The 26-year-old had been scheduled to play Louisa Chirico of the United States in round three on Wednesday, but pulled out during the warm-ups. Belarusian Azarenka said she will have medical tests before deciding whether to play in Rome before the French Open, which starts on 22 May. Her departure means the top five seeds are out of the Spanish tournament. Agnieszka Radwanska, Angelique Kerber and Garbine Muguruza exited in previous rounds while fifth seed Petra Kvitova lost 6-3 6-4 to Australia's Daria Gavrilova on Wednesday. Azarenka, who had recently won titles at Indian Wells and Miami, said she "tweaked'' her back during her opening Madrid match against Laura Robson and that the pain persisted during her second round victory over Alize Cornet. She follows world number world 13 Lucie Safarova - who had to withdraw earlier in the week with food poisoning - and British number one Johanna Konta who retired in the first round with a respiratory illness. The men's event also lost Roger Federer - the world number three another player out with a back injury. Never want to miss the latest tennis news? You can now add this sport and all the other sports and teams you follow to your personalised My Sport home.

Summary: Fourth seed Victoria Azarenka has joined the list of Madrid Open withdrawals with a back injury.


Passengers arrived safely at their destination after the 31 August incident, in which an A321S plane was used instead of a A321H. The A321S has less safety and medical equipment on board than the A321H. American Airlines is investigating the plane mix-up with the Federal Aviation Administration. "Whether the plane was going to make it there was never a question," company spokesman Casey Norton told the BBC. Mr Norton said the two planes are equipped with the same engine, fuel tanks, range and basic safety features. The A321H plane, because it is used for long flights, comes with more medical supplies and safety features like fire suppression. "We're reviewing our procedures and looking at everyone involved," Mr Norton said. The airline has revised its software to properly identify the correct aircraft are operating the correct routes, he said. He said the A321S plane flies over water regularly for many missions but is not extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards (ETOPS)-certified, which the airline requires for flights to Hawaii. The A321S plane comes with four slide-rafts and a portable raft, along with life jackets and seat cushions that can be used as flotation devices, the same as the A321H, Mr Norton said.

Summary: A plane not certified to travel for long distances over water was used to fly from Los Angeles to Hawaii last month, American Airlines has confirmed.


Lt Donald Mackintosh, who served with the Seaforth Highlanders, died in the Battle of Arras in 1917. His actions led to the posthumous award of a Victoria Cross. Arras was fought from 9 April to 16 May 1917 and marked the beginning of the spring offensive on the Western Front. An unusually high number of Scottish soldiers took part in the battle and 18,000 of them were killed. The official citation marking Donald Mackintosh's VC reads: "For most conspicuous bravery and resolution in the face of intense machine gun fire. "During the initial advance he was shot through the right leg, but though crippled he continued to lead his men and captured the trench. "In the captured trench Lt. Mackintosh collected men of another company who had lost their leader, and drove back a counterattack. "He was again wounded, and although unable to stand, he continued, nevertheless, to control the situation. "With only fifteen men left, he ordered his party to be ready to advance to the final objective, and with great difficulty got out of the trench and encouraged his men to advance. "He was again wounded and fell. "The gallantry and devotion to duty of this officer were beyond all praise." Lt Mackintosh was just 21 when he was killed. British artillery had attacked German lines with heavy shells in preparation for the advance at Arras. But many German machine-gun positions remained intact. British units, including The Seaforths, suffered massive losses as they attacked. In many cases, more junior officers like Mackintosh were expected to rally soldiers whose company commanders had already fallen. By the time the Battle of Arras ended, the Allies had suffered 159,000 casualties, 46,000 of them Scots.

Summary: A memorial stone has been laid in Glasgow to honour a World War One officer who led a successful advance while so badly wounded he could not stand.


In a joint bid, Metropoulos & Co and Apollo Global Management are paying $410m (Â£275m) for the bankrupt company. The offer had originally been planned to set the floor for an auction, which Hostess boss Greg Rayburn had predicted would be "wild and woolly". In fact, a court filing showed that no other offers were submitted. The deal, which also includes Suzy Q's and Cup Cakes, is expected to be approved by a bankruptcy court on 19 March. Hostess Brands started winding down its companies last year, after being hit by rising food prices and a bakery strike. An auction for Hostess's bread brand, Wonder, has also been cancelled, with a view to selling it directly to Flowers Foods, which makes Tastykakes and Nature's Own bread.

Summary: Hostess Brands is selling its cake bakery business, which includes Twinkies cakes, to two private equity companies.


The five were a 16-year-old girl, who died in Great Victoria Street on Monday, and four men who died in different parts of the city. Police did not confirm which three cases are suspected to be drugs-related but no single, common drug is involved. Earlier, a senior officer said all five deaths may have involved drugs. But a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokeswoman later clarified that detectives suspect drug misuse may have been a factor in only three of the deaths. Post-mortem examinations are being carried out and toxicology reports have been ordered. The first of the five sudden deaths took place in Verner Street in Belfast city centre on Friday, 31 March. The other four people, including the teenaged girl, all died on Monday: Police said that number of deaths in such a short time frame was unusual, but that they were not linking any of them at present. Ch Supt Tim Mairs said: "Investigations are at an early stage, but I would like to take the opportunity to reinforce the dangers posed by taking any illegal drugs or any medication that is not prescribed for you. "Drugs misuse can affect anyone and we recognise that many vulnerable people are being exploited for the financial gain of those higher up the supply chain." He added: "The number of deaths in Northern Ireland connected to drug use is on the increase and this is a concern. "Sadly, these are all preventable. In fact, more people are dying from misuse of opioid drugs in Northern Ireland than in road fatalities, which is a very stark reality."

Summary: Five sudden deaths in greater Belfast over the past few days are being investigated, with police saying three of the cases may have involved drugs.


Last week the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) issued an alert flagging "concerns relating to air operator certification procedures". As a result, Thai airlines have had to cancel flights, and refund or modify thousands of air tickets. Thai officials have since submitted plans to tackle the ICAO's concerns. An audit in January by the ICAO, a division of the United Nations, found that Thailand's aviation authority had a shortage of technical officers and problems with the certification for the transportation of hazardous goods. Last week the ICAO issued an alert which triggered increased physical inspections of aircraft operated by Thai airlines serving existing routes to countries such as Australia and Singapore, a regional air hub, as well as a ban on airlines expanding their services. This led to Thailand's carriers being prevented from adding any new flights or modifying their schedules. The ICAO had last assessed Thailand's aviation sector a decade ago. Its spokesperson Anthony Philbin told the BBC that they "continue to work with Thailand's civil aviation authority on resolving the issues in question." "An ICAO audit does not review the levels of operational aviation safety in a state, or in the airlines or airports," he said. "Rather our audits continuously monitor the capability of state civil aviation authorities to adequately resource and manage aviation safety oversight responsibilities in their jurisdictions." Thai officials are now in talks with Japan to temporarily lift the ban on new flights. About 100 charter flights to Japan have been cancelled. The ban comes at a particularly difficult time for the Thai aviation sector, which has already been struggling with lower tourist numbers, following political protests in the country last year. And the flight disruptions take place just ahead of Thailand's peak travel season and traditional new year celebrations of Songkran. The nation's flag carrier Thai Airways, is already undergoing a major restructuring after posting an annual loss for the past two years. But it is budget airlines that have been hardest hit by both the lower passenger traffic and the ban on new routes. Low cost carriers Thai AirAsiaX, Orient Thai Airlines and charter airline operators Asia Atlantic Airlines and Sky View have all been affected. "While it might seem that Thai Airways might be worst hit, that might actually not be true, since the national carrier is in consolidation mode," Shashank Nigam, chief executive at consultancy SimpliFlying said. "Fast-growing Thai budget airlines like Nok Air, AirAsia and Nok-Scoot will feel the biggest impact, since their plans to grow may be hit hard as they hold Thai licences as well." Thai Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong told reporters this week that Thailand had struggled for a decade to comply with ICAO standards. Mr Prajin told Reuters he hoped the issue would be resolved within eight months.

Summary: Thailand's aviation sector is under scrutiny after an international safety audit led to a ban on new flights to China, Japan and South Korea.


The firm says it will use a two-stage recruitment challenge, to be found on the Gorillaz mixed reality app, as an "innovative recruitment tool". The first part involves virtually assembling the Jaguar I-PACE Concept, an all-electric five-seater sports car. The second part involves a series of code breaking puzzles. "As the automotive industry transforms over the next decade, fuelled by software innovation, we have to attract the best talent and that requires a radical rethink of how we recruit," said Alex Heslop, head of electrical engineering at the car firm. "Here we've found an engaging way to recruit a diverse talent pool in software systems, cyber systems, app development and graphics performance. It will be the first of its kind." Gorrilaz female guitarist, Noodle, is already Jaguar's Formula E Racing's ambassador. The firm said it would hire 1,000 electronic and software engineers and 4,000 workers across other sectors, including manufacturing. Most of the jobs will be based in the UK, with recruitment taking place over the coming year. The firm has five sites in the West Midlands, and one on Merseyside. The carmaker, which is owned by India's Tata Motors, employs more than 40,000 people globally, The company will build the I-PACE, in Austria. But it has indicated it would like to make such models in the UK if conditions such as support from government are met. Jaguar Land Rover has indicated half of all new models will be available in an electric version by the end of the decade, necessitating new skills among its staff.

Summary: Carmaker Jaguar Land Rover has teamed up with virtual band Gorillaz to find 5,000 staff to enhance its expertise in autonomous and electric technology.


