A barrister for Christian-run County Antrim firm Ashers said if they lost the discrimination case there would be wide-reaching consequences for shop owners. He said it would mean a Muslim printer could not refuse to print a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad. The case in Belfast was taken by gay rights activist, Gareth Lee. He placed the order for the cake with Ashers. No indication has been given when the judgement will be issued. The barrister for Mr Lee told the County Court in Belfast that businesses needed to make clear in advance what they would and would not do. He said Ashers had nothing in their terms and conditions to prevent them baking the cake which Mr Lee ordered. Earlier, the role of the Equality Commission in the case was defended in court. The commission has set aside a fund of up to Â£40,000 to pay for legal costs in the case. It has been criticised in recent months by a number of unionist politicians over the decision to take the case. A barrister for Mr Lee said the Commission was the "guardian" of anti-discrimination laws. He said it was duty-bound to defend them. "The Equality Commission has statutory duties to uphold the law," the lawyer added. He defended the fact that an out-of-court settlement was not reached. "It (the Commission) can never be allowed to compromise on what it believes is the law," he said. The total cost of the case has yet to be determined. Last week, before the case began, an Equality Commission spokesperson said: "We can confirm that Â£8,586.60 has been spent on this case to date. "The final costs will be not known until the case is concluded." Outside the court on Monday, Daniel McArthur, general manager of Ashers, said they were grateful that the case had now concluded. "We are very thankful to all those who have supported us," he said. "It has been a stressful time for our family but most of all we are thankful God has sustained us through it all and we now await the verdict and the outcome from the judge."

Summary: Judgement has been reserved at the end of the 'gay cake' case in Northern Ireland.


The woman had withdrawn her pension from a bank in Altrincham on Monday before heading into the Iceland store. While shopping she was approached by a woman who grabbed her trolley and demanded her money. Not willing to give up without a fight, however, the octogenarian hit the woman over the head with the bacon before the would-be thief fled empty-handed. Greater Manchester Police said while the 86-year-old was "safe and well", she was "shook up about the incident". Update 20 July 2016: A video of the incident obtained by Altrincham Today and released later revealed the incident was less dramatic than previously reported by Greater Manchester Police.

Summary: An 86-year-old woman fought off a would-be thief with a packet of bacon in a Greater Manchester supermarket.


Fisher, 60, who played Princess Leia in Star Wars, was taken ill on a flight from London to LA on Friday. Passengers attempted to revive her with CPR and she was taken to hospital when the plane landed. Co-star Harrison Ford said he was "shocked and saddened" by the news. "Our thoughts are with Carrie, her family and friends," he said. Ford played Fisher's on-screen love interest in the franchise, and Fisher revealed earlier this year in a memoir that the pair had a brief off-screen romance. Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, said he was sending "all our love" and Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca, tweeted his thoughts and prayers for "everyone's favourite princess". Fisher's brother Todd said she was in intensive care in Los Angeles. "We have to wait and be patient," he said. "We have so little information ourselves." He added: "She's obviously a very tough girl who's survived many things. I encourage everyone to pray for her." Fisher had been on tour promoting her latest book, The Princess Diarist. The heart attack happened about 15 minutes before the plane landed in LA, celebrity news website TMZ reported. A medic who was travelling on the plane administered CPR. Paramedics then spent a further 15 minutes administering more CPR to Fisher before getting a pulse, TMZ said. The actress was on a ventilator in the UCLA medical centre, the website said. A law enforcement official told NBC that her condition was "not good". Passengers on the plane have been tweeting about what they saw. Fisher appeared in the original Star Wars trilogy and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a sequel released last year. She was in other films including The Blues Brothers and When Harry Met Sally. She has written four novels and three memoirs and was previously married to the musician Paul Simon. She is the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds.

Summary: Friends, family and colleagues have sent best wishes to the actress Carrie Fisher, who is in intensive care after suffering a heart attack during a flight, her brother says.


The Lib Dem leader said the Tories would have to cut 10,000 police officers, 28,000 carers and 25,000 military personnel to pay for the tax cuts promised by George Osborne. He said the poorest would "bear the heaviest burden". David Cameron has accused Mr Clegg of "running away from his record". The Lib Dems have announced that they want to raise the income tax threshold to £12,500 by 2020, which would be funded partly by using the proceeds of measures to clamp down on tax avoidance and evasion. Mr Clegg said the Tory plans to raise the income tax personal allowance to £12,500, and also increase the 40p rate threshold to £50,000 by 2020 would cost more than £7bn. At a press conference at the National Liberal Club in London, Mr Clegg said: "To find that money they will have to do what Tories do best - cut. "Gone are the days of compassionate conservatism. Now they promise to cut and cut and cut. Not because they have to, but because they want to. "As George Osborne has said, the Conservatives will cut much deeper than is necessary to balance the books and make the poorest bear the heaviest burden. "But at the same time they are promising tax giveaways for the wealthy, all of which must be paid for by yet more cuts to public spending. "In the firing line are parents and police officers, soldiers and social workers." This issue includes the wider economy and deficit reduction but also employment and the role of business. Policy guide: Where the parties stand But in an article in The Daily Telegraph Mr Cameron told the newspaper that Mr Clegg's attacks on him will fail, he said: "I don't think it works because you can't run on your record and run away from your record at the same time." Mr Clegg also went on to criticise Labour and said Ed Miliband's plans for the deficit would mean an extra £134 from every taxpayer being spent on debt interest payments. "If the Conservatives will cut too much, Labour will borrow too much. "Labour will borrow £70bn more than we will - meaning an extra £4bn just to pay the interest on our debt," he said. His sentiments were echoed by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander who said the "common thread" running through the Lib Dem approach to tax was fairness. He said: "Fairness means that everyone should pay their taxes, zero tolerance of evasion and aggressive avoidance. Fairness means that as we finish the job of balancing the books, we should ask those who have the most to contribute to most." But in response to Mr Clegg's claims Chris Leslie, Labour's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said nobody could trust the Lib Dems. He said: "They broke their promise not to raise VAT on families and pensioners and backed the Tory tax cut for millionaires. "For all their claims, the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies says families have lost £1,100 a year on average when all this government's changes are

Summary: Nick Clegg has attacked the Conservatives' plans for the economy as he stepped up his attack on his coalition partners since 2010.


For Jenny Tay and Darren Cheng, both undertakers, death played a "central and important part" in the photo shoot, taken for their upcoming wedding in October. "A large part of the shoot was definitely inspired by our jobs," said Ms Tay, who is also the daughter of one of Singapore's most famous undertakers. "Wedding shoots are often staged at places which bring the most memories. For us, work plays such a huge part of our lives so we wanted to do it in style." But that was not the only reason behind the couple's photo shoot. "Death is a part of life and shouldn't be seen as taboo," Ms Tay, who has also written a children's book about dealing with death, told the BBC. "It's important to talk about death; it's part and parcel of everyone's life. Many Asian societies often portray it negatively - we hope to be able to debunk that taboo by encouraging people to be open about death." Wedding photo shoots in Singapore are traditionally taken by many local couples ahead of their banquets. A Star Wars-themed wedding shoot and another one based on the zombie apocalypse were some of the other creative shoots by Singaporean couples. The coffin-themed photo shoot, which was initiated by Ms Tay, took place in a waterway park in Singapore. "We wanted it to be pretty and whimsical, not at all morbid, so we staged it there and not in an actual cemetery," Ms Tay explained. "We also didn't want to scare people and the reaction to it has been very positive." Ms Tay also said the shoot took a day to film, and the weather was "very hot". Chinese geomancers have weighed in on the couple's shoot, and Ms Tay has decided not to display them at their wedding banquet so as not to "disrespect" any of their guests. "Everyone has different opinions and it's not possible for everyone to share the same line of thought as us," she explained, adding that the couple will feature a set of "assassin-themed" wedding photographs taken in Japan instead. But while guests may miss out on their coffin-themed shoot, the pictures drew a huge response on Facebook. "Bravo to Jenny and Darren! They are very daring in their choice for a wedding shoot and I think it's paid off," said a Facebook user. "It's literally 'til death do us part'," said another. Other users were full of praise for the "unique approach" adopted by the couple. "I think their shoot is creative and very tastefully done," said Molly Sim on Facebook. "It's a very nice change from the cookie cutter wedding shoots that we see done at Marina Bay Sands or Sentosa all the time." "This is what you call 'thinking out of the box' - something their children and grandchildren will talk about for decades," said another user Jeffrey Poh.

Summary: A Singaporean couple have created a stir online after posing with a coffin in their wedding photos.


Police said it was found in a private residence in Blanchardstown on Friday night. A number of people were moved from their homes during the alert. The device was then removed to a secure military location for further examination where it was confirmed it was viable.

Summary: Army Bomb experts have made safe an improvised explosive device found in Dublin.


