The Craigneuk-based mixed martial arts fighter will take on Brazilian Luis Henrique Da Silva at the 18,000 capacity Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, just the fourth Scot to make the step up to the UFC. The 29-year-old has signed a four-fight deal with what he calls the "Champions League of MMA", a far cry from his days at Tynecastle. It is a stage he didn't even aspire to until he found he was reducing opponents to tears. "The truth was I wasn't good enough," Craig said of his attempts to forge a career in football. "I knew that myself so I went into the role of coaching football. "I was OK, it was enjoyable, but I really missed the competitive side, I missed having some sort of competition. I started messing about with martial arts and found that I was really good at it. "It was never a case of 'I'm going to be in the UFC one day'. I was driving up and down the length and breadth of Britain fighting in various competitions in regards to jiu-jitsu. My coach said to me 'there's an opportunity, do you fancy it?' and it was down on a show in Sunderland. "I always remember the guy I fought was Gary Sivills, and he was the top guy down that way. He had a really good record, he then wanted to fight for a British title, and he was using me as some cannon fodder, a stepping stone. He was expected just to walk through me. I had no pressure at all, I was going in as underdog. "I took four or five friends down with me, and I beat him in like a minute and 37 seconds. I went to speak to him afterwards and he was sobbing his eyes out and I couldn't work out why. "It wasn't until I then beat a guy called Karl Moore as a pro in my first fight in BAMMA (British Association of Mixed Martial Arts). He was touted as being the next big thing, and it went two rounds. I remember the same thing, him crying. "I thought about all the guys I've fought and they'd all been trying to get to this one point. All these guys are trying to make it to the UFC, and I've stopped them. I understand the pressure they were under." By day Craig teaches with Skillforce, an educational charity that helps pupils engage with school and make the most of their lives. Now, after eight wins from eight fights, all within the distance, he has been noticed by the UFC and is set to fight on the same stage that has has turned Irishman Conor McGregor into a global superstar. Craig will not get an easy introduction to life in the UFC against the kickboxing skills of Da Silva, but after sparring with Scottish boxers Stephen Simmons and Jay McFarlane, Craig is confident he can end the Brazilian's 12-fight unbeaten run. "The UFC is the pinnacle, everyone wants to fight there," Craig told BBC Scotland. "It's going to

Summary: On Saturday, Scotland's Paul Craig will complete a remarkable journey from the Hearts youth team to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.


Claire Darbyshire, 36, killed 67-year-old Brian at their home in Wykeham Green, Dagenham, east London, on 2 September last year. Afterwards, she claimed they had made a suicide pact as his illness had become "intolerable". But following an Old Bailey trial, a jury found Darbyshire guilty of murder. Sentencing her, Recorder of London Nicholas Hilliard QC said he accepted that she believed it was an act of mercy. He said the key to the case was that she failed to establish her father had agreed she would also kill herself in a suicide pact. He said: "I accept your evidence that your father did raise the question of ending his own life and he wanted to do that and wanted your help to do so." But he told her she had unlawfully killed her father behind "closed doors" and no defence to murder applied. Darbyshire, who was born male but has lived her life as a female, has already spent five months on remand in a men's prison awaiting trial. Widower Mr Darbyshire developed MS in 1995 and in 2014 the defendant took over as his sole carer. Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC told jurors that Mr Darbyshire, a retired Ford stock controller, had not expressed any suicidal thoughts or complained about being in pain to nurses who visited him. Medical records revealed he had episodes of "bad temper and aggression", but had never tried to kill himself. Darbyshire complained to a friend about having to look after him and appeared to be stressed. After the killing she caught a train to the Dover area, having texted the district nurse to visit "asap". On 3 September, Darbyshire approached a National Trust worker on cliffs for help and ended up with support services in Canterbury. Five days later she mentioned the suicide pact for the first time. She said they had both taken an overdose on 1 September, which failed to work, before she suffocated her father. On the morning of 10 September - eight days after the killing - police discovered Mr Darbyshire's body in his bed with a suit, teddy bear and various handwritten notes nearby. Following her arrest, Darbyshire told police she had planned to hand herself in the next day and a signed account was found among her belongings. In mitigation, Paul Keleher QC told the court that by 2015, Darbyshire and her father were "living a life which most people would regard as intolerable". He also discussed a report about her time in custody, saying she had thought about self-harm when she first arrived in prison but "the kindness of strangers... brought her to the realisation that life was not desperate". He added: "The prison will continue to support in terms of her ongoing transformation." Det Insp Sarah McConnell from the Met Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command said: "The reclusive lifestyle that Brian and Claire Darbyshire had lived for a number of years means it is difficult to fully understand their precise situation." She said the unanimous verdict of murder "has been welcomed by the remaining family of

Summary: A carer found guilty of murdering her MS-suffering father has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of four years.


Having survived a tight lbw appeal early on, the former England captain went on to reach three figures off 202 balls with 16 fours. The Essex opener shared a 134-run second-wicket stand with Tom Westley but fell for 110 as he pulled a short ball from Dean Elgar to James Hildreth. But, Westley's unbeaten 86 ensured the visitors chased down 255 in 84.1 overs. In his first competitive match since stepping down as skipper of the national side, Cook rarely looked troubled while at the crease. Resuming overnight unbeaten on four, Cook signalled his intent by hitting two boundaries from the first over of the day before Craig Overton was convinced the England batsman had been trapped lbw only for umpire Graham Lloyd to remain unmoved. Despite 30 wickets falling in the first two days, the hosts' bowlers struggled and Nick Browne shared an 82-run opening partnership with the England opener before being caught behind off Jamie Overton for 35. Cook batted on unfazed, as new Somerset captain Tom Abell ran out of options, and left the visitors requiring just 39 runs to win when he was dismissed. A rejuvenated Westley, who made just 10 in the first innings, saw Essex home as he drove seamer Lewis Gregory to the boundary.

Summary: Alastair Cook's masterful century guided Essex to an eight-wicket victory over Somerset at Taunton.


Among them were customers at the Salt House Bar in Galway, who were celebrating when something out of the ordinary happened. "I was cleaning up glasses and felt a drip on my head and we noticed that it was raining from the roof," said Liam McEvoy, who was working in the bar. He went upstairs to the storeroom and discovered a keg had burst. "When 20 litres of beer comes out of the keg there's a lot of it, so it spread across the floor upstairs and started to come through in a few different spots," he said. Liam said staff cleared up the spill pretty quickly, but that did not stop some of the beer from raining down on customers in the bar. "It was unfortunately just over two tables of girls, so we just gave them umbrellas and let them get on with their day," he said. "At first everyone was a bit unsure what was happening, but it was St Patrick's Day so nobody was really going to complain or go home and they got a bit of a laugh out of it, getting served with umbrellas up in the pub even if it's bad luck. "I think beer from the roof was strange enough, let alone having superstitions." Eventually the drips subsided, but the female drinkers had got quite used to the novelty of using umbrellas indoors. "I think the girls started to enjoy it so they kept them up for about half an hour, even though they probably only needed them for a few minutes," he said.

Summary: Irish people around the world raised a glass or two in honour of their patron saint on St Patrick's Day.


Hayes, 29, has scored six goals in 22 matches for the Scottish Premiership side this season, including one in the Europa League. He won the 2010 Scottish First Division title with Inverness and then the 2014 Scottish League Cup with Aberdeen. Cardiff have already signed utility player Greg Halford from Championship rivals Rotherham and striker Ibrahim Meite from non-league Harrow Borough. Now they are trying to add Hayes, who has two caps for the Republic, as manager Neil Warnock looks to revamp his squad in the January transfer window.

Summary: Cardiff City are targeting Aberdeen's Republic of Ireland winger Jonny Hayes.


Jason Lawrance, 50, of Liphook, Hampshire, used two profiles to meet his victims from five English counties, Derby Crown Court heard. He must serve at least 12 and a half years before being eligible for parole. Judge Gregory Dickinson, said he was "devious, manipulative and highly dangerous to women". Lawrance committed three attacks months after marrying his wife who he met via the site. Updates on this story and more from Derbyshire The assaults took place between June 2011 and November 2014 in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire. Lawrance, a self-employed builder, was found guilty on Wednesday of five counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault following a two-week trial. Sentencing him, Judge Dickinson said: "I am compelled to the dreadful conclusion that you enjoyed raping women. "After these terrible crimes you acted as if nothing had happened. "Given the chance you will rape again. I do not know when it may be safe to release you into the community." The court heard Lawrance's parents and three children were "devastated" by his convictions, however his wife is standing by him. During the trial, jurors were told Lawrance used two pictureless profiles - keepitstraighttoday and straightmanlooking - to contact several thousand women, but was keen to talk to them offline. Derbyshire Police began investigating in November 2014 after officers received a call from a woman who said her friend was raped by Lawrance. Officers found that in June 2011 he drove a woman down a remote country lane near Crick in Northamptonshire and raped her in the back of his van. Two years later he sent a woman a message saying "Boo! xx" 24 hours after attempting to rape her at her house in Spalding, Lincolnshire. The jury was told he had consensual sex at a woman's house in Buxton, Derbyshire, in November 2013, but the following day raped her despite her "screaming hysterically". He then sent her a text message reading: "When you were crying out for me to stop I couldn't, I'm so mad at myself xxx" and another saying "I was disgusted with myself for hurting you. I am so sorry. I am too rough for you xxx xx". A year later, in 2014, he raped two women in hotel rooms in Leicestershire and Cambridgeshire. Judge Dickinson said Match.com and police could learn lessons from the case after it came to light that four victims had previously reported his behaviour to the website but his profile was not removed. Police said they hoped the case would get safety messages across for people using online dating sites. Det Ch Insp Allison Rigby, from Derbyshire Police, said: "Jason Lawrance is a prolific, serial rapist who preyed on women." Police said he contacted women who were divorced or widowed, and many were lonely and vulnerable. During the trial it also emerged Lawrance was arrested by Lincolnshire Police in 2013 after one of his victims reported she had been raped at her home. He was released on bail after officers said they had "insufficient evidence" to

Summary: A "sexual predator" who raped five women and attacked two more after meeting them on internet dating site Match.com has been jailed for life.


