The 31-year old joins from Gloucester City and reunites with boss Graham Westley for a third time. Reid scored 66 goals in 112 appearances for the Exiles between 2008 and 2011, helping them win the 2010 Conference South title, before Westley paid £100,000 to take him to Stevenage. Newport have also re-signed former club captain David Pipe. Defenders Mark O'Brien and Sid Nelson have also arrived at Rodney Parade. "I am delighted to confirm I have signed a contract back at Newport County, the club I enjoyed so much success with," Reid wrote on Facebook.

Summary: Newport County have re-signed striker Craig Reid, the fourth signing made by the Exiles in 24 hours.


Earlier the Saudi foreign ministry said it had turned down the non-permanent seat, accusing the world body of "double standards". The ministry said the UN needs to be reformed first. It said the Security Council had failed in its duties towards Syria as well as in other world conflicts. Mr Ban refused to say whether he would be speaking to the Saudi king about the matter. "I understand that some member states, particularly some concerned group of member states, are discussing [this] among themselves," Mr Ban said. The reaction among diplomats to this unprecedented decision has been one of shock and confusion, the BBC's Nada Tawfik reports from the UN. France's UN ambassador Gerard Araud said: "We think that Saudi Arabia would have brought a very positive contribution to the Security Council, but we do also understand the frustration of Saudi Arabia." "The fact is that the Security Council has been unable to act now for more than two years," Mr Araud said, according to AFP. However, Russia's foreign ministry called the move bewildering, and said Saudi Arabia's criticism of the UN Security Council about its actions over Syria "is particularly strange". By Bridget KendallDiplomatic correspondent, BBC News Usually there is fierce competition to secure one of the 10 rotating seats on the UN Security Council - a chance to sit alongside the five permanent members for two years on the top UN body which rules on international security issues. Instead Saudi Arabia has used the coveted position to lodge a very public protest. This is the second protest from Saudi Arabia. Earlier this month the Saudi foreign minister pulled out of giving a speech at the UN General Assembly, expressing similar frustration. It is a dramatic gesture, but whether it makes immediate reform of the Security Council more likely, as the Saudis demand, is probably questionable. Saudi Arabia has previously expressed frustration at what it sees as an international failure to act on Syria, where it staunchly backs the rebels. The announcement came hours after Saudi Arabia was elected for the first time to one of the 10 rotating seats on the Security Council. The non-permanent members sit on the council for two years, along with the five permanent members - the US, the UK, France, China and Russia. As well as accusing the council of "double-standards" and demanding reform, the Saudi foreign ministry pointed to its failure "to find a solution to the Palestinian cause for 65 years", which had led to "numerous wars that have threatened world peace". It also criticised the UN's "failure" to rid the Middle East region of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons. And it accused the UN of allowing the Syrian government "to kill its own people with chemical weapons... without confronting it or imposing any deterrent sanctions". The UN Security Council last month finally broke a two-and-a-half year deadlock on how to deal with conflict in Syria after voting unanimously to adopt a binding resolution on ridding the country of chemical weapons. Saudi observers say Riyadh would have been working for years

Summary: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he has received no notification from Saudi Arabia that it will turn down a seat on the UN Security Council.


Summary: Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, has had a makeover over the last decade, as this gallery from the BBC's Ayo Bello shows:


Police made the discovery when a van was stopped on the Hillsborough Road in Hillsborough on Friday. The man, 34, is due to appear before Lisburn Magistrates' Court on Monday. Police said the cocaine was "destined for distribution and sale" on the streets of Northern Ireland. "We are delighted to have removed it from circulation," said Det Insp Alan Pyper. "The Police Service of Northern Ireland is continually working to identify those involved in the supply of drugs and put an end to their deadly trade."

Summary: A man has been charged with possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply after cocaine worth an estimated £100,000 was seized by police in County Down.


Joanne Lees said she believed his missing body could still be found. The 43-year-old returned to the Outback as part of a TV special, revisiting the place where the 28-year-old was shot. Bradley Murdoch was convicted in 2005 of murdering Mr Falconio and assaulting Ms Lees, then 27, on a remote stretch of highway on July 14 2001. The murder took place near Barrow Creek, about 200 miles north of Alice Springs. The couple, from Huddersfield, were travelling when Murdoch waved down their camper van and shot Mr Falconio in the head. Ms Lees was threatened with a gun, punched in the head and bound with cable-tie restraints before she managed to escape, hiding in bushes for hours while her attacker stalked her with a dog. Murdoch is believed to have hidden Mr Falconio's body, which has never been found, despite extensive searches. Ms Lees said she had "no choice" but to run from Murdoch because "it was either run or be raped and killed". In adverts for the special edition of 60 Minutes, she says: "Pete's still missing. I know that he's somewhere here." Asked if she is "stepping inside" her attacker's mind, she says: "I guess it is a very alien thing for me to do because I'm not a violent person. "I'm not a murderer but if that's what I have to do and that's how I'm gong to find Pete then that's what I'm prepared to do." She adds: "It's because I love Pete so much and I want to bring him home and I need to bring him home." Northern Territory Police renewed its appeal to help find his remains last year. The interview will be aired on Channel Nine in Australia at 21:40 GMT on Sunday.

Summary: The girlfriend of murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio has gone back to Australia 15 years after his death to "bring him home".


Iwan Lewis, 36, of Penygroes, Gwynedd, was a patient at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, before his death last May. Speaking at his inquest, his mother Elizabeth Lewis accused Betsi Cadwaladr health board of not listening to her concerns. The trust said it would give the family a written apology. Coroner Nicola Jones recorded a narrative verdict, saying it was impossible to say for certain whether Mr Lewis' death was an accident or suicide. The inquest in Caernarfon previously heard that Mr Lewis, a paranoid schizophrenic, had been sectioned at the hospital's Hergest unit for an alleged assault on his mother, who cared for him. He was later moved to the Cynan ward, where the day before his death he was refused extra medication for feeling agitated. A police officer also visited the ward a few days earlier to speak to Mr Lewis about his bail arrangements, a visit which consultant psychiatrist Dr Olufemi Adebajo told the inquest he was "extremely unhappy" about. After the hearing, North Wales Police said the officer had acted "perfectly reasonably". Supt Nigel Harrison confirmed Mr Lewis had previous contact with the police and an officer did visit him in hospital to undertake a "legal requirement" and "having sought permission to do so". He said: "As part of our multi agency work with our partner agencies, we regularly hold meetings with the local health board, where the now raised concerns by the consultant will be discussed. "The coroner made it clear that the officer acted perfectly reasonably and we are satisfied that our officers acted entirely appropriately throughout." Speaking at the inquest on Friday, the trust's clinical director of mental health, Dr Sandeep Matthews, said they "could have engaged more with Mrs Lewis, and taken her views on board". Questioned by the coroner, he agreed that "on the balance of probability" the trust had breached their duty of care to Mr Lewis. As well as an apology to the family, the trust said it was making several improvements which included better co-operation with the police, better communication with the families of patients and improvements in documentation.

Summary: A senior health board official has admitted a breach in the duty of care to a mentally ill patient whose body was found in the Menai Strait.


The picture of Men Drinking in a Pub appears to have another work on the reverse, partly covered by wall paint. The piece was found during renovation of the artist's previous home in Whitworth Terrace, Spennymoor, by new owners Joe and Deborah Smith. Auctioneer and art expert John Anderson said it was "a piece of salvage that may yield a masterpiece". "Most artists, if suddenly touched by the muse will grab whatever is available to work out the inspiration," he said. The artist, who died last year, started working in the mines when he was 14 and became famous for his paintings of everyday life in the industrial North East after attending the Pitman's Academy. "In this case, presumably, he looked at it and thought 'there's a painting I'm not satisfied with'," said Mr Anderson. "Rather than going to the shop when he was panelling the bathroom cupboard, this was a cheap and convenient expedient." Mrs Smith, whose father was Cornish's cousin, said the panel was not signed but "it is definitely a Cornish because his son-in-law Michael has authenticated it and has written a letter of authentication". The painting is to be auctioned by Anderson and Garland in September. An early self-portrait of the artist with a hidden portrait of his wife on the other side was sold by the auctioneers for Â£13,500 in January.

Summary: A painting by "Pitman painter" Norman Cornish has been discovered being used as a bath panel in his former home.


The group, who have sold 70 million records, said Mr Corbyn had inspired young people and offered a "believable" alternative to business as usual. Mr Corbyn has been backed by several stars, such as actor Daniel Radcliffe. But best-selling Harry Potter author JK Rowling has called him a lousy leader. Mr Corbyn is being challenged for the leadership by Owen Smith. The result of the election will be announced on 24 September. The Labour leader, who has said he wants the arts to be a priority for the next Labour government, has received a number of celebrity endorsements in recent weeks. Birmingham-based UB40, named after the then government's unemployment benefit form, were one of the most successful British groups of the 1980s and 1990s, notching up 50 hit singles - among them the chart toppers Red Red Wine, Can't Help Falling in Love and I Got You Babe. Although three members of the original line-up have left in recent years, sparking a legal dispute over the use of the band's name, the remaining members led by guitarist and vocalist Robin Campbell have endorsed Mr Corbyn. "Jeremy has re-ignited an interest in politics for people who no longer felt included, and engaged and inspired a new generation of young voters who, for the first time, believe that they have an incorruptible politician who truly represents them," Mr Campbell said. Drummer Jimmy Brown said Mr Corbyn was the only frontline politician "willing to speak up for working people who have been badly treated by successive governments, including New Labour, in recent decades". Mr Corbyn, who is opposed by the majority of his MPs and lost a vote of no confidence after the EU referendum, welcomed the band's backing ahead of a planned joint appearance on Tuesday. "UB40's story was and remains inspiring; people from across cultures and backgrounds coming together and combining their talents - in a time when prejudice was more prevalent - and creativity to produce music that has endured across decades," he said. As part of his arts manifesto released last month, Mr Corbyn pledged that all primary schools in England would get extra cash to fund arts activities and a single national scheme for arts scholarships would be set up. The Labour leader told the Guardian on Monday he would be happy to meet JK Rowling to discuss their differences after she said he was taking the party in the wrong decision. Her suggestion that Mr Corbyn risked destroying Labour and that the poorest in society need an "electable" alternative to the Conservatives not "mouthy, impotent socialism" provoked an angry response from Corbyn backers on social media.

