The reforms - which would significantly increase the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - received the required three-fifth majority in the assembly. The bill will be put to a referendum, probably in April, and will become law if more than 50% of voters back it. Critics say the move could usher in authoritarian rule, and amounts to a power grab by Mr Erdogan. But the president says the changed system will resemble those in France and the US. The constitutional reform bill was approved by 339 of the 550-member assembly. Who is Turkey's dominant president? No cause for optimism in divided Turkey Turkey targets 10,000 social media users Mr Erdogan assumed the presidency, a largely ceremonial position, in 2014 after over a decade as Turkey's prime minister. The reforms would let the president retain ties to a political party, so Mr Erdogan could resume leadership of the AK Party (AKP), which he co-founded. Opposition leaders say that would abolish any chance of presidential impartiality. It has been suggested that Mr Erdogan could remain in power until 2029 under the new rules. The draft constitution states that the next presidential and parliamentary elections will be held on November 3, 2019. The president would have a five-year tenure, for a maximum of two terms. If the clock on Mr Erdogan's presidency re-sets from 2019, that would allow him to stay in the job until 2029, not 2024. Mr Erdogan has not made clear whether this would be the case. Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim congratulated MPs on passing the constitutional changes, saying: "We have done our job. Now we convey the issue to its real owner, our people." Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), urged Turks to "spoil the game that was played in parliament". He described the approval of the presidential system as a "mistake". Debates over the constitution changes have been heated. Last week a fight broke out in parliament after the AKP clashed with CHP members when an MP tried to film a voting session during a debate. The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) boycotted the vote. To secure its necessary majority, the AKP has relied on the support of the rightwing Nationalist Movement Party, the fourth-largest in the legislature. Turkey has been in a state of emergency since a failed coup in July. The status was extended after a series of attacks on the country, including a mass shooting in an Istanbul nightclub on New Year's Eve.

Summary: Turkey's parliament has approved a new draft constitution paving the way for a presidential system of government.


The airline said that in future crew members would be allocated seats at least an hour before departure. It comes after passenger Dr David Dao lost two front teeth and suffered a broken nose when he was forcibly removed from a flight last Sunday. United Airlines said the move was aimed at improving its customer services. The incident involving Dr Dao caused outrage and widespread condemnation of the airline after shocking footage was shared and watched by millions of people online. His daughter, Crystal Dao Pepper, later told a news conference in Chicago that the family had been "sickened" by what had happened. Law enforcement officials dragged Dr Dao off a flight departing from Chicago for Louisville, Kentucky, because it was fully booked, and the airline wanted four passengers to make way for staff members. The 69-year-old Vietnamese-American physician had refused to leave, saying he needed to go home to see his patients. He was then dragged down the aisle of the aircraft. His lawyer later said that Dr Dao found the experience "more horrifying and harrowing than what he experienced when leaving Vietnam". The ordeal led to demonstrations at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and turned into a public relations disaster for United Airlines. The situation escalated when a response from the airline's chief executive, Oscar Munoz, failed to mention any use of excessive force. "This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologise for having to re-accommodate these customers," he said in a statement. He also said that Dr Dao was "disruptive and belligerent". Days later Mr Munoz, who was facing calls to resign from online petitions that had received thousands of signatures, said he felt "shame and embarrassment" and vowed that it would never happen again. The airline offered compensation to all customers on board last Sunday's United Flight 3411.

Summary: United Airlines is changing its policy on giving staff last-minute seats on full flights after a man was dragged screaming from an overbooked plane.


In the letter, the hugely popular chief minister of Tamil Nadu state says that she has "been reborn" thanks to the prayers of her supporters. The letter also urged people to vote for her party in upcoming by-elections. Critics say this could be an attempt to quell fears about the extent of her illness and mobilise her supporters. The chief minister was last seen in public on 21 September and admitted to hospital a day later. Why ailing leader has Indian state on edge Ailing Tamil Nadu chief gives up powers Initially, doctors said the 68-year-old was receiving treatment for "fever and dehydration". She was placed under observation and her diet was monitored. But since then there has been a fierce veil of secrecy around her health. Last Saturday her doctors reportedly said she had "completely recovered" and would go home "whenever she feels fit". "Due to the continuous prayers by people in Tamil Nadu, in other states and across the world, I have been reborn and I am happy to share this information with you," Ms Jayalalitha said in the letter released late Sunday. But all her political responsibilities remain with her deputy O Panneerselvam. A former film star, Ms Jayalalitha has been Tamil Nadu chief minister three times and is virtually revered in the state.

Summary: Ailing Indian politician Jayaram Jayalalitha has hinted at a recovery after months in hospital, in a letter released by her party.


Speaking in Washington, Ciaran Martin was giving his first public comments as the chief executive of the NCSC. The centre, which launches next month, will absorb existing roles such as protecting government and critical infrastructure. It will also look at new ways of engaging with business and the public. Among its plans are developing automated defences to offer protection from high-volume but relatively unsophisticated cyber-attacks. The NCSC will take a lead on protecting government networks and those of national level importance, but Mr Martin also outlined ways in which it would be more ambitious in improving the UK's overall cybersecurity. One-eighth of the UK's gross domestic product (GDP) comes from the digital economy, the highest in the G20 group of industrialised economies, and Mr Martin said retaining public confidence in online transactions and ensuring economic growth was a priority in the same way as protecting national security. Last year, twice as many "national-security-level cyber-incidents" were detected compared with a year before, amounting to about 200 per month. The attacks are not always highly sophisticated. The breach at the telecoms company TalkTalk used a basic technique dating from the end of the 20th Century rather than anything new. "Far too many of these basic attacks are getting through," Mr Martin said. "And they are doing a lot of damage." The new strategy will include using technology to automate defences against unsophisticated but high-volume cyber-attacks. Mr Martin described this as "active cyber-defence", distinguishing it from the US use of the term, which relates to pursuing hackers into their networks. Two to three years ago, there had been an expectation in government that a market of supply and demand would help deal with the low- to medium-end cyber-threats, leaving government to concentre on high-end threats. But officials acknowledge this has not taken place and that information sharing has often reached limits leading to a shift towards a more "activist and automated approach". The NCSC has already been working on using automated measures on government networks. This includes ensuring UK government email is trusted and not spoofed to fool members of the public. "We trialled it, and whoever was sending 58,000 malicious emails per day from taxrefund@gov.uk... isn't doing it anymore," Mr Martin said. The centre has also been piloting ways of tackling commodity attacks - off the shelf, easy-to-use malware. This has involved sending automated takedown requests to web hosts, registrars and others. The focus has been on government networks but the ambition is to take these ideas beyond government on a voluntary basis - for instance working with service providers to stop the abuse of certain protocols to reroute traffic. This would make it harder for UK machines to be hijacked for use in denial of service attacks. The centre is also exploring scaling up DNS filtering - a method of screening web addresses for malware and other malicious content - to help providers protect their customers (with the public able to choose if they wanted to take part). Another aspect of the overall strategy is working on "core national defensive cyber-capabilities" to tackle

Summary: Britain is moving towards more active defence in cyberspace, the head of the UK's new National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has said.


Second quarter operating profit rose nearly 5% to 3.49bn euros (Â£2.47bn). But it listed a raft of potential problems, including "fierce competition, interest rate and exchange rate volatility, and fluctuations in raw materials prices". The results come one day after news VW had overtaken Toyota to become the world's biggest vehicle maker. But VW noted that robust growth in the global economy lost momentum in the first half 2015 and it said it expected the same level of growth for this year as in 2014. VW cited risks to global financial markets resulting from "the strained debt situation of many countries". It expects the strongest growth to come from Asian emerging economies, with moderate rates of expansion from major industrialised nations. The company's shares are down more than 2% in Frankfurt.

Summary: The German carmaker Volkswagen reported a rise in its quarterly profit, but noted slowing demand in key markets.


Andorra had stunned Chris Coleman's side by taking a sixth-minute lead through Ildefons Lima's penalty, Andorra's first competitive goal since 2010. Bale headed Wales level 16 minutes later, though that did not spare Coleman the jeers of the furious travelling Welsh fans as the score remained 1-1 at half-time. Wales searched desperately for a winner, and their reprieve eventually came after 81 minutes when Bale curled in a beautiful free-kick to deny Andorra a first competitive point for nine years. Although a victory of any sort was welcome, the Welsh performance was distinctly unconvincing as they aim to qualify for the finals stage of a major tournament for the first time since the 1958 World Cup. There had been optimism leading up to this campaign, with Euro 2016 expanded from 16 to 24 teams for the first time and Wales drawn alongside Bosnia, Belgium, Israel, Cyprus and Andorra in their qualifying group. Wales could hardly have asked for a kinder opening fixture - a trip to an Andorran side who are ranked 199th in the world, 158 places below them in the standings, and have lost their last 44 competitive games. But to Wales' horror, the prospect of a first competitive win for Andorra since 2004 seemed soberingly real as the hosts took an unexpected lead. With Wales unable to clear from a long Andorran throw, Neil Taylor was adjudged to have pulled the shirt of Ivan Lorenzo. Prompted by Mitja Zganec - the additional assistant referee behind the goal - Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic pointed to the spot and Andorra captain Lima calmly converted by sending Wayne Hennessey the wrong way. While Wales' travelling contingent of around 1,500 were momentarily silenced, the other half of the 3,300-capacity Estadio Nacional roared in disbelieving rapture. The lead lasted only 16 minutes, as Bale headed into the bottom corner from a tantalising cross from left-back Ben Davies. Bale had inevitably been the focus of pre-match attention, with the £85m Real Madrid winger expected to start as centre-forward. Coleman instead picked the world's most expensive footballer on his favoured right flank, but he showed the goalscoring instinct of a natural striker to nod Wales level. The visitors enjoyed near total domination of possession, albeit a little unsteadily at times as players familiarised themselves with the erratic bounce of Andorra's controversial 3G pitch. With the artificial surface's rubber pellets flying up every time the ball hit the ground, Wales made hard work of creating genuine scoring opportunities. Having been booed off the field at half time, Coleman sought to take the initiative by switching to a 3-5-2 formation at the beginning of the second half. There was more urgency to the Welsh performance after the restart, and Bale was the catalyst for the change in pace. He had a free-kick from distance saved by Ferran Pol and a long-range effort which fizzed just wide, while his cross was headed wide by Andy King. There were times when Wales' desperation to take the lead led to a loss of shape and rhythm, as players struggled to adapt

Summary: Gareth Bale's late free-kick saved Wales from embarrassment in Andorra as his two goals made it a winning start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.


