Crimea was formally absorbed into Russia on 18 March, to international condemnation, after unidentified gunmen took over the peninsula. Mr Putin said on TV he had ordered work on "returning Crimea" to begin at an all-night meeting on 22 February. The meeting was called after Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted. Speaking last year, Mr Putin had said only that he took his final decision about Crimea after secret, undated opinion polls showed 80% of Crimeans favoured joining Russia. The findings of these polls were borne out by the outcome of the referendum on 16 March, he told Russian state TV last April. Speaking in a forthcoming Russian TV documentary, Mr Putin said a meeting with officials had been held on 22-23 February to plan the rescue of Ukraine's deposed president. "I invited the leaders of our special services and the defence ministry to the Kremlin and set them the task of saving the life of the president of Ukraine, who would simply have been liquidated," he said. "We finished about seven in the morning. When we were parting, I told all my colleagues, 'We are forced to begin the work to bring Crimea back into Russia'." The trailer for The Path To The Motherland was broadcast on Sunday night with no release date announced. On 27 February, unidentified armed men seized the local parliament and local government buildings in Crimea, raising the Russian flag. Among them appeared to be regular soldiers without military insignia, who were dubbed the "little green men". Mr Putin subsequently admitted deploying troops on the peninsula to "stand behind Crimea's self-defence forces". Ukraine crisis: Timeline The formal annexation of Crimea sparked unrest in eastern Ukraine on 7 April, when pro-Russian protesters occupied government buildings in Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv demanding independence. A month later, pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk declared independence from Ukraine after unrecognised referendums. Ukraine responded by launching an "anti-terrorist operation" against them and the region became engulfed in a conflict which has cost at least 6,000 lives and driven more than a million people from their homes, according to the UN. The Ukrainian government, Western leaders and Nato say there is clear evidence that Russia is helping the separatists with heavy weapons and soldiers. Independent experts echo that accusation. Moscow denies it, insisting that any Russians serving with the rebels are "volunteers". Full details of Mr Yanukovych's escape from Ukraine are unclear although Mr Putin spoke of preparations to evacuate him from Donetsk. "Heavy machine guns were placed there, so as not to waste time talking," he added, with preparations made by land, sea and air. The documentary, which Russian TV says will be broadcast soon, was made by Andrei Kondrashov, a journalist with state-run channel Rossiya-1.

Summary: Vladimir Putin has admitted for the first time that the plan to annex Crimea was ordered weeks before the referendum on self-determination.


The Labour-led authority said the proposals were part of a number of cuts aimed at combating a budget shortfall of £157m over the next four years. A range of pupils, from pre-school age to young adults could be asked to pay up to £349 a year. The move would save the authority £191,500. Councillor Kevin Gillott, cabinet member for children and younger adults, said: "I know that at a time when families are struggling with rising costs and falling living standards people will be wondering why we are having to consider asking them to pay towards providing transport for their children. "Sadly, we have no choice as we're being forced by the government to make savings that mean the council will have to cut the amount of money it spends on providing services to Derbyshire families by a third." The authority is also looking to reduce its housing-related support budget by £9m. This would affect a range of groups, including people with learning disabilities and those at risk of domestic abuse. The county council said it would begin its consultation on Monday.

Summary: School transport charges for students with special educational needs are being considered by Derbyshire County Council.


Shona Mitchell, who was from Crieff, sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene of the crash on the A85 at St Fillans on Sunday. Her family said that she would be greatly missed and did not wish to make any further comment, Police said the driver of the car sustained minor injuries as a result of the collision. Officers are conducting an inquiry into the full set of circumstances.

Summary: A 24-year-old motorcyclist killed after a collision with a car in Perthshire has been named by police.


Walker was a passenger in the Porsche driven by his friend when it hit a pole and burst into flames in November 2013. His daughter Meadow filed a wrongful death case in September claiming the carmaker took safety shortcuts. But Porsche has said the actor "knowingly and voluntarily assumed all risk" of being a passenger in the car. The star of the high-action Fast and Furious movies was "a knowledgeable and sophisticated user of the 2005 Carrera GT", Porsche said in legal papers filed last week. "PCNA [Porsche Cars North America] alleges that Mr Walker knowingly and voluntarily assumed all risk, perils and danger in respect to the use of the subject 2005 Carrera GT," said the manufacturer. It added: "The perils, risk and danger were open and obvious and known to him, and he chose to conduct himself in a manner so as to expose himself to such perils, dangers and risks, thus assuming all the risks involved in using the vehicle." Porsche also said in its defence papers that the car in which the actor was travelling, had been "abused and altered" and was "misused and improperly maintained". It adds: "At the time the subject 2005 Carrera GT was originally manufactured, sold and delivered, it comported with state of the art." After a four-month investigation following the crash on 30 November 2013, the police said the Porsche, driven by Walker's friend Roger Rodas who also died, was travelling at 94mph (151kph) in a 45mph zone when it hit a lamp post. Meadow Walker's legal claim contends the car was travelling much slower when it went out of control and that her father's seatbelt was defective. Ms Walker's legal documents allege the car lacked "features that could have prevented the accident or, at a minimum, allowed Paul Walker to survive the crash". In response to Porsche's defence, a representative for Ms Walker told TMZ: "It is beyond regrettable that Porsche is trying to deflect its own responsibility by blaming the victim, Paul Walker, for his own death by getting into the passenger seat of its Carrera GT. The statement continued: "Contrary to Porsche's assertions, the facts are clear: Paul was the passenger in a car that was not designed to protect its occupants, in a crash on a dry, empty straightaway in broad daylight and at speeds well below the vehicle's advertised capabilities." Mr Rodas' widow filed a similar case last year, but Porsche said the crash was his fault, rather than down to design flaw. .

Summary: Porsche says Fast and Furious actor Paul Walker was responsible for his own death in a high-speed crash of a 2005 Carrera GT.


The review "paves the way for changes" to the current system, which has been in place since 1988, the Treasury said. However, the outcome is expected to be fiscally neutral, meaning that the total sum collected from businesses will not change. The review was first announced in December's Autumn Statement. "The time has come for a radical review of this important tax. We want to ensure the business rates system is fair, efficient and effective," said Danny Alexander, chief secretary to the Treasury. The Treasury said the review will look at how firms use property, what the UK could learn from other countries and how the system could be modernised to better reflect changes in property values. "Lots and lots of people have views about how the business rates system doesn't work, but as soon as you get into what an alternative system might look like there's much less consensus," Mr Alexander added, speaking to the BBC's Wake up to Money programme. Labour's shadow exchequer secretary to the Treasury Shabana Mahmood said: "Britain's businesses need more than just a re-announced review. Labour will take immediate action by cutting and then freezing business rates for 1.5 million small business properties." The announcement follows widespread criticism of the current system, where rates are charged to retailers based on the value of their shop or other commercial property. The arrangement means that companies with similar turnovers can pay dramatically different sums for business rates because their properties have varying "rateable values" depending on the size and location of their premises. John Cridland, director-general of the CBI, said the current system of business rates was "outmoded, clunky and regressive" and "holding back the high street". "We'll be making the case for removing the smallest firms from paying business rates completely... and introducing more frequent valuations," he said. John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the review, but said "actions speak louder than words". "Unless a root and branch reform of business rates is delivered at Budget 2016, firms will regard this as a missed opportunity to tackle a huge brake on investment and growth," he added. The rates paid by English businesses are the highest of any European Union country and can be a company's biggest expense after wages and rent. Rates have been blamed for the decline of many High Streets and the rising number of vacant shops. Business rates are calculated according to the rental value of the property a company uses. They date back to the Poor Law established in 1601. Current valuations are still based on property prices in 2008, before the economic downturn hit the value of commercial real estate, as the government postponed a revaluation scheduled for last year.

Summary: A "radical" review of the business rates system in England has been launched, with its findings due in time for the Budget in 2016.


Back in the early 1990s, when I was on my way to join the first British troops despatched for peace-keeping duties to Bosnia, I stayed overnight at a Vienna hotel. In the lobby, there was a series of 19th Century maps of the Hapsburg Empire. There they were, all of the old names - Bosnia Herzegovina, the Croat lands - names, long consigned to the history books, that were now the currency of nightly news reports, marking out the boundaries of this latest tragedy in the Balkans. Later, standing in Sarajevo's old Turkish market, one had the clear sense of being in a historic border zone; a frontier between Europe and the old Ottoman lands to the east. It was a reminder that for much of the 19th Century, Western diplomacy had been obsessed with what became known as "the Eastern Question." This was the fear as to what might happen as the Ottoman Empire - then seen as "the sick man of Europe" - slowly relinquished its grip on its various possessions. Who might step into the breach? One obvious concern was Russia. Britain and France had already fought one campaign to bolster Turkey and limit Russia's influence in the Holy Land - the Crimean War of the 1850s. Do you see a pattern here? Again those familiar names and themes; the Crimea; Russian influence in the Middle East. Times change - but geography doesn't, and strategic interests have as much to do with geography as they do with anything else. Thus, Europe now faces what might be called "a new Eastern Question". It is not so much Turkey's weakness that is the problem today; it is maybe more a question of Ankara's over-reach. Turkey has seemingly achieved the impossible. I remember some years ago interviewing the then Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu. Bookish, a former professor, he was the proud architect of Turkey's new foreign policy, one of zero problems with any of its neighbours. Now, Mr Davutoglu is Prime Minister. And in the intervening years, Turkey seems instead to have developed problems with almost all of its neighbours and erstwhile regional partners; be it Syria, Israel, and now, crucially, Russia. Moscow and Ankara find themselves on different sides in the Syrian crisis; Moscow backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government, and Turkey in the vanguard of those countries most eager to see his departure. A kind of proxy war has turned hot, with Russia bombing Syrian opposition groups backed by Turkey and encouraging Kurdish forces to press ever closer to the Turkish frontier. Turkey's shooting down of a Russian warplane last November - a plane that on best evidence had only briefly intruded into Turkish airspace - worsened the tensions. More recently, the Russian-backed Syrian offensive on Aleppo has sent new waves of refugees heading for the Turkish border and worsened Ankara's fears about Kurdish success. This "new Eastern Question" impinges upon Western Europe in two crucial ways. First, Turkey is a member of Nato. If it gets itself into a spat with the Russians, this could have dramatic consequences

Summary: History has a strange way of imposing itself upon the present.