The 27-year-old signed a new contract with the Championship club in February, keeping him at the Madejski Stadium until 2018. But the new deal includes a release clause of £1.2m for Gunter, who helped Wales reach the Euro 2016 semi-finals. Hull's interest is believed to be on hold as they search for a new manager following the departure of Steve Bruce. Injuries have left the club with only 13 fit players, and they said they would look to strengthen the squad in the "coming weeks". Right-back Moses Odubajo is one of several important players currently injured, and Gunter is regarded as a potential replacement. The former Cardiff City and Tottenham defender played in all six of Wales' games at Euro 2016 as they reached their first semi-final at a major tournament. The progress of Chris Coleman's side in France meant Gunter was forced to miss his brother Marc's wedding.

Summary: Newly promoted Premier League side Hull City are interested in signing Reading and Wales defender Chris Gunter.


It's because you're not just downloading the content you want - which may be a small amount of data - but the data-heavy adverts and all the tracking technology that surrounds them. And it's costing mobile users, who are charged for that traffic to their phones, a lot of money. That, at least, is the allegation in an advert placed in the Financial Times this morning by an Israeli firm called Shine. Under the stark headline: "Fact: mobile ads consume a substantial amount of the data mobile consumers pay for and it's getting worse", it argues that we are all helping to subsidise advertisers. It goes on to call on the GSMA, the trade association for the mobile industry, to back a move to "zero rate" ads, meaning consumers would not be charged for that data. Shine is a business which is trying to sell ad-blocking software to mobile networks, so it is not a neutral observer. "We believe that consumers should not be subsidising billion dollar ad tech businesses," Shine's Roi Carthy tells me. "We hope the GSMA and its membership see the importance of protecting consumers and act on the matter swiftly." The GSMA says that it cannot comment on commercial negotiations involving operators but says it supports "initiatives that provide consumers with more transparency and control over the privacy of their personal data". Ad-blocking has grown increasingly popular, with plenty of tools now available to improve your browsing experience. A recent survey showed nearly 200 million people were using blockers - that's still a small proportion of the global web audience but 12 million of them are in the UK, which indicates that the British are particularly hostile to adverts. Up until now, it has been much harder to block adverts on mobile phones, but this week Apple is expected to release its latest mobile operating system which will allow ad-blocking tools in its Safari browser. That should give a big boost to businesses which will be marketing their ad-blocking services to iPhone users, and even to Shine, which is trying to persuade mobile operators to install its technology at the network level. This sounds like a great consumer cause - until you remember that the entire business model of many of the web businesses we use most is dependent on advertising. When you check the weather forecast online, watch a music video or chat about recipes on a cookery forum, the chances are that you get those services free in exchange for having those annoying adverts. No wonder there is something akin to panic in the online advertising industry, especially among businesses which are just getting their mobile ad strategies off the ground. What makes it worse for them is that Facebook, which has made a very successful transition to mobile, won't see its ads blocked because it controls its app platform. That means that everyone else could soon be shutting up shop as their ad revenues evaporate. But perhaps we should take the warnings of the catastrophic impact of ad-blocking with a pinch of salt. The advertising

Summary: Ever wondered why it takes an age for some web pages to load on your mobile phone, even when you have a good signal?


But racist advertising has form, and not just in China. The scene: a young Chinese woman is doing her laundry. In walks a black man, with some paint stains on his face. They look at each other suggestively. She puts a tab of detergent into his mouth.... ...and then shoves him into the washing machine. Hey presto! He emerges a fair-skinned Chinese man. The lady doing laundry is apparently delighted by this development. It has appalled many on Facebook and other forums over the last 24 hours. But the ad itself is about a month old, having appeared on television and been shown at cinemas in China. At that time it didn't cause much of a furore with cinema-goers. But then it was shared by US expat Christopher Powell, a musician with the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra, and by DJ Spencer Tarring. Although the story was not covered widely by Chinese media, there were hundreds of comments on Chinese social media, with some calling the advert "awkward". One user, @YY_CodingBear, said: "My lord. Do Chinese marketing people not have any racial education?" However, another user said they did not see any problem with the advert. "I don't know much about the advertisement," the owner of Qiaobi laundry detergent, who identified himself as Mr Xia, told BBC Chinese's Grace Tsoi. He said he did not realise it was racist until it was pointed out to him: "To be honest, I didn't really pay that much attention to the advertisement." It mirrors an Italian advert for detergent, equally fraught with ethical issues, that does just the opposite - by washing a white man to black to advertise "coloured" laundry powder. The Darlie brand of toothpaste is called "black man toothpaste" in China. Darlie toothpaste used to be known as "Darkie" toothpaste, until it was rebranded. The significance of the name change was lost on many, analysts say. And recently in Hong Kong, an insurance advert showed a man dressed up like a Filipina domestic helper, with a blacked up face. It did not amuse Hong Kong audiences. A few years ago a well-known Chinese beer brand, Harbin, invited basketball star Shaquille O'Neal to endorse the beverage, presumably to expand into the global market. The US NBA competition is massive in China, and stars like Kobe Bryant are hugely popular, so it shouldn't have been a controversial move. But on Tianya, one of China's most popular forums, some netizens weren't happy, with some posting overtly racist and discriminatory comments. Certain posts called for a boycott because it was endorsed by "a black man". Some of the comments touched upon Aids and described Africans as orangutans. However, experts say, that does not mean that Chinese think of themselves as the most superior, with some saying Caucasians enjoy a higher status in certain quarters. There is a history of cultural bias against people of dark skin. Barry Sautman, a political scientist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, believes it shows the particular problems China has dealing with portrayals of race. "It is not a question

Summary: A Chinese laundry detergent advertisement is causing widespread outrage online and is being dubbed the most racist commercial to be screened.


Mr Berlusconi's Forza Italia won 16 of 22 cities with the anti-immigration Northern League and another party. The results were a setback for Matteo Renzi, the former centre-left prime minister seeking to return to power as head of the Democratic Party (PD). "It could have gone better," he admitted in a social media post. The PD currently heads a coalition led by Paolo Gentiloni, who took over after Mr Renzi lost a referendum on electoral reform in December 2016. The biggest defeats for the PD were in party strongholds such as Genoa, La Spezia and L'Aquila. The centre-right also won in other provincial capitals including Monza, Piacenza and Pistoia. Mr Berlusconi, 80, will now set his sights on the next general election, which is due in 2018 but may take place earlier. Silvio Berlusconi may hope that 80 is the new 40. The gains made by his Forza Italia party in local elections allow him to claim the start of yet another political comeback. "From these results the centre-right can set on a path to go back to ruling the country," he said in a statement. But there is a major road-block in the way of his return for a fourth time as prime minister: he is currently banned from holding political office. The ban, imposed following a 2013 conviction for tax fraud, doesn't expire until 2019. Unless he wins an early appeal at the European Court of Human Rights, Mr Berlusconi won't be able to run in Italy's 2018 general election. Mr Berlusconi founded Forza Italia in 1993 and became prime minister the following year, with the Northern League as part of his coalition government. Out of office in 1994, he then returned for a five-year period in 2001 and again in 2008 for three more years. His political career has been overshadowed by his legal battles, which culminated in a community service sentence for tax fraud. While Forza Italia's election advances were dramatic, commentators pointed to the low turnout of 46% and the first-past-the-post system in local elections. National polls are based on proportional representation. The ex-prime minister said he would now seek a moderate, liberal coalition drawn from Christian roots. However, one of the parties in his alliance is the far-right Brothers of Italy. Beppe Grillo's Five Star party fared poorly in the two-round vote, a year after it won control of Rome and Turin. Mr Grillo put a brave face on the result, pointing to victories in eight mayor races.

Summary: Italy's centre-right ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi is celebrating local election success in an alliance with two right-wing parties.


Russia's military said it had released 63 captured Ukrainian soldiers in exchange for the paratroopers. Pro-Russian rebels have made gains against Ukrainian troops in recent days in Donetsk and Luhansk in the east. The conflict in the east erupted in April following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula. Some 2,600 people have died in fighting so far. Major-General Alexei Ragozin, the deputy commander of Russia's paratroop forces, told the RIA news agency that negotiations had been "very difficult". "The talks were not easy, but common sense prevailed and everything turned out well" he said. However, he criticised the length of the soldiers' detention. "I find it unacceptable that the Ukrainian side kept our soldiers for so many days" he said. "Our lads are upset about everything that happened. They will all receive the necessary psychological and other kinds of help" he added. Ukraine released video interviews with the captured Russian soldiers last week. It says the soldiers were captured 20km from the border with Russia. Russia claimed that the soldiers had crossed in Ukraine "by accident" after inadvertently crossing an unmarked section of the border. Russia has repeatedly denied Ukrainian and Western accusations that it is supporting the rebels. The 63 Ukrainian soldiers released were said to have entered Russia to escape the upsurge in fighting last week.

Summary: Ten Russian paratroopers captured inside Ukraine a week ago have returned home following a troop exchange, Russian media report.


Voters will go to the polls again after Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu abandoned efforts to form a coalition government. Mr Davutoglu's AK Party lost its 12-year majority rule in Turkey in elections in June largely because of the success of the pro-Kurdish HDP. Coalition talks with the nationalist MHP and main opposition CHP failed. The political uncertainty comes amid rising violence in Turkey and neighbouring Iraq and Syria. President Erdogan will ask Prime Minister Davutoglu early next week to form a temporary power-sharing government, senior officials said. The Republican People's Party (CHP), which came second in June's vote, had asked for a mandate to try to form a new government. But the president instead opted for a "re-run" of the elections. Mr Erdogan, who founded the AK Party in 2001, previously denied allegations that he had undermined the coalition talks in order to force a new vote. June's result appeared to block his plans to boost the powers of the presidency in Turkey. The AKP secured 41% at the polls the last time around and had to seek support from a rival party to form a coalition government. But it failed to find agreement with both the CHP and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). An uneasy two-year ceasefire with the PKK fell apart last month, after a suicide bomb blamed on IS killed 32 young activists in the largely Kurdish city of Suruc, close to the Syrian border. In recent weeks Turkish forces have carried out attacks on militants from the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and have bombed Kurdish PKK camps mainly in northern Iraq.

