Parsley, rapeseed, mustard and perilla were found to be affected, although the levels were far from life-threatening. It comes as more countries join Singapore in restricting food imports from the country over fears of contamination from the critical Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The US, Australia, Hong Kong, Canada and Russia have all taken measures. The contaminated vegetables discovered in Singapore had come from the regions of Tochigi and Ibaraki - inside the affected area - but also more worryingly from two other areas, Chiba and Ehime. The radiation levels mean that an adult would have to eat 3.5kg to get the same exposure as from a single x-ray. Singapore has already stopped imports of milk, meat and related products from the affected area of Japan. The US, Australia and Russia have also banned certain foodstuffs from around the damaged nuclear plant. Hong Kong is requiring the Japanese authorities to screen exports, while Canada said it will carry out its own inspections. Both Australia and Singapore have banned agricultural food imports from the regions of Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki and Tochigi. Hong Kong included Chiba on its suspension list - the origin of one of the contaminated samples since discovered in Singapore. Japan's food producers are under pressure after a deadly earthquake caused radiation to leak from the power plant, contaminating produce. Australia's regulator, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand, said it was taking a precautionary measure that was consistent with approaches internationally. Three UN agencies have issued a joint statement saying Japan had been taking the right actions. "Food monitoring is being implemented, measurements of radioactivity in food are taking place and the results are being communicated publicly," said the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. The bans on food imports from Japan into other countries come after shipments of certain food products from the Fukushima area were halted domestically as well. The government has told people living in Fukushima not to eat 11 types of green leafy vegetable that are grown locally, amid fears of radiation contamination. Producers in the region have been asked not to send their goods to the market. In the Ibaraki prefecture, all shipments of milk and parsley have also been stopped. "Unfortunately, as the situation is expected to last for the long term, we are asking that shipments stop at an early stage," said Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano. "It is desirable to avoid intake of the foods as much as possible." Analysts say radiation fears are likely to hit domestic demand, as most agricultural produce from Japan is consumed within the country. Nonetheless, the effects of the earthquake and tsunami have thrown a shadow over Japan's exports. Analysts expect a negative impact on export growth in the months to come. The latest figures showed that exports had actually picked up in February. Exports rose 9% in February from the same month last year, according to the Ministry of Finance. However, those figures do not reflect the impact from the earthquake, which struck on 11 March. The expected slump

Summary: Singapore has reported finding low levels of radioactivity in four vegetable samples imported from Japan.


A tight first half saw Oliver Gildart and John Bateman go over for the home side, with Benjamin Jullien and Ryan Atkins replying for Warrington. Wigan's two-point half-time lead was wiped out when Ben Currie scored in his first game since September 2016 after recovering from a serious knee injury. Two successive Stefan Ratchford penalty goals secured Wire a vital away win. Wigan, who had captain Sean O'Loughlin celebrating his 400th appearance for the club, remain four points behind Super League's top four, while Warrington's victory keeps alive their slim hopes of a top-eight finish with one match to play until the Super 8s split. They must rely on Huddersfield losing their next two games and then beat Widnes on 20 July to avoid the Qualifiers. The hosts went ahead after 68 seconds when Thomas Leuluai's diagonal bobbling kick was picked up by Gildart to go over in the left-hand corner, but Warrington reacted well and Ratchford's short pass saw Jullien force his way through from close range. Despite being outplayed in the first quarter, Wigan went back in front with O'Loughlin found Leuluai, who freed Bateman to run in to the right of the posts. With half-time approaching, Declan Patton's kick to the left-hand corner was pushed down by Tom Lineham for Atkins to reduce Warrington's deficit to two points. Wire, who lost to Wigan in last year's Grand Final, went ahead as Currie dived over from a kick through by Patton, who missed the conversion attempt to go with two earlier failed kicks from Ratchford. But Ratchford was accurate with two successive penalty goals in the last 20 minutes as Warrington ended a five-game streak without a win against the Warriors. Wigan Warriors coach Shaun Wane: "It was a massive game, the 400th for Lockers (Sean O'Loughlin) and we had loads of reasons to win the game, but I didn't see the desperation. "We owed him a victory and we didn't get it. That's why I feel bad and really angry. I'm really disappointed and they know that. "One hundred per cent Warrington deserved to win. They had too much enthusiasm for us which is something you can't practice. They had better line speed and ran harder." Warrington Wolves coach Tony Smith: "Defensively I thought we were outstanding. Wigan are always going to ask questions of you, so to limit them to 10 points was very good. "The first half try they scored was dubious or I don't know the rules, but I'm glad my boys were able to dig in for each other and come through." On Ben Currie: "Aside from his try, I thought he was terrific. I thought he did everything that was asked of him and more. It showed what a class player he is, while ever there was a need for kick pressure, he was there. He didn't look as if he's been out all year, it's great to have him back." Wigan: S Tomkins; Marshall, Gelling, Gildart, Burgess; Williams, Leuluai; Nuuausala, McIlorum, Sutton, Isa, Bateman, O'Loughlin. Replacements: Clubb, Powell, Tautai, Wells. Warrington: Ratchford; Hiku,

Summary: Warrington kept alive their hopes of a place in Super League's top eight with victory at rivals Wigan Warriors.


The North Wales Health Alliance (NWHA) said a Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board report highlighted serious issues around patient safety. The pressure group said it meant, in some cases, the board risked breaking the law. The board said it was already working on measures to reduce risks. The findings of the annual safeguarding report were presented to officials at the health board last week. It outlined 13 'red' areas of risk, including: The concerns by the NWHA come as the board meets on Thursday to get the latest update on two inquiries into events at Glan Clwyd Hospital's Tawel Fan ward, which closed in 2013. "A year and a half after going into special measures and receiving additional support, we have to ask whether Betsi Cadwaladr is learning lessons and making improvements?" stated Marc Jones, from the NWHA. "These are not trivial issues but are serious risks. The scandal surrounding Tawel Fan should have been a wake-up call regarding the need to take at-risk patients' safety and well-being seriously. "We do not want to see a repeat of that." The health board's own analysis of its safeguarding weaknesses highlighted "unclear" policies, little evidence of sharing good practice, and relatively low uptake on safeguarding training. In an independent investigation in May 2015, relatives said patients on the Tawel Fan ward were treated like animals in a zoo. It led to the health board being put into special measures by the Welsh Government, and its former chief executive stepped down. Betsi Cadwaladr board members will be told later that the current inquires into what happened are expected to continue until the summer. Responding to the NWHA criticism, Dr Evan Moore, the board's executive medical director, said "positive action" was already under way and have continued since the safeguarding assessment was made in autumn 2016. "The committee recognised that these had lowered our exposure to the risks in many areas and as a result agreed that the associated risk scores would be reduced. "The board will consider a detailed report on this in public at its full meeting in March."

Summary: Campaigners have accused a health board of risking patient safety and failing to learn lessons from a mental health ward scandal.


In early May 1945, American and German soldiers fought together against the Nazi SS to free prominent French prisoners of war. It is believed to be the only battle in the war in which Americans and Germans fought as allies. Hans Fuchs remembers how Itter Castle was converted into a prison by the Nazis in 1943. "We saw everything from our school window," he said, "a double barbed-wire fenceâ€¦ and floodlights so that the whole night was lit up like day." Schloss Itter, which dates back to the Middle Ages, was a sub-unit of the Dachau concentration camp. It was used for VIP prisoners, prominent politicians and military figures that the Nazis wanted to use as bargaining chips. They included two former prime ministers of France, Edouard Daladier and Paul Reynaud, as well as the elder sister of Gen Charles de Gaulle, Marie-Agnes Cailliau. In May 1945, the last days of the war in Europe, the German guards at Schloss Itter fled. But the French prisoners were trapped, as the woods around the castle were full of roaming units of the Waffen SS and Gestapo secret police. The French sent out two prisoners on bicycles to find help. Stephen Harding, author of the book The Last Battle, says one of them managed to contact a German major, Josef (Sepp) Gangl. A highly decorated Wehrmacht officer, Gangl had become opposed to the Nazis and was collaborating with the Austrian resistance. "Gangl realised he could not protect them [the prisoners], he only had about 20 soldiers who were loyal to him," Mr Harding said. Taking a big white flag, Gangl met up with the closest American unit, the 23rd Tank Battalion of the US 12th Armoured Division, led by Capt Jack Lee. Lee offered to lead a rescue mission to the castle. A small group of Americans, accompanied by Gangl and some of his men, made their way to Itter, parking their Sherman tank close to the castle entrance. At dawn on 5 May, they were attacked by the Waffen SS, who blew up the US tank, but were unable to storm the castle. "There was only one casualty," says Mr Harding. "Josef Gangl was killed by a sniper." Hans Fuchs, who was 14, watched the battle from his family's farm. "There was machine gun fire for hours," he said. "We saw clouds of dust and smoke." That evening, once the fighting stopped, he went down towards the castle. "The tank was still burning," he said. "I saw how around 100 SS men were taken prisonerâ€¦ They had to give up everything and were taken away on lorries." Josef Gangl was buried in the nearby town of Woergl. Today a street is named after him. Mr Harding says the battle was decisive. "If the SS had managed to get into the castle and kill the French VIPs, the history of post-war France would have been radically different. These people... formulated the policies that carried France into the 21st Century. Had they died, who knows what would have happened?"

Summary: Seventy years ago one of the most unlikely battles of World War Two took place, at Itter in the Austrian Alps.


