The Houthi delegation, which was due to arrive on Sunday, was still in Djibouti in east Africa on Monday evening. Mr Ban warned that "while the parties bicker, Yemen burns" and urged an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. An estimated 20 million Yemenis are in need of aid following months of fighting in the country. The humanitarian situation has been described as "catastrophic" by the UN, with more than 2,000 people killed in the conflict. Opening the talks, Mr Ban said: "Today Yemen's very existence hangs in the balance." He urged action on three main areas: "First, a renewed humanitarian pause to allow critical assistance to reach all Yemenis in need and provide a respite for Yemenis as the holy month of Ramadan begins. "Second, I urge the parties to reach agreement on local ceasefires. Third, I call on them to resume a peaceful and orderly political transition and to ensure that the process includes more representation from other political parties, women, youth and civil society." The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva said the Houthi representatives were apparently delayed over what airspace their plane could fly through. She said that the confusion did not bode well for the talks. A Saudi-led coalition of Arab states has been bombing the Houthi rebels and their allies since March. The bombing campaign was launched to support Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, who escaped to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, when the Houthis advanced on his stronghold in Aden in southern Yemen. In recent weeks, fighting between Saudi forces and the Houthis has intensified on Yemen's border with Saudi Arabia. On Saturday, Saudi Arabia claimed to have shot down a Scud missile fired by the Houthis. The attack followed fighting on the border on Friday, in which four Saudi soldiers and a number of Yemeni rebels died. On the same day, bombs hit the Old City of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, killing five people according to local sources.

Summary: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has opened talks in Geneva on the conflict in Yemen but without the presence of Houthi rebel representatives.


Northumbrian Water, which supplies water across the north-east of England, is expanding its cohort of water rangers. It is recruiting new volunteers to walk by streams, becks, burns and bathing waters which are prone to pollution and report back on their condition. The company's wastewater director, Richard Warneford, said the scheme had been "hugely successful" "[It] has helped us to spot and deal with potential threats to the environment at the earliest possible opportunity on a number of occasions," he said. New routes have been added in Northumberland, Tyneside, County Durham and Teesside. The rangers are trained in environmental issues and what to look out for when monitoring watercourses. The new routes are situated in:

Summary: A scheme to tackle water pollution is to be extended.


Michael March banged the weapon on the floor to scare a couple walking past a pub in South Shields in October 2016. Prosecutors said the offence was carried out during the "killer clown" craze. The 18-year-old admitted possessing a bladed article at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court. He was bailed and will be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on 6 February. Paul Anderson, for the Crown, said March - who was 17 at the time - carried out the offence the night before Halloween. He had waited for the couple outside the Sand Dancer pub and struck the floor with the axe to frighten them. The woman, who was 22 weeks pregnant, picked up a brick and threw it at him. Mr Anderson said: "[March] tried to explain it was a prank and ran off in something of a panic. "He said it was all meant to be a joke that went badly wrong." March, of Hopedene, Gateshead, was traced by police via CCTV and still had the axe and the mask in his backpack. Magistrates heard he told police: "I'm sorry, I was not going to hurt her."

Summary: A teenager in a clown mask who brandished an axe at a pregnant woman left her so scared she threw a brick at him, a court heard.


The Markit construction purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 55 from 57.8 - well below the 57.5 forecast by economists. The figure contrasted with a stronger-than-expected start for the manufacturing sector published on Monday. Factory output rose from 52.1 in December to 52.9 in January. Any figure above 50 indicates growth in the sector. Markit economist Tim Moore said construction firms were struggling for momentum, with increased economic uncertainty holding back new orders and contributing to one of the weakest rises in output levels since summer 2013. "Taken together with the slowdown in new order growth, the latest survey suggests that construction companies are braced for a relatively subdued first quarter," he said. David Noble, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, which compiles the survey along with Markit, said a shortage of bricks and blocks contributed to the slowdown. Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said weakness in construction orders and a downturn in public sector infrastructure work, which accounts for about a quarter of total construction and is not covered by the PMI, suggested the sector would post only "lacklustre growth" this year. Optimism among construction companies waned to its lowest level since December 2014, the survey showed. "Some firms highlighted concerns that underlying demand conditions had started to soften," Markit said. Analysts use the PMI surveys for early signals about the economy. However, the construction sector figures have been at odds with data used in official growth figures in recent months. Growth in the dominant UK service sector fell slightly in December to 55.5 in December, down from 59.9 in November, but remained above average.

Summary: Growth in the UK construction sector slowed down in January to its weakest level for nine months.


That is a key department policy which decides whether schools should close or not. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said that the policy is undermined by "flawed and inaccurate data". Education Minister John O'Dowd said he would consider what additional action, if any, needed to be taken. He said: "The sustainable schools policy has been tested in court on several occasions and found to be a competent policy upon which to make decisions both about the future of individual schools and area planning more widely. "I have already accepted the eight recommendations within the Northern Ireland Audit Office report and these are being progressed by my department." The policy is also used to plan educational provision across Northern Ireland. The PAC also said that the number of empty places in schools in Northern Ireland is "likely to be overstated". A Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) report previously found the number of empty places totalled over 71,000, about 20% of capacity. However, the NIAO also said that the department did not have a standard method for calculating school capacity. The PAC said it was "unacceptable" that the department could not provide accurate numbers of surplus places. The committee is calling for up-to-date school enrolment figures to be gathered "as a matter of urgency". The PAC report also said the department took too long to take decisions on whether to close schools, and whether suspended teachers should be dismissed. It found that 106 teachers had been suspended during the past five years, but only six had been dismissed. The department paid Â£4.2m on wages, national insurance and pension contributions for suspended teachers during that period. The committee also concluded that Northern Ireland's education system was still failing too many young people.

Summary: There should be a "root and branch" review of the Department of Education's sustainable schools policy, a Stormont committee has said.


Robyn Malcolm had been photographing a pod of whales on a feeding frenzy 500km (310 miles) south of Sydney. But she only realised she had taken the unusual picture when she went through the photos later, she told the Sydney Morning Herald. Animal experts say that witnessing such a partnership is rare. New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife whale expert Geoff Ross told the paper the coupling was very rare but he had heard of it happening once before. "The only other time was a seal trying to get away from a killer whale. The seal hopped on the back of the pectoral fins of a humpback whale," he said. Ms Malcolm insisted that the photo was not doctored. "I'm positive, because I don't know how to use Photoshop. And I do still have it on the camera so I can prove it," she told the newspaper. The meeting of seal and whale is the latest in a series of serendipitous animal piggyback rides which have been captured this year. In March, amateur photographer Martin Le-May shot this picture of a weasel clinging on to the back of a woodpecker at Hornchurch Country Park in east London. In June, a family walking in a forest in central Florida spotted this raccoon hitching a ride on the back of an alligator. Mr Richard Jones told local television station WFTV that he "snapped a lucky picture right when the gator slipped into the water and before the raccoon jumped off and scurried away".

Summary: An Australian photographer has captured a rare moment of animal communion with a shot of a fur seal surfing a humpback whale off the New South Wales coast.


That is the view of the organisation representing micro breweries which says the thirst for craft beer in pubs and beyond shows no signs of drying up. It comes as the number of traditional pubs have declined, with a pub closing every couple of days in Wales. But the number of breweries has doubled in the past five years to 88. "It's growing really rapidly," said Buster Grant, chairman of Drinks Wales, which represents independent brewers as well as cider and wine producers. Welsh brewers are set to showcase their beers at two key events. There is Cardiff Brew Fest this weekend and a three-day festival in London next month will feature 100 Welsh beers and ciders. Mr Grant, managing director of Brecon Brewery, said: "There's a growth of craft beer in places like Cardiff where people like stronger, hoppier beers and more extreme flavours but also there's still growth in more traditional ales. "In an age of austerity, people are not going out quite as much but when they do they're seeking out something different; they're a little bit more picky about where they go and are prepared to pay a little bit more." He said Welsh brewers are taking their beers across the UK and looking abroad. At home, 20 small Welsh breweries now have their own pubs. Four micro breweries - Bragdy Nant, Bragdy Conwy, Purple Moose and Great Orme - got together to reopen one pub in Conwy three years ago and recently bought two more. Bragdy Conwy employs nine people and has enjoyed 20% year-on-year growth, supplying supermarkets, bars, restaurants and pubs. Owner and head brewer Gwynne Thomas said it was difficult to predict the industry's future. "About 2008, during the financial crisis, I thought we'd reached saturation point but the last few years growth has accelerated. "It's a relatively straightforward but there are people who are good at the technical side of brewing but haven't got the organisational side right. You have to be strong at both." Q&A: Real ale? Craft beer? Confused? The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) included 14 new Welsh breweries in its annual beer guide last year. This is set against a background of a pub closures, which is running at a net loss of about 10 a month in Wales. Spokesman Neil Walker said the boom in people setting up their own micro breweries or finding work in the industry "can only be good news for the future of beer and pubs" .

Summary: If the number of independent brewers in Wales continues to rise, it could hit the 100 mark within the next year.


