The 49-year-old was convicted at the Old Bailey after backing the group in an oath of allegiance published online. Police say Choudary's followers carried out attacks in the UK and abroad. The judge, who described Choudary as calculating and dangerous, passed the same sentence on his confidant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, 33. Both men were also sentenced to a notification order lasting 15 years, which requires them to tell police if details such as their address change. Choudary, of Ilford, east London, and Rahman, from Palmers Green, north London, were convicted last month of inviting support for IS - an offence contrary to section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 - between 29 June 2014 and 6 March 2015. The trial heard the pair also used speeches to urge support for IS, which is also known as Daesh, after it declared a caliphate in the summer of 2014. Counter-terrorism chiefs blame the preacher and the proscribed organisations which he helped to run, such as al-Muhajiroun, for radicalising young men and women including the killers of soldier Lee Rigby in 2013. But they said they had been unable to act for many years as Choudary - a former solicitor - had stayed "just within the law". By Dominic Casciani, BBC home affairs correspondent As he was sentenced, Choudary's supporters stood up in the public gallery and shouted: "Allahu Akbar" - Arabic for God is greatist. He smiled and disappeared down to the cells. For 20 years Choudary has been the police's headache - now he is the prison service's. He will start time in the high security unit - a prison within a prison - at HMP Belmarsh in south-east London. Only a few of the most dangerous individuals in the country are ever held there at one time - and the priority will be keeping him apart from the impressionable minds whom Mr Justice Holroyde said he did so much to influence. Whether the prison service will succeed is unclear. Only last month it published a report that raised serious questions about how well the UK manages violent extremists behind bars. So what happens to Choudary from now on may demonstrate whether jails can securely hold people like him and prevent them from doing further harm. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "This is a serious custodial sentence, and it's a tribute to the work of the police and security services. The country is safer. "All their evil words and dissent they've tried to sow throughout society is over. They're paying the price and they're going to jail." Sue Hemming, CPS head of counter terrorism said: "Both men were fully aware that Daesh is a proscribed terrorist group responsible for brutal activities and that what they themselves were doing was illegal. "Those who invite others to support such organisations will be prosecuted and jailed for their crimes." 'Gateway to terror' The head of the Metropolitan Police's counter terrorism command, Commander Dean Haydon, said the pair caused "frustration for both law enforcement agencies and communities as they spread hate". "We have watched Choudary developing a

Summary: Radical preacher Anjem Choudary has been jailed for five-and-a-half years for inviting support for the so-called Islamic State group.


Earlier this month, NRW estimated the lagoon would mean 21% of salmon and 25% of sea trout dying each year, as they migrate to and from local rivers. Tidal Lagoon Power (TLP) said the claims had no "clear scientific basis". NRW said its figures were based on the "best available evidence" it received. In a briefing note sent to AMs and seen by BBC Wales, TLP disputed NRW's figures and claimed that the regulator refused to share its methodology for calculating them. "Without clear scientific basis NRW has recently published figures based in these 'what if' scenarios despite our request to consider the evidence needed to back them up prior to publication," the briefing said. "These scenarios give unrealistic and grossly misleading impact figures [on fish]," the briefing adds. TLP said that computer modelling carried out by experts on its behalf estimated a "worst case scenario" of the lagoon killing 2% of all species of fish. The Â£1.3bn Swansea tidal lagoon project is being viewed by the firm as a test bed for much larger and more cost effective versions around the coast, including Cardiff, Newport and Colwyn Bay. UK government ministers are considering the findings of a six-month review of the viability of the scheme, which is yet to be published. Wales' Environment Secretary Lesley Griffiths said the Welsh Government was "very supportive" of the scheme. But she said both it and the industry needed clarity on the UK government's position in the "very, very near future." NRW said it strongly disagreed with TLP's criticism, which it was "very surprised and disappointed by". Gareth O'Shea, an NRW executive director, said: "We have received a vast amount of evidence on this subject from the applicant and have held detailed discussions with the developer for a year-and-a-half where we have shared a huge amount of information, data and our methodology. "This has been assessed by independent experts and our own technical experts, and we have the utmost confidence that it is the best evidence available to enable us to make the right decision for the environment in Wales, as we are legally bound to do."

Summary: The developers of the proposed Swansea Bay tidal lagoon have accused Natural Resources Wales (NRW) of publishing a "grossly misleading" analysis of the project's likely impact on fish.


The bodies were found on Sunday, but no identities have been released. Two people have been reported missing from a sushi restaurant hit by the blast: Nicholas Figueroa, who was on a date there, and a worker, Moises Lucon. A further 22 people were injured in the explosion and subsequent fire, four critically. Utility inspectors had declared plumbing and gas work inside one of the buildings faulty just an hour before the explosion, locking the line to ensure it would not be used and then leaving, officials said. The blast that followed soon after left heaps of bricks and mangled debris across the street in Manhattan's East Village. Mr Figueroa's date, who is being treated in hospital, remembers only stumbling out of the restaurant before losing consciousness. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said officials would investigate whether anyone had improperly tapped the gas supply prior to the blast.

Summary: Two bodies been found at the site of a massive gas explosion that flattened three buildings in New York on Thursday.


The labour peer, who died in December, was accused of sex offences against children - which his family deny. The hearings, part of the Goddard Inquiry into child sexual abuse, were due to start in September but have been put back because of other inquiries. Leicestershire Police and the IPCC are investigating people allegedly linked to the case. The Goddard Inquiry, chaired by Dame Lowell Goddard, set to be the biggest public inquiry in British history, held a preliminary hearing earlier for its investigation into the former Leicester MP, one of 13 cases it has announced so far. On Monday, the IPCC announced 11 people are to be investigated over their handling of allegations against the peer. Announcing the delay Ben Emmerson QC, counsel to the inquiry, said there are "good reasons to reconsider on timing and structure of the hearings." He said the Leicestershire force and the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission) will soon interview complainants and witnesses who are also scheduled to give evidence. Postponement was "only responsible" in the circumstances, meaning the public hearings will now commence on 7 March 2017 and conclude by the end of May. Mr Emmerson revealed 33 alleged victims of Lord Janner have now been granted core participant status in the inquiry, meaning they have the right to make statements, see documents and seek permission to ask questions. Seven organisations and institutions, including the Labour Party, have previously been given the same status, which has also been granted to two individual police officers, including current Derbyshire chief constable Mick Creedon, who investigated Lord Janner for the Leicestershire force in the early 1990s. The inquiry has not received an application for core participant status from Lord Janner's family, but Mr Emmerson said there was "ongoing correspondence with their legal representatives". There have been suggestions from the family, Mr Emmerson said, that it would be "unfair" for the inquiry to make findings of fact because Lord Janner is unable to defend himself and alleged victims will not be subject to cross-examination. He said that in some cases it will be necessary to make findings of fact but only if it was fair to do based on the evidence. On the issue of cross-examination, Mr Emmerson said the inquiry is an inquisitorial process rather an adversarial one, but that he, as counsel, could still nevertheless explore the credibility of witnesses. In a statement, the peer's lawyer said: "Lord Janner was an honourable man, entirely innocent and never convicted of any crime." The hearing, at the Royal Courts of Justice, was also told the Goddard Inquiry as a whole has so far received disclosure of 35,000 documents and is receiving up to 100 communications from the public each week.