Cornell, 52, was found dead after performing in a concert with his band, Soundgarden, in Detroit on Wednesday evening. The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed in a statement the frontman took his own life. In an earlier statement, Cornell's representative Brian Bumbery had said his death was "sudden and unexpected". It also said the family would be working closely with the medical examiner and asked for privacy. A spokesperson for Detroit Police confirmed to the BBC they received a call just after midnight (05:00 BST) on Wednesday. "He was found on the bathroom floor, our medical unit were called and he was pronounced dead on scene," a spokesperson said. "A family friend went to go check on him and observed him on the bathroom floor. The body was transferred to the medical examiner's office." The medical examiner's office said on Thursday that the cause of death had been determined as suicide by hanging, adding: "A full autopsy report has not yet been completed." The Soundgarden show was part of a wider tour and the group had a number of live dates scheduled for later this month. Sir Elton John led the tributes, tweeting: "Shocked and saddened by the sudden death of @chriscornell. A great singer, songwriter and the loveliest man." Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page added: "RIP Chris Cornell. Incredibly talented, incredibly young, incredibly missed." BBC 6 Music's Matt Everitt said he was taken aback by Cornell's death. "This is a hell of a shock, he'd been gigging frequently despite having a life that was quite extreme, and he was certainly in extremely good health, performing concerts and seemingly pretty much at the top of his game," he said. Cornell was born on 20 July 1964. As a solo artist, he released four studio albums - most recently 2015's Higher Truth. His biggest single in the UK was 2006's You Know My Name, which was the theme song to Casino Royale, which starred Daniel Craig. The track made him the first male American artist to write and perform the theme song for a James Bond movie. But he was perhaps most famous as the lead singer of Seattle band Soundgarden, which formed in 1984 and went on to release six studio albums. Last year, the band confirmed they were returning to the studio to record new material and a tour was announced for this year. On Wednesday evening, the Fox Theatre in Detroit tweeted pictures of the band while they were live on stage. Cornell himself tweeted about the show on Wednesday evening, writing: "Finally back to Rock City!" Soundgarden's most successful album in the UK was 1994's Superunknown, which reached number four in the chart. In 2001, he joined rock supergroup Audioslave, which consisted of Cornell on lead vocals, together with Rage Against The Machine members Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk (drums). The group released three albums - all of which reached the top 20 in the UK - but disbanded in 2007. If you are affected by the topics in this article, the Samaritans can be contacted

Summary: Singer Chris Cornell died as a result of hanging himself, US officials have confirmed.


The 30-year-old Russian is ranked 211 in the world and was given a wildcard in Rome as she continues her return from a 15-month drugs ban. Monday's 6-4 6-2 win ensures Sharapova will move inside the top 200 and earn a Wimbledon qualifying place next month. She will qualify for Wimbledon's main draw if she reaches the Rome semis. However, when asked if she was aware of this week's rankings deadline, Sharapova replied: "Oh, is it? See, I think maybe you guys assume that I know these things, but I genuinely want to take care of each and every single week, and every single match is a priority for me. "The fact that I'm back and playing three weeks in a row now and three events in a row for me is a big deal. That's my focus." Sharapova will learn on Tuesday whether she has been given a wildcard into either qualifying or the main draw at the French Open, which gets under way on 28 May. The five-time Grand Slam champion reached the semi-finals on her return in Stuttgart last month, but lost to Eugenie Bouchard in the second round in Madrid last week. She made a slow start against American McHale, ranked 58th, at the Foro Italico, dropping serve three times before edging through the first set and dominating the second. Sharapova will play Croatian 16th seed Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in round two, with world number one Angelique Kerber a potential third-round opponent. Wimbledon's qualifying tournament is played over three rounds and takes place from 26 to 29 June at the Bank of England Sports Grounds in Roehampton. It has previously been an unticketed event but this year there will be 1,000 tickets for sale at £5 each, with proceeds going to the Wimbledon Foundation, along with video coverage of one court.

Summary: Maria Sharapova secured a place in Wimbledon qualifying - at least - with a first-round win over Christina McHale at the Italian Open.


Said Djinnit had been hosting talks between the governing party and those who do not want President Pierre Nkurunziza to stand for re-election. His announcement has sparked weeks of protests in Burundi and a failed coup. The election was due in June but was put back to 15 July following pressure from regional leaders. Mr Djinnit was aware of the "positions expressed... on his role as facilitator by some Burundian parties", according to a UN statement. They had complained that the talks were not focusing on the root cause of the crisis, which they say is the third-term bid. Whatâ€™s behind the coup bid? President Pierre Nkurunziza profile African news updates But Mr Djinnit said that though the dialogue had not achieved agreement on the "candidature of President Nkurunziza", there had been "progress" in other areas. One of the leaders of the anti-third-term protests, Nininahazwe Pacifique, has welcomed the resignation saying that Mr Djinnit had "no choice". The president "should follow this beautiful example," he added. The presidential election was postponed by 18 days, which falls short of a call by regional leaders to delay the poll by at least six weeks. Though he is stepping down from his role as talks mediator, Mr Djinnit remains the UN's envoy to the Great Lakes region, a UN official says.

Summary: UN envoy Said Djinnit has stepped down as mediator in the Burundi crisis - a demand of those opposed to the president's third-term bid.


The plane was salvaged from the bottom of Loch Doon in Ayrshire in 1982 after a four-year search by divers. It crashed during a training flight from Ayr in 1941, killing the Czech pilot. Returning the bodywork to its former glory has taken 35 years of work and involved several false starts before being carried out. However, the Spitfire is finally ready to take pride of place at Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum whose founders first commissioned the salvage project way back in 1977. Chairman David Reid said it was a fantastic addition to their collection. "When we first started, most of the bits and pieces we were recovering then were coming from wartime crash sites and this one looked a peach," he explained. "We contacted the local diving club in 1977, just after the museum opened in the July, and they agreed to take on the task of looking for this. "We were expecting them to find it the first weekend - they found a syrup tin." However, the search continued for four years with "countless hours of diving". "They finally found it in 1982, probably just by feel, because the silt at the bottom of Loch Doon is several feet deep," said Mr Reid. "They actually bumped into to it, I think the engine was the first part they found." That was just the start of another long journey towards its restoration. A Yorkshire-based expert was able to finish the fuselage but could not work on the wings due to ill health. Eventually the museum secured some funding to buy a set of wings and the plane has finally been able to go on show. "If you ask anybody in the UK or probably worldwide to name the most famous World War II aircraft - depending on which side you were on, it is almost certainly going to be a Spitfire," said Mr Reid. "It was the greatest World War II fighter, really." Although the exterior of the plane has been largely completed there is still a significant amount of work to do to the interior. Nonetheless, the museum is optimistic that it can be carried out in the not too distant future. "Hopefully within the next couple of years we will be able to let people actually sit in a genuine Battle of Britain survivor," said Mr Reid.

Summary: A restored World War II Spitfire that saw service in the Battle of Britain has gone on public show in Dumfries.


The cromlech built in Langemark, Belgium, has marked the 100th anniversary of the war's outbreak. It followed years of campaigning by those who wanted a permanent dedication to the fallen. It is estimated 40,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen from Wales died during the 1914 to 1918 war. Langemark was at the heart of battle in 1917 as the Welsh advanced through the village on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele. Peter Carter Jones, co-ordinator of the Welsh Memorial in Flanders Campaign Group, told the service: "At a chance meeting on 2010 I learned there was no single welsh memorial for all the Welsh fallen. "We wanted to change that. "This memorial's artist is from Tenby, the stones from Pontypridd and the dragon was made in north Wales. Every bit of it is Welsh. "People not born yet will come here to remember the dreadful history this memorial represents. We will not forget them." Fellow co-ordinator Erwin Ureel added: "The idea of a dragon memorial is easy, the hatching of that dragon takes much longer. "The dragon you see before you is a fitting memorial to the battles fought here." The monument is made of four Welsh blue pennant stones transported from Craig yr Hesg quarry, Pontypridd, and surmounted by a red bronze dragon, designed by artist Lee Odishow. The sounding of the Last Post signalled the start of a minute silence. Heads bowed, there is no sound from the site, except for the birds Falklands veteran Simon Weston who earlier said it was "very humbling" to be part of the ceremony, read The Kohima Epitaph before the Welsh flag was raised by army cadets. Minister president of the Flemish government, Geert Bourgeois, said he is proud local people played a part in making the memorial a reality. He added: "Although we have escaped war for 70 years now, we must never forget how fast things can change." First Minister Carwyn Jones told the service: "This memorial is the result of many years of hard work by dedicated individuals both in Flanders and of course in Wales. "Indeed the appeal has caught the imagination of people around the world and this impressive sculpture demonstrates the importance with which we, in Wales together with our partners in Flanders hold the memory of those who sacrificed their lives a century ago." BBC News reporter Natalie Crockett in Flanders From the outset this could be any other European town. With its neat cobbled streets, beautiful buildings and quaint village-feel you could be forgiven for forgetting the horrors that happened in Ypres, Flanders, during the Great War. But the town has not forgotten. There are museums dedicated to the Great War, plaques marking the sacrifice of the many countries which fought here, while cemeteries are dotted around the area marking the place where soldiers fell. In the town centre the imposing Menin Gate serves as a memorial for those whose bodies were not recovered. Every night at 20:00 hundreds of people gather to hear the sounding of the Last Post. Families and veterans, locals and

Summary: About 1,000 people gathered to see the unveiling of a lasting monument to Welsh soldiers who died in World War One in Flanders.