Police said the six Liverpool men were ruthless and petrified their victims in 23 robberies between 2008 and 2015. Ian Stewart, Kieron Whittle, John Stewart, Alan Lea, Shaun McDonald and Gary McNeill were sentenced to between 12 and 16 years in prison. All pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to conspiracy to commit robbery. Police said the gang wore masks and either used "brute force" to force their way into premises or removed roof tiles to allow them to drop down through the ceiling. Most of the raids - which happened in Sefton, St Helens, Wirral, Liverpool, Warrington, Neston, Birkenhead, Bootle, Southport, Hull and Sutton - occurred when staff were either opening or cashing up. The gang members were given the following sentences: Det Insp Mike Dalton of Merseyside Police said: "This gang enjoyed a criminal lifestyle on the back of the misery of many decent, hard-working people who were simply doing their job when these men burst in and changed their lives forever. "This gang was completely ruthless in what they did. "They did not care who they harmed or what damage they caused as long as they got the money." He said: "Innocent members of staff who were petrified at the time have remained too traumatised to return to work. "A young mum was robbed of the enjoyment that having a young baby brings. "Another who had a baby long after the robbery feared the stress she still felt could harm her unborn child."

Summary: A gang of armed robbers who stole up to £1.5m in a series of bank and post office raids in Merseyside, Cheshire and east Yorkshire have been jailed.


An exhibition in London explores the global refugee crisis through the eyes of eight photographers reporting from 13 countries on behalf of Oxfam. The pictures aim to capture something of the personal stories behind the migration facts and figures. Photography director Rebecca McClelland said: "My aim was to be as sensitive as possible to the subject, whilst stretching the limited language of crisis photography." The Stand as One exhibition can be seen at 4 Holywell Lane, London from 8-15 September 2016.

Summary: All photographs courtesy Oxfam


The SFO says the probe is "into suspected corruption in the conduct of business in the Republic of Guinea by the Rio Tinto group, its employees and others associated with it". It is asking anyone with relevant information to get in touch. Rio Tinto says it "will fully co-operate" with the investigation. The firm employs 50,000 people in 35 countries across six continents. Last October the mining firm agreed to sell its entire stake in the Simandou iron ore project in the west African country to Chinese firm Chinalco for between $1.1bn and $1.3bn. The following month, Rio Tinto said it had contacted regulatory authorities in the UK and US over certain consultancy payments made in 2011 with regard to the Simandou project. In a statement the company said: "Rio Tinto will fully co-operate with the Serious Fraud Office and any other relevant authorities, as it has done since it self-reported in November 2016."

Summary: The UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) says it has opened an investigation into British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto Group.


Their study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, argued elderly people had the least to gain. The team at University College London (UCL) has called on doctors to discuss the risks more clearly with patients. The charity Diabetes UK said doctors needed to strike a careful balance when prescribing treatment. Type-2 diabetes is an inability to control blood sugar levels and is linked to lifestyle factors including diet and obesity. In the long-term it is linked to heart disease, kidney damage, nerve damage and even blindness. Drugs such as metformin can be used to lower blood sugar levels to prevent the side effects. The report, which was carried out by the University of Michigan as well as UCL, said an average 45-year-old who dropped their blood sugar levels by one percentage point would gain 10 months of healthy life, compared with three weeks for a 75-year-old starting treatment. It added this needed to be balanced against the down-sides to a lifetime of medication including: Having to have multiple injections and blood sugar tests each day, drugs causing indigestion or sickness, or insulin treatments risking blood sugar levels dropping dangerously low (hypoglycaemia). One of the report's authors, Prof John Yudkin, told the BBC: "What it means is if you're someone with type-2, it's your right to know what the benefits of the treatment are in terms of gain in life expectancy or reduction in heart attacks or going blind. "And then you are entitled to decide, but not many doctors have got those figures to hand." He said GPs were too "target focussed" and were often looking only at the blood sugar level. The findings do not apply to people with type-1 diabetes. Commenting on the report, Simon O'Neill, the director for health intelligence at Diabetes UK, said: "Sometimes there is a balance to be struck where certain medications might help give someone a longer life, but also cause side effects that might negatively impact on quality of life. "This study highlights the importance of looking at the individual needs of the person with type-2 diabetes, rather than adopting a blanket approach." Patients are advised not to make any decisions without consulting their GP. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which advises the NHS on medication, said: "The current NICE guidance on the management of type-2 diabetes recognises that glycaemic [sugar] control targets should not impair a person's quality of life as a result of the side effects of treatment. "Where medication does not help achieve this target level, lifestyle therapies such as dietary advice should be offered." Refreshed guidelines are due to be published next summer.

Summary: The downsides of taking medication for type-2 diabetes may exceed the benefits for some patients, researchers have advised.


Abdul Hakim Belhaj claims the UK government helped to arrange for him to be forcibly transported from China to Libya in 2004, just as he was about to fly to London to claim asylum. Mr Belhaj says he was then tortured as he had opposed the Gaddafi regime. Last December, the High Court found the claims were beyond its jurisdiction. At last year's hearing, the judge, Mr Justice Simon, said Abdul-Hakim Belhaj had a "well-founded claim" but pursuing it would jeopardise national security. Lawyers for Mr Belhaj have now taken the case to the Court of Appeal, where Richard Hermer QC said Mr Belhaj and his wife believed "the UK played a key role in their mistreatment and wish to pursue a remedy against the UK and its officials for that". Mr Belhaj, one of the leaders of the uprising against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, says he was abducted - along with his pregnant wife, Fatima Boudchar - in China in 2004 as he was about to fly to London to claim asylum. He alleged the UK had tipped off Libyan intelligence services and helped the US arrange his rendition. After he was returned to Libya, Mr Belhaj spent six years in jail, while his wife was released shortly before giving birth. The couple had been attempting to bring a case against former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and former senior MI6 official Sir Mark Allen. The High Court ruled that because most of the claims related to officials in China, Malaysia, Thailand and Libya the allegations were "non-justiciable" in the UK. Analysis By Dominic Casciani This case matters for one simple reason: it involves allegations that the UK colluded in handing over a man to a regime that tortured him. And a decade on from these events we are still no closer to finding out exactly what happened. The government has settled similar claims from former Guantanamo Bay inmates at a cost of millions of pounds - but a planned judge-led inquiry into these issues was scrapped. That judge, Sir Peter Gibson, said there needs to be further investigation into complicity in rendition and torture - and the task was handed to Parliamentarians on the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC). Critics believe the ISC isn't equipped to get the answers - an accusation the committee would deny - but that's another reason why the Belhaj case is so important. However, addressing the Court of Appeal, Mr Hermer, representing Mr Belhaj, said the court was "constitutionally competent" to deal with the case. "This court is the only forum in which remedies could possibly be obtained for those acts and omissions of the UK executive and its officials. "If it can't be heard before this court, it will not be heard anywhere else as the principle of state immunity means it is highly unlikely that proceedings could be brought against UK officials in any other jurisdiction," he said Mr Hermer said the case had "profound and far-reaching" implications for the rule of law in a world in which counter-terrorism was being fought by international co-operation.

Summary: Lawyers for a man who says he was tortured after his rendition to Libya have said the Court of Appeal should overturn a block on him suing the UK.


The quake happened at about 21:10 local time on Friday (04:10 GMT on Saturday) and its epicentre was 1 mile (2km) east of the town of La Habra. There were no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries. A 4.4-magnitude quake was felt near Los Angeles earlier this month, rattling nerves but causing no major damage. The latest earthquake was shallow at only 1.2 miles (2km) deep, according to the USGS. It was felt across four counties, from Palm Springs in the east and Ventura County to the north, Reuters news agency reported. The Los Angeles Fire Department said it was checking buildings and transport infrastructure for damage. It said the quake was a reminder for people to be prepared. The San Andreas fault, on the edge of the Pacific tectonic plate, runs directly through California, and the western US state has long braced for a devastating quake. The 1994 Northridge quake, at 6.7 magnitude, left at least 60 people dead. A 6.9-magnitude quake in San Francisco five years earlier killed 67 people.

Summary: A magnitude 5.1 earthquake has struck the Los Angeles area of southern California, the US Geological Survey says.


The Kurdish Peshmerga had held 20% of the town since December 2014, and although there had been daily fighting since then, the two sides had been at a stalemate. Since Thursday, though, the Kurdish forces - backed by US air strikes - have made important ground, cutting early on the Highway 47 which passes Sinjar, the main supply line between IS' self-styled capital of Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in northern Iraq. Capturing Sinjar will not only secure the highway, but the road south of Sinjar, towards the IS-held town of Baaj, is also reported to be under control of the Peshmerga forces. This is supposed to provide a buffer zone large enough to keep Sinjar safe in the near future. However, it is by no means preventing IS from using scores of small countryside roads south of Sinjar that are still available until the winter weather makes them unusable. The next step has to be against the IS-held town of Tal Afar, and then Mosul. If not, Sinjar will always face attacks from those points. Yet, if Sinjar is de facto Kurdish territory, Tal Afar and Mosul are not. Profile: Who are the Peshmerga? Who are the Yazidis? Tal Afar is populated with Arabs and Turkmen: this means that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will not have any strategic interest in liberating and holding an area to which it has no claim. The same goes for Mosul and Baaj. While KRG President Massoud Barzani has repeatedly hinted that his government would contribute to the retaking of Mosul, recapturing an Arab city could be perceived as an act of Kurdish aggression against Arabs, raising tensions with the Baghdad government and potentially harming the Kurdish minority that has continued to live in Mosul since IS took it. Tactically, the town of Baaj, situated on higher grounds than Sinjar, will remain a perfect spot to target Sinjar. Since the Peshmerga do not possess long-range missiles, how will they be able to create a strong enough buffer zone for the 3,000 Yazidis trapped on the mountain for more than a year to be able to safely return and live in their homes? Moreover, as the IS frontline has been dissolved in Sinjar, IS is likely to return to its next best tactic: sending armoured vehicles packed with explosives to Peshmerga positions. Once again, the Peshmerga are underequipped to face this daily threat. The impending attack on Sinjar was an open secret. Two weeks ago, I witnessed long military convoys that were already on their way to retake the town, only to be derailed by a claim by Peshmerga rivals - Turkey's Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) rebels based in northern Iraq that it had already been recaptured from IS. The claim did not just halt Peshmerga operations: it gave ample time for IS fighters to prepare and tactically retreat from Sinjar, just as they did in Tikrit last spring, only to take Ramadi a few weeks later. The PKK is not the only local force that might get in the way of the Peshmerga as they

Summary: Retaking Sinjar would be extremely important strategically and for the morale of the Kurdish people in their fight against so-called Islamic State (IS) - but what happens in the days and weeks afterwards will be crucial.