Khadija, Sugra and Zohra Dawood, from Bradford, and their children aged three to 15 have not made contact for a week. Their brother is understood to be fighting with extremists in Syria. The fathers' lawyer said the children said "we can't wait to come home" in a conversation before they went missing. Balaal Khan said: "We've had no answers whatsoever, we don't know what's happened." Newsnight reporter Secunder Kermani spoke to Khadija's husband, who said he wanted to tell his wife: "I love you, please bring the kids back". The fathers - two of whom are in the UK and one in Pakistan - have been "distraught, crying, they don't know what to do", said Mr Khan, adding it was suspected the women had taken their children to Syria. The fathers last spoke to their children on 8 June, when they were in the Saudi city of Medina, said Mr Khan, adding: "They said 'We love you, we're missing you, we can't wait to come home.'" Mr Khan said it was feared the sisters had met up with their brother - but stressed that while family members had confirmed he was in Syria, he could not comment on what he was doing there. The case follows the deaths of Dewsbury teenager Talha Asmal, who reportedly blew himself up in Iraq, becoming the UK's youngest suicide bomber, and Muslim convert Thomas Evans, 25, from Buckinghamshire, who was among al-Shabab fighters killed in an attack on a Kenyan military base. Police have said they are "extremely concerned" for the family's safety and that enquiries are continuing on a "national and international level". The Bradford family travelled to Medina on 28 May and were last seen in a hotel in the city. They were supposed to fly to Manchester following their pilgrimage but the fathers reported them missing when they did not return. There has been no contact with the sisters for one week. Their mobile phones have not been active, nor have their social media profiles been updated. Travel agents confirmed that 10 tickets were bought for a flight on 9 June to Istanbul in Turkey, a commonly-used route into Syria. Mr Khan said it was not known whether the family had boarded the flight - or if two children who were unaccounted for - five-year-old Nurah Zubair and her sister Haafiyah Zubair, eight - were still with the rest of their family. He said it was hoped all of the family were together and that a "computer glitch" could explain why the two girls were unaccounted for. He said he had asked for CCTV footage from Medina and from Turkey. The 15-year-old son Junaid Iqbal was acting as the family's mahram - an appropriate male responsible for the family - during the Saudi pilgrimage, he added. However, Mr Khan told the BBC the family did not feel they were getting the answers they needed from police and that they wanted a "special task team" designated to the case. Meanwhile, Bradford West MP Naz Shah said she had spoken to two of the fathers

Summary: The husbands of three sisters feared to have travelled to Syria with their nine children are said to be "distraught" after the group went missing following a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.


Media playback is not supported on this device The champions, who are also out of the League Cup, are 15th in the table following Saturday's 3-1 home loss. Asked if he thought it was his last game in charge, he said: "No, I don't." The 52-year-old told BBC Sport: "The fans aren't stupid. They know how much myself and the players are trying." Listen: I’ll turn Chelsea around if they allow it – Mourinho Listen to all the goals from Saturday's game Mourinho has never lost more than six league matches in an entire league campaign as Chelsea manager, and says both he and the team will continue to battle. "The fight goes on, but sometimes there are fights very impossible to win. You go to a fight with different ammunition," he added, having been photographed in discussion with his coaches on the pitch after the match. Chelsea made the perfect start when Ramires headed them into the lead. But two goals from Philippe Coutinho and a third from Christian Benteke gave Jurgen Klopp's side the three points. In the BT Sport interview, the Portuguese manager looked visibly shaken and responded with questions about his team's performance and his future by repeating, "I have nothing to say". And in his BBC interview, when asked about Liverpool midfielder Lucas not receiving a second yellow, Mourinho responded with, "I don't speak" before adding in his news conference later that he feared he would be reprimanded if he did express his views. "I am punished if I tell you," he said, as he awaits the outcome of two disciplinary matters. He then cryptically added: "And what happened in the second half, everything was the consequence of a crucial moment. Everybody in the stadium saw, the players felt it. What happens is now a consequence." Mourinho said his relationship with the press would change in the build up to last week's defeat against West Ham. It was in reaction to the reporting of him being filmed by members of the public using mobile phones. In Saturday's news conference, he added: "As professionals the players are not getting the respect they deserve. We are not going to have a great Saturday dinner. "I am sorry about lack of respect for professionals. You are intelligent guys. At the next press conference I will bring you nice glasses and you will see things in a better way." BT Sport reporter Des Kelly: Jose, a 3-1 defeat after a fabulous start to the game, the game just got away from you then? Mourinho: I have nothing, nothing to say. Kelly: Nothing to say about the game at all? Mourinho: Nothing, nothing to say. Kelly: Nothing to say about the Lucas (Leiva) decision that left him on the pitch? Mourinho: Nothing to say, I have nothing to say. Kelly: The Diego Costa clash? Mourinho: Nothing to say, I am so sorry, I have nothing to say. Kelly: Do you not think it's time to have a chat to the fans to give them some message, an indication of your thinking? Mourinho:

Summary: Manager Jose Mourinho believes he will be given time to turn around Chelsea's fortunes after Liverpool fought back from a goal down to inflict a sixth Premier League defeat this season.


The source close to the inquiry played down the significance of the interviews carried out in Portugal on Tuesday. Portuguese detectives in Faro were observed during the questioning by officers from the Met Police, which is conducting its own investigation. Madeleine disappeared aged three in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz in 2007. The source told the BBC: "Questioning of the four suspects was concluded yesterday evening. Unfortunately the interviews have led to no new developments and we are back where we were seven years ago." The source added: "The 'arguido' [suspect] status was given to the suspects to protect them. It gives them legal rights including the right to remain silent and to have a lawyer present during interviews. Jeremy Cooke, BBC News in Praia da Luz It is clear that the latest developments in the Madeleine McCann case are the result of the detailed, painstaking work being done by British police officers working on Operation Grange. As their investigation continues, they formally request assistance from the Portuguese police. It is at the request of Scotland Yard officers that four potential new suspects - or arguidos - and 11 potential witnesses are being interviewed. Those interviews involve detectives from both countries; the Portuguese asking the questions, while the British monitor proceedings. It is not clear what potential link the British team believe may exist between the "suspects" and the disappearance of the three year-old. But clearly there are lines of inquiry they believe are worth following up. There are, however, clear tensions here. With one source close to the case saying that the investigation is going nowhere and "we are back where we were seven years ago". "They were declared arguido due to being identified as suspects in a letter of international request sent by the British to the Portuguese authorities." The Portuguese Attorney General's Office in Lisbon issued a brief statement about the questioning of the four suspects. It said that requests from the British authorities had been carried out but the content of these requests would remain confidential. Police have begun the process of interviewing 11 witnesses, which also relates to official requests from the Metropolitan Police. The source indicated that two tracker dogs from the UK could be used in searching a vehicle thought to belong to one of the witnesses. No time or location was given for this. One of the four "persons of interest" - or arguidos - questioned was Sergey Malinka. He has always denied any involvement. Mr Malinka, a Russian-born website designer with Portuguese nationality, was questioned as a witness in 2007 when Madeleine went missing. On Tuesday, Mr Malinka and another suspect left the central police station in Faro after they were interviewed. A third person, who is said to be suffering from severe schizophrenia, remained inside the police headquarters after the other two had left. All of those being questioned are Portuguese citizens. They have all been summoned to be interviewed; there have been no arrests. The status of arguidos in the Portuguese judicial system refers to individuals whom police may

Summary: Questioning of four suspects in the Madeleine McCann investigation has concluded without any new developments, a source has told the BBC.


It's the same for him. What they don't know is that this "service" costs them money, even though neither of them recalls subscribing to it. Only when Mrs Dementieva calls her mobile phone network MTS, Russia's largest mobile operator, does she find out that she is being charged for it: 42 roubles (80p; $1.30) a month. When she complains that she never bought the service, the customer service representative calmly replies that yes, she did. She is experiencing the same issues as phone users in many other countries. "Turns out that shortly after I had signed a contract with them, they sent me an SMS, informing me that I had this music added to my account and that it was free for the first month, but after that it was going to continue automatically with a monthly fee," Mrs Dementieva says. "And to stop it, I had to call them and cancel it. "But I only use my mobile for calls. It is not a smartphone, the screen is tiny and I am not tech-savvy, so I don't read or send SMS. "I guess I had received this text but I never read it. And I certainly did not know I was being charged for it." Two of Russia's other big telecom operators, Megafon and Beeline, have similar services. Such practices have enraged users, and Russian online forums are peppered with angry comments from customers claiming that the services they never chose to have are costing them dearly. One blogger, Roman, writes that he bought an MTS Sim card to use for web access only - and still got charged for phone ringtones. MTS declined to comment. In the UK, industry watchdog Phonepayplus states that users "must not be charged for premium rate services without their consent" - and evidence of consent is required. "Where consumers are accessing high-cost subscription services, we have a system of double opt-in to make certain that they understand the full cost of the service," says Patrick Guthrie, director of strategy and communications at PhonepayPlus. To avoid hidden charges, Mr Guthrie says people should always read the terms and conditions in any advert. "Once you've seen how a service works and what it will cost, then make up your mind about taking part," he says. "Be wary of 'free' offers or fabulous prizes. If something looks too good to be true, it probably will be. "If you're signed up to a subscription service on your mobile but want to quit, simply send the word STOP to the service number." The organisation says that teenagers are especially likely to click on a service that promises to be free, such as a trendy ringtone, but do not read terms and conditions - until their parents discover a hefty charge on the monthly bill. PhonepayPlus has even set up a website called PhoneBrain to educate young people about the potential pitfalls of owning a mobile. When people move from a normal mobile phone to a smartphone, many may not realise that there are a lot of extra hidden fees, says

Summary: When Maria Dementieva, a 56-year-old doctor in Moscow, dials her husband's mobile phone number, she hears music instead of a normal ringtone.