Ms Swinson's campaign spending came in £210 below the legal limit, but reports say this was only after almost £7,000 of costs were disregarded. The SNP said there were "serious questions", with the Lib Dems "living dangerously close to spending limits". The Lib Dems said they had complied with all Electoral Commission rules. Ms Swinson re-took the seat from John Nicolson by a margin of 5,339, a 10% majority, having previously lost out to the SNP politician in 2015. She was subsequently made her party's deputy leader. Her official declaration of expenses was within legal limits, but only after £2,700 of leaflets and other material bought by the party went undelivered - thus not counting towards the total. A further £4,040 of costs were registered as "national" spending, promoting the party generally rather than Ms Swinson's local campaign. The SNP said voters would "find it hard to believe that so much cash could be spent on leaflets that just vanished", adding that: "It was an election, not an illusion show." A spokesman said: "These revelations raise serious questions over the Lib Dems' campaign in East Dunbartonshire. People have a right to know what has gone on here. They have been living dangerously close to spending limits - and seemingly writing off thousands in costs to keep them within the rules." However, a spokesman for the Scottish Lib Dems said all spending was above board, and said the SNP were "smarting" after losing 21 seats in the elections. He said: "All Liberal Democrat candidates follow the clear guidance they are given about election spending, and our party's compliance team are in constant dialogue with the Electoral Commission to ensure that we are abreast of the latest advice and abide fully by all their requirements. "All expenditure in this election was apportioned correctly and clearly identified in our election return which is now a matter of public record. "It's understandable that the SNP are smarting from a disappointing result, but they should accept that they were beaten in a fair fight in seats right across Scotland, and concentrate instead on the important business of running the country."

Summary: Questions have been raised over the general election expenses of Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson in East Dunbartonshire.


Arlene Foster's comments followed a week of disagreements over expenses payments. In a speech on Friday, the DUP leader called for "a completely independent system" for administering expenses. She said the electorate "need to be confident that we're one of them, fighting for them and not for ourselves". Mrs Foster added: "If people are going to vote for us, they need to have confidence in us." On Friday, the Assembly Commission and the Stormont expenses watchdog issued a joint statement on expenses payments. It said the two bodies are committed to working together to sort out the differences. In her speech to DUP members in Cookstown, County Tyrone, Mrs Foster expressed frustration that the issue was preventing her from communicating her vision for Northern Ireland. She said that she left the stability of a career in the legal profession "because [she] believed in a cause". "I wanted to make Northern Ireland a better place. I still have that vision," she said. "At the minute, no-one can hear about my vision for Northern Ireland because the administration of expenses is the main issue. "As leader of this party, I am not going to let an issue like this destabilise our strategy. "How we deal with this will reflect on how we deal with other matters of government." The first minister said that she plans to send a letter to DUP assembly candidates and other party leaders appealing for a new system to deal with financial matters in the new term. "The DUP has consistently argued that politicians should have absolutely no role in either deciding the level of their pay or expenses, or in administering the system by which those expenses are paid. "The completely independent system at Westminster may not be perfect, but it has instilled public confidence that failures of the past will not be repeated." At present, an independent Stormont regulator determines the level of MLAs' pay and Office Cost Allowances. However, claims are submitted to, and processed by staff within the assembly. Mrs Foster suggested that this "creates confusion and dents public confidence". "We need a completely independent system, just as there is in Westminster, where expenses are taken entirely out of the hands of MLAs and of staff working for the Northern Ireland Assembly," she said. "The DUP proposed exactly this kind of system 18 months ago. Sadly, other parties did not agree with us at that time. "If other parties will not join me in reforming the system, I will take steps on the floor of the House to have this put in place. I accept IPSA is more expensive and bureaucratic but it is essential that people can have confidence."

Summary: The first minister has said Northern Ireland politicians need to strive to regain the confidence of voters.


Efforts to create a Palestinian state on the West Bank of the River Jordan and Gaza on the Mediterranean coast have been frustrated by the continuing conflict with Israel and disputes over the status of diaspora Palestinians. The war that followed Israel's declaration of independence in 1948 saw the former British mandate of Palestine partitioned between Israel, Trans-Jordan and Egypt. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were forced out of their native land during the war, in what they call the "Nakba" or "Catastrophe". The demand of these refugees and their descendants to return to their former homes remains one of the most fiercely debated aspects of the dispute with Israel. The Palestinian national movement gradually regrouped in the West Bank and Gaza, run respectively by Jordan and Egypt, and in refugee camps in neighbouring Arab states. The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) emerged as its leading umbrella group shortly before the Six-Day War of 1967, during which Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, and conducted a protracted campaign of violence against Israel. Country profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring The PLO under Yasser Arafat gradually won international recognition as the representative of the Palestinian people, culminating in the Oslo Accords with Israel in 1993. These accords established a Palestinian National Authority (PNA - also referred to as the Palestinian Authority, or PA) as an interim body to run parts of Gaza and the West Bank (but not East Jerusalem) pending an agreed solution to the conflict. The PNA functions as an agency of the PLO, which represents Palestinians at international bodies. It is led by a directly-elected president, who appoints a prime minister and government which must have the support of the elected Legislative Council. Its civilian and security writ runs in urban areas (Area A) under the Oslo Accords, with civilian but not security control over rural areas (Area B). The Israeli occupation of the West Bank, with its continuing settlement building and military checkpoints, and Palestinian attacks, have slowed progress towards a final agreement and led many on both sides to dispute the worth of the Accords. Israel retains full control over bypass roads, settlements and the Jordan Valley, and makes incursions into urban areas against armed groups. In 2005, Israel completed the withdrawal of all its troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip but it retains control of the airspace, seafront and access - including deliveries of food and other goods - apart from the crossing with Egypt. The Islamist Hamas movement, which runs Gaza, explicitly rejects Oslo and its charter calls for Israel's "nullification". The Fatah faction of the PLO ran the PNA until 2006, when Hamas won a majority in Legislative Council elections. Uneasy co-existence between PNA President Mahmoud Abbas and a Hamas-led government led to violence between armed wings of Fatah and Hamas, culminating in Hamas seizing power in Gaza in June 2007 and President Abbas dismissing the government. The two PNA areas have since been run by the separate factions - the West Bank by Fatah, and Gaza by Hamas. Egyptian-mediated efforts

Summary: The Palestinian population of around ten or eleven million people is divided between historic Palestine and a diaspora, mainly in neighbouring Arab countries.


The Russian, 29, tested positive for meldonium at January's Australian Open. When asked if Sharapova would play any more tournaments, Shamil Tarpishchev told R-Sport news agency it was "very doubtful" and added the five-time Grand Slam winner was in a "bad situation". In March, Sharapova said she was "determined to play tennis again". The International Tennis Federation (ITF) provisionally suspended Sharapova on 12 March. She is waiting to hear the full extent of her punishment, which could be as much as a four-year ban, although experts say a six-month or 12-month suspension is more likely. That is because the World Anti-Doping Association (Wada) admitted in April that scientists were unsure how long meldonium stayed in the system. It even suggested athletes who tested positive for the substance before 1 March could avoid bans, provided they had stopped taking it before 1 January. However, Sharapova has already admitted she continued taking meldonium past that date, saying she was unaware it had been added to the banned list as she knew it by another name - mildronate. We've launched a new BBC Sport newsletter ahead of the Euros and Olympics, bringing all the best stories, features and video right to your inbox. You can sign up here.

Summary: Former world number one Maria Sharapova may never play again following her failed drugs test, the president of the Russian Tennis Federation says.


It coincides with the release of figures showing that 24 people died on Scotland's coastline in 2014. Over the past five years, the average fatality rate in Scotland was 35 each year. Scotland experiences proportionately more coastal drownings than the UK as a whole. The UK figure for 2014 recorded by the RNLI was 163. The charity's Respect the Water campaign aims to halve the rate of drownings by 2024. It includes two films which will be shown in cinemas throughout the UK. The largest proportion of deaths over the past five years - 24% - were accounted for by people slipping and falling into the water while walking and running. Other dangers included: Men are considerably more likely to put themselves in danger than women. Over the five-year period, 74% of those who died were men. RNLI lifeboat crews in Scotland saved 51 lives in 2014. The charity has highlighted dangers which can be more common in Scotland. After falling in, people can experience cold water shock or the effects of strong currents under the surface. There are also problems with slippery rocks, sudden waves or unstable ground. RNLI coastal safety manager for Scotland Michael Avril said: "We want people to enjoy the water but to make sure they respect it. "Around 35 lives are lost around Scotland's coast each year but many of these losses could be avoided if people acknowledge the dangers and follow some basic safety advice."

Summary: The RNLI has launched a drowning prevention campaign with the intention of reducing coastal deaths by 50%.


