happy because I've been working really hard this winter and holding this trophy, I don't know how to describe it, it's just pure joy." Not surprisingly, Sciot-Siegrist lauded the event's format which was a slight tweaking of the final-day match play format used at the Perth World Sixes in Australia earlier this year. "It's great to change the format from what we usually play and I really enjoyed it." Sciot-Siegrist, who was ranked as the world's 22nd best amateur, had earlier looked set to bow out against England's Tom Murray at the last-16 stage before an eagle three at the last gave him victory. However, moments later there was astonishing drama at the closing hole as Santos, trailing Geyger by one, took victory in the second-round match as he holed out for his albatross. However, the Portuguese player then exited at the quarter-final stage against Germany's Christian Braeunig. That left Braeunig facing Sciot-Siegrist in the last four and after chipping in for eagle from the length of the 18th green to bring the encounter to a play-off, the German looked favourite as he faced a two footer at the first tie hole with the Frenchman eight feet away. However after Sciot-Siegrist holed, Braeunig's drilled tiddler lipped out to send the Frenchman into the final. Tadini, who has been back and forth between the European Tour and the Challenge circuit since first earning his main card in 2003, progressed to the decider after beating Scotland's Bradley Neil by four shots in the first semi-final. Earlier, a closing Tadini eagle in the quarter-finals had ended the hopes of Austria's Matthias Schwab, who had led the 24 qualifiers after the the 54 holes of stroke play. Santos ended Cormac Sharvin's hopes early on Sunday morning after playing their six-hole match in three under par which left him three strokes ahead of the Ardglass man, the only Irishman to

Summary: France's Robin Sciot-Siegrist won the Northern Ireland Open as Portugal's Ricardo Santos carded an albatross on a dramatic shootout Sunday.


The arrests come after more than 5,700 complaints about the websites were made to the Advertising Standards Authority and Citizens Advice. Most were linked to alleged scams over fees charged for tax return, driving licence and passport applications. Those held last week under the Fraud Act are on police bail, trading standards officials have announced. An awareness campaign is also being launched by the government warning people to look out for the misleading internet sites, whose URLs often contain fragments of official web addresses, such as "govuk" or "directgov". Official government services can be found by searching on the gov.uk website. Richard Lloyd, executive director of consumer organisation Which? said the copycat websites mislead people into paying potentially hundreds of pounds for services that should be free. The National Trading Standards Board said it was making it "as difficult as possible" for online hoaxers to operate. Its chairman Lord Harris said: "We have been working with search engines such as Google and Bing to remove adverts from online search results and we continue to gather intelligence across the country to help tackle this issue. "We urge you to avoid unofficial websites which could leave you out of pocket or at risk of identity theft." Consumer affairs minister Jo Swinson said: "It's great that it's becoming easier and more common to use the internet to order official documents such as passports or tax discs, but people should be aware of rogue websites that are out there trying to exploit them and take their hard-earned cash and even put them at risk of identity theft. "The enforcement action which the National Trading Standards eCrime team has taken demonstrates the government's commitment to tackling these scammers. We will not let them get away with misleading consumers."

Summary: Five people have been arrested as part of a crackdown on websites made to look like official government sites.


The European Union has approved significant changes to data laws, aimed at putting individuals back in charge of their information. It is the biggest shake-up to privacy regulation for 20 years, according to experts. The changes would make privacy "a board-level issue", one lawyer said. Peter Church, a technology lawyer at Linklaters, said it would make businesses "start taking these issues a lot more seriously". US technology companies already have an uneasy relationship with European regulators, with both Google and Facebook facing big fines - Facebook over its use of cookies and Google over its privacy policy. Although this new law will not come into force until 2018, the changes meant the tech giants would have to "pay more attention to what regulators are saying", said Mr Church. The new draft policy, in discussion since 2012, will need to be ratified by the European Parliament next year. Other changes include: Jan Philipp Albrech, chief negotiator, said of deal: "This would be a major step forward for consumer protection and competition and ensure Europe has data protection rules that are fit for purpose in the digital age." Stewart Room, head of data privacy at PwC, said: "The scale and breadth of the EU's changes to privacy rules will deliver unprecedented challenges for business and every entity that holds of uses European personal data both inside and outside the EU. "Most companies will be shocked at the scale of the new rules and the work that needs to be done before the laws take effect in two years - it is not much time for the magnitude of the internal changes that will be required."