The car's owner came out of Aldi in Gorton, Manchester on Monday, as a man allegedly forced his wife and son, 5, out of the car and tried to drive off. As the vehicle reversed, owner Tahir Mehmood jumped in the passenger seat. The car crashed into another vehicle when the alleged car thief ran off. Kyle Jones, 23, of Cheadle Street, Openshaw is due in court later. He will appear before Manchester Magistrates' Court charged with attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

Summary: A man has been charged after an attempted carjacking at a supermarket car park in Manchester.


Mr Kenyatta beat Mr Odinga comfortably by 50.07% to 43.28% on 4 March, avoiding a run-off by only 8,100 votes. But Mr Odinga has accused the electoral authorities of manipulating the result. Police fired tear gas to disperse about 100 supporters of his Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) who had gathered outside the Supreme Court. The police had warned them that they would not be allowed to do so. Some of the crowd were wearing t-shirts bearing slogans including "I support the petition" and "Democracy on trial". The presidential, legislative and municipal elections held 12 days ago were the first since the 2007 poll which set off ethnic and political violence in which more than 1,200 people were killed. Mr Kenyatta and his running mate, William Ruto, are facing trial on charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly fuelling the unrest. They deny the charges. Lawyers for Mr Odinga said their petition to the Supreme Court included allegations of vote manipulation, as well as problems with the registration of voters and an electronic vote counting mechanism. "I have no hesitation whatsoever in lawfully challenging the election outcome," Mr Odinga told reporters outside his offices in Nairobi. "These failures dwarf anything Kenyans have ever witnessed in any previous election," he added. However, the prime minister urged his supporters not to resort to violence. "We cannot begin what is supposed to be a new era under a new constitution in the same old ways," he added, referring to the charter adopted in 2010. The Minister of Lands, James Orengo, a senior Cord official, said the party had a constitutional right to file the petition and a "strong case". "Expect a new election, and this time around no monkey-business. I think we're going to win and win in the first round," he told KTN TV. "I can assure you that we have the evidence, and we have the will and the preparedness to prosecute the petition," he added. Mr Orengo nevertheless promised that Cord would respect the Supreme Court's ruling if it went against the party, and urged Mr Kenyatta and his supporters to declare that they would do likewise. In his acceptance speech last Saturday, Mr Kenyatta described the election as "free and fair" and a "triumph of democracy". The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has also insisted that the vote was credible and that it is ready for any legal scrutiny. International observers said the election was largely free, fair and credible, and that the electoral commission had conducted its business in an open and transparent manner. Mr Odinga was the runner-up to Mwai Kibaki in the 2007 presidential election, which he also said was stolen.

Summary: Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has filed a Supreme Court appeal against Uhuru Kenyatta's narrow victory in the presidential election's first round.


The punishment is double the normal maximum sanction for a grade B offence. A spokesman for the Rugby Football League said the disciplinary panel used its discretion to amend the grading because of an aggravating factor. Shenton sustained an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury as a result of Boudebza's tackle. The 29-year-old Tigers skipper will have major surgery in the coming weeks. The incident occurred in the first half of Sunday's 16-16 draw in the first round of Super League fixtures at the KC Lightstream Stadium. Boudebza, who pleaded not guilty, was also fined £300. The suspension leaves Hull KR without a specialised hooker, with first-choice number nine Shaun Lunt sidelined after ankle surgery.

Summary: Hull KR hooker John Boudebza has been banned for four matches for the tackle that ended Castleford captain Michael Shenton's season.


The hearing in Ruthin was told 37-year-old Amarjeet Singh-Bhakar died from a stab wound to the neck after a disturbance in Prince Edward Avenue on 30 April. Two teenage boys have been charged with his murder and are due to stand trial in October. The inquest was adjourned. Mr Singh-Bhakar, from Manchester, owned a clothes shop in Rhyl's White Rose Centre.

Summary: An inquest has been opened into the death of a shopkeeper in Rhyl, Denbighshire.


Donald Trump's running mate, a long-time opponent of Planned Parenthood, will be sent a gift certificate for every donation. The campaign began in 2011 when as an Indiana congressman he introduced several anti-abortion measures. They included the first bill to strip the provider of all federal funding. Tears as a soldier from Iraq's Mosul finds his mum on a bus Close encounter with the moon The tricks on Trump Joe Biden might be planning - in memes In March this year, as Indiana governor, Mr Pence signed an anti-abortion bill that is seen as one of the most restrictive in the US, barring abortion in Indiana on the basis of disability, gender or race of the foetus. Parts of that law were blocked by the courts, but not until after a social media backlash which saw women phoning or tweeting Mr Pence details about their menstrual cycles under the hash tag #periodsforpence. There had already been a significant rise in gifts to the country's biggest abortion provider in the wake of Mr Trump's election last week. But then over the weekend, many women went on social media to say they had made a donation in Mike Pence's name. Mike Pence's anti-abortion stance mirrors that of President-elect Trump, who wants to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, and who has in the past said women should be punished for undergoing an abortion if it were made illegal, though he later withdrew the statement. What is Planned Parenthood? Who is Indiana Governor Mike Pence? What Donald Trump is planning on abortion 'Hello governor, I have my period' Planned Parenthood hasn't commented in detail on the post-election trend of donating in Mr Pence's honour. But the organisation said on social media they had been "blown away by the support" and acknowledged that many people are donating in both Mike Pence's and Hillary Clinton's names. The vice president-elect has so far not commented on being the nominal donor of thousands of dollars to the organisation.

Summary: Donations to US family planning organisation Planned Parenthood in the name of Vice President-elect Mike Pence have surged.


Around 180,000 wills are written by non-lawyers every year, and are exempt from the complaints handling body. But a report by the Legal Ombudsman has called on the government to open up their services to those using non-regulated providers. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said more could be done but more regulation was not necessarily the answer. A spokesperson said: "When people write a will it is extremely important for them to have peace of mind that their affairs will be dealt with how they want them to be. "That is why we have agreed with the Legal Services Board that there is room for improvement in this area. "However we are not convinced that regulation is the best way forward - we believe other options should be explored first, including better guidance for professionals and making better use of existing consumer information and protection." The Legal Ombudsman's report claimed that wills and probate were the third highest source of received complaints, and that the market was "suffering from a number of quality issues". It concluded that "all consumers of wills and probate service providers should have access to redress". The Ombudsman helped resolve more than a thousand wills and probate related complaints last year. Excessive costs, delays and a failure to follow instructions were some of the common problems faced. But the independent body is only allowed to take on wills drawn up by regulated service providers. It said that a lack of regulatory oversight meant that customers could be left with no options if they were "ripped off by the service provider". Chief Legal Ombudsman Adam Sampson said: "Wills can be prepared by anyone in principle. For people on a budget, this creates headaches about the standard of service one could reasonably expect. "It also means some people will have access to help if things go wrong, while others won't. "We want the government to at least consider a voluntary ombudsman scheme into which service providers can opt themselves. Provision already exists for the Lord Chancellor to make this happen." Claims for mishandling a deceased estate rose three-fold in 2013, with 368 claims lodged in 2013 compared with 107 in the previous 12 months, according to figures from the Chancery Division. Last year, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Chris Grayling rejected the advice of the Legal Services Board to make will writing a reserved legal activity.

Summary: The regulation of wills should be reformed to prevent people being ripped off, the Legal Ombudsman has warned.


The pair, co-founders of the Leon restaurant chain, led a government commissioned independent review of school food, published two years ago. Their report formed the basis of revised rules on school dinners in England, brought in earlier this year. John Vincent said the aim was to bring about a cultural change in schools. It was vital to boost the uptake of school dinners to promote "a virtuous cycle of quality" and simply changing the rules on what could be served was not enough, said Mr Vincent. Introducing free school meals for all infant pupils and more cookery lessons in schools would help, he argued, but "treating individual children as customers, sorting out the queues and making the food great", were key. Ultimately the pair believe better nutrition in schools will help both boost attainment and improve the nation's health. Mr Vincent called the work "a massive privilege and a character building task". "This recognition is a tribute to all of the people who work hard every day to provide health, pleasure and improved attainment to our children," he said. In 2012 the pair were asked to examine nutrition in England's schools and suggest improvements. Their School Food Plan, was published a year later. Mr Dimbleby said they had become involved at a time when improvements in school catering were already under way. A campaign fronted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver had already brought about changes to the quality of food served in English schools - but less than half of children actually ate them, with many preferring packed lunches of variable nutritional quality. Their current aim is to showcase best practice in school catering and bring about "a golden age for school food". "I think it's reflective of the fact that the sector, which used to work quite disparately, doing lots of good things, has really come together and there's an amazing, positive, constructive atmosphere of improvement across the country," said Mr Dimbleby. "I think the MBE is recognition of that, rather than anything John and I have done." Mr Dimbleby said he was always impressed by what he saw when he went into schools. "There's real change happening, in five years time the whole sector will be completely transformed." Under the new rules, which came into force in January, meals must include at least one portion of vegetables or salad every day and no more than two portions of fried foods or pastry-based foods a week. The regulations are mandatory for local authority schools as well academies set up before 2010 or after June 2014. However academies set up between 2010 and June 2014 are exempt, a source of frustration to campaigners. The government maintains it has encouraged these academies to sign up voluntarily to the new standards and that hundreds have already done so. In total, about 11% of recipients on the honours list have been recognised for their work in the education sector. Others include Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, who becomes a CBE. Among the 30 head teachers on the list are Nicholas Weller, executive principal

Summary: Restaurateurs Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent have been made MBEs in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for their work in improving school lunches.