Daw'r newid arfaethedig wedi i berchnogion clybiau a thafarndai ar Stryd Womanby yng Nghaerdydd alw ar gyngor y ddinas i newid statws y stryd yn un "diwylliannol", er mwyn gwarchod sîn gerddoriaeth y brifddinas. Roedd ymgyrchwyr yn pryderu nad oedd rheolau mewn grym i amddiffyn y clybiau a'r tafarndai, yn dilyn nifer o ddatblygiadau adeiladu yn yr ardal. Dywedodd Lesley Griffiths ddydd Gwener ei bod am gyfeirio at yr egwyddor o 'Asiant dros Newid' o fewn y polisi cynllunio cenedlaethol. O dan yr egwyddor yma, os caiff datblygiadau newydd fel fflatiau neu westai eu hadeiladu yn agos at leoliad cerddoriaeth fyw, cyfrifoldeb y datblygwr fydd rheoli effaith y newid a rheoli'r sŵn. Fe wnaeth Lesley Griffiths gadarnhau hefyd y bydd Polisi Cynllunio Cymru yn cael ei ddiweddaru i ddynodi "ardaloedd o bwysigrwydd diwylliannol" ym maes cerddoriaeth o fewn Cynlluniau Datblygu Lleol. Yn ystod yr ymweliad â Stryd Womanby dywedodd: "Mae lleoliadau cerddoriaeth fyw yn cyfrannu'n fawr at ddiwylliant Cymru a'n heconomi liw nos. "Dwi'n ymwybodol o'r ymdrechion i ddiogelu'r lleoliadau hyn at y dyfodol, gan gynnwys ymgyrch "Achub Stryd Womanby" yng Nghaerdydd, a hoffwn dalu teyrnged i waith caled ac ymrwymiad pawb fu'n rhan o hyn. "Er bod bywiogrwydd ardaloedd fel Stryd Womanby yn dibynnu ar nifer o wahanol garfanau, gan gynnwys awdurdodau lleol, y lleoliadau eu hunain a'u cwsmeriaid, rwyf wedi clywed y galwadau i ddiweddaru ein polisi cynllunio cenedlaethol er mwyn diogelu lleoliadau cerddoriaeth fyw. "Dwi'n falch iawn, felly, o gadarnhau fy mod wedi gofyn i'm swyddogion ddechrau diwygio Polisi Cynllunio Cymru cyn gynted â phosib." Wrth ymateb i'r newyddion, dywedodd Guto Brychan, Prif Weithredwr Clwb Ifor Bach ar Stryd Womanby, ac un fu'n ymgyrchu i ddiogelu cerddoriaeth fyw ar y stryd: "Ers i ni ddechrau'r ymgyrch rhyw ddau fis yn ôl, dau brif amcan oedd ganddo ni. "Un oedd dod a'r egwyddor 'Asiant dros Newid' i mewn i'r canllawiau cynllunio cenedlaethol a'r llall oedd i newid designation y stryd i fod yn un diwyllianol a bod hwnna'n rhywbeth oedd yn cael ei fabwysiadu o fewn polisiau lleol y cyngor. "Dyma'r ddau beth sy'n cael ei gyfeirio ato yn y datganiad yma felly mae hyn yn arwyddocaol iawn."

Summary: Mae Lesley Griffiths, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig, wedi cyhoeddi ei bod yn bwriadu diwygio'r polisi cynllunio mewn ymgais i gefnogi lleoliadau cerddoriaeth fyw.


The 26-year-old France forward had been heavily linked with Manchester United, and said last month there was a "6/10" chance he could move to Old Trafford this summer. But he agreed to stay at Atletico after the club had a transfer ban upheld. "The first thing I want to do is apologise to people who misunderstood my statements," Griezmann said. "Since I have arrived, I have given everything for my club, my colleagues and my coaching staff." Atletico cannot sign anyone until January after failing in an appeal against a ban imposed in July 2016 for breaching Fifa rules over the signing of youth players. Griezmann, capped 41 times, scored 26 goals in 2016-17 as Atletico finished third in La Liga behind Real Madrid and Barcelona. He was named the third best player in the world, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in January. Griezmann, who played in France's 2-1 defeat by Sweden in World Cup qualifying on Friday, is in the squad to face England in a friendly on Tuesday. BBC World Service's John Bennett: For me, the most interesting piece of information about Antoine Griezmann's new contract is the release clause. The club have confirmed that it stays the same, at 100 m euros, that's around £88m. So despite the fact that 2022 is printed on the contract, this feels very much like the Frenchman will give Atletico Madrid one more year before making the big money move we all expected him to make this summer. For now though the Atletico fans will be delighted by Griezmann's loyalty. He said it would be a "dirty move" to leave the club in their hour of need and he has kept his word.

Summary: Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann has extended his contract by a year, with his new deal expiring in 2022.


Officers found Jia Li Huang, 63, in a property in Atkinson Road, Urmston, at about 12:30 BST on Monday after being called to reports of an injured woman. The woman had suffered head injuries and was taken to hospital. Lorand-Sebastian Zdarcea, 35, of no fixed abode, was remanded in custody on charges of murder and attempted murder by Manchester Magistrates Court. He is due to appear at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday.

Summary: A man has been charged with murder over the death of a man whose body was found by police in Greater Manchester.


Media playback is not supported on this device The Frenchman's stance puts him in direct opposition to some of Europe's biggest leagues and clubs, who want the event to be staged in May. The World Cup is usually held in June and July, but Fifa has been told that Qatar's searing summer temperatures will put players' health at risk. Platini said: "It'll never be in April, May or June. It will be in winter." He added the 2022 Champions League semi-finals and final could be moved to June if necessary, saying the clubs would accept whatever decision was made. "It's not the clubs that are playing, it's the players and it's not possible to play in May when it's 40 degrees," said Platini, 59. Media playback is not supported on this device The English Premier League, Spain's La Liga and the German Bundesliga think a May World Cup will cause the least disruption as Fifa attempts to find an alternative date to June and July. But the favourite dates are either November and December or January and February. Football's most influential figures met in Zurich on Monday in an attempt to agree a solution to one of the sport's most controversial dilemmas, and plan to meet again in January. The taskforce set up to look into this issue will then present its preferred option to Fifa's executive committee in March. Fifa's preference is for a switch to November and December. President Sepp Blatter has already agreed that a World Cup will not clash with the Winter Olympics, which appears to rule out a move to January and February. But Uefa, which governs European football, is opposed on the grounds it would impact on the Champions League group stages, a stance backed by the Premier League. Many North American and South American domestic seasons conclude about this time, too. Speaking during a tour of the Football Association's training base at St George's Park in Staffordshire, Platini said: "As president of Uefa, I have no problem whether it's in November, December, January or February. "I have no problem. For the competition of the Champions League, we have no problem. "Your clubs in England, your league (the Premier League) has a problem… but we have to find a compromise. Everybody has to lose something but in the end I think winter will be a good date. "It will not be in April, it will not be in May or June or July or September. It will be November, December or January." When asked how regrettable it was that the issue had still not been finalised four years after Fifa's executive committee voted for Qatar, Platini said: "It's not regrettable for me. I don't regret voting for Qatar." He also rejected any suggestion the World Cup's credibility had been damaged by the Qatar controversy. "I don't think so," he said. "I've always said that I hope it will be in Qatar in winter. A lot of people voted for Qatar, not only me." Platini insisted Qatar was the right choice because Arab countries had bid for

Summary: Uefa president Michel Platini has told BBC Sport the 2022 Qatar World Cup must be played in winter.


University of Cambridge experts said global investment portfolios could see losses of up to 45%. No investor was "immune from the risks posed by climate change", they added. In a recent speech to the City, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said climate change would "threaten financial resilience". The report, Unhedgeable Risk: How Climate Change Sentiment Impacts Investment, was commissioned by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership (CISL) and the Investment Leaders Group. It focused on the short-term risks associated with how investors reacted to climate-related information, such as policy decisions to market confidence and extreme weather events. No immunity The authors said the report's findings added to previous studies that had analysed the direct, physical effects of climate change on long-term economic performance. "This new research suggests that no investor is immune from the risks posed by climate change, even in the short run," explained CISL Sustainable Economy director Dr Jake Reynolds. "It is surprisingly difficult to distinguish between risks that can be addressed by an individual investor through smart hedging strategies and ones that are systematic and require much deeper transformations in the economy to deal with," he added. "That's what this report attempts to do." The study focused on potential short-term impacts on investor sentiment/confidence that could emerge at any time, such as an extreme weather event or the outcome of the UN climate talks in Paris. The authors modelled the impacts using three scenarios: These scenarios were applied to four "typical investment portfolios" in order to understand the resilience or vulnerability of investments to climate-related shifts in market confidence. "One of the key findings (from the modelling) is that it reveals the potential for very significant, short-term financial impacts for investors whereas previously, I think, a lot of the analysis had pointed to the longer term, multi-decadal impacts," explained CISL Finance Sector director Andrew Voysey. "This is particularly timely because Mark Carey at the Bank of England has recently warned about the potentially huge losses to markets in the short term as a result of climate change. "He indentified this issue and the Bank of England then went on to note the merit in "stress testing", which is the technical name of the technique that we have deployed here." The modelling showed that shifts in climate change sentiments among investors could cause global economic growth to slow over five to 10 years. But, the authors noted: "The study found that economic growth picks up most quickly along a Two Degree (low carbon) pathway, with annual growth rates of 3.5%; not only exceeding the Baseline scenario (2.9%) but significantly exceeding the No Mitigation scenario (2.0%)."

Summary: A report has warned that investors could be hit hard amid changes in short-term market swings, triggered by climate impact concerns.