It was Guiseley's first league victory since 30 April - and the manner of it was enough to see the club trending on Twitter. The game featured seven goals, a 37-minute delay when the lights went out and an angry fan marching on to the pitch to confront York City boss Jackie McNamara. York, relegated from League Two last season and backed by more than 700 fans for the away trip, dropped to 20th with a fourth straight defeat. Guiseley remain bottom with six points from 14 games. The visitors led through Matt Fry's header, only for Guiseley to scores twice in three minutes through debutant Jake Cassidy and Alex Purver. Purver added a third, Jordan Preston made it 4-1 and, after the floodlight failure plunged the ground into darkness, Jermaine Hylton, another debutant, and Rob Atkinson completed the rout. The game, which started at 19:45 BST, finished at 22:35. Match ends, Guiseley 6, York City 1. Second Half ends, Guiseley 6, York City 1. Goal! Guiseley 6, York City 1. Robert Atkinson (Guiseley). Substitution, Guiseley. Adam Boyes replaces Jermaine Hylton. Substitution, Guiseley. Michael Rankine replaces Jake Cassidy. Substitution, Guiseley. Nicky Clee replaces Connor Brown. Substitution, York City. Kaine Felix replaces Justin Johnson. Goal! Guiseley 5, York City 1. Jermaine Hylton (Guiseley). Substitution, York City. Fraser Murdoch replaces Scott Fenwick. Substitution, York City. Yan Klukowski replaces Ben Clappison. Second Half begins Guiseley 4, York City 1. First Half ends, Guiseley 4, York City 1. Goal! Guiseley 4, York City 1. Jordan Preston (Guiseley). Jordan Preston (Guiseley) is shown the yellow card. Goal! Guiseley 3, York City 1. Alex Purver (Guiseley). Goal! Guiseley 2, York City 1. Alex Purver (Guiseley). Goal! Guiseley 1, York City 1. Jake Cassidy (Guiseley). Goal! Guiseley 0, York City 1. Matt Fry (York City). First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Summary: National League bottom club Guiseley came from behind - and overcame a floodlight failure - to thrash Yorkshire neighbours York City at Nethermoor.


In the capital, Hanoi, demonstrators sang patriotic songs and held up placards opposite the Chinese embassy. Tensions have been running high after Vietnamese ships clashed with Chinese vessels guarding an oil rig in a contested area of the South China Sea. The protests appear to have the Vietnamese government's approval. The country's communist authorities have broken up previous anti-China demonstrations because of fears that they may be hijacked by pro-democracy activists, says the BBC's Asia Pacific editor, Charles Scanlon. Nevertheless, he says, Hanoi has also used the demonstrations to communicate its anger over what it sees as Beijing's aggressive infringement of Vietnamese sovereignty. The protesters opposite the Chinese embassy on Sunday included war veterans and students. "This is the largest anti-Chinese demonstration I have ever seen in Hanoi," a war veteran named Dang Quang Thang told the AFP news agency. "Our patience has limits. We are here to express the will of the Vietnamese people to defend our territory at all costs. We are ready to die to protect our nation," he is quoted as saying. Large anti-China protests were also seen in other Vietnamese cities. Earlier this month, ships from the two countries collided near a Chinese oil drilling platform in the South China Sea. China has warned Vietnam to withdraw its ships from waters, off the disputed Paracel Islands, that it claims as its own. But Vietnam - which also claims that stretch of sea - accused China of having sent 80 vessels, including navy ships, to support an oil drilling operation. It released video footage to back its claim that Chinese ships had rammed Vietnamese vessels. The US has accused China of provocation, and warned that the dispute could destabilise the region. The issue was also discussed by foreign ministers at the 10-member ASEAN summit of south-east Asian Nations in Myanmar (also known as Burma). .

Summary: Hundreds of people across Vietnam have protested against China's role in a sea dispute - the largest rallies of their kind recently in the communist country.


The writer, who had cancer, died in Los Angeles on Christmas Day his son, Paul Johnson, said. Johnson also penned the first Star Trek television episode, shown in 1966. But he was best known for Logan's Run, which was made into a 1976 film starring Michael York and was nominated for two Oscars. Set in a dystopian future and co-written with William F Nolan, the story told of a society where young people live idyllic lives, but are executed when they reach the age of 30 to prevent overpopulation. York played Logan 5, a so-called Sandman who tracks down those who try to escape their fate. Jenny Agutter, Peter Ustinov and Farrah Fawcett also starred in the film. The film was nominated for best cinematography and art direction Oscars and won a special achievement Academy Award for its visual effects. It also spawned a short-lived US TV series in 1977 starring Gregory Harrison in the lead role. 'Loved his fans' Johnson was revered among fans of the sci-fi genre for his work, which also included a collaboration with Ray Bradbury on the 1962 Oscar-nominated animated short film Icarus Montgolfier Wright. "Please emphasise how much he loved his fans, and judging by the overwhelming response I've received, from hundreds of people, known and unknown, he made quite an impact on them," Paul Johnson told The Associated Press. Prior to Logan's Run, Johnson created several episodes of 1960s TV series The Twilight Zone. They included Kick the Can, where a group of elderly care home residents turn back their biological clocks and relive their childhoods by playing a children's game, and Nothing in the Dark, which starred a young Robert Redford as a kindly version of the Grim Reaper. The writer also penned the story of Ocean's 11, the 1960 film about a Las Vegas casino heist which starred Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin. It was remade in 2001 starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon and paved the way for two sequels, released in 2004 and 2007. As well as his son, Johnson is survived by a daughter, Judy Olive, and his wife, Lola Johnson.

Summary: Science-fiction writer George Clayton Johnson, who co-wrote the 1967 dystopian novel Logan's Run, has died aged 86.


Airbus increased revenue by 6% in the third quarter to €14bn (£10bn; $15.4bn) compared with €13.3bn the year before. The company benefited from the strong dollar and growing sales across all its products. Airbus plans to increase production of its A320 to 60 a month in 2019, from 42 now, capitalising on growing sales. Shares in Airbus rose 4.6% in early trading following the news. The company's order intake increased 42% in the first nine months of 2015 compared with a year earlier. Airbus did €100bn in sales of commercial aircraft and €4bn of helicopters sales. The firm also announced a €1bn share buy back to be completed by mid-2016. Airbus said the increased production of A320s would help off set some of the issues it has had delivering other aircraft. In a statement, chief executive Tom Enders said "We are strongly focused on programme execution given our key operational challenges with the A350 and A400M ram-ups." Airbus has struggled to keep up with demand for its A350. Both the A350, and the A400M military aircraft, have carbon fibre structures that improve fuel efficiency.

Summary: European aircraft maker Airbus is planning to ramp up production of its A320 following a profitable third quarter earnings.


The Vikings looked set for only a third win this season when tries from Chris Houston, Rhys Hanbury and two from Patrick Ah Van opened up a big lead. But Jansin Turgut got a try back for Hull 30 seconds before the break. Full-back Jamie Shaul got two of Hull's five unanswered second-half tries, with Carlos Tuimavave, Albert Kelly and Danny Washbrook also crossing. A fourth successive win for Lee Radford's side, in which Marc Sneyd added four conversions and a drop goal, lifted them back to second in the Super League table. Widnes, already without the injured Corey Thompson, who announced on Thursday that he will leave at the end of the season, lost centre Chris Bridge after just 90 seconds. But scrum-half Tom Gilmore, who also converted three of their four tries, was the inspiration behind their first-half show. Two tries in two minutes either side of the break, the second from Shaul triggered by Josh Griffin's half-time arrival, proved the turning point for Hull. Tuimavave was put over for try number three by a deft pass from stand-off Kelly, who then found a gaping hole to romp in from 50 metres for his 12th try of the season, Sneyd adding the extras to level the scores with 15 minutes left. Shaul then crossed for his second with a typical bursting effort as Widnes' defenders ran out of energy, and Sneyd dropped the goal which left Widnes needing two scores before Washbrook had the final say with a simple score. Widnes head coach Denis Betts told BBC Radio Merseyside: "If we had points for winning halves, we'd be in a lot better position. These past few weeks we've won the first halves in games but not got anything out of them. "It was the best 40 minutes of the year for us. Then we stopped doing everything. Our shape dropped, our talk dropped off. We had a great lead and energy but then don't turn up in the second half. "They have got some good players, Jamie Shaul, Albert Kelly, Marc Sneyd, Carlos Tuimavave, but we let them back in. We were chasing shadows. "Chris Bridge knocked himself out in the tackle. He had his head slammed to the ground and he's still a bit dazed. That means we had one rotation less. We looked really tired in the second half and it showed." Hull FC boss Lee Radford told BBC Radio Humberside: "We gave ourselves a really difficult job to do because of the start we made. But we scored before the break and that gave us a chance. And we could have made it even easier in the end as we bombed some chances. "We were out-enthused in every department in the first half. We showed the lads some clips at half-time why we were in the situation we were in. "We needed something more and we needed some energy and we eventually got it. We wanted to get Albert Kelly carrying the ball a bit more and he managed to do that. "The group know comebacks like

Summary: Hull FC produced one of the comebacks of the season as they hit back from 22-0 down to win at bottom club Widnes.