Summary: British reggae band UB40 have praised Jeremy Corbyn as an "incorruptible politician" who will put working people first as they backed his campaign to remain as Labour leader.


Gordon Underwood, 39, was fined Â£300 after admitting the charge, and one of obstructing three of his colleagues, at Hull Magistrates' Court on 23 March. Underwood worked as a licensing officer at Humberside Police. He was dismissed at a disciplinary hearing for discreditable conduct. More on this and other Hull stories The hearing, chaired by temporary Chief Constable Garry Forsyth, found Underwood's behaviour "fell far short of the standards of a police officer". Underwood did not attend the proceedings but accepted the charge. The tribunal heard Underwood had served as an officer for 15 years and was of "previous good character". The incident that led to his conviction took place in Hull city centre on 15 February. Ch Supt Judi Heaton, head of the force's professional standards branch, said: "The public can be reassured that the vast majority of our workforce are hard-working, dedicated and committed professionals and it is important that those who let down the force are held to account and are not able to damage its good reputation."

Summary: A police officer who was responsible for the safety of pubs and clubs in Hull has been sacked after being convicted for being drunk and disorderly.


A "concrete plan" was in place for the operation over the eastern city of Deir al-Zour, said Jan Egeland, who chairs a humanitarian taskforce. Convoys of UN trucks on Wednesday began delivering much-needed aid to 80,000 people in five other besieged areas. The UN says 200,000 residents remain besieged in parts of Deir al-Zour. "It's a complicated operation and would be in many ways the first of its kind," Egeland said of the air drops. The UN will work with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and other local groups to drop aid by parachute for distribution, World Food Programme spokeswoman Bettina Luescher said. She did not specify when the air drops would begin but said a single aircraft would be used initially. The World Food Programme had previously ruled out humanitarian air drops in Syria due to the complexities of obtaining use of airspace, organising distribution on the ground, and finding suitable drop zones. The UK government also said air drops were "high risk and should only be considered as a last resort when all other means have failed". But Egeland said the strategy was the only way to feed people in Deir al-Zour. "It is either air drops or nothing. Air drops are a desperate measure in desperate times," he told Reuters. Speaking after a meeting of the 17-member International Syria Support Group (ISSG), he also said that UN aid was expected to reach all of Syria's 18 besieged areas within a week. The UN believes more than 480,000 Syrians are living in besieged areas, with four million more people in so-called "hard-to-reach" areas. All parties to the conflict are believed to have used siege warfare - where military forces surround an area and cut off essential supplies - in breach of international law. On Wednesday, aid trucks reached rebel-held Muadhamiya and Madaya, near Damascus, and pro-government northern villages of Foah and Kefraya. Another town, Zabadani, was reached later. The supplies, which included some medical supplies, are expected to last for about a month. The deliveries were part of an agreement approved by the ISSG that world powers hope will lead to a "cessation of hostilities" by Friday. The agreement does not apply to the fight against IS or al-Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate, and offensives by Syrian government forces and Kurdish militia fighters on rebel-held areas of the northern province of Aleppo have dimmed hopes of a truce. A new report from humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says 1.9 million people are under siege in Syria. It said data from hospitals and clinics it supports recorded 154,647 war-injured people and 7,009 war dead in 2015, 30 to 40 percent of whom were women and children. The data, MSF said, showed "civilians and civilian areas continued to be devastated" by the conflict. A strike on an MSF-supported hospital in Idlib province on Monday killed 25 people, the group says. "Permanent members of the UN Security Council, four of whom are actively involved in the war in Syria, must answer for their failure to uphold their most basic responsibilities

Summary: The UN is planning to air drop food and other aid to a Syrian city besieged by the so-called Islamic State (IS), officials have said.


Jake Morrison triumphed over Lord Storey in Wavertree as the Liberal Democrats - who held power only two years ago - took heavy losses. Another high profile Lib Dem casualty was former education spokesman Paul Clein, who said his defeat was not "a reflection on local candidates". Labour took 12 of the 14 Lib Dem seats being contested. Mr Morrison, a healthcare assistant at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, said: "It's absolutely fantastic - I'm over the moon. "Obviously I hope to follow in some of Mike's (Lord Storey's) footsteps. He's been a councillor for over 38 years and is respected by residents in Liverpool and I wish him well." Local Lib Dem leader Flo Clucas said the party had suffered at the hands of a national "hate campaign" against Nick Clegg. "We had an extremely good reception on the doorstep," said Mrs Clucas. "There was no animosity against those candidates who were standing. "But as soon as you mentioned the words Lib Dem the words that came back were: 'We all know what Nick Clegg has done. He has jumped into bed with the Tories'." Mrs Clucas said the national Labour Party had run a negative campaign which she thought was "very bad for politics indeed". Lib Dem councillor Richard Kemp, who represents Church ward, said his party would come back from the brink. "I thought we would have done badly, but not this badly," he said. "We have lost some really good people but it's by no means the end of the Lib Dems in Liverpool." Labour council leader Joe Anderson said: "Liverpool has suffered the worst cuts of any city or town in the country. "They are hurting but not working. It's no wonder the Lib Dems suffered their biggest defeat in 50 years." Former Lib Dem leader Warren Bradley had to stand down as the party's leader last month, after an email he had written predicting big losses in the city was leaked. Labour swept to power in Warrington Council taking six seats from the Lib Dems. The council previously had no single party in control but Labour now has a majority with 34 out of 57 seats. Labour became the largest party on Sefton council - after it gained five seats and the Lib Dems lost five - although the authority remains in no overall control. Labour also became the largest single party on the hung Wirral Council with the five seats they took from the Lib Dems, leaving the party with 29 seats to the Tories' 27. The Lib Dem leader Simon Holbrooke was one of the party's casualties. Labour retained control of Halton Council, gaining seven seats, and kept hold of Knowsley, where the party took three seats from the Liberal Democrats, two from the Conservatives and two from other representatives. Labour also strengthened its grip on St Helens where it gained seven seats. The party now holds 35 of the council's 48 seats.

Summary: A former leader of Liverpool City Council has lost his seat to an 18-year-old Labour candidate.


It also says professions like politics and the law continue to be dominated by privately educated Oxbridge graduates. The Trust said a child's chances of reaching the top still came down to their schooling and contacts. The government said the state sector was increasingly matching the private sector in terms of academic attainment. Researchers for the Trust, which campaigns for greater social mobility, looked at the educational backgrounds of more than 1,200 people, working in high positions in medicine, the law, the military, journalism, politics, the civil service, business, film and pop music. They also looked at Nobel Prize-winners. The report - Leading People 2016 - found that more than two in five (42%) of British Bafta winners went to a private school, compared with around a fifth (19%) of those who have been awarded a Brit music award. Also, two-thirds (67%) of British Oscar winners were privately educated, among them Eddie Redmayne, who went to Eton, and Kate Winslet, who studied at Redroofs Theatre School. The Sutton Trust suggested the successful state-funded BRIT school in Croydon, which counts Adele and Jessie J among its former pupils, may be one reason why the proportion of state-educated top music stars is higher. The research found that three-quarters (74%) of the UK's top judges went to a fee-paying school, and nearly eight in 10 (78%) went on to Oxford or Cambridge University. Among top military personnel, some seven in 10 (71%) were educated in the private sector, although just 14% were Oxbridge educated. Slightly more than half of leading print journalists and solicitors (51% each) attended fee-paying schools. Just over half (54%) of these journalists attended Oxford or Cambridge, along with 55% of solicitors and 51% of the senior civil servants included in the study. In politics, half the Cabinet were privately educated (including old Etonian Prime Minister David Cameron) compared with 13% of the shadow cabinet, and around a third (32%) of MPs. The current Cabinet does have fewer former independent school pupils than the coalition cabinet of 2010, the report notes, but slightly more than Tony Blair's post-election Cabinet in 2005. Just under half (47%) of the current cabinet are Oxbridge graduates, along with 32% of the shadow cabinet. The trust said that of the country's top doctors, 61% were educated at independent schools, nearly one-quarter at grammar schools (22%) and the remainder (16%) at comprehensives. The private school sector educates 7% of the population. "The top of many of the UK's most prestigious professions remain disproportionately constituted by those with elite educational and socio-economic backgrounds," the study says. Sutton Trust research fellow Dr Philip Kirby, who wrote the report, said: "Young people from more advantaged backgrounds often have broader professional social networks, which can be used to access certain jobs, as well as parents who might be more able to support them through unpaid internships, which are increasingly important for career development." Chairman of the Sutton Trust Sir Peter Lampl said: "Our research shows that your chances of reaching the top in so many areas of British life are very much

Summary: Leading British actors are more than twice as likely as stars in the music industry to have attended fee-paying schools, the Sutton Trust says.


