Pallas's cats are found in Iran, Mongolia and China. David Barclay, of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), has been in contact with a researcher in Iran since 2013. In a new development, an abandoned Pallas's cat kitten could be radio-collared for the first time in Iran. Efforts to capture images of the animals in Iran using camera traps have been unsuccessful so far. Mr Barclay said putting a radio collar on a young cat and releasing it back into the wild could help uncover new information on the cats. He said: "Should this happen we will be in a position to offer financial support and gain a valuable insight into the behaviour and ecology of Pallas's cats in their western range." RZSS is also supporting a new Pallas's cat research project in the central Alborz Mountains of Iran. Mr Barclay said: "It is clear that interest in the species is growing not just in range countries but throughout the zoo world. "It is an exciting time for Pallas's cats and as long as I am breathing I will continue to support the conservation and research efforts and wave the Pallas's cat flag." RZSS has Pallas's cats in its collection at its Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig near Aviemore. They are also known as Manul, steppe and rock wildcat. They are classed as "near-threatened", according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The break up of their habitats are one of the biggest threats to the species.

Summary: Wild cat experts from Scotland are working with counterparts in the Middle East to better understand one of the world's rarest and most elusive cats.


In its interim report, the commission also said there was not enough evidence to support widespread rape allegations. It did not mention claims that security forces had been killing people. There have been repeated allegations of abuses of Rohingya people since a military counter-insurgency campaign was launched in Rakhine in October. Some have even said the state's actions amount to ethnic cleansing, and Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate, has faced international criticism. Who will help Myanmar's Rohingya? Nobel laureates urge action on Rohingya The commission, set up by the Myanmar government and led by a former general, Myint Swe, is due to make its final conclusions before the end of January. But, in its interim findings, it dismissed allegations of genocide on the basis that there are still Rohingya Muslims living in Rakhine and that Islamic religious buildings have not been destroyed. It said it had so far found "insufficient evidence" that anyone had been raped by security forces, despite widespread claims. Accusations of arson, arbitrary arrest and torture are still being investigated. Strangely, the commission made no mention of the most serious claim - that Burmese security forces have been killing civilians as collective punishment for attacks by Rohingya militants, the BBC's Myanmar correspondent Jonah Fisher reports. Three months since this crisis began, little progress appears to have been made to solve it, he notes. The report says hundreds of Rohingya have been arrested but armed militants are still moving around easily and that looted weapons have yet to be recovered. Earlier in the week, several police were detained after a video surfaced appearing to show officers beating Rohingya Muslims during a security operation in November. The admission that security forces may have carried out abuses is an unusual development, as leaders have previously insisted they are following the rule of law. Rakhine state is closed to journalists and investigators, making it difficult to independently verify any allegations. The estimated one million Muslim Rohingya are seen by many in mainly Buddhist Myanmar as illegal migrants from Bangladesh. They are denied citizenship by the government despite tracing their ancestry back generations. Communal violence in Rakhine state in 2012 left scores dead and displaced more than 100,000 people, with many Rohingya still remaining in decrepit camps. They face widespread discrimination and mistreatment. Hundreds of thousands of undocumented Rohingya are estimated to live in Bangladesh, having fled Myanmar over decades. Bangladesh says around 50,000 Rohingya have crossed its border over the past two months. The situation has drawn global condemnation. Over a dozen Nobel laureates wrote to the UN Security Council demanding action to stop the "human tragedy amounting to ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity" in northern Rakhine.

Summary: A commission set up by Myanmar's government says it has so far found no evidence of genocide against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state.


All of this weekend's matches in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup due to have been played in France have been called off. Bath Rugby tweeted: "Our thoughts are with all those affected by the tragic events in Paris, and safe travels home to everyone in France." Toulon have won three successive European titles.

Summary: Bath's European Champions Cup match in Toulon on Sunday has been postponed following the deadly attacks in Paris.


Daniel Young, 30, was attacked in Kendor Gardens near Morden Underground station shortly after 08:00 GMT on Tuesday. A post-mortem examination found he died from a stab wound. A 35-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently in custody. On the day of the attack a 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and wasting police time. He has been bailed. Mr Young, originally from Paignton in Devon, was attacked as he made his way to the London Campus of Coventry University for the second day of a new job. He was attacked in a park used by commuters as a short cut to Morden Tube station and Morden Road tram stop. It happened less than 40 minutes after a 23-year-old man was stabbed in the buttocks in nearby Lewis Road. Scotland Yard said it was investigating whether the two attacks were linked and trying to establish the motive and whether the attacker was known to Mr Young. Meanwhile, an online fundraising page apparently set up in memory of Mr Young has been removed after his family reportedly said they had no knowledge of it. Police said they understood that the donations made through the Gofundme page would be refunded. The Met's Cyber Crime Unit is investigating. On Facebook, Mr Young's brother Simon wrote: "My Brother. My friend. I'm still wrapping my head round this, still hoping/wishing it's a sick joke. "I don't know what to feel, I'm frustrated, angry, upset, confused. Just so proud of everything you achieved in your life, places you travelled, friends you made...you are inspirational big Bro." Det Supt Paul Monk said: "I understand the concerns of the public that the attack on Daniel Young was unprovoked and potentially committed by a stranger in a random attack. "We too share those concerns and have allocated significant resources to find the person who did this."

Summary: A second man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a university lecturer killed near a London Tube station.


The puppy was due to fly from Nova Scotia on Wednesday to stay with family in Newfoundland, but landed in Ontario. On arrival, flight staff took Cooper outside to relieve himself, but he slipped off his lead and escaped. His owner, who was due to travel to Jamaica for a wedding, said on Friday she was "grateful" for his return. The golden labradoodle was supposed to board a WestJet flight from Halifax on Wednesday bound for Deer Lake, but was placed on a plane destined for Hamilton, a city more than 2,000 km (1,200 miles) away. "I got a call saying they had put my dog on the wrong flight to a totally different province," Cooper's owner, Terri Pittman, said. On hearing the news, Ms Pittman took a flight to Hamilton, where she was joined by "thousands" of members of the public in the search for Cooper. He was found wet and hungry on Friday by a group of local residents, CBC news reports. "Knowing that people were spotting him running in the same area gave me more hope," Ms Pittman told CBC. "The community of Mount Hope and Hamilton have been amazing," she said earlier, adding that "random people messaged me saying they want to help". When Ms Pittman was informed by airline staff that Cooper had taken the wrong flight and had escaped, she said it was "one of the worst days of my life". In a post on Facebook, Ms Pittman said: "This dog is everything to me, and the thought of losing him for good was sickening. To the city of Hamilton, I am overwhelmed." Coincidentally Deer Lake, where Cooper was supposed to touchdown, is a town situated in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Summary: A missing labradoodle named Cooper, which sparked a major hunt after boarding the wrong flight in Canada, has been reunited with his owner.


To get people talking and help break the stigma, charities have launched Time to Talk Day on Thursday. Here, eight people share their experiences. Diagnosis: Depression, anxiety and distress intolerance I've suffered since I was a young girl and always prided myself on how well I could hide my illness. I would lie to my school friends telling them I was on holiday when I was actually an in-patient. If I was not bubbly and sociable, my friends would say I was in "death mode". It made me feel very isolated. They're no longer my friends - just acquaintances. It has caused lasting damage and meant I always try to pretend I'm OK now. People need to understand that there's a spectrum of emotions - it's OK to feel happy, and it's OK to feel sad. Diagnosis: Borderline personality disorder At my worst, I was very erratic and hurtful. For my parents, it was like having an imposter in their home. My dad almost disowned me - he told me to snap out of it. Every time I had a bad day, he assumed I was suicidal or I was going to hurt someone. I think he was scared of the implications of having a child that would be ill for the rest of their life. It made me feel very unsupported, as though he did not accept me, so I moved out. It took three years to heal our relationship, and took for me to get worse and then better again for him to see that I could get better. I wish he had sat down with me and talked to me, rather than treat me like a burden. Diagnosis: Depression and anxiety My partner - and first love - was working in France. I had been struggling with the distance and my mind had started whirring with negative thoughts. She knew my history but thought it was in my past. A week before I was due to fly out to see her, she broke up with me over Skype. I blamed myself entirely for the split, and started thinking maybe I could never have a relationship. My family and friends are very supportive so it was hard not to get the support from someone I loved. I've tried to explain my anxiety to her in a letter and emails, but she hasn't replied. I'm very lucky to have a new partner now. She finds it really hard to fully understand my problems but she's read up on anxiety. It's about being there to listen - not judge. Diagnosis: Bipolar disorder I had a temper, I was uncontrollable but, for a long time, I just thought it was me. All my relationships in the past have broken down. It's been a nightmare. You get looked at in a different way from a "normal" person. Every argument is: "Are you taking your medicine?", "You're a nutter." It's very hard to explain what goes on in your mind. Some days can feel like your mind is a prison - you're trapped. My fiancee

Summary: The stigma around mental health problems can have a devastating impact on people's lives, a survey has found, often leaving behind a trail of break-ups, severed friendships and lost jobs.


Cooper, 31, was playing for Culcheth Eagles at Runcorn ARLFC and had been substituted when he began to feel unwell at the start of the second half. An ambulance was called but they were unable to save the father of three. Rugby Football League officials are supporting the family of Cooper and a donation page has raised over £8,000. Culcheth Eagles junior sides played as normal yesterday, with all matches preceded by a minute's applause. No decision has been made about whether the planned open-age league match at Cadishead Rhinos on Saturday will go ahead as planned. "It is awful," said Culcheth Rangers' vice-chairman Jo Eland. "Adam was just a young lad going out to play the game he loved." Cooper was a longstanding member of the club and returned from Leigh East to play with them when they re-established their open-age team in 2010.