The prisoner swap came after secret talks between the US government and the Taliban, brokered by Qatar. Bergdahl was serving with an Alaska-based infantry regiment in Paktika province near the Pakistani border and went missing on 30 June 2009, five months after being deployed to Afghanistan. The circumstances of his capture remain murky, with speculation he may have walked away from his base out of disillusionment with the US campaign. In March 2015, he was charged with desertion and misbehaviour before the enemy. The US believes he was across the frontier in Pakistan for most of his captivity, reportedly held by the Haqqani network, which operates in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region and is allied to the Afghan Taliban. Profile: Sgt Bowe Bergdahl The circumstances of Sgt Bergdahl's capture in 2009 remain unclear, although a Pentagon investigation a year later concluded he left his post in Paktika Province without authorisation, according to a Pentagon official speaking to Associated Press news agency. Several commentators and soldiers have branded him a deserter and called for him to be punished. The New York Times said on his disappearance in 2009 had noted he had left military areas before, during a training programme in California and an Afghan outpost, but returned each time. US officials told the newspaper the report did not conclude whether Sgt Bergdahl had intended to permanently desert the military. The US military's top-ranking officer, Gen Martin Dempsey, has that the Army would not ignore misconduct but that the 28-year-old was innocent until proven guilty. "When he is able to provide the facts, we'll learn what happened." The defence department opened up an investigation into his disappearance and capture, appointing a two-star general with combat experience in Afghanistan to lead the inquiry. Taliban officials say the 28-year-old was handed over near Khost, close to the the Afghan-Pakistan border, on the evening of 31 May. A several-dozen strong US special forces team flew in by helicopter and briefly met some 18 Taliban on the ground. The exchange, captured on video, shows Sgt Bergdahl sitting in a pick-up truck before being walked to the helicopter. Once the helicopter was in the air, Bergdahl wrote the letters "SF?" on a paper plate - an abbreviation for special forces - and reportedly broke down when the men responded: "Yes, we've been looking for you for a long time." Taliban release video of handover Sgt Bergdahl was the only US soldier being held by the enemy in the Afghan conflict, and Washington had long been seeking his release, spurred on by the "Standing with Bowe" campaign led by his parents in Hailey, Idaho. Negotiations for the US-Taliban prisoner swap began three years ago with US and Taliban officials meeting face-to-face in Qatar. But the talks did not move forward because the US were pushing for a wider peace process, while the Taliban wanted to limit the talks to a prisoner swap, Taliban sources told the BBC's David Loyn in Kabul. Direct negotiations broke down a year ago when the Afghan government opposed the opening of a Taliban office in

Summary: US Sgt Bowe Bergdahl has been released five years after being captured by Afghan Taliban, in a controversial exchange for five Taliban officials being held at Guantanamo Bay.


It is an astonishing mass of material that has essentially been created only in the last 65 years or so. The 8.3 billion tonnes is as heavy as 25,000 Empire State Buildings in New York, or a billion elephants. The great issue is that plastic items, like packaging, tend to be used for very short periods before being discarded. More than 70% of the total production is now in waste streams, sent largely to landfill - although too much of it just litters the wider environment, including the oceans. "We are rapidly heading towards 'Planet Plastic', and if we don't want to live on that kind of world then we may have to rethink how we use some materials, in particular plastic," Dr Roland Geyer told BBC News. A paper authored by the industrial ecologist from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and colleagues appears in the journal Science Advances. It is described as the first truly global assessment of how much plastic has been manufactured, how the material in all its forms is used, and where it ends up. Here are some of its key numbers. There is no question that plastics are a wonder material. Their adaptability and durability have seen their production and use accelerate past most other manmade materials apart from steel, cement and brick. From the start of mass-manufacturing in the 1950s, the polymers are now all around us - incorporated into everything from food wrapping and clothing, to aeroplane parts and flame retardants. But it is precisely plastics' amazing qualities that now present a burgeoning problem. None of the commonly used plastics are biodegradable. The only way to permanently dispose of their waste is to destructively heat it - through a decomposition process known as pyrolysis or through simple incineration; although the latter is complicated by health and emissions concerns. In the meantime, the waste mounts up. There is enough plastic debris out there right now, Geyer and colleagues say, to cover an entire country the size of Argentina. The team's hope is that their new analysis will give added impetus to the conversation about how best to deal with the plastics issue. "Our mantra is you can't manage what you don't measure," Dr Geyer said. "So, our idea was to put the numbers out there without us telling the world what the world should be doing, but really just to start a real, concerted discussion." Recycling rates are increasing and novel chemistry has some biodegradable alternatives, but manufacturing new plastic is so cheap the virgin product is hard to dislodge. The same team - which includes Jenna Jambeck from the University of Georgia and Kara Lavender Law from the Sea Education Association at Woods Hole - produced the seminal report in 2015 that quantified the total amount of plastic waste escaping to the oceans each year: eight million tonnes. This particular waste flow is probably the one that has generated most concern of late because of the clear evidence now that some of this discarded material is getting into the food chain as fish and

Summary: US scientists have calculated the total amount of plastic ever made and put the number at 8.3 billion tonnes.


The culprits tried to to pull the cashpoint at Aboyne Filling Station free using a blue Land Rover Defender at about 01:45 on Sunday. The vehicle was abandoned at the crime scene. Det Insp Richard Taylor appealed for anyone who saw the vehicle in the area in the hours before the incident to contact Police Scotland. It is not known how much money was in the machine. The Land Rover Defender is thought to have been stolen from the Dinnet area.

Summary: Thieves fled empty-handed after an attempted raid on a cash machine in Aberdeenshire failed.


The attempted abduction happened at about 08:00 GMT while the boy was walking to school along North Road, Bourne. The offender is described as 6ft and white, with short spiked brown hair and tattoo on his neck. Officers are warning the public to not let children go out alone. Det Insp Pete Grayson, from Lincolnshire Police, said the boy was very frightened by the incident. He urged anyone with information to contact the force.

Summary: Police are hunting a man who tried to force an 11-year-old boy into the back of a black van in a Lincolnshire market town.


Fury, 27, is the second Briton to win the award, after he shocked Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko to claim the IBF, WBA and WBO titles in November. "I can't believe I've just won Ring magazine fighter of the year," Fury said. "I'm so flattered." The magazine said Fury's defeat of Klitschko "turned boxing's traditional glamour division upside down". Following his title win in Dusseldorf, Fury caused controversy over derogatory remarks he made about women, and for criticising homosexuality and abortion. Almost 140,000 people signed a petition calling for Fury to be removed from the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist. Fury remained on the list and, during the show in December, apologised if any of his comments "hurt anybody". He finished fourth in the vote for the award, which was won by tennis player Andy Murray. American former WBC, WBA and IBF title-holder Mike Tyson said about Fury: "He is the best heavyweight champion of the world since myself. He is the man, I don't care what anybody says. "I know this is going to sound ignorant, he can say what he wants to say. You know who is going to look up to him? The people who never thought they had a chance in their life." Former world welterweight and light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton, in 2005, is the only other Briton to win the Ring award.

Summary: The Ring magazine has named world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury as its 2015 fighter of the year.


Mr Justice Mostyn said the game could be said to be a legitimate sport under English law. He has granted the Aylesbury-based English Bridge Union permission for a full judicial review of its status. Sport England has refused to recognise the game and said it was no more a sporting activity than "sitting at home, reading a book". Mr Justice Mostyn, who said he played Bridge on social occasions, heard a claim the game ought to be recognised as a "mind sport" that exercises the "brain muscle". Kate Gallofent QC, for Sport England, said the definition of a qualifying sport was an "activity aimed at improving physical fitness and well being, forming social relations and gaining results in competition". That definition is based on a European Sports Charter promoting "a common European definition of sport". However, the judge was told other EU countries, including the Netherlands, Ireland and Poland, "recognise Bridge as a sport". Miss Gallofent insisted: "The starting point of the definition of sport is physical activity. Bridge cannot ever satisfy this definition." Mr Justice Mostyn told her: "If the brain is a muscle, it does. "You are doing more physical activity playing Bridge, with all that dealing and playing, than in rifle shooting. "In 1999, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognised that Bridge and Chess should be recognised as mind sports." The judge granted the union permission to mount a full judicial review challenge to Sport England. Contract Bridge is a complex game played by millions of people across the world in competitions and at social events. All the cards are dealt from a normal 52 card deck for each game. Two players from each of two teams sit opposite each other across a table and through a bidding process (auction) agree to win a number of tricks. Suits are ranked upwards - clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades and no trumps. If they achieve the number of tricks agreed at auction they win the game but if not they lose. The team with the highest number of games takes the rubber. These are the simple basic rules. At higher levels, the game includes bonus points, complex dealing and other laws.