Gray was a Scotland age-grade international and worked for Scottish Rugby in various coaching roles between 1994 and 2006. He said working with the senior team is "something special indeed". Head coach Vern Cotter added: "We're looking forward to adding his experience and passion to the group." Scotland begin the tournament at home to England on 6 February then visit Wales and Italy before hosting France and finishing in Ireland. Elaborating on his new role, Gray commented: "The defensive breakdown is an area highlighted by the coaches as an area for improvement, for which I've been given a very specific brief to work alongside defence coach Matt Taylor for the seven-week period of the Six Nations. "It's a great honour and I'm looking forward to joining up with the squad in camp in St Andrews this Sunday."

Summary: Richie Gray has joined Scotland's Six Nations backroom staff as a consultant after three years as South Africa's specialist breakdown coach.


George Osborne will consider that he has scored not one but two direct hits - no cuts to working tax credits and no cuts to police budgets. The former, of course, is largely due to the defiance of the House of Lords (Mr Osborne was ridiculed by Labour's Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, describing it as a climb-down). The latter may or may not be connected with that leaked letter from an unnamed police chief to the Home Office warning about the dire consequences of cuts in police budgets of 20% just at a time when community policing and intelligence-gathering were at a premium because of the counter terrorism agenda. The chancellor was equally determined to present himself as George (if not Bob) the Builder with his Â£4bn push for private developers to deliver 400,000 new affordable homes to buy. There will be some scepticism about this, and not just on the Opposition benches. Could this be yet another missed target bearing in mind that, as Mr McDonnell pointed out, the construction industry is in recession? In the Midlands, building developments are severely hampered by a shortage of bricklayers. One major local initiative which will receive a general welcome from all sides in politics will be Mr Osborne's confirmation that the long-awaited 670-bed super hospital in Sandwell is on the list of three new hospitals. It will take over services currently provided by Birmingham City and Sandwell hospitals. A "flat cash" settlement for local authorities guarantees that the agony for local councils will extend throughout the lifetime of this parliament. This will be the stark backdrop for councils preparing to set their budgets for next year. Labour MPs including Gisela Stuart (Birmingham Edgbaston) complain that local government is being redefined, forced by budget cuts to withdraw from important areas of their work, with only the voluntary "third sector" left to fill the gap, or so it's hoped. Will this be offset by his further encouragement for the local leaders who signed up in Coventry last week for the West Midlands Combined Authority's "devo deal"? The chair of the shadow authority which paves the way for it, the Conservative leader of Solihull Council, Bob Sleigh, told the BBC he is delighted the Â£8bn of devolved spending power already announced will enable the new authority, complete with elected "metro" mayor, to deliver the "big ticket" items - transport, housing, skills and business growth. It will certainly concentrate the minds of councils outside the "core" authority area who have so far stood aloof from the West Midlands Combined Authority. Places like Warwickshire, where nearby Coventry and the Coventry and Warwickshire enterprise partnership have signed up for it while the county council has not. The government clearly believes its "Devolution Revolution" is finally gaining momentum towards its vision of the new authority at the centre of a bigger Midlands "economic engine", connecting the East and West Midlands in the way that the Northern Powerhouse is connected from Merseyside to Humberside. The Treasury's official map of its regional spending settlements shows East and West Midlands united, together, joined-up,

Summary: Chancellors love springing surprises, especially if they manage to shoot some of the opposition's foxes at the same time.


Jayden Stockley, Adam Rooney and Wes Burns all scored in the last 20 minutes. "You see the goal threats we have and we've got Miles Storey to add to that," McInnes told BBC Scotland. "Tonight I thought we were so industrious, tenacious, and played the game how it needed to be played." Stockley's header broke the deadlock, and was his first goal for the club since signing in the summer. Burns had sealed a loan switch from English Championship side Bristol City hours before the game, and the Welshman scored just a minute after coming off the bench. "It was always my intention to get another striker on next to Rooney for the second period of the game," said McInnes. "Jayden's goal is magnificent. Rooney is typical Rooney." McInnes also hailed his defence as they kept a clean sheet for the first time in Europe this season. "Defensively they deserves a lot of plaudits," he said. "They've taken a kicking recently with mistakes and lack of concentration. "It was important we didn't chase the game willy nilly. We drew 0-0 here with Groningen and Shkendija and that was enough or us. "The goal we conceded to Fola Esch, that was the goal that nearly put us out of the tournament. Although the performance was poor over there, that was the goal that gave the opposition the hope and incentive. "It's very important to keep clean sheets at home in Europe, and I think we're capable of scoring over there which makes it more difficult for them. They have to play with that concern while they try and chase the game." He added: "We're confident going on the road. Last week was not like us. In Europe we've picked up some good results, we've always been quite compact and disciplined and been able to counter. "We did nothing last week apart from give the opposition hope that they could win. But tonight there was some good performances and it was a good night's work for us."

Summary: Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes hailed the attacking threat of his side as they beat Ventspils 3-0 in the Europa League second qualifying round.


The figure is a big increase on the 89 child abductions reported by Unicef last month. Their latest statement blamed a militia group allied to the government. South Sudan is in a state of civil war with forces loyal to President Salva Kiir pitted against rebels led by former Vice-President Riek Machar. The campaign group Human Rights Watch has accused both sides of using child soldiers. Unicef said the boys were abducted by the Shilluk Militia, under the control of Johnson Oloni. The government has previously said it has no control over the group. "We fear [the children] are going from the classroom to the front line," said Unicef's representative in South Sudan, Jonathan Veitch. Witnesses report seeing children as young as 12 carrying guns, according to the UN. The seizure of the boys happened in an area known as Wau Shilluk, in oil-rich Upper Nile state. The UN believes 12,000 children were used as child soldiers across South Sudan last year. About 1.5 million people have been displaced by the fighting in the country and 2.5 million are facing severe food shortages.

Summary: Hundreds of boys in South Sudan have been kidnapped and forced to become child soldiers, the United Nations children's agency says.


The 19-year-old is the only uncapped player in the 25-man squad announced on Tuesday. Defender Aaron Hughes and striker Jamie Ward are included but are injury doubts for the 14 November game in Bucharest. McNair's Old Trafford team-mate Jonny Evans is out injured and has yet to feature in the qualifying campaign. He missed the first qualifying game in Hungary because of suspension and an ankle injury ruled him out of the victories over the Faroe Islands and Greece. Media playback is not supported on this device Northern Ireland have made a magnificent start to the qualifying series, winning their opening three games for the first time. They are two points ahead of the second-placed Romanians. McNair, who has featured three times for United this season including Saturday's derby defeat by Manchester City, has been brought in as cover for Hughes who picked up an ankle injury playing for Brighton. "I've been hugely impressed with Paddy - he's come into a difficult situation at Manchester United and there is a lot of media attention," said Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill. "The manager has come in and spent a lot of money so it is encouraging to see the likes of Paddy given a chance. "He's played in difficult circumstances, with the defence a bit makeshift at times and it's difficult for a young player to come into that. Media playback is not supported on this device "But he's acquitted himself very well, he's around the Manchester United first team and I'm looking forward to having him in the squad." West Brom midfielder Chris Brunt returns to the squad after missing the games against Greece and the Faroe Islands, but Hull defender Alex Bruce has a hamstring injury. Northern Ireland squad: Goalkeepers: R Carroll (Notts County), A Mannus (St Johnstone), M McGovern (Hamilton Academical). Defenders: A Hughes (Brighton), C Baird (West Bromwich Albion), G McAuley (West Bromwich Albion), R McGivern (Port Vale), C Cathcart (Watford), C McLaughlin (Fleetwood Town), L McCullough (Doncaster Rovers), R McLaughlin (Liverpool), P McNair (Manchester United). Midfielders: S Davis (Southampton), C Brunt (West Bromwich Albion), S Clingan (Kilmarnock), C Evans (Blackburn Rovers), O Norwood (Reading), B Reeves (MK Dons), P McCourt (Brighton), N McGinn (Aberdeen). Strikers: K Lafferty (Norwich City), J Ward (Derby County), J Magennis (Kilmarnock), B McKay (Inverness Caledonian Thistle), Will Grigg (MK Dons).

Summary: Manchester United defender Paddy McNair has been named in the Northern Ireland squad for the first time for the Euro 2016 qualifier away to Romania.


Charlie ran on to the pitch during New Zealand's lap of honour at Twickenham stadium last night. Sonny Bill Williams intervened as a security guard tackled the 14-year-old fan. The New Zealand centre took Charlie with him on his lap of honour before giving him a surprise he will not forget. Williams handed over his Rugby World Cup winners medal in front of a stunned crowd. He told New Zealand News afterwards: "I was walking around doing a lap of honour with the boys and a young fella came running out and he got smoked by the security guard, like full-on tackled him. I felt sorry for the little fella." It's a Rugby World Cup final souvenir that Charlie wont forget.

Summary: New Zealand player, Sonny Bill Williams, gives his Rugby World Cup winning medal to a stunned 14-year-old fan.