Summary: A minute's silence will be held before every rugby league game this weekend in memory of amateur player Adam Cooper who died during a match on Saturday.


The city council will contribute £4.4m while £12.6m will come from the FA, Premier League and Sport England. Four "hubs" will be formed on current pitches to reduce a reliance on council subsidies, an authority spokesman said. The FA has said it will invest a record £260m into grassroots football by 2019. The leader of the Liverpool council's Liberal Democrat opposition Richard Kemp, however, has warned the deal could cause "major problems". He said local residents had not been consulted by the FA and Liverpool City Council, and "practicalities had not been worked through" including the presence of floodlights near local residences. He also questioned whether the council should be contributing funds when it was struggling to maintain parks due to funding cuts, and when the FA was "one of the richest sports organisations in the world". A council spokesman said members of the public would be consulted after planning applications would be submitted in the "next few months". City mayor Joe Anderson said it was a "real coup" for the city as the council had "far less money than we used to". Where will the grassroots football hubs be? The sites in the first phase of the programme include: A city council spokesman said discussions were being held with Merseyside Youth Association, who have run three of the sites for nearly 100 years, to restructure their leases. FA chief executive, Martin Glenn, said the FA aimed to set up football hubs in 30 cities in the next four years to support its youth development. Sheffield was chosen for the country's first FA-funded grassroots football "hubs" in 2014, when a £9.6m fund was pledged.

Summary: Liverpool has been chosen as the recipient of the biggest investment into grassroots football after a £17m deal has been agreed.


The Liwa al-Quds (Jerusalem Brigade) said Abdullah Issa was just a 12-year-old from a poor refugee family who lived in a rebel-held area of Aleppo. Members of the Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement are accused of killing him. It said those responsible were handed over to a judicial committee, and denounced the killing as a "violation". The US, which has provided military support to the Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement in the past, said it was seeking more information on what it described as "an appalling report". "If we can prove that this was indeed what happened and this group was involved... it would give us pause about any assistance or, frankly, any further involvement with this group," state department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. Two short videos emerged online on Tuesday morning showing a boy being taunted and then beheaded by a group of Syrian rebels. The first shows the frightened child, who could be as young as 10, sitting in the back of a pick-up truck, surrounded by five men. One of the men grips him by the hair as they accuse him of being a member of Liwa al-Quds, a Palestinian militia that fights in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and was involved in clashes with rebels on Tuesday in Handarat, to the north of Aleppo. The second video shows the boy's murder. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the boy was seized by rebels in Handarat, but that the killing took place in Mashhad. The UK-based monitoring group could not confirm if the boy was a Palestinian or a child soldier. Liwa al-Quds issued a statement on Facebook saying that its investigation had found he was a 12-year-old Palestinian named Abdullah Issa, who lived in Mashhad with his family. It also said he had apparently been receiving medical treatment before being seized, noting that one photograph showed an intravenous drip in his arm. Liwa al-Quds accused the rebels of killing the child simply because he was Palestinian, in order to take "cheap and despicable revenge" for battlefield losses. The Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement said it denounced and condemned "such abuses", but insisted they were "individual errors that represent neither our typical practices nor our general policies". "All individuals who undertook the violation have been detained and turned over to the [judicial] committee for investigations in accordance with the relevant legal standards," it added. Earlier this month, Amnesty International published a report detailing a series of violations allegedly committed by Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement fighters in Aleppo, including abductions and torture.

Summary: A Palestinian boy who was filmed being beheaded by Syrian rebels on Tuesday was not a fighter, a pro-government Palestinian militia has said.


Mr Berezovsky, 67, was found on the bathroom floor of his Ascot home last year with a ligature around his neck. Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford returned an open verdict, following two days of "contradictory" evidence. He said he could not prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the businessman either took his own life or was unlawfully killed. In 2012, the former Kremlin insider lost a Â£3bn ($4.7bn) damages claim against Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich. By Richard GalpinBBC News, World Affairs reporter The evidence presented to the inquest over the past two days by family, friends, doctors, and others who knew Mr Berezovsky had been dominated by one theme. He had been suffering from depression ever since he had lost a critical court case two years ago in which he tried to sue Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea football club for Â£3bn. His depression deepened when his former partner sought financial compensation following their separation. Mr Berezovsky was apparently a broken man who had lost all his money and had openly discussed committing suicide. Mr Berezovsky certainly had many enemies - not least, his family said, the Russian government. The tycoon amassed a fortune in the 1990s following the privatisation of state assets after the collapse of Soviet communism. In summing up at Windsor Guildhall, Mr Bedford said: "I am not saying Mr Berezovsky took his own life, I am not saying Mr Berezovsky was unlawfully killed. "What I am saying is that the burden of proof sets such a high standard it is impossible for me to say." Earlier the court heard a detailed discussion about the knots tied in the scarf that was used as a ligature in Mr Berezovsky's death. Home Office pathologist, Dr Simon Poole, who carried out a post-mortem examination, said there was nothing to indicate any other people were involved. But Professor Bernd Brinkmann, who deals with hanging and asphyxiation cases, said the marks on Mr Berezovsky's neck could not have come from hanging. He said they were "far away from the typical inverse 'V' shape" usually seen, whilst the congestion to his face was also not consistent with hanging. He said he believed the businessman was strangled by someone else and then hanged from the shower rail in the bathroom.

Summary: A coroner has recorded an open verdict at the inquest into the death of Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky.


The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) says the current proposals are "unnecessarily complicated". Their report says that bans in Ireland and Wales were simpler and have significantly reduced the impact of plastic bags on the environment. Over eight billion disposable carrier bags are used in England every year. Last September, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced plans for a single use plastic bag charge in England that would come into effect after the 2015 election. Mr Clegg highlighted the threat of plastic bags to marine life and the countryside. The money raised by the levy would go to charity, he said, and the time to act was now. "This is not a new problem. We've waited too long for action. That's why I am drawing a line under the issue now. The charge will be implemented sensibly - small businesses will be exempt." But it is the planned exemptions and other rules that have raised the hackles of the EAC. The proposals have been drawn up by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). They want the 5p charge to apply only to supermarkets and larger stores. Most small shops and takeaway outlets would not have to pay the cost. Defra says that the charge should not be a burden to small businesses. As well as this exemption, Defra does not want the charge to apply to biodegradable bags. Paper bags and reusable "bags for life" will also avoid the levy. But the EAC believe these rules are making the proposal too complex. "Ministers have managed to make a complete mess of their planned carrier bags charge by making it unnecessarily complicated," said Joan Walley MP, chair of the committee. "Carrier bags litter our streets and harm wildlife, and the government is right to want to reduce their use. But Defra seems to have made decisions about the design of this scheme that were based more on wishful thinking than hard evidence." The MPs' report said many trade bodies representing small retailers were opposed to the exemption as it was confusing for consumers. The Association of Convenience Stores said the best way of tackling the issue was to ensure that every shop charged for plastic bags. "We urge the government to listen to the recommendations of the Environmental Audit Committee and ensure that convenience stores are not left out of the carrier bag charge," said ACS chief executive James Lowman. The EAC said that exempting paper bags was also misguided as it would weaken the message that consumers should recycle their plastic. The idea that biodegradable bags should avoid the charge was also a bad idea, said the EAC, as they say they are not as green as they sound. In evidence before the committee, Jessica Baker from the British Plastics Federation recycling group, said an exemption on biodegradable bags would be "disastrous." There were also concerns that biodegradable material still presented a threat to wildlife, as it took time to decay. A Defra spokesman defended the planned exemptions, saying: "Paper bags make up only a small proportion of carrier

Summary: A cross-party committee of MPs says the government's plans for a 5p charge on plastic carrier bags in England are a "complete mess".


The International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) is introducing a pro tournament in 2013 and claims fighters who appear will be eligible for Rio. And an IOC spokesman told BBC Sport: "We are currently discussing the project with them [AIBA]. "The IOC encourages the participation of the best athletes at the Olympics." Last year, AIBA introduced its World Series of Boxing (WSB), a hybrid of the two boxing codes which allows salaried 'amateurs' to retain their Olympic eligibility, even though the tournament features no head guards or vests and professional-style scoring with three judges. WSB was seen as a bridge between Olympic and full-blown professional boxing and AIBA president Wu Ching-Kuo regards AIBA Professional Boxing (APB) as the logical next step. If I was a professional governing body, I would be saying 'hang on a minute, what right do they have to do this?' Why is the APB's professional standard different to ours?' "I feel this move towards professionalism is very important for AIBA," said Wu last week. "Boxers have always felt that they have instantly had to turn professional after competing at the Olympics. We want to change that culture, show there is another way and this is now [the] time for the sport to move forward. "I hope we can attract the very best professionals out there. I don't know definitely if they will compete in AIBA Professional Boxing but I am hopeful they will because the Olympics is something very special and there is no greater prize in sport than the Olympic gold medal." A spokesperson for the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) said: "The announcement by AIBA represents another step in attempting to provide a duty of care and support to boxers throughout the whole of their careers. "The welfare of boxers is our number one priority and we would expect everyone connected with the sport to support this principle. "Like all major changes it creates a number of significant challenges for us as an organisation and we are forming a commission to examine the proposals in more detail in our role as the governing body for amateur boxing in England. We will provide a further update after the commission has arrived at its initial conclusions." However, another source within amateur boxing told BBC Sport the AIBA's plans have caused "shock and dismay" among the ranks. "What does this [the possibility of professional boxers competing in the Olympics] mean for amateur boxing?" said the source. "There are a whole series of knock-on issues. At the moment the rules of the amateur boxing associations of England, Scotland and Wales prohibit any professional linkages whatsoever, so even the articles of the associations will need to be examined for this to become possible in England. "And if I was a professional governing body, I would be saying 'hang on a minute, what right do they have to do this?' Why is your [the APB's] professional standard different to ours?'"