The Downham Market blaze is believed to have started during the night where a £250,000 fire engine was parked. The fire station, built in 2006, had no sprinkler system. Norfolk fire service is still waiting for a full forensic study and said the inquiry was "long and complex" but an independent report had been received. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is assisting with the investigation and their findings reveal it is believed the cause of the fire was due to an electrical fault in one of the appliances at the fire station. "We are in discussion with Norfolk Constabulary to consider options for a joint location at the site with shared accommodation," a spokesman said. "We currently have temporary accommodation in place and the station is fully operational from that location." At the outset the fire service recognised the investigation was going to be a "challenge" for experts. The fire engine was so damaged and the heat was so intense a forensic investigation was needed but experts were optimistic they would find evidence of a cause. Head of community safety Stuart Horth said the fire had created concerns. "Checks have been made at other fire stations to identify potential risks and all were registered as safe," he said. The £1m single storey fire station was officially opened in July 2006. It had an appliance bay where the fire is believed to have started, lecture room, offices, a kitchen and storage areas. A year before the opening the fire station received a new state-of-the-art rescue pump. The site was also shared with Norfolk Police and this was said at the time to be a great advantage.

Summary: An electrical fault in an appliance parked at a "state-of-the-art" Norfolk fire station caused a disastrous blaze in April last year, a report has said.


David McLean, 30, and Ryan Gilmour, 24, deny the charge, allegedly committed at Banner Drive in Glasgow on 23 October last year. They have lodged court papers blaming another man for the crime. The men are accused of reversing a Nissan Quashqai at PCs Deborah Lawson and Robert Fitzsimmons and repeatedly striking them. The charge further states that the police officers were trapped behind the open driver's door and dragged backwards and knocked to the ground. It is claimed that Mr McLean and Mr Gilmour then drove forwards at PC Lawson, who was lying injured in the road, causing her colleague PC Fitzsimmons to seize her and drag her out of the path of the car to avoid further injury. The men also deny later setting fire to the Quashqai at Lennox Gardens in the Scotstoun area of the city and attempting to defeat the course of justice by doing so. It is also alleged that the car had false plates and had been reset by means of theft. Mr Gilmour is also accused of driving while disqualified and having no insurance. Both men are also alleged to have committed a breach of the peace in Banner Drive by brandishing bottles, shouting and swearing, attempting to force entry to a flat and pouring liquid through a letter box. Mr McLean and Mr Gilmour deny all the charges against them and trial was set for June at the High Court in Edinburgh. Both men have lodged special defences of incrimination. The trial is expected to last for eight days.

Summary: Two men are to face trial accused of attempting to murder two police officers by driving a car at them.


AnÃbal Cavaco Silva said the budget didn't treat citizens fairly, and hit some of them worse than others. The right-of-centre government has argued that the unprecedented tax increases the budget contains were necessary to meet the terms of the country's eurozone bailout. It is only the second time a Portuguese head of state has made such a move. For most Portuguese workers the tax rises that came into effect on January 1 are equivalent to more than a month's wages. President Cavaco Silva made the surprise announcement in his New Year's speech, the day after signing the budget into law. "On my initiative, the Constitutional Court will be called on to decide on the conformity of the 2013 state budget with the constitution of the republic," he said. In his speech he also said the country was in a vicious circle of austerity and recession and acknowledged that Portugal's foreign debt, now twice as high as Portugal's annual output, was unsustainable. The opposition Socialists had already questioned the validity of the tax hikes and had threatened to take them to the Constitutional Court if the president did not. Last year the court ruled against a pay cut for civil servants which forced the government to seek alternative sources of revenue.

Summary: The Portuguese president has said that he will send this year's controversial budget to the Constitutional Court.


The women, who famously appeared semi-nude in a charity calendar that inspired a hit film, joined Camilla at Buckingham Palace. They were joined by thousands of Women's Institute (WI) members, at least one from every branch. The duchess is a member of the Tetbury WI near her Highgrove home. She was joined at the party by three other royals, the Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Gloucester and the Queen's cousin Princess Alexandra. Members of the Rylstone and District WI in North Yorkshire created the infamous calendar in 1999 to raise money after one of their husbands - John Baker - was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and later died from the illness. Their story was immortalised in the hit movie Calendar Girls starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters, and now Take That front man Gary Barlow is working on a musical based on their experiences. Mr Baker's widow Angela, 69, who has since remarried, was one of six of the original Calendar Girls invited to the palace. She was played by Julie Walters in the film, and was the piano-playing Miss February in the calendar. They all wore their trademark black dresses, string of pearls and a single sunflower - a flower Mr Baker grew before he died. "It's just brilliant to be here with these ladies, all these fantastic WI ladies," she said. "When we first did the calendar it was a big thing for me to do, John had just died and we were doing it in his memory and we've raised millions for (the charity) Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. "We never thought we would sell so many copies of the calendar, we don't mind people having copied us, but we were the first." The WI was formed in 1915, a year in to World War One, to rejuvenate rural communities and encourage women to become more involved in producing food to help combat German naval blockades. It was inspired by an idea from Canada and was first founded in the Anglesey village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyll - famous for having Britain's longest place name.

Summary: The WI's Calendar Girls have met the Duchess of Cornwall as she hosted a garden party to celebrate the institution's centenary year.


The killings have reignited the debate about race relations in the US. Here are six surprising statistics that help tell the story. 2 black billionaires There are only two black billionaires in the US - chat show host Oprah Winfrey and former basketball star Michael Jordan. This compared with about 500 white billionaires. 9.8% over-25s have a degree Black students appear to do well in high school - just over 30% of over-25s have a diploma, compared with 27% of white over-25s. But fewer than 10% of black over-25s completed a bachelor's degree, compared with 14.4% of whites. 75% of white Americans have only white friends A survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute in 2013 asked a range of questions to assess how diverse people's friendship groups were. It found that while 65% of black Americans reported only having black friends, 75% of white Americans said they had only whites in their social circle. 10.9% black unemployment Unemployment remains far higher among the black population, than the white. Currently 4.8% of white Americans are out of work, compared with an overall average of 5.8% 37% male prison inmates are black Figures based on the prison population at the end of December 2013 show black Americans made up a disproportionate number of inmates. Some 32% were white and 22% Hispanic. Data sources: US Census, Public Religion Research Institute, Forbes, US Dept of Labor, US Dept of Justice Correction: An earlier version of this story did not make clear that the figures for people with high school diplomas or bachelor's degrees were for those aged over 25.

Summary: A white gunman shot dead nine people in an African-American church in the city of Charleston on 17 June, police say, two months after an unarmed black man was killed by a white police officer in North Charleston.


Gilmour's Rattle That Lock topped the official chart nearly 20,000 copies ahead of Del Rey's record, Honeymoon. It is the guitarist's second solo number one, after 2006's On An Island. He last topped the charts in November, with Pink Floyd's The Endless River. "It's thrilling to get a number one," he said. "We all want to hit the top spot, however long we've been at it." Gilmour easily outpaced the competition in a big week for new releases. He was joined in the Top 40 by new albums from Keith Richards, Drake & Future and Gabrielle Aplin. Cliff Richard scored his 43rd top 10 album with the greatest hits collection 75 at 75, which landed at number four. And country singer Ryan Adams also made a new appearance at 19, thanks to his "cover album" of Taylor Swift's 1989. The original was two places higher, marking its 48th week in the top 40. In the singles chart, Justin Bieber spent a third week at number one with his tropical dance track, What Do You Mean? - which was streamed 3.2 million times over the last week. The Canadian singer has a fight on his hands next week from Sam Smith's Bond theme, Writing's On The Wall, which has already topped the iTunes chart after eight hours on sale. Elsewhere in the top 40, Ellie Goulding scored her tenth Top 10 hit with On My Mind - the first single from her forthcoming album Delirium. The song was originally released last Thursday, making it chart-eligible for 24 hours, during which time it reached number 165. This week, it climbed 158 places to land at number seven. Other new entries included Runnin' (Lose It All), a collaboration between Beyonce and British producer Naughty Boy, which debuted at 11. One Direction's Infinity, which became available on Tuesday to coincide with the announcement of the band's fifth album, Made In The AM, made its initial chart showing at number 36. As well as Sam Smith, this week sees new singles from Little Mix and Rudimental featuring Ed Sheeran. New Order, Disclosure, Chvrches and former Westlife member Shane Filan will all be vying to score the number one album.

Summary: Lana Del Rey has been denied her third consecutive number one on the UK album chart by Pink Floyd star David Gilmour.


The 32-year-old, who has eight caps for Jamaica, was released by the Royals at the end of last season after five years with the club. He captained the side during their spell in the Premier League two years ago and made 35 appearances in the Championship last term. "It's been a long summer for me," McAnuff told the Orient website. "I've had a few offers but have been waiting for the right fit and I believe I've found it here at Orient."

Summary: Former Reading midfielder Jobi McAnuff has joined League One side Leyton Orient on a two-year contract.


Alan Wood, 50, was bound and tortured in his home in Lound, near Bourne, in October 2009. Det Supt Stuart Morrison, who has led the investigation from the start, said he thinks about the case every day. He said the main focus of the inquiry was to find the person whose DNA profile was left at the scene. Det Supt Morrison said the profile was not in the UK database and officers were continuing to check international databases. He said he had taken guidance from Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, the pioneer of DNA profiling, as to whether it would be worth trying to trace which country the person who left the DNA at the murder scene came from. "Whilst there are companies that will seek to tell you that information, it's not particularly reliable and it covers so many countries that it would be of no particular practical use for us," the detective told BBC Radio Lincolnshire. Mr Wood, who ran a small gardening business, had no known enemies, according to Lincolnshire Police. He was subjected to a "brutal and sustained" attack at his home in Lound, during which he had his throat cut a number of times and an attempt was made to decapitate him. "I have to be optimistic that this person or people will be found. It's an investigation that I turn over in my mind every single day. "It is something that you want to do [solve the case] for the victim and for the family, so we occupy quite a lot of our time thinking about it," Det Supt Morrison said. Manor Lodge, where Mr Wood lived, was kept as a crime scene for two years but has recently been demolished.