Major Richard Rimmington told an inquest he had always wondered if he was the last person to see Pte Cheryl James alive at the Surrey barracks. Pte James was on guard duty when he drove into the camp on 27 November 1995. When asked if he saw anything notable about her, he said "not at all." The 18-year-old from Llangollen in Denbighshire was one of four recruits to die at the base in seven years. She was found dead with a bullet wound to the head. Maj Rimmington told the hearing in Woking: "At the gate I saw one person, it was a female, a female in uniform doing guard duties. "I showed her my ID card and probably said 'good morning how are you'." He said a colleague arrived five minutes later to find the gate unmanned. Maj Rimmington said he was surprised no-one came to talk to him about Pte James's death. "After the initial inquest had concluded I thought they must not have needed me," he said. An open verdict into Pte James's death was recorded in the first inquest into her death in December 1995. A second inquest is taking place after High Court judges quashed the findings. Paul Vernam, former Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) at Deepcut, said he also saw Pte James at the gate and corrected her for not calling him "Sir" but that there was nothing unusual about her response. "It was quite normal speech, I was in my car, I wasn't shouting at her or anything like that," he added. Mr Vernam said he was shocked to be told Pte James had killed herself minutes later. He said he did not know at the time that it was expressly against orders for females to go out on guard duty alone. Alison Foster QC, representing Pte James's family, said: "There is...if a single female is on lone guard, an obvious opportunity for her to be overborne, would you agree?" Mr Vernam answered: "Not really no, I would suggest that the soldiers when by themselves were in daylight and I don't see a threat in daylight hours." Ms Foster asked: "If a woman is on her own and armed is she more vulnerable to an armed male intruder than a man, purely on physical strength?" "Yes," Mr Vernam replied. Richard Simonds, a former Major at Deepcut, said he saw Pte James "lying in the woods" near the gate with two officers standing nearby, when he arrived for work. "I said, 'Is she dead?' They said they didn't know." He continued: "It was a female lying in foetal position with knees drawn up, lying on her right-hand side and there was a weapon lying very close to her. "There was some blood around her head and a bullet wound to her forehead." He told the inquest he checked for a pulse but there was "nothing at all". "Once I found there was no pulse and she was beyond help it didn't seem dignified to do violent CPR or anything like that so we backed off," he said.

Summary: A former army instructor who spoke to a young soldier at Deepcut barracks moments before she died has said no-one interviewed him after her death.


Dickson, 29, made 42 appearances last season, scoring winning goals against Accrington and Mansfield as the club finished 19th in League Two. The left-back initially signed on a one-year deal from Crawley at the beginning of the season, with the option to extend by a further year. He told the club's website: "It would be silly not to stay on board. The club is now heading in the right direction." Yeovil, who for a large part of the season were battling relegation, finished 14 points clear of the bottom two. Dickson added: "Everyone at the club has worked so hard to create a togetherness and positive atmosphere, which has driven us all forward in such a short space of time." Dickson signs a two-year deal similar to goalkeeper Artur Krysiak who put pen to paper on Tuesday, and defender Nathan Smith, 29, who signed a one-year contract extension yesterday.

Summary: Defender Ryan Dickson has extended his stay at Yeovil Town by two more years.


Police reportedly fired teargas at mourners. Kashmir is under lockdown as protests against Indian rule continue. More than 80 people, nearly all anti-government protesters, have died in more than two months of violence. Nasir Shafi was found dead after going missing on Friday in Srinagar. An almost complete curfew is now in place in Kashmir, part of the Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir state. Why has Kashmir erupted in violence? Some reports say Nasir Shafi was 11 years old. Correspondents say restrictions on free movement and internet use are at their tightest since street demonstrations began on 9 July. They were sparked by the killing of a popular militant leader in a gunfight with the army. Security forces have continued to fire lethal shotgun pellets at protesters, despite the government saying it would use an alternative. Disputed Kashmir is claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan and has been a flashpoint for more than 60 years, causing two wars between the neighbours.

Summary: Thousands of people have defied a curfew in Indian-administered Kashmir to attend the funeral of a schoolboy whose body was found riddled with pellet wounds, local media report.


The North Shields-based Homeland prawn boat was in collision with the Scottish Viking off the Berwickshire coast just before 2000 BST on Thursday. Two fishermen, who are brothers, were on board the trawler. One, aged 20, was pulled to safety by another boat. The search for the other brother, thought to be 16, has been called off. Fred Caygill from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) told the BBC a crewman from another vessel had seen the missing boy in the water at 2025 BST on Thursday, but he then slipped from view. The MCA confirmed the search was terminated at 1400 BST on Friday, a decision which had followed 17 hours of searching, when expected survivability had been exceeded. Mr Caygill said it was unclear as to whether the missing boy, or his brother, were wearing lifejackets, but two were found in the flotsam. He said: "The survivability period for someone in the water has passed. "Different factors affect different people's chances of survival, but it has been a long time." More than 20 fishing vessels and lifeboats were involved in the search, which spanned an area of more than 30 square miles off St Abb's Head. The Scottish Viking ferry, which was travelling between Rosyth and Zeebrugge, is operated by the Dutch company Norfolkline, owned by DFDS Seaways. The firm said the ship was chartered by Norfolkline from Italian firm Visentini, and was expected to arrive in Belgium on Friday afternoon. A DFDS Seaways spokesman said: "We are deeply concerned about this and there will now follow an investigation by the authorities which we will fully assist with. "We have also been talking to Visentini who will investigate fully." The Marine Accident Investigation Branch will examine how the collision happened. A spokesman said: "We are conducting a preliminary examination at the moment." Lothian and Borders Police said officers were assisting the coastguard.

Summary: An investigation is under way into a collision between a ferry and a trawler which has left a teenage fisherman lost in the North Sea.


House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes is now himself under investigation by the House Ethics Committee. The panel is looking into claims that the Republican disclosed classified intelligence. Mr Nunes called the charges "entirely false" and "politically motivated". He said his decision to step aside came after "several left-wing activist groups have filed accusations against me with the Office of Congressional Ethics". Mr Nunes added he would continue to fulfil his other responsibilities as chairman, requesting to speak to the ethics panel "in order to expedite the dismissal of these false claims". Democrats have criticised Mr Nunes for his handling of the inquiry, which is also looking at possible links between the Trump campaign and Moscow. The House Ethics Committee said in a statement on Thursday: "The Committee is aware of public allegations that Representative Devin Nunes may have made unauthorised disclosures of classified information, in violation of House rules, laws, regulations, or other standards of conduct." Watchdog groups Democracy 21 and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington had asked the House ethics panel to investigate Mr Nunes. His political foes have accused him of helping the White House to divert attention from several investigations into links between the Trump team and Russian officials. Mr Nunes has acknowledged making an after-dark trip to the White House grounds last month that even the congressman's own aides were apparently unaware of. The next day at a hastily arranged news conference he announced he had learned that post-election communications of Mr Trump's team had been monitored by US intelligence agencies as they snooped on foreign officials. He expressed alarm that information about the then-incoming president's aides had been swept up in US intelligence reports. Mr Nunes' Democratic colleagues on the panel were furious that he had not shared such information with them before going public. In the face of much scepticism, Mr Nunes maintains White House officials were not his original source for the claims. Democrats questioned whether the investigation into Russia's alleged role in the election could proceed objectively. It's never a good sign when the investigator becomes a bigger story than the investigation. Such was the case with Congressman Devin Nunes, with his shifting explanations for where and how he acquired sensitive intelligence documents, his decision to keep details from his fellow intelligence committee members, his apparent behind-the-scenes co-ordination with White House sources and his penchant for dramatic press conferences. All this made him a liability for Republican congressional leadership and the White House. Now he is, at least temporarily, out of the picture. He may blame an ethics complaint filed by "leftwing activist groups" for forcing the move, but there's little doubt that many Republicans are breathing a sigh of relief. Mr Nunes, at times, seemed out of his depth on the big political stage. The committee's investigations effectively had been ground to a halt by partisan bickering, and this move is a first step toward rebooting the efforts. It may be too late, however, as the concurrent Senate intelligence committee investigation has launched more smoothly and with a greater show

Summary: The head of a key US congressional investigation into alleged Russian hacking has temporarily stepped down amid an ethics inquiry into him.


Mr Rajoy accepted the mandate but warned he might fail if opposition parties again refused to back him. His Popular Party (PP) lost its absolute majority in December's election but remains the biggest party. Most parties have declared they will not back him, including the Socialists under leader Pedro Sanchez. "We want to change Rajoy's government and this is why we will vote 'no' in a confidence vote," Mr Sanchez said. Mr Rajoy needs to form a minority or coalition government which must pass a vote of confidence in parliament. Spain's political turmoil began after the election on 20 December when voters, frustrated with economic crisis and austerity measures, broke the country's traditional two-party dominance. After the parties filed to agree on a new government, a new election was held on 26 June where, for a second time, no party won an absolute majority.

Summary: The King of Spain has asked acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to try to form a government after the second inconclusive election in six months.