Summary: Technology companies could face fines of up to 4% of their global annual turnover under new European rules on data protection.


Reports in Australia say that it could knock as much as Â£200m (A$425m) off its value. The parent company of the bank plans to float the Glasgow-based lender in Australia later this year. Chancellor George Osborne announced he was phasing out the bank levy. He also announced plans to introduce an 8% surcharge on bank profits, in addition to corporation tax. That knocked share prices of smaller UK banks which are already traded. A bank analyst at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia calculated that would knock A$425m off its valuation, and suggested that could push National Australia Bank (NAB) to sell off a larger stake in order to meet its target for raising capital. A spokesman for the NAB was reported by the Melbourne Herald Sun saying the move would have no impact on the parent bank's earnings. A spokesman in Glasgow for Clydesdale Bank, which includes the Yorkshire Bank brand, declined to comment. Clydesdale Bank is seen at the Melbourne headquarters and in the Australian media as a drag on NAB, having amassed a large portfolio of bad property loans, and the high costs of redress for mis-selling financial products. The new NAB chief executive, Andrew Thorburn, has made it a priority to split Clydesdale, handing up to 80% of it to NAB investors and selling the remainder on London and Australian exchanges. Earlier this week, senior staff at NAB in Melbourne set out the case for investing in the spun-off UK bank, to institutional investors in Australia. They portrayed it as one of the so-called challenger banks which is best placed to take on the British market's 'big five'.

Summary: The surcharge tax on bank profits announced in the Budget is being seen as another blow for the sale of Clydesdale Bank.


The car bonnet would be sticky so that if it hit a person, they would stick to the car. This would stop the them falling back onto the road after the collision, which could injure them even more. Google's idea is aimed at driverless cars but could be used on regular cars too. Don't worry, the sticky layer would be covered by a special coating, so flies wouldn't get stuck to the car too. It is just an idea at the moment but it could be something we see on our roads in the future!

Summary: Google's got a new idea to keep pedestrians safer on the roads - having sticky cars!


Moi Ali, who quit the board amid a row over meetings being held behind closed doors, told Holyrood's public audit committee she felt she was bullied. MSPs and the police watchdog are looking into transparency at the SPA. Current board members defended Mr Flanagan, saying there was a "changing atmosphere". The public audit committee has held a series of sessions on transparency at the authority, with one MSP, Alex Neil, decrying an apparent "secret society" within the board. He previously told Mr Flanagan that "it's not the Kremlin you're running". In the latest session, witnesses included Derek Penman, HM chief inspector of constabulary in Scotland, Ms Ali, and a group of current board members. Ms Ali left the board amid a row with Mr Flanagan over whether meetings should be held behind closed doors. She said Mr Flanagan had told her that expressing disagreement publicly was a resignation matter, and told MSPs that her "removal from the board was straightforward punishment for speaking out". She said it had been a "really horrendous experience", and said she did not believe it would have happened to her if she was a man. Asked by Labour MSP Monica Lennon if she felt Mr Flanagan was fit to continue as chairman of the SPA board, she replied: "He's not fit to continue on any public board." However, board members defended Mr Flanagan and the authority, with Iain Whyte characterising it as "an improving board and an improving organisation". And George Graham said he didn't recognise the characterisation of the board presented, saying "we are listening and we are ready to adapt our approach". He said there was a "changing atmosphere" at the SPA since Mr Flanagan took over, saying the board was "much more engaged" with "a clearer sense of purpose". And he defended having meetings behind closed doors, saying there needed to be "clear space to discuss difficult and complex issues". He said: "If we got the balance wrong and we need to do more committee work in public then we will do that. But every board needs at least some private space to make decisions and discuss some of the difficult, complex issues policing is going to face." Mr Neil clashed repeatedly with the sitting board members, describing scrutiny by non-executive directors as "wholly inadequate". He said he was not left with a lot of confidence that the members were "doing the proper job" and holding the chairman to account. However, Mr Graham replied: "There are an awful lot of good things that we do. The focus on a singular point, or failure if you want to call it that, I think is a poor characterisation of what we're doing." SNP member Mr Neil also said he wanted Mr Flanagan to come back to give evidence to the committee again over what he called a "PR disaster". In the previous session, the chairman said the authority had made "significant steps forward" over the past year.