Summary: Professional boxers could compete at the 2016 Olympics in Rio after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused to rule out the possibility.


The move, which the government says is aimed at combating "terrorism", has been criticised by human rights groups. Many Muslims in Xinjiang say they face widespread discrimination. The Chinese government is eager to eradicate sporadic violence in the province, which it blames on Islamist militants. Why is there tension between China and the Uighurs? Did China's crackdown on terrorism work? Uighurs, which makes up about 45% of Xinjiang's population, have often complained about being refused documents allowing them to travel. In June police in Xinjiang ordered residents to provide DNA samples and other biological data when applying for travel documents. Under the new regulations all people in Xinjiang are required to hand in their travel documents to police for "safekeeping". The BBC's Stephen McDonell in Beijing says that all residents must now apply for permission to leave the country before they can retrieve their passports. Human Rights Watch has described this as a violation of freedom of movement. The World Uyghur Congress says that although the new measures are ostensibly aimed at all residents, they will in effect target the Uighur community. Over the years China's authorities have attributed attacks to Uighur militants, who they say are inspired or aided by foreign terror groups. Uighur leaders have denied being behind the violence. Why is there tension between China and the Uighurs?

Summary: Chinese authorities have begun confiscating passports from people in the western region of Xinjiang, which has seen regular unrest.


A draft, submitted last week, sparked controversy over a clause that allows immunity for the generals who seized power in May last year. Also causing concern is a clause which would allow unelected individuals to be appointed prime minister. Thailand has seen almost a decade of divisive political conflict. The previous constitution was abolished by the military after the coup. The current government operates under a temporary charter. "We have drafted this constitution as it is a reform one, in hopes of leading the country out of cycles of conflicts, disunity and undemocratic fights," Gen Lertrat Ratanavanich, a spokesman for the Constitution Drafting Committee, told the AP news agency. "I'm confident this constitution will provide justice to every side [of the conflict], more than the previous charters." Under the new draft, future elections will be decided by a proportional representation system that leans towards smaller parties and coalition governments. The upper house will mostly be unelected members; and the charter will allow parliament to choose as prime minister someone who is not a politician or an MP. The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says the probable outcome of the new constitution will be weak and short-lived coalition governments, which would leave more power in the hands of the military and of senior, largely royalist bureaucrats, many of whom supported the coup. The constitutional draft will be debated for six days, our correspondent adds, after which there will be very few opportunities for public discussion. The military has ruled out a referendum but plans instead to seek opinion from a thousand selected respondents in each of Thailand's 77 provinces. Critics say the constitution is aimed at preventing the return of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. He was ousted in 2006, after being accused of corruption and now lives in self-imposed exile. Since then, Thailand has been deeply divided as his supporters and opponents struggle for political control, with the conflict sometimes spilling over into street violence.

Summary: Thailand's military-picked reform council has begun a week-long debate over a new constitution, almost a year after a military coup.


Police said about 30 people were involved in the incident outside The Vault at about 03:15 last Sunday. As part of the ongoing investigation two men, aged 21 and 23, were charged and were due to appear at Inverness Sheriff Court at a later date. Another 21-year-old man has already appeared in court in connection with the incident.

Summary: Two more men have been charged in connection with a disturbance outside a nightclub in Aviemore.


Royston Jones, 39, from Brynmawr, was jailed for 15 years for the attempted murder of his wife Claire at the intensive care unit where she worked. Plans for security staff to be on site at the hospital were also accepted. Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said work to implement the measures was "underway". The investment will enable CCTV to be expanded and monitored while security doors and access points will be upgraded, a health board spokesman said. A second phase of funding was also approved for two security staff. They will initially be on duty overnight and at weekends.

Summary: A £120,000 investment has been approved to boost security at Abergavenny's Nevill Hall Hospital after a nurse was attacked on site.


The two pools were confirmed on Monday after New Zealand accepted an invitation to play in Brazil. The Dutch are ranked number two in the world with Germany third, while Ireland will also take on Argentina, India and Canada in Pool B. "We're know how tough the tournament is and that we're in a tough group," said Irish coach Craig Fulton. Argentina (sixth) and India (seventh) are above Ireland (12th) in the rankings with Canada 14th. Pool A comprises Australia, Great Britain, Belgium, New Zealand, Spain and host Brazil. "We will be focusing on improving as individuals, and as a squad and team come Rio," added Fulton. "Our first training camp is in early January and we're looking forward to starting 2016 with a tough but enjoyable tour." The match schedule for all pool games and the play-off stages will be announced in February.

Summary: Ireland's pool opponents at the Rio Olympics will include defending champions Germany and the Netherlands.


It has been a long and controversial journey that began with Abid Naseer's radicalisation in Pakistan and ends in a maximum security prison in the US. But although MI5 and police in Britain have been vindicated by the verdict in a Brooklyn federal court, this is a case which has raised a number of uncomfortable questions. Why was Naseer not tried in the UK? This would clearly have been the preferred route given that Naseer, a Pakistani citizen in the UK on a student visa, was accused of plotting to blow up people on the streets of a British city. However, despite carrying out one of the largest ever counter-terrorism investigations - involving the surveillance of a dozen suspects, the Crown Prosecution Service said there was not enough evidence to put any of the men on trial. There were emails between Naseer and a suspected al-Qaeda operative in Pakistan - allegedly coded discussions about a possible imminent attack on the city centre. But crucially no explosives or chemicals were found and no gathering of ingredients to make bombs. The authorities felt they could not risk running the surveillance operation any longer. Police were forced to move in more quickly than planned when secret operational details written on papers held by a senior detective were photographed as he was entering 10 Downing Street for a briefing. A subsequent report by Lord Carlile, then the government's Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, found this would not have affected the issue of the evidence - but it criticised the lack of co-ordination between the police and the CPS during the investigation. Why was Naseer extradited to the US? This is one of a number of cases where critics suggest Britain is effectively sub-contracting difficult legal cases to the US - where juries are much more likely to convict terror suspects. After the decision not to charge Naseer, the Home Office attempted to deport him to Pakistan, along with those other arrested men who had not voluntarily returned there. But the High Court blocked it because of the risk he would be mistreated. At the same time they concluded Naseer was "an al-Qaeda operative who posed and still poses a serious threat to the national security of the United Kingdom". So the UK authorities could not put him on trial, could not deport him and did not want him left free to roam the streets. He spent a brief time on a control order but the dilemma was only resolved when US prosecutors announced they wanted to try Naseer in New York and he was extradited from the UK. They said - and the jury has now agreed - that he was part of a wider al-Qaeda conspiracy to attack Britain, America and Norway. Lord Carlile told the BBC: "In every case you have to find where the most convenient forum is for the trial. That will depend on where the evidence lies. "If the evidence lies in the United States, particularly the key evidence, then one would expect the trial to be in the United States."

Summary: Nearly six years after MI5 and armed police dramatically disrupted an al-Qaeda plot to launch suicide attacks on shoppers in Manchester, the ringleader has finally been convicted.


In a speech he said that he expected rates to rise over the next three years, reaching "about half as high as historical averages", or about 2%. But he added that shocks to the economy could change the timing and the size of any rate rise. Interest rates have been at 0.5% for six years as the UK economy recovers from the financial crisis. The Monetary Policy Committee will "have to feel its way as it goes," Mr Carney said in a speech at Lincoln Cathedral. He added: "Short term interest rates have averaged around 4.5% since around the Bank's inception three centuries ago. "It would not seem unreasonable to me to expect that once normalisation begins, interest rate increases would proceed slowly and rise to a level in the medium term that is perhaps about half as high as historic averages. "In my view, the decision as to when to start such a process of adjustment will likely come into sharper relief around the turn of this year," he added. His comments come a day after unemployment rose for the first time in two years. "That suggests the Bank's interpretation of those statistics is that unemployment falls are now being held back by skills shortages," said the BBC's economics editor Robert Peston. "And those skills shortages are also responsible for rising wage inflation." On Tuesday, outgoing MPC member David Miles, regarded as someone who is cautious about the impact of rise, surprised markets by saying it was "likely to be right" to hike rates soon. On Wednesday, Janet Yellen, the chair of the US's Federal Reserve indicated that interest rates are likely to rise in the US this year. That could be a few months earlier than in the UK if indeed the Bank of England were to move in the new year. If rates were to rise early in the new year, from the current all-time record low of 0.5%, that would be three or four months after the expected equivalent move by the US Federal Reserve. Now for those of you with big debts looking for reassurance that you are not going to be financially crippled by the increase, he has said two other things of note about the so-called Bank Rate. First typical interest rate changes, increments, will be typically much smaller than the half of a percentage point that they used to be before the Crash of 2008 - so probably one quarter of a percentage point, or even possibly an eighth. Also he has signalled that the new normal rate of interest over the medium term after a succession of rises over two or three years will be perhaps half the 4.5% over rate of the past 300 years. So nearer 2%. Read Robert's blog in full here

Summary: Bank of England governor Mark Carney has indicated that UK interest rates could rise "at the turn of this year".