Conte encouraged Blues fans to make more noise in the closing stages, with reports claiming Mourinho told the Italian at the final whistle that his actions had "humiliated" United. But Conte said: "I've been a player too and I know how to behave. "I always show great respect for everyone, including Manchester United." Goals from Pedro, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante ensured Mourinho's first return to Chelsea since he was sacked last year ended in bitter disappointment. Mourinho, 53, received a relatively warm welcome at Stamford Bridge, although the match ended with the Portuguese boss seemingly having harsh words with Conte. The 47-year-old Italian had urged the home fans to raise the noise levels in appreciation of his team's performance - because he could only hear the travelling United fans. Media playback is not supported on this device Reports in the Italian media claimed Mourinho told Conte: "You don't celebrate like that at 4-0, you can do it at 1-0, otherwise it's humiliating for us." Neither manager confirmed what was said in their post-match media conferences. "There was no incident, it was just a normal thing to do. I wasn't mocking anyone, I wouldn't do that," said Conte. "Today it was right to call our fans in a moment when I was listening to only the supporters of Manchester United at 4-0. "The players, after a 4-0 win, deserved a great clap. It's very normal. "If we want to cut the emotion we can go home and change our job." United were aiming to go above their hosts into fifth with a victory at Stamford Bridge, but were instead left to reflect on their heaviest Premier League defeat since the 6-1 drubbing by Manchester City in October 2011. It was also the heaviest defeat for Mourinho in all competitions since Real Madrid's 5-0 defeat by Barcelona in November 2010. United conceded after just 30 seconds when Chris Smalling's hesitation allowed Pedro to score the opener, with Cahill adding another 20 minutes later before second-half strikes from Hazard and Kante sealed an easy victory. "To the millions of fans we have around the world they have a bad feeling and I am so sorry for that," said Mourinho. "I have to apologise as the leader of the dressing room and the only thing I can say is I'm 100% Man Utd, not 99% for Man Utd and 1% for Chelsea. "I feel deeply the situation but there is only one answer, training on Monday and keep fighting." Media playback is not supported on this device Chelsea endured a miserable campaign as they tried to defend their Premier League title last season, started badly under Mourinho - who was sacked in December when they were 16th - before rallying under interim manager Guus Hiddink to finish 10th. Conte, the former Italy and Juventus coach, was appointed to restore their fortunes and sees his side one point adrift of Premier League leaders Manchester City after Sunday's win against United. "We wanted to show our ambition and give the satisfaction to our fans and

Summary: Chelsea boss Antonio Conte says he was "not mocking anyone" after appearing to antagonise Jose Mourinho in Manchester United's 4-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.


The BFI praised the 46-year-old's "mesmerising screen presence" which "has captivated audiences since her earliest roles". The actress won Academy Awards for her roles in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine in 2014 and in 2005 for The Aviator. She will be awarded the honour at the London Film Festival's annual awards ceremony on 17 October. The BFI described Blanchett as "a fearless and subtle actress". "She has the rare gift of seeming utterly to inhabit the characters she plays and has an amazing ability to convey complex layers of emotion to stunning effect," it added. Blanchett shot to global fame playing Queen Elizabeth I in 1998 film Elizabeth, followed by roles in The Talented Mr Ripley, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The actress has two films receiving their UK premiere at the London Film Festival - Carol and Truth. Truth, which also stars Robert Redford and Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss, tells the true story of CBS journalist and 60 Minutes producer Mary Mapes, who risked her career to find the "truth" and expose a story on the then US President George W Bush. It will be screened as the Fellowship special presentation film. Set in 1950s Manhattan, Carol sees Blanchett play a woman trapped in a loveless marriage who falls for a younger woman, played by Rooney Mara. Previous recipients of the Fellowship include Tim Burton, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and Stephen Frears. Al Pacino and Mel Brooks have also been awarded the honour in the past year. Suffragette, starring Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan, will open the London Film Festival on 7 October, while Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs biopic will bring it to a close on 18 October.

Summary: Oscar-winning actress Cate Blachett is to receive the BFI Fellowship for her contribution to film.


The 28-year-old joins from Belgium's Royal Mouscron to become the club's sixth signing of the summer. Matulevicius has 33 caps, and scored seven goals in 30 appearances for Royal Mouscron last season. "I've always watched British football and the style of play will suit me," Matulevicius said. "It's more physical and you need to have a lot of fight in every game." The 6ft 3in centre-forward joins Danny Swanson, Simon Murray, Efe Ambrose, Ofir Marciano and Steven Whittaker in committing his immediate future to Hibs on their return to the Scottish top-flight, "I am very happy to now be a part of this club," Matulevicius said. "It's a big step in my career and I will do everything I can to make it a successful season for us. "It's a big club with a big history and I'm really happy to be here."

Summary: Hibernian manager Neil Lennon has signed Lithuanian international striker Deivydas Matulevicius on a two-year contract.


The victim, 20, was found at a house in Crawley after paramedics were called about 03:00 BST. He was found in Spencers Road, having sustained stab wound to the abdomen, and died a shortly afterwards in hospital. Two men aged 24 and 22 and two 20-year-old men, all from Crawley, were detained and are in custody. A police guard has been set up in Spencers Road and officers are speaking to residents in the area following the death of the man, who came from Mayfield.

Summary: Four people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was found with serious injuries.


Tyson Fury was one of the more recent, glaring examples of how daft the whole concept can be. The boxer might be heavyweight champion of the world but he has a very strange view of it. Fame and success might bring money and profile, but not always respect. You need something extra for that. In the grand scheme of sport's descent into the gutter, Fury is a relative innocent. From cheating athletes to corrupt sporting teams and nations to institutionally crooked associations, so much has poisoned professional sport. But then along comes somebody who inspires awe for all the right reasons and makes you refocus on the good guys rather than the bad. The admiration for Andy and Jamie Murray at the Australian Open - and beyond - is vast, but it is the life story of Helensburgh's Gordon Reid that stands out above all others, even if he's never likely to get a fraction of the attention of his more glamorous countrymen. As of Saturday morning UK time Reid became the Australian Open wheelchair champion. En route, he beat his doubles partner, Shingo Kunieda, the world number one who had won eight of the previous nine Australian Open titles. In the final, Reid, ranked fifth in the world, beat Belgium's Joachim Gerard, the world number four. Media playback is not supported on this device Reid won two doubles Grand Slam titles last year, and though he fell at the final hurdle in Melbourne, Saturday brought his first singles crown. It's not just talent or hard work that got him there. Where he is a beacon of positivity and a hugely inspiring figure - not just for our kids but for everyone - is his strength of character in the face of cataclysmic adversity. Reid is only 24. As a six-year-old he fell in love with tennis. At 12, he contracted a neurological condition in his spine called transverse myelitis that put him in hospital for six months and in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Before he had even left hospital he had started thinking about competing as a wheelchair tennis player. Twelve years old, remember. Twelve! In an interview last year he spoke of his mindset. "You can focus on what you can do instead of worrying about things you can't do and what's been taken away from you," he said. He spoke of his "dark moments" and "periods of my life where I was quite down and finding it quite hard, but I think tennis has definitely been a big help to me and helped me overcome a lot of the hurdles that have been placed my way. It was just about making the choice of not letting the condition defeat me and just trying to turn things back around." As glorious as his game is, his words are just as powerful. Reid is a beacon of brilliance and, yes, a role model, in every sense. Jordan Rhodes is on the cusp of a move up the pecking order of the Championship, from Blackburn in 18th place

Summary: The notion of sportsmen and sportswomen being deemed worthy role models for our children has taken such a battering over the years that you wonder why some people still persist with it.


FRHI Holdings owns three of the world's most famous hotel brands: Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel. It has 155 hotels in 34 countries, with 42 in North America, including The Plaza in New York. AccorHotels, which owns the Novotel and Ibis chains, said the purchase would give it a better-balanced profile. The owners of FRHI include the Qatari Investment Authority and the Kingdom Holding Company of Saudi Arabia. They will become major shareholders in Accor, with stakes of 10.5% and 5.8% respectively. Accor will pay for the acquisition by issuing 46.7 million new shares, worth about €1.8bn based on Wednesday's closing price, and a cash payment of €786m. The French company already owns luxury hotel brands including Sofitel and Pullman, as well as the mid-market Novotel and Mercure, as well as the budget Ibis and hotelF1 chains. It said the deal would increase profits from the second year after the deal was completed, with €65m in revenue and cost savings expected. Sebastien Bazin, chief executive of AccorHotels, said: "It offers us robust and global leadership in luxury hotels - a key segment in terms of geographic reach - growth potential and profitability, for long-term value creation." "We are positioning ourselves as a key player in the current industry consolidation process while maintaining substantial leeway to implement our transformation plan." The deal is the latest consolidation in the global hotel industry after Marriott International made a $12bn takeover of Starwood Hotels & Resorts to create the world's largest hotel operator. FRHI was put up for sale earlier this year by its owners. It was reported in September that London-listed InterContinental Hotels Group was considering making a bid, but none materialised. Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani, chief executive of the Qatar Investment Authority, said it looked forward to becoming a significant shareholder in Accor. The QIA will get two seats on the Accor board, while Kingdom Holding will have one.

Summary: The owner of hotels including the Savoy in London and Raffles in Singapore has been bought by Accor for €2.6bn (£1.9bn).


18 December 2015 Last updated at 15:36 GMT Speaking from the International Space Station, he said life in orbit "was absolutely spectacular". He arrived at the station on Tuesday after blasting off from Kazakhstan on a Soyuz rocket.

Summary: UK astronaut Tim Peake says his first three days in space have been better than he imagined.


She was performing her sell-out tour at the SSE Hydro on Friday night when a chain fell from the production rigging onto a woman in the audience. She was taken to hospital "as a precaution", a spokesman for the venue said. Adele later tweeted: "I'm so sorry to hear that someone got hurt at my show tonight. "It's being investigated to ensure it won't happen again. X" A spokesman for the venue said: "The lady was attended to by our own medical team and then taken to hospital as a precaution. "The safety of every member of our audience is paramount and we are currently working with the promoter's production team to establish why this happened and to ensure it does not happen again." Stuart Duffy, who was at the show, said the lights came up and other spectators were moved. He posted a picture on Twitter of the rigging that appeared to have malfunctioned. Adele will perform a second show at the 13,000-capacity arena on Saturday. Her album 25 stayed at the number one spot for the 12th consecutive week, denying rock band James - who had been leading the chart earlier in the week - the top spot.

Summary: Pop star Adele has apologised after a fan was injured by a falling chain at a concert in Glasgow.