Summary: The detective leading an inquiry into the brutal murder of a Lincolnshire man has said he remains determined to bring those responsible to justice.


Media playback is not supported on this device Coach Louis van Gaal could see the Netherlands were wilting, the life ebbing out of their World Cup in temperatures of 39C and in the face of Mexican resilience. Van Gaal's team were trailing 1-0 to Mexico in their last-16 tie but he saw an opportunity to breathe life back into Dutch hopes and took it. Such was the intense heat in Fortaleza on Brazil's north-east coast that Fifa had approved the use of cooling breaks for the first time. Nor was staying cool a problem restricted to the players. The heat in the stadium had been so severe that thousands of fans were unable to take their designated seats because they were in direct sunlight. But as the shadows grew longer, they crept forward from their shaded positions at the back of stands to get a closer view of the unfolding drama. The second cooling break came with 15 minutes remaining, and by then one team clearly needed it more than the other. The Netherlands squad crowded around their manager, like basketball players in a time-out. In the centre Van Gaal was speaking, his players listening. He pointed to a clipboard in his hand, indicating a tactical change that might not be for the purists but would win them the game. The Netherlands had trained for this moment. They had begun the day playing 5-3-2, then switched to 4-3-3, and Van Gaal was about to play his final card. Dirk Kuyt, winning his 100th cap, had started as a left wing-back, been moved to right-back and was now being told to play up front. Robin van Persie was taken out of the action, on came Klaas Jan Huntelaar. This was, to all intents and purposes, 4-4-2. "This manager wanted to win - I had to substitute Robin," said Van Gaal. "The cooling break allowed me to move to another plan. We had trained this way, Huntelaar and Kuyt as strikers, playing long balls to them." It was a long way from the "total football" made famous by the Dutch in the 1970s, but as their 2014 campaign threatened to unravel, the moment called for something different. "He is one of the best, or maybe the best tactically," Kuyt said. "It doesn't matter what system we are playing we know exactly what to do. He told us before the game already that we could switch to this system when we were 1-0 down." The players turned away, threw off the ice towels, put down the drinks and walked back onto the field with a new sense of purpose. Within minutes Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa somehow kept out Stefan de Vrij's close-range volley from a corner, pushing it against the post with an instinctive blur of his hands. "Their goalkeeper made some unbelievable saves," said Dutch defender Ron Vlaar. "Then we got another corner kick and Wesley [Sneijder] said to me this one is going in. I don't think he thought he would score but it happened." It was Huntelaar's header that made it, Sneijder

Summary: In the pressure cooker heat of Estadio Castelao, one man kept his cool.


That is because on Thursday the town officially changed its name to its original indigenous title, Utqiagvik. The city of about 4,300 people, which sits above the Arctic Circle, experiences more than two months of 24-hour darkness each winter. Meteorologists predict that the sun will not rise again over the city until the afternoon of 22 January, 2017. Due to a tilt in the earth's rotation, the sun never rises above the horizon in polar regions during the winter, and never sets there during the summer. Residents of the city then known as Barrow voted in October to restore its traditional Inupiaq name, Utqiagvik, which means "a place to gather roots" in the local language. Mayor Bob Harcharek said that the name change "reclaims our beautiful Inupiaq language". The ordinance was introduced by city council member Qaiyaan Harcharek, son of the mayor, to "promote pride in identity" and "perpetuate healing and growth from the assimilation and oppression from the colonists". He explained to Alaska Public Media that very few people still speak Inupiaq, and that "our people were severely punished from speaking our traditional language for many years", when missionaries first arrived in the region with the intent of assimilating native peoples. The Alaska Native Language Center at the University of Alaska estimates that only about 3,000 people speak Inupiaq today. The name change passed by only six votes, with some residents disagreeing with the cost of changing official references on road signs and municipal documents. In pictures: Living near the Arctic Circle

Summary: On 18 November 2016 at 13:31 local time, the sun set forever on America's northernmost city of Barrow, Alaska.


Last night, Rotherham MP John Healey met government business minister Anna Soubry to ask the government for a further £4.5m to match the cash. It will be used to help retrain some workers and also to support those jobs affected in the local supply chain. In July, Tata Steel announced 720 job losses, most of which will go in Rotherham. In October it announced a further 1,200 job losses in Scunthorpe. Ms Soubry, Conservative minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise, said she could see no reason why the government could not match the funding if a strong bid was made by Sheffield City Region local enterprise partnership (LEP). Mr Healey said Sheffield City Region expected the government to match local resources as has happened elsewhere in the country, such as a £9m deal for Scunthorpe. He said: "It's down to us in South Yorkshire to pull our finger out and get the plans together to put to government. "South Yorkshire MPs must then lean on the government to say, 'do your bit'." A Sheffield City Region LEP task force will shape the overall plan. Councillor Chris Read, Rotherham Council leader and member of Sheffield City Region, said: "Workers in Rotherham facing redundancy will want to know we are doing everything to support them and help them back to work. "I am determined that we will do all that we can. Companies in the supply chain will feel the impact too, and we will also be working to support these businesses, and their employees, as a key part of this plan." Ms Soubry said she had already asked officials to see if £1.5m for training and skills could be made available more quickly.

Summary: Sheffield City Region has announced £4.5m to help hundreds of steelworkers facing redundancy in South Yorkshire.


Speaking to the BBC, Mr Farage said he would be the UK Independence Party's interim leader until a fresh election was held to find Ms James' successor. "I keep trying to escape... and before I'm finally free they drag me back," he joked. Ms James announced her resignation late on Tuesday, citing professional and personal reasons for her decision. Ms James, who succeeded Nigel Farage on 16 September after he resigned following the Brexit vote, said she did not have enough authority in the party and would not be "formalising" her nomination. She had not appointed a deputy and UKIP officials were initially unable to say who was now the leader of the party. But Mr Farage, who was UKIP leader from 2006-2009 and 2010-2016, told the BBC that he was technically leader, telling the Victoria Derbyshire programme: "I will continue as the interim leader of UKIP and we will go through the electoral process." Asked why Ms James had stood down, Mr Farage said he believed it was partly due to a family illness and the "realisation" of what the job entailed. "When you take this job your life finishes. This is what you are 24/7, there is nothing else. I think she looked down the barrel of that and thought 'this is not how I want to live my life'." Mr Farage said he was "sorry" for Ms James as "it's a very difficult thing to have done". While it was "not a great day" for the party it was "not the end of the world", he said. Asked about speculation that Welsh UKIP leader Neil Hamilton could be installed as interim leader by the party's national executive committee, Mr Farage said: "Really? Well we'll have to see about that won't we. "I do not see any prospect of that horror story coming to pass," he said, adding that Mr Hamilton "doesn't do our public image a whole host of good". But speaking to the BBC's Daily Politics programme Mr Hamilton said he had no interest in being the UKIP leader in any circumstances. He also disputed the idea that Mr Farage was interim leader, saying it was for UKIP's ruling body to appoint an interim leader and that he would like MEP Paul Nuttall to take on that role. UKIP chairman Paul Oakden told BBC Radio 4's Today he would look to hold an emergency meeting of the party's NEC to confirm the process for electing Ms James's replacement. "Whilst the decision is unfortunate, it is one that Diane is entitled to make. We thank her for all her work as leader, and as a hard-working MEP, a role she will continue with her customary vigour." The Electoral Commission said UKIP submitted the paperwork notifying it of the change in leadership on Monday, although it had not been processed as officials had questions regarding the completion of the form. "We are aware that the newly elected leader of UKIP has now stood down and are in touch with the party to confirm how they wish to proceed regarding updating

Summary: Nigel Farage is back as UKIP's leader after Diane James unexpectedly quit the job after 18 days at the helm.


"The attacker is trying to extort us money to make it stop," representatives of the company, which has 15 million users, said in a blog post. "We refused to give in," they added. On Tuesday, the popular online notes and web clippings service Evernote suffered a similar attack. It is not yet known whether the two are linked, but Feedly and Evernote work closely together. After coming under attack earlier on Wednesday, Feedly assured users their data was safe, and said it was working with its network provider to remove the threat. On Tuesday, Evernote members were temporarily unable to synchronise their notes from one device to another while it continued. The California-based company announced last month that it had more than 100 million users. Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are caused by what can be thousands of computers sending huge amounts of data to a target's servers in an effort to overwhelm them. This sometimes involves hijacked PCs - whose owners may be unaware of their involvement - in what is known as a botnet. This is not the first time Evernote has been compromised. In 2013 it said hackers had managed to access user names, email addresses and encrypted passwords. However, it appears that the latest cyber-assault is more limited. Spokeswoman Ronda Scott told the BBC that the cyber-assault, caused by an unknown perpetrator, began at 14:25 local time [22:25 BST] on Tuesday and had not yet ended. "We continue to mitigate the effects of the attack, but have successfully returned Evernote to service," she added. "As is the nature of DDoS attacks, there was no data loss, and no accounts were compromised."

Summary: The news aggregator Feedly says it has come under a "distributed denial of service" attack from cyber criminals, which is preventing users from accessing its service.