An announcement from steel firm Tata is expected on Tuesday on the future of its plants in Motherwell, Cambuslang and Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire. It is believed about 1,200 jobs will be affected, including 400 in Scotland. The Scottish government said it continued to "explore all options" to find a viable future for Tata's sites. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told her party conference in Aberdeen on Saturday that "if our worst fears are realised", she would immediately establish a task force to work with the company, the trade unions and local authorities. Tata employs about 70 people at its Clydebridge plant in Cambuslang, with the remainder of its Scottish workforce based at its Dalzell plate rolling works in Motherwell. Trade union Community, which represents steel workers, said it wanted any task force to support a programme which would keep the plants open while a long-term solution was sought. Assistant general secretary John Park said: "We are in the middle of the worst slump in steel prices in living memory and it is essential we maintain our capacity to produce steel in Scotland. "We welcome Nicola Sturgeon's announcement of a steel task force, but it cannot simply be an exercise in managing decline. "If the Scottish steel industry is to have a future, then Nicola Sturgeon must ensure the strategic assets at Dalzell and Clydebridge are maintained." Mr Park also called for a "proper industrial strategy" for the sector to be developed. He added: "For steel to have that future we must secure the skills of the men and women who work in the industry. "That is why we are calling on the Scottish government to support short-time working programme, should that be necessary over the coming weeks." A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "Since last year, when Tata Steel first announced the potential sale of its long products division, the Scottish government and its agencies have been in constant contact with both Tata Steel and with the trades unions. "We continue to be in contact to explore all possible options to find a viable future for the company's sites in Scotland." Labour MSP John Pentland said: "When Grangemouth, Fergusons and Prestwick Airport were at risk, the Scottish government stepped in to provide support and to secure jobs. "They need to do the same now - anything less will not be acceptable. "This is an iconic industry for our nation and the men and women who work at Clydesdale and Dalzell deserve all possible support."

Summary: Steel workers have called on Scottish ministers to help secure the industry's future by backing a "short-time working programme" if plant closures go ahead.


Paul Wilson, 38, of Helperby, had an allergic reaction to a takeaway from the Indian Garden in Easingwold, North Yorkshire, on 30 January 2014. Mohammed Khalique Zaman, 52, from York, did not enter a plea at Northallerton Magistrates' Court on Friday. The case was adjourned to Teesside Crown Court on 8 May. Mr Zaman spoke only to confirm his name, age and address. He has been further charged with perverting the course of justice and an employment offence under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. North Yorkshire Trading Standards has served summonses on Mr Zaman for six offences under food regulations, the court was told.

Summary: A restaurant owner has appeared in court accused of the manslaughter of a customer with a peanut allergy, who died from anaphylactic shock.


Mr Kejriwal spent Monday night in the open and conducted business with cabinet members from the street. His administration had accused the police of failing to deal with an alleged drugs and prostitution ring - something they denied. The chief minister says he has won concessions from central government. By Soutik BiswasIndia correspondent India's Arvind Kejriwal's 'anarchic' politics The government, which commands Delhi's police force, has agreed to send on leave two police officers Mr Kejriwal wants suspended on allegations of misconduct. "I'm very happy today. Today the people of Delhi have won. I want to congratulate the people of Delhi," AFP news agency quotes Mr Kejriwal as telling supporters. The protest began on Monday when Mr Kejriwal was prevented from going to the home minister's office to demand the officers' suspension. He was acting in response to an incident which threatened to become a diplomatic issue, putting his Aam Aadmi Party, the police and members of Delhi's African community at loggerheads. Last Wednesday Mr Kejriwal's Law Minister, Somnath Bharti, and various party supporters allegedly confronted four Ugandan women in a Delhi neighbourhood, accusing them of prostitution. Police refused to search a nearby house for evidence of the suspected drugs and prostitution ring because they did not have a warrant. Mr Bharti and supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party were accused of threatening and intimidating the women, forcing their way into homes and making racist remarks - allegations they deny. Mr Kejriwal's wider demands include police reform and transferring control of Delhi's police force from the federal authorities. The chief minister also accuses the police of failing to protect women, following the fatal gang-rape of a student in December 2012. The Aam Aadmi Party, or Common Man's Party, performed unexpectedly well in state elections on an anti-corruption platform, propelling Mr Kejriwal to the post of chief minister last month. India's general election must take place by May and the party, only one year old, is expected to field a large number of candidates. The protest in Delhi is thought likely to raise its profile as the national poll approaches. While hailed as a victory by some, Mr Kejriwal's protest has been criticised by others, who urged him to get off the streets in order to govern as he was elected to do. His sit-in had caused congestion in central Delhi as police barricaded roads to the site. Police clashed with protesters who had gathered to join him on Tuesday.

Summary: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called off a sit-in protest in the city centre which was sparked by a row over who controls Delhi's police force.


Police said the man was assaulted on Friday night in the car park of The White House, a Wetherspoon pub in the Leicestershire village of Scraptoft. Emergency services were called to the pub at 22:10 BST and the man was taken to hospital where he died. The 23-year-old man who was arrested is in police custody. Tributes have been left near the door of the pub. Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the assault or events leading up to it to contact them.

Summary: A man has been arrested in connection with the death of a man who was assaulted in a pub car park.


Trevor Campbell, 59, from Sompting, was treated by paramedics but died at the scene. He was struck at about 06:00 GMT on the eastbound carriageway in Lancing. A 58-year-old man from Climping had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving. More news from Sussex Mr Campbell, his wife Rosemary said the family was devastated. She said he left a daughter, Ella, 28, and a granddaughter, Aerith, aged two. "Trevor absolutely doted on Aerith, just as he did our own daughter, and his death is going to leave a huge gap in our family," she said. Mr Campbell, a porter at Lancing College, was taking his usual walk to work when he was killed, police said. Lancing College headmaster Dominic Oliver said he was a long-serving and loyal member of the team, and the Lancing community was saddened and shocked by his death.

Summary: A man arrested over the death of a pedestrian hit by a car on the A27 in West Sussex on Thursday has been released without charge.


Jack Payne dinked a shot over goalkeeper Daniel Bentley to put Southend ahead before veteran forward Grant Holt drilled home an equaliser. Joe Rafferty's first goal of the season put Dale in front and Jamie Allen made it 3-1 with a long-range drive. Joe Bunney added a fourth to move Rochdale to within two points of the play-off places. Phil Brown's Southend slip down to 12th, four points adrift of the top six. Rochdale manager Keith Hill told BBC Radio Manchester: Media playback is not supported on this device "We've reached the point of safety when, 10 games ago, we were looking at getting involved in a relegation fight. "I was really pleased with the equaliser and then the second half. "The second-half performance just showed our intent."

Summary: Rochdale leapfrogged Southend to climb up to eighth place in League One with a comfortable win over the Shrimpers.


The broadcaster is still promoting trailers, clips and interviews on the website but users trying to access shows are instead met with a statement. "As a not-for-profit broadcaster funded by advertising, we put our money back into the programmes themselves," it reads. It says it is directing viewers to its 4oD catch-up services instead. The statement adds: "To make the best of this investment, we've decided to focus on bringing online viewers of our full-length shows to our own 4oD apps - such as those on iOS, Android and channel4.com. "These apps also allow us to encourage more viewing by recommending programmes we think people will appreciate and to provide viewers with additional services." Programmes on 4oD are still available across a range of platforms including Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat, on consoles such as Sony's PS3 and Microsoft's Xbox One and on apps for Windows 8, Windows Phone, iOS and Android devices. The television brand says it will still maintain a presence on YouTube, with a press statement revealing some of its plans. "Reflecting the ways in which our viewers consume Channel 4 content across digital and mobile platforms, our relationship with YouTube will now focus on short-form content," it says. The move ends the previous deal Channel 4 had with the online streaming service, where its 4oD catch-up service was available on YouTube's UK site. In 2009, when the partnership was announced, a joint statement said it was the "first time that a broadcaster anywhere in the world has made a comprehensive catch-up schedule available". Popular Channel 4 series including Peep Show, Skins and Misfits had been available to view free of charge, as were other programmes from its sister stations, including E4. Under the deal, each company took a share of revenues from any advertising sold around the programmes. YouTube, bought by Google in 2006, is the biggest video-streaming site in the world. Other UK broadcasters, including the BBC and ITV, currently make clips available on the video-sharing website. Channel 4 was the first UK broadcaster to launch a video on demand service in late 2006, and was also the first to sell advertising around TV content online. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter

Summary: Channel 4 has removed all its full-length programmes from the video-streaming site YouTube.


Former Swans striker Wilfried Bony scored his first goal for Stoke before Wayne Routledge headed the visitors level in a frenetic first half in which the hosts hit the post three times. The volume of Stoke chances eventually told as visiting defender Alfie Mawson turned Ramadan Sobhi's shot into his own net, and Bony then nodded in a third after Joe Allen's shot was saved. Mark Hughes' side are now 12th in the table while Swansea, despite some initial signs of improvement, remain second from bottom and five points from safety. It was a galling evening for the visitors, who had the chance to re-sign midfielder Allen from Liverpool in the summer. Instead it is with Stoke he is enjoying the most prolific season of his career, his two assists here adding to the four goals he had scored in his previous four appearances for the club. A fifth match unbeaten represents an impressive transformation from Stoke, whose dismal start to the season had left them at the foot of the table after five games. One thing missing from Stoke's revival had been a goal for Bony, so there was a sense of fate to the way the striker on loan from Manchester City put the Potters ahead against his former club. Allen provided the assist with a half-volley from a half-cleared corner - an example of the visitors' ragged defending that was symptomatic of a frantic start to the game. Bob Bradley's side were overrun by their dominant opponents, for whom Charlie Adam twice hit the post with shots from outside the penalty area. Marko Arnautovic did the same after rounding Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, but the visitors' narrow escapes merely felt like delaying the inevitable. Stoke's pressure was unrelenting and, after substitute Ramadan wriggled past Swansea's hesitant defenders and forced Mawson into an own goal, it was left to Bony to nod in from close range after more good work from Allen to seal victory and score against Swansea for a second successive season. Allen's performance saw him provide two assists in a Premier League game for the first time, while Bony scored for the first time since Boxing Day, having gone 23 games for club and country without a goal. Swansea's slump of nine matches without victory is their worst since their 2011 promotion to the Premier League. There were hints of improvement in Bradley's first two games in charge, a 3-2 defeat at Arsenal and a goalless draw at home to Watford. He will also have been encouraged by his team's initially spirited response to the relentless Stoke pressure - but Swansea's defects remain. They were porous in defence and weak in midfield, where Ki Sung-yueng and Leroy Fer offered precious little resistance against their vibrant opponents. Lone striker Fernando Llorente led the line willingly enough but he and substitute Borja Baston were starved of service - characteristically for a Swansea team with just nine goals from 10 Premier League games this season. Stoke manager Mark Hughes: "I was frustrated at times because we had all manner of

Summary: Stoke claimed a third successive Premier League victory as they overcame a Swansea side still without a win since the opening day of the season.