Summary: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that Turkey will hold snap elections, expected on 1 November.


The airport said it represented a growth of 7.5% year-on-year. The rise in passengers is connected to increasing capacity and frequency on existing routes, as well as new long haul services starting. Ken O'Toole, the airport's managing director, called it a "magnificent achievement". He said: "It's a historic milestone for Manchester Airport and UK aviation, as well as a huge boost for the economy and the north of England." The figure beats the previous 12-month record set in July 2006 of 22.26m.

Summary: Manchester Airport has broken its all-time yearly passenger record, with more than 22.32m people flying from the site over the last 12 months.


The 21-year-old beat Thailand's Tawin Hanprab 6-4 in the final. Luisito Pie of the Dominican Republic and South Korea's Kim Tae-hun won the bronze medals. Kim So-hui won gold in the women's -49kg final. The South Korean defeated Tijana Bogdanovic of Serbia 7-6 in a thrilling contest. Patimat Abakarova of Azerbaijan and Thailand's Panipak Wongpattanakit took the bronze medals.

Summary: Zhao Shuai won China's 19th gold medal of the Rio Games by taking the men's -58kg Olympic taekwondo title on Wednesday.


Most of the churches affected had predominantly African-American congregations. "We believe that this fire-setting activity is meant to send a message," said John Ham of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The most recent fire broke out early on Thursday morning. "It was really disheartening to see what you worked so hard for brought down in a matter of minutes," said Pastor David Triggs of the United Believers in Christ Church, which was heavily damaged on 17 October. The fires have all been set at the front or side doors of buildings, usually without causing serious structural damage. This was not the case for Pastor Triggs, who said his church's building is likely unsalvageable. That leaves his roughly 70 active congregants without a house of worship. He is holding services on the lawn this coming Sunday while trying to determine next steps. "We're kind of at a cross road," he said. "I have no doubt that God is going to provide for us."

Summary: Police in the US state of Missouri are searching for arsonist who set fire to seven churches in the St Louis area in the past two weeks.


Media playback is not supported on this device The Frenchman, 35, opted to extend his contract with the Royals in February until June 2018, having joined from Bournemouth in January 2016. "It's a decision I took with my family, who I've been away from now for 13 years," he told BBC Radio Berkshire. "We just think it's a good time for me to get back home and start a new life. I'm building a house in France." Kermorgant, who also played for Leicester and Charlton, has scored 10 goals for Reading so far this season as they bid to secure a Championship play-off place. He will hope to play a key role when Jaap Stam's side face fellow promotion contenders Leeds at home on Saturday. "I think it will be a big game," Kermorgant said. "There's every chance we could meet again in May if we both stay in our current positions. "It will be a good test for us to see where we can be. We want to finish as high as we can and we've been third in the league for a long time. "If we can beat Leeds, that will take us to fourth and maybe we can push for more."

Summary: Reading striker Yann Kermorgant has confirmed he will retire at the end of the 2017-18 season.


Shiralee Duncan, 37, was involved in a two-car collision at the A90 Charleston flyover at about 12:50 on Thursday. The Dundee resident was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary but died a short time later. Police have appealed to anyone with information about the crash to contact them.

Summary: A woman who died from her injuries after a crash on the outskirts of Aberdeen has been named.


Tucked away on a remote slope of the Othrys mountain, Anavra had no paved roads, and its farming and agricultural methods had hardly changed in centuries. The nearest school was in the Greek city of Lamia - a six hour mule ride away - forcing all children above a certain age to leave their hometown. Things are very different now. Anavra is famous for being one of the most prosperous farming villages in all of southern Europe, with an average household income of â‚¬70,000. In stark contrast to the rest of Greece, no-one in the village is unemployed. "Most of the villagers will be voting 'yes' on Sunday," Dimitris tells me over lunch in Anavra's cosy taverna - and it's not hard to see why. Walk around Anavra today, and you will encounter a modern school, a library, a gym, football and basketball pitches, a handful of cafes, a resplendent church, and even a museum. The roads are paved, and most Anavrans drive pick-up trucks, not donkeys. Residents also enjoy satellite TV and high-speed internet, and as Dimitris is keen to emphasise, "young people stay here". Much of this is a direct result of Greece's EU membership - alongside Dimitris' astonishing enterprise. In the early '90s, after 35 years of working at an electrical firm in Athens, Dimitris returned to Anavra, intent on reforming its ailing and rustic economy. After successfully running for mayor, his first move was to travel to Brussels, where he met with every EU official who would talk to him, and gathered information on all the available subsidies for rural communities. Upon his return to Anavra, Dimitris bypassed the local bureaucracy and applied for funding from the European schemes he'd learnt of through the relevant ministries in Athens. This, he admits, was "not very Greek". He quickly realised that many EU development programmes were environmentally focused, and in order to qualify, he encouraged Anavra's farmers to go organic, and to embrace clean energy sources. An EU-subsidised wind farm followed, as well as EU-subsidised roads, stables, telephone lines and even an environmental park. Anavra's 30,000 cows, goats and pigs used to roam freely in the village, causing hygiene and health problems, but once modern farming techniques were introduced, the quality of the village's livestock and produce quickly improved, as did the price their wares were able to fetch. Teachers came to live in Anavra, and a doctor arrived soon after. "If we weren't in the EU, this could not have happened," Dimitris says, gesturing towards the small, but well-built, village square. "The European project has been a blessing for us." But while Europe was the driving force of Anavra's extraordinary ascent, Greece's much lambasted bureaucracy threatens to bring it down to earth. In 2011, reforms pushed through as part of former prime minister George Papandreou's 'Kallikratis Plan' condensed the number of municipalities in Greece from over 1,000 to just 325. Anavra, which had been self-governing, suddenly found itself under the care of the relatively vast Almyros municipality. Its headquarters are an hour's drive away. The new municipality of 43

Summary: In the 1960s, when Dimitris Tsoukalas was a teenager, mules were the only form of transport available in his village.


Previously, only larger, Jupiter-like giants have been studied in this way. Working with three space telescopes, astronomers deduced the presence of water by measuring the colours of light the planet absorbed when it passed in front of its star. The find appears in the journal Nature. It was made by a team of researchers led from the University of Maryland, US. The planet, designated HAT P-11b, orbits a sun in the constellation Cygnus some 124 light-years - about a quadrillion kilometres - from Earth. It is roughly four times the width of our home world. The scientists studied the planet's atmosphere with the aid of the US space agency's Hubble, Spitzer and Kepler telescopes. Their observations were also greatly assisted by there being no clouds on HAT P-11b, which would otherwise have frustrated their attempts to probe its gaseous envelope. The team determined that the far-off world's atmosphere contained about 90% hydrogen, but also significant quantities of water vapour as well. Commenting on the findings, Dr Eliza Kempton from Grinnell College, Iowa, said the Maryland group had taken another important step in the study of exoplanets - planets beyond our Solar System. "Astronomers have detected water vapour in the atmospheres of larger planets - planets that are closer in size to Jupiter. But you can imagine that eventually we want to be able to detect molecules in the atmospheres of even smaller planets. "We'd like to be able to look at an Earth-sized planet and measure its gaseous composition. So this is a step on the ladder; we're stepping down the ladder towards smaller and smaller planets," she told this week's Science In Action programme on the BBC World Service. Water has obvious implications for life, although HAT P-11b is too close to its star - and therefore too hot - to be habitable. But in the future study of Earth-sized exoplanets, the presence of water will be an important consideration as scientists search for biology elsewhere in our galaxy.

Summary: A cloud-free atmosphere has allowed scientists to pick out signs of water vapour on a distant planet the size of Neptune: the smallest "exoplanet" ever to reveal its chemical composition.


The image of Ken Farlow, 95, staring through a fence at Gloucestershire Airport came to the attention of bosses after it was shared by his daughter. They invited him to Royal Air Force Coningsby and the Royal International Air Tattoo after hearing his story. And on Saturday, he was treated to a flight in a two-man trainer aircraft. Gloucestershire Airport's Darren Lewington said: "The original story broke a week or so ago, but the icing on the cake on Saturday was that Ken got to take to the skies himself at our charity open day." The operations director said Mr Farlow - who has bowel cancer - flew in a two-seat Citabria aircraft with James Peplow, the owner of a specialist flying school based at the airport. "He also got to see his beloved Spitfire again," Mr Lewington added. "We're delighted we've been able to rekindle all those memories, and that the family have something positive to look back on when the inevitable time comes." Mr Farlow's daughter Helen Nock, who took the original photo of him, said: "I still can't believe he flew. And I'm still getting my head around that this has gone round the world from one simple photograph." She said her father, who lives in Painswick, Gloucestershire, was a chartered electrical engineer in the war and spent time in Syria and Palestine working on Spitfires and Hurricanes.

Summary: A terminally-ill former World War Two spitfire engineer has taken to the skies after a poignant photo of him became an unlikely internet hit.