Andrew Haines, chief executive of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), says new legislation is needed to cut the number of laser attacks on aircraft. It is an offence to act in a manner "likely to endanger an aircraft" under the existing Air Navigation Order 2009. A government spokeswoman said it was "looking to make changes" to the law. There is also a lesser offence of shining a light at an aircraft, but the CAA boss called for the law to be toughened so anyone found carrying a laser pointer can be arrested. In an interview with the Press Association, Mr Haines expressed frustration at the difficulty in prosecuting people under the current legislation because of the requirement to "find the person undertaking the task and... demonstrate intent". He said: "We and Balpa [British Airline Pilots Association], the pilots' trade union, are very keen that the government introduces legislation which means that the mere possession of these high-powered lasers by individuals not licensed for them would be a criminal offence. "Why does Joe Bloggs walking down the street need a laser that can pop a balloon at 50 miles, that can cause permanent damage to a pilot?" CAA figures show there were 1,439 laser attacks on aircraft in the UK last year. The most common location was Heathrow Airport, with 121 incidents, followed by Birmingham Airport which had 94, and Manchester Airport, which had 93. Balpa general secretary, Brian Strutton, said the union was concerned over the "high number" of laser attacks in recent years. "People need to understand they are not toys and pointing them at an aircraft can dazzle and distract the pilot at a critical stage of flight, endangering the passengers, crew and people on the ground." An editorial published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology in April warned that pilots can focus on sudden bright lights. This means a laser attack can cause them to be dazzled and leave them with an after-image. According to the journal, between 500,000 and one million laser pointers, pens, and key rings are thought to have been in circulation over the past decade. A government spokeswoman said that anyone found guilty of shining a laser at an aeroplane could be liable to a fine up to a maximum of £2,500. She added: "We take this issue very seriously and we continue to work with other government departments, the CAA and industry to determine how best to control the sale, use and possession of laser pens. "We are looking to make changes as soon as possible."

Summary: People found carrying powerful laser pointers should be arrested, even if they are not in use, the head of the UK's aviation regulator has said.


Jonny May's first-minute try gave Gloucester the ideal start and Matt Kvesic added another for the home side. But Christian Wade, Tom Varndell and Nathan Hughes all crossed to earn Wasps a 24-14 half-time lead. Greig Laidlaw gave Gloucester hope with three second-half penalties, but Andy Goode kicked 12 points to secure Wasps' first away league win of the season. A week on from breaking the Premiership's all-time individual points-scoring record against London Irish in Wasps' home Premiership debut at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry-born Goode converted all three Wasps tries. He also added a penalty in either half, while centre Elliot Daly kicked a late three-pointer to stretch his side's winning margin, earn them their first Premiership victory on the road this campaign and lift them up a place to sixth in the table. Laidlaw's 13 points with the boot, having also converted both his side's first-half tries, earned the Cherry and Whites a losing bonus point. From the first line-out 45 metres out from the visitors' line, Gloucester moved the ball swiftly through the hands to allow May to force his way over, Laidlaw converting expertly. But, eight minutes later, Wasps were level with an excellent try of their own. Skipper James Haskell made a strong burst before the ball was moved wide to winger Varndell, who proved too strong in a one-on-one with Steve McColl before feeding Wade to score. Media playback is not supported on this device Goode converted then added a penalty to put Wasps 10-7 in front and their lead was extended when the former England number 10's speculative kick bounced kindly for Varndell to score, the visitors' fly-half again converting. Flanker Kvesic crashed over for Gloucester's second try, which Laidlaw again converted, but the last of the game's five touchdowns went to Wasps three minutes from half-time when Hughes finished off a line-out drive, Goode converting for a 24-14 interval lead. After replacing McColl at half-time with Billy Burns, Gloucester had the better of the second half, reducing the deficit to just a point with three Laidlaw penalties. But Wasps brought on Jake Cooper-Woolley and Bradley Davies to shore up their pack, immediately exerting pressure to gain another penalty, which the reliable Goode kicked. With five minutes remaining, Daly's long-range penalty completed the scoring to confirm a second successive home defeat for Gloucester following last week's heavy loss to Bath. Gloucester director of rugby David Humphreys: Media playback is not supported on this device "We wanted to make Kingsholm a difficult place to play but it's not happening. We were flat and lacked edge in the first half but we had strong words at half-time and were much better afterwards. "Kingsholm is a great place to play - with our second sell-out crowd - but we are not where we want to be. We know we have to get better and another home defeat will be a worry but if we show the energy that we did in the second half we will win matches." "This was an important group of four matches. We are two

Summary: Wasps scored three first-half tries at Kingsholm to set up their second successive win over the festive period.


The river level rose to 6.1m (20ft) above its normal height overnight. Floods also forced parts of the metro system and major landmarks to close, while the Louvre and Orsay museums were shut while staff moved art to safety. Despite the water level falling on Saturday morning, Paris remains under the second-highest alert, which warns of a "significant impact". Forecasters had warned the river could reach as high as 6.5m above it normal level. France's environment ministry said the floods now appeared to have peaked and would remain stable over the weekend before retreating further. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said four people had died and 42 were injured across the country. At least 18 people have died across central Europe as heavy rainfall caused flooding from France to Ukraine. A woman in her 60s drowned in France's central Loiret region, while a man in his 70s fell from a horse and drowned in a river south-east of Paris. Eleven were killed in southern Germany as several towns were devastated. On Friday night, 51 people were injured by lightning strikes at the Rock am Ring music festival in western Germany. Two more fatalities were reported in Romania and one in Belgium. Austria, the Netherlands and Poland have also been affected. Tens of thousands of people have been forced from their homes. While the waters in Paris appear to be dropping, the floods are still affecting transport in the capital, with four of the city's rail lines not running on Saturday morning. Elsewhere, French media say the focus is shifting to communities further downstream on the Seine, including the northern city of Rouen. Some further rain is expected in central France. Some 17,000 homes in and around Paris remain without electricity. The flooding could cost French insurance companies more than â‚¬600m (Â£470m), according to the industry association AFA. Bridges in Paris were closed and non-emergency boats were banned from the Seine as its rise forced the closure of museums, parks and cemeteries. The Grand Palais exhibition hall also shut, as did two sites belonging to the National Library. At the Louvre, curators scrambled to move 250,000 artworks to higher ground from basement storage areas at risk of inundation from what President Francoise Hollande called "exceptional flooding". The Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay will remain closed until Tuesday. Many locals have been checking the rise against the statue of a soldier, known as the Zouave, standing below the Alma bridge; his frame is currently submerged up to the waist. While France's rainfall levels in May were the highest since 1873, the current crisis is eclipsed by the 1910 floods that saw Paris submerged for two months, when the Zouave was up to his neck in the Seine. The river reached 8.62m above its normal level that year, and has since reached 7.1m in 1955 and 6.18m in 1982. Are you in France or Germany and been affected by the floods? Or run a business or project which has closed due to flood damage? How are your family and neighbours coping? If you have an experience

Summary: The levels of the River Seine in Paris have started dropping slightly after reaching a 34-year high on Friday.


Calen Gaze, 17, from Gloucester, was found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, at Gloucester Crown Court last October. His 13-year-old victim suffered a shattered cheekbone and eye socket. Gaze, who was 15 at the time of the attack in 2015, was originally sentenced to 240 hours of unpaid work. The Court of Appeal in London heard Gaze, from Ashcroft Close, Matson, knocked the boy down by punching him in the face, and then stamped on his head "numerous times" at a park in the Abbeymead area of the city. The scuffle began after a row over a rugby ball between two groups of boys at a playing field in Hucclecote, the court was told. The victim had to have emergency surgery, and titanium mesh and plates were inserted to support his eye and repair fractures to his cheekbone. He was advised by doctors not to take part in contact sport as the mesh could sever his retina. Lawyers acting for the Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC said Gaze's initial sentence was too light for such a serious attack. Paul Jarvis told the court that, had Gaze been an adult, a sentence of about 12 years could have been expected. In sentencing Gaze to four years in a young offenders' institution, Lord Justice Fulford said the offence was "so serious that neither a fine, nor a community penalty, can be justified". The appeal court also lifted a ban on the media naming Gaze, despite him being under the age of 18.

Summary: A teenager who stamped on a boy's face has been given a four-year sentence by appeal court judges after his previous sentence was deemed "unduly lenient".


Frampton has not fought since his loss to Leo Santa Cruz in their WBA title fight in Las Vegas in January. Mexican Gutierrez, 23, has lost just one of his 35 fights and is a former WBC Silver featherweight champion. Frampton initially expected to fight Santa Cruz for a third time this summer but that bout failed to materialise. Former two-weight world champion Frampton confirmed last week that his next fight would be in his home city. Media playback is not supported on this device Guitirrez, known as the 'Jaguar', turned pro at just 15. He said he was relishing next month's showdown with Frampton. "I'm very happy for this news they gave me. I know it will be very difficult, but I have the character to prevail," he said. "I'm going to put in soul, life, and heart and I will fight for what I most want, that's why I'll prevail." Frampton told a packed audience at the announcement at the Europa Hotel in Belfast that he was "excited to be back boxing at home". "I was hoping this fight would be at Windsor Park but it wasn't to be. My dream is to fight at Windsor Park and I want to do that at some point," said Frampton. "The SSE Arena is where I believe the best performance of my career has been, against Chris Avalos. The atmosphere there can't be replicated anywhere else. It's spectacular. "I wanted a tough fight and I know I'll need to be at my best. If I'm not, I may lose this fight."

Summary: Carl Frampton will make his ring return against Andres Gutierrez at Belfast's SSE Arena in a WBC world featherweight title eliminator on 29 July.