HMP Hewell in Worcestershire was last year highlighted by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for its high levels of assaults and drug use. In a new report, inspectors said there had been one murder and six suicides since their last visit, and incidents of self-harming and bullying were high. The jail said progress had been "slow" but there was a "solid foundation". Since its last inspection, HMIP said there had been "limited progress and deterioration in some areas". Chief inspector Nick Hardwick said Hewell "continued to face real difficulties" and there were "substantial safety concerns". The report said care for prisoners most at risk was "reasonable", but inspectors were concerned some "felt they could only resolve issues, such as access to basic amenities, by self-harming". Most of the criticism was reserved for the closed prison, which houses 1,100 prisoners, with another 200 at the open section at Hewell Grange. Inspectors said arrangements to tackle violence were "inadequate" and they "were not persuaded that the prison was aware of all incidents". The report said more prisoners than normal said they "felt unsafe" and reported "high levels of victimisation". Inspectors also highlighted a number of allegations against staff, some serious, which they said "had been investigated poorly or, in some cases, not at all". Frances Crook, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said it was "the latest in a long line" of negative reports. "Cramming more people into overcrowded and understaffed prisons leads only to more self-harm, more violence and more victims," she said. The organisation said Hewell had seen frontline officers cut from 330 in August 2010 to 170 by the end of June 2014. According to the HMIP report, 40% of cells were overcrowded, while access to basic services such as clothing, cleaning materials and mail were all poor. However, it said hygiene had improved since the "very poor" conditions seen last year. Although cleaning materials were difficult to obtain, the report said drugs and prescription medications were easy to get hold of, according to prisoners. It said 17% had said they had developed a drug problem in the prison. Inspectors said substance misuse services were appreciated by prisoners but their efforts were hampered by staff shortages. There was praise in the report, however, for relations between staff and prisoners, as well as HMP Hewell's approach to resettlement. Responding to the report on behalf of HMP Hewell, Michael Spurr, chief executive of the National Offender Management Service, said: "I accept that progress in delivering necessary improvements at Hewell has been too slow. "Prior to this unannounced inspection a new governor had been appointed to lead a performance improvement programme, and as the chief inspector acknowledges, he is now getting to grips with the issues in a systematic and structured way."

Summary: Vulnerable prisoners at a problem jail are resorting to self-harm to address basic issues, according to inspectors.


The city was brought to a standstill on 15 December last year when a gunman held 18 hostages for 17 hours. Family members of victims Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson were in attendance. Images of the floral tributes that filled the city centre in the wake of the siege were projected on to the cafe and surrounding buildings in an emotional twilight ceremony. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull gave an address saying a "whole nation resolved to answer hatred with love". "Testament to the spirit of Australians is that with such unnecessary, thoughtless tragedy, an amazing birth of mateship, unity and love occurs. Proud to be Australian," he said. How the Sydney siege unfolded New South Wales Premier Mike Baird has also announced plans for a permanent memorial to be built into the pavement in Martin Place. Clear cubes containing flowers will be embedded into the concrete and will shine with specialised lighting. It is a project inspired by the massive floral tributes that were left in the days after the siege. "Something remarkable happened here. As a city we were drawn to Martin Place. We came in shock and in sorrow but every step we took was with purpose," he said on Tuesday.

Summary: Crowds have gathered in Sydney's Martin Place to honour the victims of the Lindt cafe siege, one year on.


It is the third confirmed diagnosis of the H5N8 strain of avian flu in Lincolnshire in about four weeks. Some of the birds at the undisclosed premises in Lincolnshire have died. The rest are due to be culled. Defra said an investigation was "under way to determine the source of the infection". A 1.8-mile (3km) protection zone and a six-mile (10km) surveillance area have been set up around the turkey rearing farm to reduce the risk of the disease spreading. An outbreak of the virus in a flock of about 6,000 turkeys at Low Farm, in Fulstow, near Louth, was "unlikely to be directly linked to the previous case" at the nearby Austen Fen Farm, Defra had said. All restrictions were removed around Austen Fen Farm on 18 January but still remain at Low Farm while an inquiry there continues. This latest case in Boston comes two days after bird flu was found in pheasants that were being bred at a farm in Wyre, Lancashire. The same strain has been discovered in birds in Settle, North Yorkshire, a swannery in Dorset and flocks in Carmarthenshire, south west Wales. In December, the government introduced an avian influenza prevention zone, which lasts until 28 February, to help protect poultry and captive birds from avian flu after the strain was found in 14 European countries including Germany and France.

Summary: Bird flu has been confirmed in a flock of 19,500 turkeys at a farm in Boston, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said.


His comments come on a day marking the first anniversary of a project to protect all of the nation's mangroves. As well as storing carbon, the forests provide habitat for fish and protect communities from tsunamis and cyclones. Also on Tuesday - World Mangrove Day - Sri Lanka's president will open the world's first mangrove museum. The museum will act as a hub for conservation training for adults, and educating children about the value of mangroves. It is estimated that 20,000 pupils will visit the museum in the first year. Read also: The community who won back their mangroves The Sri Lankan government has also included mangrove forest conservation into its national curriculum. The museum is a central pillar of a five-year programme to protect all of the island nation's mangroves. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said: "Mangroves swiftly absorb carbon dioxide and inject oxygen into the atmosphere, maintaining an ecological balance vital for the environment. "It is my belief that the mangrove restoration project will generate much needed awareness among key stakeholders such as the community, leisure sector personnel, tourists, and the general public." He added: "It is my hope that this will be the beginning of a long-term effort to sustain the mangroves for greater conservation benefit." In partnership with island conservation organisation Seacology and local NGO Sudeesa, the Sri Lankan government has identified all of the nation's 15,000 hectares of mangrove forests, and has surveyed almost half of them. Ministers have also introduced legislation to protect the habitats and have assigned forest officers to help guard them. Seacology executive director Duane Silverstein explained that although the project required US $3.4 million of funding, the sum was dwarfed when the ecosystem services provided by Sri Lanka's mangrove forests were taken into account. "In last year, research has been published looking at the economic value of mangrove in Asia," he said. "It has concluded that each hectare has a value of US $194,000 - that would put an economic value of our project at US $2.9 billion." He told BBC News that mangroves were critical in a number of areas, socially as well as environmentally. "Firstly, they provide nurseries for young fish, which are protected among the mangrove roots," he explained. "Secondly, and increasingly important, they provide protection from natural disasters such as tsunamis and cyclones. They disperse the energy in the sea and waves, therefore the villages that have intact mangroves suffer significantly less damage. "Thirdly, and most importantly, mangrove forests sequester far much more carbon than other times of forest. A recent UN report estimated that mangroves store about 1,000 tonnes per hectare in their biomass and underlying soil. There is a minimum of 15,000 hectares of mangrove in Sri Lanka, meaning that the country's mangroves are sequestering 15 million tonnes of carbon." One of the threats facing mangrove forests around the world is the emergence of shrimp farms in order to meet the growing global demand for shrimps/prawns. In order to build saltwater ponds needed to rear the crustaceans, mangroves - which grown in the intertidal area of shorelines

Summary: Sri Lanka's prime minister has said mangroves' ability to swiftly absorb carbon make the forests vital in the fight against climate change.


An early build of the new OS, known as Android N, was released on Thursday for app developers to test. Google said it had released the beta software earlier than usual so that device manufacturers could get the finished version sooner. At the moment, fewer than 3% of Android phones run the latest OS, Marshmallow. Typically, Google discusses the next generation of its Android OS at its annual developer conference in the summer. But this year it has released a first draft earlier than expected. "By releasing the first preview and asking for your feedback now (in March!), we'll be able to act on that feedback while still being able to hand off the final N release to device makers this summer," wrote Hiroshi Lockheimer, senior vice president of Android, in a blog post. On Monday, Google published statistics that showed an older version of Android, Lollipop, was still more widely used than the latest variant. About 36% of Android devices run Lollipop, with fewer than 3% running the newer Marshmallow. But a range of new smartphones running Marshmallow, from manufacturers such as Samsung and LG, are due to be released. Android N will introduce split-screen multitasking that allows people to use two apps at the same time. Information can be copied across from one app to the other. A similar feature is already available on some iOS and Windows 10 devices, and Samsung has already added the feature to some of its Android smartphones. The new software also introduces some cosmetic changes to settings and notifications, and aims to improve battery life. Google has traditionally named new versions of the operating system after sweet treats, as was the case with Lollipop and Marshmallow. The newest version has not yet been named but it has been suggested that Android N will be named after a popular chocolate and hazelnut breakfast spread. "We're nut tellin' you yet," said Mr Lockheimer, possibly hinting at the name.

Summary: Split-screen multitasking and improved notification controls are among the new features being added to the Android operating system (OS).


John Bieniewicz, 44, was struck on Sunday during the game in a park. He was unconscious on the ground in the park when authorities arrived and died in hospital on Tuesday. Baseel Abdul-Amir Saad, 36, has been charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm. But authorities say the charges could be amended following further investigation. Bieniewicz was an experienced referee who worked at all levels of competition, and a husband and father of two sons, according to media reports and a memorial page set up in his memory. "I speak for all his friends when I say we are devastated. Crushed. Just a senseless way for a great guy to go out," Bieniewicz's friend Jim Acho told the Associated Press news agency. Witnesses at the game in Livonia reported seeing Bieniewicz stop play to eject Mr Saad, who had complained about a call and was issued a second caution. Player Scott Herkes told the Detroit Free Press Bieniewicz was looking down and did not see the punch coming. "The ref did nothing to provoke this attack," Mr Herkes said. "I have never in my life seen something like this." Mr Saad reportedly left the field after the incident, and several players got the license plate number of his vehicle as he left. His lawyer Brian Berry told local media his client was co-operating and had voluntarily turned himself in to police. "Based on certain witness statements that have not yet been published, it is believed that the facts of this case have been mischaracterised," Mr Berry wrote in an email to the Detroit Free Press. "As tragic as this event is, we must keep open minds and listen and wait for all the facts of this case to unfold." It is the second such fatal case in as many years. In April 2013, a teenaged player punched referee Ricardo Portillo during a football game in Utah. The father of three died after a week in a coma. The teenager subsequently pleaded guilty to homicide.

Summary: A football referee in the US state of Michigan has died after being punched in the head during an altercation with a player he was ejecting from a match, according to police and witnesses.


Officers from the Environment Agency found 20,000 tyres when they visited the site at Seacoast Road, Bellarena, near Limavady, last year. The men did not have a licence to keep tyres or to use any material as sea defences. They both pleaded guilty to one charge under waste legislation and one under the marine legislation. Gregory Allen, 43, of Seacoast Road Bellarena and David McCullough, 68, of Old Antrim Road Ballymena, were sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for two years. The tyres were found buried in and resting beside the shoreline of Lough Foyle. A formal notice to remove the waste, sent to Mr Allen, was not complied with. The site was owned by Mr Allen and rented by Mr McCullough.