Fatbergs are caused when cooking fat, oil and grease are poured down drains and become tangled up with waste items like baby wipes and sanitary products. The blockage is in a sewer beneath the Dublin Road in Belfast. Northern Ireland Water said crews have already removed "a couple of hundred tonnes" of grease from the sewer. The firm said cooking fat is a "significant" problem in the area as it houses several fast food outlets. The company's networks sewerage manager, Gavin McCready, warned restaurant owners that fatbergs could have some very unpleasant side-effects. "These fat blockages can not only result in out-of-sewer flooding, but odour problems and the risk of rat infestations both near and beyond your premises." Mr McCready also said it was adding unnecessary costs to the businesses and the public purse. "While most businesses use grease traps and bin their waste correctly, those that don't are contributing to a massive fatberg in the sewers around the area. "Our team has been on the site, working over a number of Sunday mornings, clearing the fat that has solidified. "This is labour intensive work that can only be done early in the morning before the traffic builds up." In the last two years NI Water has spent over Â£5m clearing blockages from the sewer system. The company said up to 80% of blockages were caused by fat, oil and grease and other inappropriate items being flushed into drains. The items get stuck together and form a ball, which can build up over time to block sewer pipes. Earlier this month, NI Water spent five hours clearing a fatberg from a drain in Newry, County Down. The blockage was at Buttercrane Quay in the city centre. In August 2013, Britain's biggest ever fatberg was removed from a London sewer. Thames Water said the lump found under a street in Kingston upon Thames was the size of a bus.

Summary: An operation to remove a "massive fatberg" from a Belfast sewer has been ongoing for the last six Sundays and is expected to take several more.


Assel Al-Essaie, 23, died in hospital after the shooting in Daniel Hill in the Walkley area of Sheffield on 18 February. Matthew Cohen, 28, of Clough Wood View, Sheffield, and Dale Gordon, 33, of Benty Lane, Sheffield, are due before the city's magistrates on Thursday. Mr Al-Essaie was shot in the chest outside his home at about 13:35 GMT, South Yorkshire Police said. More news from across Yorkshire A post-mortem examination showed he died from a gunshot wound. Detectives continue to appeal for anyone with information about Mr Al-Essaie's death to come forward.

Summary: Two men have been charged with murder after a man was shot dead.


His departure comes amid plans to cut about 1,200 jobs as part of a "strategic change" plan. Woolworths is looking to cut millions of dollars in costs and improve sales after its first-half profits fell. It hopes to win back customers from rivals such as Coles and Aldi by lowering prices and improving stores. The retailer recently trimmed its profit guidance for the year to June, which would be only the second fall in annual profits for the company. Since going public, the only other year that Woolworths' annual profits fell was 1999. "The recent performance has been disappointing and below expectations. I believe it is in the best interests of the company for new leadership to see these plans to fruition," Mr O'Brien said. Woolworths said it would start the search for a new chief executive. The company's head of retail services, Penny Winn, will also quit. Shares in Woolworths rose by 2.4% in Sydney trading following the news.

Summary: The chief executive of Australia's Woolworths, Grant O'Brien, is stepping down after nearly four years at the supermarket chain.


The state's Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) said it wanted to better protect consumers, and prevent money-laundering. It comes as a top Bitcoin exchange, Mt Gox, filed for bankruptcy last month. Bitcoins have been gaining in popularity recently, but they are not governed by any financial regulator. "The fact is that virtual currencies are unlikely to disappear entirely," said Benjamin Lawsky, New York's superintendent of financial services. "As such, turning a blind eye and failing to put in place guardrails for virtual currency firms while consumers use that product is simply not a tenable strategy for regulators." The lack of any regulatory control or oversight of Bitcoins has triggered concerns on various fronts. It is difficult to trace transactions carried out using Bitcoins - one of the factors behind their popularity - and the currency has been linked to illegal activity online. Bitcoins are also seen by some as a route for tax evasion and money laundering. Russia has declared transactions using the digital currency illegal, China has banned its banks from handling Bitcoin trades, and there have been calls for the US to do the same. Singapore has imposed a tax on Bitcoin trading and using it to pay for services, after classifying it as goods, rather than a currency. Earlier this month, the Japanese government also said Bitcoin is not a currency and that some transactions using the virtual unit should be taxed. The collapse of Mt Gox has only added to the concerns. The firm filed for bankruptcy in Japan in February after losing about $473m (Â£284m) worth of customers' bitcoins to what it says was a hacking attack. "The recent problems at Mt Gox and other firms further demonstrate the urgent need for stronger oversight of virtual currency exchanges," said Mr Lawsky. "Consumers should understand and receive appropriate disclosures about the potential risks associated with using virtual currencies or any other financial product."

Summary: New York's financial regulator has called on firms to submit proposals to set up "regulated" exchanges for digital currencies like Bitcoin.


The company has been in dispute for more than a year with the RMT over changes to guards' roles on trains. RMT conductors saw the changes as a ploy to phase out a second person on trains. It has now proposed a six-month trial with two staff guaranteed on all affected services. But Southern said what the RMT wanted was "a guarantee to cancel trains". Under the changes to guards' roles, which were also opposed by the Aslef train drivers' union, responsibility for opening and closing doors passes to the driver rather than the conductor. The practice is called driver-only-operation (DOO). Southern rail strike: What's it about? RMT leaders have set out an "accessibility guarantee" plan, which would ensure a driver and an on-board supervisor staff all trains. This would mean disabled, elderly and vulnerable passengers would be provided with guaranteed assistance from on-board staff on all services without the need to book in advance, the union said. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "We are hoping the company will reconsider our proposal for a trial six-month period of an accessibility guarantee. "We would hope that they would agree to this sensible proposal as the Association of Train Operating Companies consultant's report has said train companies should guarantee a second person to comply with their legal obligations." But a spokesman for Southern said: "The guarantee the RMT wants is a guarantee to cancel trains. We want to put the passenger first and keep trains running. "Driver-controlled operation is safe and provision for those who need assistance has not deteriorated while, at the same time, service levels have steadily improved." RMT members on Southern will stage a fresh strike next Monday, while Aslef has banned overtime.

Summary: Union leaders have held talks with MPs over a plan they claim could end the long-running row on Southern rail.


The 17-year-old was found in the graveyard of All Saints Church in Didcot, Oxfordshire, in December 2013. She had been killed by ex-boyfriend Ben Blakeley and hidden in his uncle's grave. He was jailed for life in 2014. The event, at the Wheatsheaf pub in Didcot, is raising money for a planned charity in her name. Jayden's mother, Samantha Shrewsbury, said: "A man killed a child who was pregnant and had her whole life in front of her. "I should have been babysitting last night while she went out and let her hair down, but that's never going to happen. "I've bought gifts that she'll never receive." She described the event, which started at 12:00 BST, as a "celebration" of Jayden's life. "It's also to thank the Didcot people for taking her into their hearts like they have," she added. Of the planned Jayden's Gift charity, Ms Shrewsbury said: "We want to raise awareness about domestic violence in general but also amongst teenagers." Eventually, she hopes to provide a safe house for teenage victims of domestic violence. "I know we can never stop it, but I hope we can make a little dent in her [Jayden's] name," she said. A bench in memory of Jayden was unveiled in the the churchyard where her body was found in August. In April, a memorial garden was opened on donated land near the church. Blakeley, 23, from Reading, was convicted of murder on 24 July 2014 at Oxford Crown Court and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years.

Summary: A memorial party for murdered teenager Jayden Parkinson is being held on what would have been her 19th birthday.


Media playback is not supported on this device Kerber, seeded seventh, won a thrilling final 6-4 3-6 6-4 at Melbourne Park. The 28-year-old is the first German to win a major singles title since Steffi Graf at the 1999 French Open. Williams, 34, was beaten for just the fifth time in 26 Grand Slam finals, and the American missed the chance to tie Graf's open-era record of 22 titles. Kerber, who saved a match point in her first-round win over Misaki Doi, will move up to number two in the world rankings. Kerber had won just one of six previous matches against Williams and was making her Grand Slam final debut, but she was the better player over two hours and eight minutes on Rod Laver Arena. She led Williams in the ace count until the latter stages, limiting her to just seven overall, while the American racked up 46 errors to just 13 by Kerber. Williams made 23 mistakes in the first set alone - sparking memories of her desperately nervous display in losing to Roberta Vinci at the US Open last September - and Kerber took full advantage to claim it after 39 minutes. However, the defending champion cut her error count to just five in the second set and claimed it thanks to a single break in game four. Kerber twice moved ahead in the decider and a stunning sixth game saw the German produce two fine drop shots and win a breathtaking 19-stroke rally to cling on to her serve and edge closer to victory. Nerves took hold and she was broken while serving for the match, but she launched into the Williams serve once again and clinched the title when the world number one sent a volley long. Kerber said afterwards that being able to say she was a Grand Slam champion "sounds crazy". "It's my dream come. I worked for this my whole life," said the German. "It's been such an up and down two weeks, I was match point down in the first round and had one foot in the plane to Germany. "Now I have beaten Serena and won the championship. I have so many emotions, so many thoughts, but all of them good ones." Williams was gracious in defeat, telling Kerber: "Angie, congratulations. You deserve this and I'm so happy for you. I really hope you enjoy this moment." The runner-up added: "Would I give my performance an A? No, but this is all I could produce. "I'm not a robot. I do the best that I can. I try to win every point but realistically I can't. Maybe someone else can." BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller Kerber had to save a match point just to avoid losing in the first round, and she proved her mental toughness again when the title was on the line. Having pressured Williams into a string of unforced errors in the first set by chasing down virtually every ball, she mixed true grit with sheer class as she broke for a 4-2 lead in the deciding set.

Summary: Germany's Angelique Kerber stunned world number one Serena Williams in three sets to win her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.


Charteris is expected to be ruled out of Racing 92's match with Grenoble in France's Top 14 on Saturday. Wales team medical staff will assess his knee injury when he returns for international duty next week. The 32-year-old Bath-bound second row played in Wales' Six Nations draw against Ireland and last Saturday's 27-23 win over Scotland. Charteris is one of 10 current Wales squad members based in either England or France who have been released for domestic matches this weekend. He was expected to be picked to face Grenoble, while centre Jonathan Davies could play for Clermont Auvergne on their trip to Castres. There are seven members of Warren Gatland's squad at Aviva Premiership clubs - including George North and Jamie Roberts who both scored tries in the win against Scotland. Bradley Davies, who would probably take over Charteris' place in the team if he is unavailable, is at Wasps who play Bath on Saturday.