The deal will take legal force when it is ratified by 55 signatories producing 55% of global emissions. Ratification by China and the US bumps the total to 40% of emissions. It will just need the EU and a couple of other major polluters to cross the threshold. Other nations will still tussle over their own ratification, but this sets clear ambition, and the US-China deal will put pressure on G20 nations over the weekend to move faster with their pledge to phase out subsidies to fossil fuels. President Obama is in China at the end of a legacy tour, in which he has visited Nevada and Hawaii to warn of climate disruption. Over recent years he has persuaded the reluctant Chinese that they need to accept their own climate commitments in order to buy him political space for Americaâ€™s pledges. Both nations have set widely differing targets reflecting their different stages of economic development. The USA says it intends to reduce emissions by 26-28% below its 2005 level in 2025, trying hard for the upper limit. China has promised to stop the upward path of its emissions by 2030, although it will far exceed that goal. But even if enough other players step forward to make the Paris deal law, huge challenges lie ahead. The current pledged emissions cuts are still projected to bring 2.7C or more of warming â€“ well above the aspirational 1.5C heating that the UN accepts should really be the limit. And that is supposing that nations keep their promises on emissions cuts. In the UK the Labour Party has urged Theresa May to ratify the Paris deal immediately. The US-China deal will also put pressure on G20 nations over the weekend to move faster with their pledge to phase out subsidies to fossil fuels. Follow Roger on Twitter @rharrabin

Summary: The joint commitment from the worldâ€™s super-polluters, announced on Saturday, is a big step towards turning the Paris climate agreement into reality.


David was one of 60 cuckoos fitted with trackers by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) from 2011 and has made return trips from Africa since. But his tracker fell silent a few months ago. A team on BBC Radio Wales' Country Focus is now trying to lure David into the Tregaron woods using a fake female. Presenter Gilbert John said: "We're hoping to find out whether the lack of a signal for David shows that he is dead, or simply his equipment [is dead]." The BTO tracking project was set up to discover why half the UK's cuckoos have been lost in the last 20 years. Since 2011, many of the birds have died or their transmitters have failed, with David one of the remaining six that make the migration from the Congo rainforest, where they winter, to Wales. In previous years, he has returned to the UK between 28 April and the 14 May and experts expected him to be on the move from his wintering location, if not back on his breeding grounds, by now. The BTO has set up a mist net, a plastic cuckoo and the accompanying recording of a female in woods in Tregaron. "The hope is to entice David if he's within earshot. [Although], I have to admit, she's not a very attractive cuckoo," said John. Kelvin Jones, Welsh development officer at the British Trust for Ornithology, said a lot of people think the newer satellite technology would eliminate the need for the more traditional "ringing" system. "But without the ringing system - that is catching the birds and handling the birds - we cannot use the new technology," he said. Mr Jones said the tracking project had started to unravel the mystery of cuckoo movements.

Summary: Conservationists are searching for a missing cuckoo called David who usually returns to his Ceredigion breeding grounds.


When Ogrizovic kept goal for City in their 1987 FA Cup final win over Tottenham, they were restricted to the regulated allocation of 25,000 tickets. But on Sunday there will be close to 43,000 City fans heading for Wembley. "It's a special day for all of us, the fans particularly," he told BBC Sport. "This is a one-club city. You don't bring 40,000 to a cup final if there's not a good fan base, if there's not a real interest in the club." City goalkeeping coach Ogrizovic, 59, will have the honour of leading the team out against Oxford. And City's travelling support will be one of the biggest-ever followings for a club game at Wembley, bettered only by the 44,000 allocation given to winners Southampton against Carlisle United in the 2010 final. It is all the more impressive given the struggles the Sky Blues have gone through in recent seasons. Even if they win on Sunday, they could soon be adding their name to the list of teams to reach a Wembley final and be relegated in the same season as they are bottom of League One, and 11 points from safety. Despite the pre-Wembley boost of two home wins in four days, the prospect of going down to English football's fourth tier for the first time since 1959 remains their likely fate. Although Premier League relegation in 2001 after 34 years in the top flight marked the start of Coventry City's decline, the club has fallen further since the 2007 takeover by current owners Sisu, a London-based hedge fund. After going down to League One in 2012, Sisu became involved in an ongoing off-field rent row with the city council, who were then part-owners of the Ricoh Arena. It led to the Sky Blues spending a season playing home games in Northampton, before returning to the city to discover that Premiership rugby union club Wasps had been invited to buy the stadium - and become their new landlords. The fans' inevitable frustration at the handling of affairs on and off the field has often boiled over into massed protest, which has been the backdrop to the current season. "It's unfortunate what's happened," Ogrizovic told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire. "There are so many reasons and factors, I wouldn't know where to start. "But, at some stage, this club will turn around and let's just hope Sunday is the start. This is a competition that's got its critics but, when you get into the later rounds, it's one that everyone wants to win. "There's a lot going from Oxford too. There'll be nearly 80,000 there. They can't all be wrong. "We're not covering up the cracks. It's been a disappointing season, there's no getting away from it. But that will be forgotten on Sunday. The fans have talked about it for ages. I've never been to the new Wembley before and it looks a bit special. Let's go down there and try to put a few smiles on faces. "You find out about players in big competitions. How will the team react

Summary: Coventry City legend Steve Ogrizovic says the size of their travelling army of supporters for Sunday's EFL Trophy final against Oxford United sums up the "special" spirit of the Sky Blues.


Sunni Muslim, Tanveer Ahmed, 32, from Bradford in Yorkshire, stabbed 40-year-old Asad Shah outside his store in Glasgow's Shawlands area on 24 March. Mr Shah was an Ahmadi - a minority sect not recognised by all Muslims. Ahmed admitted the murder and said the victim had disrespected Islam by falsely claiming to be a prophet. Why was Asad Shah murdered? In July, Ahmed pleaded guilty to the religiously-motivated murder at a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow. Last month, he was given a mandatory life term and told he must serve a minimum of 27 years before he can apply for parole. Jailing him, judge Lady Rae told Ahmed: "This was a barbaric, premeditated and wholly unjustified killing of a much-loved man who was a pillar of the local community. "He was described as a peaceful and peace-loving man and family man who went out of his way to show respect for those of any faith." The judge branded the attack as "an appalling display of merciless violence". It has now emerged that lawyers for Ahmed have lodged an appeal against his sentence. The court previously heard that Mr Shah was an Ahmadi, who differ from the majority of Muslims, including Sunni Muslims, in that they believe the Prophet Muhammad was not the final prophet. The majority of Muslims believe Muhammad was the final prophet and say any other view is inconsistent with Islamic belief. Ahmed, a Sunni, claimed that he had killed Mr Shah because he had posted videos online in which the shopkeeper had "disrespected" Islam by claiming to be a prophet. Ahmed watched a clip featuring Mr Shah on his mobile phone as he travelled to Glasgow on the day of the murder and was heard in a phone message to say "listen to this guy, something needs to be done, it needs nipped in the bud". When he arrived at the shop, Ahmed said he warned Mr Shah that he was there to kill him and asked him to stop claiming to be a prophet. CCTV footage of the attack showed Ahmed pulling a knife out and moving behind the counter and stabbing Mr Shah repeatedly. The shopkeeper managed to get outside, but was stabbed again and then stamped on and kicked in a frenzied attack as he lay dying in the street. Mr Shah's brother Athar Shah tried to intervene, but was unable to fend off Ahmed. As Mr Shah lay dying on the ground, Ahmed walked calmly to a bus shelter where police found him a short time later. After being arrested, Ahmed released a statement through his lawyer saying he had killed Mr Shah as he had falsely claimed to be a prophet.

Summary: A man who was jailed for life for murdering a shopkeeper who he claimed had "disrespected" Islam is to appeal against his minimum 27-year jail term.


The 28-year-old, who was videoed while in his native Ivory Coast, apologised after pictures of him were published in a national newspaper. The Premier League club said the player's action were not "appropriate" and he had been "reminded" of his role model responsibilities. Tiote said: "I deeply regret my actions and I am sorry for any offence caused." He added: "I realise that as a professional footballer, I have a responsibility to many people, including the club and its supporters and it is important for me to set a good example to others with my behaviour on and off the pitch." A statement from the club said: "Newcastle United has been made aware of a video of Cheick Tiote driving while holding a bottle of alcohol, which is understood to have been filmed in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. "Clearly his actions were not appropriate. The club have spoken privately with Cheick and reminded him of his significant responsibilities as a representative of Newcastle United and a role model." The player signed a new six-and-a-half-year deal at Newcastle in February 2011.

Summary: Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote has been filmed driving while holding an open bottle of champagne.


Buildings already constructed at the Beechwood site include the new £60m Inverness College UHI. The college should be ready to open its doors to its first students this autumn. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which is leading the project, hopes to attract science, technology and other types of businesses to the site. Mr Swinney said: "This is an outstanding facility which I believe will be a leading resource for enterprise and innovation, not only of benefit to the region, but to the entire country. "The teamwork of everyone involved has helped make Inverness Campus a reality and I am sure this will continue in the years ahead."

Summary: The new £100m Inverness Campus has been officially opened by Deputy First Minister John Swinney.