Josh Meekings, 23, denies causing offences aggravated by sexual orientation prejudice in an Inverness street on 20 December last year. He was arrested by police officers who heard the Inverness Caledonian Thistle defender's remark to an unidentified man, Inverness Sheriff Court heard. Sentence was deferred on Meekings for six months for good behaviour. The incident in Inverness city centre came after Inverness drew 2-2 with Dundee United. Defence lawyer John MacColl told the court that his client had offered a guilty plea admitting to a confrontation with police. The court heard that officers saw Meekings "gesticulating aggressively" towards a man and tried to move the player away. The officers then heard footballer's offensive remark. Mr McColl said of his client's behaviour: "It was conduct in the face of deliberate baiting and vile racist abuse directed at him. His was a spontaneous remark said in the heat of the moment." Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood told Meekings: "If there is no repeat of this nonsense, then it is open to the court to grant you an absolute discharge which will mean you will not have a criminal record." If Meekings has not committed any further offences, he was told he did not have to re-appear in court personally on 4 May next year.

Summary: A footballer shouted homophobic abuse at a man who had made a racist comment to him, a court has heard.


Greg Allen, 43, of Seacoast Road, Bellarena, County Londonderry, was convicted along with another man for breaching waste and marine laws. He plans to appeal the sentence, but not the conviction. Mr Allen said he has lost at least six acres to the sea over three decades. He estimates that the land washed away could be worth up to £50,000 and said he was trying to prevent further erosion. The bales of tyres were put in place to protect a motocross track developed on his ground at the edge of Lough Foyle. Mr Allen said at least 15 neighbouring farmers are suffering the same problem as him with coastal erosion. And he questioned why farm land further along the coast was being protected with proper sea defences built and maintained out of the public purse. "The more ground you lose, the more our income drops," he said. "If a farmer loses ground for a roadway, he's compensated. We're not, and we're not being allowed to do anything about it either." Mr Allen said he has been told that to put in a properly licensed sea defence along 100 metres of shoreline would cost up to £90,000 - if it were to be approved. He must now remove the tyres, which he said will cost him more than £15,000. Baled tyres have been trialled as potential sea defence material by the authorities in England. It has not become a mainstream practice.

Summary: A farmer given a suspended four-month prison sentence last week for having 20,000 tyres along the shore fronting his farm, has said he was trying to protect his land from coastal erosion.


But the brutal Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar which killed more than 130 children may well be a watershed for a country that has long been accused by the world of treating terrorists as strategic assets. The day after the attack, as a nation mourned and Peshawar buried its dead, Pakistan's top political leadership announced that it was no longer willing to make any distinction between "good" and "bad" Taliban. Flanked by his arch rivals and allies, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to carry on fighting until the last terrorist was killed. As he was making the announcement, Pakistan's army chief General Raheel Sharif was meeting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) commanders in Kabul to seek their assistance in fighting a menace which he said had "hit the heart of the Pakistani nation". Could this, then, be the watershed Pakistan has been in search of for years? The answer probably lies in the prime minister's statement, which is not only about a new intent but also about an admission: for years Pakistan has pursued a duplicitous policy towards various shades of militant organisations operating out of its territory. Simply put, those active against Isaf in Afghanistan or against Indian security forces across the Line of Control in Kashmir were the "good" Taliban. But those who had affiliated themselves to al-Qaeda after 9/11 and carried out terror attacks inside Pakistan were the "bad" ones. The problem, of course, was this distinction was never as clear in Taliban minds as it was in Pakistan's policy makers'. Often co-operating organisationally and operationally, the continuously splintering Taliban groups continued to benefit from the fruits of Pakistan's policy confusion. In the process, they consolidated their bases in the country's lawless tribal belt unchecked. The inaction of General Kayani, Raheel Sharif's predecessor, was an additional bonus for the Taliban. In his six-year tenure, he came under strong criticism for failing to devise an effective counter terrorism approach even after the government gave him complete authority to do so. Consequently, every fresh Taliban attack on soldiers steadily raised the disquiet and resentment within military ranks - not only against the government but also its own leadership. That was why Gen Sharif lost no time in launching what he called an indiscriminate operation earlier in the year in North and South Waziristan, the two tribal agencies most under Taliban control. But still mired in their policy confusion, Pakistan's political leadership's response to his initiative was lukewarm. Gen Sharif categorically said "we will get them", be they Pakistani Taliban, Punjabi Taliban, al-Qaeda and affiliates, or most importantly, the dreaded Haqqani network. But the country's political leadership chose to remain largely silent. The Peshawar attack seems to have changed that. In the short term, the Taliban may have got what they wanted. They were able to hit the army where it hurts the most. The 128 army-run schools in the country are home to more than 150,000 students, 90% of them are children of serving army officers. The attack has brought the fight

Summary: For a nation that has lost more than 70,000 people in 13 years to terror attacks, it is not easy to talk of watersheds.


Butler, 24, joined the Iron for an undisclosed fee from National League South side Hemel Hempstead in June. He kept two clean sheets in six appearances for the club, but was sent off in their defeat by Macclesfield. Fellow keeper Sam Beasant joined the club last week after his release by Cambridge United and made his debut against Guiseley last Saturday.

Summary: Braintree Town have agreed to release goalkeeper Jamie Butler just 72 days after he signed for the club.


The claim was made by the husband of one of the people convicted of the killings. David Stewart's wife Hazel, was convicted of killing her former husband Trevor Buchanan and Lesley Howell. Lesley's husband, Colin Howell, was also found guilty of the double murder. Mr Stewart said the Buchanan children were not given an opportunity by ITV to view the drama before it went to air. ITV's The Secret tells the story of convicted killers Colin Howell and Hazel Stewart, then Buchanan, who killed their spouses and kept the deaths secret for 18 years. ITV said the families were offered a chance to view it before it aired. David Stewart said he understood the Buchanan children were not contacted. He contacted BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback on Friday to make what he believed was a correction. Presenter William Crawley said: "He's referring to that statement (from ITV) I read out a minute ago and says that Lauren Bradford [Lesley and Colin Howell's daughter] asked for a viewing and that he understands that's where that came from, that claim from ITV. "David says Trevor Buchanan's next of kin were not given that opportunity and that he supports Lauren's position in all of this." Howell and Buchanan are serving jail sentences over the murders of Trevor Buchanan and Lesley Howell, whose bodies were found in a fume-filled car in Castlerock 25 years ago. Police believed at the time that they had died in a suicide pact, but in 2009 Howell handed himself in, admitting that he had gassed the pair with Hazel Stewart's help. Years after the killings, she married David Stewart. The programme has been criticised by Lauren Bradford, who said it had left her traumatised. Lauren Bradford wrote an article in the Guardian after the first episode of The Secret was broadcast, saying its makers "trivialise the reality of these events and dehumanise the impact that it has on those involved". She added that victims' families needed to have more rights "over their 'story' and the narrative of their loved ones". ITV said The Secret's scripts were based on an "exhaustively researched" book by a "highly respected journalist" and that extensive extra research had been carried out. It said the families of both victims had been informed of the production and given an opportunity to see it before it was broadcast, but added that it "never suggested" they had "approved or authorised the drama". On Wednesday, Prime Minister David Cameron said he would hold a meeting with the culture secretary to discuss the The Secret. It followed an intervention from the Sheffield MP Louise Haigh who raised the issue in the commons. Lauren Bradford is Ms Haigh's constituent. Ms Haigh said the victims' families were reliving the pain of their loved ones' killings as a result of the drama. Mr Cameron said he would discuss the programme with Culture Secretary John Whittingdale to see if there is anything "more that can be done" in similar cases. Actor James Nesbitt plays Howell in the drama, which is based on a book by journalist Deric

Summary: The children of one of the victims of a double murder in Castlerock in 1991 were not given a preview of ITV's drama, The Secret, based on the killings.


A group has called for a protest at Parliament on 8 October against legislation banning baring your buttocks. The tongue-in-cheek event, scheduled one day after the full moon, calls for the right to bare bums. Police said: "The only moon we want to see on Parliament House is the 8 day old moon in the October lunar cycle." An amendment included in an overhaul of sexual offence laws specifically bans "mooning or streaking". First-time offenders face up to two months in jail while repeat offenders could spend six months behind bars. Disgruntled mooners set up the protest as a Facebook event on Monday. "Following the recent banning of the royal moon in Victoria, we have decided to show our [disgust] and [devastation] of this new law," the group said on social media. However, Victoria Police responded asking the members to keep their pants firmly around their waist. "We suggest keeping your pants on and shut this page down or potentially risk criminal charges," the Facebook post by Victoria Police read.

Summary: Victoria Police have urged Australian mooning enthusiasts to keep their pants on or risk criminal charges.