Summary: Public hearings into allegations of abuse relating to Lord Janner have been delayed by six months.


The BBC's Juliana Liu followed the final campaigning hours of two young women standing for office in the city's district elections, the first polls since last October's protest movement. Read on to find out if they succeeded. Few souls are visible on the streets early on Sunday morning in the Hong Kong neighbourhood of Whampoa. But there are only 15 hours of campaigning left and two young, idealistic first-time candidates - part of a new breed known as the "umbrella soldiers" - are already in action. Dr Kwong Po Yin, 29, an emergency room doctor, and Yau Wai Ching, 24, a former administrator, are members of Youngspiration, a political party founded in the wake of last year's Umbrella Movement to keep its legacy alive. Both are running against older establishment politicians with more resources, so neither presumes they will win but they will still hit the streets in their respective constituencies. It's frustrating at times for Dr Kwong, contesting the Whampoa West district, a middle-class area with more than 8,000 registered voters. The few residents she sees are not keen to speak. Most of them seem to brush her off. But one resident, who is walking her friendly pet parrot, stops to chat. She is supported by a band of volunteers even younger than she is, who have been consistently campaigning. They spent the night organising election paraphernalia detailing her plans to improve transport links. But they are not alone. Dr Kwong's opponent, Lau Wai Wing, 64, a district councillor for more than 20 years, is already here. He says he's not surprised to face a political newcomer. He says he understands that millenials have different positions on political issues. Spirits are somewhat higher when it comes to the hallowed Hong Kong campaign tradition of tackling the tea houses. Dr Kwong and a volunteers greet families sitting down to a Sunday brunch of hot tea and steamer after steamer of delicious dim sum. Buoyed by the food, drink and lively, noisy atmosphere, the residents break into ready smiles and wish Dr Kwong well. By this time, the polling stations, almost 500 of them, have been open for seven hours. It is already apparent, looking at the hourly data provided by election monitors, that turnout is likely to hit a record high. The umbrella soldiers, about 50 of them, reckon the higher the turnout, the better their chances of victory. With only three more hours of voting left, Dr Kwong is seizing the moment. Climbing onto a ladder, bullhorn in hand, she urges passers-by to vote for her and for Ms Yau. Their victory, she says, would show that support for the Umbrella Movement can translate into concrete political gain. Even though district councillors do not make laws, they do help manage large sums of public money. And they have the opportunity to interact with residents daily. These voters, Dr Kwong says, are a very powerful base of support, one that her party wants to build for many years to come. With less than a minute to go before the polls close, election

Summary: What happened when Hong Kong's youth demonstrators actually tried to get elected?


The policewoman, Sandra Bertin, was in charge of security cameras. She said she had been told to report the presence of national police units, although she had not seen them. More than 80 people died when a lorry struck crowds celebrating Bastille Day on 14 July. So-called Islamic State (IS) said it was behind the attack, which was carried out by a Tunisian man, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel. Ms Bertin told the Journal du Dimanche (in French) she had been instructed by an interior ministry official to report the presence of national police units on the seaside Promenade des Anglais at the time of the attack. "The national police were perhaps there, but I couldn't see them on the video," Ms Bertin said. She told the Journal du Dimanche she had also been "harassed for an hour" by Mr Cazeneuve on the phone. The interior ministry says there were 64 members of the national police on the seafront - as per arrangements with Nice city hall. But the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says Nice city hall believes some of these national police had been replaced by municipal police - who were more lightly armed and less able to intervene to stop the killer. The suspicion - denied vehemently in Paris - is that there has been a cover-up, our correspondent says. Mr Cazeneuve said he would sue for defamation over the "grave accusations". The government has faced criticism for not preventing the attack, at a time when France was in a state of emergency following the extremist attacks in Paris in November last year. French ministers were booed when they attended a ceremony in Nice to remember the victims. President Francois Hollande said on Friday he had "full confidence" in Mr Cazeneuve. Last week, local authorities in Nice refused a request by French anti-terror police to destroy CCTV images of the attack. The Paris prosecutor's office said the request had been made to avoid the "uncontrolled dissemination" of images. But officials in Nice responded by filing a legal document, arguing the footage could constitute evidence.

Summary: French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has said he will sue for libel after a senior police officer said she was harassed to change her report on the Nice terror attack.


The Gills are in the relegation zone following a run of one win in 12 games. Taylor told BBC Radio Kent: "If the chairman picked up the phone and said 'Peter, that's it, you're not having any longer' I would totally understand. Media playback is not supported on this device "The majority of the fans probably want me out. What I would like to have here is a lot more time." Gillingham have only won three of their 16 league games this season and are currently two points from safety. Taylor led the club to 17th place in League One last season after taking charge in October, initially as interim manager, and subsequently targeted a mid-table finish this season. The 61-year-old received the backing of Scally last month but accepts that it is hard for supporters to show patience while they are struggling. "I understand the fans' frustrations. We were all expecting a better season than we are having," he said. "We are in a bit of a hole and need to dig ourselves out of it. "I really do feel that there is a good squad here but we are not showing it at the moment. I would love longer. "One win in 12 league matches is not good enough. I lost my job at Palace when we had one defeat in five. "If the chairman sacked me I couldn't complain and I wouldn't complain. Me and the chairman wouldn't fall out either. I am not going to walk away. I am desperate to turn it around and I do honestly feel I will do. I am very determined to." Taylor overhauled Gillingham's squad during the summer, making eight permanent signings. He says injuries have played a part in their struggles so far this season, with goalkeeper Stuart Nelson (thumb), utility man Aaron Morris (hamstring), midfielder Doug Loft (Achilles) and striker Danny Kedwell (knee) all missing chunks of the campaign. "If we'd have had no injures whatsoever then I would expect to be gone by now," Taylor, who had a spell as England's caretaker manager in 2000, said. "There are reasons why we have got a lack of form and confidence. "I don't think I've ever been able to put a consistent team out. It doesn't half mess you about when you are a squad of our size in League One. "You need your best players available all the time. Too many times, we have had some important players unavailable and that would affect any team. "I don't want to make excuses but I just want to clear it up with people out there that are unhappy. I am enjoying every second of the job apart from the results. I am determined to improve them."