Arriving at 01:00 (22:00 GMT Wednesday) in cars, they fired on a traffic police checkpoint before attacking a media building and a school. An Islamist group said it had launched a suicide attack to avenge attacks by security forces on Muslim women. Chechnya's Moscow-backed president said the situation was under control. Ramzan Kadyrov said none of the attackers had escaped. The controversial Chechen strongman has suppressed rebel activity in Chechnya since Russia ousted the separatist government there at the beginning of the century. The attack was a rare breach of the heavy security which surrounds Grozny. Russian President Vladimir Putin said from Moscow he was confident Chechen security forces could handle the militants by themselves. This is the most serious violence in Grozny for some time and will be another worry for President Putin, amid a serious downturn in the Russian economy, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford reports from Moscow. Mr Putin prides himself on bringing stability to Chechnya after two bloody, separatist wars there since the break-up of the Soviet Union, our correspondent adds. Three traffic policemen were killed as they tried to stop the gunmen's cars, Mr Kadyrov said. Nine militants died in the subsequent fighting, the Chechen leader said. According to the Russian government, a further four people died and 21 were injured during the fighting. Inhabitants of the city woke to the sight of smoke rising from the gutted shell of the publishing house, where both Chechen and federal Russian media had offices. Covered stalls at a market were also burned in the fighting. There were no reports of any children being inside the school when the rebels seized it. Mobile phone videos posted during the night attested to the ferocity of the fighting. An Associated Press reporter saw the publishing house in flames and heard the continuing sound of gunfire before dawn. The same reporter also saw the body of someone in civilian clothing in the street near the building. "Not one bandit managed to get out," Mr Kadyrov later announced. "I directly ran the operation myself." In a grainy video posted on YouTube, a gunman said he and a group of others had attacked the city in a "revenge operation" to avenge Muslim women harassed by the security forces. He said the attack had been carried out on the instructions of Chechen rebel figure Aslan Byutukayev, an associate of Doku Umarov, the rebel leader believed to have been killed earlier this year. The attack on Grozny came hours before President Putin gave his annual state of the nation address at the Kremlin. Dmitry Trenin, who heads the Carnegie Moscow Center, wrote in a Twitter post that the night attack in Grozny looked "senseless except as an attempt to embarrass Putin hours before his annual address".

Summary: Rebel gunmen have shot their way into the heavily fortified Chechen capital, Grozny, in a night-time attack which left as many as 16 people dead.


The London team has only once before turned a profit in the 10 years since it was acquired by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. The club said a new TV broadcasting deal, as well as the sale of players such as Juan Mata, had boosted profits. Chelsea are currently unbeaten at the top of the Premier League. They also top their Champions League group. In 2012, Chelsea reported a profit of £1.4m, its first under Mr Abramovich. The club then made a loss in 2013. This year's profits mean the club satisfies the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules imposed by Uefa, European football's governing body. Under FFP, clubs need to balance football-related expenditure - transfers and wages - with television and ticket income, plus revenues raised by their commercial departments. Money spent on stadiums, training facilities, youth development or community projects is exempt. Bruce Buck, Chelsea's chairman, said the club's focus was first and foremost on the team's performance. "By reaching the Champions League semi-final and maintaining a challenge in the Premier League until the final week of the season we demonstrated that, while improving our financial figures, we remained competitive in football's toughest club competitions," he said.

Summary: Chelsea Football Club has reported a record profit of £18.4m ($29m) for the year to June 2014 - despite last season's lack of silverware.


But their decision to take up rowing - and winning Olympic gold at their first attempt - has sealed their place in British sporting history. Glover, 26, and Stanning, 27, took victory in the women's pair at Eton Dorney on Wednesday to win the first gold medal for Britain at London 2012. More remarkably, they become the first British female rowers to achieve the feat since the sport was added to the Olympics in 1976. Born in Truro, Glover was a cross-country runner and hockey player, competing internationally, before burying her head in books and gaining a teaching qualification. It wasn't until she heard about Sporting Giants, a scheme to find the Olympians of the future, in 2008 that she stepped into a boat and picked up an oar for the first time. From there, she was chosen for the Great Britain's rowing talent programme, two years after Stanning joined the same initiative, and two years later the dream team was formed. Stanning, who was born in Yeovil, took a different route, taking up rowing at 19 after her friends suggested she try it because she was tall. Two years later she was on the rowing talent programme but switched her focus to the army, where she was commissioned in 2008. Four years ago, she decided to focus on rowing, taking a break from the Royal Artillery, and heading back to the water. There she teamed up with Glover and started on the road to London. The pair narrowly missed out on gold to New Zealand at last year's World Championships, but that defeat was their last as they upped the stroke rate in 2012 to remain unbeaten in all three World Cups. They were barely mentioned in the build-up to London as three-time Olympic silver medallist Katherine Grainger and her chase for that elusive gold dominated the headlines along with the men's four - Britain's flagship boat - which has won gold in the last three Olympics. But an Olympic record in the first race of the regatta sparked interest - and their performance in the final in front of a partisan home crowd - was the perfect way to end what could be their last race together. Before the regatta, Stanning said she would return to the army, with a posting in Afghanistan a possibility. Regardless of whether she sticks to her decision or decides to add to her medal collection, their achievement will forever be engraved on London 2012 - because everyone remembers the first.

Summary: Four years ago, Helen Glover was an aspiring hockey player and Heather Stanning was embarking on a career in the army.


No longer able to influence the policies and laws of their country, these former members of the House of Commons now have to find something else to occupy their time. But what's it like after losing your parliamentary seat? What are the personal and professional implications of being voted out of public office? Former Labour MP for Watford Claire Ward told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was a sense of bereavement at losing her seat in 2010 after 13 years in Westminster. "Being an MP is very much a way of life," she says. "It's all-consuming, there's no escape from it, no matter what time of the day, where you are, any time of the year. "From that point of view, you recognise that it's going to be a huge change, not just to your working life but to every aspect of it. "Something that you feel very strongly about, and is part of you, to lose in that way is very much like a bereavement." Ms Ward is now chairman of Pharmacy Voice, the trade association for community pharmacies. She talks of those failed parliamentary candidates who can't help but wonder whether certain people they see on their constituency's streets, who pledged support, actually voted for them. She also talks of the "heartbreaking" act of having to give redundancy notices to staff members, whose fortunes are intertwined with that of their boss's. After finding out that all that knocking on doors, distributing leaflets and promising policies did not generate enough boxes being ticked next to their name, any newly-unemployed former public servant can find a sympathetic ear through the Association of Former Members of Parliament. Among several activities it organises is an outreach programme for former MPs to speak at universities, academies, schools and voluntary groups, helping to keep them busy - and, surely for some, keep their profile up in the local community should they fancy another go come the next by-election. Financially, there is help available for those ex-MPs going through this drastic change of fortune. According to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, the expenses watchdog, departing MPs are entitled to a resettlement allowance, equivalent to a month's salary for each year of service, capped at 6 months, or Â£33,500. They are also able to claim a winding up allowance of up to Â£57,000 for former London MPs, and up to Â£53,000 for those who represented a constituency outside of the capital. This is for such costs as terminating staff contracts, ending leases on offices, and furniture removals. This allowance is open to all MPs and is not related to length of service. Andy Reed was Labour MP for Loughborough from 1997 to 2010, and is now programme director of the international sports management MBA at Loughborough University. He says it was particularly "brutal" losing his seat because politics is "a way of life, not a job". "You literally walk home from the town hall at four or five o'clock in the morning unemployed, and virtually everything that you knew, your emails, is shut down, locked out. "You're

Summary: As the dust settles after the general election, many men and women who once trod the corridors of power as Members of Parliament are facing up to life after defeat.


A report published last month found at least 1,400 children were abused in the South Yorkshire town from 1997 to 2013. Barnardo's Scotland said child sexual exploitation was a "severe problem". It has urged government and child protection agencies not to be complacent. The charity said Rotherham should be "a wake-up call for Scotland". The Scottish government said it was committed to protecting children and young people's wellbeing. Revelations of child abuse on a massive scale in the English town were revealed in the Jay Report. Now Barnardo's Scotland has published 15 lessons it said must be learned by those involved in protecting children and young people in Scotland. The charity said child sex exploitation (CSE) "is happening across Scotland", with two large-scale police operations to identify victims and target perpetrators, one of which, Operation Dash, was ongoing. Barnardo's called for recognition, at every level, that sex between an adult and a child under 16 was always wrong and that it was not the child's responsibility to say 'No'. Martin Crewe, director of Barnardo's Scotland, said: "We know child sexual exploitation is happening across Scotland. "We know how devastating it can be. We know charities and support agencies are aware of the problem and are working to put the necessary infrastructure in place to tackle child sexual exploitation. "But as part of this process, we all need to heed the warning and learn the lessons from Rotherham if we are to be certain that we are all doing our best to protect children from this horrific form of abuse in Scotland." He added: "If there is one fundamental lesson from Rotherham it is that we cannot be complacent about child sexual exploitation in Scotland." Police Scotland said keeping children safe, particularly those who are vulnerable, was top of its list of priorities. As part of Operation Dash, 22 people have been reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in relation to a range of crimes. Det Ch Supt Lesley Boal said: "CSE is a complex challenging and sensitive area of policing. "Police Scotland works nationally to support the Scottish government's action plan on CSE and we have developed an action plan to compliment this. "In addition at a local level we have created 14 divisional public protection units that work in partnership with local authorities and health through child protection committees to tackle all forms of child abuse including CSE. "Within Police Scotland we have a number of specialist units including the National Rape Task Force, the National Human Trafficking Unit and the National Domestic Abuse Task Force that focus on serious sexual crimes." The Scottish government published updated child protection guidance in May this year. A spokeswoman said: "Child sexual exploitation is an abhorrent crime and can have devastating impact on victims and their families. "We established an expert working group to specifically examine child sexual exploitation and this work contributed to our updated guidance. We also work closely with the experts at the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children (CELCIS) to shape policies and practices to ensure

Summary: Lessons must be learned in Scotland from the Rotherham child abuse scandal, according to a children's charity.