Many larger firms offer to "match" additional pension saving by their employees, by adding a contribution when workers save more. But insurer Royal London said that many workers were unaware of the option, and failed to take advantage. This could make a difference of hundreds of pounds in retirement income, it said. Despite having to make a number of assumptions in calculations, Royal London has estimated that an estimated £2bn of employer pension contributions would be available if workers took up the option of saving to a maximum rather than minimum level. It estimated that 3.2 million workers could receive an extra £650 per year each. That would mean somebody on average earnings who chose to take up an additional 3% matched contribution to their pension pot would receive a retirement income of £22,500 rather than £19,050, thanks to the extra contribution and tax relief. The Nationwide Building Society has changed its default level to a maximum, rather than a minimum contribution. Steve Webb, a former pensions minister and now director of policy and Royal London, said more could be done to make workers at other businesses aware that their employer might add to their pension if they were willing to contribute at a higher level. "At a time when money is tight for many people and pay rises may be limited, getting your employer to contribute more to your pension can be a very cost-effective strategy," he said. "When individuals are thinking about where to put their money to get the best return, the chance to more than double your money through an employer contribution and tax relief from the government takes a lot of beating." Graham Vidler, director of external affairs at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, said; "If your employer offers a workplace pension, you should certainly consider joining and putting in as much as possible as if you don't you will miss out on free money in the form of employer contributions as well as the tax relief. "This research highlights how much UK employees could be missing out on each year. It is also vitally important that people start saving into a pension as soon as possible as the longer you save, the bigger your final pot is likely to be and the more you can benefit from your employers 'matching' contributions."

Summary: Workers are missing out on pension top-ups from their employers by only saving at a minimum level, research suggests.


Mr Corbyn has not visited Wales during the campaign, and a planned visit for Friday was cancelled on Thursday night. Mr Jones said the visit was "not possible" after the suspension of former London Mayor Ken Livingstone. He also told BBC Wales the response to Mr Corbyn on the doorsteps in Wales was "mixed". Mr Livingstone has been suspended from Labour for his comments saying Adolf Hitler had supported Zionism. Mr Jones has called for the former mayor to be expelled from the party altogether. The Welsh Labour leader said: "It was planned he was going to come. We all saw what happened yesterday with Ken Livingstone, he is dealing with that in London, so it's just not possible." The decision not to proceed with the visit took place after "discussions between the two offices", Mr Jones said, adding that "given all the publicity yesterday it would detract from our campaign today". Asked if Mr Corbyn would be in Wales before voters go to the polls next week, Mr Jones said: "Probably not, because there isn't much time and parliament is sitting next week. "If it's possible, great, but I don't think it's going to be possible between now and Thursday." Asked how voters were responding to Mr Corbyn on the doorstep, Mr Jones said: "I think if I'm honest with you, it's mixed. "Yes, there are some people who are saying to me, well, I'm not sure about Jeremy Corbyn. There are others who take the opposite view. "What we're finding is that fewer and fewer people are mentioning him on the doorstep and more and more people are saying David Cameron and the Tories, they're divided on everything." On Friday, a source close to Labour's UK leader said: "Jeremy Corbyn cancelled the visit due to a high level of media interest that would have affected the day's campaigning." A spokesman for Welsh Labour said the party was trying to reschedule a visit by Mr Corbyn before polling day on Thursday. Analysis by BBC Wales political editor Nick Servini Senior Welsh Labour figures are putting a brave face on things but behind the scenes there is barely concealed irritation at the way the headlines have been dominated by further question marks over the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. The party has been effective so far in running a Jeremy Corbyn-free campaign. The UK leader has not been to Wales of late and there has been little mention of Westminster politics by Labour candidates so far. There is a reason for this - Jeremy Corbyn plays badly on the doorstep with plenty of voters in key marginal seats. Carwyn Jones says fewer and fewer people have been mentioning him, which may be a reflection of the success Labour have had in largely keeping him out of the assembly campaign. Whether they like it or not, Labour's internal divisions at a UK level are back out in the open and it is something they are going to have to deal with as we head into the final weekend of the campaign. Commenting earlier on

Summary: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will "probably not" visit Wales before next week's assembly election, First Minister Carwyn Jones has said.


The slow left-armer, who had managed only six wickets in his previous 17 Tests, helped dismiss India after tea despite the home side winning the toss. Murali Vijay top-scored with 75, while leg-spinner Imran Tahir claimed 2-23. South Africa struggled to 28-2 in the 20 overs possible before the close, with opener Elgar unbeaten on 13. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, opening the bowling, trapped Stiaan van Zyl lbw for five before Faf du Plessis - also playing no shot - was bowled by Ravindra Jadeja. Nine of the 12 wickets in the day fell to spin, with Vijay - lbw attempting to sweep Simon Harmer - part of a collapse from 102-3. "This is not a good Test pitch wicket though it's a result-oriented one," said Elgar. "We sort of expected it to play like that but we didn't expect it to crumble so early. "It was right up there with the hardest ever Test cricket I've played. Let's hope that it backfires [on India] and turns out to be a great victory for us." India's batting coach Sanjay Bangar responded: "It's a very challenging wicket where run-making is not easy. "It says 201 runs on the scoreboard but it's worth far more. But I think runs can be made on this wicket as Vijay showed. It's going to be a test of patience both for batsmen and bowlers." This Test is followed by matches in Bangalore, Nagpur and Delhi.

Summary: Part-time spinner Dean Elgar took 4-22 as South Africa bowled out India for 201 in Mohali, on the opening day of the four-Test series.


Despite always affirming a strong bond with Scotland, she was a divisive political figure. First Minister Alex Salmond said Baroness Thatcher was "truly formidable". Scottish Conservative leader, Ruth Davidson, also paid tribute saying she was "one of the truly great Prime Ministers". Mr Salmond said the former Conservative Party Prime Minister's "policies defined a political generation" for many people in Scotland. "No doubt there will now be a renewed debate about the impact of that legacy", he continued. By Brian TaylorPolitical editor, Scotland She never quite got Scotland. However, Margaret Thatcher is not alone among Westminster leaders in that regard. For the most part, she was adored by her party in Scotland, just as in England. But, even as they worshipped, quite a few Scottish Tories fretted that her politics would prove particularly divisive north of the border and thus electorally unpopular. Read more on Brian's blog "Today, however, the proper reaction should be respect and condolences to her family." Ms Davidson praised Lady Thatcher's policies, including extending the right for people to buy their council house. Ruth Davidson said: "She defended Britain's sovereignty, helped win the cold war, empowered thousands to own their own home by democratising property ownership and smashed the glass ceiling. "My thoughts are with her family." Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont said: "I came into politics to fight the ideology and values of Margaret Thatcher which I believe damaged our country. But today is not a day to debate that. "Today is a day to offer the deepest condolences to her family, friends and all who loved her. "No-one can deny she made a deep mark on the history of this country." Under Baroness Thatcher's leadership the Conservative government implemented social and economic policies which were unpopular in Scotland, including the Community Charge or poll tax. The introduction of the poll tax, which took place in Scotland in 1989 - 12 months before the rest of the UK, led to widespread protests and a lasting animosity towards the Conservative party in Scotland. Sir Malcolm Rifkind, served as Secretary of State for Scotland in her cabinet, said many of her major achievements also continued to be reflected in public opinion. He told BBC Scotland: "In a sense what made her so magnificent is occasionally what made her a very difficult and controversial character because she had very strong views, she put them forward uncompromisingly. "She didn't mind being challenged, indeed she would listen with great care if she thought the person challenging her actually knew what they were talking about and she could change her mind and opinions, but only on the basis of solid evidence and solid argument. "She would not be influenced by the fact it would be unpopular. That she despised, as well as disapproved of." Baroness Thatcher's economic policy was also praised by Iain McMillan, director of CBI Scotland. He said: "It is all too easy to overlook the dreadful state that the UK economy was in at that time and the challenges that she and her government faced. "Through sheer tenacity and immense

Summary: Scottish politicians have paid tribute to Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first woman Prime Minister, who has died.


James Stark, 37, Steven Sheldon, 35, and Martin Williams, 36, all from south Wales, died in Wiltshire in June 2014. Stephen Jenkins, 39, of Abercwmboi, was driving a van that crashed into a lorry, near Chippenham. He was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving at a previous hearing at Swindon Crown Court. Speaking after sentencing, Sgt Barrie Card, from Wiltshire Police, said: "Falling asleep at the wheel doesn't happen straight away, you will get telltale signs and that's when you must act before it's too late. "Every driver owes it to themselves, their passengers and other road users to make sure they are fit to get behind the wheel, and that includes not being too tired. "The road safety message 'tiredness kills' is true and sadly so true in this tragic case." Jenkins, of Park View Terrace, was also disqualified from driving for four years and three months and will have to take an extended retest to get his driving licence back.

Summary: A van driver who killed three passengers in a crash on the M4 after falling asleep at the wheel has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.


Robson made 15 appearances for Oyonnax in the Top 14 last season after joining the French side in February 2015. The 30-year-old had previously spent his entire career at Harlequins, where he made 146 Premiership appearances. "I'm looking forward to the challenge of trying to win promotion back to the Premiership," he told the London Irish website. For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.

Summary: Championship club London Irish have signed Oyonnax and former Harlequins lock George Robson on a one-year deal.


The Space Vision app gets children to tap increasing faint black and white squares on a grey background to make aliens pop up and make a noise. Their ability to keep track of the squares can be used to screen for vision problems and developers hope it will ease the burden on the NHS. The co-founder of Vision Games, said it was an "exciting prospect". Luke Anderson started the company with Dr Stephanie Campbell with support from the Centre of Excellence in Mobile and Emerging Technologies at the University of South Wales. Early tests picked up vision problems, such as lazy eye, in children as young as two. Mr Anderson said: "We're living in a time where there's increased pressure on the health service and if you can get patients monitoring their own vision at home that takes stress off hospital systems." The app, once publically available, would initially flag up any vision problems it identified to the user and advise them if they needed to make an appointment with a GP or optician. In the long-run, Mr Anderson said the data could be synced with family GPs so doctors could access the information to make an assessment. Mr Anderson, a consultant eye surgeon at Cwm Taf University Health Board, said the idea came from the "extremely difficult" experience of trying to assess children's eyesight using charts. They often struggled to get young children to sit still, so developing a game children would take an interest in helps them gather more data. Areas of vision tested include colour, motion, black on white and differentiating between shades of grey. The app is about to undergo larger clinical tests after a small initial run, but Mr Anderson said if everything went to plan, it could be downloadable within 18 months. Mr Anderson said getting children to sit still "was still a problem," adding: "But, looking at my children, the time when they're quiet is when they're sitting there on a tablet or a phone. "So we just naturally took the science and tried to implement it on that platform. The use of technology for efficiency within the NHS is an exciting prospect."