Summary: Gillingham manager Peter Taylor says he would understand if he was sacked by chairman Paul Scally, but has pleaded for more time at the League One club.


Thousands attended the early morning service at Hyde Park Corner and up to 400 people took part in a parade before the wreath-laying at the Cenotaph. Anzac Day commemorates the first major battle involving Australian and New Zealand forces during World War One. A service was also held at Westminster Abbey. The national anthems of New Zealand and Australia were sung as the service ended. The first time Anzac Day was commemorated in the capital was when King George V attended a Westminster Abbey service in 1916, a year after the Anzac (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) landings at Gallipoli. Since then, the services have become an important moment for thousands of expatriate and visiting New Zealanders and Australians, who honour the sacrifices of their countrymen and women in all wars. Addressing the crowds at the dawn service, Alexander Downer, Australian high commissioner to the UK, who also laid a wreath, said: "When we reflect on Anzac Day we imagine the Gallipoli landings, what it must have been like, at dawn on the water, in sight of that rugged shoreline - and a collectively held breath, a leaden silence about to be broken. "We consider the enthusiasm, the courage, and the heroism of the Anzac troops - ordinary men fighting for God, King and empire, for their mates, for adventure, for a world without war." Members of veterans' associations, service and ex-service personal and their families took part in the parade at the Cenotaph. Crowds, including Australia and New Zealand ex-pats, lined the streets to watch the ceremony which featured prayers read by schoolchildren and the national anthems of all three countries. The eight-month campaign on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey was one of the bloodiest of the war and the allied operation was an attempt to force the Ottoman empire out of the war.

Summary: Prince Harry has laid wreaths during a dawn service at London's Wellington Arch and on behalf of the Queen at the Cenotaph to mark Anzac Day in the UK.


The Germans overturned a 3-1 first-leg deficit against Porto, winning 6-1 to advance 7-4 on aggregate. Guardiola's side scored five goals in a thrilling first half at Allianz Arena. "I know how very important it was," the 44-year-old ex-Barcelona boss told ZDF Television. "It is about winning just like at Barcelona." He added: "It's easy to love my players now. I am the coach of extraordinary players. I didn't expect such a first half. "We can still play better. We lost the ball here and there and we can improve on that. We had a few problems in the second half. They had only a few chances in the second half but you should never relax in the Champions League." Speaking before the game, Guardiola admitted the expectation at the Bundesliga club was to win the Champions League, and not just settle for domestic league and cup glory. Striker Robert Lewandowski scored two and Thiago Alcantara, Jerome Boateng, Thomas Muller and Xabi Alonso also netted as Bayern dominated their Portuguese visitors. Porto barely troubled Bayern in the first half, and Guardiola added: "We played a different game. We knew Porto better after the first game. "Now we have to fight otherwise we will not achieve what we set out to do." Bayern scored their first four goals inside 28 minutes and their fifth in the 40th minute, and even prolific goal-scorer Lewandowski was surprised at the half-time scoreline. "Many people thought we couldn't do it, but we are FC Bayern Munich," said Lewandowski. "We knew we had to step on the gas, but to go five goals up at half-time is really crazy." Germany striker Thomas Muller added: "It couldn't have gone better. Sometimes it's fun to play with your backs against the wall. We all had hopes, but no-one expected that." BBC Radio 5 live's Pat Nevin at the Allianz Arena: "Bayern were ruthlessly efficient in the first half. They were brilliant, scored great goals against a poor team. "But they made some tactical changes and looked bordering on anaemic in the second half. They didn't look up for it. They could have been pulled back in the end but there's more to come from this team. "The Champions League got predictable a long time ago. It's a little bit of a shame. We try not to be biased during commentary but Porto were the last of the little teams and they've been absolutely whacked, swatted like flies out of the way. "There's always Spanish and German teams in the semi-finals, the odd time an Italian or English team but that's it. And even then it's the same teams. But it doesn't mean it's not exciting." Porto coach Julen Lopetegui accepted his side were beaten in a disastrous opening spell. "We are very disappointed because we had a lot of expectations," he said. "But it just turned bad very early on and it became difficult for us to play our game against such a good team. We lost the game in those 20 minutes in the first half. "We tried to

Summary: Bayern Munich's progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League was "about life or death", according to manager Pep Guardiola.


It said an 8ft polystyrene snowman, a caravan and enough postage stamps to fill two vans have also been left at recycling centres. A tortoise that had been tipped into a green waste bin was spotted and saved. Surrey council said residents' efforts had helped them reach their target of recycling 50% of household waste early. Dr Lynne Hack, cabinet member for environment, said: "While we may not be able to recycle all the waste produced yet, we will work hard to treat everything we can, no matter how weird and wonderful it is. "People may be surprised to learn just how wide the variety of materials we're able to recycle in Surrey is." Items that can be taken to the recycle centres include wood, metal, televisions, mobile phones, low-energy light bulbs, fluorescent tubes and clothes. The county hopes to achieve a 70% household waste recycling target by 2014.

Summary: A sailing boat, a coffin and an oxygen tank were some of the items people have taken to be recycled, according to Surrey County Council.