Pleidleisiodd yr Arglwyddi 222 i 222 ar welliant gan y blaid Lafur i Fesur Cymru fyddai'n trosglwyddo cyfrifoldeb dros y berthynas ddiwydiannol mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus Cymreig o Lundain i Gaerdydd. Yn unol â'r drefn pan mae pleidlais yn gyfartal, nid yw'r gwelliant yn cael ei basio. Byddai colli'r bleidlais wedi golygu y byddai oedi cyn i'r Mesur ddod yn gyfraith am y byddai aelodau seneddol wedi derbyn cais i'w wyrdroi. Dywedodd llefarydd y blaid Lafur, y Farwnes Morgan o Drelai ei bod wedi ei siomi'n fawr gyda'r canlyniad. Byddai'r gwelliant wedi galluogi Llywodraeth Cymru i gael gwared ar rannau o'r Deddf Undeb Masnach sydd wedi bod yn ddadleuol. Mae disgwyl i aelodau'r Cynulliad ym Mae Caerdydd roi eu sêl bendith i Fesur Cymru ddydd Mawrth nesaf.

Summary: Fe wnaeth llywodraeth y DU osgoi colli pleidlais o drwch blewyn yn Nhŷ'r Arglwyddi nos Fawrth dros welliant i Fesur Cymru.


Opposition MPs physically tried to stop the vote in a legislative committee by jostling around the chairman and trying to snatch his paperwork and microphone. The committee's vote clears the way for the bill to go to the upper house of parliament for final approval. The opposition says it will continue to try to delay the vote. The bill would allow Japan to defend its allies overseas even when it is not under attack. The bill is not widely supported by the country at large. Thousands of protesters rallied outside the parliament in Tokyo as the committee debate was under way. Opposition lawmakers tried to physically prevent the debate from taking place. In rare heated scenes, jostling members of the upper house surrounded the chairman of the security committee, Yoshitada Konoike, as he opened the debate on Wednesday and again on Thursday morning as the vote was taking place. The opposition had also tabled a no-confidence vote against Mr Konoike. Wednesday night's session was abandoned in the early hours of Thursday after opposition lawmakers blocked entry to a room where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other ministers were waiting to discuss the bill. The bill has already been approved by the government-dominated lower house. It is expected to be passed in the upper house because the ruling coalition has a majority there - this was why opponents were keen to prevent the committee from approving the legislation. It is thought Mr Abe's government wants to pass the bills before the country goes into a five-day holiday on Saturday, which could provide an opportunity for even bigger protests. If the upper house does not pass the bills within 60 days, they will have to be returned the lower house. It is a step Mr Abe is thought to be willing to take. His Liberal Democratic Party-led bloc has a two-thirds majority in the lower chamber, the House of Representatives. Despite his majorities in both houses, the controversial bills, and Mr Abe's determination to push them through despite vocal opposition, appear to have damaged his popularity. Polls have consistently shown a majority of the public are opposed to the changes, and relatively few strongly support them. Japan's post-World War Two constitution bars it from using force to resolve conflicts except in cases of self-defence. Mr Abe's government has pushed for security legislation that would allow Japan's military to mobilise overseas when these three conditions are met: What's behind Japan's military shift? The government says Japan needs to pass the bills, which are welcomed by the US, to ensure regional peace and security in the face of rising Chinese assertiveness. It also says they will allow the country to participate more widely in global peacekeeping missions. But opponents say the legislation violates Japan's post-war pacifist constitution, and could lead to it being dragged into US-led conflicts. Despite the likelihood of eventual defeat, opposition to the bills has been credited with helping reverse decades of youth disengagement from politics in Japan. Students in particular, have been closely involved in leading protests once dominated by trade unionists

Summary: A controversial bill to expand the role of Japan's armed forces has cleared another hurdle in parliament, but sparked scuffles among lawmakers.


The 33-year-old, who made 27 Premier League appearances for the Canaries in 2015-16, has signed a two-year deal. The former Middlesbrough and West Ham United man, who began his career at Portsmouth, has won promotion from the Championship with four different clubs. "Gary is a really good signing for us, who adds everything we need to our midfield," head coach Lee Johnson said. "He may have just turned 33, but he's still fully mobile and very fit. He's a really good decision maker who can be a coach's eyes and ears on the pitch." O'Neil helped QPR to promotion via the play-offs before his move to Norwich in 2014 and has played more than 200 top-flight games. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Bristol City have signed midfielder Gary O'Neil on a free transfer from recently relegated Norwich City.


Markandey Katju said a high court judge was promoted after pressure from an ally of the former Congress government. He also said some senior judges had made "improper compromises" in allowing the judge to continue in office. A regional party protested in the parliament against "political interference in judicial appointments". The Congress-led government was in power for 10 years before losing the May general election to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ally that Mr Katju has alluded to was the ruling party in Tamil Nadu state. Writing in The Times of India newspaper, Mr Katju said a judge of the Madras high court in Tamil Nadu was promoted and given an extension to continue in office despite "several allegations of corruption" after pressure from an ally of the then-ruling Congress party. Mr Katju, who is now the chairman of the Press Council of India, also told the NDTV news channel that three former chief justices of the Supreme Court made "improper compromises" in allowing the unnamed judge to continue in office. When asked by the channel why he had waited for 10 years to make his allegations public, he said: "Concentrate on whether what I'm saying is correct or not. How does it matter if I spoke now?" Mr Katju then left the interview. MPs belonging to Tamil Nadu's AIADMK party waved copies of the the newspaper carrying Mr Kaju's article and demanded a discussion in the upper house of the parliament. "If you have an issue to raise, raise it through appropriate procedure. This is not the way. You are disrupting listed business," chairman of the upper house Hamid Ansari said. The Congress party has denied the allegations and questioned their timing. "Mr Katju wishes to remain in news. If there was any such thing then he should have spoken that time. Why he is speaking now," Congress leader Rashid Alvi said. There has been rising public demand for greater transparency on the part of judges after allegations of corruptions against some judges over the last few years.

Summary: There has been uproar in the Indian parliament over a former Supreme Court judge's allegations of corruption in the judiciary.


Writing in the journal Science, they said this could lead to a gap of 10 years before the next epidemic. The Imperial College London team created a model using data from the current outbreak in Latin America. But a Zika expert said predicting anything with any degree of certainty was impossible. The scientists, from the Medical Research Council Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling at Imperial, calculated that the epidemic, which began in Brazil in 2015, would burn itself out within three years. Because the virus is unable to infect the same person twice, as more and more people become infected, reaching a level called "herd immunity", infection levels fall and the epidemic dies out. Until there was a new generation who had not been exposed to Zika virus, there would be a long period with few new cases, the researchers said. They said this mirrored the pattern of other epidemics, such as chikungunia - a virus similar to Zika. Earlier this year, the World Health Organization declared the Zika virus a global public health emergency because of the risk to newborn children. Although Zika infection is largely mild, with most people having no symptoms, it is known to cause microcephaly - babies born with undersized heads. In severe cases, children can die and babies who survive can face intellectual disability and developmental delays. The Olympic Games are going ahead in Rio, Brazil, in August, despite recent concerns from leading scientists that holding the event is "unethical". The research paper said the current outbreak was not "containable" and targeting the Aedes aegypti mosquito carrying the virus would have limited impact. Prof Neil Ferguson, lead author of the research, said that any efforts to slow the spread of the virus could actually prolong the current epidemic. "Slowing transmission between people means the population will take longer to reach the level of herd immunity needed for transmission to stop. "It might also mean that the window between epidemics could actually get shorter." However, Prof Ferguson said there were still many unanswered questions about Zika which could affect predictions. The virus could become endemic in Latin America which would result in smaller, frequent outbreaks, for example, and he said no-one yet understood why Latin America was particularly affected. "One possibility is climate may have in some way aided spread of the virus, as spread coincided with an El Nino event," he said. "Genetic mutation of the virus might also have played a role, although early data currently give limited support for this hypothesis." He added that previous exposure to Dengue fever might heighten the Zika infection in a person, as recent studies had suggested. But Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham, said although the paper was interesting, there were still a lot of gaps in the data. "In truth, there are so many really important scientific unknowns surrounding Zika that it is impossible to predict what will happen with any degree of certainty. "Key questions that remain unanswered include how many people have been infected, the duration that people are

Summary: The current Zika epidemic is likely to end within three years because there will be too few people left to infect, a team of scientists is predicting.


Mr Rouhani ordered a review of all 3,000 jobs on offer, and a rethink if they were found to be biased to men. Some departments, such as the Judiciary Organisation of Military Forces, which is controlled by hardliners, are open almost exclusively to men. Mr Rouhani has a track record of speaking out on women's rights. He has appointed a number of women to prominent posts - including Masoumeh Ebtekar as vice-president and head of the Environmental Protection Organisation, and Marzieh Afkham, who was foreign ministry spokesperson, before being appointed ambassador to Malaysia last year. Ms Afkham was the first woman to be made a foreign envoy. After Iran's parliamentary elections in May, Mr Rouhani hailed the record number of women who won seats. But civil society groups say he could have done much more to tackle the overall problem of female unemployment. Iranian women have made big progress in education in the decades since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and now make up 60% of all university graduates. However, they are still significantly under-represented in the workplace. The most recent figures from the Iranian National Statistics Organisation in 2013 revealed that just 12.4% cent of Iranian women were in active employment. Young Iranian women are five times more likely to be unemployed than young men, and twice as many women than men have lost their jobs as a result of the economic downturn caused by international sanctions. Women face the double challenge of deeply entrenched conservative values plus discrimination enshrined in a legal system, which disadvantages them in many areas including marriage, maternity provisions, custody rights, and even the right to travel. In the past 12 months a number of high-profile scandals have highlighted the very real problems many women face in their everyday working lives. In September 2015 the captain of the Iranian women's football team, Niloufar Ardalan, was reportedly unable to take part in a key international match because her husband had refused to give her permission to leave the country. And in February secret recordings of a senior manager at the state broadcaster making suggestive phone calls to a junior, female employee put the spotlight on sexual harassment in the workplace. President Rouhani's championing of women's rights has sometimes put him at odds with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and the conservative establishment, which favours a more traditional and restricted role for women, with the emphasis on motherhood and home. The government has invested in job creation schemes in recent years, but critics say much of the money has been channelled into male-dominated sectors of the workforce, resulting in even greater shortages of jobs for women.