Summary: A former Scottish Police Authority board member has claimed its chairman Andrew Flanagan is "not fit to continue on any public board".


The North East county have been demoted after accepting a £3.8m financial aid package from the ECB. "The ECB have to hold their hands up and look at the system they have created," said Vaughan. Counties currently have to bid to stage international matches at their grounds. Durham reportedly paid £923,000 to stage England's Test match against Sri Lanka in May, which ended in victory for the home side. But they have now lost the right to stage Test cricket at the Riverside and will start next season with a 48-point deduction. Durham finished fourth in Division One last year and their relegation means Hampshire, who were second bottom, have been reinstated. "The decision has been coming," Vaughan, who also represented Yorkshire, told BBC Radio 5 live. "For many years, there have been a few counties who have gone through financial difficulties. "These counties get put under so much pressure to bid for the right for a Test match and one-day games. "In this case, Durham have found it difficult to find investment. This could be a lot worse for them. The ECB bailed them out." Vaughan said he had "never liked" the process of counties bidding to host international matches. "I never understood it," he said. "It was taking money out of the pot and putting counties under too much restraint and pressure to sell tickets." In a statement, the ECB said it had helped Durham because of the "unprecedented seriousness" of their situation. Former Durham and England fast bowler Steve Harmison said "nobody comes out of this looking very good". He added: "I don't think the ECB have helped Durham in the last 12-18 months and there has been mismanagement from a Durham point of view." Lancashire director of cricket Ashley Giles, England's former T20 and ODI coach, said the ECB's policy of trying to "create competition" in order to spread Test cricket throughout the country had "backfired a little bit".

Summary: Durham's relegation to Division Two of the County Championship is a warning to others but the England and Wales Cricket Board is also at fault, says former England captain Michael Vaughan.


The Rams are 10th in the Championship, nine points adrift of the top six. Scotland international Bryson said: "This season's not been good enough. The players must take responsibility. "If we don't make the play-offs this season we have to build for next season and put things right." Derby face QPR at Pride Park on Friday in their second game under new manager Gary Rowett. Another match against London opposition follows on Tuesday, when the Rams are away to play-off rivals Fulham. "I don't think we can have any more slips," Bryson added. "The gap is too big. In this league, if you go on a run and win three or four in a row then you never know. "The games coming up are basically must-win for us if we are going to have any chance. You have to believe. "We still have eight games to get a wee bit of pride in the season because it's not been the best."

Summary: Derby County's players must show pride in the last eight games of a season of underachievement even if they fail to reach the play-offs, says midfielder Craig Bryson.


Nicolas Sagar was working as a pianist on the island and had gone swimming. It is believed he got in to difficulties and drowned. The 33-year-old was found at Maho Beach by tourists who could not resuscitate him and called emergency services. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene on Sunday morning and his body was identified later that day. Mr Sagar's parents are working with the Home Office to repatriate their son's body and arrangements are still being made for his funeral. Police on the island said there appeared to be no suspicious circumstances and that the incident was a tragic accident. Mr Sagar, who was also involved in acting and musical directing, previously worked in musical theatre in London and on cruise ships. He was expected to continue his travelling by visiting Barbados on Monday. 'Regular swims' Kelly Sagar, the deceased's father, said: "He was a wonderful son. The piano was his great love; from the age of eight, the only thing he wanted to do was play piano and sing. "He was never happier than when he was sitting at the piano with a pint resting on top. "He was travelling the world doing what he loved. "Nick worked in the evenings and liked to spend his days on the beach. He'd go swimming there quite often and it appears that on this occasion he got in to difficulty. "He will be missed terribly." Mr and Mrs Sagar said they had been comforted by messages posted on their son's social networking site.