Richard Cushworth and his Salvadoran wife Mercedes Casanella say a DNA test has confirmed the boy they are raising is not their son. Local media say their child has now been found, after testing other babies born at the hospital on the same day. The doctor, who denies any wrongdoing, is being prosecuted by the authorities. At a hearing in the Central American country on Monday, a court ruled the case against Dr Alejandro Guidos should proceed and ruled that he could not leave the country. It also ordered that a new DNA test should be carried out following a request from Dr Guidos' lawyers. Mr Cushworth and Ms Casanella, who attended the hearing, had originally travelled to El Salvador in May to have their baby in his mother's homeland. But Ms Casanella says she became suspicious because the skin colour of the baby she was handed to take home was darker than that of the boy she saw after giving birth and their features were different. When the couple returned to their home in the US they eventually decided to have a DNA test which they say confirmed the baby was not theirs. Mr Cushworth, who is originally from West Yorkshire, said: "God has given us this child and somehow, somebody has taken him from us, and we want him back. "It's a horrible situation for me, for her (his wife) for my family, her family. A child is an experience you have for a lifetime... this is a life-long injury that's very, very deep, and it's horrible." Francisco Meneses, the couple's lawyer, said: "We don't have anything against the people who were involved during the baby's birth, but we want all these people to put their hands on their hearts because from the doctor who performed the surgery, the paediatrician, anaesthesiologist, and the two nurses who were in the delivery room, it's very important for them to tell us what happened." Ms Casanella says she is prepared to continue looking after baby Jacob if his mother cannot be found. She says she is not seeking financial compensation but that she will not rest until she gets her baby back.

Summary: A British father and his wife have accused a doctor at a hospital in El Salvador of swapping their newborn son at the request of child traffickers.


About 1,200 people died and 771 survived when the British liner was torpedoed by a German submarine on 7 May 1915 during World War One. One of the largest ships in the world, it was sailing from New York to its home port of Liverpool when it was sunk off the coast of Ireland. A minute's silence will be held at 14:10 BST - the time of the attack - at a service in Liverpool. The disaster provoked outrage especially in Britain, with rioters targeting German businesses in Merseyside, Manchester and London. Public opinion in the US, which had been officially neutral, was said to have changed after the death of about 130 Americans, although it was another two years before the country declared its official entry into the war, in 1917. Ian Murphy, from Merseyside Maritime Museum, said: "In 1915, Lusitania was the world's most famous ship and the jewel in Liverpool's crown. "Her sinking sent shockwaves around the globe and was said to have influenced America's entry to the war." About 600 people onboard the Lusitania had links with Merseyside. The Reverend Dr Crispin Pailing, rector of Liverpool, said: "A significant number of the crew and passengers had Liverpool connections - there is hardly a street in the Vauxhall area that wasn't affected." The ship's owner Cunard has commissioned a memorial plaque, which will be dedicated later during a service at Liverpool Parish Church. Actors Joe McGann and Roy Carruthers will read first-hand accounts from survivors. A painting by the artist Anthony Brown, whose great-grandfather was on the Lusitania's final voyage, will be put on display for the first time. The service will be followed by a walk of remembrance to the Lusitania's salvaged propeller, now located at the city's Pier Head. The disaster will also be commemorated at Cobh in the Republic of Ireland, where many victims were buried after the sinking. Last weekend, a service was held in the Isle of Man from where a fishing boat rescued about 150 people.

Summary: The centenary of the sinking of the Lusitania will be commemorated later.


With three days of campaigning until polling day, parties are concentrating on key seats. High profile campaigning was put on hold on Sunday by all the main parties, except UKIP, following the London Bridge terror attack. Both the First Minister Carwyn Jones and Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood will be in north Wales. The Welsh Labour leader will start the day in the Ynys Mon constituency, where his party faces a stiff challenge from Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives, and will finish in Wrexham. Ms Wood is also campaigning on Anglesey. For the Conservatives, both Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns and Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies have visited the constituency of Gower.

Summary: Leading Welsh politicians have resumed general election campaigning on Monday following the terror attack in London.


It says that 750,000 visitors who came to the UK last year experienced a football game, spending Â£595m in total, or the equivalent of Â£776 per fan. The most popular stadiums for overseas visitors were those of Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City. The biggest number of football visitors were from Ireland, Norway and the US. Other countries whose residents showed a passion for English football were Germany, Holland, Japan, China, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. Popular clubs for overseas visitors also included Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, while many people also made a visit to Wembley Stadium. The greatest proportion of inbound visitors going to a football match was between January and March. "Not only do some of the best players in the world want to play in Britain, but their international fans want to follow them here to savour the atmosphere of a match," said Patricia Yates of Visit Britain. Visit Britain introduced a Premier League section on its website earlier this year. Its football visitor report was based on a question it sponsored on the 2010 Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey - a survey of passengers entering and leaving the UK.

Summary: The boom in foreign players at Premier League teams is being matched by interest from overseas football fans, says tourist authority Visit Britain.


A judicial review into the project's funding has been dismissed, allowing the Championship side to press ahead. "It's like an early Christmas present," Groves told BBC Radio Cornwall. "The good news means that we can now crack on at the beginning of next year with getting the refinancing [of the club] organised." Pirates have been attempting to make progress with their proposed 6,000-capacity ground for several years, but it has been complicated by Cornish football side Truro City also wanting to build a new stadium. Asked when work on the prospective stadium will start, Groves added: "That's the question - my guess is sometime in the middle of next year. "The first stage is refinancing and recapitalising the Pirates, the second is around the stadium design and building a sustainable business, and the third phase is around a rugby partnership." The rugby partnership is with Super Rugby franchise Waikato Chiefs, whose chairman Dallas Fisher is visiting England in January. Groves says there could be potential for player swaps with the New Zealand side in future. "That is an idea going forwards, probably a couple of years down the track," he said. "I would describe it more like IP [intellectual property] swap - coaches, and maybe one or two players. "The first thing we've been focusing on at the moment is steadying the ship. I don't think people realised how bad the financial situation was at the end of September - the Pirates were pretty close to going into bankruptcy or administration."

Summary: Cornish Pirates director Colin Groves has estimated that work on the Stadium for Cornwall will start "in the middle of 2017".


EDF Energy has made the deals despite the UK government reviewing the plans and not yet giving final approval for the nuclear plant. The French firm said it was "highly positive" the plant would be built. Those opposed to the nuclear build said EDF was attempting to "twist" the arm of the government. More on the Hinkley contracts and other news from the West Earlier this month EDF agreed to invest in the first new UK nuclear plant in 20 years, and was poised to exchange contracts with the government. But hours after the decision was announced by the French energy firm, the government said it would review the plans and make its decision in the autumn. Roy Pumfrey, of the campaign group Stop Hinkley, said: "They're trying to bounce the British government into not having a pause, but perhaps even having the Prime Minister returning from holiday in Switzerland to say, 'All right, we'll give in, we'll go ahead with it'. "I cannot believe the British government is going to have its arm twisted by them. "Whilst [the supply chain contracts] will be locally beneficial, they are relatively small beer to the £18bn value of the project." Commercial director for Hinkley Point C, Ken Owen, said: "I'm highly positive that Hinkley will be built and my job on the project is to get the supply chain equipped and ready to go." He said the contracts were for a mixture of services, and 660 jobs would be created locally. Mr Owen said: "We're not just building a power station, we're servicing a mini-city. We've got 5,500 people per shift, per day. We have to look after the catering, the welfare. "We're building the largest hotel in the UK - 1,500 beds per night - and the management of that is being done by local businesses." The total value of contracts for South West firms now stands at £450m.

Summary: Contracts worth £250m for the proposed Hinkley C power station have been announced but a campaign group claims the deals are "jumping the gun".


Media playback is not supported on this device In January the 26-year-old was forced to play out of position for then-club Swansea when Francisco Guidolin took over as coach from the sacked Garry Monk. But he responded brilliantly. To vote for the BBC African Footballer of the Year follow this link His positive attitude, consistently good performances and goals played a part in helping the Swans stave off relegation from the Premier League. Ayew scored two crucial goals in a 3-1 win over Liverpool to help earn a result which finally confirmed Swansea's safety after a nerve-racking 2015-2016 campaign. In total Ayew notched 12 goals in 35 appearances and his impact was recognised when he was named the newcomer of the year at the club's end-of-season awards. His form was so impressive that, in August, the Hammers broke their transfer record to bring Ayew to east London at a cost of £20.5m. Ayew was then seriously injured on his league debut, but after a two-month absence he returned to action at the end of October. And it is "the hunger in Ayew's eyes", as seen by former Ghana international Yaw Preko when they first played together, that could drive Ayew on to show his worth this coming season. In international football, Ayew continued to be Ghana's main man in 2016. He was on the scoresheet and put in a man-of-the-match performance in the 2-0 win over Mauritius which booked the Black Stars a place at next year's Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. Ayew has been used to dealing with the pressure and expectation that comes with being the son of Ghana legend Abedi Pele Ayew, who is widely rated as one of the finest African players of all time. Ayew senior played 73 times and scored 33 goals for the Black Stars and helped them win the 1982 Nations Cup and finish runners-up in 1992. He also won the 1993 European Champions League with Marseille, having lost in the final of the European Cup two years earlier. Ahmed Brynes, a coach at Ghanaian side Nania FC where Ayew first began to follow in his father's footsteps, has made a fascinating prediction. "When Ayew was only about 14, he was already performing magic and he was even saying 'I want to be better than my father'," Byrnes told BBC Sport. "I told him, 'look, your father has just raised the bar too high for you'... but he replied 'I will overcome it' and I believe with time he's going to overcome it." Abedi Pele Ayew was named BBC African Footballer of the Year in 1992. Ayew junior emulated that feat in 2011 - could this be the year he surpasses it?

Summary: West Ham and Ghana forward Andre Ayew has shown he is not a man to shrink in the face of adversity.