Summary: Two men discovered using thousands of tyres as an illegal sea defence have been given suspended sentences.


The study by Napier University found those on benefits were anxious that changes to their circumstances would push them into "crisis situations". Scottish Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil urged the UK government to rethink its reforms. But the Department for Work and Pensions said the changes were designed to help people into work. The Welfare Reform Tracking Study, which was carried out by Edinburgh Napier University on behalf of the Scottish government, also highlighted criticism of how the details of reforms were communicated to recipients of benefits. Some disabled people who took part in the study said they felt they had to present themselves in a "negative light and focus on their limitations" when claiming. Other participants spoke of stress, anxiety and depression brought on by assessments, and a fear of further changes. Mr Neil accused the UK government's "austerity agenda and benefit cuts" of having a "damaging effect" on people in Scotland. He added: "Their approach is slashing the incomes of some of our poorest households and pushing 100,000 children into poverty. "The study is further evidence that people are living in constant anxiety about changes to their entitlements and are already suffering from the effects of around Â£6bn of cuts taken from Scottish welfare expenditure over the last five years. "Despite these frustrations we will do all we can to use our new powers to make our system fairer and simpler and work to improve the experience for people." However, a spokesman for the Department of Work and pensions said the reforms were about giving people peace of mind. He added: "Reforms to welfare are designed to help people into work, giving more people the peace of mind and security that comes with a steady income - there are now near record numbers of people in Scotland in a job. "The government provides a safety net to support millions of people who are unemployed or on low incomes, spending Â£94bn a year across the UK on working age benefits."

Summary: Welfare reforms are making people live in "constant fear" of cuts to their benefits, according to a report.


The 20-year-old had been named in the Nigeria squad for the first time, having played at youth level and helped to win the 2013 Under-17 World Cup. Chelsea winger Victor Moses (hamstring) and Mainz defender Leon Balogun (muscular injury) are also out. Godwin Obaje, Chisom Egbuchulam and Uche Henry Agbo are their replacements. Success appeared to be in line to make his Super Eagles debut, particularly after he came off the bench to score for Watford and earn them a draw against Bournemouth on Saturday. But Nigeria Football Federation spokesman Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport: "We received a letter from Chelsea concerning Moses and striker Isaac Success has a knock and finding it difficult to walk. "Locally-based stars Godwin Obaje and Chisom Egbuchulam will replace the premier league duo, while Uche Agbo has since filled the void created by Balogun's absence." Egbuchulam's 15 goals, including a hat-trick on the final day of the season on Sunday, led Enugu Rangers to their seventh Nigerian league title - their first in 32 years. Wikki Tourists in-form striker Obaje finished as top scorer with 18 goals to steer his club to a third place finish and a spot in next year's Caf Confederation Cup. Odion Ighalo has been left out to attend the burial of his father a day before the match. But John Mikel Obi is also on the 23-man list despite not playing for Chelsea yet this season. Obi captained Nigeria at the Olympics in Brazil and led them to a bronze medal but has not featured for new Chelsea boss Antonio Conte since his return. Coach Gernot Rohr has largely kept faith with the side that earned a 1-0 win over Tanzania in a dead-rubber 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in early September. But there are recalls for Arsenal forward Alex Iwobi, Chelsea loanee Kenneth Omeruo and Belgium-based midfielder Anderson Esiti, who all missed Rohr's first game in charge of the Super Eagles. Injured Moses Simon is listed after assuring Rohr that he would be fully fit before the game. Nigeria are in Group B, with Cameroon and Algeria - who have both been at the past two World Cup finals - alongside 2012 Africa Cup of Nations winners Zambia. There are five groups of four teams with only the winners of each group making it to the tournament in Russia. Nigeria have missed out on the last Nations Cups but have appeared at the last two World Cups in South Africa and Brazil, reaching the last 16 in 2014. Nigeria squad: Goalkeepers: Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah) Defenders: Uche Agbo (Granada - on loan from Watford, Spain); William Troost-Ekong (Haugesund FC, Norway); Kenneth Omeruo (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Jamiu Alimi (Kano Pillars); Abdullahi Shehu (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Musa Muhammed (Istanbul Basaksehir, Turkey); Elderson Echiejile (Standard Liege, Belgium), Kingsley Madu (SV Zulte Waregem, Belgium) Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea, England); Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (KRC Genk, Belgium); Nosa Igiebor (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel), Anderson Esiti (KAA Gent, Belgium) Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Leicester

Summary: Watford's Isaac Success will not make his Nigeria debut in their 2018 World Cup qualifier against Zambia after picking up an injury.


Speaking during a parliamentary debate, Philip Hollobone said individual fireworks are extremely dangerous. But business minister Jo Johnson dismissed a ban and insisted current laws work well. The debate came after a petition to restrict the use of fireworks attracted more than 100,000 names. The petition, which called for restrictions on when fireworks can be used, was started by Jill Cutsforth, from Beverley, East Yorkshire, and Julie Doorne, from Sleaford, Lincolnshire in a bid to reduce stress and fear in people and animals. But, Mr Hollobone, MP for Kettering, called for the government to go further. He said: "I think there's great merit in saying all fireworks displays need to be licensed with a licensed operator, and frankly, amateur family-organised fireworks displays in people's back gardens are basically rubbish." Labour's Angela Smith, a member of the the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, also backed the petition, arguing that restricting the number of days the public and organised events can set off fireworks should be restricted. She said: "Ideally, we would end the use of fireworks in back gardens. But I do understand the difficulty in delivering that as policy." Instead, she called for tighter regulations to govern how people use fireworks. Mr Johnson acknowledged the concerns raised but said restricting their use to traditional holidays would be ineffective. "It is likely that those who already use fireworks in an anti-social or inconsiderate way would not be deterred by further regulation," he said. He added: "Restrictions in use could lead to a drop in legitimate sales, leading to job losses not only in the firework industry but independent and associated businesses." Bracknell MP Phillip Lee also warned the debate that restricting the number of days that displays are permitted could reduce the viability of well-performing fireworks businesses. The government said following the debate it would continue to monitor the situation closely.

Summary: Amateur home firework displays should be banned, in favour of licensed organised displays, a Tory MP has suggested.


Edinburgh will also provide the venue for the European Challenge Cup the same year, but the host stadium has yet to be chosen for that event. European Professional Club Rugby announced the decision in Geneva ahead of next season's competition draws. France will host the 2016 finals, with both being played at the new Grand Stade de Lyon over one weekend. The Edinburgh finals will also take place over the same weekend. Scottish Rugby director of commercial operations, communications and public affairs Dominic McKay said: "It is a real endorsement of the work Scottish Rugby and its partners have achieved and will create a fantastic sporting weekend in Edinburgh and bring fans to the city from across Europe. "We have a great track record of putting on world-class events, including the highly successful hosting of the previous European Cup finals in 2005 and 2009 at BT Murrayfield, and this award will give us a further chance to showcase the passion for rugby and international sport here in Scotland." The Scottish Government and Event Scotland assisted the Edinburgh bid and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "After what has been quite a successful season for rugby in Scotland with Glasgow being crowned Pro12 champions and Edinburgh reaching the final of the European Challenge Cup, this announcement will keep the feel-good factor in the game going." Clubs finishing highest in the Celtic, English and French leagues qualify for the Champions Cup, while the others take part in the Challenge Cup. Edinburgh were beaten by Gloucester in last season's Challenge Cup final, hosted by Harlequins at the Stoop, while Twickenham was the venue for the Champions Cup final in which Toulon defeated French rivals Clermont Auvergne. Next season's Challenge Cup final will be played in Lyon on Friday 13 May, while the final of the Champions Cup will take place the next day. European Rugby said it had chosen the 2017 host city now to give organisers greater preparation time. President Simon Halliday said: "We received an extremely interesting also from the Scottish Rugby and we wanted to recognise choosing the renowned city of Edinburgh for the finals of 2017." The news was welcomed by Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend. "It's more than just a one-off game now with the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup played in the same city on the same weekend," he said. "With the quality of players in both tournaments, it's the highest level of club rugby, certainly in Europe if not in the world, so it'll be one of those must-see events. "It's great for Scottish rugby that it's going to take place in Edinburgh."

Summary: Murrayfield Stadium has been chosen to host the 2017 European Champions Cup final in May of that year.


Stocktrade is being transferred to the Dundee-headquartered firm for £14m in cash. Its most recent annual revenue was £9m, with £1.3m in pre-tax profit. Last September, Stocktrade had £4.3bn of assets under management. The buyer said it now stands at £4.6bn, bringing 48,000 new customers. That should increase the scale of Alliance Trust Savings to £11.5bn in assets under management, with 105,000 customers, allowing for more efficient operations. It will also increase the Dundonians range of services, including telephone and online share dealing services for pension providers, building societies, company share schemes and corporate Individual Savings Accounts. Brewin Dolphin said the sale would only clear a net gain of £1m, after paying for separation costs. The deal still requires clearance from regulators, and is expected to close during this year. Alliance Trust Savings was part of the strategy last month criticised by Elliott Advisers, the hedge fund and activist investor in parent company Alliance Trust. In criticising the Dundee company's management, it succeeded in getting two new directors appointed. They could have sought to block further expansion of the financial retail platform. But it appears, from this deal, that they have agreed to expenditure on growth. Alliance Trust believes that the expansion could help its savings division into profit by 2016, apart from the cost of integration. Patrick Mill, managing director of Alliance Trust Savings (ATS), said: "Stocktrade is a great strategic fit for ATS, giving us access to new customers, an increase in assets and the opportunity to build a strategic partnership capability. "It also gives us the ability to align a traditional stockbroking business with our innovative, scalable and cost effective approach by offering customers online access alongside our in-house customer service team."