The move apparently follows a request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. It also comes ahead of a speech on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by US Secretary of State John Kerry. On Friday, the US chose not to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to settlement construction. The decision to abstain infuriated Mr Netanyahu, whose spokesman said on Tuesday he had "ironclad information" from Arab sources that the White House had helped draft the language of the resolution and "pushed hard" for its passage. A US state department spokesman said the accusation was "just not true", but he hoped the resolution would "serve as a wake-up call" for Israel. More than 500,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. The Security Council resolution passed on Friday stated that the establishment of settlements "has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace". Israel rejected the resolution, and the BBC's Yolande Knell said it was particularly angry about the condemnation of building in East Jerusalem - which it sees as part of its capital, but which the Palestinians want as the capital of their future state. Mr Netanyahu responded over the weekend by summoning the ambassadors of the US and the 14 countries on the Security Council who voted in favour of the resolution, recalling Israel's ambassadors to New Zealand and Senegal, cutting aid to Senegal, and cancelling a visit by Ukraine's prime minister. The Jerusalem Planning and Housing Committee had indicated it would press ahead with a planned vote on authorising 492 new homes in the settlements of Ramat Shlomo and Ramot. But on Wednesday, planning committee member Hanan Rubin said the vote had been postponed. Mr Rubin told the BBC this was at the request of the prime minister's office, to avoid further straining relations with Washington hours before Mr Kerry's speech. "It's in our interest to avoid political voting in Jerusalem because Jerusalem is not the same as settlements around Israel," he said. "We are creating affordable housing and housing for young families... and if there is a big storm and Kerry's speech today, we are looking to avoid this conflict." Mr Kerry is expected to lay out his vision later on Wednesday for ending the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and address what a senior state department official described as "misleading critiques" of the Obama administration by the Israeli government. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has said the resolution "paves the way" for the upcoming conference on Middle East peace in France on 15 January. "We hope this conference comes up with a mechanism and timetable to end the occupation," he told a meeting of his Fatah party on Monday.

Summary: An Israeli committee has postponed a vote to authorise construction of almost 500 new homes in Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.


Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said a new charter arrangement would end the long-running row over seafarers' pay. The RMT union had claimed some workers on board two freight boats were paid less than Â£4 an hour. The charter change will see contracted out services return to operator Serco Northlink from next month. The freight vessels Hellier and Hildasay have been operated by Seatruck, which is contracted to run the service by Serco Northlink. Seatruck argued the national minimum wage was not applicable to the crew, many of whom are non-UK residents. Serco Northlink said it had repeatedly offered to bridge the pay gap and backdate it, but Seatruck declined to accept. Mr Yousaf said the new arrangements would come into force early next month subject to some financial and regulatory details being finalised. He said: "I'm very pleased to see an agreement in principle now in place to end this long running issue around the freight vessels serving the Northern Isles. "The new charter basis will allow the wage issue to be resolved. Going forward, I can confirm that all crew members will be paid at least the minimum wage." Serco Northlink was awarded the six-year Â£243m Northern Isles contract in 2012. It operates three ferries and two cargo boats to the Northern Isles on a route which is heavily subsidised by the Scottish government.

Summary: An agreement has been reached to ensure foreign workers on freight boats serving Orkney and Shetland are paid at least the minimum wage.


Senior judges in Belfast have lifted an injunction on the PSNI taking possession of Winston Rea's recorded account to Boston College researchers. Detectives were present with a bag ready for the handover of the tapes. They were given the all-clear after lawyers for Mr Rea confirmed their final bid to secure a block had been turned down. The tapes had been held under lock and key at the Royal Courts of Justice. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg refused to grant an interim prohibition as part of efforts to stop the PSNI from obtaining them. A judge said the time had come "to lift the injunction and allow the materials to be examined by the police". Detectives want to access the recordings as part of their investigations into murder and other paramilitary crimes from the 1970s to 1990s. Mr Rea's legal team argued that it would breach his right to privacy. He was among dozens of loyalists and republicans who provided testimonies to Boston College staff compiling an oral history of the Northern Ireland conflict. Interviews were given on the understanding that tapes would not be made public until after their deaths. In 2013, detectives investigating the abduction and murder of Belfast mother-of-10 Jean McConville in 1972 secured the transcripts of former IRA woman Dolours Price's account. That material was handed over following court battles on both sides of the Atlantic. Mr Rea's barrister said his client was "confident that there is nothing in his past or anything contained in these tapes which hasn't already been dealt with by the criminal courts". "He's a man who has health difficulties," he added. On that basis, lawyers for both the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) and the PSNI Chief Constable argued that the recordings should now be released.

Summary: Police are finally to get access to interviews a former loyalist prisoner gave to an American university project.


Thousands of border agency workers are expected to strike on 30 November in protest at government pension changes. Ministers fear there could be major disruption for travellers, so volunteers are being asked to step in. PCS Union chief Mark Serwotka said ministers were in a "blind panic" and should be resolving the dispute. The UK Border Agency has insisted the civil servants will be properly trained. It is expected they would mainly check the passports of travellers arriving from the European Economic Area and man so-called "e-gates" where passengers use their biometric passports. A UKBA spokesman said: "The security of the UK border remains our top priority and it is absolutely right we explore all options to ensure we minimise any disruption caused by planned union action." However, union chiefs expressed concern that the officials might not be properly trained and that borders could be put at risk. Mr Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, blamed ministers for leaving it so late to try and resolve the dispute. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the call to civil servants was an example of "blind panic" at the 11th hour, he said, and accused the government of engaging in a misleading "PR exercise" about public sector pensions to try to force through "damaging" changes. "Instead of scratching around trying to put untrained people on the front line, they should say today they want urgent talks to try to resolve the dispute," he said. The government has confirmed earlier reports that UKBA is planning to fly some officials home from overseas positions to help deal with the strike. In the wake of the recent row between Home Secretary Theresa May and former UK border force chief Brodie Clark over the relaxation of controls during the summer, it is extremely unlikely that officials would be prepared to bypass any rules to ease the pressure of queues. The BBC has also learned that the government has told union bosses that they are not prepared to offer any further concessions over pension reforms as a result of the planned strikes. The government recently made what it describes as an improved offer to the unions, promising that public sector workers ten years away from retirement would not see any change to their pensions. It also promised improved accrual rates. Ministers fear that any further concessions would send the wrong signal to financial markets by suggesting that the government was not serious about cutting the deficit and making substantial savings in the public sector pension bill. Ministers argue that public sector pensions have become unaffordable because of rising life expectancy, but they insist that even after the planned changes, state employees will still be better off than the majority of workers in the private sector. Unions say their members are being asked to work longer, contribute more and receive less.

Summary: Civil servants from across Whitehall are being lined up to act as border staff at UK ports and airports during next week's public sector strikes.