The 27-year-old was getting off the Southeastern train at West Wickham, Bromley, when the doors shut on her. The driver did not see the woman on CCTV and moved off, dragging her along. She then fell under the train. Southeastern said it had offered support to the woman after the "terrible incident" in April 2015. The report was carried out by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB). A Southeastern spokesman said the company had offered to help the woman "as much as possible since the accident". Read more on this story and others from London The woman had tried to free the stuck bag strap but she was pulled along when the train moved and fell underneath it, resulting in "life-changing injuries", the report said. Investigators found she was able to open the doors two seconds after the driver had begun the door closure procedure, but was given no indication that they were about to shut. The RAIB recommended all operators who have trains which use power operated doors should make modifications to ensure passengers always had a safe amount of time to use them. They also said drivers should watch train doors while they are closing, as well as checking all doors are shut correctly. Neither the driver, who was a trainee, or their supervisor saw the woman on platform monitors and only found out about the accident later. Southeastern said it had "worked very closely" with the RAIB and has "complied with all the recommendations and learning points they have made". A spokesman said this included altering the doors on Southeastern trains to ensure they always remain open for a safe period of time.

Summary: A woman was seriously injured when her bag got caught in a train door, dragging her along the platform and on to the track, a report has revealed.


It is thought to be related to possible cases of personation, where people pretend to be someone else and cast a vote, then the real person turns up. The 10 suspect votes were cast at a variety of different polling stations across the city. Glasgow City Council said police had been called earlier on Thursday. Each ballot paper has an individual number attached to it, so officials will now have to sort through the ballots and attempt to find these 10 papers. They will then be removed, and kept separately from the more than 486,000 ballot papers being counted in Glasgow. Colin Edgar, head of communication at Glasgow City Council, said the search for the ten ballot papers "will not delay the count". Police Scotland said any crime committed would be appropriately investigated. A spokesman added: "Police Scotland takes the safety and security of the independence referendum extremely seriously and is working with partner agencies including local authorities to ensure the integrity of the ballot."

Summary: Officials at the referendum count in Glasgow have said they are investigating 10 cases of suspected electoral fraud at polling stations.


The Department for Education is imposing a legal duty on councils to provide financial support for those who want to stay longer with foster carers. The government has pledged Â£40m over the next three years to fund the plan. A care charity said the measure was the most significant reform for children in care in a generation. It will be introduced during the third reading of the Children and Families Bill next year. Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson, whose own family fostered nearly 90 children, said: "I know from the many foster children I grew up with how crucial it is for them to be given sufficient time to prepare for life after care. Rhiannon was fostered by David and Lisa when she was 16. She is now studying for her A-levels. But as her 18th birthday approached, she was unsure how much longer she would be able to stay. "The run-up to my 18th birthday wasn't very nice. "Not knowing what was happening was very stressful and I was crying quite a lot to Dave and Lisa in the evenings about what was going to happen. "But now I know that they're here for me and it's brilliant." After discussions with the council, she will now be able to live with the family until she has finished university. "For me it's important because you know you've got somewhere to stay, somewhere to go back to. You've got the family support that's always there for you." Her foster parent David says the change will give young people a "better opportunity for the future". "A growing number of local authorities already offer young people the choice to stay, but with little financial support it can be challenging for their foster families. "Now all councils will have to follow their example, and we are giving them Â£40m towards the cost. "This will allow the 10,000 young people leaving stable and secure homes to make the transition from care to independence when they are ready, rather than when their council tells them to." Speaking to Radio 5 live about the run-up to her 18th birthday Rhiannon Wickham said: "Not knowing what was happening was very stressful and I was crying quite a lot to [my foster parents] in the evenings about what was going to happen. "But now I know that they're here for me and it's brilliant." The Who Cares Trust, which campaigns for and supports children in care and young people leaving care, said the move was "absolutely fantastic news for thousands of young people in foster care" and represented "the most significant reform to the support children in care are given in a generation". Chief executive Natasha Finlayson said: "Time and again we hear from young people who are extremely anxious about having to leave their carers when they turn 18 and effectively no longer having somewhere they can call home, especially when the average age for young people who aren't in care to finally leave home is 24 to 27. "It is excellent news that the government has agreed that

Summary: Children in care in England will be able to stay with their foster families until their 21st birthday, rather than having to leave at 18, ministers say.


The 29-year-old helped the Bears win the One-Day Cup last season, scoring 257 runs at an average of 64.25 in 10 appearances in the competition. Evans joined Warwickshire in 2010 and also won the County Championship in 2012 and the T20 Blast in 2014. Sussex head coach Mark Davis described Evans as "player of great ability". He added: "He plays in all formats of the game and is a brilliant acquisition for the club. I believe Laurie's best years are in front of him, and he is driven to achieve his undoubted potential." Evans has predominantly played white-ball cricket for Warwickshire, but has scored 2,926 runs at an average of 34.02 in first-class cricket. He had a spell on loan with Northamptonshire in 2016. Bears first-team coach Jim Troughton said: "Laurie has played an important part in our white-ball cricket for several years, but has been unable to secure a regular place in the team for first-class cricket. "Whilst it's naturally disappointing that Laurie has decided that he no longer wants to play for Warwickshire, we do not wish to stand in the way of his ambitions in the game and we wish him the very best in his career with Sussex. "We are also aware that he has been keen to move closer to his family in London and being based on the south coast will work better for him."

Summary: Sussex have signed batsman Laurie Evans on a three-year contract after Warwickshire released him a year early from his deal at Edgbaston.


Nicholas Edwards wrote to her in 1985 to complain about plans to cut the budget for regional development grants. The money was widely used to attract investment and jobs to Wales. The archives also show UK Treasury concern at overfunding of Scotland and Northern Ireland under the Barnett formula, a political issue to this day. In the mid-1980s, Wales secured one fifth of inward investment into the UK despite having only 5% of the population. But with the then Conservative government trying to cut public spending, the Treasury tried to cut back regional spending in England. That could have hit the Welsh Office budget and the secretary of state Nicholas Edwards joined his Scottish counterpart George Younger to protest. In a letter to the Treasury chief secretary (and fellow Welshman) Peter Rees - copied to the prime minister - Mr Edwards complained about the implications for his budget. He wrote: "I agree strongly with the points George Younger has made in his letter. They apply equally in the three territories. The political effects in Wales, as in Scotland, would be most damaging." Mr Edwards demanded to be present at meetings between the Treasury and Department for Trade and Industry when the issue was discussed. The archives do not record any reply and Mr Edwards - now Lord Crickhowell - cannot recall the episode. But, in another parallel with today's politics, the archives show Treasury concern at overfunding of Scotland and Northern Ireland under the so-called Barnett formula that is also used to calculate changes in the Welsh budget. Peter Rees, later Lord Rees of Goytre, wrote to Mrs Thatcher: "Even our predecessors never saw it as any more than a stop-gap arrangement on the road to political devolution, certainly not as the permanency it has now become. "Be that as it may, the block system is now publicly construed, in the territories, as apolitical entitlement to public expenditure. The longer we let it run the harder it becomes to challenge that perception, and the greater the risk of political repercussion when we do. " MP David Willetts, then a Downing Street adviser, wrote: "Scotland and NI have their snouts well and truly in the public expenditure trough. The challenge is to find a politically acceptable way of putting them on the same diet as the English." The files reveal that the Treasury considered suspending the formula. Mr Rees wrote to Mrs Thatcher: "The 'fallback' approach to securing savings is to suspend the operation of the comparability formulae for the Scottish and Northern Ireland blocks - though not for Wales, where over-provision is not suspected." Thirty years on, the UK political parties have vowed to keep the formula as part of a deal to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom. Mrs Thatcher's ministers considered launching the controversial poll tax in Wales before England, according to other files just released. The documents released by the National Archives also show Conservative government advisers feared a repeat of the 1984-85 miners' strike the following winter. They also revealed there were plans to hide art treasures in

Summary: Margaret Thatcher was warned by her Welsh Secretary that funding cuts would have "most damaging" political effects, newly-released UK cabinet papers show.


Mr Maduro issued a decree to convene a constituent assembly amid continuing anti-government protests. The president says a new constitution will bring peace to Venezuela, but the opposition says it is a ruse to delay holding elections. More than 50 people have been killed in protest-related violence since 1 April. Mr Maduro signed the decree at a rally attended by thousands of his supporters. He said the assembly would be made up of 540 members, some of whom would be elected at local level while the rest would be chosen from various groups such as students, workers, farmers, pensioners, and indigenous people. The National Electoral Council later said that elections for the constituent assembly would be held at the end of July. The move was immediately denounced by the opposition-controlled National Assembly. National Assembly leader Julio Borges called it "nothing more than an evil announcement meant to divide, distract, and confuse Venezuelans further". He said there would be more "street action" and called for a march opposing the constituent assembly to be held on Wednesday. Fifty-five people have been killed in protests since the beginning of April. The unrest was sparked by a Supreme Court ruling on 29 March stripping the National Assembly of its powers and transferring those powers to the court. The Supreme Court suspended the most controversial paragraphs three days later, but the ruling united the hitherto divided opposition and spurred them into action. The opposition says the Supreme Court ruling and Mr Maduro's call for a constituent assembly are attempts by the president to cling on to power beyond the end of his term in 2019. They say that he has become increasingly authoritarian since he was elected in 2013, blocking their attempts to hold a recall referendum and delaying elections for governors. On Tuesday, National Electoral Council head Tibisay Lucena also announced that the gubernatorial elections would be held on 10 December, a year after they were originally due. Some Venezuelans reacted on social media saying that they had lost all trust in the electoral body and demanded fresh general elections rather than regional polls.

Summary: Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has pressed ahead with plans to create a citizens' assembly to draw up a new constitution.