Summary: Wales lock Luke Charteris could be a doubt for the Six Nations match against France in Cardiff on 26 February.


The 39-year-old took eight wickets in the County Championship win over Somerset last week. "I'm totally happy with retiring," he told BBC Radio Leeds. "To play 20 years and have the career I've had, I'm very lucky. I've always wanted to go out on a high and hopefully I can go away with a trophy." Sidebottom has taken 16 wickets at an average of 15.18 in his three Championship matches so far this summer. Andrew Gale's side are second in the County Championship but were beaten by Surrey in the quarter-finals of the One-Day Cup on Tuesday. Despite the disappointment, Sidebottom feels the side will have benefitted from the experience. "We've got a lot of young, talented players in the team who got us to that position and I think they will gain from the experience of playing stronger teams," he said. "We have put our heart and soul into doing better in one-day cricket because we've not been good enough in recent years. Hopefully the younger lads will learn from it. "Guys like Ben Coad, Matthew Fisher and Matthew Waite have all come through the academy and done brilliantly."

Summary: Yorkshire seamer Ryan Sidebottom is not rethinking his plan to retire at the end of the season despite his strong start to the campaign.


David Lytton's body was discovered at Dove Stone Reservoir in Greater Manchester on 12 December 2015. He was born David Lautenberg on 21 April 1948 but his name changes to Lytton on the electoral register in 1987. The 67-year-old flew into London Heathrow from Lahore, Pakistan, two days before his body was found. He was identified from photos from a passenger list and picked up on CCTV in London. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said his identity was confirmed as a result of a DNA match with a relative. The electoral register examined by BBC Newsnight showed David Lautenberg was listed as living at 46 Lilian Road, London, SW16 5HN from 1982 to 1986, while David Lytton was listed there from 1987 onwards. It is understood he changed his name due to a family feud, the Guardian reported. Mr Lytton, who had lived in Pakistan for 10 years, was found fully clothed, lying prone on the ground above the reservoir. He had no wallet, phone or other identification and remained unidentified despite numerous public appeals and the release of CCTV footage of his last known movements. In June 2016, the BBC investigated the mystery of the unidentified body. Why did this man travel 200 miles to die on Saddleworth Moor? Police said a "provisional" cause of death had been determined as "strychnine poisoning". Police believe he took his own life. An international police investigation was launched after a post-mortem examination revealed he had a type of titanium plate in his leg which was only manufactured and fitted in Pakistan. Greater Manchester Police and the National Crime Agency contacted the medical community and the British Embassy in Pakistan to appeal for information. DNA analysis confirmed that he was David Lytton from London, who had "no obvious connection" to Saddleworth. Mystery still surrounds the case and why he chose to head to Greater Manchester after returning from Pakistan. A full inquest is due to take place on 14 March.

Summary: A mystery man who was found dead on Saddleworth Moor had previously changed his name.


Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb made the pledge in his first speech since replacing Iain Duncan Smith, who quit as discord broke out in the Tory party over the cuts. Earlier, the PM defended Chancellor George Osborne, whose Budget is missing £4.4bn since the cuts were dropped. Labour said Mr Osborne should resign and the Budget should be withdrawn. Both David Cameron and Mr Crabb praised Mr Duncan Smith, who has said the government risked dividing society with politically-motivated spending cuts. The new work and pensions secretary confirmed the changes to Personal Independence Payments had been cancelled and told MPs: "After discussing this issue over the weekend with the prime minister and the chancellor we have no further plans to make welfare savings beyond the very substantial savings legislated for by Parliament two weeks ago." A Downing Street spokesman said the government would still deliver on its commitment to save £12bn from welfare by the end of the Parliament in 2020. Mr Crabb also said the government welfare cap, branded "arbitrary" by Mr Duncan Smith, had "strengthened accountability" and its level would be reviewed in the Autumn Statement later this year. "I am absolutely clear that a compassionate and fair welfare system should not be just about the numbers," he added. "Behind every statistic there is a human being, and perhaps sometimes in government we forget that." Stephen Crabb provided the usual Westminster wriggle room - no "planned" extra cuts - rather than ruling out taking the axe to the benefits budget ever, ever again. But couple that with his comments in the Commons - "behind every statistic is a human being and perhaps sometimes in government we forget that" - and it seems the new secretary of state was displaying just as much sympathy with his predecessor's views as with the chancellor or the prime minister. I'm told the plan to make that announcement was Mr Crabb's but the language was agreed by Downing Street and Number 11. The irony was perhaps that Iain Duncan Smith was nowhere to be seen in Westminster, absent for the announcement he might have longed to make himself. Read more from Laura The Conservative leadership has been under fire - including from some of its own backbenchers - over the cuts to disability payments, which came at the same time as tax cuts for higher earners. Mr Duncan Smith - who resigned on Friday - said this flew in the face of Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne's oft-repeated claim that "we are all in this together". London mayor Boris Johnson welcomed the fact that the cuts had been shelved but he said he rejected "totally and utterly" claims that the government was pursuing divisive policies. Speaking to ITV's The Agenda, he said Mr Duncan Smith should have "stayed and fought his point of view" from within cabinet, saying his walkout was "a storm in a teacup". Mr Cameron addressed Mr Duncan Smith's attack during a statement about the European Council in the Commons on Monday afternoon. He stressed to MPs that the Conservatives remained

Summary: Ministers have said say they will not target other benefits to pay for abandoning cuts to disability payments.


It said it does not intend to demolish any houses to make room for the multi-million-pounds stadium. Senior official Stephen McGeehan said the GAA is willing to consider a capacity below 38,000, the number of seats in the original redesign plan. A new community consultation about the proposal was announced on Tuesday. "The GAA has no intention, and never had, of knocking people's houses down, of purchasing or demolishing anyone's homes," said Mr McGeehan, who is the Casement Park project manager. Planning permission for the stadium's redevelopment was overturned in 2014 and since then the GAA has been working on a new planning application. The GAA said it wants to hear feedback from people in west Belfast and further afield about the proposed new stadium and has organised a number of consultation initiatives. The GAA has laid out a proposed timetable for the stadium: The GAA said the redesigned stadium will take into account the fears over the emergency exiting arrangements in the original design.

Summary: The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) has said it hopes to start building a new Casement Park stadium next year and play matches at the ground by 2019.


Reform Scotland said its research suggested more than half of delays to trains in Scotland were due to Network Rail faults rather than ScotRail. It said devolving the organisation would allow a "clear line of accountability" when things go wrong. Network Rail is funded by Transport Scotland but is ultimately accountable to Westminster, not Holyrood. A spokesman for Network Rail said: "We work closely with the Scottish and UK governments to continually enhance and improve our railways. Any discussions over further devolution of Network Rail in Scotland would be a matter for those governments". The full devolution of Network Rail - which is responsible for maintaining rail infrastructure - has been a long-standing ambition of the Scottish government. Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said last month that the move would help to reverse "the current unacceptable industry performance" in Scotland. It comes amid ongoing concern over delays and cancellations to ScotRail trains since Dutch firm Abellio took over the contract last year, which has led to Mr Yousaf suggesting that the rail franchise could be taken over by the public sector in the future. Mr Yousaf is to attend a conference on Tuesday alongside Abellio and Network Rail officials aimed at exploring the future of Scotland's railways. In its Track to the Future report, Reform Scotland said 54% of trains which were delayed by more than three minutes had been attributed to Network Rail faults. The report was written by Reform Scotland's research director Alison Payne and Tom Harris, the former Labour MP and UK transport minister. Mr Harris said: "The current debate over whether or not to nationalise ScotRail misses the point. 54% of delays are the fault of Network Rail. Nationalising ScotRail won't make the trains run on time and it is self-defeating for any politician to imply otherwise. "Instead, we need fundamental change to the governance of Network Rail. The Scottish government is responsible for the strategic direction and funding of the Scottish rail network, but this responsibility cannot be properly exercised while Network Rail remains answerable to the UK government. "Reform Scotland believes that Network Rail in Scotland should be fully accountable to the Scottish government, and that means it must be devolved." The report, which examines the modernisation of Scottish railways, also found that journey times in Scotland compared unfavourably with those of a similar distance in England. For example, Edinburgh to Aberdeen and London to Birmingham are roughly the same distance, but the former takes well over two hours and the latter less than 90 minutes. Birmingham and Manchester are 25% further apart than Glasgow and Dundee, but the train takes 15 minutes less to arrive. While it welcomed recent investment in the railways, the report said upgrading lines while trying to use them could cause additional problems and added that investments such as the Borders Railway had been "short-sighted". The new line from Edinburgh to Tweedbank is not electrified and is single-track. The report said the Scottish government should future-proof all new rail investment by ensuring that it is double-track and electrified where possible. And it

Summary: Calls for the Scottish Parliament to be given full responsibility over Network Rail have been backed by a think tank.