In the week which saw previous boss Russell Slade sacked, the seventh departure from The Valley since March 2014, Charlton started on the front-foot as Jason Pearce's header hit the bar early on. The Addicks took the lead in the 30th minute through a superb Josh Magennis header, with the Northern Ireland international finding the far corner from Morgan Fox's cross. Charlton - with caretaker boss Kevin Nugent overseeing proceedings - doubled their advantage a minute before half-time, as Fox's pass found Nicky Ajose who slotted the ball past Jak Alnwick in the Port Vale goal. The visitors, as expected, came out after the break searching for a goal back but Nathan Smith's flicked effort that evaded Declan Rudd's goal was the closest Bruno Ribeiro's side came to scoring. The win was only Charlton's fifth in League One this campaign and sees them rise to 14th in the table, while Port Vale remain without a win on the road since early October. Report supplied by Press Association. Match ends, Charlton Athletic 2, Port Vale 0. Second Half ends, Charlton Athletic 2, Port Vale 0. Attempt missed. Jordan Botaka (Charlton Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Ezri Konsa Ngoyo replaces Ademola Lookman. Attempt missed. Nathan Smith (Port Vale) right footed shot from very close range is close, but misses to the left following a corner. Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Jason Pearce. Attempt blocked. Paulo Tavares (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Attempt missed. Martin Paterson (Port Vale) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Hand ball by Kjell Knops (Port Vale). Foul by Jason Pearce (Charlton Athletic). Martin Paterson (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Ademola Lookman (Charlton Athletic). Remie Streete (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt saved. Martin Paterson (Port Vale) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Anton Forrester (Port Vale). Patrick Bauer (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Martin Paterson (Port Vale). Substitution, Port Vale. Anton Forrester replaces Sam Kelly. Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Brandon Hanlan replaces Josh Magennis. Patrick Bauer (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Martin Paterson (Port Vale). Foul by Jason Pearce (Charlton Athletic). Martin Paterson (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Ademola Lookman (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Ryan Taylor (Port Vale). Attempt blocked. Alex Jones (Port Vale) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Foul by Fredrik Ulvestad (Charlton Athletic). Martin Paterson (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Nicky Ajose (Charlton Athletic). Ryan Taylor (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the left wing. Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Morgan Fox. Substitution, Port Vale. Quentin Pereira

Summary: Managerless Charlton secured their third home league victory in as many matches with a 2-0 win over play-off chasing Port Vale.


The company owners said the containers in Santos were full of acid and a disinfectant which came into contact with rainwater, causing a reaction. The area's mayor said at least 66 people were taken to hospital with breathing difficulties. Officials said the fire had been controlled but that there is still smoke in the area. The cargo terminal and nearby homes were evacuated and residents were asked to stay inside. The container terminal was operated by Localfrio, a logistics company, in Guaruja, an area on the eastern side of Santos, in Sao Paulo state. A spokeswoman for the company, which exports chemicals used for refrigeration and general cargo, said the containers were filled with chloric acid and sodium dichloroisocyanurate - a cleaning and disinfectant agent. Firefighters said rainwater had seeped into the containers causing a chemical reaction. Local Mayor Mario Antonieta de Brito asked people to stay out of the rain which could "contain chemical elements that can burn the skin". This is the latest in a series of recent incidents involving chemical companies in Brazil:

Summary: A chemical explosion at a cargo warehouse in Brazil has spread toxic gas over the country's biggest port.


Hacking through the jungle with machetes, they lead us to a camp abandoned just two weeks earlier by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), the rebel group commanded by Kony, who claims to be fighting to install a government in Uganda based on the Biblical 10 Commandments. A rebel defector led the Ugandan army to the camp, which would have housed between 50-60 fighters, including women and children. Among the children was a five-year-old boy, said to be Kony's son, and his mother Doreen Abango. She was abducted by the LRA aged 13, and had managed to escape only 10 days earlier. "I started walking at night with my child… I did not leave any tracks that could be used to follow me, because I knew if I was found I would be killed," she said. 'Strange child' Few in northern Uganda escaped unscathed from Kony's war, including his own family. His older sister Gabriela Lakot still lives in Odek, northern Uganda, where Kony was born. "As soon as Kony was born he stood on his own two feet," she says. "Everyone was astonished and wondrous saying: 'This child is strange.' "God has brought a curse on this family - that was my mother's lament. Kony brought so much trouble on us up to now. Everyone hates us." Gabriela also blames her brother for the death of her son. "My first born was shot by the Ugandan army when he was with Kony. All that is his fault," she said. Kony's rebels have terrorised swathes of South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic over the years. It is estimated by the Ugandan army that there are only 450 members of the LRA left. Caesar Achellam, a senior LRA commander, was captured in May this year. He says Kony will never surrender because of indictments in the International Criminal Court (ICC). "Kony is afraid, he is really afraid. He is afraid of the accusations against him in The Hague," he said. Kony is wanted by the ICC for war crimes including rape, the murder of civilians and forcibly recruiting children to serve in his Lord's Resistance Army. 'Die like Hitler' Kony's global notoriety increased earlier this year because of the internet video Kony 2012, which has been watched tens of millions of times since it was posted online by the US advocacy group Invisible Children. Then available in the UK on the BBC iPlayer The Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is clear that more foreign support is needed to bring Kony to justice. He said: "We are now an international mission. It is not a domestic mission and we cannot be an international mission on domestic resources. It is up to the international community to help." An African Union force of 5,000 troops from the four countries most affected by the LRA was due to begin operations in March, but it has not happened yet. Ugandan minister Betty Bigombe is one of many African leaders who have tried and failed to talk Kony into making peace. According to Ms Bigombe, Kony

Summary: Deep in the jungle of the Central African Republic, about 2,000 Ugandan troops are spearheading the campaign to catch Joseph Kony.


Natural Resources Wales (NRW) - which is objecting to the £1.1bn project - said the likely impact of climate change had be taken into account. NRW was giving evidence at a public inquiry into the plans in Newport. Lawyers for the Welsh Government said it was "inconceivable" sea defences would not be maintained. The proposed route of the relief road would cross areas of tidal floodplain within the Severn Estuary on a raised embankment. Gary Purnell, a technical specialist for NRW's flood risk analysis team, told the inquiry that proposals to manage tidal flood risk had not been guaranteed over the lifetime of the project. An assumption that defences would be maintained was not satisfactory, he said. The proposed M4 scheme would increase tidal flooding risk to properties south of the new motorway, whilst benefiting properties to the north, he claimed. Should sea defences not be improved throughout the lifetime of the scheme there was a "serious risk of flooding in that area" in light of climate change. Commitments to flood protection had been made in the case of the HS2 project and the Thames Tideway Tunnel, he added. But Morag Ellis QC, representing the Welsh Government, said for NRW to query whether funding would be available was to "underplay the serious risk" that climate change posed in future. It was the government's position that it was "inconceivable" that measures would not be put in place, otherwise vast areas of Newport and Cardiff as well as important road infrastructure, power lines and industry would be at threat, she said. She added it was not for NRW to question government policy or the allocation of funding and that both these issues were beyond the scope of the inquiry. NRW's evidence will continue with objections set to be discussed surrounding the road's impact on Sites of Special Scientific Interest and protected species such as dormice. The inquiry heard that following weeks of dialogue and work to address issues between Welsh Government and NRW officials, a number of other objections had been removed.

Summary: A long-term commitment to fund flood defences along the route of the M4 relief road is needed before the scheme goes ahead, it has been argued.


Images of a toddler, washed up on a beach in Turkey, ram home the sometimes deadly consequences of what is going on. Right now though there seems little prospect of the UK government shifting its position on taking in more refugees, as EU leaders and Labour opponents have been calling for. Although these latest images are heart wrenching, David Cameron's conviction is that it's more effective to tackle the cause not the symptom of this crisis. That means substantial amounts of taxpayers' money going to provide food and shelter to refugees on the edges of Syria, to help on the ground. And diplomatically pushing for a political process that can move that country towards peace. It does not mean throwing open the doors to many more Syrian refugees. But there are two other parts to the logic of sticking to the position. First, despite what's going on, there is not huge public appetite for the government suddenly to act. Second, there is a caution about sending a signal to other kinds of migrants, rather than refugees seeking safety, that makes the UK seem a more attractive destination at a time when the government is trying to limit the numbers. Could that change? Of course. The intensity of the need means the calls to "do more" grow louder every day. The public imagination, and that of Conservatives, could be stirred by the images to the extent that a shift becomes inevitable. As politicians drift back after their summer break the volume of voices might become too intense. Or, the incentive to take more refugees as part of a wider deal with Europe - quid pro quo - might become tempting too. Yet at this moment, there is nothing to force the prime minister to budge. But don't be surprised if the pressure on him to shift continues to build.

Summary: Only the hardest of hearts would not be moved by the latest images of the people who have been caught up in the danger and chaos of this mass movement.


Furious 7 has already out-grossed all previous instalments of the 14-year-old franchise and has now made more than $800m (£546m) internationally. With DreamWorks animation Home berthed at two, new release The Longest Ride could only muster a third place debut. The rodeo-based romance made $13.5m (£9.2m) between Friday and Sunday. Starring Clint Eastwood's son Scott, the film is the latest to be adapted from a best-selling novel by Nicholas Sparks. Further down this week's Top 10, Woman in Gold appears at seven after expanding its release to more than 1,500 locations. Starring Dame Helen Mirren, this story of an attempt to recover art looted by the Nazis made $5.9m (£4m) in its second weekend in North American cinemas. According to Screen Daily, Furious 7 has now made more than $39m (£26.6m) in the UK and Ireland, where it was released as Fast & Furious 7.

Summary: The latest Fast and the Furious film is still top dog at the US and Canada box office, having taken $60.6m (£41.4m) in its second weekend in cinemas.