Summary: A musician from Alloa has died after drowning off the coast of the Caribbean island of St Maartens.


If the team had to change the gearbox as a result of damage from Silverstone, Rosberg would be hit with a five-place grid penalty in Hungary this weekend. Mercedes said Rosberg would run the gearbox in practice on Friday at the Hungaroring "to make sure it is OK". A spokesman added: "We are optimistic that it will be." Rosberg was demoted from second to third place at Silverstone after Mercedes were found to have broken rules restricting radio information given by teams to drivers as they tried to help him fix the problem. The German heads into the weekend with a one-point championship lead over team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes have not won the Hungarian Grand Prix since the start of their domination of F1 following the introduction of turbo hybrid engines in 2014. Hamilton holds the record, jointly with Michael Schumacher, for most wins at the Hungaroring, with four victories. Rosberg has never finished higher than fourth at the track. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Mercedes say they are "optimistic" Nico Rosberg will avoid a grid penalty after the gearbox problem that afflicted him at the British Grand Prix.


The woman contacted security staff after her waters broke at the Intu Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex. Although an ambulance was called and arrived quickly, the baby girl was delivered before they got to the scene on Thursday evening. Paul Lancaster, regional manager of Intu, said the woman had been in "distress" but was now "doing well". Staff at Primark provided towels for the woman on the second floor of the shopping complex. She was screened off as she gave birth to her daughter, whose name is understood to be Deborah. "In 23 years we've never had a birth at the site," said Mr Lancaster. "Plenty of ladies have broken water and gone off to hospital and no doubt a couple of babies have been conceived here. "It all happened rather quickly before the ambulance could get there. They responded really quickly. "We didn't think it was immediately going to happen but the baby was born on the spot."

Summary: A shopper ended up giving birth outside a Primark store after she suddenly went into labour.


Researchers, who have carried out a four-year review of the literature, say the evidence of damage is now "conclusive". The scientists say the threat to nature is the same as that once posed by the notorious chemical DDT. Manufacturers say the pesticides are not harming bees or other species. Neonicotinoids were introduced in the early 1990s as a replacement for older, more damaging chemicals. They are a systemic insecticide, meaning that they are absorbed into every cell in a plant, making all parts poisonous to pests. But some scientists have been concerned about their impact, almost since the moment they were introduced. Much of the worry has surrounded their effects on bees. There's been a well documented, global decline in these critical pollinators. Many researchers believe that exposure to neonicotinoids has been an important destabilising factor for the species. In 2011, environmental campaigners, the IUCN, established an international scientific taskforce on systemic pesticides to look into the impacts of these chemicals. The members have reviewed over 800 peer reviewed papers that have been published in the past 20 years. Their assessment of the global impact says the threat posed goes far beyond bees. In their report, to be published next month, they argue that neonicotinoids and another chemical called fipronil are poisoning the earth, the air and the water. The pesticides accumulate in the soil and leach into water, and pose a significant problem for earthworms, freshwater snails, butterflies and birds. The researchers say that the classic measurements used to assess the toxicity of a pesticide are not effective for these systemic varieties and conceal their true impact. They point to one of the studies in the review carried out in the Netherlands. It found that higher levels of neonicotinoids in water reduced the levels of aquatic invertebrates, which are the main prey for a whole range of species including wading birds, trout and salmon. "There is so much evidence, going far beyond bees," Prof Dave Goulson from the University of Sussex told BBC News. "They accumulate in soils, they are commonly turning up in waterways at levels that exceed the lethal dose for things that live in streams. "It is impossible to deny that these things are having major environmental impacts." The scientists are very worried about the prophylactic use of neonicotinoids, where seeds are coated in the chemicals and the plant grows up with the ability to destroy pests already built in. "It is a bit like taking antibiotics to avoid getting ill," said Prof Goulson, one of a team of 29 scientists involved in the research. "The more they are used, the stronger the selective pressure you place on pest insects to become resistant to them. Using them as prophylactics is absolute madness in that sense." The task force argues that with neonicotinoids and fipronil making up around a third of the world market in insecticides, farmers are over-relying on them in the same way as they once became over reliant on chemicals like DDT. "We have forgotten those lessons and we're back to where we were in the

Summary: Neonicotinoid pesticides are causing significant damage to a wide range of beneficial species and are a key factor in the decline of bees, say scientists.