Summary: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has postponed the annual civil service entry exam because of concerns it discriminates against women.


Two men made off with a trolley full of alcohol from the supermarket in Annan at about 13:40 on Thursday. About 40 minutes later a man matching the description of one of the thieves in the earlier incident struck at the Lockerbie Road store in Dumfries. PC Carolyne Crozier said there were "clear similarities" between the thefts and asked witnesses to come forward. Spirits worth more than Â£500 were taken in the first incident. One of the men involved was in his late 40s, of medium build with dark hair with grey starting to show. He was about 5ft 8in tall and was wearing a navy polo shirt with stripes across the front and jeans. The second man was in his late 20s or early 30s, of slim build, quite tall with short, dark hair and was wearing Adidas three-stripe tracksuit bottoms and a hooded top. In the Dumfries incident, a man was seen putting alcohol straight into a carrier bag. When stock was checked, it was found 10 bottles of vodka worth more than Â£400 had been taken. The suspect was described as being tall and wearing Adidas striped tracksuit bottoms and an Adidas hooded top. In a separate incident on the same day cashmere jumpers worth more than Â£600 were taken from The Canny Scots Shop at the Gretna Service Area between 10:00 and 12:30. PC Crozier said: "There are clear similarities between the two Tesco thefts, right down to the description of one of the suspects. "We are keeping an open mind as to whether or not the cashmere theft is linked."

Summary: Vodka and other spirits worth hundreds of pounds have been stolen from two Tesco stores in southern Scotland.


The last two successful squads were happy to profit from their hosts' misfortune at crucial moments. A celebrated error from the great David Campese got the 1989 vintage over the line in the decisive third Test in Australia. The Lions have faced Australia in Brisbane on eight occasions and have won all of them. Tom and Ben Youngs were the first brothers to play for the Lions in a Test match since Gavin and Scott Hastings in 1989. Prop Alex Corbisiero gained more metres (30) in the first half than all of Australia's forwards combined (26). Source: OptaJonny In 1997 the Springboks scored three tries to none and battered the Lions for long periods in the second Test in Durban. But they couldn't land a single shot at goal, allowing Jeremy Guscott to steal the glory instead. If the class of 2013 go on to add their names to the legends, no-one will give a hoot that they could - and perhaps should - have lost this first, utterly compelling, Test in Brisbane. If their victory owed as much to the inadequacy of their hosts in one critical department as their own efforts, so be it. Any Lions Test victory is to be cherished. They have only won two of the last nine, after all. If this one helps to strengthen the brand, and perhaps goes some way towards ensuring its future, no-one will be complaining. Here was an occasion that lived up to the hype in spectacular fashion, with the 25,000 Lions fans in an enthralled capacity crowd playing a full and vociferous part. If the brutality of the collisions wasn't quite on the scale of the second Test in South Africa four years ago, it wasn't far off. Lions coach Warren Gatland described it as a "bit like a sparring match, both teams finding out about each other". In which case heaven help the players when we get to the championship rounds. As in Pretoria, the Lions led for long periods before being pegged back towards the end. Again, the outcome was decided by the last kick of the game, only this time Kurtley Beale could not do what Morne Steyn did and break Lions' hearts, twice missing penalty chances to land the killer blow. And again, the body count was huge. But it was Australia, rather than the Lions, who lost four players to injury and ended with others playing out of position. While Gatland was adamant the Lions deserved victory, ultimately they got out of jail. They found themselves on the wrong side of referee Chris Pollock at the start and end of the match, and so nearly paid for it. Were it not for James O'Connor and Beale, who between them missed five kicks, and 14 points, the Wallabies could have won despite enjoying less possession and territory, and conceding 14 turnovers to the Lions' three. The hosts were clinical, scoring two tries from three line breaks, both finished in style by Israel Folau on a highly promising Test debut. But the Lions' wings were no slouches

Summary: No-one said a Lions Test series victory has to be a thing of beauty, or a clear demonstration of superiority.


Sussex Police has told relatives of 11 men who died they are investigating an incident at the Southport Airshow in 2014 in which a vintage jet is believed to have flown too low. At the Shoreham event in August, a Hawker Hunter jet crashed. Pilot Andy Hill was thrown free from the aircraft. The 11 died at the scene. Det Ch Insp Paul Rymarz said the force was aware of an incident at the Southport Airshow in September 2014. "This incident forms a line of inquiry in our wider investigation. "All the families are aware of our interest in this incident," he said. Analysis: Richard Westcott, BBC transport correspondent I've just been speaking to the man who was commentating at the Southport airshow on the day that this happened. George Bacon is an expert from the British Air Display Association, so he knows his stuff. He told me that the plane was flying too low and very slightly over the crowd line, which is not allowed, and the display was stopped. But George also says there was never any immediate danger, that it was never "life threatening". He described it as an "occurrence", not an "incident" (less serious in effect), saying Andy Hill was always in control of the aircraft. And he stressed the point that this kind of transgression can happen to any pilot and for all sorts of reasons - sun in the eyes, moving to avoid a bird or another aircraft, a strong wind. "Even the Red Arrows can misjudge the strength of the wind", he told me. He wanted to make the point that display pilots are not risk-takers. A spokesman for the CAA said it was aware of an incident in 2014, and had been informed of the Sussex Police investigation. At the time, he said, the CAA took appropriate action in conjunction with the show's organisers. "The CAA continues to support the police and AAIB with their investigations," he said. Mr Hill was interviewed by police in December. No arrests have been made. BBC South East correspondent Mark Norman said the parameters of the "very wide-ranging, complex ongoing investigation" had yet to be revealed. At Shoreham, the vintage jet, which had been performing aerobatics, crashed on the A27 dual carriageway. Footage captured by witnesses showed a large fireball engulf the area around the crash site.

Summary: The pilot flying a jet which crashed at the Shoreham airshow was involved in an incident at a different airshow a year before, it has emerged.


Ben, from Sheffield, was 21 months old when he disappeared on 24 July 1991. Detectives said they would be "lifting all the earth" at the second site, 750m from where he was last seen and close to where the dig started last month. They are investigating claims Ben may have been accidentally run over by a digger driver 25 years ago. Officers are working on the theory that Konstantinos Barkas, who died of cancer in 2015, might be responsible for Ben's death. Ben vanished from a farmhouse, which his grandfather was renovating, in the village of Iraklis. Continued searches near the farmhouse were drawing to a close and the rest of the team will be focusing their efforts on the second site, police said. Det Insp Jon Cousins said there was compacted material deposited over the last 30 years and the team "will remove this layer in the same [way] they excavated the first site". Mr Cousins said: "I have made a decision that we're extending our stay here. "We are going to be doing this to give me the confidence that I've done everything I can. "The team are 100% behind this. And every single one of them, including the volunteers, are adamant that they are staying for this period of time. It's got to be done." The team would remain on site for "at least two or three days", he said. A team of 19 South Yorkshire Police officers, forensic specialists and an archaeologist have been excavating the area for nearly two weeks as a result of a television appeal in May, which brought the theory about Mr Barkas to the attention of the force.

Summary: Police searching for missing toddler Ben Needham on the Greek island of Kos have said they are extending their stay to continue exploring a second site.


Hundreds of angry fans walked out and got a refund before the singer finally appeared at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre at 23:15. "One new mum with a babysitter just gave up," tweeted one fan at 23:00. Madonna later said she was "hardly ever late" and joked: "It's you people that get here early that's the problem". "Stay home, do your hair and makeup, have a tequila. "Just come late and I won't have to come early. We've got three more shows and we want to fix the problem." Later, on Instagram, the star explained the delay, saying: "[I] wanted to be perfect for you!" - but concertgoers were furious. "How do we get money back after waiting two hrs for Madonna?" an upset fan wrote on the Facebook page for ticket agency Ticketek. "Just disgusting. Traveled (sic) 3.5 hrs for what?" "It was an absolute joke and definitely not worth the $300+ per ticket," said another. The venue is 12 miles from the centre of Brisbane and the last train back to the city leaves shortly after midnight. Hundreds of fans were left queuing for taxis after the concert concluded at 01:30. "Going on so late means missing the last train home and stranded until sunrise," wrote Louise Mac on Twitter, in a message directed at Madonna. "Care about your fans?" "By 2am no trains, no buses, very few taxis or Uber. Without your own car you would be stranded!" added Alison Hale. Nathanael Cooper, reviewing the show for the Brisbane Times, took aim at the pop star. "There is something breathtakingly arrogant about an artist taking to the stage late," he wrote. "It was tiresome, annoying and meant that a show that could have been done by 11pm finished well after 1am." Australia's Associated Press reported that the "increasingly frustrated" crowd had "resorted to Mexican waves and chanting" but was "eating from the palm of [Madonna's] hand from the moment she appeared on stage in a metal cage." Promoter Live Nation said the star was originally due on stage at 21:00, but it had warned fans of a possible late finish. It also warned in a statement that Madonna's second Brisbane show, on Thursday, could also be affected. "Following a late start last night, fans should note, the timing for tonight's performance may also be delayed. We encourage concert goers to keep this in consideration when making arrangements to get home safely." It is not the first time Madonna has shown up late on her current Rebel Heart tour. After a delay caused her show to over-run at Glasgow's SSE Hydro Arena last December, the venue cut the power, prompting the singer to perform the end of her set without sound or lighting. And a spin-off show, called Tears of a Clown, began three hours late in Melbourne last week. During that show, she appeared to wipe away tears as she discussed the custody battle over her 15-year-old son, Rocco. The teenager left her world tour last year and moved in with his father, Guy Ritchie, in London. Madonna says the

Summary: Pop star Madonna has been labelled "breathtakingly arrogant" after coming on stage over two hours late in Brisbane, Australia.


Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran has written to the UK government offering support for early legislation. The Scottish government has already called for action before Westminster breaks for the general election. Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael has said officials are looking at the options. These are likely to include a section 30 order which is much less complicated than an act of parliament. In a letter to the Scottish secretary, Ms Curran said: "I am writing to offer our support for a Section 30 order to devolve the franchise to the Scottish Parliament immediately if it is brought forward by the government. "This will ensure that there is enough time for the Scottish Parliament to make the changes necessary to ensure 16 and 17-year-olds are able to vote in 2016." The Smith Commission on further devolution called for the UK to "devolve the relevant powers in sufficient time" for that election. Its recommendations were agreed by all five political parties in the Scottish Parliament. The independence referendum was the first national vote in which 16 and 17-year-olds were able to take part. The chief counting officer for the referendum, Mary Pitcaithly, chairs the board that oversees election management in Scotland. She said: "If changes of this significance are going to be made, the earlier that election professionals know about this the better, so that appropriate preparations can be made to minimise any risks". Mr Carmichael discussed the issue with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week. Ahead of that meeting he said he saw "no reason" why votes at 16 could not be in place for the 2016 vote. Labour also wants him to consider which other powers might be suitable for fast-track devolution. Ms Curran said: "Many of the Smith Commission proposals will require primary legislation, and Labour will introduce a Scotland Act in our first Queen's Speech. "However, it is right that we should assess which powers could be passed more quickly and where the Labour Party could offer its support." The Scottish government has specifically called for early control of air passenger duty and disability living allowance. But the Scottish secretary has described votes at 16 as an "exception" to the general principle that further devolution "will proceed as a package". Mr Carmichael was asked about when tax powers would be devolved at a Holyrood committee last week. He said: "With the budgetary consequences that come with that, there is probably a greater interest in ensuring that you get the whole thing as a package rather than taking it in dribs and drabs."

Summary: Labour wants the immediate transfer of election powers to Holyrood to allow MSPs to give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote in 2016.


The 29-year-old replaces injured Ospreys forward James King. Shingler, who has eight caps, will join the Wales squad after Scarlets' Pro12 final against Munster on Saturday. "We've got a young squad, but we're not treating this as a development tour. We're going to the southern hemisphere to win two Tests," said Robin McBryde, Wales' head coach for the tour. "So the selection has to reflect a balance between potential and performance, and the new players will have to reach the high levels of expectation we have of them." Shingler's call-up comes a day after uncapped Exeter full-back Phil Dollman was summoned as a replacement for Rhun Williams.

Summary: Wales have called up Scarlets back rower Aaron Shingler for Test matches against Tonga and Samoa in June.


In January, several major US newspapers took a swipe at him in separate editorials. "President Rafael Correa of Ecuador is leading a relentless campaign against free speech," said The New York Times. The Washington Post said the president ought to be known for "the most comprehensive and ruthless assault on free media under way in the Western Hemisphere". According to various international rights organisations, 2011 was a bad year for freedom of speech in Ecuador, and 2012 does not bode well. Following a change to the current electoral law, which comes into effect on 4 February, journalists will face restrictions when reporting on the forthcoming campaign for the 2013 presidential election. The new article prohibits media from "either directly or indirectly promoting any given candidate, proposal, options, electoral preferences or political thesis, through articles, specials or any other form of message". Several Ecuadorean journalists have said the new regulations amount to censorship. "It is clear that this is an affront to basic rights," said Ecuadorean media freedom organisation Fundamedios. But President Correa is adamant that the new legislation is vital. "Media cannot be political actors," he said during one of his weekly TV and radio broadcasts. "We have to put an end to the illegitimate, immoral political power that certain media have. All they do every day is a political campaign against the government." Mr Correa has not yet said whether he will run in the election, currently scheduled for January 2013. With approval ratings close to 80%, according to a polling firm favoured by the government, he seemingly has the largest support base among potential candidates. Mr Correa, who is popular in Ecuador thanks to his social programmes that support, among others, the poor and the disabled, has often said media are his "greatest enemy" and a major obstacle in implementing reforms. In Ecuador, private media have traditionally served the interests of their owners - powerful groups with strong economic interests. Mr Correa says those elites do not want wealth to be fairly distributed across the country. Under Mr Correa's leadership, the government has brought in laws to limit media concentration. In 2008 a number of media outlets, including two TV stations, were seized from bankers on the grounds of corruption. The government went from controlling only one radio station to running a large network of media, which have the obligation of broadcasting the president's weekly radio and TV shows. Although the growth of public media is important, the current landscape is far from balanced, according to investigative journalist Juan Carlos Calderon. "The president has decided to demonise private media, even if it is a legitimate activity, regulated by the constitution," Mr Calderon says. "The president has created this polarisation. We journalists are the meat in the sandwich." Mr Calderon is facing a libel trial following the 2010 publication of a book, Big Brother (El Gran Hermano), which detailed government contracts that benefited the president's older brother, Fabricio. President Correa, who denied knowledge of the contracts and had them cancelled when they came to light, filed a $10m (Â£6.4m) lawsuit against

Summary: Rafael Correa has been Ecuador's president since 2007 but it is probably fair to say he has never had as much international attention as in recent weeks.


The High Commissioner of India laid a wreath of marigolds at the Arch of Remembrance in Leicester. Meanwhile, the British High Commissioner did the same at a ceremony at the India Gate in New Delhi. Hundreds of people attended the events in memory of the 1,174 Indian Labour Corps men who supplied the army with weapons, food and built barracks. Updates on this story and more from the East Midlands The commemorative events were part of The Unremembered project to honour the courage and sacrifice of labourers in World War One. In Leicester, about 300 school children and dignitaries including the city and Lord mayors held up the names of the men and tied messages to the fallen during the ceremony. Teacher Mrs Hobson, of Moat Community College, said: "This event is important because it's about our shared heritage... and it allows us to link our students to their Indian heritage." Squadron Leader Rana Chhina said Indians in Leicester "should be proud" of the connection because it "helps strengthen the bond" between the UK and India. British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens designed both war memorials in the 1920s. The workers' names are engraved on the India Gate, which was built in 1931 and took about 10 years to complete. Work began on the Arch of Remembrance, in Victoria Park, which is half the size of the gate, in 1923 and was finished in 1925. In 2015, all 44 of Sir Edwin's World War One memorials in England became listed by Historic England.

Summary: War memorials in the UK and India have been twinned to remember Indian workers who died in World War One.


You can be excused for thinking Wimbledon is nearing its nail-biting end with the finals in sight, but in reality, it's only just getting started. The world's best wheelchair tennis players are about to take to the court and the British players have titles to defend. Here's the lowdown on the latest championship at SW19. Wheelchair tennis is for men and women who are disabled below the waist and use wheelchairs to compete in the singles and doubles championship. The size of the courts, balls and rackets are the same, but the ball can bounce twice before you hit it and the wheelchairs are bespoke. British number one, Lucy Shuker says: "The wheels are cambered out at about 22 degrees, they have wheels at the front and back so it means, in theory, you shouldn't tip out backwards. I've got straps around my waist and knee guards which lock me in place." Geraint Richards, performance director of GB Wheelchair Tennis says the players "literally zoom around the court". He says: "Gustavo Fernandez, the reigning Australian Open champion, will actually fall out of his chair and still win that point. The audience will be amazed." It might seem odd, but the wheelchairs do take to the perfectly manicured courts. "It's hard work," Shuker says. "The bounces aren't necessarily true and where you think you're going to take a ball at shoulder height it's probably going to bounce a lot lower. "There's a definite drag on grass and you have to continually keep pushing otherwise the chair will stop." But she reveals drop-shots work well as your opponent probably wont get there in time. You bet we are. British players are currently Paralympic, grand slam-winning, world-rank topping, Wimbledon champions in both the singles and doubles. Here are three names to look out for: Reid, 25, is the defending Wimbledon singles and doubles champion. He won Paralympic gold in the singles at Rio and silver in the doubles with fellow Brit Alfie Hewitt. In 2007, aged 15, Reid became Britain's youngest men's Singles National Champion and in 2016 he won his first grand slam singles title at the Australian Open, followed by Wimbledon. Reid is from a tennis family. Aged six he contracted Transverse Myelitis a neurological condition in which the spinal cord is inflamed and damages nerve fibres. Hewett, 19, started playing in 2005 and was ranked world number one junior between 2013 and 2015. He made his Paralympic debut at Rio and took silver in the men's doubles with Gordon Reid. He also claimed silver in the singles after Reid defeated him in an all-British final. Shuker turned to wheelchair tennis after a motorbike accident in 2001 paralysed her from the chest down. She hadn't even been discharged from hospital before she tried the game. Having previously played badminton she went on to represent Great Britain at the Beijing, London and Rio Paralympics and was the first Brit to contest all four major Grand Slams. She says "when I first started everyone said I was too disabled" but she focused on developing a

Summary: All photographs are copyrighted.