Summary: A game for tablets is being developed in Wales which parents can use to test their children's eyesight at home.


Why? Because of compound interest. When you save money, it earns interest. The lump sum grows from interest being added every year or every month. Interest added on top of that interest is known as "compound interest" - and means that the longer you save, the better off you are. So people who leave it late - like Dave in the example above - have compounded their financial problems when it comes to cashing in their savings. But it is worth remembering that pensions usually depend on the success of investments which, unlike savings, do not guarantee a set level of interest.

Summary: Saving a small amount of money regularly from when you start work will leave you better off than saving a bigger amount in later life.


It blamed its own "hubris" for overloading the Model X with technology. It revealed that it delivered 14,820 cars in the first quarter, falling short of the expected 16,000. It comes after the firm revealed that its new Model 3 car already has 276,000 pre-orders. The carmaker said that it had delivered 12,420 Model S sedans and 2,400 Model X SUVs in the first quarter of 2016. In a statement, Tesla added that its Q1 delivery count was "impacted by severe Model X supplier parts shortages in January and February that lasted much longer than initially expected". It said that once "issues were resolved", production and delivery rates "improved dramatically". "By the last full week of March, the build rate rose to 750 Model X vehicles per week, however many of these vehicles were built too late to be delivered to their owners before end of the quarter." It was frank about the reasons for the delay: "The root causes of the parts shortages were: Tesla's hubris in adding far too much technology to the Model X in version one, insufficient supplier capability validation and Tesla not having broad enough capability to manufacture the parts in-house." Back in February, Elon Musk admitted that the car had been "over-engineered". The shortage involved about six out of the 8,000 parts that go into the Model X but Tesla did not specify which ones. It has raised doubts about how prepared Tesla will be to deliver its new Model 3 car which was announced to much fanfare last week. The basic model will sell for $35,000 (£24,423) - less than half the cost of Tesla's previous models - and has a range of at least 215 miles per charge. The car is due to go on sale in late 2017 and customers must put down a $1,000 (£704) deposit. It can be ordered in advance to dozens of countries, including the UK, Brazil, India, China and New Zealand. Mr Musk has revealed that the company is focusing on ramping up productions and will eventually need to build a factory in Europe to satisfy demand. Stephanie Brinley, a senior analyst with research firm IHS, said that it was crucial that it gets production of the new vehicle right. "Given its history of missed deadlines, this one needs to be met, to earn the faith of consumers and investors alike," she said. Last year Tesla posted a net loss of $889m (£620m) for 2015, partly because of the large sum it spent on research and development.

Summary: Tesla Motors has revealed that supplies of its Model X electric car have been impacted by a shortage of parts meaning delays for some who have ordered them.


The Scots are preparing for friendly matches against Italy in Malta on Sunday and France in Metz on 4 June. "We can definitely get to the World Cup," said the Cardiff keeper. "We've got a good group of young lads coming through, so we don't see it [the Euro 2016 failure] as a last chance." Gordon Strachan's men begin their World Cup qualifying campaign against Malta in September. Their qualifying group also contains England, Slovakia, Slovenia and Lithuania. Marshall concedes it will be tougher to qualify for the World Cup than the Euros, but believes good showings in the upcoming friendlies can set them up for a successful campaign. "It's only the top two in the group that proceed so it's going to be harder," said the 31-year-old, who should add to his 22 caps against Italy and France. "We're going to come up against England in the qualifiers, so the higher level you play against benefits everybody. "For the young lads coming in and getting that experience, it's going to be big games, big atmospheres, especially the France game over there. "The better the team you play against, the harder the game, but it definitely benefits us in the long run. "Obviously the disappointment was there from the Euros, but I think we can take a lot of belief and confidence from a lot of the games." With Marshall's chief rivals for the Scotland goalkeeping jersey - Allan McGregor and Craig Gordon - absent from the squad, the former Celtic stopper feels it is a good opportunity for him to cement his place for the national side. "I'm just looking to keep playing," he said. "I've got an opportunity now to probably play most of the two games because Craig and Allan have pulled out. "Hopefully I can get the two games, do well again and keep my place."

Summary: David Marshall says Scotland's failure to make Euro 2016 was not their "last chance" to qualify for a major finals, insisting they can make it to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.


Junead Khan, 25, of Marlow Avenue in Luton, downloaded a bomb-making recipe and browsed the internet for a knife used by British militant "Jihadi John". He was jailed for life in May for preparing a terror act. This has now been replaced with a 20-year jail term with five years on licence. The Appeal Court heard Khan opened the bomb pack computer file "only once" and, although he looked for a knife, he never placed an order. Although he went close to US military bases in East Anglia, including RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, he never deviated from his planned route. "There is no doubt about the heinous nature of the crime, which Junead Khan formed an intention to commit," the judge said. "In terms of steps actually taken, he did not carry his intention far." He had committed a serious crime but not one that needed a life sentence, the panel of judges including Lord Justice Treacy and Mr Justice Leggatt, concluded. The judges also dismissed an appeal by Khan and his uncle Shazib Khan, 24, also of Marlow Avenue in Luton, against their sentences of seven-years jail, with five years of extended licence, for preparing terrorism offences. The pair had planned throughout 2014 and 2015 to travel to Syria to live under the so-called Islamic State regime, but failed to raise enough money for the fare and to buy all the kit their IS contacts had asked them to bring.

Summary: A delivery driver jailed for life for plotting to kill US personnel outside an air base has had a new sentence imposed by the Appeal Court.


Fintan Kelly and Karl O'Connell goals helped the Farney County to a 2-10 to 0-5 half-time lead, with Ben Brosnan finding the net soon after the break. Kieran Duffy grabbed Monaghan's third goal as his side bossed the game to book a place in Monday's Round 3B draw. Wexford had three players sent-off in the second half, as well as Kelly. Kelly and Ciaran Lyng were dismissed for two yellow card offences, while Adrian Flynn was flashed a black card four minutes later, with Wexford having used their six substitutes. Substitute John Leacy was shown a straight red card moments later. Monaghan will be joined in Monday morning's qualifier draw by Tipperary, conquerors of Cavan, Carlow, who saw off Leitrim, and Armagh, who saw off Westmeath. The match pitted Wexford manager Seamus McEnaney against his native county, whom he guided to two Ulster finals in 2007 and 2010 during a six-year tenure from 2005 to 2010. In his first season in charge of Wexford, McEnaney saw his side lose to Carlow in the first round of the Leinster SFC, before edging out Limerick by a point in the first round of the qualifiers. Monaghan, who saw off Cavan in Ulster, before losing to Down, made four changes to their starting line-up prior to throw-in, with Dessie Mone, Gavin Doogan, Shane Carey and Dermot Malone replacing Vinny Corey, Darren Hughes, Kieran Duffy and Conor McCarthy. From the outset, the Ulster county appeared determined to ensure that there would be no repeat of their surprise three-point demise to Longford at the same stage of the All-Ireland series last year. Jack McCarron played a part in fashioning both first-half goals, Kelly firing a left-foot strike into the bottom corner in the seventh minute and midfielder O'Connell finding the back of the net in the 26th. A black card for Conor McManus did little to dent Monaghan's superiority as they built up an 11-point advantage at the interval. Brosnan's goal proved a mere consolation as the visitors continued to pile up the points, Duffy's well executed goal a deserved reward for their supremacy throughout. Fifteen players in total got their names on the scoresheet for the victors, Kieran Duffy top-scoring with 1-2 and McCarthy contributing four points. McCarron and Kieran Hughes weighed in with three scores apiece.

Summary: Monaghan bounced back from their shock Ulster SFC semi-final defeat by Down with a convincing win over Wexford in Round 2B of the All-Ireland qualifiers.


Prof Deaton, 69, is currently professor of economics and international affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, in New Jersey. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awards the prize, said that Prof Deaton's work has transformed several fields of economics. More specifically, the organisation said he had made an impact on economic theory, and on the practical application of data to investigate poverty, and devise economic policy. The headline to the statement from the academy that announced that Prof Deaton was its 2015 winner said: "Consumption, great and small". What does this mean? Consumption, to an economist, means spending on goods and services by individuals and households. Understanding it means looking at how consumers allocate spending between different things, how they divide their incomes between spending and saving, and how these patterns vary over time. The "great and small" in the academy's headline reflects Prof Deaton's analysis of consumer spending across a whole economy, and at the level of the individual and the household. One theme that runs through the academy's analysis of his work is the extensive use of data on spending taken from household surveys. Previously, economists worked much more from aggregate data for the whole economy. This focus enabled Prof Deaton to produce a theoretical approach that was more consistent with the fluctuations in consumer spending that he found. A more arcane achievement was in developing (with another economist John Muellbauer) a theory of demand for goods and services - how people allocate their spending between different products - that was motivated by problems in earlier analysis. Their system, and subsequent improvements by other researchers, "has had an immense impact in academia as well as being greatly influential in practical policy evaluation". Prof Deaton has been an influential figure in development economics. The academy describes him as an important driving force in the transformation of this area of economics - in moving from aggregate data to household surveys. To take one example - his research shed light on the question of whether rising incomes do lead to more calories being consumed, in other words to reducing malnutrition. His work suggests that it does - so encouraging economic growth can help tackle malnutrition. If that were not the case it would be an argument for reorienting policy towards direct food aid. In addition to the greater recognition of his work, and the further respect of his peers, Prof Deaton receives a financial price of 8m Swedish krona ($966,000; Â£630,000). Born in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, Prof Deaton attended Fettes College, a private school in the city, before going on to study at Cambridge University. After teaching at Cambridge and the University of Bristol, he continued his economics career in the US. He holds both British and American citizenship. Unlike the other five annual Nobel prizes, the economics one was not established by Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, although like the Physics and Chemistry prizes it is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Instead it was set up by Sweden's central

Summary: The 2015 Nobel Prize for Economics has been awarded to Scottish-born economist Angus Deaton.