During the election campaign, David Cameron talked about how the government needs to save £1 from every £100 it spends - so 3% should put it well ahead of where it needs to be. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Today's announcement highlights why that 1% cuts figure was not entirely helpful. The first problem is that things get more expensive, even at a time when the official measure of inflation is negative. The National Health Service gets more expensive every year because the population is growing and ageing and because as medical science advances there are more things that can be treated. Indeed, the government has promised an extra £8bn above inflation to the NHS by 2020, which will presumably have to be made up through further cuts in other departments. Education spending is protected for children aged five to 16 in terms of cash per pupil, so rising pupil numbers would also need to be made up for by cuts elsewhere. And international aid is protected and will rise in line with the amount the economy grows. There are other areas of spending that the government will struggle to cut. Although the amount it is borrowing each year is falling, the total amount it has borrowed is still increasing, which means interest must be paid on more money, albeit at a very low interest rate. The cost of public sector pensions keeps growing as more civil servants retire and live longer. And the state pension is triply protected, rising by inflation, wages or 2.5%, whichever is the higher. To deal with all this, the government is planning to cut £12bn from the welfare bill and save £5bn by cutting back on tax avoidance, but most of the rest comes from cutting spending in unprotected departments. And 3% cuts would not be enough. The Institute for Fiscal Studies reckons that the current plans to cut spending by 1% for the next two years and then freeze it for a third will actually mean cuts for unprotected departments averaging 5.4% a year for three years. Which is not to say that the government will not be able to achieve such cuts. The last government was fairly successful at achieving the cuts it targeted, although it may be a bit harder this time because any easy cuts have presumably already been made and this government has a relatively small majority if any of its cuts are controversial on the backbenches. But it is important to distinguish between the 1% figure we heard during the election and the 3% we heard today.

Summary: The chancellor announced today that Whitehall departments have found £3bn of savings this financial year, which is equivalent to around 3% of unprotected departmental spending this year.


A spokesman said it was the longest tunnel found to date and was meant for use in attacks on Israeli civilians. The military wing of Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, dismissed the find, saying the tunnel was not new. The tunnel is longer than one which Israel announced it had discovered last October which reached 1.7km (1 mile). Militants have repeatedly tried to penetrate Israel using tunnels under the heavily secured border, managing to use one in a raid which killed two Israeli soldiers and saw a third, Gilad Shalit, kidnapped in 2006. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not say when or where the latest tunnel was found, but that it had thwarted a potential attack. "This advanced tunnel was intended to pose a direct link and threat to Israeli territory, and enable Hamas terrorists to reach and harm Israeli civilians," said spokesman Lt Col Peter Lerner. "Tunnels such as this are built to assist terrorists in the execution of terror attacks. In the past Gaza terrorists have utilised such tunnels to Israel for infiltration, detonation and abduction of Israeli citizens." The IDF said it was still investigating the tunnel, which it said ran for hundreds of metres inside Israel - without giving a precise figure. However Hamas' military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, disputed Israel's claim. A spokesman noted "there was no military or intelligence achievement by the enemy", adding that "this tunnel is not new. "It is an old tunnel that Israel exposed two months ago and jihad fighters worked to rebuild it."

Summary: The Israeli military says it has uncovered a tunnel dug by militants from the Gaza Strip which runs hundreds of metres under Israel.


Needing another 132 for victory with eight wickets in hand on the final day at Grace Road, Wells finished unbeaten on 90 as Sussex strolled home on 234-5. Anchored by Wells' 190-ball innings, Sussex never looked in any trouble despite losing three wickets. Sussex have now won back-to-back games, while Leicestershire are still winless. Their successive victories have come under new captain Chris Nash after Luke Wright stepped down from the role at the start of the month. Wells has been instrumental in both wins, scoring 155 in the innings victory over Worcestershire, before his match-winning knock in this game. Sussex head coach Mark Davis told BBC Radio Sussex: "In our other two wins this season we've been ahead of the game - but here we've come from behind to show loads of character, skill and guts. It was nice to see. "A couple of individuals will take the headlines, but it was a proper team performance."