The Belgium defender, 29, has started just 13 games in the Premier League this season and has had 14 calf injuries since signing in 2008. "Vincent has again a muscle injury in his calf, the same problem he has had before," said Pellegrini. Kompany is set for a scan on either Wednesday or Thursday. But Pellegrini expects the player to be out for "a minimum of one month", adding: "Vincent must be very strong mentally. "It's very difficult to accept but he has nothing else to do." Kompany will sit out Sunday's derby against Manchester United and is likely to miss the Champions League quarter-final first leg on 5 or 6 April. His importance to City is clear. This season, they have conceded a goal every 156 minutes when he is on the pitch and every 70 minutes without him. Writing in the match-day programme before the game, he discussed his injury problems. "I play for a club that has big expectations and one of those expectations is for me to immediately start pulling in performances that are worthy of this team," he said. "In that respect, I have had to hit the ground running. "Normally you get a period to settle back in, perhaps play a couple of practice games, and get yourself 100% right. "That hasn't been possible at this stage of the season. I haven't been eased back in. I have played in some very big games in the last few weeks but I am fit and focused. My preparations are absolutely right. "My whole life at the moment is forgetting what has gone before…" Media playback is not supported on this device BBC Radio 5 live co-commentator Andy Townsend said Kompany's injury should be a serious concern for Manchester City. "This is a recurring injury and it's becoming a chronic situation with his calf," said Townsend. "It must be seriously worrying for him now. "The club have to seriously think about the lad's long-term career. This injury is such a persistent one that he is going to have a serious, serious issue if he's not careful. "With players I've spoken to over the years who have had recurring problems, like Michael Owen, they say you run on the field and you're petrified that your body is going to let you down." Pellegrini, who will leave the club in the summer to be replaced by current Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola, said reaching the last eight for the first time is "a very important achievement for the club". City will learn their quarter-final opponents in Friday's draw, with Barcelona the side to avoid according to Pellegrini. Luis Enrique's side are not yet through to the last eight but hold a 2-0 lead over Arsenal ahead of Wednesday's second leg at the Nou Camp. "The team that it is better than all the other teams is Barcelona," said Pellegrini. "I think all the other teams are at a similar level." Barcelona have knocked City out of the Champions League in each of the past two seasons. Despite City's progress, Rio

Summary: Manchester City will be without captain Vincent Kompany for at least a month after he injured a calf against Champions League opponents Dynamo Kiev.


One of the six, who are aged between 18 and 30, was Tasered by police. Eight homes in west, east and north London and one business have been searched. It is understood the arrests relate to a possible plot involving Islamist extremists, with potential UK targets. Three of those held are brothers - one an ex-police community support officer. He served with the Metropolitan Police for more than two years before resigning in September 2009. The force said he had not been "deployed in any specialist or sensitive roles". The brothers, aged 18, 24 and 26, were detained in Abbey Road, in Stratford, east London, during an operation involving armed officers. The BBC understands they are Jahangir, Mohammed and Moybur Alom. Richard Dart, a Muslim convert who uses the name Salahuddin al Britani, was also detained in the raids, it is understood. He features in a YouTube video which criticises the Royal Family and British military action in Muslim countries. The Metropolitan Police said the arrests were not linked to the Olympics or Paralympic Games. It is understood that police involved in the long-running operation decided to act on Thursday on the grounds of public safety. The UK terrorism threat level is unchanged from "substantial", which means a terrorist attack is a "strong possibility". There are two higher levels - "severe", meaning an attack is "highly likely", and "critical", meaning an attack is "expected imminently". Some - if not all - of those arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism are British nationals, BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw says. They include a 21-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman, who were detained at separate addresses in Ealing, west London, while a 29-year-old man was arrested in an Ealing street. The woman is married to one of the men. All six have been taken to a police station in south-east London. The 24-year-old man who was Tasered during his arrest in Stratford did not need hospital treatment, police said. An eyewitness to the Stratford raid, Mark Window, told the BBC he had been woken up by an explosion at 04:15 BST. "I looked out my window, saw loads of mini-explosions going off still, loads of black-clad figures milling around," he said. "One was halfway up a ladder, through a window, and you realise it's some sort of police operation going on instead of kids messing about with fireworks which is what you think when you first wake up." Trainee taxi driver Stephen Maguire, 23, said he heard the police from his bedroom in Eastbourne Road, which overlooks the front of the house. "I heard the biggest bang ever and I saw a massive cloud of smoke and torches going up at the windows," he said. "It sounded like they were gunshots but they weren't."

Summary: Five men and a woman suspected of terrorism offences have been arrested in London as part of an intelligence-led investigation involving MI5.


Citgo Petroleum, a US-based subsidiary of the Venezuelan state-owned oil company, is named in papers filed with the Federal Election Commission. The revelation comes as the Venezuelan economy appears to be crippled by food shortages, violent crime and inflation. Three people were killed in protests on Wednesday as tens of thousands took to the streets to demand new elections Other major corporations named in the documents include Pepsi and Walmart, which gave $250,000 and $150,000 respectively, while owners of NFL teams or their companies gave more than $5m. Casino owner and billionaire Sheldon Adelson also gave $5m. Venezuela is in the middle of a major economic crisis, which has the oil-rich country flirting with hyperinflation. This Wednesday, street protests demanding the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro resulted in at least two persons shot dead. In this chaotic context, it is perhaps less surprising that Venezuelan media did not seem to dedicate much time to cover the news that their government gave, through a state-owned oil company, a US$500,000 contribution to Donald Trump's inauguration. Still, some analysts in Venezuela are expressing anger at the news. "We have been experiencing four consecutive years of recession, we have the highest inflation in the world and are facing scarcity in many basic goods. It is scandalous that Venezuela, facing such a crisis, would make those donations to the inauguration of a US president, who at least in theory, is ideologically confronted with the revolution," Jose Manuel Puente, a professor of public policy at IESA university in Caracas, tells the BBC. The payment was reportedly made through Citgo, a US subsidiary of Venezuelan state-owned oil company PDVSA. It is not the first time Citgo has been involved in politically controversial activities in the US. President Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez, used the company a few years ago to provide subsidised fuel to low-income citizens in several major US cities. His critics said then it was a propaganda ploy designed to annoy his ideological rivals at the White House. But now the Maduro administration would seem to be in a less confrontational mode towards Washington. The Venezuelan president has recently been quoted saying that Trump has been the target of a "brutal hate campaign" and added that he "won't be worse than Obama". "The (Bolivarian) revolution is pragmatic," Puente tells the BBC. "Eighteen years after the beginning of the revolution, the US is still their main trading partner. It is business as usual".

Summary: Venezuela has donated $500,000 to US President Donald Trump's inauguration, newly released records show.


The 25-year-old Serbia striker arrived at Celtic from Sporting Gijon on deadline day last August. But he has failed to become a first-team regular, making only one substitute appearance this season. And the arrival this summer of Nadir Ciftci from Dundee United was a further indication that the £2.3m signing's future may lie elsewhere. Scepovic has made 26 appearances for Celtic and scored six times.

Summary: Stefan Scepovic has left Celtic to join the Spanish La Liga club Getafe on a season-long loan deal.


It comes after the Commissioner for South Yorkshire Shaun Wright refused to step down despite calls to do so from Home Secretary Theresa May. Mr Clegg told BBC Radio Sheffield Mr Wright should go and the PCC role was a "discredited experiment". Labour accused Mr Clegg, whose party helped pass legislation to create PCCs, of "classic Lib Dem hypocrisy". Theresa May is facing calls from MPs for emergency legislation so that PCCs could be forced to leave their job. Earlier on Friday, Mr Wright again made it clear he will not resign in connection with the Rotherham child abuse scandal. Mr Wright, who used to head children's services at Rotherham Council before being elected in 2012, has quit the Labour Party but remains as an independent. Mr Clegg says his call to scrap PCCs is a "personal" view, although his Lib Dem party is already due to vote on an alternative system of police oversight at its conference in October. Asked about Mr Wright's refusal to quit, Mr Clegg said: "It's just a disgrace saying 'I'm not going to take any responsibility for it.' "I have to say I've come to my own personal view, I always had huge misgivings about the Conservatives' idea of Police and Crime Commissioners. "They put it into the coalition agreement - fair enough - that's what you do in a coalition. Parties put in different ideas into the coalition agreement. "I remember saying to the Tories at the time, 'look, be careful with this, because the last thing you want is just a bunch of recycled politicians, you know, overseeing our police. They said 'no, no, no, you'll get members of the public, you'll get independent-minded folk'. "And instead what have we got in Shaun Wright and frankly in Police and Crime Commissioners across the north of England is a bunch of recycled Labour politicians who now refuse to actually accept responsibility. "So I've come to the view that it is now time to scrap this experiment. And I think Shaun Wright has driven the death nail into this short experiment of Police and Crime Commissioners." The Conservatives distanced themselves from Mr Clegg's call for one of their flagship policies to be scrapped. A spokesman said: "Police and Crime Commissioners are the link between the people and the police, engaging with local communities to address long-term crime issues so police can get on with their job out on the beat." The Labour Party is considering whether to scrap PCCs if it wins next year's general election and is thought likely to make an announcement on its policy shortly. Labour's shadow policing minister Jack Dromey reacted to news Mr Clegg's party was to debate axing PCCs by accusing them of "classic Lib Dem hypocrisy". "They claim to be on the public's side in wanting to get rid of Police and Crime Commissioners but the truth is they are just as responsible for this policy as the Tories are - they voted for it and supported it all the way. You can't trust a word the Lib Dems

Summary: Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has called for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) to be scrapped.


Boulden, 23, struck six birdies to card a six-under-par 68 after Australian Sarah Jane Smith took the lead with 67. In a close contest, with the top 19 separated by just four shots, England's Jodi Ewar-Shadoff hit 71 and is four strokes back. Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh and Michele Thomson are one shot behind Ewar-Shadoff after rounds of 69 and 74.

Summary: Wales' Amy Boulden is three shots off the lead after the second round of the Women's Australian Open in Adelaide.