In 1966, a coal waste tip slid down a mountain above Aberfan, south Wales, onto the village school, killing 116 children and 28 adults. The Green Hollow has been written by author Owen Sheers based on interviews with those involved. The drama is part of a new season of BBC Wales-produced programming. The hour-long programme, in the form of a poetry film, will feature high-profile Welsh actors including Michael Sheen, Jonathan Pryce, Sian Phillips and Eve Myles. Owen Sheers said of the programme: "As well as remembering the circumstances and consequences of the disaster, it became equally important for me to create a portrait of what the village was like in 1966 before tip number seven collapsed on Pantglas School - a thriving, vibrant cultural and economic community - and also to paint a picture of the fortitude and optimism present in the village today." The programme will be broadcast on the day of the anniversary, Friday 21 October on BBC One Wales and BBC Four. Also making a return to both channels in October will be Ordinary Lies, the Newport-based drama set in a sports company starring Griff Rhys Jones and Kimberley Nixon. A Doctor Who spin-off for young adults, Class, will be screened on BBC Three from 22 October, while the Ceredigion-set crime drama Hinterland, which is in its third series, will return in the new year to BBC One Wales and BBC Four starring Richard Harrington. BBC Wales director Rhodri Talfan Davies said: "These four very special shows provide a glimpse into very different Welsh experiences - from the lives and passions of a Newport workforce to the brooding landscapes of west Wales. "They showcase the brilliant production and acting talent Wales has to offer, and underline the BBC's commitment to improve the portrayal of Wales on the BBC's networks."

Summary: A drama portraying the events surrounding the deaths of 144 people in a Welsh village will be aired to mark the 50th anniversary of the tragedy.


Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) said all services would be suspended from 2 July. They are due to resume on 1 August. A replacement bus service will be provided for subway passengers during the closure. It will follow the subway route, with additional direct services to the city centre from key stations. They include park and ride facilities at Bridge Street, Kelvinbridge and Shields Road. Services will run every five minutes at peak times and every 10 minutes during off-peak. All passengers will pay £1 for a single journey, £2 for a return and £2.50 for an all-day ticket. Child fares will be 50p for a single and £1 for a return. The modernisation work involves replacing a 40-year-old section known as "ramps and turnouts", which permits trains to access the tunnels from the surface depot at Broomloan and cross over between the inner and outer circles. SPT said the section had to be fully replaced to ensure a reliable subway service in the future. SPT chairman Jonathan Findlay said: "To date, SPT has achieved all of the modernisation works without any disruption to passenger service which is a considerable achievement. "We have now reached a crucial stage in the modernisation plan that requires us - for reasons of safety for everyone involved - to suspend services for a short time during July. "We apologise for any inconvenience to all our passengers but our full replacement bus service will mean that they can still get to where they want to go." He added: "All our passengers are encouraged to turn up at their designated stop, allow a little longer for the journey, and leave the rest to us." All the information on the subway suspension and the replacement bus service is available on the SPT website. The Glasgow subway is the third oldest underground system in the world and is 120 years old this year. It is currently undergoing a £288m modernisation plan to upgrade or replace trains, signalling, platforms and stations. The Scottish government is contributing £246m towards the cost.

Summary: The Glasgow Subway is to close for about four weeks in the summer while modernisation work is carried out.


Sebastian Zuchlinski was found with stab wounds in Davenport Street, Bolton, on 6 February and died at the scene. A post-mortem examination confirmed he had suffered multiple knife wounds. A 37-year-old man, from Bolton, has been charged with murder and is due before Bolton Magistrates' Court later. Six other people arrested in connection with the attack have been released on bail.

Summary: A man has been charged with murder after a 39-year-old was stabbed in a street attack, police have said.


The hosts went ahead after 14 seconds when a poor Hugo Lloris clearance led to Jesus Navas brilliantly chipping in. Alvaro Negredo's shot went in off Sandro and Sergio Aguero turned in a cross to put City 3-0 up at half-time. Media playback is not supported on this device Aguero again slotted in before Negredo's 18-yard strike and a side-footed Navas shot completed the rout. City have struggled on their travels this season but at home they have been an irresistible force and they were once again in sublime form at Etihad Stadium, where they have a 100% record in the present campaign with six wins from as many games. The movement and ruthlessness of Aguero, the invention of Samir Nasri, the midfield power of Yaya Toure and pace of Navas was too much for a shell-shocked Spurs as they suffered their biggest league defeat since losing 7-1 to Newcastle in December 1996. The defeat left Tottenham with just one point from their last three top-flight outings and the drop in form has put them ninth in the Premier League. Spurs had only conceded one league goal on the road this season - and six in total - but any hope they may have had before the game evaporated after just 14 seconds. "Tottenham have taken a hammering from a Manchester City side who have achieved an emphatic win with an exhilarating performance. City have won six out of six in the Premier League this season and scored 26 goals in the process. They were brilliant from the start." Lloris sent a clearance straight to Aguero and, even though the Tottenham keeper parried the Argentine's resulting 22-yard shot, he was beaten when Navas got to the loose ball ahead of Younes Kaboul and brilliantly scored with a first-time chip. The visitors tried to respond and City centre-back Martin Demichelis cleared an Erik Lamela shot off his goal-line after keeper Costel Pantilimon had missed a low Kyle Walker cross. However, that was as good as it got for Tottenham as City stunned their rivals. Aguero latched on to a Nasri cross and, despite Lloris getting a hand to the striker's chipped shot, the ball fell to Negredo, whose shot rebounded off Kaboul and Sandro on the way into the net. City right-back Pablo Zabaleta then released Navas on the right flank and the Spaniard's inviting low cross was expertly turned in from Aguero as the hosts all-but wrapped up the game before half-time. Media playback is not supported on this device Pellegrini's side continued to dominate after the break and Toure played a one-two with Negredo before surging into the Tottenham box and squaring for Aguero to slot in his 14th goal in 11 games for the club this season. A Nasri effort came back off the crossbar before the quality of Negredo's finish for City's fifth then epitomised the home side's confidence. The Spain forward produced a drag back from Fernandinho's through ball to leave defender Michael Dawson trailing before rifling a shot past Lloris from the edge of the box. Pantilimon

Summary: A rampant Manchester City thrashed Tottenham to reassert their title credentials and move six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.


France international Sissoko, 27, did not even make the bench for Spurs' 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday. "Football is not about money," said Pochettino. "You need to show on the training ground you are better than another team-mate and you deserve to be involved." Sissoko joined Spurs on a five-year contract after they matched Everton's bid on transfer deadline day in September. He has made five starts in all competitions, plus five more appearances as a substitute. However, he has not played in the Premier League since being given a three-match ban for elbowing Bournemouth's Harry Arter on 22 October. The former Toulouse player missed the EFL Cup tie against Liverpool as well as league games against Leicester and Arsenal, but was not involved against West Ham on 19 November. "If you sign a player and you expect something and you do not find what you expect and if another deserves to be involved, like (Georges-Kevin) Nkoudou or (Vincent) Janssen - why? Because we paid money we need to put the player to play?" added Argentine Pochettino. "Of course he needs to work hard and show in the future he deserves to be involved in the team. "I need to take a decision and I believe the players that start on the bench deserve to be involved."

Summary: Tottenham midfielder Moussa Sissoko has failed to live up to expectations following his £30m move from Newcastle, says manager Mauricio Pochettino.


The UK government sent the warship to aid search efforts in the Mediterranean amid a rise in the number of people dying while trying to reach Europe. BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said the ship was sailing south with around 12 other European vessels. Last week, Bulwark rescued 747 people from boats off Libya's coast. The ship is thought to have been involved in the rescue of around 1,700 migrants in the past month. Our correspondent, who is on board the ship, said: "Bulwark, along with about a dozen other European vessels, is patrolling an area of about 70,000 square miles of the central Mediterranean - looking out for those migrants desperately fleeing Africa trying to get to Europe. " It is likely the vessel will locate migrants in the next 48 hours and attempts will be made to rescue them, he added. Estimates suggest more than 1,600 people have drowned so far this year trying to cross the Mediterranean. Many are fleeing war in Libya, where Islamic State fighters are terrorising the population, fuelling instability.

Summary: Royal Navy warship HMS Bulwark is heading towards Libya after reports 14 vessels carrying migrants have left the country's coast.


No suspicious packages were found and passengers were being allowed back in the terminal buildings. Earlier, flights were on hold after the airport received a "very specific threat" by phone at 14:00 (19:00 GMT). Local news channel KENS 5 reported that one flight was diverted, three cancelled, and 28 delayed. As the airport was reopened, officials warned there was heavy road traffic in the surrounding area. While the airport was closed local news sources reported that dogs trained to detect bombs raised suspicions over three cars in an airport car park, indicating there could be explosives inside. Airport officials confirmed that all three cars were eventually cleared. Meanwhile, passengers were herded onto the runways, away from the airport buildings, before they were taken to a nearby high school while the search was under way. About 2,000 passengers were cleared out of the airport during the evacuation, Fire Department spokeswoman Deborah Foster told the Associated Press. The incident was brought to officials' attention at about 14:00, and the airport tweeted confirmation that it was evacuating the terminal buildings at 14:35. San Antonio International Airport handles about 260 flights, carrying between 14,000 and 15,000 passengers each day, airport spokesman Rich Johnson said. The spokesman said incoming planes landed they were directed away from the airport buildings. Other planes were also asked to wait on runways, the spokesman said.