Summary: Luke Wells continued his superb batting form to guide Sussex to a five-wicket win over Leicestershire in Division Two of the County Championship.


Stephen Kavanagh also said the airline only entered into a pricing arrangement for flying out of the airport. BIA is suing Aer Lingus for £20m in damages over the switch to George Best Belfast City Airport in 2012. Proceedings centre on a dispute over the terms of a deal said to have been reached back in June 2007. It followed months of negotiations as the airline sought to establish a base outside the Republic of Ireland. Issues under discussion were said to include charging rates and £900,000 in launch support for the three Airbus A320s over the first three years. According to BIA, the airline then moved its Belfast operation in breach of a binding 10-year contract. But giving evidence at the hearing on Thursday, Mr Kavanagh rejected that assessment. Asked about claims his company was under an obligation to stay at Belfast International for 10 years, he replied: "Aer Lingus saw a pricing proposal, based on an initial three aircraft base. "That was what informed our business case development and analysis, and that is the basis upon which we operated from December 2007 until we left Aldergrove. "The pricing was adhered to and paid in full." A barrister for Aer Lingus, further questioned him on a dispute over whether the airline suffered financially from its time at BIA. "I can be absolute and categorical that Aer Lingus lost a significant amount of money in its operation at Belfast Aldergrove," he responded. "In terms of our profit, the negative was 44m [euros]. In terms of those costs which directly applied to the operation of the base it was 21m [euros]." The difference between the two figures was partly based on corporate overheads, he said. "Without hesitation the operation was loss-making," he said. "The objective was not just to avoid losses, the objective was to generate a positive return on invested capital. "So, not only were we far short of breaking even, but we were very much failing in our investment proposition." The judge was told the situation was in "stark contrast" to other Aer Lingus bases effectively subsidising losses in Belfast. The airline chief said BIA was made aware of what was happening. Out of nine routes launched at the airport, five were ultimately cancelled due to the losses, the court heard. Mr Kavanagh described Aer Lingus's relationship with BIA during the initial years as a partnership both sides were trying to make work. Referring to talks back in 2007, he said: "The discussions were based on pricing proposals [for] an initial three aircraft base." The case continues.

Summary: Aer Lingus lost up to 44m euros (£32m) from having a base at Belfast International Airport (BIA), its chief executive has told a court.


The blue Peugeot bike was hit by a blue Jaguar X-type at the Carr Lane East and Dwerryhouse Lane junction in Norris Green, Liverpool, on Wednesday 13 January. The 27-year-old motorcyclist was left with internal injuries and remains in a critical condition in hospital. A 39-year-old man is in police custody. An investigation is ongoing and a number of lines of enquiry are being pursued, police said. Detectives are continuing to appeal for witnesses. Det Ch Insp Mark Kameen said: "We believe that someone could have information that could help us with our investigation and we would urge anyone who hasn't already contacted us to get in touch. Any information they have could be vital." Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crimestoppers.

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a crash between a motorcycle and a car which left the rider in hospital.