Yishai Schlissel was also convicted of six counts of attempted murder. He managed to infiltrate the parade three weeks after completing a 10-year sentence for a similar attack in 2005. The court said the fact that the police had known about Schlissel and not stopped him was unconscionable. Shortly after his release, he had lashed out at homosexuality in interviews and said the march needed to be stopped. In anti-gay pamphlets, he asked Jews to "risk beatings or imprisonment" to act against the event. He stabbed six people during the march in Jerusalem's city centre before being arrested. Shira Banki later died in hospital. 'We marched through blood' Israeli media said Schlissel was initially turned away by police but managed to return to the parade by using side streets. A police investigation last year called for the removal of six senior Israeli officers over the attack. The Gay Pride event has long been a source of tension between Jerusalem's secular community and its Jewish Orthodox groups.

Summary: An Israeli court has convicted an ultra-orthodox Jew of murder over the stabbing to death of a 16-year-old girl at Jerusalem's Gay Pride parade last year.


He was in his hotel room in London, where he is due to perform at the Lyric Theatre, when officers barged in. Tweeting about his predicament he said hotel staff mistook him for a guest who had threatened staff with a knife. He was handcuffed and led from the room shouting "but I'm in my kegs". Met Police said he was mistakenly detained. Geordie comic Ramsey is touring the country with his show All Growed Up and provided a running commentary on Twitter of Sunday night's events. "Well... The police have definitely just kicked my hotel door in and handcuffed me," the first tweet, sent at 00:47, said. In a string of follow-up tweets he said: "Hotel staff ID'd me as someone who had been in the hotel earlier threatening staff with a knife. So when I checked in just now they called the police and sent them up to my room! I kept asking 'is this a joke?' When he said 'no come with us' police put the handcuffs on me and began to march me out of the room when I shouted 'but I'm in my kegs'. "I love the idea that someone who was in earlier threatening staff with a knife, would then check in later for a kip!!", he tweeted. On his way to breakfast he said he was taking precautions by wearing an anonymous black cap and black T-shirt, lest he be mistaken for "a murderer or something". Ramsey - who is a panel show regular and has also starred in BBC sitcom Hebburn - tweeted that his ordeal might be discussed during his stand-up routine later. A Met Police spokesman confirmed officers had initially been called to deal with a man who was threatening hotel staff with a knife in a racially aggravated attack. Officers returned to the hotel after midnight when they mistakenly arrested and subsequently released Ramsey, the spokesman said.

Summary: Comedian Chris Ramsey was arrested at midnight in his underpants - but has since said he sees the funny side of the case of mistaken identity.


The United States-born 21-year-old was with Dumbarton last season. "I am excited about the year ahead as I have forced my way into the Republic of Ireland U21s starting XI," he said. "I was number two for a few years. Hopefully I can keep my spot and get some caps under my belt, which will be a great experience." Rogers has yet to break into the Dons first team and Danny Ward has arrived on loan from Liverpool to challenge Jamie Langfield and Scott Brown for a starting place at Pittodrie. So the goalkeeper, who has played three times for Republic of Ireland Under-21s and played 36 times for Dumbarton, was happy to leave on a third loan spell, having also played for Airdrieonians. "I feel, at this stage of my career, it is important to try and play on a regular basis and going to Falkirk will hopefully give me that opportunity," he told Aberdeen's website. "It is up to me to go to Falkirk and do well and then to come back next season to Aberdeen and challenge for that number one jersey. "I feel my career is going in the right direction and I just need to keep working hard. "Falkirk are a big club who have big expectations and had a good season last year and will be looking to kick on this year." Falkirk manager Peter Houston told his club website that he regards Rogers as "a fantastic prospect".

Summary: Aberdeen goalkeeper Danny Rogers hopes returning to the Scottish Championship on a season-long loan with Falkirk will boost his international chances.


Media playback is not supported on this device The Welsh region had the game wrapped up at half-time after tries from Parry, Lloyd Ashley and Ashley Beck, with Sam Davies adding the extras. Tommaso d'Apice struck back before the break, before Parry scored his third rolling maul try following a line-out. Ben John and Dafydd Howells added further scores for the Pro12 leaders. Fly-half Davies scored Ospreys' first points of the season with a penalty after Zebre were penalised for not rolling away after just five minutes. Man-of-the-match Parry bundled over from a rolling maul shortly after following a period of sustained pressure from Steve Tandy's side. And the scoreline became even rosier for Ospreys when second-row Ashley broke through a gaping hole in the visitors' defence with a charge from the 22-metre line. Centre Beck was next to touch down when he crashed through two tackles from close range on 25 minutes. Zebre reduced the deficit when d'Apice rumbled over from a line-out five minutes before half-time, but their good work was soon undone. Media playback is not supported on this device Parry forced his way over for his second try on the stroke of half-time with Zebre again unable to stop Ospreys' rolling maul. It became a night to remember for the 24-year-old when he scored a near replica of his second try seven minutes into the second half. Parry was replaced midway through the second period, but the onslaught continued with replacement John running in from a fine inside pass from Davies. Fellow substitute Howells collected a cross-kick from full-back Dan Evans to score with five minutes remaining, before John scored his second after an off-load from Wales flanker Justin Tipuric. Lock Bradley Davies made his Ospreys debut off the bench after joining from Wasps, while Tipuric started after recovering from concussion. Tipuric returned during pre-season having not played since landing heavily at a line-out against Italy in the 2016 Six Nations. Ospreys: Dan Evans; Jeff Hassler, Ashley Beck, Josh Matavesi; Eli Walker, Sam Davies, Tom Habberfield (capt); Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, Lloyd Ashley, Rory Thornton, Olly Cracknell, Justin Tipuric, Tyler Ardron. Replacements: Hugh Gustafson, Paul James, Ma'afu Fia, Bradley Davies, Dan Baker, Rhys Webb, Ben John, Dafydd Howells. Zebre: Kurt Baker; Lloyd Greeff, Giulio Bisegni, Tommaso Castello, Gabriele Di Giulio; Edoardo Padovani, Guglielmo Palazzani; Andrea Lovotti, Tommaso D'Apice, Pietro Ceccarelli, Federico Ruzza, George Biagi (capt), Jacopo Sarto, Maxime Mbanda, Andries Van Schalkwyk. Replacements: Carlo Festuccia, Andrea De Marchi, Dario Chistolini, Valerio Bernabo, Giovanni Pettinelli, Fabio Semenzato, Carlo Canna, Tommaso Boni. Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant referees: Stuart Gaffikin (IRFU), Gareth Newman (WRU) Citing commissioner: Aurwel Morgan (WRU) TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)

Summary: Hooker Sam Parry scored a hat-trick as Ospreys made a winning start in the Pro12 with an eight-try bonus-point win over Italian side Zebre.


The deaths of 16 people in Barcelona and Cambrils earlier this month highlighted the continued threat posed by Islamist militants. The summer months have also seen new attacks in Belgium, France, Austria, Germany and the UK, as well as the first in Finland and one in the US. Although the vast majority of Islamist attacks are elsewhere in the world, an unprecedented number have taken place in Europe and North America since the declaration of a "caliphate" by the so-called Islamic State, in June 2014. The first look at the data behind the attacks - everything from the age of the perpetrators, to immigration status - offers an insight into those responsible and how they might be tackled. We identified 63 attacks between September 2014 and late August 2017 that we considered to be acts of jihadist terrorism. A relatively limited number of countries were affected: nine in Europe - those named above, plus Denmark and Sweden - along with the US and Canada. Regardless of country, most attacks were in large towns and cities - including Barcelona, London, Manchester, Paris, Nice, Berlin, Brussels, Stockholm and Orlando. A few attacks hit iconic targets, such as the Champs-Elysees and the Louvre museum in Paris, Westminster in London and Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Many others targeted crowded spaces such as busy pedestrian areas, entertainment venues or transport hubs. But some terrorist attacks have hit more unusual places, including an office Christmas party and a service at a church. We looked at attacks motivated by jihadist ideology, that involved deliberate acts of violence against other people and were intended to intimidate or convey a message to a larger group. Other organisations use different definitions. In total, the 63 attacks caused 424 deaths and left almost 1,800 people injured. The perpetrators are not included in these figures. The Paris attack of November 2015 was the deadliest, with 130 people killed, including 90 at the Bataclan theatre. France also saw the Nice lorry attack, which left 86 people dead. There were many other attacks that left many people dead and others injured. In total, these 11 attacks were responsible for 386 deaths. However, most of the attacks did not cause casualties, with the exclusion of the perpetrators. Although the number of young people being radicalised has caused concern, the average age of the attackers - 27.5 - is not unusually young. The two youngest were 15 - an unnamed boy who attacked a Jewish teacher with a machete in Marseille, and Safia S, a girl who stabbed a police officer at a Hannover train station. Of the five who were under the age of 18 at the time, four were in Germany. 15 Age of the youngest attacker 27.5 Average age of attackers 54 Age of the oldest attacker The vast majority of the attackers were in their 20s, with about one in four attackers above the age of 30 and six aged 40 or older. The oldest suspect, Mohamed H Khalid, was 54 when he was accused of stabbing to death an elderly couple in the

Summary: A series of attacks in Europe over the summer months has raised the number of people killed in the West by jihadists during the past three years to more than 420, writes Dr Lorenzo Vidino.


Pearce, 26, was also fined Aus $125,000 (£65,000), of which Aus $50,000 (£26,000) was suspended for two years. He admitted he had a "problem with alcohol" and entered rehab after the footage emerged in January. "Now this has been decided, I can get on with my rehab and work each day on making the right choices," he said. The sanction, which will mean Pearce can return against the Newcastle Knights in the last week of April, was agreed upon by the Roosters and the NRL. "This was a complex and unprecedented matter that required careful consideration," Roosters chief executive John Lee said. "It was paramount we delivered the appropriate level of discipline, but neither could we ignore the player welfare component." Pearce, the son of rugby league legend and NRL commissioner Wayne Pearce, was stripped of the Roosters captaincy after the incident.

Summary: Sydney Roosters have suspended scrum-half Mitchell Pearce for eight National Rugby League games after he was filmed committing a lewd act with a dog.