Shep Murombedzi's 25-yard deflected effort put the hosts into the lead midway through the opening half, but the goalscorer then brought down Danny Rowe in the box and Kingsley James converted from the spot. Solihull were then handed a spot-kick of their own on the stroke of half-time when the visitors were penalised for tugging, and Akwasi Asante slotted home from 12 yards. James took his goal tally for the season to four with his second penalty three minutes after half-time. He was tripped in the box by Jamie Osborne but picked himself up to level the scores before Norburn won it at the death. Report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Solihull Moors 2, Macclesfield Town 3. Second Half ends, Solihull Moors 2, Macclesfield Town 3. Goal! Solihull Moors 2, Macclesfield Town 3. Ollie Norburn (Macclesfield Town). Substitution, Solihull Moors. Ryan Beswick replaces Shepherd Murombedzi. Omari Sterling-James (Solihull Moors) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Substitution, Macclesfield Town. Chris Holroyd replaces Jack Sampson. Jack Byrne (Solihull Moors) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Paul Lewis (Macclesfield Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Substitution, Solihull Moors. Stefan Moore replaces Harry White. Substitution, Solihull Moors. Omari Sterling-James replaces Darryl Knights. Jamey Osborne (Solihull Moors) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Substitution, Macclesfield Town. Danny Whitaker replaces Kingsley James. Goal! Solihull Moors 2, Macclesfield Town 2. Kingsley James (Macclesfield Town) converts the penalty with a. Second Half begins Solihull Moors 2, Macclesfield Town 1. First Half ends, Solihull Moors 2, Macclesfield Town 1. Goal! Solihull Moors 2, Macclesfield Town 1. Akwasi Asante (Solihull Moors) converts the penalty with a. Goal! Solihull Moors 1, Macclesfield Town 1. Kingsley James (Macclesfield Town) converts the penalty with a. Shepherd Murombedzi (Solihull Moors) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. George Pilkington (Macclesfield Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Substitution, Macclesfield Town. Dan Cowan replaces John McCombe. Goal! Solihull Moors 1, Macclesfield Town 0. Shepherd Murombedzi (Solihull Moors). First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Summary: Ollie Norburn's last-gasp goal saw Macclesfield end Solihull's unbeaten home run with a thrilling victory which featured three penalties in the space of seven minutes.


The Abominable Bride - which starred Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson - attracted 34.7% of the TV audience. The final episode of ITV drama Downton Abbey won the Christmas Day ratings battle with an average of 6.6m viewers. BBC One's New Year's Eve fireworks was watched by more than 12m, the BBC said. Sherlock attracted 8.4m viewers, the highest overnight audience across all channels for a drama of the festive season, the BBC said. The two-hour Downton Abbey finale attracted a peak audience of 7.1m, beating the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special as the most watched Christmas Day show. The Strictly special was the BBC's most-watched show of Christmas Day, with a peak of seven million viewers and an average of 6.5m.

Summary: BBC One show Sherlock attracted more than eight million viewers for its New Year's Day special - the highest TV drama audience of the festive season.


A bottle of Deanston 12-year-old malt was broken over the bow of the 90-metre Offshore Patrol Vessel in a ceremony at BAE Systems' Scotstoun yard. The ship is expected to go into service next year and will be used for counter-terrorism, anti-smuggling and defence. The MoD said work on HMS Forth and her sister ships was sustaining 800 Scottish jobs. The vessels will be equipped with a 30mm cannon, a flight deck capable of accommodating a Merlin helicopter, and will be manned by a crew of 58 sailors. It is the first of a fleet of new Batch 2 River-class OPVs being built on the Clyde, which are all expected to be in service by 2021. Their construction has filled a gap in the order books of the Govan yard, where work is due to begin on eight Type 26 frigates this summer. The Type 26 frigate, which is principally designed for anti-submarine warfare, will partially replace the current Type 23 frigate. Each ship will carry a crew of 118, have a top speed of more than 26 knots and a range of 7,000 nautical miles. The first vessel is due to enter service in the early 2020s. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said that the work would safeguard hundreds of skilled jobs until 2035. HMS Forth, the fifth Royal Navy vessel to bear the name over the past two centuries, is affiliated with the city of Stirling. The MoD said the name maintained a connection that began when the people of the city adopted a previous ship with the name Forth during World War Two. Minister for Defence Procurement, Harriett Baldwin, said the programme to build the ship was a vitally important part of the government's 10-year, Â£178bn plan to supply the Armed Forces. She added: "From counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean, to securing the UK's borders on patrols closer to home, the Royal Navy's new Offshore Patrol Vessels will help protect our interests around the world."

Summary: The first of a fleet of five warships being built on the Clyde has been formally named HMS Forth.


The Mercedes driver was fairly monosyllabic in his television interviews. A pep talk from team boss Toto Wolff followed, the Austrian telling him he should see his fourth place as "12 points won rather than lost". But, while he was more open and expansive with the written media shortly afterwards, the general negative tone continued. And then, at the end, a moment of realisation, presumably of the headlines that might follow, and a plea for understanding. "Adversity is when there is an opportunity to grow and do something really special," Hamilton said. "I am really happy with the way I have been driving considering [the results]. "It is important for people who are watching and also people who are reporting that you have patience with us as drivers. You can't be happy every day you have a result. "Whether it is second, fifth, 10th, whatever it is, you are going to be annoyed at one point, because you put so much into it. "You train. You sacrifice everything to make sure you get the best result possible. So when you don't - if you don't personally deliver and other things stack up against you - it is hard to come out smiling. Because that means you don't care enough. And the fact is I care more than anything. "So there are days when it feels more painful than others. There are days when it is easier to handle and think: 'I will move forwards.' So when you make comments, or are writing stories, bear that in mind. It is not a sign of being ungrateful or anything. "This is an intense battle which I am loving, and we are enjoying as a team, but I want to win this championship. "Right now I am 20 points behind. I don't have a crystal ball but it doesn't look great at the moment. But there is still a long way to go. Within one race it could switch. But the bigger the gap gets the more pressure builds." This is one of the aspects of Hamilton that makes him so compelling a personality to follow. He can be contradictory, puzzling and infuriating. But also intelligent, eloquent and fascinating. And he just can't hide himself, even if sometimes he might be trying to. It was there throughout the weekend in Austria. There was the Thursday news conference in which he undercut Vettel's attempt to draw a line under his road-rage moment in Baku at the previous race by revealing that the German had not apologised when they spoke the day after the race, only by text a day after that. And said he still wasn't completely sure the German had made it clear he did not think Hamilton had 'brake-tested' him (although Vettel did). There were the monosyllabic interviews after he qualified third rather than fastest, which meant he would start eighth rather than sixth, and in which he tried to bat off his disappointment before, finally, admitting: "I didn't deliver. I have been quick all weekend and in Q3 I didn't do the time

Summary: Lewis Hamilton was pretty down after the Austrian Grand Prix, which was understandable seeing as he had just seen his championship deficit to Sebastian Vettel stretch to 20 points.


Sussex Police said the emergency services were called to the flat in Sutherland Avenue, Bexhill, at 13:35 BST. The victim died from her injuries at the scene. Following a police search, a 21-year-old man from Bexhill was arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently in custody. The suspect was known to the victim, police said.

Summary: A woman has died after being stabbed in a flat in East Sussex.


The pensioner was found dead at an address in Park Lane at about 22:30 BST last Wednesday, West Yorkshire Police said. A 54-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder but was subsequently released. A file has been sent to the coroner, the force says. Live updates and more stories from Yorkshire

Summary: The death of an 84-year-old woman whose body was found at a property in Pontefract is no longer being treated as suspicious by police.


The Blades have been interested in the 20-year-old for a number of weeks but were forced to wait for him to return to fitness after a hamstring injury. Riley played 85 minutes of United's 1-0 Premier League 2 victory over Liverpool on Monday. The full-back has made two first-team appearances for Manchester United. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.

Summary: League One leaders Sheffield United have signed Manchester United full-back Joe Riley on loan for the rest of the season.


The influence of the movement has been in the spotlight again in Mr Gulen's home country, where a feud between his followers and other members of the political class has been blown into the open by a series of arrests. Ill-feeling is said to have grown since the Turkish government moved to close down a network of private schools run by Hizmet. Until then, the movement played a part in driving the electoral success of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party, which has been in power for three terms. But the movement's influence extends far beyond Turkey, funding schools, and think tanks and media outlets, from Kenya to Kazakhstan. It has attracted millions of followers and billions of dollars. Hizmet has no formal structure, no visible organisation and no official membership, yet it may have grown into the world's biggest Muslim network. Its name means "service" and it promotes work for the common good, with advocates saying they simply work together in a loosely affiliated alliance inspired by the message of Mr Gulen. The imam promotes a tolerant Islam which emphasises altruism, hard work and education. There are said to be millions of Hizmet followers in Turkey, where they are believed to hold influential positions in institutions from the police and secret services to the judiciary and the AK Party itself. Followers are said to donate between 5% and 20% of their income to groups affiliated with the movement. The movement's schools usually boast hi-tech facilities, and many students are on scholarships funded by Gulen-inspired businessmen. Although the schools are secular, teachers are expected to act as role models. Smoking, drinking and divorce are frowned upon. Fatma Disli first came across the movement at a school it founded to help students pass university admissions tests. "The people I met through Hizmet were really hard-working, virtuous people who were practising their religion, but at the same time had important jobs," she told BBC News. "I realised that it's possible to be religious and to have a career." Turkish businessmen are attracted by what they see as Mr Gulen's international outlook and pragmatic approach to issues like using credit. The mix of philanthropy and business appears to have been powerful, with Gulen-inspired schools supporting and smoothing the way for Turkish businessmen in emerging markets like Africa and Central Asia. However, critics believe the movement's aim is to gain power, to spread socially conservative Islamic attitudes on issues like marriage and alcohol around the globe, and to suppress any opposition. Opponents of the movement point to a video which surfaced in 1999, in which Mr Gulen seemed to tell his followers that they should deliberately attempt to infiltrate mainstream structures: "You must move within the arteries of the system, without anyone noticing your existence, until you reach all the power centres. "You must wait until such time as you have got all the state power, until you have brought to your side all the power of the constitutional institution in Turkey." The following year, Mr Gulen faced charges of trying to undermine Turkey's

Summary: Supporters regard the Hizmet movement inspired by US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen as the benign, modern face of Islam, but critics question its motives.