Summary: Alliance Trust Savings has announced plans to buy an Edinburgh-based share trading company from Brewin Dolphin.


But the Belgian capital remains on the highest alert level, with hundreds of armed police and soldiers on patrol. Authorities fear Paris-style attacks may be carried out, as at least one Paris gunman had lived in Brussels. France says 130 people died in a series of attacks in Paris. At least one suspected attacker is still at large. The so-called Islamic State (IS) group says it carried out the attacks. Five people have been charged in Belgium with terrorism offences in connection with the attacks in the neighbouring country. In Brussels, public transport was due to start running again from 06:00 (GMT) though some metro lines will remain closed. Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected ringleader who was killed in police raids in the Parisian suburb of Saint Denis, was near the Bataclan theatre during a deadly siege there, it has emerged. French officials say mobile phone data also show he returned to cafes and restaurants targeted in the attacks. They say there is evidence that Abaaoud was planning an attack on the La Defense business district. Paris under attack How the Paris attacks are affecting Muslim children Interview transcript: 'My brothers were manipulated, not radicalised' Special report: In-depth coverage of the attacks and their aftermath On Tuesday, an arrest warrant was issued in Belgium for a man named Mohamed Abrini over the attacks. Prosecutors say that two days before the attacks, he was seen driving a car with suspect Salah Abdeslam at a petrol station on the motorway to Paris. Abrini is described as "dangerous and probably armed". Abdeslam is currently the subject of an international manhunt after the attacks. The Renault Clio that Abrini was seen driving was later used in the attacks, prosecutors say. Police say he should not be approached by the public. Belgian prosecutors also said on Tuesday that they had partially identified two other men taken into custody. The men, named as Ali O and Lazez A, are both from the Brussels district of Molenbeek, and both will appear separately in court during the course of this week. Also on Tuesday, French President Francois Hollande met US President Barack Obama in Washington where the two leaders re-iterated their commitment to eradicating IS. Mr Obama said there would be increased co-operation with France to hit IS targets in Iraq and Syria, and called on the EU to finally implement an agreement that would require airlines to the share passenger information.

Summary: The Brussels metro and schools are due to reopen after they were shut four days ago in a security crackdown following the Paris attacks.


Andal Ampatuan Junior is accused of orchestrating the murder of 57 unarmed civilians, who were ambushed, killed and clumsily buried in a mass grave in the southern province of Maguindanao last November. Another 27 members of his family have also been charged in connection with the killings - five are with him in custody - and they all deny the charges against them. But for many Filipinos, this trial is about much more than establishing the guilt or innocence of one man, or even one family. It's about the huge influence of clans like the Ampatuans, and the culture of impunity surrounding them. While their involvement in the massacre has yet to be proven, there is no doubt whatsoever that the Ampatuans were - and still are - extremely powerful. The Ampatuans have been in Maguindanao for centuries, and can trace their lineage to a Muslim preacher, Shariff Aguak, who was one of the first people to bring the Islamic faith to the area. But they were not always the dominant force they are today. According to Arnold Esguerra, a history professor at the University of the Philippines in Manila, the surname Ampatuan only started to appear in official documents in the early part of the 20th Century. At that stage they were influential traders, he said - but their social status was definitely beneath that of the "datus", the traditional clan rulers. The situation changed in the mid-1970s, when then-President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law, and tried to stamp out the growing Islamic separatist movement by selecting a few people he could trust to administer the province. One of those people was Andal Ampatuan Junior's father, Andal Senior, who is now the undisputed head of the family clan. First, he became the mayor of Maganoy town - and then, during the presidency of Cory Aquino, he was given the more powerful role of officer-in-charge. But it was under President Gloria Arroyo, who came to power in 2001, when the Ampatuans really came to prominence. Andal Senior became governor of Maguindanao, a post he has now held for the maximum three terms. Then in 2005 his son Zaldy became the governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao - an influential post controlling the five Muslim provinces that have been given a degree of self-rule from central government. 'Heights of power' Andal Junior became mayor of Datu Unsay, a town that bears his nickname, and at the time of the massacre, 10 of Maguindanao's 34 municipalities were run by Ampatuans or their relatives. Mrs Arroyo's government was good to the Ampatuans, providing funds for the region, and in the process propelling Andal Senior to "undreamed-of heights of power", according to a report by the International Crisis Group. In 2006, Mrs Arroyo issued an executive order legalising the informal private "armies" being kept by families like the Ampatuans, enabling them to work alongside the regular army - but by extension legitimising their use as a means of local control. In return the Ampatuans openly supported her in election campaigns. There are widespread claims

Summary: The main suspect in the most brutal massacre in recent Philippine history has gone on trial.


They were among four people who were on Irish Coastguard Rescue 116 helicopter when it crashed on Tuesday. The funeral for pilot Captain Dara Fitzpatrick was held on Saturday. The search, which has been impeded by adverse weather, will also focus on finding the wreckage of the helicopter. The priority for those involved in the multi-agency operation has been to recover the bodies of chief pilot Mark Duffy and winchmen Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith. Heavy swells have so far prevented those involved from getting near to the site where a signal from the helicopter's black box was located close to Blackrock Lighthouse. Search crews hope the missing crew will be located in the wreckage of the helicopter. The Commissioners of Irish Lights ship Granuaile left Galway on Saturday evening after being loaded with specialist equipment, including a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) that could be used to access difficult to reach undersea areas. The vessel is equipped with a 20-tonne crane, which could be used to lift wreckage from the sea bed. A surface water search resumed on Sunday morning involving coastguard units, the RNLI and Irish naval ship LÉ Eithne in addition to extensive coastline searches at Belmullet and Achill. Naval divers are on standby and will be deployed as soon as conditions permit. Captain Fitzpatrick was recovered from the sea, hours after the helicopter crashed in the early hours of Tuesday morning. She was the mother of a young son and the most senior pilot with CHC which runs the contract to provide search and rescue services in the Republic of Ireland. Hundreds of mourners attended her funeral at St Patrick's Church in Glencullen, County Dublin. Members of the Irish coastguard formed a guard of honour and the coastguard helicopter did a fly-past.

Summary: A ship with specialist equipment has arrived at Blacksod Bay off the County Mayo coast to assist in the search for three missing Irish coastguard members.


Dale Merza, 20, is charged with misdemeanour hazing after the alleged attack last October on Andrew Seely, 19, at Central Michigan University. Mr Seely, who was sleeping at the time of the incident, sought medical treatment for serous facial swelling. The accused could get 93 days in jail and a $1,000 (Â£800) fine if convicted. Mr Merza's legal representative told the Detroit Free Press his client, who was charged on Friday in Isabella County District Court, was innocent. "This case has been blown way out of proportion by the individual's family members, who were not present and don't have any of the facts," lawyer Bruce Leach told the newspaper. It is an induction ritual meted out typically to new members of the US college men and women's social clubs known as fraternities and sororities, but also to military recruits. The practice can include physical violence, sexual coercion, forced alcohol consumption, or degrading and dangerous "pranks" such as forcing people to eat vile food mixtures or consume large amounts of water. It is illegal in most US states, amounting usually to a misdemeanour charge, unless there are serious injuries. There has been a nationwide crackdown on hazing after high-profile deaths including that of Florida A&M University drumming student Robert Champion. Why is hazing so common? Mr Seely was targeted at an off-campus fraternity house, Alpha Chi Rho, which was sanctioned in 2011 for hazing incidents. His mother, Teresa Seely, wrote about the alleged hazing in a viral Facebook post in March, saying: "He could have been killed." The accounting student only told his family what had happened months afterwards. He blamed the incident for his decision to leave the college. The teenager's father, Paul Seely, told CBS News his son could have been killed if the peanut butter had entered his mouth. The Seely family said their son had made known to other members of the fraternity that he had a severe peanut allergy, for which he carries medication. The National Fraternity of Alphi Chi Rho condemned the incident, saying it did not condone such behaviour. "Alpha Chi Rho is appalled and upset by the actions taken by individuals against Andrew Seely," said its statement.

Summary: A US student has been charged with smearing peanut butter in the face of an undergraduate who has a potentially deadly allergy.


The Care Quality Commission (CQC) made a number of recommendations including ensuring nursing staffing levels were safe at Sandwell General Hospital and City Hospital in Birmingham. It also called for improvements in A&E, medical care and surgery. Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust said it is "working hard already to address the issues". Care at the trust was given an overall rating of "requires improvement". The CQC said: "The trust was rated as 'inadequate' with regard to whether [it] was always providing a service that is safe." Source: CQC inspection between 14-17 and 25-30 October The trust said the report made for "difficult reading". Chief executive Toby Lewis said: "The areas of improvement identified in the report are not a surprise to us at the trust, even where they are disappointing, or make difficult reading." CQC's chief inspector, Prof Sir Mike Richards, said: "While we witnessed areas of good practice it is clear that the trust has work to do to make improvements which are sustainable long term." Inspectors will return to check whether the necessary changes have taken place and the CQC will continue to monitor the trust "closely". Mr Lewis said: "During the CQC visit, inspectors saw some individual examples of poor practice in some departments around hand washing, security of medicines and completion of patient records." He said these individual examples "are not acceptable" and it is up to the trust leadership to ensure it gets "the basics right, first time, every time for every patient".

Summary: The safety of services at a trust running two hospitals has been rated "inadequate" by a health watchdog.