Instead of the familiar 0700 jingle-and-bulletin that got us moving kettlewards, listeners to the news channel France-Info have had to endure 21 days of recorded messages and music. Non-striking journalists periodically manage to put together short sequences on the station, but it is a pale shadow of the real thing. Masses of listeners are defecting to private channels such as RMC and Europe 1. And there is the same empty airtime on the six other channels that operate from Maison de la Radio in Paris (France Inter, France Bleu, France Culture, France Musique, FIP and Le Mouv'). No-one can remember a strike at Radio France lasting this long, because no strike ever has. There is a reason for that. For decades Radio France has enjoyed the status of a cosseted state asset. Constantly lauded - its mission of public service placing it above reproach - the corporation never felt the stern hand of reform. But now the country's coffers are empty. There is no more buying off the protest with a sneaky handout from the culture ministry. Today the years of accumulated waste and inefficiencies cry out for an overhaul. A report a couple of weeks ago from the French treasury watchdog, the Cour des Comptes, showed the scale of the problem. From 2004 to 2013, expenditure at Radio France went up 27.5% - with no increase in audience. Salary costs went up by 47% because at a time of growing pressure on jobs everywhere else Radio France took on 20% more staff. Because of the layers of accumulated privileges (often negotiated with unions after previous strikes), the 5,000 workers enjoy up to 68 working days off a year - more than 13 weeks. There are 388 staff members who are paid union representatives - a whopping 8% of the workforce. Renovation of Radio France's landmark Seine-side headquarters was supposed to cost 262m euros (Â£191m, $285m). Instead it is costing 575m euros. Changing all this requires a mix of vision, toughness and dialogue, but the man whose job it is might have been purpose-picked to antagonise the unions. Radio France's new president Mathieu Gallet is handsome, young, energetic - and right-wing. One of his previous jobs was in the culture ministry under President Nicholas Sarkozy. Mr Gallet has warned that the corporation's annual deficit of 21m euros is unsustainable. He wants a voluntary redundancy plan to shed 300 or so jobs. He says that Radio France's two orchestras are one too many; that the separate news rooms at France Inter, France Info and France Culture need to be integrated; and that the network of local stations at France Bleu should commission shared material. But all this has merely infuriated the unions at Radio France. The hardliners there mainly represent technicians, although many journalists have also stopped work. The strikers have made it quite clear that they want Mr Gallet to go. And usefully they have discovered that even as he was advising drastic cuts at the corporation, he spent 100,000 euros doing up his personal office there. It is the sort of

Summary: For three weeks the morning ritual for millions of people in France has been rudely interrupted by a strike at one of the country's great public sector institutions: Radio France.


Based on the 1993 comedy film with Bill Murray, the show will be directed by the Old Vic's new boss Matthew Warchus. Other plays in his inaugural season include Ibsen's The Master Builder, starring Ralph Fiennes, and Pinter's The Caretaker, with Timothy Spall. Warchus is taking over from Kevin Spacey, the Old Vic's artistic director for 11 years. He said his first season - which also includes a stage adaptation of Dr Seuss's The Lorax and a dance production of Jekyll and Hyde - reflected a "something for everyone" approach. He aims to up the number productions per year through shorter runs, and hopes three or four will transfer to the West End or go direct to Broadway via a new partnership with big-name producers Scott Rudin and Sonia Friedman. Groundhog Day reunites Warchus with three of the creative team behind the hit musical Matilda - composer and lyricist Tim Minchin, choreographer Peter Darling, and designer Rob Howell - who will work with the film's co-writer Danny Rubin. It tells the story of grumpy TV weatherman Phil Connors who is sent to the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and gets stuck in a time loop, having to live the same day over and over again. In an interview with the BBC, Warchus described the show as "an intelligent mainstream Broadway classic" that was ideal for the Old Vic. "It needs a large audience and a large stage, and I wanted to start it in this country, so it's the perfect match." He added that the film had made him laugh and cry. "It is really about how little time you have to become the best version of yourself. It's sophisticated meaty stuff in a romantic comedy package." It will premiere in June 2016 before going to Broadway. The opening production of the new season in September is Future Conditional, by Tamsin Oglesby, a new play set in a school starring Rob Brydon as a teacher with a cast of 23 "young performers" as his class. Warchus will direct. That will be followed in October by Eugene O'Neill's American drama The Hairy Ape, directed by Richard Jones. Warchus will also direct The Master Builder, with Ralph Fiennes as architect Halvard Solness in a new adaptation by David Hare, and also Timothy Spall in Harold Pinter's 1960 classic The Caretaker. Plans for future seasons include the first revival of Art by Yasmina Reza, a 50th anniversary production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard, and a new musical based on the 2014 film Pride, about a group of gay and lesbian activists who supported striking miners in the 1980s, which Warchus directed. Warchus is also introducing a new ticketing scheme, which will make half of all seats at the first five previews of each production available for £10. "It's not just about young people," Warchus said. "We'll be trying to guide or nudge those tickets to people who are new theatre goers."

Summary: A new stage musical of Groundhog Day is to have its world premiere at the Old Vic in London next year.