Vale are seven points outside the top six with three games left, but Alnwick says adding to his 13 shut-outs this season is a good target to aim for. "We want to win every game and see where we finish," Alnwick, 22, told BBC Radio Stoke. "Hopefully we can win all of them with clean sheets." Twelfth-placed Vale have won their last two games - including the team they are chasing in sixth place, Gillingham - without conceding. However, they need to win all of their remaining matches and hope for an unlikely set of results to go their way if they are to sneak into the promotion picture. "We're disappointed we're not right in the mix coming into the last few games," Alnwick said. "Our defensive record has been good all year - personally I'm happy with the way things have gone, people were putting us as favourites to go down but we've had a good season." Vale boss Rob Page may choose to stick with the 3-5-2 formation that proved so effective in their 2-0 win at Gillingham, in Saturday's home game against another side chasing a top-six finish, Rochdale. "The manager threw it at us as he wanted to match Gillingham up," he said. "I think it was tactically very well done, the lads liked it."

Summary: Goalkeeper Jak Alnwick is determined to finish the season with three more clean sheets as Port Vale chase an unlikely play-off place in League One.


Campaigners say the agreement is biased against the UK and is being used for offences it was not intended to cover. The year-long review will also consider the breadth of the home secretary's discretion to intervene in cases. It follows a series of high-profile cases, including that of computer hacker Gary McKinnon. The Home Office says the current extradition arrangements will continue and the review will not impact on any cases currently under consideration. The review panel, led by a retired Law Lord, is expected to be finished by the end of summer 2011. Former Home Secretary David Blunkett, who signed the treaty, accused the current Home Secretary Theresa May of kicking the controversy "into the long grass". Recently, he admitted he might have "given too much away" to the Americans and said sensible discussions with the UK's partners could resolve "any irritants quite speedily". The review will consider the operation of the Extradition Act 2003, including the European arrest warrant, and the US/UK extradition treaty. Home Secretary Theresa May said: "I am fully aware there are a number of areas of the UK's extradition arrangements which have attracted controversy in recent years. "This government is committed to reviewing those arrangements to ensure they work both efficiently and in the interests of justice." The European arrest warrant fast-tracks extradition between EU member states. It means countries can ask for extradition of an individual without providing prima-facie evidence to the courts, usually as long as the offence is a crime in both countries and carries a prison sentence of more than one year. Jago Russell, Fair Trials International's chief executive, said more than one thousand people were detained and extradited by the UK in the year 2009-2010 "under Europe's no-questions-asked extradition system". "This review, though welcome, will only produce a fairer system of extradition if it gets to grips with the problems caused by the European arrest warrant and if vital new safeguards are put in place," he said. Critics of the US/UK treaty, agreed between Washington and London in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks of 2001, say it is easier to extradite people from the UK than the US. By Dominic CascianiBBC News home affairs correspondent Extradition treaties are a crucial tool in the state's armoury against criminality: they give prosecutors the means to haul back wrongdoers - thereby enhancing public confidence in the rule of law. But the modern British system has become controversial partly because of the manner of its creation. The current deal with the US and the separate European Arrest Warrant emerged in the post 9/11 world. Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic concluded that agencies needed to act more swiftly to transfer suspects - and the former British Labour government promoted reforms with one eye on tackling the threat from international terrorism. But critics say the arrangements were, in effect, rushed into law and, in doing so, failed to include proper judicial safeguards against abuse. They point to cases like Gary Mann, convicted in Portugal of football-related violence after what he says was an unfair

Summary: A review of the UK's extradition laws will consider whether the current treaty with the US is "unbalanced", Home Secretary Theresa May has said.


The group is consulting with 33 staff on plans to close its printing site near Cardiff Docks. Trinity Mirror wants to print the Western Mail in Watford and the South Wales Echo in Oxford, it is understood. The company said the consultation process was ongoing. The group previously blamed "declining print volumes and the relocation of a number of titles within our print network" for the proposed closure of the print works, which is responsible for a number of Trinity Mirror newspapers as well as other publications. Trinity Mirror also owns Wales on Sunday, which is already printed in Birmingham, as well as the South Wales Evening Post and the Daily Post. Meanwhile, BBC Wales understands the company is in talks to sell its Media Wales building in Cardiff city centre. The company plans to remain as a tenant when the deal is completed. Media Wales moved into the six storey purpose-built office block on Park Street in 2008. Staff cuts mean its sales and editorial teams now only occupy one floor, while accountancy firm Deloitte has taken some of the vacant space. Trinity Mirror declined to comment on the proposed sale of its Media Wales headquarters.

Summary: Newspaper publisher Trinity Mirror plans to print some of its Welsh titles in London and Oxford when it closes its presses in Cardiff, BBC Wales has learned.


Over many years, he worked with Roald Dahl on some of his most famous books and his sketches captured the very essence of Willy Wonka, Matilda and the BFH. His own heavily illustrated and quirky books include Mister Magnolia, Zagazoo and Loveykins. Born Quentin Saxby Blake, he was born in 1932 in Sidcup, which is now part of south east London, and studied English at Cambridge. After National Service he did a postgraduate diploma at the University of London, going on to teach at the Royal College of Art, where he was the head of illustration between 1978-86. He was first published at the age of 16 in the satirical magazine Punch - while he was still a pupil a Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School. A later cover featured his illustration of a weightlifter at full stretch being aped by a dog carrying a bone. He said: "I can remember getting a letter from the art editor congratulating me on being the youngest contributor and I thought 'this is alright!'. I started drawing for print then." From there, he went on to illustrate nearly 300 books with writers such as Joan Aiken, Michael Rosen and John Yeoman. Blake also worked on more than 150 episodes of the BBC children's show Jackanory, providing the illustrations for the books narrated for the young audience. "I draw every day - unless I'm being interviewed," Blake told the BBC. "What is nice is to have different kinds of things to do." Blake began working with Dahl after a meeting in 1975 set up by their publisher. By that point, Dahl had already published some of his most famous works including James and The Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Fantastic Mr Fox. "Initially I was rather apprehensive because he was a big chap and very famous, but it was a relationship that worked," said Blake. "Because I had established myself as an illustrator, I had something to bring to it." Blake became the first ever Children's Laureate when the position was created in 1999, using his tenure to promote literature for the young. Among his other accolades are the JM Barrie lifetime achievement award, which he received in 2008, the Hans Christian Andersen Award for illustration in 2002 and an honorary degree from the Anglia Ruskin university in Cambridge. He was made an OBE in 1988, a CBE in 2004 and will receive his knighthood at Buckingham Palace during 2013, for his services to illustration. The 80-year-old's most recent collaboration has been with comic actor and writer David Walliams. They first worked together on Walliams' debut children's novel The Boy in the Dress, which was published in 2008. He admitted he was initially apprehensive about working with the Little Britain co-creator. "I was also worried it would have loads of projectile vomiting," he said, "but I wanted to do it as soon as I read it." He added: "I had breakfast with David and I think we were on the same wavelength. It was very nice because he wanted me to do it and

Summary: Illustrator Quentin Blake, who has been knighted in the New Year Honours list, is perhaps best known for the distinctive drawings that helped bring to life some of the most popular characters in children's literature.


The family of Tara Lear-Jones said "a massive piece" has been taken from their lives and they are "just left with heartache". Ms Lear-Jones died in the accident on the A539, near the village of Penley, on Thursday. "Tara was a much loved daughter, sister, aunty, granddaughter and girlfriend," a tribute read. "We all love her so much and no words can explain how we are feeling right now. "Tara thought the world of her nieces and nephew and we will make sure they know how much she loved them when they are older." North Wales Police have appealed for witnesses who saw a blue Vauxhall Corsa that was involved.

Summary: Tributes have been paid to a 24-year-old woman who died in a car accident in Wrexham county.


As the 18-day festival of traditional and roots music came to a close in Glasgow, they said 176 out of 222 ticketed events were sold out. More than 110,000 people attended festival events which saw 2,375 musicians from 50 countries perform. Artistic director Donald Shaw said: "The past 18 days have been exhilarating and unforgettable." He said: "From the intimate intensity of Laura Marling accompanied for the first time by a full orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, to a Ceilidh led by Aidan Moffat. "From the stunning virtuosity of an evening of maestros of stringed instruments from Brazil, India and the US dazzling the audience with their skills, to Tryst which saw 10 specially-commissioned new pieces for pipes. "One of the many true joys of Celtic Connections is that within our tradition of Celtic music and international collaborations, we do not think about creative boundaries. "Instead, we present on our stages some of the most brilliant musicians working today and explore the richness and diversity of the music we are celebrating." He added: "The journey we have been on through Celtic Connections 2017 has shown the power of live music to connect with individual lives and to resonate with the wider world in which we all live, and we are already looking forward to presenting Celtic Connections in 2018, in what is going to be a very special 25th anniversary year."

Summary: More than three-quarters of shows at this year's Celtic Connections were sold out, according to organisers.


The charity wants to increase the number of children it helps directly by 25% to 10,000 annually and offer support to a further 20,000. Believe in Me launches on Thursday and will also tackle a perceived lack of confidence in 11 to 18-year-olds. The move comes on the back of a UK-wide survey that found most youngsters in the age bracket lack confidence. In total, 2,000 youngsters were questioned, with 88% saying they were low in confidence - 96% of the 200 young people questioned in Wales gave that answer. To address this, the charity wants to increase the Â£2.37m it raises annually in Wales to help youngsters dealing with things like poverty, homelessness, disability and bereavement to help reach more people. Barnardo's Cymru director Sarah Crawley called the confidence study results "a wake up call". She said: "We will be galvanising our work around three strategic aims: stronger families, safer childhoods and positive futures. "Through these aims we will not only be meeting the needs of children and young people now, but looking into the future to prevent them from occurring."