A Monitor report published in February called for the closure of acute services including the A&E department. The trust that runs the hospital was put into administration by the health regulator Monitor on Monday. Support Stafford Hospital campaigners and police said up to 30,000 people had joined the mile-long march, from the town centre to the hospital. The campaign group said the town's Market Square was so full of protesters it took 45 minutes for it to clear after the march started at about 1400 BST. Thousands of people had previously signed a petition calling for Stafford Hospital's services to remain and a campaign shop from the protest group has been set up in the town centre. By Chris KingBBC Radio Stoke For the past four years the name "Stafford Hospital" has been a byword for everything that is bad about the NHS. Today, 30,000 people turned out with their banners and placards to send out the message that they believe their hospital is now safe, and they are prepared to fight for its future. The special administrators were not there today but they will find it hard to ignore the views of so many people. Last week they told me that they were starting with a blank sheet of paper when it came to the future of services at the Mid Staffordshire Trust. This afternoon the people of Stafford gave them a clear indication of what they'd like them to write on it. Jean Tabarner, one of the marchers, said she had had cancer and that Stafford Hospital had saved her life. She said: "We've got to try - if you don't try, no-one will listen. We've got to keep plugging away and hope that the administrators listen to what the people around here want." Sue Hawkins, chair of the Support Stafford Hospital group, said she believed it was important for people to move on from what had happened in the past at the hospital. She said: "We've got a safe hospital today and we're looking to the future." She added: "We need to have an intensive care unit here, we need to have an accident and emergency 24 hours a day and we believe that's possible. "We know there have to be changes, we know there may have to be some alliance with another hospital to achieve that." Stafford Borough Council leader Mike Heenan, who joined the marchers, said: "The important thing is delivering services locally, for the local people. "That's what we're fighting for - so that acute services can stay in Stafford." Monitor has given the administrators for the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust, Ernst and Young, 145 days to work with local healthcare organisations to produce a "sustainable plan" for the future of services at the Stafford and Cannock Chase hospitals. The Contingency Planning Team (CPT) report to Monitor last month said staffing levels at the hospitals were not sufficient to meet required standards in the long term, given the current range of services and number of patients. It said some services, including accident and emergency, intensive care

Summary: Thousands of people have marched in opposition to plans to downgrade Stafford Hospital's services.


The future of the outdoor pool in Milford Haven was uncertain after the county council voted to cut its Â£1,000 annual budget. But the town's Astoria nightclub and the Church at Nantucket donated Â£1,000 to keep it open this year. Members of the Milford Haven Ladies Circle also offered to prepare the pool ready for its opening in July. Pembrokeshire council said it would work with elected members, the town council and the community to "ensure a bright future for the town's paddling pool". Mayor of Milford Haven, Colin Sharp, said the pool had "always been an important feature in Milford Haven" but its future was still unclear.

Summary: A Pembrokeshire paddling pool which had its funding cut will open this summer thanks to donations.


The IMF said the mainland should reduce foreign exchange intervention. China's currency is widely seen as undervalued and the country was accused for years of suppressing the yuan in order to boost exports. China says it is trying to manage the yuan's value against other currencies. Analysts say that in reality it is still pegged to the dollar. The IMF also said fiscal stimulus should be China's "first line of defence" in its economic slowdown. It predicted China's growth would stabilise at around 6% by 2017. The IMF also recommended there should be an emphasis on supporting private consumption. China's economy grew by 7% in the first quarter of the year, a large figure by Western standards, but the lowest for the country since the financial crisis of 2009. Last year its growth slowed to its weakest in 24 years, expanding by 7.4% in 2014 down from 7.7% in 2013. Foreign exchange and reform In April, the US Treasury Department said China's currency needed to appreciate further "to bring about the necessary internal rebalancing towards household consumption". It did not label the country as a currency manipulator, however, and said China had made progress, with its "real effective exchange rate appreciating meaningfully over the past six months". But the US said further appreciation was needed to prevent the yuan becoming more undervalued, particularly as the mainland continued to see productivity growth greater than its major trading partners. In its latest economic outlook for the Asia Pacific the IMF said the mainland needed reforms that "reorient the economy away from excessive reliance on real estate, heavy industry, and external demand". It said China should implement "without delay" a blueprint of reforms that was introduced in 2013 - including a clampdown on risky credit activity such as shadow banking. It said the reforms were critical to sustainable growth. In its Thursday report, the IMF forecast an expansion of 5.5% for the wider Asia Pacific region over the next two years. Consumption was the main engine of growth across the region, it said, except in Japan where consumption was not as robust. It said world growth would to pick up modestly to 3.5% in 2015 and to 3.7% in 2016.

Summary: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said China should continue to provide "greater flexibility" in its exchange rate policy as the country continues to see slower growth.


Striker Nelson, 19, went off injured just minutes after being introduced as a substitute in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Plymouth Argyle. He has played four games for Pools since joining in January. "It's doubtful that he will be able to play again this season," head physio Ian Gallagher told the club website. Manager Dave Jones said: "It's so unfortunate for Andrew and for us. "He's come here looking to gain some senior experience, had done well in the games he's played and has slotted in well with the rest of the lads."

Summary: Hartlepool United loanee Andrew Nelson has returned to parent club Sunderland for treatment after scans showed he has damaged medial knee ligaments.


Robinson led the club back to the Premiership in May, ending their seven-year stay in the Championship. But Bristol have lost all seven top-flight games so far this season, leaving them bottom of the table. The 52-year-old former England and Scotland head coach has been in charge at Bristol since 2013. Robinson only signed a new three-year contract with the Ashton Gate side in August, but they have since lost all nine of their competitive fixtures - including two in the European Challenge Cup. A club statement said: "Bristol Rugby have decided, following the extremely disappointing start to the season, to appoint Mark Tainton as acting head coach with immediate effect." Kicking coach Tainton, who joined Bristol prior to the start of the season, has previously worked at London Irish, Wasps and for the Ireland national team coaching staff. "This is clearly a very difficult time for the club, but we remain confident we can retain our position in the Premiership," added Bristol chairman Chris Booy. Since Bristol's long-awaited return to the top flight began with an encouraging 21-19 loss at Harlequins on the opening day, both results and performances have failed to meet expectations. A heavy 70-22 defeat at Wasps on 18 September set the tone for a defence which has conceded 34 tries in seven league games. Injuries have undoubtedly hampered Robinson's side, with 15 senior players ruled out of October's Challenge Cup loss at local rivals Bath. Long-term absentees have included influential former Wales centre Gavin Henson, who was forced off injured in both of his two appearances this season, including Sunday's 31-13 home defeat by Sale Sharks. BBC Radio 5 live rugby union reporter Chris Jones "Bristol spent seven seasons down in the Championship, so it's no surprise that they have acted swiftly following their chastening start to their Premiership campaign. "Although the club say Robinson is suspended, not sacked, it's hard to see him returning to take charge of team affairs, and it's likely the suspension is a case of negotiating severance. "Mark Tainton will be acting head coach while a review is carried out, with Bristol needing a dramatic upturn in their fortunes on the pitch to avoid an immediate return to the second tier."

Summary: Bristol have suspended director of rugby Andy Robinson pending a "review of their coaching needs", and placed coach Mark Tainton in interim charge.


The sofa was seen perched in the boot of the Toyota Celica on the A140 in Long Stratton, Norfolk, on Saturday by traffic officers, police said. They found it was tied in by a loose, thin, suitcase-like strap, that was "only partially holding the sofa". The driver was given a traffic offence report notice and may face more action. An officer on a motorcycle saw the vehicle at about 15:10 GMT. The Norfolk and Suffolk Roads Policing Unit tweeted about it and said it made them do a "double take". "More suitable vehicle or straps would be a better bet," the unit added.

Summary: Police have stopped a driver after they spotted a sofa precariously hanging out of the back of a sports car travelling on a busy road.


Matthew Daley, 35, denies murder but admits attacking Donald Lock, 79, in Findon, near Worthing, last July, claiming diminished responsibility. Lewes Crown Court heard that rather than having Asperger's syndrome he had an underlying paranoid schizophrenic illness that was undiagnosed for years. Forensic psychiatrist Dr Roderick Ley made the assessment after the stabbing. Mr Lock, a retired solicitor, was stabbed after crashing at about 16mph into the back of Mr Daley's car on the A24 in West Sussex on 16 July. He was forced to brake suddenly after Mr Daley made an emergency stop. The great-grandfather, who had recently been given the all-clear from prostate cancer, died at the scene. The trial has heard how Mr Daley, formerly of St Elmo Road, Worthing, had been suffering from mental health problems for 10 years, and his family had "pleaded" with experts to section him. On Monday, Dr Ley told jurors: "It's clear that the diagnosis of Asperger's was wrong. "He has an underlying paranoid schizophrenic illness that was undiagnosed for many, many years." He said Mr Daley was not psychotic every moment of every day, and he would often "downplay" his symptoms. However, Dr Ley agreed that he exhibited "narcissistic", "histrionic" and "self-centred" traits, adding that it was unlikely he would ever have complete resolution of his illness. Another expert, consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Philip Joseph, said he was satisfied on all the evidence he had seen that Mr Daley was not psychotic at the time of the killing. Jurors also head from Mr Daley's father, who said his son had never been a violent person. John Daley described him as a "nice guy" who was affectionate to his family and animals. He said Mr Daley was "scrupulously honest in all his dealings with others, honest to a fault in that he finds it difficult to lie about things". He told the court that he first became worried about his son's mental health when he reported hearing voices. Mr Daley said he started a journal, partly to keep track of his son's treatment. "The second reason for having the document was, as time went on, it was clear that Matthew's life expectations were draining away and I didn't want to be in my 80s and look back saying, 'What did I do'?" The trial continues.

Summary: A man who stabbed a motorist 39 times after a crash was misdiagnosed with a form of autism, a court has been told.


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Summary: Each day we feature a photograph sent in from across England - the gallery will grow during the week.