IS said they were killed in revenge for Turkish killing of Muslims. Turkey launched a campaign against IS in northern Syria in August and is currently fighting IS around the group's stronghold of al-Bab. The video has not been independently verified. There has so far been no comment from Turkey. The Turkish army previously reported losing contact with two soldiers in northern Syria last month but it is unclear whether either are the men in the video. At least one of the purported victims appears to have been captured by the group as far back as September 2015. Turkish officials did not immediately respond to the publication of the video late on Thursday. IS released the video through a number of its online accounts and through the messaging app Telegram. It showed the two men, dressed in camouflage, caged in open countryside. The pair, collared and chained, were taken from the cage and made declarations to camera before being killed. Several reports suggested that Turkey had limited access to social media sites such as Twitter and YouTube following the release of the footage. However, many users reported no interruption. Earlier this week, 16 Turkish soldiers were killed near al-Bab, in the biggest loss for Turkish forces fighting the IS group in the region.

Summary: So-called Islamic State (IS) has released a video online which claims to show two captured Turkish soldiers being burned alive.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 3-1 win at Solitude means David Healy's Blues finish the campaign two points ahead of Crusaders who had held the title for the last two years. Crusaders ended their title challenge with a 6-1 win over Glenavon at Seaview but in the end it was not enough. It is Linfield's first title triumph since they did the double in 2012. They are one match away from another double as they face Coleraine in the Irish Cup final on 6 May. Linfield may have lifted the County Antrim Shield in February, but this will go down as a first major managerial success for Northern Ireland record scorer David Healy. He took over as Linfield manager in October 2015 and saw his team end the season runners-up in the league and beaten by Glenavon in the cup final. Clinching the title in his first full season seemed unlikely in mid-February when Crusaders were nine points ahead. But Linfield went on an amazing run picking up 43 points from a possible 45, to take advantage of Crusaders' slip-ups. Linfield were trailing at half-time after Daniel Hughes headed Cliftonville into a 13th-minute lead but Linfield bounced back in style after the break. Waterworth pounced for a close-range equaliser and followed that with a brilliant individual strike which turned out to be the title clincher. The former Glentoran striker made it 3-1 on the hour with a penalty after he was fouled by Chris Ramsey who was sent-off. With Cliftonville losing, Ballymena's draw against Coleraine lifted them into fourth place, meaning they will have home advantage against Dungannon in the semi-finals of the Europa League play-offs. Cliftonville will host Glenavon in the other semi-final, with the matches being played on Monday, 8 May. Carrick are seeking a new manager as they prepare for the promotion/relegation play-off games after Aaron Callaghan quit minutes after their 4-1 defeat away to Ballinamallard United.

Summary: Andrew Waterworth scored a second-half hat-trick as Linfield beat Cliftonville to clinch the title on a dramatic final day of the Irish Premiership season.


She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that people should take more notice of their surroundings. Measures such as the closure of railway stations in Munich on New Year's Eve would become more likely. Such moves showed "prudence and proper caution" by authorities, she said. Official guidance is that members of the public should be "alert but not alarmed" about the threat of terrorism. But Lady Neville-Jones, former head of the Joint Intelligence Committee, said people were not as vigilant as they could be. "I think being alert is very important," she said. "I am alarmed by the number of people I see wandering along the street entirely engaged in their mobile telephones and with their ears plugged in to music. "They're not aware of their surroundings - you need to be aware of your surroundings." When interviewer John Humphrys said that was "how we should be able to lead our lives", she added: "Maybe, but I do think you need to take some personal responsibility." Two railway stations which were closed in Munich in response to a suspected terror threat reopened on Friday after German officials said there was no sign of an imminent attack. Lady Neville-Jones said: "I do think we are going to have to get used to what we have seen yesterday in Germany - that is to say alerts which close places of public functions, and higher levels of security in big public gatherings. "That is prudence and proper caution on the part of intelligence and the police authorities." Authorities have a responsibility to take information seriously, even if the wider picture is not clear, she said. "It's a very bold government or policeman who chooses not to take precautions in such circumstances," said Lady Neville-Jones. "I think the population on the whole would prefer them to be cautious and occasionally have closed something that it turned out wasn't necessary, but how do we know, rather than take the risk of exposing people to dangers on which they have information, even if it's not complete and on which they can't necessarily totally rely." But she said UK cities were unlikely to be locked down in the way Brussels had been over recent terrorism concerns. She told Today: "I would hope that that would not be something that would happen in the UK. "I do think that counter-terrorism and both the intelligence side of it and the policing side of it, and well done, are matters which are bred of long experience and of great skill and I think that in this country we do have both of those things and we have very close co-operation between both police and agencies and I think they understand how to use information. "I don't think those skills are nearly so widespread on the continent. So I think we shouldn't conclude that what happened there is necessarily the technique that would be adopted here."

Summary: Former security minister Baroness Neville-Jones says she is "alarmed" by people using mobile phones in public instead of being more alert to the risk of a potential terrorist attack.


The killings, reminiscent of the brutal days of apartheid, have left many South Africans anxious about the direction of the country, 18 years after it became democratic under the now-retired Nelson Mandela's leadership. The fact that no-one in responsibility has yet resigned - the government minister in charge of the mining industry, the police chief, the CEO of Lonmin, which is listed on the Johannesburg and London stock exchanges, and trade union leaders - shows the lack of accountability in South African society. The strike and subsequent violence at the mine shows that the expectation of many black people that their lives will improve in democratic South Africa has largely been dashed. It is true that the African National Congress (ANC) - the liberation movement now in government - has provided low-cost housing, education, health care and other services to the poor, but it has not done enough of this. In many parts of South Africa, basis services are either non-existent or of a low standard. People who can afford it rely on the private sector for education, health and security by employing armed guards to protect their homes and businesses. 'Despair and frustration' Last year, South Africa replaced Brazil as the most unequal society, with the gap between the poorest and richest individuals the highest in the world. Since apartheid ended, the overall wealth distribution has not changed much. The majority of black South Africans are still impoverished while white citizens are generally better off. South Africa does not have a system based on meritocracy, which rewards hard work and excellence. As a result, a small black elite, from the ranks of the ANC and its trade union ally, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), has become fabulously rich through shares in long-established white companies, winning government contracts and holding top posts in the public sector - all under the guise of black economic empowerment. Source: Statistics South Africa There has been no genuine effort to lift black South Africans out of poverty by giving them quality state education and technical skills, or to help small businesses grow. Neither has economic growth been accompanied by serious moves to diversify the economy - from exporting raw materials to developing industries that would boost employment. The impact of the global economic crisis has made things worse. Economists estimate that between 2007 and 2009 nearly one million jobs were lost, while the chief executives of top companies continued to get huge bonuses. Poor South Africans are caught up in a sense of despair and frustration, which explains the frequent protests over a lack of services in residential areas and now the violence at the Lonmin-owned mine. But South Africa's leaders seem to believe that the country's mineral wealth - gold, platinum and diamonds, among others - will see it through its economic problems. They are being complacent - and risk social upheaval on a scale they will not be able to manage. William Gumede is Honorary Associate Professor, Public and Development Management at the University of the Witwatersrand and author of Restless

Summary: The massacre last week at the Lonmin-owned platinum mine in South Africa's North West province, which left 34 miners dead and 75 injured when police opened fire on striking workers, shows a colossal lack of leadership at almost all levels - the government, trade unions, business and the police.


It will be the first public engagement for maritime expert Jeffrey Mountevans, who is the 688th mayor to fill the position, representing the city in financial and business matters across the world. Since 1215 every newly-elected Lord Mayor has to leave the City of London and travel through to Westminster to swear loyalty to the Crown. The procession has moved from river barges, or floats, to horseback and then to a parade surrounding the State Coach. Hundreds of thousands of spectators join the Lord Mayor on the streets of London in what is said to be the world's largest un-rehearsed parade. This year's pageant is set to be 7,000 strong, including featuring more than 170 horses, 140 vehicles, Taiko drummers, vintage steamrollers, tractors, fire engines, armoured vehicles, the Batmobile, a replica of Noah's Ark and a tank. To celebrate the show's 800th birthday, the St Mary-le-Bow church bells will ring out a special 800-change at 12:00 GMT. Artwork for this year's show was created by British pop artist Sir Peter Blake, who also drew the album cover for the Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Summary: A historic carnival will mark the 800th anniversary of the role of Lord Mayor of the City of London next Saturday.


Seven people died and more than 50 were injured in the incident in south London, but experts say tram accidents are incredibly rare. Andrew Braddock, from trade body UK Tram, said the accident should be "set in the context of an extremely safe mode of transport". "You are 15 times safer travelling on a tram than you would be in a bus, 24 times safer than you would be in a car," he said. "We had a dreadful incident in Croydon yesterday, there's absolutely no getting away from that, but it's extremely rare." British Transport Police are investigating whether the Croydon tram was exceeding speed limits and the possibility the driver may have fallen asleep or blacked out. The crash is believed to be the first involving fatalities on board a tram in the UK since 1959, when two women passengers and the driver died when a tram caught fire in Glasgow after a collision with a lorry. Deaths from tram derailments are rare around the world. Several people died and around 50 were injured when a tram overturned in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in August 2011, while around 30 were killed and 50 injured when a tram derailed in eastern Ukraine in July 1996. Trams were phased out in the UK at the end of 1962 with the closure of the Glasgow network, leaving Blackpool's as the only one running. A new generation of tramways began with the opening of the Manchester Metrolink in 1992, and there are now also networks in Sheffield, Birmingham, London, Nottingham and Edinburgh, and about 300 worldwide. There were no trams in London between 1952 and 2000, when the London Tramlink opened. Mr Braddock described trams as being like a "bus on rails", travelling at similar speeds and peaking in cities at about 50mph. Powered by electricity through overhead wires, drivers control the vehicle using a lever - usually with their left hand - pushing forward to accelerate, backwards to brake and with a neutral stopping point in the middle. But unlike trains, trams are not fitted with systems that apply brakes automatically if they are going too fast or jump a light. The key safety feature is a vigilance device, known in the railway industry as the "dead man's lever" - a device that brakes automatically if the driver is incapacitated. Mr Braddock said: "On the tram control lever there is a button which the driver presses at least every 30 seconds. If that button is not pressed the brakes are applied automatically. "It makes no difference if the driver is powering up or braking, he has to keep pressing that button. It's a routine that you get into." If the driver lets go, the lever springs back to the neutral position, automatically applying the brakes. There is also an emergency stop button, bringing the tram to an immediate stop in the eventuality of an emergency such as a car or pedestrian suddenly appearing in front of it. There were 112 accidents involving trams in the year to the end of March, according to

Summary: After the deadly tram crash in Croydon earlier this week, industry experts have stressed that it remains one of the safest forms of public transport and advised against "panicking" by hastily imposing new precautions.