Summary: About 30,000 vulnerable children will be helped each year, in plans to be announced by Barnardo's Cymru.


Rose Polge, 25, whose car was found in a car park near Ansteys Cove in Torbay, disappeared on Friday. Divers have been searching just south of the cove, as part of a major operation. The family statement thanked everyone for their "help, hope and kind words". The BBC understands that a note was found in Dr Polge's car. It is believed its contents were mainly related to personal issues, but there was a passing reference to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. It is understood Dr Polge is an active campaigner against plans to change working hours and conditions for junior doctors, and in January posted a new Facebook profile picture, featuring the hashtag #NotFairNotSafe. On Thursday, Mr Hunt confirmed the government would impose a new contract on junior doctors in England. Dr Polge's family said: "The support we have received from family and friends has been much appreciated, and clearly Rose is loved far and wide. "We are overwhelmed by the support from her friends and colleagues, dozens of whom have been combing the Devon Coast in search of Rose. "As the search continues we would appreciate some privacy from the press in our time of distress." Police said her disappearance was "totally out of character" and concerns for her welfare were rising. Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed an item of clothing had been found at the cove, but would not say whether it belonged to Dr Polge. Coastguards and search and rescue groups searched for her in Torquay at the weekend. Friends and local residents combed the beaches in the area on Saturday and Sunday, while police also searched more remote areas such as cliff tops and woodland. More than 100 people have been involved in the search operation, including Dr Polge's boyfriend and her family, who live in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire. Police are appealing for the public to contact them with any information or sightings of Dr Polge. A Department of Health spokesman said: "Our thoughts are with Dr Polge's family and friends at an extremely difficult time."

Summary: The family of a missing junior doctor has said they are "overwhelmed by the support" of dozens of people who have helped to search for her along the Devon coast.


Contact has been made between the two clubs, although there is no agreement over a deal yet. The France player, who signed for United for £25m in July 2015, would be reunited with former Southampton manager Ronald Koeman at Goodison Park. Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho will sanction any deal for the 27-year-old, who is not part of his long-term plans. Schneiderlin has played 11 minutes of Premier League football this season and he has not been included in the United squad for Wednesday night's league match at Crystal Palace. Koeman was keen to keep the Frenchman at Southampton during his time as manager in 2014, and the Dutchman views him as a key component in his plans to strengthen Everton's midfield. It is also understood Koeman is keen on United and Netherlands forward Memphis Depay. The Dutchman has also attracted interest from Germany and Italy, with Roma among the clubs keen on the 22-year-old, who joined United from PSV Eindhoven for £31m last year.

Summary: Everton are interested in signing Manchester United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin.


Tim Farron said he was "ruling nothing in and ruling nothing out" but was "determined to play a big role". Mr Farron held his Westmorland and Lonsdale seat with an 8,949 majority. Mr Clegg resigned in the aftermath of his party's crushing general election result, where it was left with just eight MPs from the 57 it had in 2010. Other possible replacements are Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael, who was Scotland secretary under the last government, and Norfolk North MP Norman Lamb, who was care minister. Speaking on Sky News, Mr Farron said the Lib Dems had gained 2,500 new members since polling day. Who will replace Nick Clegg as leader? "History will be kinder to the Liberal Democrats than perhaps folks have been in the past few days," he said. Mr Farron said the party needed a "fresh start", and said he wanted to speak to "members, councillors and activists" before deciding on his role. Pressed on his intentions, he said he was "determined to play a big role" in making sure the party "survives and thrives". In his resignation speech on Friday morning, Mr Clegg said the results were "immeasurably more crushing" than he had feared, saying it had been a "huge honour" to lead the party. "It's simply heartbreaking to see so many friends and colleagues who have served their constituents over so many years abruptly lose their seats because of forces entirely beyond their control," he said.

Summary: One of the favourites to replace Nick Clegg as Liberal Democrat leader says he will decide whether to put himself forward "in the next few days".


Dundee-based artists Matthew Dalziel and Louise Scullion have created the art called Nomadic Boulders. They were commissioned as part of a project involving Highlands and Islands Enterprise to revamp John O'Groats. HIE said the art had to be designed to withstand the forces of 100mph winds that sometimes blow through the area. Stones believed to be 25cm to up to 100cm in diameter are moved by fierce tides in the Pentland Firth. Nomadic Boulders uses boulders which appeared on a neighbouring beach after a storm.

Summary: New artwork inspired by large rocks that roll around the seabed of the Pentland Firth have been installed at John O'Groats.


Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke made the gesture in July as he spoke against the influx of migrants into the EU. In October, Italian MEP Gianluca Buonanno wore a Hitler moustache and gave the salute during a debate where the German chancellor was present. The pair have been fined $3,380 (Â£2,200) and are suspended for 10 days, but can still vote. The European Parliament Bureau decided on Monday to confirm the sanctions imposed by the parliament's president Martin Schulz earlier this month, a spokesman said. Mr Korwin-Mikke was protesting against the transportation of migrants across the EU. He said "This time it is 'ein Reich, ein Volk, ein Ticket'" and later made a speech referring to migrants as "human garbage". Mr Buonanno wore a T-shirt combining the images of Adolf Hitler and Angela Merkel during a debate on the Volkswagen emissions scandal, and a day later gave the Nazi salute with Mrs Merkel and French President Francois Hollande present. Both MEPs had been involved in this type of incident before, the European Parliament said. Mr Buonanno tweeted a photograph of himself in the European Parliament on Tuesday, saying: "They banned me but I went in anyway!" He was embroiled in more controversy earlier this month when he brandished a gun during a TV interview during a row over Italy's self-defence laws and announced he was setting up a fund to help residents in his town buy guns.

Summary: Two right-wing MEPs have been suspended from the European Parliament for making Nazi salutes during sessions.


Gareth Southgate's side play their opener against Portugal on 19 May, with the final Group B game against Japan on 27 May. The winners of each group play in the final on 29 May - with some teams using it as preparation for the Olympics. England, who last won the event in 1994, have finished fourth in the past two years with under-20 sides. In the other group, Mali will begin against the Czech Republic on 18 May before taking on Mexico four days later and then facing hosts France and finally Bulgaria in Group A.

Summary: England Under-21s will face Portugal, Guinea, Paraguay and Japan at the Toulon Tournament later this month.


North Wales Fire and Rescue Service responded to reports of a fire and smoke at an aluminium works at London Road, Holyhead, at 03:29 BST. The A55 was closed for a short time between J1 A5 Victoria Road and London Road and J3 A5 (Valley) due to concerns about a risk of further explosions, said North Wales Police. One fire crew remains at the scene. Multiple agencies attended the site and, after checks, it was declared safe and roads were reopened, a police spokesman said.

Summary: Fire crews have been called to several reports of an explosion at Anglesey.


Media playback is not supported on this device There has never been a need or desire to brag about her talents. Her swimming speaks for itself. But the 17-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, has recently taken to sporting a snazzy bright hat to make sure she is noticed. It is not a fashion statement or shameless attempt at attention-seeking, simply a safety precaution. "Last year, she had her first epileptic seizure," mum Sharon told BBC Sport. "These are quite a normal thing with cerebral palsy unfortunately. "We didn't want to stop her swimming, so we bought her an orange hat, so when she does her training sessions she is easy to pick out in the lanes just in case something happens in the water." The first seizure was "horrifying". Various tests and plenty of worrying and uncertainty followed. As have "at least six" big seizures in the past 12 months. "It doesn't faze her," Sharon added. "They have all been in the night so she is not really aware of what has happened. "She just happily takes her medication and gets on with it. And the lifeguards are all aware that she is the one in the special orange hat." Milne had a stroke when she was born and is missing a third of her brain on the left side, something she previously joked "sounded cool". It means she has restricted movements on her right side. But the epilepsy - the latest obstacle - has not affected Milne's progress, times or enthusiasm. Having taken her GCSEs and spent a year at college, she now combines her swimming with an apprenticeship, working as a lifeguard and swimming assistant at the Meres Leisure Centre in Grantham, not far from her Lincolnshire home. She is still training five or six times per week at Grantham Swimming Club, and she is ranked in the top two in the country in her category at six events in long and short course this year. And she is now in the highest of two levels for Para-swimmers in the country - the England Programmes Development. Her progress from the Spotlight Programme has given her plenty to think about, but she is embracing the challenge. "Times are obviously important because now she is more senior," explained her liaison coach Carl Cooper. "But it's now about taking information on board and the processes - not just the swimming. "How do we make progress so she is world class? We get the athlete looking at their training and what they do leading up to it. We set goals and work on skills." Cooper is in regular contact, and sees Hayley about 10 times per year. She has one or two National Camps and one or two Zonal camps each year, as well as more bespoke training, and plenty of form-filling to keep tabs of her progress. Milne has taken to the step up. She desperately wants to make the next Paralympics and is well aware of the dedication needed to make that happen. She said: "It's harder for me swimming with swimmers

Summary: As one of the best young Para-swimmers in the country, Hayley Milne stands out.


They will replace Michael Buble as hosts of next month's show after the Canadian singer pulled out to care for his ill three-year-old son. The Brit Awards take place at the O2 in London on 22 February. "The Brits is an iconic show that I've watched and attended many times," said X Factor presenter O'Leary. Emma, who is currently presenting The Voice UK, said: "To present the Brits is an honour but to be doing it alongside one of my absolute favourites, Mr Dermot O'Leary is just bonkers. Bring on the Brits 2017." Robbie Williams, Little Mix, The 1975 and Emeli SandÃ© have already been confirmed to perform at the event.

Summary: Dermot O'Leary and Emma Willis are to present this year's Brit Awards, organisers have announced.