Media playback is not supported on this device Drogba, 39, has not played since leaving Major League Soccer club Montreal Impact in November. He will start out as a player but has also joined Phoenix's "MLS expansion franchise ownership group". "To own a team and be a player at the same time is unusual but it's going to be very exciting," Drogba said. "It's a good transition because I want to carry on playing but I'm almost 40 and it's important for me to prepare for my later career." Phoenix have just started their fourth season in the Western Conference of USL, which forms part of the second tier of the American league system. The Arizona club hope to become one of four planned expansion teams in MLS over the next three years. "I had offers from China, from England - in both the Premier League and even the Championship - but they were only as a player," Drogba told The Premier League Show. "This was the right offer because it was important for me to think about playing, because I enjoy it, but also to get to the next stage of my career." Drogba scored 157 goals in 341 appearances during his first spell at Chelsea from 2004 to 2012, winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League. Following moves to Shanghai Shenhua in China and Turkish side Galatasaray, Drogba returned to the Blues for the 2014-15 season, scoring seven goals in 40 appearances, helping Jose Mourinho's side to the title, before 18 months with Montreal. He joins former Chelsea team-mate Shaun Wright-Phillips at Phoenix, who have one win and two defeats from three games this season. "I'm still a player but it's important to respect the decision of the manager," added Drogba, who is Ivory Coast's record goalscorer. "When we're on the pitch, he's going to be the one who decides and when we go to board meetings, it's a different thing." Watch the full interview with Didier Drogba in The Premier League show on BBC Two on Thursday, 13 April (22:00 BST) .

Summary: Former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba has joined United Soccer League side Phoenix Rising as a player and co-owner.


He welcomed Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Enda Kenny's comments on a possible referendum on Irish unity. DUP MP Ian Paisley said Mr Kenny was "being mischievous". The taoiseach said Brexit talks should consider that a clause in the Good Friday Agreement could result in the calling of a referendum. In his remarks to reporters on Monday at the annual MacGill Summer School in Glenties, County Donegal, Mr Kenny said the triggering of a border poll required "clear evidence of a majority of people wishing to leave the UK and join the Republic". He added: "It may be, in the eyes of some, a fanciful theory but who knows what happens in 10, 20 years time?" Adams responded by calling for all parties supporting a united Ireland "to discuss how best this can be achieved." "In the context of the north being dragged out of the EU by England, there is now a greater opportunity to achieve this," he said. North Antrim MP Mr Paisley said Secretary of State James Brokenshire and his predecessor, Theresa Villiers, had both ruled out holding a referendum. "It's not going to happen," he said. "We all know in the next nine months Enda Kenny is not going to be taoiseach. So, he's really just being mischievous.," Mr Paisley added. Ulster Unionist MLA Jenny Palmer described Mr Kenny's comments as "much ado about nothing". She said that, in the wake of the EU referendum, the Stormont executive's priority should be "to convince the people of Northern Ireland that they have a plan for the way forward for our economy, our farmers, our voluntary and community groups, our universities and everyone else who depends heavily on EU funding and support."

Summary: Sinn FÃ©in leader Gerry Adams has said there is "a need to be open and imaginative" on new constitutional arrangements.


On Friday, Shane Long's first-half goal looked set to give the hosts victory before Luuk de Jong's late equaliser. "I was very pleased - I thought we did fine," said O'Neill. "The Dutch had good possession of the ball (early on), which was actually very good for us because we had to play without it for a little while." He added: "Then we scored the goal, which obviously gave us a big lift. I thought we played fine, we kept possession of the ball reasonably well after that." Media playback is not supported on this device However, O'Neill rued de Jong's 85th-minute equaliser as the striker punished a spot of ball-watching from central defender Shane Duffy although the manager described the Blackburn man's overall performance in only his third cap as "excellent". Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter appeared to do his chances of inclusion in O'Neill's Euro 2016 squad no harm as he was named man of the match after winning only his second cap. "I think Harry did well, young (Stephen) Quinn did well also," added the Republic boss. Goalscorer Long was again bothered by a cut on his knee in Friday's game and O'Neill hinted that the Southampton striker may be rested in the final warm-up game against Belarus in Cork on Tuesday. Long's likely absence could see Republic record goalscorer Robbie Keane returning to the side for his 144th appearance.

Summary: Republic of Ireland boss Martin O'Neill was happy with his team's display in the 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in the Euro 2016 warm-up friendly.


Weston played 19 league and cup games for the Chairboys last season after signing from Southend in June 2016. The 29-year-old has made 327 career Football League appearances, having also played for Charlton, Brentford, Gillingham and Notts County. He is Ebbsfleet's fourth signing since winning promotion from the National League South last season. Details of the length of Weston's contract have not been disclosed.

Summary: National League side Ebbsfleet have signed Wycombe winger Myles Weston on a free transfer.


Services were halted near Woking, Surrey, on Thursday night following a signalling problem caused by a possible attempted theft of cable. A group of passengers, including a heavily pregnant woman, said they were challenged by police at the exit. South West Trains has apologised for a string of disruptions this week. Network Rail said 60 trains out of London Waterloo were affected by the signalling fault. It said further delays were caused when passengers went on the track, meaning power to the rails had to be turned off. Emma Firth, from Farnham, who is eight months pregnant, was among the passengers who got off their train. "Me and another man talked to each other and said: 'This is our only chance,'" she said. "In my condition I wasn't going to sleep overnight on a train, I had no food or drink. "So the man gave me a piggy back off the train and helped me walk down the track. "One guard, with a torch, helped us walk across the track safely and was very polite but the police at the gates were very angry, saying we had trespassed. "I got home around 2300 BST. I will not be using the train tomorrow, it will be a nightmare after this. I shall be working from home." Another passenger, who asked only to be named as Keith, said he took the 18.33 South West Trains service from Clapham, which ground to a halt near Woking. He said the passengers, who also included a diabetic man who need insulin, decided to get off the train after about two hours. "There were constant announcements every five minutes from the train driver saying he did not know when we would be moving. "There was about five of us and we decided to get off. We prised the door open and jumped. "When we got to the gates the police tried to get our names, saying we were trespassing and that South West Trains take this behaviour very seriously. "They didn't manage to get any of our names in the end. I got home at around 23.30." A passenger on another train, James Bilderbeck, 39, from Basingstoke, told BBC News that the service he was on was stuck for more than four hours. "It's a really miserable environment, stuck going nowhere. It's a distressing situation for all." The company director described it as the worst delay he had ever known as a commuter. Speaking at about 2330 BST, he said his train had finally got moving again and that he hoped to reach Basingstoke soon. But he said that some passengers whose final destination was Weymouth could expect for their journeys to take up to seven hours. MP for Mole Valley, Sir Paul Beresford, said: "It seems to me as though there was lack of communication between Network Rail and South West Trains, particularly as evacuation has to be done really carefully. "Someone should have been telling the drivers and the drivers should have been telling people. "OK, it doesn't make them move any faster but at least

Summary: Passengers have told how they got out of trains stuck for hours on South West Trains services outside London and walked down the tracks.


Moderate exercise increased the size of the hippocampus, an area of the brain that makes memories, in 120 volunteers. The year-long trial, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed performance on memory tests also improved. Exercise may buffer against dementia as well as age-related memory loss. The latest work looked at healthy people in their 60s rather than people with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. But the findings have important implications for ageing societies faced with a dementia time bomb. In the UK, 820,000 people have dementia, and this figure is set to double by 2030. Until a cure is discovered, finding cheap and simple ways to reverse this trend is imperative, say experts. Professor Kirk Erickson and colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh in the US set out to investigate the impact that even moderate exercise might have on preserving memory. They split their 120 volunteers into two groups. One group was asked to begin an exercise regimen of walking around a track for 40 minutes a day, three days a week, while the others were limited to doing simple stretching and toning exercises. Brain scans and memory tests were performed at the start of the study, halfway through the study and again at the end. Scans revealed hippocampus volume increased by around 2% in people who did regular aerobic exercise. The same region of the brain decreased in volume by 1.4% in those who did stretching exercises, consistent with the decrease seen in normal ageing. Both groups showed some improvement over time on memory tests. In the walking group, the improvement appeared to be linked with increased size of the hippocampus. Professor Erickson said: "We think of the atrophy of the hippocampus in later life as almost inevitable. But we've shown that even moderate exercise for one year can increase the size of that structure. "The brain at that stage remains modifiable." Dr Simon Ridley of the Alzheimer's Research Trust said that although the study does not look at memory loss in Alzheimer's or dementia, it suggests "it's never too late to start exercising to help keep our brains healthy". "Even modest exercise may improve memory and help protect the brain from normal decline caused by ageing. "Increasing evidence suggests regular exercise and a healthy diet may help reduce our risk of developing dementia as well as reaping numerous other benefits from living a healthy lifestyle."

Summary: Walking for 40 minutes a few times a week is enough to preserve memory and keep ageing brains on top form, research shows.