Summary: The card game Bridge is "arguably" a sport and could qualify for lottery funding, a High Court judge has found.


Malik said: "My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band. "I'd like to apologise to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right." One Direction will continue their world tour as a four piece and record a fifth album later this year. Last week, Malik walked away from the band's world tour after being signed off with stress. He returned to the UK shortly after being forced to defend his relationship with his fiancee, Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards. A photo had earlier emerged of him holding another woman around the waist. A second photo, taken from behind, showed Malik standing close to the woman. Their hands and arms looked as though they were linked. In a statement, the rest of the group said: "We're really sad to see Zayn go, but we totally respect his decision and send him all our love for the future. "The past five years have been beyond amazing - we've gone through so much together, so we will always be friends. "The four of us will now continue. We're looking forward to recording the new album and seeing all the fans on the next stage of the world tour." Simon Cowell, who discovered the boyband on talent show The X Factor, said: "I would like to say thank you to Zayn for everything he has done for One Direction. "Since I first met Zayn in 2010, I have grown very, very fond - and immensely proud - of him. I have seen him grow in confidence and I am truly sorry to see him leave. "As for One Direction, fans can rest assured that Niall, Liam, Harry and Louis are hugely excited about the future of the band." Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson signed with Simon Cowell's record label Syco Records in 2010 after finishing third on The X Factor. Zayn's had a tumultuous time with the band and almost quit during bootcamp. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Zayn Malik has quit One Direction, the band have confirmed in a statement.


However, with today's decision to recommend a third runway at Heathrow, this government has arrived at a point that its predecessors failed to. From beating ourselves up for not building anything, we are suddenly building everything. Heathrow was chosen because of the extra boost it gives to the UK economy, but it is not the only mammoth project out there. After a last minute wobble, the Â£18bn Hinkley Point nuclear power station has been given the green light, while the biggest of them all is coming down the track fast. Construction on the Â£42bn HS2 high-speed rail line from London to the North is scheduled to begin next year. And that is probably not all. The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, has hinted he may reveal some moderate government borrowing to fund targeted infrastructure spending in his Autumn Statement next month. It is enough to make the Victorians sit up and take notice. If projections for a fairly sharp post-Brexit slowdown in the economy next year are correct, we may need this spending boost. Yet if these projects proceed on time, there is something else we will need: people to build it all. With unemployment close to historic lows, it is not clear we have enough. As the Victorians did, it seems very likely we will need to look abroad to find the workers for what some say promises to be a golden age of infrastructure. And that, post-Brexit, will present a political rather than an engineering challenge.

Summary: We have a long way to go before the we see the proverbial shovels in the ground - there will be legal and planning challenges aplenty to come.


The poll has been triggered by the resignation of Tory MP Zac Goldsmith in protest at the government's backing for a third runway at Heathrow. Mr Goldsmith, who will run again as an independent, has said it "must be a referendum on Heathrow expansion". But the likely Lib Dem candidate said Mr Goldsmith's backing for Brexit would be "uppermost in voters' minds". Sarah Olney, who has already been selected to fight the seat at the next General Election, said it was a "farce" the by-election was taking place, saying it was the result of Tory in-fighting but added that the Lib Dems were looking forward to "putting our message in front of voters". Ms Olney, who like Mr Goldsmith is opposed to Heathrow expansion, told the BBC's Daily Politics: "We are on the same side as far as Heathrow is concerned, so for the voters to be able to choose between us, it's going to be fought on other issues - and I think Brexit is currently going to be the main issue that's uppermost in voters' minds." A local breakdown of the EU referendum results shows almost 70% of voters in the Richmond council area, which makes up the bulk of the constituency, backed Remain. Ms Olney is expected to be confirmed as the party's pick for the by-election after party leader Tim Farron rejected the idea of parachuting in one of its big names. The Conservatives are not fielding a candidate against Mr Goldsmith, who held the south-west London seat in 2015 with a 23,015 majority. The Lib Dems, who held the seat until 2010, finished second. Labour says it will field a candidate despite three of its MPs urging it to consider standing aside to maximise the chances of a Tory defeat. The Green Party said it was also likely to put forward a candidate although it said it supported "progressives working together to beat the Conservatives". In standing down, Mr Goldsmith - who has long campaigned against a third runway - fulfilled a pledge to quit if the government backed the expansion. He said: "There was no small print, no expiry date, no ambiguity. It was a simple promise. And it mattered. "I know it mattered, because the thought of Heathrow expansion fills most of my constituents with dread."

Summary: The Liberal Democrats have vowed to make the Richmond Park by-election about Brexit, not Heathrow.


The 21-year-old came through the Rams academy and has played 27 first-team games, including eight this season. Hanson, an ex-England Under-20 player, can also play in defence. "Jamie is an exciting prospect and Derby feel that his development will be better served by coming on loan to us," said Wigan boss Warren Joyce. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.

Summary: Wigan Athletic have signed midfielder Jamie Hanson on loan for the rest of the season from fellow Championship side Derby County.


The weakness in the oil and gas market has resulted in £2.56bn turnover between January and June, down from £3.07bn at the start of 2015. Profits fell even faster. Pre-tax profits on continuing operations were down by 39% to £96m. However, that does not include exceptional items. Post-tax reported profit was down 68% to £44m. The company has had one-off costs of cutting back sharply on its overhead costs, shedding a 10th of its workforce in the first half of this year. Wood Group is currently in a pay dispute with maintenance workers on Shell platforms in the UK North Sea. Chief executive Robin Watson said: "We have continued to focus on what we can control and what we can manage during a period where lower oil prices have endured and activity has fallen. "Our focus remains on managing costs, improving efficiency and maintaining capability. We are working with our customers to work smarter, streamlining work processes while increasing quality and efficiency." The engineering firm has told investors it expects full year profits to be 20% lower than in 2015. The outlook was helped, it said, by early signs of oil production projects being given approval, and signs that the sharp drop in North American onshore drilling may have bottomed out. Wood Group has also announced a $700m multi-year contract for oilfield automation services in Kazakhstan. This continues work it has been doing there for Tengizchevroil since 2013. In other energy news, Cairn Energy, based in Edinburgh, announced a significant increase in the estimated size of its oil discovery in Senegal. An independent company has assessed it as containing 473 million barrels of potentially recoverable oil or its gas equivalent, and up to 2.7 billion in total in the field. The company said the new North Sea fields in which it has a significant interest, Kraken and Catcher, remain on schedule to be in production by the end of next year. The downturn in the oil market means the capital expenditure behind them has fallen between 10% and 20%. The Wood Group share price rose 2% in morning trading after its half-year results were announced. Cairn Energy was up nearly 3%.

Summary: Wood Group, the oilfield services firm based in Aberdeen, has reported half year revenue falling 17%.


Thirty-six year old Marie Low died in Ninewells Hospital after an incident in the city's Ballantrae Terrace. She was found with serious injuries at about 14:55 on Sunday. A 30-year-old is expected to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on Tuesday. Police Scotland said there would be a continued police presence in the area. Tributes have been paid online to Miss Low by friends and family. Her daughter, Shanice Low, wrote on Facebook: "R.I.P mummy I love you millions I can't believe your gone. I'm going to make you proud love you loads mummy." Her brother, Kevin Low, added: "Love you sis - gone but never forgotten." Several other friends have changed their profile photos on social media to images of Marie. Her sister, Denise Low, said: "It was our dad's birthday yesterday - we can't believe this has happened. "My sister was strong and beautiful and will be sorely missed by us all. "She was one of the best people I knew. "She was a very, very strong woman. She always looked great." One friend has also started a crowdfunding page.

Summary: A woman has been charged following the death of another woman in Dundee.


A police cordon has been set up at a lane near Broad Street, following the incident at about 04:00 BST. Police have arrested two men aged 29 and 42. Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Summary: A 27-year-old man has died following a disturbance in Barry, South Wales Police have said.


This is on a par with US President Barack Obama meeting with Cuba's Raul Castro except, unlike Washington and Havana, the two sides still haven't normalised relations. In fact they haven't even signed a peace treaty and in 66 years they have taken very different paths. No agreements will be signed, no joint statements made, but China's Xi Jinping and Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou will have an hour-long meeting and a casual dinner afterwards. It could get awkward and here are some of the questions that could crop up. China has hundreds of missiles targeted at Taiwan to warn the island against declaring formal independence. Beijing still considers Taiwan a province to be reunified with the mainland one day and has not renounced the use of force to take it back. In fact, one of the main reasons for its military build-up is to counter possible US assistance to Taiwan if Beijing were to try to take back militarily. Mr. Ma would argue: "If you want to be friends, you must remove these missiles." "Not that simple," Mr Xi might answer. Doing so could embolden pro-independence groups in Taiwan who want the island to be recognised as a completely separate country from China. The meeting will take place less than three months before Taiwan holds presidential and legislative races, but truly democratic elections like these are not in China's vocabulary. Taiwan, on the other hand, has developed into a vibrant democracy and is proud of its system. Over dinner, Mr Ma could share his low approval rating headaches with Mr Xi and even make jokes about how hard it is to finish a speech when protesters are trying to throw shoes at him. Mr Xi might just politely smile and think to himself: "And you wonder why we run things like we do?" Mr Xi will be eager to push relations forward. During Mr Ma's seven years in office, the two sides have signed many agreements - from those that have allowed first-ever direct flights to ones that bring millions of Chinese tourists to Taiwan each year, not to mention tariff-cutting trade deals. China is eager to link Taiwan's economy and society even closer to the mainland's, and begin talking about unification. But Mr Ma will have to explain that public opinion does not support more deals and such talks at the moment. Many people are worried too many deals signed too quickly and without enough public oversight may make the island over-dependent on China and vulnerable to unification pressures. Mr Ma might explain to Mr Xi: "In Taiwan, unlike mainland China, public opinion matters a lot. That is how I got my job in the first place." Like many Chinese people who consider Taiwan the long-lost sibling they must see at least once in their lifetime, Mr Xi would want to eventually travel to "our treasured island" which is what many Chinese people call Taiwan. But Mr Ma will not be able to extend the invitation. That would be asking for trouble. Given China's motive for developing stronger ties, Taiwanese not in

Summary: On Saturday, for the first time since their bitter split at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, the leaders of China and Taiwan will meet.