It showed many people use computers instead of memorising information. Many adults who could still recall their phone numbers from childhood could not remember their current work number or numbers of family members. Maria Wimber from the University of Birmingham said the trend of looking up information "prevents the build-up of long-term memories". The study, examining the memory habits of 6,000 adults in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, found more than a third would turn first to computers to recall information. The UK had the highest level, with more than half "searching online for the answer first". But the survey suggests relying on a computer in this way has a long-term impact on the development of memories, because such push-button information can often be immediately forgotten. "Our brain appears to strengthen a memory each time we recall it, and at the same time forget irrelevant memories that are distracting us," said Dr Wimber. She says that the process of recalling information is a "very efficient way to create a permanent memory". "In contrast, passively repeating information, such as repeatedly looking it up on the internet, does not create a solid, lasting memory trace in the same way." Among adults surveyed in the UK, 45% could recall their home phone number from the age of 10, while 29% could remember their own children's phone numbers and 43% could remember their work number. The ability to remember a partner's number was lower in the UK than anywhere else in the European survey. There were 51% in the UK who knew their partner's phone number, compared with almost 80% in Italy. The study from Kaspersky Lab, a cybersecurity firm, says that people have become accustomed to using computer devices as an "extension" of their own brain. It describes the rise of what it calls "digital amnesia", in which people are ready to forget important information in the belief that it can be immediately retrieved from a digital device. The study highlights how, as well as storing factual information, there is a trend to keep personal memories in digital form. Photographs of important moments might only exist on a smartphone, with the risk of their loss if the device is lost or stolen. "There also seems to be a risk that the constant recording of information on digital devices makes us less likely to commit this information to long-term memory, and might even distract us from properly encoding an event as it happens," said Dr Wimber.

Summary: An over-reliance on using computers and search engines is weakening people's memories, according to a study.


Friends Eddy Corlett, 30, and Colm Connolly, 32, set off from Darwin in November and have ridden 18,641 miles (30,000 km) through 17 countries. Mr Corlett said their arrival was "very emotional" and they were "looking forward to watching the TT races". The men also travelled on a container ship, nine car ferries, a banana boat and travelled 621 miles on trains. Mr Corlett said: "I'm really looking forward to letting our hair down and enjoying the races." "It was a big relief to get here and we were very emotional arriving in Douglas. I'm a little bit sad for it to be over but it's a real sense of achievement getting here." The men, who dreamt up the idea after hearing they were to made redundant, have had to cope with floods, soaring temperatures, snow showers and dust clouds on their way. Around 45,000 visitors are expected during this year's Isle of Man TT fortnight, with the first racing on Saturday.

Summary: Two men have completed an epic seven-month motorcycle journey from Australia to the Isle of Man for the TT races.


The former Italy goalkeeper, 56, replaced Kenny Jackett on 30 July, shortly after Chinese conglomerate Fosun International bought the club. Despite significant investment in the playing squad in August, Wolves have won only four of 14 league games and are 18th in the Championship. Zenga's assistant, Stefano Cusin, has also left Molineux. First-team coach Rob Edwards has been placed in temporary charge and will prepare the team for Saturday's game at Blackburn. A 1-0 home defeat by Leeds on 22 October was Wolves' fourth loss in five league matches, although midfielder Dave Edwards told BBC WM 95.6 after the game that Zenga retained the backing of his playing squad. Nine Championship clubs appointed new managers before the start of the 2016-17 season, but Zenga's departure from Wolves means only four of them remain in their posts. Roberto di Matteo, Paul Trollope, Nigel Pearson and Alan Stubbs left Aston Villa, Cardiff, Derby and Rotherham respectively in October. Rob Gurney, BBC WM 95.6 The cut-throat, "success yesterday" culture of football in the modern era is perfectly illustrated here, with Zenga given less than three months to prove himself. His training methods were clearly popular with the players, but equally some of his personnel decisions were deemed curious. Integrating a huge number of new players, however technically proficient, was not going to be easy, but owners Fosun have decided that someone else can do better in the pursuit of the boundless riches of the Premier League. Zenga's passion and commitment was clear. He was often an adversarial interviewee, steadfastly believing that he was right and the inquisitor was wrong. Ultimately his employers decided he was wrong. And so to the next…

Summary: Championship club Wolves have parted company with head coach Walter Zenga after just 87 days in charge.


Amama Mbabazi, a former prime minister, is quoted as saying that the move would help reconcile Ugandans divided over the legacy of Amin and other leaders. Mr Mbabazi is running against President Yoweri Museveni in next week's polls. Amin's rule was notorious for its brutality. He was overthrown in 1979 and died in exile in 2003. An armed forces chief under President Milton Obote, Amin seized power in a coup in 1971. He ordered the expulsion of Uganda's Asian community a year later. He became infamous for his capricious behaviour and for his punishment of political opponents. Some 400,000 people are estimated to have been killed while he was in power. Amin fled Uganda in 1979, seeking refuge in Libya, Iraq and eventually Saudi Arabia, where he would remain for the rest of his life. Mr Mbabazi made his promise to repatriate Amin's remains on a visit to the former dictator's ancestral home in north-west Uganda. His spokeswoman said his party was campaigning for reconciliation and for the "forgiveness for any real or perceived wrongs in the past". "The issue of Idi Amin is one of them," she told the AFP news agency. Mr Mbabazi meanwhile told the state-owned New Vision newspaper that he wanted to end "the labelling of Ugandans" as Amin's people, Obote's people and Museveni's people. Mr Museveni has been in power for 30 years and is seeking a fifth term as president. Mr Mbabazi is one of seven candidates hoping to unseat him.

Summary: A candidate in Uganda's presidential elections has promised to repatriate the remains of the former dictator, Idi Amin, and build a museum in his honour.


Cuadrado, 28, shone in Serie A and the 2014 World Cup before joining the Blues for £23.3m from Fiorentina in February 2015, but failed to score in 13 games. He was loaned to Juventus last season, scoring four goals in 28 appearances to help them to the league and cup double. "I wanted him when I was Juventus coach. He will come back very soon and train and play with us," said Conte. "Now, he's a Chelsea player and he'll stay with us. If something changes you'll know." The arrival of Pedro at Chelsea from Barcelona last August saw Cuadrado join Conte's former club Juventus on loan five days later. As well as playing a significant part in Juventus' successful season, he also helped Colombia to a third-place finish at the Copa America this summer. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado is part of his plans at Stamford Bridge.


The EC135 helicopter pilot was forced to manoeuvre to the right during the incident over Perthshire on 25 March. The pilot was returning to base at Perth Airport after dropping off a patient in Glasgow. A UK Airprox Board (UKAB) report said that the two aircraft came within 200m of each other. The report said that the motor-glider had been invisible to the pilot due to being obscured by the windscreen pillar. The pilot of the glider has not been traced. The report noted that "flight crew situational awareness" was assessed as "ineffective" because there was no information available to the pilot to warn him about the motor-glider. It said that as the pilot was operating in Class G or uncontrolled airspace without a collision warning system. As a consequence "see and avoid" was his "only mitigation against mid-air collision". The report said: "The fact that he was conducting his arrival checks had understandably reduced his and his crewman's capacity for robust and effective look-out. "That being said, although it was a late sighting, he did see the other aircraft in time to take avoiding action, albeit achieving less separation than would be desirable." The charity leases the EC135 helicopter and pilots from Babcock Mission Critical Services (Onshore) Ltd. Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance chief executive David Craig said: "We are currently reviewing the report and the observations and recommendations contained within it. "I am meeting with our aviation providers Babcock Mission Critical Services (Onshore) Ltd. later this week to determine what steps, if any, we should be taking in response to this incident and the report findings."

Summary: Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance had to take evasive action to avoid a collision with a glider, a report has revealed.


Ritzy Cinema workers in Brixton get paid a minimum of £8.80 an hour. Bectu is calling for an increase to £9.40 an hour. Union bosses said Picturehouse Entertainment is being "very hard faced" and has refused to negotiate. Picturehouse said pay would rise to £9.10 an hour on 2 September as part of a three-year agreement with Bectu. Balloting began on Tuesday and will end on 30 August. Two years ago staff held 13 strikes over their pay and the minimum wage was raised from £7.53 to £8.40 in January 2015 and then to £8.80 in September. The London living wage has since gone up from £8.80 to £9.40 per hour. Bectu said the company rejected offers to hold talks at the conciliation service Acas. The union also wants Picturehouse to address issues about treatment of new staff, maternity and paternity leave, and night pay. Bectu's assistant general secretary, Luke Crawley, said: "Bectu has tried to talk to Picturehouse but the company are being very hard faced in ignoring our pay claim. "No one wants to go on strike and we would rather settle this by talking but the company has ignored our offer. "Members need to vote yes and send a strong message to the company."

Summary: Staff at a cinema are being balloted by a union calling for the London living wage to be paid.