The firm, which controls two-fifths of the Scotch whisky industry, reported Scotch sales down 5% by volume. However, single malts from Scotland continued their rise, led by the Singleton in the US and Taiwan. American whiskey sales were also strengthened by apple-flavoured bottlings. The London-based company has lost momentum due to slowing growth in key markets, including South America and China. It has had lower shipments, as wholesalers have pulled back on stock-holding. Despite flat comparable sales, Diageo posted a rise in pre-tax profits - from £2.7bn to £2.9bn. A big increase in volume of sales was driven by the acquisition of United Spirits in India, which boosted reported net sales by 5%. Currency movements had an impact on its results, most significantly the Venezuelan bolivar and the Russian ruble. That cut £370m from sales and £100m from operating profit, once translated into sterling. Some markets saw Diageo facing tough price competition, including Smirnoff vodka in the US and Johnnie Walker whisky in Brazil. Notable improvements in sales were reported for Johnnie Walker in Mexico, while Guinness returned to growth in its UK and Irish home market. American Blonde Lager drove Guinness sales up in the US. Net sales were up 6% in Africa. Other developments during the financial year included a buyout of the remaining half of the Don Julio tequila brand, the sale of Gleneagles hotel and resort in Perthshire, and a shifting of strategy in South Africa to focus on spirits. Diageo chief executive Ivan Menezes said the performance reflected the company's sales challenges, and that further changes were under way to sharpen the business. He added: "We have consistently applied a long-term perspective in making changes, despite the short-term challenges we have faced from an external environment where currency volatility continues to impact the emerging market consumer." He claimed the current financial year would see volume of sales improve, rising to about 5% organic sales growth from 2017, with improved margins.

Summary: Global drinks company Diageo has released full-year trading figures showing comparable sales remained flat for a second year.


Reverend Irene Wilson was leaving Holy Trinity Church in Hull at 13:30 BST on 7 August when her vehicle was targeted. Jay Desborough, 17, and Leon Wrigglesworth, 13, both from the city, were each given a 24-month detention and training order in a young offenders institute at the city's youth court. Rev Wilson said it had "affected myself and the work that I do". The pair had only known each other for a week before carrying out the carjacking, the court heard. As well as having her car stolen, Rev Wilson's handbag containing Â£250 in cash and a laptop computer were also taken. In court, the vicar described how her daughter, who she was speaking to on the phone at the time of the attack, was "still traumatised from hearing my screams". Robin Smith, the solicitor defending Desborough, told the court the teenager had asked a family member to send an apology letter and a bouquet of flowers to the vicar as an apology. But Rev Wilson, who was in court, confirmed it had not happened. The vicar said she had "at all times tried to understand the culprits" and asked people to "pray for the two young men, that they will make a positive decision". Sally Robinson, the Crown Prosecution Service's reviewing lawyer, said: "This was a shocking attack carried out in broad daylight on a respected community figure. "Our thoughts remain with Rev Wilson as she continues to recover from the effects of this crime." Chairman of the bench Vincent Bergin lifted a ban on naming the teenagers. Desborough, who was aged 16 at the time of the attack, admitted to one charge of robbery at a previous hearing. Wrigglesworth denied robbery but was found guilty following a trial. He was also convicted of 15 other offences.

Summary: Two boys who dragged a vicar out of her car in a "shocking attack" as she left a church service have been sentenced.


Mr Trump said Mr Obama had learned well before the 8 November poll about the accusations and "did nothing". His comments followed an article in the Washington Post which said that Mr Obama learned last August of President Vladimir Putin's "direct involvement". The alleged meddling is the subject of high-level investigations in the US. President Putin has repeatedly denied any Russian interference into the presidential election. The Washington Post article says Mr Obama was told early last August by sources deep within the Russian government that Mr Putin was directly involved in a cyber campaign to disrupt the election, injure Hillary Clinton and aid a Trump victory. The Post said Mr Obama secretly debated dozens of options to punish Russia but in the end settled on what it called symbolic measures - the expulsion of 35 diplomats and closure of two Russian compounds. They came in late December, well after the election. The Post reported that Mr Obama was concerned he might himself be seen as trying to manipulate the election. The paper quoted a former administration official as saying: "From national security people there was a sense of immediate introspection, of, 'Wow, did we mishandle this'." Measures Mr Obama had considered but which were not put into action included planting cyber weapons in the Russian infrastructure and releasing information personally damaging to Mr Putin. Imagine, for a moment, that you're Barack Obama in August 2016. You've just been informed by the CIA that Vladimir Putin has ordered a wide-ranging effort to disrupt the US presidential election. What do you do? Mr Obama responded in typical fashion - cautiously. He alerted state officials, warned Russia and attempted (unsuccessfully) to fashion a bipartisan response with Republicans in Congress. Now the second-guessing has begun. Some Democrats are saying the Obama team should have gone public with such a startling discovery before election day. The president feared such a move would prompt the Republican nominee to accuse him of meddling and undermine faith in the electoral process. He believed Mrs Clinton was going to win anyway, so it was best not to rock the boat. Mr Trump himself is now questioning why Mr Obama didn't do more - a curious position given that he recently described the Russia hacking story as a Democratic "hoax". These latest revelations add yet another wrinkle to a 2016 campaign that will be hashed and rehashed for the foreseeable future. The most pressing question now, however, is not what Mr Obama did. It's what the US government does next. Mr Trump tweeted on Friday: "The Obama Administration knew far in advance of November 8th about election meddling by Russia. Did nothing about it. WHY?" He followed that up with two more tweets on Saturday, the second saying: "Obama Administration official said they "choked" when it came to acting on Russian meddling of election. They didn't want to hurt Hillary?" He repeats the argument in an interview with Fox News, which will air on Sunday. "If he had the information, why didn't he do something about it? He should have done

Summary: President Donald Trump has accused his predecessor Barack Obama of inaction over alleged Russian interference in the US election in 2016.


Mitchell won the women's 5,000m title as she clocked 16:27.08 to finish over eight seconds ahead of Letterkenny's Annmarie McGlynn. Queen's athlete Mitchell has achieved Commonwealth Games consideration standards in the 5,000m and 10,000m. Derry Track Club's Kirk-Smith won the men's 3,000m steeplechase in 8:55.72. Kirk-Smith has also bettered the steeplechase Commonwealth Games consideration standard. His winning time left him over 22 seconds ahead of runner-up Clonliffe's Jayme Rossiter. Ciara Mageean eased into Sunday's 800m final with a dominant heat performance. World Championships-bound Mageean clocked 2:11.92 which left her ahead of City of Lisburn's Kelly Neely, who ran 2:13.13 to also progress. Letterkenny man Mark English won his 800m heat in 1:53.35 to qualify for the men's decider. Raheny's Kevin Dooney won the men's 10,000m title in 29:30.16 as he finished over five seconds ahead of marathon specialist Mick Clohisey. Cork athlete Phil Healy won the women's 200m title in 23.56 seconds while Carrick-on-Shannon's Eanna Madden was just outside 21 seconds as he took the men's title in 21.07 with Clonliffe's Jeremy Phillips second in 21.14. Marcus Lawler was an absentee from the men's event because of injury with Amy Foster skipping the women's 200m to concentrate on Sunday's 100m. In-form Brian Gregan led the qualifiers for Sunday's 400m final where Ballymena & Antrim's Craig Newell will also be in action. Sunday will be the main day of finals action at the Santry meeting with Thomas Barr and Kerry O'Flaherty, Ben Reynolds and Adam McMullan among the athletes who will compete, while Mitchell will aim to complete a double in the women's 1500m final.

Summary: Commonwealth Games hopefuls Emma Mitchell and Adam Kirk-Smith both clinched gold medals on the opening day of the Irish Championships at Santry.


The two small eels were found in a routine fish survey on the River Tud, a tributary of the Wensum in Norfolk. Increased numbers have also been seen at the New Mills fish pass in Norwich, which was installed eight years ago. The Environment Agency, which monitors numbers, said it was encouraging but did not "herald the recovery of the species as a whole". Jez Wood, a specialist at the Environment Agency, said the discovery of the eels on the River Tud was important. "Two doesn't sound like many, but these are the only small eels we've found on this stretch for years," he said. "While this does not herald the recovery of the species as a whole, it does show the positive benefit of eel passes at barriers to migration." The status of the European eel is regarded as "critical", and globally the population has fallen over the past 40 years, with numbers down by as much as 95%, the Environment Agency said. Barriers to upstream migration is thought to be one of the reasons for the decline. These reduce access to the freshwater habitat preferred by eels while they mature. In Norfolk, the Environment Agency is creating passes at several key obstruction areas on rivers to help increase numbers. It said numbers in Norfolk rivers rose to a record of 34,000 in 2009 after a pass was introduced at New Mills Yard, in Norwich.

Summary: Eels have been found in a stretch of river where they have not been seen for nearly 40 years.


First, though, the German has to negotiate one of the most intense weekends of the year. The Brazilian Grand Prix throbs with a passion and fervour matched by few others. Interlagos and Sao Paulo are inextricably linked with Formula 1 even if the days of a winning Brazilian driver may be some time in the past. Brazil's first legendary grand prix driver, Emerson Fittipaldi, was born there, and his successes on the world stage laid the path for all others to follow. Ayrton Senna was, likewise, a Paulista, and is buried in Morumbi cemetery a few miles away. He was a hero to Rubens Barrichello, who grew up metres from the race track and forged his passion watching Senna there, before graduating to F1 a couple of years before his death, befriending him, and then taking up his mantle. Felipe Massa, another local boy, followed suit. The fans know the glory days have long gone, that a Brazilian victory is as unlikely as a day without a traffic jam in one of the world's most crowded cities. But still they come, packing the grandstands and singing and chanting from early in the day. What draws them there? A deep-seated passion for the sport, for one. The almost-certainty of a great sporting spectacle, for another. Interlagos has a knack for producing exciting races. Drama is synonymous with the track, not least because of its position at the business end of the season. It is a claustrophobic place. The circuit winds around a natural amphitheatre, high on a hill, the sprawl of Sao Paulo both a backdrop and crushing in from all sides. The heavy humidity, and almost-permanent threat of rain, add to the atmosphere. It feels locked in, and not just because of the cramped old paddock, a fraction of the size of anything Bernie Ecclestone finds acceptable these days. The track is a splash of vibrant green in an ocean of concrete grey and smog brown; the city butting up against the perimeter fence, endless tower blocks filling the skyline. Twenty years ago, a favela sprawled up the hill all the way to the perimeter wall. There has been an attempt to spruce things up a bit, the old corrugated-roof shacks replaced by flats closest to the circuit, houses of naked breeze blocks a bit further down the road. But down at heel, to say the least, it remains. There is an unmistakable edge. The road up to Interlagos is not a place for a stranger to linger. Inside, the track feels like a haven. One of the shortest laps on the calendar somehow packs in a long straight - superb for overtaking - and a challenging sequence of long corners, the best the uphill double right-hander of Ferra Dura/Laranha and the fast downhill left of Mergulho. It's a great race track, with emphasis on the "race". They are corners with a history - the new track is about half of the old one. Part of a previous era, it was a magnificent five miles of twists and turns, uphill and down,

Summary: The five world champions on the current grid have all secured at least one title in Brazil and on Sunday they could be joined by a sixth - if Nico Rosberg wins the race, team-mate Lewis Hamilton's hopes of an unlikely late-season comeback will be over.