The Canadian company, a major employer in Belfast, has faced a public outcry over the planned pay increases. Over the last two years Bombardier has cut thousands of jobs and been bailed out by the Canadian state. Yesterday a protest against the pay rises was held outside its Montreal headquarters. The company says the executives will get half their pay rises now but will have to hit performance targets to collect the rest in 2020.

Summary: The chief executive of the Bombardier aerospace firm has asked the company's board to defer significant pay rises for its top executives.


Most of the passengers are reported to be from Latin America. The crash happened on Interstate 10 close to the resort town of Palm Springs in the early hours of Sunday morning. Investigators are examining the cause of the crash, which happened as the bus was bound for Los Angeles. Rescuers used ladders to climb into the bus windows to remove bodies. Five of the injured passengers are in critical condition. The Los Angeles Times described the crash as the deadliest in California for several decades. It said that the bus careered into the rear of the truck at high speed, mangling the front third of the bus. Most of those who died were apparently at the front of the bus, the newspaper reported. The driver was among the fatalities. Officials quoted by the paper said that identifying the victims could take days, because some were not carrying identity cards or had lost their belongings when they were taken to hospital. They have warned that it may not be possible to determine exactly why the accident happened because of the driver's death. Investigators will assess whether he might have fallen asleep or had a heart attack, in addition to determining if there was a mechanical failure or some other kind of emergency. The westbound lanes of the interstate were closed near the crash site but are now reported to have been reopened. According to the Desert Sun newspaper, the tour bus, run by US Holiday, was coming from Red Earth Casino, near Salton City in California. The small Los Angeles-based company, runs trips to casinos in California and Las Vegas. The driver of the bus was one of the owners of the tour company. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records show the company had one vehicle and one driver. According to the data the company held a satisfactory safety rating and had not been in a crash for two years.

Summary: Thirteen people have been killed and more than 30 injured in southern California after a tour bus ran into the back of a lorry, media reports say.


The authority will hold public meetings between 16 November and 7 December to discuss services which could be cut. It believes it has found two-thirds of the £21m savings needed in the next financial year, but it still needs to find a way of slashing £7m more. Councillors and officers hope residents can help persuade the Welsh government to reduce the impact of the cuts. Council leader Aaron Shotton said: "We are trying to put up an argument and stand up for local services and not simply passport through austerity cuts. "There's a window of opportunity to save services in Flintshire." The council has previously warned it cannot find ways of saving the money and that, if the government cannot be persuaded to limit the loss to Flintshire's grant, then services may be at risk. It has suggested the grant to Clwyd Theatr in Mold could be withdrawn, bins may be emptied less frequently, leisure centres could be closed and winter road gritting could be cut to a minimum.

Summary: Flintshire residents have been invited to help save services threatened by £21m of council spending cuts.


The Costa Rican embassy's trade attache, Guillermo Cholele, was abducted in his diplomatic car from outside his home on Sunday night. Details of his release are not known but a ransom was reportedly demanded. He was the latest diplomat to be kidnapped in recent months in Venezuela, which suffers from high levels of violent crime. Venezuelan Interior Minister Tarek El Aissami said via Twitter that Mr Cholele was in good shape and being taken by police to be reunited with his family. His release had been secured due to investigative work and police pressure, Mr El Aissami wrote. He said that more details on the diplomat's release would be issued later. The Costa Rican authorities had earlier said that a ransom had been demanded. It called the abduction "extremely serious" and said Mr Cholele needed medication for a heart condition and high blood pressure. "For me, this kidnapping is organised crime and unfortunately Caracas is one of the most dangerous cities in the world and this is not an isolated case," Costa Rica's Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Roverrsi said. In January Mexican ambassador Carlos Pujalte and his wife were briefly kidnapped in Caracas before being released. Last November the Chilean consul in Caracas was abducted, beaten and shot in the leg before being released. In December, a diplomat from Belarus was also briefly kidnapped. And just last month Karen Berendique - the teenage daughter of a Chilean diplomat - was shot dead by police. Officers said she had failed to stop at a roadblock. Venezuela has some of the highest rates of murder and kidnap in Latin America, with Caracas particularly affected. The opposition coalition have made crime and insecurity a key issue in their campaign for October's presidential election.

Summary: Venezuelan officials say a Costa Rican diplomat who was kidnapped in the capital, Caracas, has been freed.


The claim: The UK leaving the European Union would mean cuts to pensions, defence and the NHS. Reality Check verdict: What, if anything, gets cut if there is a Brexit will be a matter for the government to decide. "If we restrict our access [to the single market] we will be less well off and that obviously affects what we can spend on our public services," he said. In the past few days, voters have been warned that leaving the European Union would have severe effects on different areas of public spending. We've been told both by David Cameron and Labour's Tom Watson that the triple-lock protection on state pensions would be threatened. We've had Chancellor George Osborne warning that Brexit would lead to between £1bn and £1.5bn of cuts to defence spending. He pointed out that even if the government stuck to Nato's target of spending 2% of national income on defence, if national income fell, then so would defence spending. And the prime minister has also warned about spending on the NHS being threatened if the UK left the EU. Why are they making these warnings? Because economic forecasters have said that leaving the European Union would mean the economy would grow by less than it would have done. That would mean lower tax revenues for the government, which would mean it would struggle to achieve a budget surplus as promised in 2019-20. What the government chose to do about that would be a question of policy, as David Cameron confirmed, but that has not stopped various groups having a guess. The Institute for Fiscal Studies predicted the government would decide to delay balancing the budget, bringing in an extra one or two years of austerity at the current rate. Labour In for Britain said the government would attempt to balance the budget in 2019-20, meaning it would need to make savings of £28bn, which would be divided equally between tax rises, departmental spending cuts and cuts to social security spending. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research said the government would be trying to save an extra £44bn in 2019-20. It is also possible that the government could decide not to balance the budget and borrow more instead. There is a pretty strong consensus that the initial economic shock from a vote to leave the EU would make it harder to achieve a balance in 2019-20, although it could be smaller than some groups have predicted. Read more: The facts behind claims in the EU debate

Summary: On the Andrew Marr Show, David Cameron talked about the effects of leaving the European Union.


De Niro is opening the Sarajevo Film Festival on Friday with a screening of his 1976 classic Taxi Driver, digitally restored for its 40th anniversary. He is also due to be presented with a lifetime achievement award. Sarajevo's film festival was founded in 1995 during the Bosnian war, after nearly four years under siege. About 300 taxi drivers have put up posters in De Niro's honour, Reuters reported. "Many of our colleagues became taxi drivers after being retired from the Bosnian army and in a sign of gratitude and compassion with the main character we have decided to stage him a warm welcome in this way," Hasib Losic of the Sarajevo Taxi Association told the agency. Taxi Driver depicts the life of an isolated, angry army veteran turned taxi driver on the streets of New York.

Summary: Taxi drivers in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo have been putting posters of Robert De Niro on their vehicles in tribute to the actor ahead of a visit.


Speaking ahead of the register's launch, Alison White conceded a lot of lobbyists would not be listed on it. But she said her job was to make sure the rules were implemented and she would do so with "extreme verve and vigour." But one critic of the register said it was "fake" and full of "loopholes". Lobbyists are companies or individuals paid to influence government decisions. The coalition promised to introduce a statutory register of lobbyists when it came to power in 2010, and legislation was passed last year, with ministers saying the move would help clean up politics. However, the new register will only cover consultant lobbyists and will not apply to lobbyists working "in-house" for companies or organisations. A person or company will only need to be registered if they are contacting a government minister or permanent secretary in a government department - leading to criticism it will not come close to reflecting the scale or nature of lobbying that goes on across Whitehall. But Ms White, who is independent of the government, said her task was to implement the law as it stood not to question the powers she had been given. "We are having something that has never been in place before," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "This is a statutory register. The industry tells me it is a professional industry. I expect them to conform with the legislation. It is my job to make sure they do so." Ms White, who was appointed as the registrar of consultant lobbyists in September, acknowledged the register would not indicate different "levels of lobbying". "The legislation was quite narrowly drafted to address a particular issue, which was that it was not always particularly clear, when ministers were being lobbied, who the client of the lobbyist was. That is what the register was set up to do," she said. She added: "This will give anyone who wishes to access the register the opportunity to be able to see who is lobbying and being paid for it and who their clients are. That is the main information the register will contain. "If a lobbyist sets out to influence government policy in some way, they would have to be registered. If they are not registered, then they would not be conforming. They have to go on the register before they lobby." Ms White said last month that the register would not have any entries on its launch day but she had received more than "20 expressions of interest" about joining and companies and individuals might be required to sign up retrospectively. Potential registrants will be able to log on and create an account to file an "information return". But Tamasin Cave, from the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency coalition, said "hardly anyone" in the industry would be covered by the provisions of the new law. "You have a huge commercial lobbying industry, and very few of them will have to sign up," she told Today. "The second flaw is that it won't show the interaction between lobbyists and government, and that is

Summary: The woman in charge of the government's new register of lobbyists has said she expects the industry to "conform" with the statutory system.