Abbey Road is full of gremlins. Giles Martin - son of record producer George Martin - can't play any music through his mixing desk at the iconic North London studios. He re-boots his computer while two engineers crawl on the floor, plugging in cables and fiddling with various switches. At one point, someone unplugs a hard drive. "Oh God, you've just deleted the Beatles," Martin deadpans. Eventually, the equipment springs to life. The producer dismisses a workman, who has appeared to drill locks into the door, and apologises for the delay. "I just moved into this studio yesterday," he explains. With that, Martin loads up a file that contains dozens of versions of the Beatles' back catalogue. There are the original recordings, mono mixes, stereo remasters and various other snippets - all of which Martin can flick between at will. He used these tracks as a reference while producing a new DVD compilation, Beatles 1+, which sees the Fab Four's biggest hits re-imagined in stereo and 5.1 surround sound, accompanied by restored promotional videos and films. "The goal is to bring the band closer to you," says Martin. "To have that same feeling at home that I get when I put on the tapes in the studio." Rather than viewing the originals as sacred, the band appreciate their music being tweaked this way, he says. "My dad went to see John Lennon in 1980 before he died, and John said to him: 'Do you know what I'd really like to do? I'd love to record everything again.' "Dad said, 'Really? How about Strawberry Fields?' "And John said: 'Especially Strawberry Fields.'" Counter-intuitively, Martin's new mixes are often simpler than the existing stereo versions - but he has a solid explanation. Up to Yellow Submarine, the Beatles treated the mono mixes of their albums as the definitive documents. The stereo versions were created as an afterthought, often without the band's involvement. "My dad was never happy with the extreme panning that went on," explains the producer. "You'd have the band on one side and all the vocals on the other. "And you have what I call the socks and sandals brigade saying: 'The only way to listen to Sgt Pepper's is in mono.' To be honest, they're probably right, but no-one does that any more." So he set about recapturing the power of those mono recordings. "In Beatles world, if you can make something more aggressive, they want it more aggressive," Martin says, cueing up Paperback Writer to prove his point. "If you listen, this mono mix is very crunchy, very in your face," he says, as the textured harmonies give way to Paul McCartney's guitar riff. "The stereo sounds wider," Martin continues, switching seamlessly to that version, "but the problem is that all the action - the guitar and drums - are on the left speaker." "The guitar riff is what you remember about that song," he says, but it loses its oomph by being shifted to one side. Accordingly, the new mix puts the instruments into a focussed central point, while spreading

Summary: Giles Martin reveals how he took The Beatles master tapes and remixed them in surround sound for the Fab Four's new video collection.


Dafydd Tudur, 27, was struck as he walked along the A487 Y Felinheli bypass from Caernarfon, Gwynedd, before 03.20 GMT in March 2015. The hearing in Caernarfon was told the dark clothes Mr Tudur was wearing would have made him difficult to see. There was no evidence the taxi driver had seen him, the coroner said. North West Wales Coroner, Dewi Pritchard Jones, said Mr Tudur had been out with friends watching rugby before going on to Caernarfon, and had decided to walk along the bypass because it was a quicker route home to Y Felinheli. Taxi driver Terry Moxon told the hearing he had no recollection of seeing Mr Tudur and the first he knew of a collision was when he heard a bang and noticed his windscreen was smashed. Mr Pritchard Jones said there were no street lights on the bypass because there is no official footpath and the collision was due to "misfortune". Originally from Morfa Nefyn, Mr Tudur was an Aberystwyth University law graduate and worked as a solicitor Tudur Owen Roberts Glynne and Co in Bangor.

Summary: The death of a man who was hit by a taxi as he walked home after a night out was accidental, an inquest has heard.


Called The Highlands and Islands Creative Campus, it has been created at Blair Steading on the Altyre Estate near Forres in Moray. GSA describes it as a research and postgraduate teaching centre for "international excellence in creativity and innovation". Highlands and Islands Enterprise has been supporting the creation of the campus. The site is a base for GSA's Institute of Design Innovation.

Summary: Glasgow School of Art (GSA) has formally launched a new campus.


The evangelical church's pastor and founder, Kong Hee, was jailed for eight years - others received between 21 months and six years. The court ruled last month the group had misused church finances to fund the music career of Kong's wife, Sun Ho. All denied the charges - the church had supported them during the trial. State prosecutors said before sentencing it was "the largest amount of charity funds ever misappropriated in Singapore's legal history". Known for its slick image and wealth-focused brand of Christianity, City Harvest Church (CHC) has some 17,500 members in Singapore and branches around the world. In 2002, its launched what it called the Crossover Project - a scheme to evangelise through Ms Ho's music career. The hope was that songs like China Wine - a tune with rapper Wyclef Jean depicting Ms Ho as a Chinese exotic dancer in Jamaica - would help spread the gospel. A church-backed music production company aimed at helping her achieve mainstream success in the US was left with millions of dollars in losses when the project failed. The six were convicted on 21 October of misappropriating S$24m of church funds for the music project, and using another S$26m in an attempt to cover their tracks. They were found guilty of various counts of criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts, although the judge accepted that there was no evidence of "wrongful gain" by the defendants themselves. That lack of personal financial benefit from the fraud meant the judge did not impose the maximum sentences of up to 20 years, local media report. Ms Ho herself was not prosecuted in connection with the case and did not attend Friday's sentencing. She recently took over leadership of the church. Convictions in full

Summary: Six senior officials of Singapore's City Harvest megachurch have been jailed over a $50m Singapore dollar ($35m; £23m) fraud case.


The man, in his 20s, suffered life-threatening injuries when he was hit by the train at Stockwell, south London, on Friday. British Transport Police said that while he remained critical, his condition was now considered "stable". Transport for London (TfL) said the station was not overcrowded. Nick Brown, from TfL, said the accident involved a train entering the Northern Line platform of the underground station at about 09:00 BST. He said the organisation had "established that, while the station was busy, the platform was not overcrowded". Eyewitnesses described the incident as "horrific". Twitter user Super D said he saw the man get hit by the train "as he bent over to get his bag". Others said people were screaming when they heard the impact and saw others attempting to help him before paramedics arrived.

Summary: A man struck by a rush-hour Tube train when it is believed he bent down to pick up a bag is in a stable condition in hospital, police have said.


The OBR had previously forecast that the economy would grow 2.4% this year, but is now predicting a rate of 2.0%. Chancellor George Osborne said the cuts had been due to a reduction in the OBR's forecasts of productivity. The amount the government is expected to have to borrow this year has fallen, but it has gone up for the next three. However, the chancellor confirmed that he was still on-track to meet his target of having a budget surplus by 2019-20. Under the OBR's new forecast, the estimate for economic growth in 2017 has been cut to 2.2% from 2.5%, and to 2.1% from 2.4% in 2018. Growth in both 2019 and 2020 is now estimated at 2.1% compared with the previous forecast of 2.3%. The OBR also said the cut to growth forecasts was due to less growth being expected elsewhere in the world. "In the short time since our November forecast, economic developments have disappointed and the outlook for the economy and the public finances looks materially weaker," it said. At a news conference, OBR head Robert Chote said that productivity growth in the last three months of 2015 had been considerably worse than expected, wiping out gains made earlier in the year and making the OBR question whether UK productivity was likely to recover to pre-crisis levels. "With the period of weak productivity growth post-crisis continuing to lengthen, we have placed more weight on that as a guide to future prospects - although this judgement remains highly uncertain," the OBR said. The OBR unexpectedly reduced the amount it expects the government to borrow in the current financial year from £73.5bn to £72.2bn. In the first 10 months of the financial year, the government has already borrowed £66.5bn, so many commentators predicted that the forecast would have to be raised. The OBR said it had cut the forecast because it was expecting smaller contributions to the EU in the next two months because more of the 2016 contributions would be paid in the next financial year. In addition, it predicted lower borrowing by housing associations, lower spending on tax credits and a smaller-than-expected take-up of married couples' tax allowance. However, the OBR warned that the fall it expected "may not be reflected fully in the initial outturn data due in April". It explained that this was because spending by local authorities tends to take longer to come into the Office for National Statistics, which is also not yet used to calculating figures for housing associations who have only recently been included in public sector debt figures. The borrowing forecasts for the following three years have been increased considerably, although the OBR still expects the government to achieve a surplus in 2019-20 and 2020-21, in line with its supplementary target on the deficit. Mr Chote said that if no measures had been taken in this Budget then the government would have had to borrow £3bn in 2019-20, but he added that Mr Osborne had met "the letter of the mandate" by "shuffling" receipts into that year and spending out. On

Summary: The UK economy will grow more slowly in the next five years than had been expected in November, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has said.


Wright, 53, has achieved three successive top-six finishes in the Premiership with Saints and led them to Scottish Cup glory in 2014. Rangers parted company with former boss Mark Warburton earlier this month. "I don't think there's anybody in a job or out of a job that wouldn't want to take that call," said Wright. "Yeah, I would speak [if the call came in from Rangers] because it's a big club but it's all hypothetical. "That call hasn't happened as from other clubs it hasn't happened so I'm still happy here." Wright and Aberdeen counterpart Derek McInnes are the Scottish Premiership managers that have been linked with Rangers since Warburton's departure. Former Ibrox boss Alex McLeish and ex-Rangers defender Frank de Boer have also been mentioned in connection with the post. Rangers have reportedly held interviews to fill both the manager's job and a director of football post. Under-20s coach Graeme Murty continues in interim charge of the first team for a third successive game away to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Friday evening. Saints host Kilmarnock on Saturday before visiting Ibrox on Wednesday, having drawn 1-1 on their two previous meetings with Rangers this season. Last term, St Johnstone knocked Warburton's Rangers out of the League Cup. The full interview with Tommy Wright will be aired on BBC Sportsound on Sunday from 12 noon.

Summary: St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright has indicated he would be interested in the Rangers job but insists such a scenario is "all hypothetical".