The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said the man, named as Josh Pitt from Leighton Buzzard, died from a single gunshot wound. He was fatally injured after police attended a property in Hibbert Street, Luton, at 14:00 GMT on 9 November. The IPCC said body-worn video footage from some of the officers will be analysed as investigations continue. For more on this story and other Bedfordshire news It said a forensic examination of the scene took place and a "a number of knives" were recovered. A post-mortem examination on Friday gave the provisional cause of death as a gunshot wound to the chest, the IPCC said. Mr Pitt was described by Bedfordshire Police as white and British. He was initially treated at the scene by officers and paramedics but died at hospital at 14:50 GMT. IPCC Commissioner Mary Cunneen said: "My thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of Josh and all of those affected by this fatal shooting. "Our investigation will look at the circumstances surrounding the incident and the actions of the officers involved. "We have spoken to Josh's next of kin to inform them of our role and will be keeping them updated. "I ask anybody who may have seen or heard anything in the Hibbert Street area on Wednesday afternoon, which may be useful to our investigation, to contact us."

Summary: A "number of knives" were found at the scene where a man was shot by police, investigators have said.


Last month, the 32-year-old left League Two side Luton Town by mutual consent to return home. But the ex-Derry City winger said when his wife, Laura, was diagnosed, everything paled into insignificance. "I called Michael (O'Neill), explained what had happened and told him I wasn't going to be available for the Euros," he said. "When something like that happens, your only thought is for your family." McCourt told the Times that his wife was returning home from a holiday when their life was turned upside down. "The flight landed at Gatwick and was taxiing to the airport when she had a seizure on the bus," McCourt said. "Paramedics were called to the scene and they rang me. "They said they were going to send her to East Surrey Hospital. Naturally, I was very concerned. "Within 48 hours it came back that they had found a brain tumour," he said. The doctors told the couple they needed to operate on the tumour and remove it as soon as possible. Although the tumour was benign, it was growing. The date for the operation was 9 June, the day before Euro 2016 started. McCourt said Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill told him to be there for his wife and 'don't even think about Euros'. "Laura didn't need the attention it would have created if he had said what was really happening," he adds. The operation was successful and Laura has now been given a positive diagnosis. "It was absolutely nerve racking," he said, "but thankfully we were given the best possible news afterwards, which was that everything had been positive. "Laura is now recovering and we're told that in four to six months, please God, she will be completely back to normal."

Summary: Ex-Celtic footballer Paddy McCourt has told of his wife's diagnosis with a brain tumour.


Ahead of talks with his US counterpart James Mattis, Sir Michael said too few of the 28 members were meeting Nato's annual 2% defence spending target and countries needed to "raise their game". The Trump administration has said other countries must bear more of the cost. Sir Michael said UK spending was rising but the armed forces must continue to ensure they were "fit for purpose". Gen Mattis said Britain was an example to other states and its "global leadership is needed today as much as at any time in history". The Times has reported that the Ministry of Defence is facing a Â£10bn budget shortfall in the next decade, suggesting this could lead to further cuts in personnel. At the moment, only five of the 28 Nato members - including the US and the UK - spend 2% of their annual income on defence. The White House has warned that the US could "moderate" its commitment to the 70-year-old defence partnership if other countries don't commit more resources. Sir Michael, who is holding talks with the retired Marine Corps general, said the US had always been the financial mainstay of Nato and no-one wanted to see it retreat from this. He said the UK had always met the 2% target but too many others did not and this was no longer acceptable. "There are five members of Nato who don't even spend 1% and I will be working with Jim Mattis on persuading them that they have to raise their game," he said. "We want other countries to shoulder a fairer share. For instance, getting them to commit to annual increases, and putting the 2% target into their policy documents." He suggested that publishing a table every year of the progress countries were making towards the 2% target would "shame the others into increasing their defence spending." Speaking at a joint press conference in Lancaster House, Sir Michael said Nato was the cornerstone of Western security but needed to be "fitter and faster". Gen Mattis said the two countries were on an "equal footing" in terms of confronting the threat from terrorism, standing together as "bulwarks against maniacs who think by hurting us they can scare us". Their "special relationship", he argued, was "not a historical artefact but a source of strength today for our two nations". The two are discussing measures to modernise Nato, including streamlining command structures, as well as progress on a series of joint equipment projects including the F-35 Lightning joint strike fighter. Sir Michael announced Â£90m investment at RAF Marham in Norfolk to support Britain's consignment of the new aircraft. But the defence secretary is facing questions about the UK's own future capability amid reports that financial pressures could result in cuts to personnel, including to the Royal Marines. The defence secretary said the UK had the fifth largest defence budget in the world and the government was committed to increase defence spending ever year up to 2020, including building many new warships. But he said the armed forces were not immune from having to become

Summary: Nato members will be "shamed" into spending more on the alliance, defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon has said.


Naming rights are among the powers set to be devolved in the Wales Bill now going through the UK Parliament. But Jane Hutt, Labour's chief whip in the assembly, will call for the Welsh Parliament name to be adopted "at the earliest opportunity", and used unofficially until formalised. AMs will debate the issue in the Senedd next Tuesday. Ms Hutt will table a motion proposing that "the National Assembly for Wales agrees that: (a) its name should be changed to the "Welsh Parliament" at the earliest opportunity; and that (b) it should be known unofficially by that name until such a name change can be formalised". A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "The First Minister is opening up debate among Assembly Members, early in the life of this Assembly, to consider the most appropriate name for the institution. "It is ultimately a matter for the National Assembly itself; legislation is not required to change what the institution calls itself." Asked for a response, a Wales Office spokesman said: "The Wales Bill will give the Assembly the power to call itself what it wants." Glyn Davies, the Conservative backbench MP for Montgomeryshire, said he would refer to the assembly as a parliament, saying on Facebook that AMs "should have done it years ago". In May, Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns spoke of the Wales Bill offering opportunities "to deliver a real parliament for Wales, with greater powers and a government responsible for raising as well as spending money". However, differences remain between the two governments on whether powers over income tax should be devolved without a referendum. Welsh Labour ministers claim that alleged underfunding of Wales by the UK Treasury should be addressed first, while some Tory MPs say their party should keep its promise to voters to hold a referendum.

Summary: The Welsh Assembly could be renamed the Welsh Parliament before AMs have the legal right to make the change.


Voters here have yet to make their choice in the regional election. But already there's something of the victory march in the chancellor's step. It has been years since her party won here in Germany's most populous state. Sunday's vote in North Rhine-Westphalia is the last ahead of the general election in September. And it is viewed as a bellwether. This is Social Democrat country. The centre-left SPD currently rules in coalition with the Greens but polls suggest that could be about to change. In recent weeks Mrs Merkel's centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) have been closing in and support for the SPD has dwindled. The rivals are now neck-and-neck in the polls. It is not often that a German regional election is considered so important. Martin Schulz, the charismatic SPD leader, has thrown down the gauntlet. If his party wins here, he declared recently, he will be the next German chancellor. It is a statement he may live to regret. When Mr Schulz, ex-president of the European Parliament, returned to domestic politics there was an immediate surge of support in the polls for his party. The CDU looked on nervously as commentators noted for the first time in years that Mrs Merkel was no longer unchallenged in her bid for a fourth term in the chancellery. But since then the Social Democrats have suffered two humiliating electoral defeats at the hands of Mrs Merkel's conservatives, in regional votes in Saarland and, last Sunday, in Schleswig-Holstein. The party has slipped in the national polls and, even here in the SPD heartland, the so called Schulz effect appears to have dwindled. "His approval ratings will only stabilise once he says very clearly what he wants to do," says Brilon's SPD mayor, Christoph Bartsch. "In the eyes of the voters that hasn't happened yet. We need a clear programme and clear policies on topics which matter to the electorate." Here the issues that matter include internal security and the economy. On security, the CDU's candidate for North Rhine-Westphalia has promised to make the state the envy of other German regions. There is a powerful industrial lobby here. On the edge of town, under a chimney smoking into the clouds, huge lorries deliver logs to the sawmill. Martin Ansorge, finance officer at Egger wood processing, tells me that Germany's next chancellor will need the support of what Germans call the Mittelstand - medium-sized family firms. "We need to cut bureaucracy, we need a modern education system, we need support for businesses in the digital future, and we need a better infrastructure in this region," he says. Mr Ansorge will not discuss his preferred choice of party or candidate, and Germany as a whole has four months left to make up its mind. In Brilon's market square, among the flower stalls and vans selling fish rolls, one enterprising pub was advertising "Schnitzel Angela Merkel" in honour of the chancellor's visit to the town. Few of the diners seemed tempted, and the cost of €19.54 (£16.50, $21) - presumably chosen to reflect Mrs Merkel's birth year - was

Summary: Under the wooden beams of Brilon's medieval hunting lodge, Angela Merkel sweeps past a gleaming brass band to address her party faithful.