Oxfordshire County Council spent £25m in 2014-15 on direct payments to support about 1,770 social care users. But an internal review has found "insufficient controls in place" to ensure money was not being misused. Payments were spent on utility bills, household repairs, food and parents paying themselves high salaries. Updates on this story and more from Oxfordshire The report added: "The deputy director has confirmed these example items may not be relevant to meet assessed eligible need." The authority's website said direct payments were intended to pay for "a variety of care and support services". It said: "Unless there are exceptional circumstances, you can't use the money to employ a close relative or person living in your home. "You must not use your direct payment to pay for [...] items such as food, drinks, utilities, gifts or for other everyday items." A report to the authority's Audit and Governance Committee said some expenditure had not been approved "but was not stopped nor recovered". It added the current system "does not adequately clarify what is or isn't acceptable" and "does not require evidence to support payments". "Finance queries had gone unanswered and also questionable expenditure not challenged," it said. Labour councillor and committee member John Tanner said he would be pressing for more investigation into direct payments, because they were "wide open to abuse". A council spokesman said investigations were continuing into the possible misuse of "a very small proportion" of the £25m budget. He said steps would be taken to recover any misspent money and a new direct payment policy was being developed to make it clear how it should be used. Last year, David Cameron wrote to council leader Ian Hudspeth and said he was "disappointed" at proposed cuts to Oxfordshire frontline services. In response Mr Hudspeth said the council was trying to cope with £72m in funding cuts and increased demand for its services.

Summary: Money given to people to pay for their care was spent on items such as mobile phone bills and Apple computer equipment, a council audit has found.


The alcohol is flowing, the skirts short: this is the epitome of Turkey's most liberal, Westernised city - and my first stop as I travel across the country ahead of Turkey's upcoming election. "You have pepper spray, you have tear gasâ€¦but we're still freeâ€¦this country is ours," the fans sing. On the stage at Izmir's seafront is Duman, one of Turkey's best-loved rock bands. As they belt out tunes about the anti-government protests of 2013, the thousands-strong crowd goes wild. "When I was studying in Poland, people there thought Turkey is a heavily Muslim country; that the women are all covered and men have four wives," laughs Serbay Kos, a volleyball trainer. "But Izmir isn't like that - we're like Europe and America." He takes a swig of beer as the song changes. "I'm worried that this government is trying to make Turkey into a more Muslim country, like Iraq or Syria - but we want to be free." It is a sentiment you hear frequently in this relaxed, coastal city - Turkey's third largest. Izmir has always looked across the Aegean to Europe; its Greek heritage and affluent bon-viveur feel shaping its politics. The centre-left Republican People's Party, or CHP, has its stronghold here - Izmir is known as the "CHP's castle". Staunchly secular, it is the party of modern Turkey's founding father, Kemal Ataturk. In the last election, the CHP took 44% of the vote in Izmir - more than double its national share. And it is aiming higher for the poll on 7 June. Many here fear the growing conservatism of the current government. Under the 12-year rule of the Islamist-rooted AK Party, constitutionally-secular Turkey has fundamentally changed. There is now a push to raise a "pious generation" - in the words of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - and CHP-dominated Izmir appears increasingly isolated. But in the Bostanli market of Izmir, local CHP candidate Zeynep Altiok is full of confidence. We stroll through the rows of artichokes, succulent tomatoes and oranges. These are rich pickings for the customers - and for campaigning politicians, as she secures vital votes. "Turkey is a big mosaic," Ms Altiok tells me, as she is handed a slice of melon by one supporter. "There should be no extremes. Neighbours live beside each other, one wearing a headscarf, one without - that's what we must do. "But the government labels you: you're either with them or against them. We have to break this." Warm words, but the CHP's history isn't exactly inclusive. For decades it embodied old-school nationalism, taking a hard line towards Turkey's minorities, especially the Kurds. And it is still seen by critics as the party of the so-called "white Turks", the wealthier, Westernised parts of society. But Ms Altiok insists the party has changed. "It's now totally modern. We don't discriminate. Our approach is to bring freedom for everybody in this country." At the top of its agenda is the issue of women's rights. The government has constantly stressed its vision of stay-at-home mothers, urging three children per family. Last year,

Summary: The guitar riff builds, the lyrics boom out - and Izmir's music-loving fans roar.


Scottish Children's Services Coalition made the call after "disappointing" waiting times for appointments were revealed in the region. Figures show in the Lothians 15% of children had to wait more than a year. Less than half of the 665 children referred were seen within the target of 18-weeks. Two years ago the Scottish government set a target for Mental Health services that 90% young people should be seen within 18 weeks. The figures for treatment from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) relate to the period between October and December 2016. A spokesperson for the Scottish Children's Services Coalition, a network of support groups, said: "The figures from NHS Lothian indicating that more than half of those who started their treatment between October and December had been waiting more than the Scottish government target of 18 weeks is clearly disappointing. "In addition, of the 101 children and young people in Scotland who had been waiting for more than a year before they started treatment, these almost all relate to NHS Lothian. "We know that half of all diagnosable mental health problems start before the age of 14 and 75% by the age of 21. "As such it is vitally important that an action plan is put in place for NHS Lothian, radically improving mental health services and increasing investment in these, with an overall aim of ensuring that children and young people get the help they need, when they need it. "A target of 18-weeks is in itself still far too long. "Families usually experience months of waiting even before a referral to CAMHS. "The consequent delay in diagnosis and appropriate support can lead to a crisis situation for the child or young person concerned, as well as for their family, and the need for costly extra resources to address this. "We hope that NHS Lothian takes account of these figures and takes urgent action to address this matter." Alex McMahon, NHS Lothian's executive director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, said: "More young people than ever before are accessing mental health services and we have seen a steady rise in the number of children and young people being referred to our services. "Unfortunately patients are having to wait longer than we would like and we are working hard to reduce this number. "We have invested significantly in CAMHS over the years to support the delivery of expert services for children. We are confident they will be strengthened through integration of education, social and health services. "Our CAMHS team is working on an agreed action plan to reduce the length of time children and young people are waiting and we have approximately 200 less children and young people waiting more than 18 weeks as a result and are confident we will see further significant reductions in waiting times over the coming months."

Summary: Support groups are calling for an action plan to "radically" improve mental health services for children and young people in the NHS Lothian area.


Police and the British Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team were called to Motorhog in Empire Way at 12:15 BST on Friday. Part of Bristol Road was closed and nearby properties were evacuated while a controlled explosion was carried out. Police have confirmed there were no explosives in the package and are now investigating.

Summary: A suspicious package discovered at a vehicle dismantler's yard in Gloucester was "not a bomb", police have said.


Geraldine Newman, 51, daughter Shannon, 11 and son Shane, six, were found on Tuesday in Allerton Bywater. The children's father, Paul Newman, 42, from Normanton, was found dead on cliffs on Anglesey the same day. Mr Newman was charged with common assault on Mrs Newman in July 2013. He received a custodial sentence, West Yorkshire Police said. The assault case was assessed as high risk, subject to detailed review and monitored for 12 months. During that time there were no further incidents reported to it, the force said. There is also to be a full review of the current case, West Yorkshire Police said. Mrs Newman was found in the house near Leeds and had died of head injuries, a post-mortem examination showed. Her two children were stabbed to death. Police said the case was "shocking". They are not looking for anyone else over the deaths. Mrs Newman, a branch manager for Wilko in Castleford, was found downstairs while the two children were discovered upstairs. Stacey Swinson, a daughter of Geraldine Newman, said: "What has happened to my family is absolutely tragic. "I would like to thank everyone for their kind wishes and condolences. "This is a very difficult time for us and I would ask that people respect our privacy while we continue to grieve with family and friends." Mr Newman was discovered on a cliff ledge at South Stack, a rocky island about 180 miles away.

Summary: A man suspected of killing his family in West Yorkshire had been previously jailed for domestic violence.


George "Johnny" Johnson was 22 when he took part in the 1943 air raid using experimental bouncing bombs in Germany. Despite being nominated for the New Year's Honours list this year, the 95-year-old was omitted. Oliver Koehler, from the Dambusters Museum in Germany, said "of course" he should be honoured. Carol Vorderman has also petitioned for him to be knighted. A 237,000-signature petition calling for Mr Johnson to be knighted was taken to No 10 by Carol Vorderman and Gulf War veteran John Nichol in January. It followed a petition by campaigner Paul Walmsley, who also wanted the recognition for the former airman. Bomb-aimer Mr Johnson, from Bristol, joined the newly-formed 617 Squadron in March 1943. Two months later, he was one of the 133-strong squadron who dodged anti-aircraft fire, power cables and mountainous terrain to drop the four-tonne skipping bomb on dams in the Ruhr Valley. Codenamed Operation Chastise, eight of the 19 planes were lost, 53 men died and three were captured. Despite Mr Johnson describing it as a "thrilling experience", he said he was "disgusted" Bomber Command had never been given its own campaign medal. "I feel there's been no attempt to recognise the sacrifice these people made," he said. But historian and author of Bomber Command, Max Hastings, said there was "an embarrassment" and "an uncertainty" about how the country "should look back on the bombing". "I do think the reluctance to issue a campaign medal does reflect how controversial it is and the possible upset it could cause in Germany," he said. But Mr Koehler said Mr Johnson was "courageous" and had been "ready at any time" to "risk his life" and should be honoured. The Cabinet Office said it could not comment on individual applications.