Summary: The international airport in San Antonio, Texas, has reopened several hours after it evacuated passengers and searched for an alleged bomb threat.


The first of the four separate attacks happened on Monday, with the latest on Saturday afternoon. The offences in Birmingham and Solihull are not linked, but have raised fears about knife crime in the area. David Jamieson, the region's police and crime commissioner, said knife crime was a "major concern and has been for quite some time". Timeline of attacks: Mr Jamieson said: "There has been a growing trend that's particularly prevalent in the warmer weather, The warm weather does bring out more crime, particularly crime that happens on the streets. "It's desperately worrying. Any increase in any violent crime is worrying. "The police are there to tackle the violence so people will have the full weight of the law thrown at them." Elsewhere, a 19-year-old man was arrested on Saturday in connection with a stabbing at Merry Hill shopping centre in Brierley Hill at about 11:15 BST. A man was injured and taken to hospital for treatment.

Summary: Four men have died in a week of stabbings in the West Midlands.


Lucas Piazon's calm finish gave the visitors a deserved 1-0 half-time lead. Fulham's Floyd Ayite capitalised on sloppy defending to feed Tom Cairney, who fired in the second. The win lifted Slavisa Jokanovic's side to within six points of the top six, with a game in hand, while City have lost 10 of their past 13 league games. Milan Djuric had arguably the hosts' best chance before the break, but he headed David Cotterill's dangerous cross narrowly over the crossbar. The visitors had time on the ball early on and some neat passing fed Piazon, who delicately lifted the ball past the on-rushing Fabian Giefer for the opener. A poor clearance from Adam Matthews then led to Fulham's second, as Cairney lashed Ayite's pass into the top corner. Fulham, who have now won five of their past seven games in all competitions, could have added to their tally, but Kevin McDonald glanced a corner just over the bar. Boos greeted the half-time and full-time whistles at Ashton Gate, as well as the second goal, with the Robins fans venting their frustration as they watched their side lose for a 13th time in 17 league games. Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson told BBC Radio Bristol: "I'm obviously angry, hurting and disappointed. "We didn't have the team energy today. I've got to find a team and a formation that gives us the talent and the energy to go and get close to people. "I don't think some players did enough, in terms of energy. But we have to go back to the drawing board. "I understand the fans' frustrations completely. 100%, I'm with them." Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic: "We played a very good game. We won three points, we took a clean sheet and we cut the distance between us and the top teams in the Championship. "I have to be satisfied with how my team is fighting and how they concentrated after our FA Cup exit a few days ago. "Lucas Piazon is fighting for every ball. He has been working very hard all season and today he scored a very nice goal." Match ends, Bristol City 0, Fulham 2. Second Half ends, Bristol City 0, Fulham 2. Attempt missed. Bobby Reid (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Matty Taylor. Offside, Bristol City. Gary O'Neil tries a through ball, but Bobby Reid is caught offside. Foul by Sone Aluko (Fulham). Scott Golbourne (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Delay over. They are ready to continue. Delay in match Kevin McDonald (Fulham) because of an injury. Hand ball by Matty Taylor (Bristol City). Attempt missed. Kevin McDonald (Fulham) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Stefan Johansen with a cross following a corner. Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Aden Flint. Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Fabian Giefer. Attempt saved. Bobby Reid (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Joe Bryan. Tom Cairney (Fulham) wins

Summary: Fulham claimed a third Championship win in a row with a comfortable victory at Ashton Gate that left Bristol City just two points above the relegation zone.


Ms Hyslop is to undertake "an intensive week of activity" focusing on business, trade, tourism, education and culture. She will meet business leaders in Tokyo and Nagasaki to promote Scotland as a place to invest and do business. The cabinet secretary said Japan was "a very important international partner for Scotland". The Scottish government said Japan was one of the top 20 destinations for Scottish exports, and was the seventh largest source of foreign direct investment with Japanese firms employing 6,250 people in Scotland. Ms Hyslop, who previously visited Japan in 2015, will meet senior figures from companies which are already investing in Scotland, such as Mitsubishi, life sciences firm Kyowa Hakko Kirin and medical firm Reprocell. She said: "Scotland and Japan have much in common - a wealth of expertise, a passion for innovation, a highly educated and skilled workforce, and a desire for increased international collaboration across all sectors. "There will be much to share and much to discuss during my time there, including providing reassurance that, despite the UK's vote to leave the EU, Scotland remains a progressive, outward-looking internationalist country that is open for business and ripe for investment. "I'm confident our dialogue will deliver mutual benefits."

Summary: Scottish External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop is to travel to Japan to promote the message that Scotland is "open for business".


Bicycles were wheeled down Whitehall to the Treasury by campaigners calling for increased government spending to protect cyclists and pedestrians. Five people - three cyclists and two pedestrians - died on London's streets in the past week. The Department for Transport said it was committed to reducing the number of deaths and casualties among cyclists. Nine cyclists died in London in 2016. Protesters have also been calling for a reduction in London's air pollution. In front of the Treasury, campaigners laid down their bikes and dropped on to the wet pavement for a minute's silence. Co-founder of campaign group Stop Killing Cyclists Donnachadh McCarthy said: "We have had enough of the breadcrumbs - we need real spending. "We have had two tiny superhighways built, but they have been a huge success. "They are the germs of a revolution which should spread all across London." The campaigners want the chancellor to increase ring-fenced infrastructure expenditure on cycling and walking to 10% of the transport budget. Many attending the demonstration also wore gas masks in protest at the worsening air pollution. One sign read: "We are all canaries in London's toxic air." Ben Wales, 32, died after colliding with a tipper truck in North Woolwich Road, Silvertown, east London, on Thursday afternoon. Anita Szucs, 30, died after an apparent hit-and-run on Bounces Road, Enfield, on Monday while architect Karla Roman, 32, was killed in a crash with a coach on Whitechapel High Street, Tower Hamlets, on the same day. A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Britain has some of the safest roads in the world but we are committed to reducing the number of cyclists killed and seriously injured." They said that on top of a THINK! campaign to improve cycle safety they were spending "Â£300m on cycling funding in this Parliament" and more than Â£7bn improving road surfaces.

Summary: Hundreds of cyclists have staged a "die-in" protest in central London to raise concerns about road safety.


10 January 2017 Last updated at 16:08 GMT "We are now in for a period of direct rule and I really do regret that, I think what the people of Northern Ireland want is stability but that has all been thrown in to very sharp relief," said Arlene Foster.

Summary: Northern Ireland faces a "brutal" election following the resignation of Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, the outgoing first minister has said.


Ian Gillies, the new executive member for transport at York council, said the idea was "a waste of money". A previous council attempt to cut congestion by banning motorists from using Lendal Bridge across the River Ouse was abandoned last year. Mr Gillies said the city had an air pollution problem but could come up with a solution itself. "Let's take stock and see if there's anything we can do," he said. "I don't believe bringing somebody in to have a traffic congestion commission is money well spent. "I think if we can't solve our own problems then it's a bad job." The commission was approved by the council's cabinet as recently as February and was due to report in October. It was expected to cost about Â£135,000. During a trial closure of Lendal Bridge from August 2013 to April 2014 to tackle congestion, general traffic was banned from using the bridge between 10:30 and 17:00. About 47,000 fines totalling more than Â£1.3m were issued but drivers have since been told they can claim refunds.

Summary: Plans to set up a commission to investigate traffic congestion in York city centre have been shelved.


The three Grade II-listed thatched houses at Silvergate caught fire late on Saturday afternoon. Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service incident commander Simon Mason said crews may remain at the scene for a second night. A National Trust spokeswoman thanked firefighters who "worked tirelessly". Residents from two houses have gone to stay with family and friends, while the third family has been re-homed in a holiday cottage, the National Trust said. "We do not know the cause or full extent of the fire yet but, most importantly, there have been no reports of any injuries and all of the tenants were able to get out of the cottages," said the trust's spokeswoman. "We are enormously grateful to the crews who reached the cottages quickly, worked tirelessly to tackle the fire and have maintained a constant presence." About 70 firefighters attended the blaze as it ripped through the roofs of the cottages. "We expect to be on the scene for the remainder for the day and maybe over the night," said Mr Mason. An investigation into the cause of the fire has been launched.

Summary: Three families lost their homes when fire engulfed a row of National Trust cottages on the Blickling estate in Norfolk.


South Africa's instruction was that the money was for a Diaspora Legacy Programme which should be "implemented directly" by Mr Warner, Fifa said. The US says the $10m was a bribe in exchange for Mr Warner supporting South Africa's 2010 World Cup bid. Mr Warner and South African officials have denied any wrong doing. South Africa won the bid ahead of Morocco to become the first African country to host the World Cup. Africa news updates Mr Warner hails from Trinidad and Tobago and was the president of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) and vice-president of Fifa when the decision was made. He was among a string of Fifa officials arrested last week after the US and Switzerland launched separate investigations into corruption in Fifa, the world football governing body. In a statement, Fifa said South Africa's government approved a $10m project in 2007 to "support the African Diaspora in Caribbean countries as part of the World Cup legacy". The government, in agreement with the South African Football Association (Safa), asked Fifa to "process the project's funding by withholding" $10m from the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the World Cup, the statement added. "Fifa did not incur any costs as a result of South Africa's request because the funds belonged to the LOC. Both the LOC and Safa adhered to the necessary formalities for the budgetary amendment," it said. Martyn Ziegler, chief sports reporter for the Press Association, has tweeted a 2008 letter from Safa to Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke, who has denied involvement in the scandal. The letter, written by then Safa president Molefi Oliphant, requests that the money should be sent to the Diaspora Legacy Programme to be "administered and implemented directly by the president of Concacaf". A Fifa spokesman told the BBC in response to the letter that the football governing body wanted to reiterate that Mr Valcke and other members of its senior management were not "involved in the initiation, approval and implementation of the diaspora project". The Fifa statement did not comment on another US allegation - that a senior South African official travelled to Paris to hand over cash in $10,000 stacks - in a hotel room, to an unnamed person working for Mr Warner. South Africa's government and Safa have denied any bribes were paid.