Thirty years since Johnny and Baby first appeared in cinemas and created a cult hit, the producers of the TV remake have offered a glimpse at the updated version. Starring Little Miss Sunshine star Abigail Breslin as Frances "Baby" Houseman and Colt Pratte as Johnny Castle, it recounts their 1987 love story and what happened to their romance after the summer ended. Fans will relive memorable scenes like the lift in the lake, dancing on the log, and the infamous: "Nobody puts baby in the corner." The stars of the remake also teased viewers with their own images on social media. Breslin shared photos of herself dancing in front of a fireplace with a shirtless Pratte. In one he is seen dipping Breslin backwards and another sees her dancing with her arms above her head. She captioned the shots: "Casually dancing around a fireplace, as one does," and "just casually dippin' around a fireplace. As one also does." Modern Family star Sarah Hyland, who plays Baby's sister Lisa Houseman, also shared a photo on Instagram of herself in costume. Will and Grace star Debra Messing, who plays their mother Marjorie, posted pictures including a shot of the Houseman family sitting around a table when Johnny tells them: "No one puts Baby in the corner." She also included a picture of former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger dancing in character as Penny Rivera. She captioned the collection: "The Catskills are alive with music and [dancing emojis]." The three-hour TV movie will be broadcast on US network ABC on 24 May, and promises to take the story beyond where the 1987 film ended. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: It's the moment Dirty Dancing fans have been waiting for.


The 22-year-old, who will join City on 1 July, said: "I'm now at one of the best teams in the world". Silva has made 58 appearances for Monaco this season - including two against City in the Champions League - scoring 11 goals and 12 assists. He said the chance to work with Pep Guardiola influenced his decision. "Of course when you have the opportunity of being trained by Guardiola, you don't say no," added the playmaker, who has played 12 times for Portugal, scoring once. "If not the best coach in the world, he is one of the best." Guardiola's City finished third in the Premier League this season, securing Champions League football next year. Silva was integral to the Monaco side that reached the semi-finals, suffering eventual defeat to Juventus, who play Real Madrid in the final on Saturday, 3 June. Former Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas, speaking on BBC Radio 5 live I am surprised in that I think that is the one area of the pitch where they have enough options. Manchester City's attack has been sensational this season. Bernardo Silva is very similar to David Silva. I wouldn't let David Silva go, I think he's been tremendous. You don't know if other clubs were ready to push the button and City thought 'we have got to do it'. There are some players that come along and you have to do it there and then. Tottenham defender Danny Rose, speaking on BBC Radio 5 live I played against him away this season and he's the best opponent I faced. It's a great addition and gives Pep Guardiola another attacking option. BBC Sport's Simon Stone: Silva was excellent in Monaco's 5-3 Champions League defeat at Etihad Stadium in February and Pep Guardiola decided the Portuguese was a man he wanted. So much so, in fact, that he is prepared to put him among the top five most expensive players in City history. A product of the Benfica academy, Silva is an attacking right-sided midfield player and is, at 22, just the kind of age Guardiola likes - old enough to understand his role, young enough to absorb the intricate tactical lessons his new manager imparts. If, as expected, Kyle Walker also arrives this summer from Tottenham, Guardiola will have the raw pace from his full-back that creates the danger - and space - for Silva to cut inside and slice open defences. *Initial reported fees

Summary: Manchester City have completed a £43m deal for Portugal attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva from French champions Monaco.


The company owns the network of lines, poles and substations that brings electricity from power stations to homes and businesses. It does not generate electricity, nor does it sell power to consumers. It makes money by charging suppliers to use the infrastructure and the cost is then passed onto consumers. Sara McClintock of NIE Networks said: "We know that there is nothing more frustrating than being told: 'We can't deal with your query, you need to speak to someone else.' "That is why we are trying to clarify the difference between NIE Networks and electricity suppliers. "If there is a power cut, it's our job at NIE Networks to fix it."

Summary: Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) is changing its name to NIE Networks in an effort to clarify its role in the Northern Ireland electricity market.


Nicholson reported on the fall of Saigon in 1975, the Falklands War, the Balkans conflict, the Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He joined ITN in 1964 and was the network's senior foreign correspondent between 1989 and 1999. He died while on a cruise with his wife Diana. ITN chief executive John Hardie said he was a "true legend". Nicholson, who died on 11 December, presented reports from around the world on ITV's flagship current affairs programme Tonight. He had four children and three grandchildren. He was known for smuggling an orphaned girl out of Sarajevo while reporting on the conflict - and bringing her back to the UK, where he adopted her. The correspondent met nine-year-old Natasha Mihaljcic while he was working on a story about children being trapped by shelling in the Bosnian capital in 1992. He went on to write a book about the events which was used as the inspiration for the 1997 film Welcome To Sarajevo. Nicholson was ITN's first bureau chief in South Africa in 1976 and was the first television correspondent to live in the country during apartheid. He also witnessed the toppling of Saddam Hussein's statue in Baghdad in 2003. Former ITN presenter Sir Trevor McDonald said Nicholson "was almost without doubt the finest television journalist of his generation". "His aggressive pursuit of stories came to symbolise what the new kid on the block, as ITN then was, was all about." ITV News presenter Alastair Stewart said he was "deeply saddened to learn of the death of ITN giant Mike Nicholson". Mr Hardie said: "Michael Nicholson is rightly regarded as a true legend of ITN. "As a journalist he is renowned and revered throughout our industry and beyond for his courage, his intelligence, and his compassion." In a statement, his family described him as "an amazing father, devoted grandfather, loving husband and dear friend".

Summary: Veteran ITN war correspondent Michael Nicholson, whose career spanned more than five decades, has died aged 79.


Ezewele, 20, joins on a one-year deal with the option for a further 12 months and is Fylde's sixth summer signing. He started his career at West Brom but failed to make a first-team appearance before moving to Yeovil in July 2016. The defender will link up again with Kidderminster team-mates Jordan Tunnicliffe and Zaine Francis-Angol, who have also joined the Coasters. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Newly promoted National League side AFC Fylde have signed full-back Josh Ezewele from Kidderminster Harriers.


Meeting in Berlin, they also criticised Russia's air strikes in Syria. It was their first summit since Donald Trump won the US presidential election. Mr Trump has criticised Nato and said he hoped for warmer ties with Russia. Meanwhile, Mr Trump and Nato's chief "underlined the enduring importance of Nato", the military alliance said. In a statement, it said Nato General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg had spoken by phone to Mr Trump, congratulating him on his election victory. In the German capital, President Obama - who has been on a farewell trip to Europe at the end of his two terms - met German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. A White House statement later said the leaders had "affirmed the importance of continued co-operation through multilateral institutions, including Nato". It said they had "agreed on the necessity of working collectively to move the transatlantic agenda forward, particularly on bringing stabilisation to the Middle East and North Africa". On Ukraine, the leaders said the sanctions imposed against Russia must remain in place until Moscow fully met its commitments to resolve the conflict. Western nations accuse Russia of sending its troops and weapons into eastern Ukraine to support separatist fighters - a claim Moscow denies. On Syria, President Obama and the EU leaders said attacks on the city of Aleppo by Syrian government troops and Russia "should be immediately halted". Mrs May said the leaders "were united in our condemnation of the atrocities that are taking place there". "We agreed the need to keep up the pressure on Russia, including the possibility of sanctions on those who breach international humanitarian law," she added. Russia launched its air strikes in Syria in September 2015, saying it was acting at the request of President Bashar al-Assad. Moscow denies targeting civilians, saying it is bombing Islamic militants. In a separate development in Berlin, Mrs May said preparations for the UK's exit from the EU were "on track". "We do stand ready to trigger Article 50... by the end of March 2017." German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble earlier told the Financial Times the UK might have to continue paying into EU budgets for more than a decade after it leaves the EU. He said Britain would "certainly have to fulfil its commitments" to the EU until its departure - and possibly after.

Summary: Outgoing US President Barack Obama and EU leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to Nato unity and sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis.


Peers backed a government bill paving the way for gay couples to marry. It is set to become law by the end of the week, with the first weddings in 2014. Labour's Lord Alli said its passage meant "my life and many others will be better today than it was yesterday". But Tory peer Lord Framlingham said the "ill-thought through" change had been "bulldozed" through Parliament. Peers approved the principle of same-sex marriage last month, despite efforts by opponents to "wreck" the legislation. MPs had earlier done the same, in the face of opposition from many Conservatives, the Church of England and other faith groups. Supporters of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill wore pink carnations during Monday's proceedings in the Lords, during which a series of minor amendments - including one relating to pension benefits for same-sex couples - were proposed. Government minister Lady Stowell said the bill "puts right something which is wrong" and had been improved by detailed scrutiny in the Upper House. "I can't claim to be a gay rights campaigner, but I am a firm believer in justice and fairness," she said. But the Gay Marriage No Thanks group claimed it had been prevented from mounting an advertising campaign around Parliament after its truck was vandalised and its driver threatened. After clearing the Lords, the bill will return to the Commons for a short debate on government amendments before the Commons begins its summer recess on Thursday. The bill must then receive Royal Assent before it becomes law.