Summary: A museum in Germany is calling for the last surviving British member of the Dambusters to be honoured.


Heffernan finished fourth in the 50km walk at the London Games in 2012, a race won by Russia's Sergey Kirdyapkin. Kirdyapkin's competitive results from 2009 to 2012 The ruling should also see fellow Ireland walker Olive Loughnane upgraded to World Championship gold. Loughnane was pipped to 20km gold by Russian Olga Kaniskina in Berlin in 2009. Kaniskina's results, covering the period 15 August, 2009, to 15 October, 2012, have also been disqualified. "I'm delighted to hear about this long-awaited ruling and, most importantly, that Robert and Olive will now get the medals that they deserve," said Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, President of Athletics Ireland. "This now completes the set of European, World and Olympic medals for Robert to put him up there with one of Ireland's most successful athletes. "Hopefully Robert can go to Rio and win a medal to get the proper experience and feeling he deserves standing on the podium." Australian Jared Tallent will be awarded the gold medal after coming second to Kirdyapkin in London.

Summary: Irish walker Rob Heffernan is expected to be upgraded to Olympic bronze after The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) upheld IAAF appeals against Russian athletes relating to doping.


Martyn Ashton, 41, from Margam, Neath Port Talbot, had set out to raise about £7,000 for rehabilitation equipment. Friends suggested he set up a crowd funding page rather than sell his Colnago C59 bike worth £7,000. He described people's generosity as humbling and touching. Mr Ashton was a professional stunt cyclist, with his videos Road Bike Party and Road Bike Party 2 gaining more than 28 million views between them on YouTube. But he lost the use of his legs in an accident during a live show in 2013. He said equipment for people with disabilities could prove expensive so the money would be put to good use. "I never, ever thought it would reach £50,000," he said. "I can now think long term. It's a remarkable thing."

Summary: A paralysed stunt cyclist has said he can start planning his own long-term care and rehabilitation after receiving £50,000 in donations since starting an appeal four days ago.


The black-headed gull was unable to fly off after getting trapped about 20ft (6m) from the bank of the lake in Leicestershire. Firefighters chipped him free from the icy water at Grove Park, Enderby, after being called by the RSPCA at about 16:50 GMT on Tuesday. He was taken to a vet to warm up. The gull was then taken to a nearby wildlife centre for further care before he will be released into the wild. Firefighters used a rescue sled, which is like an inflatable raft, to reach the gull. The RSPCA said in a statement: "He was about 20ft out on the lake and was stuck fast. "Thankfully the the fire service came out to assist our officers and using an inflatable raft managed to reach the gull and chip him free from the ice."

Summary: A bird that became stuck in a lake when the water froze around its feet is recovering after being rescued by firefighters.


Powys council said the latest phase of work in Talgarth to help protect 19 properties was due to start in March. However, they say a single objection has delayed the process which has resulted in funding being lost. Councillor John Brunt said: "We are extremely disappointed and are actively seeking a resolution to the objection."

Summary: Work on flood protection in Powys has been stopped due to an objector to the scheme.


But when she was physically attacked in January, while walking in Georgetown, the South American country's capital, she decided to seek justice. "The young man came up to me and asked if it was me who disrespected him the other night," she said, in reference to a previous argument with her alleged assailant. "And he joock [stabbed] me to my neck with scissors. I fell to the ground and when he left, I ran away. Then he came back with some glass bottles and pelted me down." "It happens a lot here in Guyana to transgender women," she added. "We live in a very homophobic society." Ms Trotman reported the matter to the police and the case went to Georgetown Magistrates Court. But seeking justice as a transgender woman is not easy in Guyana due to a colonial-era law, now 124 years old, that criminalises cross-dressing. Guyanese Summary Jurisdiction Act On her first day in the courtroom, Ms Trotman was told by the presiding magistrate to "dress like a man" at her next court date. When she returned to court on 2 March to hear the final verdict, she defiantly wore a blue top and a long, patterned skirt. This time, Magistrate Dylon Bess refused her entry, citing "inappropriate dress". "I felt really bad because the magistrate ordered me out of the court and he literally tried the case without me," Ms Trotman told the BBC. The case was dismissed and, with Ms Trotman not allowed inside the court, she only learned of the decision when her alleged attacker shared the news upon leaving the courtroom. Magistrate Bess defended his demand that Ms Trotman dress in male clothes. He said that while it was "a preference and not a requirement" that transgender women dress as men in his courtroom, "sometimes persons commit offences dressed as males and then when they appear in court dressed as a female it can have implications for how a victim can identify his or her accuser, or vice versa". He also said that it would be up to parliament to abolish Guyana's law criminalising cross-dressing and not a court of law. The managing director of Guyana's Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Joel Simpson, strongly disagrees. "It's really a dereliction of duty for Magistrate Bess to say that parliament has to change the law," he said. "While he is a magistrate, not a judge, the court should not be applying an unjust, unconstitutional law... Where there's conflict, the constitution prevails." A former president of the Guyana Bar Association, Ronald Burch-Smith, also questioned the continued application of the law. "There's a legitimate concern when it comes to things like crime and robbery, that persons dressed in disguise might take advantage of female clothing," he said. "But in the [cases] that have come up so far that has never been an issue. It's taking advantage of an already oppressed minority. "I think the courts should take the lead in recognising that these things are irrelevant to justice." Opposition to the cross-dressing law was sparked in 2009 when transgender activist

Summary: As a transgender woman living in Guyana, Petronella Trotman has grown accustomed to violence and daily abuse on the streets.


Ms Conway is seen clutching her phone as US President Donald Trump poses with leaders of historically black colleges and universities. Twitter users accused her of "disrespect". Ms Conway was taking her own photos at the time. "That's no way to act in the People's Oval Office," tweeted one user of the social media site. "Think of all the great people who sat on that couch and put your feet down," wrote another. The images led some to question Ms Conway's body language, suggesting that she was not taking the meeting on Monday seriously. Others downplayed the excitement, indicating that it was all a bit of a storm in a teacup. The images of Ms Conway also drew comparisons to a photograph taken in 2013 showing then President Barack Obama with a foot up on the Oval Office desk. "What a story. Hope Obama never put his feet up on the furniture," writes Kevin. Mr Trump was meeting leaders of historically black colleges and universities to discuss his administration's support for the schools, including contracts and grants. Ms Conway is no stranger to controversy. Earlier this month she was criticised after citing a "massacre" which never happened while defending Mr Trump's controversial immigration ban. Her recent promotion of products linked to Mr Trump's daughter, Ivanka, led to calls for an investigation into whether she had violated ethics rules.

Summary: Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway has sparked a social media storm after pictures emerged of her kneeling on the sofa in the Oval Office with her shoes on.


Witnesses compared the blast, which sent a plume of smoke hundreds of metres into the sky, to an earthquake. The explosion occurred in the Faj Attan area of the capital, near the presidential compound. A Saudi-led coalition bombing campaign has been targeting Yemen's Shia Houthi rebels since late March. Local resident Adel Mansour told Reuters news agency it was largest explosion in more than three weeks of bombing by the coalition. "My children are terrified and one of my relatives fainted because of the force of the blast." Meanwhile, a BBC correspondent in the contested port city of Aden says its hospitals lack the supplies to treat patients. Orla Guerin says medical teams in the city are complaining that patients are dying for lack of equipment. They have appealed for more antibiotics and bandages. The Houthi rebels and their allies have been trying to capture Aden for weeks but have been held back by the air strikes and by forces of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who has fled Yemen for Saudi Arabia. In a televised address on Monday, rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said Yemenis would never give in to the Saudis' "savage aggression". The blast in Sanaa followed an air strike that hit an Oxfam humanitarian store in Saada, a Houthi stronghold in the north of the country. The charity condemned the strike, saying it had provided the co-ordinates of its warehouses to the Saudis. The UN says 150,000 people have been displaced by the latest fighting, and some 12 million are short of food.

Summary: At least 25 people were killed and 300 injured in Yemen's capital Sanaa after an air strike on a missile base caused a huge blast that flattened buildings.


From her office near the Indonesian capital's landmark Hotel Indonesia roundabout, the 24-year-old needed to cover the 30km (19 miles) to Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in under an hour. In a city notorious for its endless traffic jams it seemed impossible. However, as Ms Hauser was travelling light, one of her colleagues suggested that she tried a new mobile phone-based motorcycle taxi service called Go-Jek. Downloading the app, Ms Hauser used her smart phone to book and pay for a scooter to take her to the airport. Within minutes a Go-Jek rider turned up, and she hopped on the back. After a journey weaving around cars and lorries that perhaps wasn't suitable for those of a nervous disposition, Ms Hauser did indeed get to the airport on time. "I was very content, and since then have become a regular Go-Jek customer," she says. The brainchild of 30-year-old Indonesian entrepreneur Nadiem Makarim, the Go-Jek app has been downloaded more than 500,000 times since the service launched in Jakarta at the start of this year. Mr Makarim claims that no other app in Indonesia has reached half a million downloads so quickly. With no money spent on advertising, the success has solely come thanks to positive world of mouth. While motorcycle taxis, known locally as ojek, have long been a popular form of transport in Jakarta, Go-Jek is the first attempt to introduce a hi-tech booking system and guaranteed service standards. Outside of Go-Jek, ojek riders congregate on street corners, and are not officially registered. Payments have to be made in cash, and prices are a matter of negotiation. By contract, Go-Jek recruits and trains its staff, who get uniforms, helmets, and a smart phone on which they manage their pick ups. The company also sets standard fare levels, and provides its drivers with insurance. Go-Jek now has no less than 10,000 riders on its books, based not just in Jakarta, but also across the cities of Bandung and Surabaya, and the island of Bali. The company makes its money by taking a 20% commission from each journey. Mr Makarim has been a regular ojek user since his early 20s, but he admits that his childhood journeys were often a lot more luxurious. Born into an affluent Indonesian family, he would be taken to primary school in Jakarta in a chauffeur-driven car. Mr Markarim was then educated overseas, attending high schools in both New York and Singapore, before going to Brown University in the US state of Rhode Island to study international relations. This was followed by getting a master of business administration degree from Harvard University in Boston. Returning to Indonesia to work as a management consultant in Jakarta, the idea of creating Go-Jek came to him when he was speaking with his regular ojek rider. Mr Markarim says: ""I asked him, 'how long do you work?'. "The ojek driver said he normally works 14 hours a day. "And, I also asked him how many orders he normally took in a day. He said about four or five, so it meant that for

Summary: With Jakarta's traffic gridlocked in the middle of a Friday afternoon rush hour, German expat Jana Hauser thought she had little chance of catching her flight.