Summary: Fifa says it paid $10m (£6.5m) to a Caribbean football body led by Jack Warner, who is charged by the US with corruption, at South Africa's request.


Scott Coleman, 41, from Liverpool, was caught in 2003 but was freed on bail and failed to reappear. He was finally detained in Amsterdam earlier this year before being extradited. Coleman admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and was jailed for five years. Lord Glennie jailed him for four years for his involvement in the heroin supply and a further year for failing to appear. The judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: "The court cannot turn a blind eye to this flaunting of its authority." Coleman is also wanted by the Spanish authorities after he was sentenced in his absence to more than six years imprisonment for a drugs offence there. Defence solicitor advocate Ewen Roy said Coleman made "a series of dreadful decisions" some time ago. He said that before he became involved in bringing drugs to Scotland he had no involvement in crime, but was under financial pressure at the time. Coleman acted as a courier in the supply of drugs from Merseyside to the north east of Scotland. A major police operation targeting the large scale illegal trade resulted in the jailing of brothers Derek and Jason McAllister for 12 and 10 years in 2006.

Summary: A man who went on the run for more than a decade has been jailed for trafficking heroin worth more than £200,000 into Aberdeen.


Crowd favourite Molinari and England's Willett began the day level on 16 under par, but the Italian hit a round of 65 to edge home in a thrilling finale. Spain's Nacho Elvira finished four shots back on 18 under par, tied for third with England's Chris Paisley. Fellow Englishmen David Horsey, Richard Bland tied for fifth on 15 under. Tommy Fleetwood and Scotland's Scott Jamieson were among five players tied for seventh. Molinari, 33, hit one eagle and five birdies in Sunday's final round to become the first Italian to win his national Open twice since the event became part of the European Tour in 1972. The victory was the Italian's fourth at a European Tour event and a first since the Reale Seguros Open de Espana in 2012. Seven of the European Ryder Cup team, which includes Willett, were competing in Monza as they prepare to take on the United States at Hazeltine in Minnesota from 30 September to 2 October. We've launched a new BBC Sport newsletter, bringing all the best stories, features and video right to your inbox. You can sign up here.

Summary: Francesco Molinari carded a six-under-par final round to beat Masters champion Danny Willett to the Italian Open title by a single shot in Monza.


The Games were first held in Hamilton, Canada in 1930, when 11 countries sent a total of 400 athletes to take part. In Glasgow 2014 there will be more than 4,500 athletes from 71 nations competing in 17 sports over 11 days. Scotland has previously hosted the event twice, in 1970 and 1986, both in Edinburgh. This will be the first time Glasgow is the host city. Comments: Will you be watching the Commonwealth Games? Sporting superstars such as Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Tom Daley are all competing in what is being billed as the biggest and best Commonwealth Games yet. The Commonwealth is a collection of countries that are linked in some way to Great Britain, all apart from one - Mozambique. Many years ago Britain used to control lots of countries as part of something called the British Empire. Over the years the Empire has disappeared as countries have taken charge of themselves, and has reformed and changed to become the Commonwealth. All 53 members have signed up to a set of values including democracy, gender equality and international peace and security. During the opening ceremony the Games will be officially opened by the Queen, who is the head of the Commonwealth. Africa Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda, Zambia Americas Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Falkland Islands, Guyana, St. Helena Asia Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka Caribbean Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands Europe Cyprus, England, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Malta, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales Oceania Australia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu List taken from Glasgow 2014 official website

Summary: The Commonwealth Games take place every four years, with the 2014 event being held in Glasgow, Scotland.


The painting, which had been on loan at The National Gallery for 30 years, was at risk of being sold abroad. "It's one of the quintessential images of 19th century British art and it's worth every penny," Tate Britain's Director Nicholas Serota told the BBC. The work will be shown at Tate Britain until the end of the year before travelling around the UK. "This is the one of Constable's most important paintings," Sir Nicholas told the BBC's Will Gompertz. "He regarded it as one of his masterpieces and always wanted it to be in the national collection." Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows was acquired for £23.1m, but could have sold for as much as £40m at auction. By Will GompertzArts editor £23.1m might be a record for a Constable but it's worth every penny: a bargain compared to what's being paid for some second rate modern art. It is arguably the most accomplished work by one of the finest, most exciting painters of the Romantic period. Painted shortly after his wife's death, the "iconic" image was secured through major grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Art Fund, The Manton Foundation and Tate Members. Sold by the children of the late Lord Ashton of Hyde, the work was at risk of going abroad had the Tate not been able to put the money together. "I know there was a major American museum that asked for first refusal," said Sir Nicholas. The acquisition was part of a partnership between five national and regional galleries: Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales; the National Galleries of Scotland; Colchester and Ipswich Museums; Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum; and Tate Britain. The partnership will enable the work to go on "almost constant" view across the UK. Jenny Abramsky, from the Heritage Lottery Fund, said they were "proud" to be a major funder of the masterpiece with a £15m investment. "It is unimaginable that this particular painting might have ended up anywhere other than in a UK public collection," she said. Constable's The Lock became one of the most expensive British paintings ever sold when it fetched £22.4m at auction in July 2012. Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows is one of a series of monumental six-foot canvases painted by the artist, a scale he reserved for his finest compositions.

Summary: John Constable's 1831 masterpiece Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows has been bought by the Tate for £23.1m.


The fire at Shorrocks Hill Country Club in Lifeboat Road, Formby, was discovered at about 05:40 BST. A joint investigation with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is under way into the cause of the blaze, Merseyside Police said. The dead man is believed to be Andrew Coogan, although formal identification has yet to take place. Firefighters said he was found with the horses in a stable which destroyed in the blaze.

Summary: A man's body has been found by firefighters tackling a blaze that killed a number of horses.


The Colorado Rapids striker has had surgery on his leg after he was taken off on a stretcher in the Dublin game. "Thanks to plastic surgeons at the Mater Hospital, leg looks brand new," said the 32-year-old on Twitter. Doyle, Daryl Murphy, Robbie Keane and Jon Walters will all miss Tuesday's game against Slovakia in Dublin. Former Wolves and Reading striker Doyle looked in danger of missing out on Euro 2016 as he was left writhing on the ground in Friday's game after making a block tackle. However, the striker allayed those fears on Saturday morning, saying he aimed to be "back jogging in a few weeks" after earlier tweeting a picture of his leg. Keane was ruled out of Friday's win over the Swiss and manager Martin O'Neill said after the game that the squad captain is now "a wee bit concerned about the injury". "It's something he thought was a kick for a start, he thought it would clear up in a couple of days," said the Republic boss. "He will miss Tuesday's game definitely now. I am hoping that's not a major concern at the moment and I genuinely don't think it is, so I don't want to start a bit of scaremongering." Stoke striker Walters will again miss Tuesday's game as he continues to be bothered by a hamstring injury while Daryl Murphy, who replaced Doyle on Friday, has returned to his club Ipswich Town because of a calf strain. With Doyle's injury not as serious as first feared, O'Neill was reasonably content with a night's work which saw him running the rule over a number of fringe players. With Shane Duffy impressing in central defence, Shane Long hit the woodwork although the visitors missed late chances with Republic keeper Darren Randolph saving a deflected Granit Xhaka shot. "We probably lacked a little bit of cohesion, but it was nice to keep the momentum going against what I thought was a very fine Swiss side," said O'Neill.

Summary: Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle said there was "no major damage" after suffering a deep leg gash in Friday's 1-0 win over Switzerland.


Between 80 to 100 jobs will be eliminated at the lender's Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, India and Japan offices, according to media reports. The reductions come as the lender looks to refocus its business following a decline in the number of deals that used to earn big fees for the firm. Macquarie was not reachable for comment. Its chief executive, Nicholas Moore, has been shifting the firm towards more stable sources of revenue such as lending and fund management. Macquarie is Australia's largest investment bank, but has struggled with increased competition in Asia for both merger and acquisitions, as well as underwriting business. There have also been a reduced number of deals due to the weak global economy. Macquarie's shares have risen by about 33% this year.

Summary: Australia's Macquarie Group is reportedly planning to cut nearly half of its investment banking jobs in Asia.


The attorney general's office says the remains of 129 bodies have been recovered from the graves. None of the remains have been linked to the students who vanished in Iguala. The information was released after a freedom of information request by the Associated Press. The majority of the bodies are male, but the remains of some 20 women were also found. The unmarked graves were discovered during the huge investigation into the disappearance of the 43 students. The number of mass graves found from October to May could be higher because the information given to AP only covers instances in which specialists became involved. The students, from a teachers' college in Guerrero, had travelled to Iguala and, as part of a protest, commandeered a number of buses. The government says the 43 were intercepted by police and handed to members of a drugs gang who killed them and incinerated their bodies. Gang members confessed to killing the students and burning their bodies after they were mistakenly told they belonged to a rival gang. The badly burnt remains of one student have been found at a rubbish dump, but many families of the remaining 42 refuse to believe the students are dead. Correspondents say the case has highlighted the huge number of people who have gone missing in Mexican states where drug violence is widespread.

Summary: Sixty mass graves have been uncovered in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero during a search for 43 student teachers abducted last September, official documents have revealed.