Summary: Same-sex marriage in England and Wales is a step closer to becoming law after the House of Lords approved the change.


We were told by the pro-Russian rebels, who guided us, and other journalists, that things were quiet in the village of Shyrokyne, near the strategic port city of Mariupol. But within minutes of arriving, there are loud explosions. A man lies seriously wounded on the ground. He's bleeding badly from the head. We learn he's called Andrei and is a journalist working for Russia's military TV channel. A member of the BBC's team starts to treat him. He's joined by two medics from the OSCE. Andrei has lost a lot of blood and his body is shaking violently as he goes into shock. A local woman is screaming hysterically, as blood stains the pavement outside the local shop where he's now lying, and the journalists brought to monitor this peace mission crowd around. The three men treating Andrei manage to stem the bleeding, but there are then exchanges of gunfire nearby. What sound like rocket propelled grenades are also fired. There is no ceasefire here, even when the OSCE are in the village. The BBC-OSCE team gets Andrei into an old green Soviet-era van, and he is driven away to the local hospital. Later we learn he is still alive, but in a serious condition. His colleague tells us that Andrei said he needed the toilet. When he walked behind the shop, we believe he triggered a booby trap. It was a short walk that might have cost him his life, and it was a reminder of how volatile the ceasefire agreement is here. Later we meet two elderly women who are still living in this village on the frontline. Their eyes quickly fill with tears - this is a common scene in eastern Ukraine.

Summary: This was supposed to be a mission to monitor the ceasefire by a team from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).


The remarkable victory means the Devils have a five-point advantage over the second-placed Giants. New signing Jerome Leduc scored twice and Mike Forney got the other as the Giants took control of the contest. Mark Richardson gave Cardiff hope and Sean Bentivoglio got it back to 3-2 before Joey Haddard equalised and Patrick Asselin netted the winner. It was a devastating final period for the Giants who had hoped to cut the Devils lead to a single point. Now Derrick Walser's men must pick themselves up immediately as they host Cardiff again in Belfast on Saturday night. As befitting a clash between the top two teams, the game started at a frenetic pace which lasted the entire first period. Both keepers were kept busy but it was the Devils' Ben Bowns who was beaten first as debutant Giant Leduc, signed only this week, finished with aplomb in front of goal to give the home side the lead in the 14th minute. With 48 seconds of the period remaining, a Forney shot sneaked past the unsighted Bowns to raise the roof at the SSE Arena as the Giants snatched a two-goal advantage. Leduc's fine start in a Giants shirt continued in the second period when he slammed in his second goal of the night to make it 3-0 on a Belfast power play. The visitors were not daunted by that deficit and came back hard at the Giants with a number of impressive saves from Stephen Murphy keeping the three-goal margin intact. But there was an almighty twist in the tale. The Devils struck early in the final period as Richardson arrowed the puck into the top corner of the net past Murphy. Now it was the small but vocal contingent of fans from Wales who were making all the noise in the arena as the scoreline became 3-2 as a Bentivoglio shot was deflected into the net off Giants' player-coach Walser, setting up a tense finale. Haddard then made it 3-3 with less than six minutes remaining. Then, incredibly, Patrick Asselin's close-range finish completed a remarkable turnaround by the Devils in what could well have been a huge step towards the Elite League title.

Summary: Leaders Cardiff Devils came from 3-0 down to beat their main rivals for the Elite League title in Belfast.


Arlene Foster, Martin McGuinness, Mike Nesbitt, Colum Eastwood and David Ford all took part in Election 2016: The Leaders' Debate. They were questioned by a studio audience made up mostly of grassroots supporters and some undecided voters. The debate was simulcast to UK-wide audiences on the BBC News channel. It was hosted by Noel Thompson. An early flashpoint in the debate came between Mike Nesbitt and Arlene Foster over who should be first minister. "I think that Arlene has a five-word plan - do not mention Peter Robinson," said Mr Nesbitt. "I have a one-point plan - the Ulster Unionist one-point plan is make it work. Make Stormont work." Mrs Foster replied: "Unlike Mike Nesbitt, I remember the bad old days of pushover unionism. "I remember what it was like in 1998 when we had a concession a day to the IRA, I remember what happened in relation to prisoners, I remember what happened to the RUC." David Ford said that the argument over who should be first minister was about trying to frighten people. "I think it's rather sad that this is now the third election in a row that the DUP's campaign has been based on the politics of fear. He added: "Not looking forward to the future, not looking about growing our economy, not looking about growing a united community, not looking to meet the needs of our children to stop them emigrating. "Instead of that we're just into who's biggest and who's not biggest." Martin McGuinness and Colum Eastwood also clashed over who would be in government or opposition after the election. Mr McGuinness accused the SDLP leader of not knowing "what he wants to do" over being in government, but Mr Eastwood responded that the election is "not a coronation". "I am going into government. Colum can't say that tonight. I am going into government," said Mr McGuinness. Mr Eastwood replied: "Not like in the south, where they've refused to go into government at every opportunity." During the debate, the leaders also faced questions on health, the past, the economy and the make-up of the government after the election. Following the debate, political discussion continued in The Spin Room, a programme that provided instant analysis and reaction to the leaders' debate. The programme featured senior representatives from the Green Party, TUV and UKIP. An invited audience of commentators, members of the public and private sector, and young people from the BBC Generation 2016 initiative also gave their views on the debate.

Summary: The leaders of Northern Ireland's five main parties have gone head-to-head in a debate before Thursday's assembly election.


Offences for which lower compensation was awarded included ones involving drink, drugs or violence. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority said statutory guidance obliged it to reduce or refuse awards if victims had unspent convictions. A leading child abuse lawyer called for a review of the "scandalous" approach. Alan Collins said civil case judges increasingly took the opposite view, and accepted that abuse could have a lifelong effect, with addictions being a possible consequence. Since 2010, CICA - an executive agency sponsored by the Ministry of Justice - has awarded compensation to 12,665 people who were sexually abused as children, or as adults lacking mental capacity. But some 438 people have had their government-funded compensation reduced because they had committed criminal offences themselves, the BBC learned after a series of Freedom of Information requests. Of the 27 cases where compensation was reduced between June 2014 and June 2015, half were for drink, drugs, theft or property offences. Eight involved violence against people. CICA would not say how many applications by such victims had been rejected. "The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme has always asked that awards are reduced or refused if the victim had unspent convictions," it said in a statement. The Ministry of Justice said the refusal or reduction of an awarded payment reflected the fact the individual "may have caused distress, loss or injury to another person, and cost the taxpayer money through a police investigation or court proceedings". It said there were no plans to review the scheme. Odette Tovey, a Sheffield-based legal representative for several grooming victims whose applications have been rejected by CICA, said: "The crimes committed against the victims far outweigh the crimes that these victims committed." Some of these had been abused for many years, from their early teens, added Ms Tovey, and CICA was their only route to potential compensation. Ms Tovey said CICA needed to take into consideration that victims' crimes "were as a result of mental health problems developed because of the period of abuse they went through". Victims could be eligible for compensation of Â£27,000 if no deductions were made, said Ms Tovey. The average award after CICA compensation reduction was Â£8,423. Jane was groomed and abused for more than four years after running away from her South Yorkshire home at the age of 15. She was given drugs and alcohol and forced to have sex with men she did not know. A lead witness at her abuser's trial, Jane was turned down for compensation because she has unspent convictions for theft and assault - offences which took place before the trial took place and when she says she was addicted to so-called legal highs. She has since given up drugs, has married, and is pregnant with her first child. Jane - not her real name - has paid back the money she stole and says she feels remorse for her actions, but says they should not negate her compensation. She told the BBC: "I've hurt someone else, they didn't expect to be hurt, they didn't deserve to be hurt, I just hurt

Summary: Compensation has been reduced for more than 400 sex abuse victims in Britain who later committed criminal offences, the BBC has learnt.


Spectators were joined by pagans and druids at the ancient monument in Wiltshire, but the dense cloud cover meant the sun remained hidden. Police, who estimated 21,000 people attended, targeted the crowds with sniffer dogs and took 22 people into custody for drugs-related offences. The solstice has had spiritual significance for thousands of years. The word itself means a stopping or standing still of the sun. What are the mysteries behind the Summer Solstice? Find out more: BBC Religion Paganism A crowd had gathered to spend the night near the giant stones, with police reporting 2,000 people on site by 21:30 BST on Thursday. The sun then rose at 04:52 on the longest day of the year. Supt Matt Pullen, from Wiltshire Police, said: "The majority of people respected the conditions of entry and the amnesty bins provided were used. "Approximately 70 cannabis street warnings were issued. As with previous years, the passive drugs dogs proved very effective." Twenty-two miles away (35km) at Avebury, where there are three stone circles, the crowd peaked at some 500 people. BBC Radio Wiltshire reporter Rachel Royce said: "There are some very serious druids here in their long cloaks, taking it very solemnly. There are also some party-goers, and ordinary visitors who love the atmosphere. "It really is a very peaceful and nice event."

Summary: Thousands of people have gathered at Stonehenge for the sunrise on the longest day of the year.