Media playback is not supported on this device Britain led New Zealand 21-0 at half-time and clung on as the All Blacks responded with three second-half tries. They go on to face Argentina in the quarter-finals at 22:00 BST. New Zealand were in danger of going out but qualified after Fiji's 24-19 win over the USA, and the All Black Sevens will play Fiji in the last eight. The other quarter-finals will see Japan take on France and South Africa play Australia. Britain's men are aiming to secure a medal in Rio, having seen the women's team play so well to reach the semi-finals, then miss out on bronze after a 33-10 defeat by Canada in the third-place match. New Zealand, meanwhile, have had a difficult tournament, with 15-a-side World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams being ruled out of the Olympics after partially rupturing an Achilles tendon during the All Blacks Sevens' shock 14-12 defeat by Japan. The All Blacks Sevens only made it through to the last eight as one of the two best third-placed finishers in the group stage. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Britain's men finished top of Pool C in the Olympic rugby sevens by beating New Zealand 21-19 to make it three wins from three matches.


Within a few years it had achieved domination on a global scale, spawning a series that has sold more than 125 million copies. E. L. James's personal story has become a tantalising fantasy for aspiring authors. But one that technology and social media are making increasingly realisable. "There was a time when self-publishing was equated with vanity," explains John Bond, co-founder of Whitefox, one of several new companies helping 'amateur' authors publish professionally on platforms like Amazon Kindle, Google Play, Apple's iBook Store or Kobo. "Because of the digital revolution, democratisation has happened. It's almost as if the writer has become his own entrepreneur around the publication process." In their competition to get noticed, self-publishers are proving willing to take risks. Andy Weir's The Martian eventually went on to become a Hollywood blockbuster. But the story was originally published chapter by chapter on the author's blog for free. This turned out to be great exposure and it became a huge hit as an audiobook, e-book and physical book. "There was an adversarial attitude between mainstream publishing houses and self publishers a few years ago," says Mr Bond, "but I think that's changed dramatically." He attributes this to traditional publishers' new-found admiration for the self publishers' social media skills, which have helped them find new readers without the benefit of expensive marketing campaigns. Lawyer-turned-author Mark Dawson, for example, uses his website and Facebook page to give out free copies of his thrillers and curates 'Readers' Groups'. Online conversations help him establish a closer relationship with his readers encouraging them to come back for subsequent publications. Another thriller writer Joanna Penn has bolstered her following by helping others to self-publish through her website which explains how to go about self publishing. She also hosts a popular podcast interview series. So-called "Instapoets" like New Zealander Lang Leav have built up huge followings on Instagram and Tumblr, publishing their work on these platforms, before securing traditional publishing deals. Douglas Wight has just completed his first self-published book and has a more cautionary tale to tell. The former News of the World tabloid journalist set up his own company to self-publish a biography of pop diva Rita Ora, in the run up to Christmas. He and his co-author opted to sell the e-book version on Amazon, but also took the added risk of organising their own hardback print-run. Self-publishing wasn't as straight-forward as he had hoped. "You have control of what you are doing, but it's not for everyone," warns Mr Wight. "It's a lot of work and a huge learning curve." That work includes satisfying all the different formatting requirements of the various e-book outlets, organising cover illustrations and marketing, all while bearing the financial risk of the whole enterprise, explains Mr Wight. That said, he feels his gamble paid off. The hardback version has sold more than 3,000 copies and performed better than expected on Kindle. He has covered his costs and is now hoping to begin a new chapter of profitability. But what if it is not just readers you are after, but cash

Summary: Erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey began life as a humble, self-published e-book, unable to satisfy the tastes of traditional publishers.


They reveal that a few minutes before the plane went down, the pilots asked to move a few nautical miles north of their flight path because of weather conditions. The Dutch Safety Board says its preliminary report was based on the contents of the flight and cockpit data recorders, other communication with the plane, as well as forensic examination of the wreckage where possible. These are its key findings.

Summary: Dutch investigators say the damage to Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which crashed in eastern Ukraine on 17 July, suggests it was pierced by a large number of objects from outside the plane.


The "respect and responsibility review" will seek to change the "macho" culture of the country's national sport, the sporting body said. One of the most contentious episodes saw a woman hired to strip assaulted at a team party earlier this year. NZR was heavily criticised for its response to this and several other incidents that have sparked rows. This season itself, star scrum-half Aaron Smith was at the centre of a scandal after he was seen entering a toilet cubicle with a woman at Christchurch Airport. He was later found guilty of misconduct. "In the same way that rugby seeks to do better on the field, we must constantly seek ways to improve off the field," NZR chief executive Steve Tew said. The scandals that tainted New Zealand's national sport The review will consider what further action needs to be taken "to build a culture of respect and responsibility in the professional rugby environment", according to NZR chairman Brent Impey. A nine person panel will be headed by Law Society president Kathryn Beck. "I think it was quite deliberate that a woman was made chair of this panel," said Ms Beck. "It is a very clear focus on women and the impact of the respect and responsibility within the rugby community on women, both within the community and externally." The panel will also comprise of Olympic athlete Lisa Carrington, former All Black athletes Michael Jones and Keven Mealamu and Sport NZ board member Jackie Barron amongst others. The panel will provide the New Zealand Rugby board with a preliminary report next April, with panel recommendations expected to come in May.

Summary: New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is to form a panel to tackle sexism, after a series of scandals involving players.


First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the case as "shocking" after Moray SNP MSP Richard Lochhead raised the issue earlier this month. He said rural constituents were being "fleeced" with such charges. Halfords said the fee was exceptional for an online exclusive product but that a £2.99 fee would now be charged. Halfords said in a statement: "When ordering from Halfords.com, normal carriage costs to the Highlands and Islands region apply in over 95% of cases. "The exception to this was if a customer purchased an online-only exclusive product on Halfords Marketplace which is an online platform that Halfords hosts for smaller independent retailers who deliver direct. "We agree that the previous charge did not make sense if a Marketplace customer was ordering one item at a small cost and having completed a review, we have reduced the carriage costs to a standard £2.99. "All suppliers have been notified. Halfords will subsidise the difference whenever the carriage cost is more. We would like to apologise for the frustration this charge has caused for our Marketplace customers." Moray SNP MP Angus Robertson had initially written directly to Halfords chief executive Jill McDonald. He said: "Halfords' decision to quickly review and change their delivery charges policy so that a flat rate now applies regardless of where the customer lives is a very welcome change of heart. "This action by Halfords demonstrates how important it is to challenge companies large and small on their delivery policies to areas like Moray and the Highlands." Welcoming the news, Mr Lochhead said: "Excessive delivery charges are a massive frustration for people in Moray and across Scotland. "Halfords decision to now apply the same charge across the board is to be welcomed and I want to see other companies following this example. "There are many delivery options available to companies, including Royal Mail and there is simply no excuse for companies to discriminate against consumers in Scotland. "Until companies stop treating customers in rural Scotland with contempt when it comes to delivery charges then we will continue to take a hard line on naming and shaming them." A study by the Citizens Advice Bureau in 2015 found consumers in the Highlands and islands were paying substantially more for delivery charges.

Summary: Halfords has revised delivery charges for the north of Scotland after a £50 delivery charge to send towels costing £5.99 to Speyside was criticised.


Anti-bullying charity, Bullies Out wants a true understanding of what is going on. Currently, schools must record all racist incidents but there is no legal requirement for them to record other types of bullying. The Welsh Government said it was in the process of reviewing its policy "to make sure it is as strong as possible". Bullies Out founder Linda James said: "We need to have that consistent definition of what exactly bullying is. "We know that some schools are really proactive with their anti-bullying and they deal with it - but we also hear the stories that others are not. "I think if there was some consistent reporting and recording procedure for all schools then maybe that would make it a lot easier for the schools in general." Earlier this month, the funeral of 14-year-old Nyah James from Swansea was held. Her mother, Dominique Williams claims she took her own life as a result of being bullied at school. She said: "It makes us feel terrible because we weren't there to stop it. To find out she was being bullied and going through such pain of her own and we didn't know nothing about it - that kills us every day." Ms Williams added: "We feel like we've failed her. I think to myself, did I fail her as a mum because she wasn't able to come and talk to me - thoughts like that go through your head." A South Wales Police spokesperson said officers were still investigating the matter. In Northern Ireland, legislation making it a legal requirement for schools to record all reports of bullying was given Royal Assent last year and Bullies Out wants similar legislation in Wales. Rob Williams, director of policy at the National Association of Head Teachers Cymru, said the call to record all bullying incidents was "understandable". But he warned there was a danger that more focus will be put on the recording process and "not on the effective use of the data". "Utilising the information to safeguard children is the key part here, and how this translates into positive action," he said. A Welsh Government spokesman said schools must record all racist incidents - including racial bullying, but there is no legal requirement for them to record other types of bullying. He added: "Our guidance - Respecting Others - sets out guidance and practical solutions on preventing and responding to incidents of bullying in schools. "We are in the process of reviewing this policy to make sure it is as strong as possible."