They want England, Wales and Northern Ireland brought in line with Scotland. The bill proposes amending the 1988 Road Traffic Act to lower the blood-alcohol concentration limit from 80mg alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg. The government said the current limit struck a balance between safety and personal freedom. The bill, which will be debated in the Lords on Friday, also proposes lowering the limits for alcohol in breath and urine when driving a vehicle. Because everyone has a different susceptibility to alcohol, health experts say it is difficult to quantify exactly how many units can be drunk before reaching the proposed new limit. For the average man, it would be just under a pint of beer or a large glass of wine and for women, half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine. In a letter to the Times, the Alcohol Health Alliance said the move would save lives and improve road safety. The alliance, which is made up of organisations including the Royal College of Physicians, the British Medical Association and Alcohol Concern, said that at the current limit, drivers are six times more likely to die in a road traffic accident than those who have not drunk any alcohol. It said a vote in favour of the bill would signal to the government that "now is the time time to lower the drink-driving limit". Scotland lowered its drink-driving limit to the proposed new level in December 2014 and police figures show that drink-drive offences there fell by 17% in the first three months of 2015. Northern Ireland is currently consulting on whether to lower its limit. At present, England, Wales and Northern Ireland have one of the highest drink-driving limits in Europe. The World Health Organization recommends a limit of 50mg/100ml. Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance and honorary professor in clinical science at the University of Liverpool, said the overriding reason for lowering the limit was that "several hundreds of lives could be saved in England each year". And he said the scientific evidence for the change was strong. "There is a wealth of published, peer-reviewed, high quality research on the impact of alcohol on psychomotor skills and judgement. "While even low levels have an effect on these critical functions, the deterioration in performance moving from a blood level of 50 to 80mg per 100ml are striking." Prof Gilmore said there was public support for a lowering of the legal drink-drive limit at a time when drink-driving appears to be on the rise. The Local Government Association recently estimated that lowering the current limit would also save nearly Â£300m a year by reducing police and ambulance call-outs and hospital admissions. A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: "The drink-driving limit for England and Wales strikes an important balance between safety and personal freedom. "By having our limit, we are not criminalising those who drink a small amount a long time before driving, but our advice remains unchanged: don't take the risk by driving after you have had a drink."

Summary: A group of doctors and health experts is urging the House of Lords to support a bill to lower the drink-driving limit across the whole of the UK.


Community union said 250 jobs are to go, mainly at Llanwern, which employs 1,500 workers. Tata said it needed to "reduce costs and focus on manufacturing higher-value products". The Welsh government said it would look at how it could help Tata, calling the news "extremely disappointing". A spokesman added: "We have repeatedly lobbied the UK government for urgent action to address issues such as high energy costs that are disadvantaging the steel industry across the UK against our overseas competitors." Tata would not confirm the exact number of job losses but said they were mainly agency and contract workers. The GMB union called it "more bad news for the steel industry" while Unite said job losses were "very disappointing". This is the third time in six years that parts of the Llanwern steel processing plant have been mothballed because of market conditions. On the previous occasions, work was stopped for between nine and 10 months. Community union, which has the most members at Llanwern, acknowledged Tata was under "huge pressure to reduce costs" but said laying off employees was "extremely regretful". The job losses will involve fixed-term contract and agency workers although the union said these included people who had been working at the plant for a number of years. Sue Lewis, regional organiser, said: "We saw these mainly younger employees as the future of Llanwern and the steel industry in Newport so we're devastated at these job losses. "We also have to remember that for every worker employed at Tata, three jobs outside also depend on those workers, so it's the ripple effect throughout the community." It comes a year after the company announced 400 jobs were to go at its steelmaking plant in Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot. Tata has confirmed some of its coil processing facilities, including the hot strip mill, will "come out of production" but added that they would be retained so they can be "restarted in more favourable market conditions". The company also said employees at Llanwern would be redeployed within the business. Tata currently employs 6,950 workers at five plants in Wales. Analysis by Brian Meechan, BBC Wales business correspondent Steelmaking is a tough business. It faces two main issues. Firstly, domestically there is the cost of producing steel in the UK which is driven in no small part by energy costs, which are higher than other parts of Europe. We also need to look at the price of steel from around the world. We've seen with the Chinese economy slowing down that more steel is available from China as it's not needed as much there. That steel is making its way here and being bought because it is cheaper, although not the same quality. This is having an impact not just on steel manufacturers in the UK but across Europe. Tata has made a huge amount of investment including a new blast furnace in Port Talbot which makes it cheaper to produce steel. A lot of the staff - as opposed to the fixed term workers - from Llanwern have been moving there. Processing

Summary: Tata Steel is to mothball part of its plant in Newport for the third time in six years with the loss of hundreds of jobs.


The discovery of the body in Northampton is being linked to the disappearance of Adeyemi Olugbuyi, 32, known as "Big Man", in September 2013. Nigerian Mr Olugbuyi, who was last seen in North Holme Court, Thorplands, had been involved in an "altercation" in the area. Police said officers were treating the death as murder. Known as "Baz" or "Big Man", he is believed to have been involved in an altercation in the area just after 08:00 BST on 13 September. Click here for more on this story and other news from Northamptonshire Since that time, he has not been in any contact with family or friends. A police spokesman said: "Investigators believe the body is likely to have been there for some considerable amount of time, possibly months or years." Police said formal identification had yet to take place. Officers have been searching green areas around Billing Brook Road, where the body was found, and were using a dog unit at the scene.

Summary: The body of a man found in a hedge by litter pickers might have lain undetected for years, police have said.


Cook, 25, scored 25 goals in the National League last season, helping the Bluebirds to a mid-table finish. He returned to Holker Street after a stint at Grimsby in July 2014. "The lad wants to play League football and I can't and won't have a go at players who want to play at a higher level," Cox told BBC Radio Cumbria. "There are clubs at our level who have come in for him, but his agent has categorically said he doesn't want to sign for another Conference club. "It's one we might need to be patient on."

Summary: Barrow want to retain Andy Cook but expect the striker to explore opportunities in the Football League, says manager Paul Cox.


Former Exeter player Pope, 26, can also play on the wing and joined the Championship club in 2013. May, 22, has made 69 appearances for the Penzance-based side, and has been their top point-scorer for the past two seasons. Moyle, 24, can play at full-back, wing or fly-half, and made his Pirates debut in 2012. "All three individuals have developed as players, and Laurence is now one of the standout 10s in the Championship," said coach Gavin Cattle.

Summary: Scrum-half Mike Pope, fly-half Laurence May and back Kyle Moyle have all signed new one-year deals at Cornish Pirates.