Every year hundreds of thousands of children see domestic abuse at home and it can happen to anyone. Alesha Dixon tells her story to Newsround, along with children who have experienced it first-hand themselves. We also see CBBC presenter Barney Harwood discover how widespread the problem is, when he spends time with a police unit responding to 999 calls.

Summary: Behind Closed Doors explores the rarely talked about issue of children witnessing domestic violence.


The Bluebirds could receive up to £5m for the Scotland goalkeeper. But Giles says the 31-year-old is worth at least £8m, underlining Cardiff's malaise in the Championship. "They are going to get £3.5m and they're selling him on the cheap. And that tells me where the club is going: nowhere," said Giles. Marshall agreed personal terms with Hull after being omitted from Saturday's Championship defeat by Reading. The 31-year-old has made more than 280 appearances for Cardiff since arriving from Norwich City for free in 2009. Cardiff are 17th in the 24-strong division with one win, two draws and two defeats. Marshall is widely regarded as their star player and Giles, who had two playing stints with the club lasting a combined total of six years, is unhappy at the player leaving. "I think it's a joke. Personally I think David Marshall is worth £8m, probably more than that to any club," said Giles before Marshall's move was finalised. "Football today, I hate it, all these stats - they keep going on with stats, but if you look at Marshall's stats, they would without a doubt be better than anyone in the Championship and be a lot better than goalkeepers in the Premier League and they've let him go. "Probably if Hull win the Premier League they'll get £5m." "They are going to get £3.5m and they're selling him on the cheap. And that tells me where the club is going: nowhere." Giles agrees that Cardiff City need a proven goalscorer, but does not believe one will be signed. "Without a doubt Cardiff need a striker and talking to fans, they're looking for someone to score 15-20 goals a season," he told Radio Wales Sport. "Well that's not going to happen this year and unfortunately we're looking at a season where if they finish half way, they've done well. "Is that going to bring your fans back? You'll always get your diehards going, but is that going to get enthusiastic people coming down to Cardiff City Stadium? "It's a poor Cardiff City when they're watching second-rate football."

Summary: The sale by Cardiff City of captain David Marshall to Hull City has been described as "a joke" by former midfielder David Giles.


Police said the crash happened at 07:10 on the B7066 Whitburn Link Road, near Polkemmet Country Park. Several roads have been closed. They are due to open at 12:30. The 58-year-old man who died was a driver in the stationary car. The occupants of the van suffered minor injuries. Police are appealing for witnesses.

Summary: A man has died after a van crashed into a stationary car in West Lothian.


The father of two from Ballymoney was diagnosed with a rare stomach cancer after nurses discovered his iron levels were low when he went to give blood in November 2012. Chris, who works as an electrical wholesaler, strongly believes it was a trip that saved his life. "I was one of the fortunate ones, just so lucky when I think about it," he said. Chris initially thought he may have had an ulcer and was not concerned. "My health was fine, I was a 40-something rugby player. I worked shifts and thought any tiredness was down to an unusual sleep pattern." But after receiving a pinprick test at his local blood clinic in Ballymoney, nurses told Chris that he could not donate blood because his iron levels were unusually low and advised him to visit his local GP who then referred him for a colonoscopy. Chris was then diagnosed with GIST, a rare cancer that occurs in the wall of the stomach and small intestine. Doctors discovered the 9cm (3.5in) tumour in March 2013 and carried out a successful operation at the Royal Victoria Hospital in May. "I tried to keep things as normal as I could at home, I have two young girls. Thankfully the cancer didn't spread. I had surgery to remove my stomach. I was 16 stone (100kg) before surgery, now I'm 12 stone (79kg). The Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS) has shared Chris' story on their Facebook page, describing it as a "story with a difference". In a post, Chris said: "If it hadn't been for me giving blood, I never would have known about this until it would have been too late. Now, Chris McIlmoyle is enjoying his life and has returned to work full-time. He has completed an abseil and bungee jump down Belfast City Hospital with his wife in aid of Friends of the Cancer Care Centre. According to the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS), some 6% of the eligible population donate blood in Northern Ireland. A spokesperson said: "Most people aged between 17 and 65 years of age could give blood and save lives but unfortunately don't." Writing on Facebook, Chris said: "Donating blood saves lives and in a different way than normal, it saved mine. Every blood test is like a mini MOT."

Summary: A spur of the moment decision to donate blood changed the life of 42-year-old County Antrim man Chris McIlmoyle.


Media playback is not supported on this device But this 7ft tall New Zealander with a sleeve of tattoos is fast becoming the star of the NBA play-offs and is even putting the league's most valuable player Stephen Curry in the shade. Adams and his Oklahoma City Thunder side beat Golden State Warriors 118-94 in game four of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday, to lead last year's champions 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. It was the first back-to back defeats for the Warriors this season, a team who set a new NBA record of 73 wins in the regular season. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant were the stars of the show for the Thunder, but even they were eclipsed by a moment of magic from Adams. The 22-year-old, who scored 11 points and seven rebounds in the win, threw a one-handed bullet pass to Andre Roberson just before half-time. More than 22,000 tweets were sent in an hour about Adams' baseball style throw and the player began trending on Twitter in his native New Zealand and the US. Then there was a young fan who turned up to the game at Oklahoma's Chesapeake Arena, dressed as Adams with a fake moustache and tattoos in tribute to her hero. Many Twitter users felt the youngster was the real star of game four and even Adams himself tweeted that it was "absolutely amazing". In game three Adams hit the headlines after Warriors forward Draymond Green kicked him in the groin area, but avoided suspension. It led to Thunder fans using the hashtag #standupforsteven in the build-up to Tuesday's game. Adams has rarely been out of the headlines in the series. After game one he had to apologise for referring to the Warriors' players as "quick little monkeys". "It was just a poor choice of words," said Adams, who blamed differences in dialect for his comments. "I wasn't thinking straight. I didn't know it was going to upset anyone." Then there is his family - Adams is the youngest of 18 siblings. His brothers are around 6ft 10in to 6ft 11in, while his sisters stand at 6ft 5in to 6ft 6in. Six of his brothers have played basketball for New Zealand, while his half-sister Valerie, 31, is a double Olympic champion shot putter.

Summary: With his long, ragged hair and handlebar moustache, Steven Adams looks like he has stepped out of the 1970s.


An appraisal of stock has found some items have an uncertain provenance while others are in a "poor condition". Curators have compiled a list of items that could go at Brecknock, Powysland, Llanidloes and Radnorshire museums. A decision will be taken by councillors at a meeting on Thursday. "The museums accept that one of its key functions is to acquire artefacts and to keep them for posterity," said the report. "In recent years staff have followed a strict collecting policy, however, historically a number of items, often with uncertain provenance and sometimes in extremely poor condition have been taken into the collection. "The main driver for the collection review was to reappraise items and to assess their suitability for long-term preservation. "There are no financially motivated reasons for disposal of any items."

Summary: Old bottles, bikes and blacksmith's bellows are among the items that could be disposed of amid plans to cut back on museum collections, according to Powys council.


Andy Carroll poked home his sixth goal in six matches, and Mark Noble added two penalties to put the hosts 3-0 up. The first spot-kick was awarded after Jose Holebas felled Diafra Sakho, and Almen Abdi brought down Michail Antonio for the second after the break. Sebastian Prodl hooked one back for Watford and they also earned a late penalty, but Troy Deeney saw it saved. And in the final minute of injury time, Hornets winger Nordin Amrabat was sent off for picking up his second yellow card. The Hammers remain sixth in the Premier League, still three points behind fifth-placed Manchester United after their 2-0 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool also beat Everton 4-0 on Wednesday and are two points behind West Ham in seventh. Watford remain 12th and will now focus on Sunday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley against Palace. Both sides have had their fill of penalty action this week. Carroll scored one for the Hammers before they conceded a late spot-kick and equaliser against Leicester on Sunday. And Watford earned a 1-0 victory over West Brom on Saturday - their first win in seven league games - largely thanks to Heurelho Gomes' two penalty saves. However, Gomes was not able to save his side for a third and fourth time in 135 minutes of play. Noble slotted both penalties home with ease, after Carroll had given the Hammers the lead by poking in from close range after a pinpoint ball from Dimitri Payet. Watford got in on the action late on, when Angelo Ogbonna was adjudged to have brought down goalscorer Prodl in the area, but Deeney - on as a second-half substitute - was denied by Adrian. West Ham came up against a much-changed Watford side, as manager Quique Sanchez Flores kept seven first-team players rested for Sunday's trip to Wembley. And the Hammers dispensed of the Hornets with ease to earn a new club record. Slaven Bilic's side have now gone 15 games without losing at home in the Premier League - their last defeat at Upton Park coming against Bournemouth on 22 August. The record came in the third-from-final game at Upton Park ahead of the Hammers' move to the Olympic Stadium. West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "We can say they had half of their mind on the weekend and they rested players, but their line-up still had internationals. Media playback is not supported on this device "We are victims of our success as the bar is always rising. We are coping with that well. This game was a big one because I told the players 'the season is good or very good anyway but after this game are we going to look up and try to catch those teams'. Still we have to look down as Liverpool are in good form." Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores: "The application was very good from us. We conceded really early and then it was very tough to play against a tough team like West Ham as they had confidence. "In the second half, we reacted really well

Summary: West Ham beat Watford in a dramatic encounter at Upton Park to maintain their push for a place in Europe.