An average of eight million people tuned in to watch the finale as it was broadcast live, with an additional 500,000 watching on ITV+1. Viewing peaked at 9.7 million as Army bandsman and magician Richard Jones was announced the winner. The previous low was in 2014, when 10.7 million saw singing act Collabro win. Jones, a lance corporal of The Household Cavalry, impressed the judges and public with his military-themed act. "I can't believe it, thank you so much to everyone that voted - it's been an incredible experience, it means the world to me," the 25-year-old said. The first magician to ever win the talent show, he wins a Â£250,000 prize and the opportunity to appear at the Royal Variety Performance. Live viewing represented a 39.7% share of all TV viewing, although final consolidated figures - where all on demand and catch-up viewing is taken into account - will not be known for a week. An ITV spokeswoman said audiences peaked at 10.5 million viewers when ITV+1 figures were added. The finale was broadcast at the same time as the Uefa Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, which was broadcast on subscription service BT Sport and YouTube free of charge. Last year's Britain's Got Talent final was watched by an average of 11.7 million viewers, accounting for a 46.6% audience share. More than 17 million viewers tuned in to watch the final at its peak in 2009, when dance act Diversity famously triumphed over Susan Boyle. The final usually counts itself as one of the most-watched programmes of the year. However, this year it is unlikely to feature in the top 10. 'Brilliantly British' Wearing his Household Cavalry uniform, Jones's act featured a card trick which told the story of Britain's oldest living magician, Fergus Anckorn, and how he used magic to help him cope with being a prisoner of war in Singapore. The act culminated in bringing the 97-year-old out on stage. Receiving a standing ovation from the judges, Alesha Dixon described the performance as "poignant, noble and brilliantly British". Speaking on Britain's Got More Talent after the main show, head judge Simon Cowell said he thought the public voted Jones the winner not just because of his skill as a magician. "I think people rooted for him as a person," he said. "His presentation, his whole performance was immaculate - it was very patriotic and heart-warming and he deserved to win." Fellow judge Amanda Holden added: "I'm absolutely delighted because when magic first started on Britain's Got Talent it was rubbish and after 10 years he has done such a great job." The Army tweeted its congratulations to Jones, as well as a picture of The Band of the Household Cavalry celebrating his win. Swing singer Wayne Woodward - who became the bookmakers' favourite late on Saturday afternoon - finished as the runner-up with his rendition of Nina Simone's Feeling Good. Boogie Storm, a group of disco dancing Star Wars stormtroopers, were voted third. Also among the 12 finalists was sword swallower Alex Magala, whose act

Summary: The final of this year's Britain's Got Talent drew the lowest audience in the show's 10-year history, according to overnight figures.


Oliver Scullion, son of the manager of Hilden Brewery, died in the incident at the premises on Grand Street. It is understood he was crushed under a large metal tank. The boy's father is also believed to have been injured. The Health and Safety Executive is investigating. In a statement, the boy's family said they were "deeply upset" and requested privacy. SDLP councillor Pat Catney, who is a close friend of the family, said the child was "a force of nature". "This little blond four-year-old wonder enchanted everyone who met him," he said. "He was part of the life here at the brewery and I know that the staff are also devastated at his death." The Health and Safety Executive said in a statement on Thursday it had been "notified of the death of a young child at a commercial premises in the Lisburn area and is investigating the circumstances". It added: "We are unable to comment further at this stage except to offer our deepest sympathy to the family." Established in 1981, Hilden Brewery is billed as the oldest independent brewery on the island of Ireland.

Summary: A four-year-old boy has been killed in an accident at a family-owned brewery near Lisburn, County Antrim.


The Portuguese, 39, replaced Mike Phelan in January on a deal until the end of the season but could not save them from the drop to the Championship. He led Hull to six wins from his 18 Premier League games, with relegation confirmed after a 4-0 defeat by Crystal Palace on 14 May. In a statement, Hull said they were "disappointed" by the departure of a "firm fans' favourite". The club were relegated in the penultimate week of the season and Silva said at the time: "It's my goal as a manager to work in the Premier League." The former Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos manager has been linked with Watford after the dismissal of Walter Mazzarri, but said recently he had not received an offer from the Hornets or any other club. "Everyone knows when you have the chance to work in the Premier League, you don't want to work in Championship, it's normal," he said last week. A statement from Hull said Silva "will be forever remembered for his efforts to maintain our Premier League status". It added: "Unfortunately, after considering his future, he has chosen to leave in order to further his career." Assistant head coach Joao Pedro Sousa, first team coach Goncalo Pedro and goalkeeping coach Hugo Oliveira have also left the club. BBC Radio Humberside sports editor Matt Dean: Marco Silva is undoubtedly a loss, although his departure isn't exactly a surprise. His drive, energy and focus for the job was unwavering and his values rubbed off on his players and the fans. He was always viewed as a coach bound for bigger things and brighter times. The club will be hard pressed to find another in his mould. Whoever gets the job will have to pick up the pieces of a squad shorn of six loan players now back with their parent clubs and be capable of galvanising those left, including the fans. There are no guarantees either that players such as Harry Maguire, Andy Robertson and Abel Hernandez will remain at the club. Fans will watch with keen interest to see how serious the club's owners are to get the club back to the Premier League with the next appointment and the resources allocated to them.

Summary: Marco Silva has resigned as Hull City manager after the club's relegation.


Julie Wadsworth, 60, told officers "a fumble" had led to masturbation but she had "no reason to believe he was under-age", Warwick Crown Court heard. In a transcript read in court, she said she had "sex in the woods" with husband Tony to "spice up" their sex life. The couple deny assaulting seven boys in the 1990s. The Wadsworths, from Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, who have worked for BBC Radio Leicester and BBC WM, are accused of encouraging boys to take part in sexual activity in wooded areas of Warwickshire between 1992 and 1996. They deny five counts of outraging public decency. Mrs Wadsworth has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of indecent assault and Mr Wadsworth, 69, denies 10 counts of the same offence. After her arrest, Mrs Wadsworth described sexual contact with one of the accusers, now in his 30s, as "just a bit of fun", the jury heard. She said it ended when her husband became suspicious and both parties "decided it ought to stop". Mrs Wadsworth told officers she would never sunbathe topless, as was alleged, as she was "not confident in my body" but did sometimes have sex in woodland with her husband. "We'd nip into the woods and if we heard anybody coming we'd stop - we wouldn't openly display ourselves," she said. "We just went down and had sex in the woods from time to time, it's so embarrassing. "We like to spice up the sex life, but those boys? I don't recognise any of their names." Earlier, the man Mrs Wadsworth accepted masturbating told the court he sent messages to her years after the alleged abuse. He said in cross-examination by her barrister he had become "obsessed" with her and sent her messages when he was "drunk, depressed, or down". The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.

Summary: An ex-BBC radio presenter accused of child sex offences told police she had sexual contact with one of her accusers when "he was 17", a court heard.


The amount that landlords will be able to claim will be set at the basic rate of tax, which is currently 20%. The move is aimed at creating a "level playing field" between homeowners and investors, chancellor George Osborne said. The change will be introduced over four years from April 2017. Currently property investors can claim tax relief on their monthly interest repayments at the top level of tax they pay, meaning the wealthiest can claim as much as 45%. Mr Osborne said the current system gave buy-to-let landlords "a huge advantage in the market", compared with home buyers. "The better-off the landlord, the more tax relief they get," he said. Buy-to-let properties now account for over 15% of new mortgages, something the Bank of England warned last week could pose a risk to the UK's financial stability. Separately, Mr Osborne said tax relief for people who rent out a room in their home would be increased from its current level of Â£4,250 - where it has been frozen for 18 years - to Â£7,500 from next year. Nicholas Leeming, chairman of national estate agents Jackson-Stops & Staff, said the changes to tax relief would hit many small and older private investors. "This is a major blow to a sector that is heavily reliant on private investors and who provide a crucial supply of property to the private rental sector," he added. He also warned the move could hit the supply of rental properties making it harder for people who wanted the flexibility of being able to rent rather than buy. Graham Davidson, the managing director of Sequre Property Investment, a firm which specialises solely in buy-to-let investments, said about half of its customers were cash buyers, meaning they would not be affected by the move. But he said those that were affected were likely to increase their rental fee to compensate for the higher tax bill. "The single biggest impact will be to tenants rather than landlords," he warned. But the director general of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, Paul Smee, said the fact that the change was being introduced slowly would soften the blow. "The phasing is important. We will need to understand whether this will have a behavioural impact on higher-rate buy-to-let landlords, but a four-year timetable does at least reduce the risk of sudden market shocks," he said. Shares in house building firms fell, with Barratt Developments down 5.7% and Redrow down 5.2%. July 2015 Budget full BBC online coverage BBC Budget Live HM Treasury link to Budget documents

Summary: Buy-to-let landlords face cuts in the amount of tax relief they can claim on mortgage interest payments, the government has said.


Locke was himself sacked by Raith Rovers last month with the Scottish Championship side on a run of 15 games without a victory. The 41-year-old inherits a side sitting seven points adrift at the foot of Scottish League Two. Caretakers Neil Hastings and Burton O'Brien take charge for the final time against Berwick Rangers on Saturday. But Locke will be present as the Blue Brazil look to end a run of 15 games without a win. Cowdenbeath said in a website statement: "We ask all fans to give Gary a very warm welcome to Central Park and their full support as we face the major challenge that lies ahead in the next couple of months." The Fife club accepted Fox's resignation as head coach on Monday. "The club regrets that, despite Liam's great efforts and true professionalism, he was not able to bring the success we all wished for," said Cowdenbeath. "He did face a number of challenges this season, some of which few managers would normally expect to encounter, especially in their first season in management. "He leaves Central Park with the respect and best wishes of the chairman and all the directors of the club." Fox, who had previously been on the coaching staff at Hearts, had taken charge at Central Park during the summer. The 33-year-old said: "Firstly, I'd like to thank Cowdenbeath for giving me the opportunity to manage their football club. "The experience gained and lessons learned in a short period of time will no doubt prove invaluable to me in my career." Locke is also a former Hearts player and started his managerial career at Tynecastle before moving on to Kilmarnock then, last summer, to Stark's Park.

Summary: Gary Locke has been appointed manager of Cowdenbeath until the end of the season after the exit of Liam Fox.