Leaked documents show that Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson and his wife bought offshore company Wintris in 2007. He did not declare an interest in the company when entering parliament in 2009. He sold his 50% of Wintris to his wife for $1 (70p), eight months later. He says no rules were broken and his wife did not benefit financially. The offshore company was used to invest millions of dollars of inherited money, according to a document signed by Mr Gunnlaugsson's wife Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir in 2015. The leaked documents show that Mr Gunnlaugsson was granted a general power of attorney over Wintris - which gave him the power to manage the company "without any limitation". Ms Palsdottir had a similar power of attorney. Court records show that Wintris had significant investments in the bonds of three major Icelandic banks that collapsed during the financial crisis which began in 2008. Wintris is listed as a creditor with millions of dollars in claims in the banks' bankruptcies. Mr Gunnlaugsson became prime minister in 2013 and has been involved in negotiations about the banks which could affect the value of the bonds held by Wintris. He resisted pressure from foreign creditors - including many UK customers - to repay their deposits in full. If foreign investors had been repaid, it may have adversely affected both the Icelandic banks and the value of the bonds held by Wintris. But Mr Gunnlaugsson kept his wife's interest in the outcome a secret. Mr Gunnlaugsson's spokesman said his policies had put the interests of the Icelandic people ahead of the interests of the failed banks' claimants. "The prime minister's wife's losses on these bonds issued by the failed banks will amount to hundreds of millions of Kronur and the scope for recoveries is extremely small." The spokesman said Ms Palsdottir had always declared the assets to the tax authorities and that under the parliamentary rules Mr Gunnlaugsson did not have to declare an interest in Wintris. He said that joint share certificates in Wintris had been issued because the prime minister and his wife had a joint bank account. This was pointed out to them when the documents were reviewed in 2009. "It had always been clear to both of them that the prime minister's wife owned the assets, and this had not changed. Therefore it was immediately requested for the shareholder structure to be mended. All this was made clear in email communications at the time." The revelations are likely to lead to serious questions in Iceland as the leaked documents show that two other ministers in Mr Gunnlaugsson's government also had undisclosed offshore investments. See more at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists

Summary: The prime minister of Iceland has been accused of hiding millions of dollars of investments in his country's banks behind a secretive offshore company.


The Grand Tour was inspired by an 18th Century tradition where the wealthy toured Europe's cultural sites. Nottingham Contemporary, Chatsworth House, Derby Museum and The Harley Gallery are all taking part. It is hoped a number of exhibitions, which run until September, will increase visitor numbers at the venues. The two counties have been chosen due to their connections to the original grand tours, which helped shape the art collection at Chatsworth, in Derbyshire, and The Welbeck Estate, in Nottinghamshire. Much of Chatsworth's collection was amassed by the Dukes of Devonshire. Items were either collected during the tour or were inspired by what had been seen. Local figures like Lord Byron, whose ancestral home is Newstead Abbey, would have also taken part in the tour. At Nottingham Contemporary, artist Pablo Bronstein will display hand picked objects from Chatsworth House's collection, including works by Rembrandt and Frans Hals. A colossal Roman marble foot from the stately home will also be on display in Nottingham. In Derby, The Wright Revealed exhibition focuses on two rare paintings by 18th Century painter Joseph Wright. One of the paintings languished in a museum store room for more than 50 years. The Grand Tour project has been co-funded by the National Lottery and the Arts Council to help create cultural destinations around the UK.

Summary: A £350,000 project is set to link four cultural venues across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in a bid to increase tourism and boost the local economy.


The 21-year-old has won two caps, although he has dual nationality with the Republic of Ireland. O'Shaughnessy spent the last two seasons with Championship club, having joined them from French club Metz. He did not make a first-team appearance for the Bees, and spent time on loan with National League club Braintree and in Denmark with Midtylland. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Cheltenham Town have signed Finland international centre-back Daniel O'Shaughnessy after a two-week trial.


Element Power said the Irish-based giant wind farms in its Greenwire plan could power three million UK homes. It said the £6bn scheme could save consumers billions of pounds as it is cheaper than off shore wind generation. The UK government is committed to to achieving 15% of its energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. Element Power has told BBC Wales that its plan could provide up to 10% of that target. In Wales, as in other parts of the UK, there have been large demonstrations and protests against the building of wind farms. Greenwire is seen as a way of avoiding such confrontation in future. Under the plan 40 wind farms, with a total of 700 wind turbines, would be based in the Bog of Allen in the midlands of Ireland. The electricity would then be sent under the Irish Sea. The cables would resurface at two locations in Wales; one at Pentir near Caernarfon, and the other at Pembroke. Element Power insist that, because both locations are near existing power stations, sub stations and pylons, the environmental impact would be minimal. The project, would, however call for the building of two converter stations, which would be around the size of two football pitches each. Mike O'Neill, president of Element Power, described the scheme as "a win-win situation". "This is surplus wind to Ireland's requirements and this is a great export opportunity for Ireland," he said. "It creates lots of jobs, lots of economic benefit, and for the UK... this provides 10% of the 2020 renewable energy target... and saves the UK consumer £7bn. "So overall this £6bn infrastructure project is going be (an) economic benefit for the UK, for Wales and for Ireland." Environmental campaigners Friends of the Earth said it did not oppose the scheme but called for the UK to develop its own renewable energy. "This is a good project," said spokesman Guy Shrubsole. But he added: "There's huge benefits that could come to the UK from properly developing our renewable resource, whether that's wave or tidal or offshore wind or onshore wind and the number of jobs that could be coming from that, the green economy that we could be building in the UK, not just having to import energy from overseas. A Department of Energy and Climate Change spokesman told BBC Wales: "Further interconnection could open up real opportunities for the UK - to potentially lower prices, help with system balancing and enhance energy security." "The government recently called for evidence on the costs and benefits associated with trading renewable energy - we will publish the government's response in due course."

Summary: The UK government is considering plans to import wind power from Ireland to the National Grid via cables under the Irish Sea to north and west Wales.


The open-side flanker led Wales to a 19-12 Six Nations win over England at Twickenham on Saturday that secured the Triple Crown. "Walking up those steps and... lifting the trophy was awesome, a brilliant feeling," said the 23-year-old. "We wanted something to reward us for the hard effort, hard work we've put in over the last six months." Warburton took over as captain from the injured Matthew Rees for the 2011 World Cup, where Wales impressed but eventually had to settle for fourth. "For us it still goes all the way back to May when we had that Baa-Baas [Barbarians] game in June, the ridiculous pre-season we had in the summer," Warburton said. "It's nice to get a bit of recognition that all that hard work has paid off." Media playback is not supported on this device Wales had only won twice in 24 years at Twickenham before Saturday's success but, after impressive wins over Ireland and Scotland, started the game as favourites against an inexperienced England side. But England led 9-6 at half-time in a hugely physical, exciting encounter that was only settled five minutes from the end when replacement Wales centre Scott Williams stripped the ball from lock Courtney Lawes to score the winning try. Wales still had to survive a nervous moment when Dave Strettle was denied a try in injury time, after television match official Iain Ramage could not clearly see whether the England wing had grounded the ball over the line. Even if the try had been allowed, it would have taken a difficult conversion from wide on the right to tie the game and deny Wales their 20th Triple Crown. "We ignored everything that was said in the media about us being favourites and all that rubbish, we didn't listen to it at all," Warburton added. "We knew this was going to be the toughest test we'd had so far, you never come to Twickenham and have an easy game, as history tells you. Full Six Nations table "It was one hell of a game, really tough. There were times when the boys had to pick me up off the floor and vice versa. "England really threw everything at us, especially at the end, and they're an absolute nightmare to play when that situation happens and they very nearly went over. "We're absolutely delighted with the win and all the boys are having a good time in the changing rooms now." With the Triple Crown secure, Wales have home games against Italy on 10 March and France the following Saturday as they attempt to claim an 11th Grand Slam, following on from their last Championship clean sweep in 2008. "We've got Italy now in two weeks at home and that's a must-win game for us, but we can't look any further than one game ahead," Warburton warned. "We'll enjoy this match now over the next week or so and then knuckle down for the forthcoming matches."

Summary: Man-of-the-match Sam Warburton spoke of his pride after lifting his first trophy as Wales captain.


Michael Davies, 71, had been staying at a hotel with his wife at the holiday resort when he disappeared. The couple, from Blaina, Blaenau Gwent, had travelled to Sandown on the island by coach, Hampshire Constabulary said. But Mr Davies, who suffers from high blood pressure, has not been seen since the early hours of Wednesday. The force said Mr Davies wandered off after dinner at the Hotel Maria in Sandown at 21:30 BST and CCTV images later show the him less than half a mile inland from the seaside hotel. A police spokesman said: "We are growing increasingly concerned for the welfare of a 71-year-old man. "Having reviewed CCTV it appears that Michael was in the Avenue Road area of Sandown just before 01:00 on Wednesday morning." Police said the pensioner's family were worried because Mr Davies relies on medication to control his blood pressure, which he would not have access to. He is described as white, with cropped white hair, and wearing a blue tee-shirt, blue Reebok jumper, jeans and a baseball cap.

Summary: A pensioner from south Wales is at the centre of a police hunt after vanishing during a coach holiday to the Isle of Wight.


Thousands have been protesting against the takeover for a second day, in cities across Yemen. On Friday, the Shia rebels said they were dissolving parliament and setting up an interim government. The UN Security Council has warned of unspecified further steps if the group do not immediately return to talks. The Houthis took control of parts of the capital Sanaa in September last year, forcing the resignation of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi in January. Defending the move, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Saturday that the declaration was "a historic, necessary and important step" to prevent a power vacuum in Yemen. He added: "Our hand is extended to every political force in this country. The space is open for partnership, co-operation and brotherhood." During protests in Sanaa on Saturday, Houthi gunmen fired into the air to disperse demonstrators. A bomb exploded outside the presidential palace, wounding three people. There were also protests in at least three other Yemeni cities, with demonstrators calling the Houthis actions a coup. Meanwhile, a rally in support of the Houthis took place in at a stadium in Sanaa. The Gulf Cooperation Council, made up of Yemen's neighbours and led by Saudi Arabia, has also expressed alarm. Iran has been accused of backing the Houthis, something both have denied, and analysts say the GCC's opposition signals Sunni Muslim hostility to the Houthis. The Houthi's political takeover comes after a deadline they set for political parties to resolve the crisis expired, and UN-brokered peace talks failed. Yemen has been riven by instability since protesters inspired by the Arab Spring forced the overthrow of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2011, who is believed to have been backing the Houthis. The country is also fighting an al-Qaeda insurgency with the help of US drones. Despite the takeover, the US said it was continuing to work with Yemeni on counter-terrorism.

Summary: Yemen's Houthi rebels say they are open to working with other political factions, after taking over power in a move denounced by rivals as a coup.