Summary: There are calls for schools in Wales to be legally required to record all incidents of bullying.


A group of employees from the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (Nipsa) union are in dispute with their employer over pay and job grading. The grievance involves 12 higher executive officers (HEOs) at Nispa offices in Belfast and Londonderry. In a statement, Nipsa said it was "committed to resolving this dispute". Nipsa employees are not permitted to become members of the union they work for, but the staff involved are members of another trade union, Unite. Unite representative Kevin Kelly said it was a long-standing dispute and he accused Nipsa's governing general council of a "failure to practice a standard of industrial relations that they would expect of their officials". "My members are disgusted that their employer, who routinely challenges poor industrial relations practice across Northern Ireland, is acting in a manner which no employer would dare," Mr Kelly said. "This dispute is resolvable if the will of the employer existed. "It is therefore with reluctance and sadness that our members have been forced to take the ultimate action left open to them, that is the withdrawal of their labour". The affected Nipsa employees are to hold a one-day strike on Friday 30 October and will then begin a work-to-rule protest from Monday 2 November. Nipsa general secretary Brian Campfield said: "Nipsa is aware of the concerns of this group of its staff and has been involved in negotiations with their trade union, Unite, about how the issues in contention can be resolved to the satisfaction of both parties. "Nipsa has advised Unite that it is committed to resolving this dispute and is presently engaged in further work which will hopefully settle any outstanding matters."

Summary: Trade union staff are to take strike action against their own organisation, claiming it has been "acting in a manner which no employer would dare".


He had month-long summer jobs there in 2009 and 2010, the EU Parliament said, without revealing his identity. Sources, however, say he is Najim Laachraoui, one of the airport bombers. The Belgian prime minister has defended his country's approach to fighting terror threats, insisting Belgium is not a "failed state". Charles Michel said everyone in authority had to take a share of the blame for failings before and after 22 March. The attacks by so-called Islamic State on a Brussels airport and metro station killed 32 people. Laachraoui, already a major suspect on the run after the Paris attacks in November, was named as one of the two bombers who targeted Zaventem airport. The EU Parliament said the cleaning firm had provided proof that the person hired had no criminal record at the time. The BBC's James Reynolds in Brussels says the capital's metro and its airport are gradually reopening. Mr Michel said 30 measures were being put place in Belgium, including a ban on pre-paid mobile phone cards. "Our key message today is we return to normal life in Brussels and in Belgium," the Associated Press quoted him as telling reporters. "When there is an attack like that of course that's a failure and nobody can deny this," Prime Minister Michel said. "[But] I cannot accept the idea that we're a failed state." Belgium has been accused of taking an un-co-ordinated approach to terror threats because it has multiple institutions representing the country's complex linguistic and political makeup. The Brussels region alone has six police zones. According to Belgium's De Tijd newspaper, Mr Michel said it was "short-sighted to say a unified police force could have prevented the attacks". He said there had been some successes like the recent arrest of the surviving suspect of the Paris attacks last November, Salah Abdeslam, adding it had taken 10 years to track down al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks in the US. The prime minister told our correspondent that giving more capacity to Belgian's security services would be "crucial for the next months to succeed". "This means more equipment but also more capacities for our intelligence services," he said. He added that his country's geographical position meant that Belgium was a particular attraction for potential attackers. "Belgium is a small country in the heart of Europe, it means that it is very easy to go to London, Paris etc," he said. "It is an easy place to organise attacks in other countries of Europe. It means we have to work better with our partners, and we have to upgrade our capacities for security." The search for the 22 March attackers is not yet over as pictures taken at Zaventem airport show three men entering the terminal building with explosives. Laachraoui and Ibrahim el-Bakraoui detonated their bombs and the third is thought to have escaped.

Summary: One of the men who carried out the devastating bomb attacks in Brussels once worked as a cleaner at the European Parliament, officials say.


The tides are set to reach their peak between Sunday and Monday evening, with a threat to homes and roads near the Wye estuary in Tintern, Monmouthshire. Natural Resources Wales also warned people living in Crofty, Gower, to install their flood protection gates. There are 10 alerts, with three in south east Wales, four in south west, one in Ceredigion and two in the north. Warnings in south east Wales cover the Wye estuary and also the rivers Severn and Usk, with Tintern, Monmouthshire, highlighted as a potential trouble spot. The road at the village could be closed, while there was a alert about a risk to some properties. A warning was also issued for Crofty in the Gower. Locals there have been told to install their flood protection gates - supplied to keep sea water at bay. NRW's Rick Park said astronomical tides will be "very high" over the coming days. However, he said: "With relatively settled weather the risk of flooding to the majority of Wales is very low."

Summary: Flood alerts have been issued to people in and near coastal areas, with high spring tides set to hit.


Revenue for the three months to the end of September was 22.2bn yuan ($3.5bn; Â£2.3bn), up 32% from a year earlier. Revenue from mobile devices grew particularly strongly. The value of transactions conducted through the website totalled 713bn yuan, with the number of active buyers growing to 386 million. "This was a great quarter for Alibaba Group, with strong growth across the board and particular outperformance in mobile," said chief executive Daniel Zhang. "We are winning in mobile and remain focused on our top strategic priorities, including internationalisation, expanding our ecosystem from cities to villages and building a world-class cloud computing business." Alibaba said it had increased the number of villages in China it offers sales and delivery services to by more than 4,000 during the quarter. Growth outside of China has been more muted. "The performance of Alibaba's international division is reasonable but far from spectacular," said Neil Suanders at retail analyst Conlumino. "At retail level, sales were up by a fairly modest 14.8%. In our view, this underlines the fact that, despite its scale and its technical expertise, Alibaba continues to struggle in carving out a niche in crowded and competitive Western markets."

Summary: Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has reported a sharp rise in sales as more customers spent money through the online retailer.


The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 2.47 points to 17789.67, while the wider S&P 500 index gained 2.37 to 2099.33. The tech-focused Nasdaq edged up 4.2 points to 4952.25. A larger than expected slowdown in car sales however sent shares of US carmakers tumbling. Ford shares lost 2.8% after reporting a 5.9% fall in May sales. Similarly General Motors fell 3.4% after the US carmaker reported sales for May were down 18% compared to the previous year. Data showed global manufacturing slipped for another month, but US investors are waiting for employment data out Friday to get a better sense of whether the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in June. "There's an abundance of economic data this week that investors are confused on how to digest," said Jonathan Corpina, senior managing partner for Meridian Equity Partners. Ecommerce firm Alibaba tumbled 6.5% after its largest investor announced a plan to sell its shares. Japan's SoftBank said it would sell $7.9bn worth of Alibaba shares to pay off some of its own debt. Sportswear company Under Armour saw its shares fall 4%. The company warned investors on Wednesday that its results would be hurt by the bankruptcy of the sporting goods chain Sports Authority. Shares in Michael Kors rose 6.6% to $44.85 after the handbag and accessories retailer reported a big rise in fourth-quarter revenues. Revenue in the three months to 2 April rose 10.9% to $1.2bn, although this was helped by the opening of 142 new stores over the past year. Same-store sales - seen as a better measure of underlying strength - rose by 0.3%, which Neil Saunders, of retail analysts Conlumino, described as "anaemic".

Summary: (Closed): Wall Street markets rose on Wednesday despite poor data from the manufacturing, housing and car industries.


Henson was part of Wales' 2005 Six Nations Grand Slam team coached by Ruddock, kicking a famous match-winning penalty against England. The back, 35, has returned to Wales for the first time since 2012 to play for the region Ruddock coached in 2003-04. "Hopefully he can play, but also become the leadership figure at the Dragons I am sure he is capable of at this stage of his career," Ruddock said. "He would still be very ambitious and want to prove he can still perform at the very highest level. "I hope Gavin could reflect on his career, on what has worked for him and what hasn't. "Some of those experiences that have been positive for him hopefully he can use those to help shape the way forward in the Dragons." Henson last played in Welsh domestic rugby for Cardiff Blues in 2012, after making his name with Swansea and the Ospreys between 2000 and 2009. In between, Henson - who won 33 caps for Wales and one for the British and Irish Lions - has played club rugby for Saracens, Toulon, London Welsh, Bath and Bristol. Ruddock's one season in charge of the Dragons was their most successful, and he hopes the Welsh Rugby Union's takeover of the region this summer will pay dividends. "It was definitely time for a change and probably long overdue," Ruddock added. "Since my time there the Dragons have huffed and puffed and not lived up to the standards we thought they were capable of. "It sounds like the right things are being done with the [new] pitch coming in already, that sounds like a fantastic move." The Dragons also have a new head coach in former Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman. "Bernard is a good young coach who had cut his teeth in France and in the All-Ireland League where I am currently coaching with Lansdowne," said Ruddock. "He was with Clontarf and did well there. "He's worked under a lot of good coaches during his time and would have had a good understanding of the game." Ruddock's son Rhys captained Ireland on their summer tour against USA and Japan, while his older son Ciaran is captain of All-Ireland side St Mary's College. "That was a big day for him and the family to see Rhys captain Ireland," said Ruddock, whose wife Bernadette is Irish. "Ciaran has just been made captain where he will be playing against my team, so that has become all of a sudden an even tougher job!" After coaching stints in Wales, England and Ireland with international, regional, provincial and age-grade sides, Ruddock is settled in Dublin, guiding Lansdowne in the All-Ireland League and working part-time in private business. "I have learned a lot of lessons along the way, good and bad and am trying to help a lot of youngsters in Lansdowne," said Ruddock. "At 58 next month, I still think I am in my prime! "What I love about the All-Ireland League is that you can go to places like Young Munster in Limerick and Cork Constitution and there is

Summary: Mike Ruddock believes Gavin Henson can be a success at Newport Gwent Dragons.