Conservative critics had tabled a proposal to let heterosexual couples enter into civil partnerships, if gay couples were allowed to get married. This was defeated by 375 votes to 70 after a five-hour Commons debate. Instead, MPs backed a Labour plan to consult on changing civil partnerships - a move criticised by some Tory MPs. Speaking in the House of Commons, Culture Secretary Maria Miller thanked other parties for their "unwavering support" for the principles of the same-sex Marriage Bill and said a review of civil partnerships could take place "very swiftly". Labour said the review could potentially take place within the next few months - enabling its findings to be reflected in the final legislation - but one Conservative MP described the sequence of events as a "grubby deal". By Nick RobinsonPolitical editor MPs gave their support in principle to gay marriage in February but are now discussing proposed amendments on Monday and Tuesday amid calls from some Conservatives for the government to focus on other priorities. The bill is being debated over two days, with its third reading - the final hurdle in the Commons - on Tuesday. If approved, it will go to the House of Lords on Wednesday, where it is expected to face further opposition. David Cameron has said equal marriage would help build a stronger and fairer society but nearly half of all Tories voted against it in February and many party activists remain deeply opposed to it in principle. The bill's fresh scrutiny by MPs comes amid other divisions within the Conservative Party on Europe and attitudes towards the party's grassroots. MPs get a free vote on the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill because it is considered an issue of conscience and many Conservative MPs spoke out against the principle of gay marriage. Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth said the plans were "divisive" and suggested there were are plenty of people "in the aggressive homosexual community who see this as but a stepping stone to something even further". A group of Tory MPs, led by former Conservative minister Tim Loughton, attempted to amend the bill, with a plan to extend civil partnerships - which came into force in 2005 - to heterosexual couples. Mr Loughton rejected claims the move was a "wrecking" measure, arguing that the extension of civil partnerships to co-habiting heterosexuals would address a "glaring inequality" in the current proposals as well as encouraging family stability. "If this amendment is passed, it will remove some of the anomalies and flaws in this bill and make the bill more palatable." He warned about any review on civil partnerships being "kicked into the long grass", adding that Parliament "was in danger of being party to a last minute stitch-up between the frontbenches". Ministers initially agreed that the status of civil partnerships should be reconsidered by 2019, with the scope to do it sooner if approved by Parliament. Ms Miller told MPs there were "fundamental policy" issues that needed to be considered with "financial implications", such as pension entitlements for heterosexual civil partners, widows and

Summary: Plans to legalise gay marriage in England and Wales are to proceed unimpeded in Parliament after ministers reached agreement with Labour.


Parents of brides cannot invite more than 500 guests, and the number has been limited to 400 for grooms. The government also said that no more than seven main dishes can be served to "ensure that there is no wastage of any food items". An MP has also proposed a bill to impose a similar ban on expensive weddings across India. Weddings are expensive in Kashmir, and the traditional feast, locally called Wazwan, includes a range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The state government said the order, which comes into effect from 1 April, was issued in response to public complaints about extravagance, waste and intrusive noise. The state had imposed a similar ban in 1984, but it was revoked after protests. Marriages are costly in other parts of India as well, and many people spend lavishly on food, clothes and entertainment. In November, the five-day wedding of businessman and former Karnataka state minister G Janardhana Reddy's daughter, Brahmani, with an estimated cost of about 5bn rupees ($74m; £59m), prompted outrage as millions of Indians struggled with a cash flow crisis. Among the extravagances were gold-plated invitation cards fitted with LCD screens, costing 10m rupees. Here are a few of the world's most expensive weddings:

Summary: The government in Indian-administered Kashmir has put curbs on excessively lavish weddings.


The Belfast Policing and Community Safety Partnership's 'Drug Dealers Don't Care, Do You?' campaign ran from February to April. In that time, the PSNI also arrested 357 people and seized £44,000 in cash. Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said the principal drug seized was herbal cannabis. "Along with our partners, we've invested a considerable amount of time and effort into this campaign and it has delivered worthwhile outcomes," he said. "We arrested 357 suspects, charged 78 of them, reported 163 and released 55 on police bail." A spokesperson for Belfast PCSP said: "It's encouraging that the 'Drug Dealers Don't Care' campaign would appear to be having some impact in helping to tackle the scourge of drugs on our streets and in our communities. "These latest figures demonstrate that by working in partnership and coordinating our resources we can be more effective."

Summary: Almost £1.5m of illegal drugs have been seized in Northern Ireland following a media campaign against drug dealers, police have said.


In laboratory tests, two sweetgrass compounds drove mosquitoes away from tantalising fake blood samples, just as well as the widely-used repellent Deet. Further tests are needed to see how long the effects last. The researchers say folk remedies are a rich source of possible new repellents. "This is the fourth plant that we've investigated in this manner," said Charles Cantrell, a research chemist who works for the US Department of Agriculture. "The neat thing about this one is that it produces a compound, coumarin, which has a great odour and was known... to have some repelling properties. And it's very safe." Dr Cantrell was speaking in Boston at the 250th national meeting of the American Chemical Society. "There's an interesting story about coumarin," he told journalists at the conference. "Back in the 90s, Avon 'Skin So Soft' had a product that people discovered actually worked well as an insect repellent. It wasn't marketed as an insect repellent, but the effectiveness was well-known among consumers. "Scientists did an investigation and one of the constituents in Skin So Soft was coumarin - which we've now isolated from sweetgrass." Despite this, coumarin is not currently registered or marketed as a repellent, Dr Cantrell said. The second key ingredient he and his colleagues identified in sweetgrass was phytol, a common constituent in essential oils from plants. Phytol, similarly, is known to repel insects but is not currently marketed for that purpose. Dr Cantrell's team isolated these chemicals from the grass by passing steam through it, separating the oily and volatile compounds and then further purifying them into 12 fractions. Those 12 samples were presented to mosquitoes in a special test. "The bioassay is designed to mimic human skin," Dr Cantrell explained. "You put a blood mimic in a little well and cover it with a membrane." That membrane is then perfumed with the chemical to be tested, and the researchers simply count the bites. "We'll have five mosquitoes per little chamber. You can watch them bite the membrane, but for final confirmation... you squash them, to see which ones contain the red dye." Once these results were in, the team identified the specific molecules involved using spectrometry. Coumarin and phytol were the stand-outs, Dr Cantrell said. "In this three minute time-frame, measuring the number of bites, they were just as effective as Deet." The next step is to test them over a more practical timeframe. "We don't know yet what the duration of repellency is. It may work well in our bioassay for three minutes, but how does it work for three hours? "These are questions that we're going to try to answer over the next year or two." Follow Jonathan on Twitter

Summary: US scientists have identified the chemicals responsible for the mosquito-repelling activity of sweetgrass, a plant traditionally used by some Native Americans to fend off the bugs.