The tournament kicks off next month, and the national team is continuing its series of warm-up matches in preparation, but the build-up has been affected by a dispute between the players and the Scottish Football Association. The squad has refused to fulfil any media duties - including with the SFA's in-house team - or participate in any filming with the tournament's broadcast partner, Channel 4. The players have also declined to work with sponsors or participate in some mandatory Uefa media events. The Scottish FA will meet representatives of the squad on Wednesday in an attempt to negotiate an end to their dispute. In short, the squad has raised complaints over financial, commercial and equality issues. Maximum impact, with Euro 2017 approaching, but also because qualifying for the finals of a major tournament brought the matter to a head. There is no way to judge the stance of either side in the dispute, since they are making no comment, either on or off the record. The details of the grievances have not entered the public domain. "We can confirm that we are in discussions with the Scotland women's national team players regarding terms and conditions ahead of the Women's Euros in the Netherlands next month," said a spokesman for the SFA. "Recent discussions have been positive and we are hopeful that an agreement will be reached in the near future." The SFA received £265,000 for the team reaching the finals, and would bank another £175,000 should they make it as far as the quarter-finals. However, the squad has also taken part in an extensive build-up to the finals, including two friendlies against Denmark in Cyprus in January, one month before playing in the Cyprus Cup. Since finishing the qualifying campaign in September last year, Scotland have played six friendlies, as well as four Cyprus Cup matches, and have one final friendly against the Republic of Ireland to play, all of which required SFA funding. There are no match fees - which is exactly the same situation with the men's team, who receive a bonus to be shared amongst squad members should they qualify for major finals. However, the home-based players do receive a bursary to cover loss of earnings for the build-up to a participation in the Euro 2017 finals. The players also receive daily allowances while they are with the national team. It came to a head in recent weeks, with PFA Scotland engaged by the squad to negotiate with the SFA on their behalf, but discussions began late last year to try to reach a resolution. The head coach has insisted on being an independent figure, without supporting either side. Signeul points out that the men's national team head coach, Gordon Strachan, does not get involved in the negotiation of terms and conditions, with a player being appointed by the squad to represent them. "It is between the SFA and the players and I don't think Gordon has anything to do with this either, it's nothing to do with us coaches," Signeul said. The Republic of Ireland's women's team threatened

Summary: The Scotland Women's squad for the Euro 2017 finals in the Netherlands was due to be revealed on Tuesday, but the announcement has been postponed for a week.


Posting a picture of a letter addressed to "Mrs Clegg" on Instagram, she noted the "irony" of the situation. The event, on 8 March, is designed to "celebrate women's success", she added. Ms Gonzalez Durantez is a lawyer specialising in international and EU trade law. She wrote: "The irony of being invited to speak at an International Women's Day event to celebrate women's success, addressed to me as 'Mrs Clegg'." Ms Gonzalez Durantez set up the Inspiring Women group, which recruits women with successful careers to visit and speak to girls at state schools in England. This is not the first time she has criticised the way she is perceived or described. Last year she told Marie Claire magazine: "I find people say of me 'She wears the trousers' and as you can see, it is true, I have very nice trousers. "Or if my husband and I share the school run, it's me who has forced him, dragged him away from his work. "But when people, or in my case the media, are using that label on you, they are not saying you are strong, they are saying you should get back in your box. You should make the dinner and have his slippers ready with a gin and tonic."

Summary: Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, whose husband is former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, has complained after being invited to an International Women's Day event in her married name.


But he blamed French and German "intransigence" and pressure from Eurosceptic Conservatives for putting the PM in "a very difficult position". Initially Mr Clegg said the coalition was united over the use of the veto. But he told the BBC he had "made it clear" to Mr Cameron it was "untenable" for him to welcome the move. Sources close to Mr Clegg have told the BBC he "couldn't believe it" when he was told the summit in Brussels had "spectacularly unravelled". The prime minister blocked changes to the EU's Lisbon Treaty at an EU summit, arguing that the proposed changes were not in the UK's interest. It now looks likely that all 26 other members of theEuropean Union will agree to a new "accord"setting out tougher budget rules aimed at preventing a repeat of the current eurozone crisis. As leader of the Liberal Democrats, Mr Clegg is far more pro-European than his Conservative coalition colleagues. By Nick RobinsonBBC Political Editor More from Nick Robinson Q&A: Cameron and the EU Interactive: How will euro crisis end? He told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: "I'm bitterly disappointed by the outcome of last week's summit, precisely because I think now there is a danger that the UK will be isolated and marginalised within the European Union. "I don't think that's good for jobs, in the City or elsewhere, I don't think it's good for growth or for families up and down the country." He said he would now be doing "everything I can to ensure this setback does not become a permanent divide". The deputy PM said he had learned of the veto in a phone call from the prime minister at 0400 GMT, shortly before Mr Cameron gave a press conference announcing it publicly. Asked what his reaction had been, the Lib Dem leader said: "I said this was bad for Britain. "I made it clear that it was untenable for me to welcome it." The new accord will hold eurozone members to strict budgetary rules including: Mr Cameron has said he was seeking certain "safeguards" from Europe on protection of the single market and the UK's financial services industry. By Robert PestonBusiness editor, BBC News More from Robert Peston But French President Nicolas Sarkozy called those demands "unacceptable". Mr Clegg said unwillingness to negotiate from France and Germany, combined with "outright antagonism to all things European" from parts of the Conservative Party, had left Mr Cameron in a difficult position. "He couldn't come back to London empty-handed because self evidently, if he'd done so, he wouldn't have been able to get whatever had been agreed through the House of Commons so all we would have had would have been a delayed crisis." On Friday, a spokesman for Mr Clegg said he had been "consulted throughout" the 10 hours of unsuccessful negotiations in Brussels - a claim backed up by Foreign Secretary William Hague. He told the BBC the Lib Dem leader was fully "signed up" to the decision to veto the proposed treaty. Mr Cameron will make a statement in the House of

Summary: Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says David Cameron's veto of EU treaty changes was "bad for Britain" and could leave it "isolated and marginalised".


Gary Sweet said talks have started with Luton Council, which bought the stadium in 1989. Writing in the club's programme, he said: "We have a strong desire to put the ownership of Kenilworth Road back into the hands of the club." He also said neither the future redevelopment of the ground or the club's relocation could be ruled out. Mr Sweet revealed his plans for the club in Saturday's programme notes to update what he called the "faithful support". Citing the club's "23 heroic supporters" whose delayed coach journey to Grimsby for last Tuesday night's fixture saw them arrive at the ground to find the Hatters already three goals down, he said the directors "thrived on such committed support" and it was this drove them on to achieve a stable club. He said either option to achieve this "stability", would take a while to become a reality and due to "commercial delicacy" any plans would not yet be made public. "Realistically, given current market conditions, any such plans would take a number of years to reach fruition," he said. "These [plans] would also be dependent upon one location delivering a long term formula to support the club's sustainability." Mr Sweet also stated he was aware short-term improvements to the ground would be needed. "We are assessing plans to enable us to increase our capacity, and to modernise a part, or parts, of the stadium," he wrote. Luton Borough Council said that as a landlord it was in discussions with the club about "a number of issues". "Within those discussions, the club has identified as one of many options, the possibility that they may be interested in buying the freehold of the site at a point in the future," a statement read. "Currently the site is not on the disposal list and does not have a purchase value attached to it." Mark Chapman, from the supporters club, said buying back the ground would be "progress in the right direction" if the club had aspirations to get back to "at least" Championship football. "It then gives them an asset that they can then use to raise finance if they are to move," he said. "The existing facility, as much as we love it, is antiquated and I personally can't see that there is any way they could build it up to a capacity of 20,000 on the current site."

Summary: Luton Town FC have begun talks to buy back its ground, the managing director has confirmed.


Wolves almost took the lead when Nathan Byrne latched on to Bjorn Sigurdarson's cross, but David Button saved. Brentford fought back as Alan Judge hit the outside of the post from long range before Swift's deflected shot put the hosts in front before half-time. Sergi Canos found Brentford's second from an acute angle before Swift stabbed in a second from close range. Prior to Swift and Canos extending the hosts' lead, Kevin McDonald could have forced an equaliser for Wolves when he drove a shot from 20 yards that forced Button into a fine low save. Brentford, who came into the game on the back of a winless run of three matches, moved up three places to 11th in the Championship. Wolves slip to 15th with their last three points coming in their 3-2 win against Fulham on 12 January. Brentford manager Dean Smith: Media playback is not supported on this device "It was a really good performance matched by the result and a clean sheet too. We wanted to start on the front foot with three ball carriers and I thought we did that. "We have conceded sloppy goals in previous weeks from our point of view so this will give the lads a lot of confidence. We won't rest on our laurels though because it's tough every week in this league." Media playback is not supported on this device Wolves boss Kenny Jackett: "The games come thick and fast and we need to make it more competitive and closer than today because by the end they were three goals better than us. "It wasn't a good feeling on the side and we didn't get anything out of the game. We have difficult games coming up and need to find resolve and character to change things around."

Summary: John Swift scored twice for Brentford as the Bees stretched Wolves' winless run to seven matches.