The 1920s window at St Paul's Church in Grangetown, Cardiff, depicts air, sea and land battles alongside religious images and trench scenes. The church says the masonry around the window must be replaced. Repairs could cost tens of thousands of pounds.

Summary: An appeal has been launched to raise money to refurbish one of the largest stained-glass windows in Wales honouring casualties from World War One.


Moreno, 24, is also wanted by former club Sevilla in La Liga, while Serie A giants AC Milan and Inter Milan have expressed an interest in the left-back. Liverpool will insist on £30m for France defender Mamadou Sakho, who had a spell at Crystal Palace last term. And winger Lazar Markovic is a target for Watford and Zenit St Petersburg. Moreno was displaced at left-back by James Milner last season but Reds manager Jurgen Klopp is in no hurry to sell the player, although Moreno may also want more first-team football at this stage of his career. The Anfield club are confident they will get their full asking price for Sakho, 27, given the current market for centre-backs and the player's successful loan spell at Premier League rivals Palace last season. Serbia winger Markovic is another player unlikely to be in Klopp's plans, especially following the addition of £34m forward Mohamed Salah from Roma. New Watford manager Marco Silva may make a move for the 23-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Benfica in a £20m deal three years ago, after being impressed with Markovic during a loan spell at Hull City last season. Russian side Zenit have also shown an interest in Markovic, who has had loan spells at Fenerbahce and Sporting Lisbon.

Summary: Liverpool have rejected an £11m bid from Italian side Napoli for Alberto Moreno - and will demand £15m for the Spanish defender.


Roedd Ashley Talbot yn 15 oed pan fu farw. Ar ôl y digwyddiad yn Rhagfyr 2014 cafodd gyrrwr y bws, athro yn yr ysgol, ei gwestiynu gan yr heddlu ac yna ei ryddhau. Cafodd bachgen arall ei anafu yn y digwyddiad. Dywedodd Ann Rees, oedd yn cael ei hadnabod fel Ann Carhart yn broffesiynol ac oedd yn bennaeth ar ysgol ar y pryd, wrth y rheithgor fod y ffordd i'r ysgol yn cael ei defnyddio gan fysiau, ceir a phlant ar droed. Clywodd y rheithgor fod na "anrhefn enfawr" ar ddiwedd y diwrnod ysgol. Dywedodd Mrs Rees fod staff yn cael eu rhoi ar rota ac yn gwarchod gwahanol ardaloedd yn unol â gofynion asesiad risg. Roeddynt yn cael eu hanfon i wahanol lefydd hefyd yn ôl yr angen. Mae'r cwest yn parhau.

Summary: Clywodd cwest fod yna "anhrefn enfawr" yn gyson y tu allan i ysgol uwchradd ym Maesteg lle bu farw bachgen ar ôl cael ei daro gan fws mini.


In April, Northern Ireland's secretary of state published a plan for a budget to be imposed if the Stormont parties could not reach a deal. The indicative figures included a 2.5% cut to education. At the time, the group of more than 40 principals in schools in the Belfast area called the proposals "totally unacceptable". They sent a letter to parents, the Department of Education, the Education Authority and the secretary of state saying they could not impose the cuts "without seriously compromising their children's education". On Tuesday, they went to a meeting of Belfast City Council to ask for support in fighting the cuts. Lord Mayor Alderman Brian Kingston has now agreed to write to the secretary of state, MLAs and MPs. Damian O'Neill, principal of the Good Shepherd Primary School in Dunmurry, told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme the principals did not know where else to turn. "They (Belfast City Council) are the only elected body at the minute who we could reach out to. "It's very, very important for us as principals that we see the best-possible outcomes for our children. "But the circumstances at the minute would suggest to me that we won't be able to do that."

Summary: Belfast City Council has backed a group of principals who say they will refuse to make cuts to school budgets.


The girl was attacked in the Jenkins Dale area of Chatham on 4 April and is still in hospital with serious injuries, Kent Police said. The dog was shot by firearms officers. A man and a teenager have been re-arrested on suspicion of offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Both had been detained on the day of the attack but released later. Live: More news from Kent The teenager was previously arrested over the same offences and the man has been now also been detained on suspicion of supplying cannabis. A woman arrested on 5 April on suspicion of dangerous dogs offences answered bail on Wednesday and was released pending further inquiries, a police spokeswoman said. Kent Police confirmed they had received a call from a member of the public shortly before the attack at 17:10 BST about a dog pulling its handler nearby. They said there was no information "the dog was behaving aggressively or was of a dangerous breed as described under the Dangerous Dogs Act".

Summary: Two people have been re-arrested after a toddler suffered serious injuries in a dog attack.


Notts leg-spinner Imran Tahir led the recovery with 7-112 as Somerset were all out for 437 - a lead of 36. Resuming on 244-3, South Africa international Tahir claimed six of the seven Somerset wickets to fall on a scorching day - including Trescothick, who added 101 to his overnight 117. Notts lost Steven Mullaney and Michael Lumb early, before closing on 58-2. Trescothick, who equalled Somerset's record for the most first-class centuries with his 49th on Monday, was in wonderful form once again despite stifling temperatures. The 40-year-old brought up his double century off 323 balls with a trademark cover drive off Samit Patel - his 31st boundary - before he was the last man to go, chipping Tahir to cover. Somerset looked set for a much bigger lead as Trescothick and Jim Allenby's hundred partnership took them to 379-4 and within 22 of the hosts. But once Allenby was bowled by Patel for 63, Tahir tore through the rest of the batting order as Somerset lost their last five wickets for 37. The procession of afternoon wickets continued in Nottinghamshire's second innings as Craig Overton pinned first-innings centurion Mullaney lbw and Allenby bowled Lumb without scoring in the next over. Jake Libby and Brendan Taylor batted out the final hour to give Notts a lead of 22 at stumps.

Summary: Somerset opener Marcus Trescothick hit a superb 218 before Nottinghamshire fought back at Trent Bridge.


The contractor, Smartty's Management Limited, has been asked to return the excess payment, the government said. On Wednesday, Transport Minister Dzifa Attivor resigned following a public outcry over the deal. Ghana is struggling with a large budget deficit and a widening public debt. The branding involved respraying the 116 imported passenger buses and adding portraits of the current President John Mahama, his three immediate predecessors and Ghana's first head of state, Kwame Nkrumah. A proper procurement method was "not followed and the contract did not ensure value for money," the government said after a review by Attorney General Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong. Opposition and anti-corruption campaigners have raised concerns over the amount spent, which they said was far too much, forcing the presidency to set up an investigation. The BBC's Sammy Darko in the capital, Accra, says many people think the government is not doing enough to tackle budget mismanagement. They want to see people being charged for causing financial loss to the state, he adds. Mrs Attivor's resignation is the first by a Ghanaian minister in more than a decade and comes amid efforts by the government to cut spending as it implements a three-year International Monetary Fund plan to restore fiscal stability. Earlier this week, Mr Mahama banned public officials, including ministers, from first class air travel and he suspended non-essential trips.

Summary: Ghana has demanded a $500,000 (£350,000) refund after its transport ministry spent $1m to paint more than 100 buses with portraits of the country's recent leaders.


On 26 October 1914 Alice Parr arrived at the government's imposing War Office in London, seeking answers about her missing teenage son. Seventeen-year-old Private John Parr had last been seen in August, on the eve of the Battle of Mons. He had been sent to search for two missing platoons and his anxious mother feared the worst when she made her way to Whitehall. "The youngest, the baby," says Iris Hunt, one of Alice's great nieces. "She must've been desperate." As a quarter of a million other boys would go on to do, 14-year-old John had lied about his age to join the Army in 1912. The Parrs shared their small terraced house in Barnet, north London, with another family - overcrowded conditions the youngest brother left behind. He was five years below the legal age at which he could be sent overseas to fight. "He was probably looking for proper clothes and decent meals," according to policeman turned local historian Michael Crick, who has followed Private Parr's paper trail. The brown-haired, brown-eyed boy was working as a caddie at his local golf course when he signed up. "He was looking for adventure and something to do with his life," great-niece Iris says. His life - like more than 700,000 others from the British Isles after him - was cut short on continental Europe. But unlike those whose bodies were never found and who have no headstone, Private Parr entered history as the first of his comrades to die fighting Germany. He would miss the horrors of the trenches, poison gas and mechanised warfare - shot and killed shortly after his 17th birthday. "He's almost an iconic symbol of that first contact of the British Army with that massive German juggernaut crashing through Belgium on its way into France," says military historian Jon Cooksey. There are no known photographs of the 5ft 3in teenager from the north London suburbs, described by his superiors as "clean, sober and intelligent" but "inclined to be insubordinate". After joining his local regiment, the Middlesex, he became a reconnaissance cyclist, trained to ride ahead to retrieve information quickly for commanding officers. When war broke out he and 1,100 other men in his battalion were shipped from Southampton to Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France as the German army was advancing into Belgium. The first major engagement of German and British troops in Europe came at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914 and there are conflicting reports of when exactly John went missing around this time. As far as the military was concerned, he was still with his regiment almost half a year later. "According to the records here, the man is still serving with his battalion," an official at the Infantry Records Office wrote on 27 January 1915. Amid the administrative chaos at the start of the war, John's worried mother seems to have known more than those in charge. "I've not heard from him at all and the War Office can tell me nothing," she wrote to the official, underlining the word "nothing". "I have heard

Summary: A ceremony is being held at the WW1 grave of Private John Parr - a teenager thought to have been the first British soldier killed in action in Europe - but 100 years on mystery still surrounds how he died and who killed him.


Cotter will leave the Scotland job and be replaced by Glasgow boss Gregor Townsend at the end of the season. Strauss, who will start at number eight against Ireland on Saturday, says the Scotland players want to send Cotter out on a high. "When people move on you want to give them a good send off," Strauss said. "It does bring that little bit more of an incentive. You do try that little bit harder. You need emotion to play rugby and it does give you that little extra edge." Scotland have not won an opening day Six Nations fixture since the victory over France at Murrayfield in 2006. Their record against Ireland in the championship does not offer much cause for optimism either. Ireland have won 14 of 17 Six Nations matches between the sides. Moreover, Joe Schmidt's side have beaten South Africa, Australia and New Zealand since last summer, with Munster's CJ Stander a stand-out performer, and a player with whom Strauss is well acquainted. "We shared a room at the Springbok camp for a week back in the day," Strauss said. "He's a farmer from up north in South Africa and I'm more of a beach boy from down in the city in Cape Town. We get along well and he's a very nice guy. "He's a very tough player. Even with the Bulls, I played for the Lions so there was a very big rivalry between our two South African teams. He was always one of the guys we watched out for. He's come over and he's done exceptionally well." Scotland resource coach Nathan Hines, who will follow Cotter to Montpellier in the summer, warned that Schmidt will have pinpointed every Scottish weakness ahead of the Murrayfield clash. "He brings an unbelievable tactical awareness," said Hines, who played under Schmidt at Leinster. "He goes through the other team with a fine-tooth comb and finds their weaknesses. That gives his teams confidence. "I was across at the end of last year and spoke to him. The door is never closed with Joe, unless it is and he hasn't told me yet! He's an open guy and we had some good times with Leinster so I'm sure he'll give me a cheeky smile on Saturday before kick-off. "They're very good at what they do. They find weaknesses and they exploit those weaknesses and make it very hard for you to play. It's about how we combat that and how we make it as difficult as possible for them to execute." Ireland captain and hooker Rory Best expects to wage a punishing set-piece battle with Scotland's inexperienced front-row. Edinburgh's Allan Dell, and Glasgow duo Fraser Brown and Zander Fagerson have just nine Test starts between them (three each), but 100-cap Best warns their lack of international appearances will not make for an easy ride. "When you get that two-three link that play together every week, train together every day, it helps a lot," he said. "There's no doubt that will play into their hands. "They're inexperienced if you look in terms

Summary: Josh Strauss believes Vern Cotter's impending departure will provide added motivation for Scotland to have a successful Six Nations.


Alassane Ouattara has been in power since his predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, was forcibly removed from after refusing to recognise Mr Ouattara internationally recognised victory in the November 2010 presidential election. The poll was meant to draw a line under a 2002-03 civil war which left the country split in two, but it led to a stalemate lasting more than four months. Mr Gbagbo, who had been in power for 10 years and several times delayed elections, claimed victory in the 2010 poll and held onto power, helped by his militia but isolated by the international community. Mr Ouattara was initially confined to a hotel near the presidential palace, protected by UN peacekeeping troops. Eventually his militia overran the country and - together with French troops - stormed the presidential palace and captured Mr Gbagbo in April 2011. Mr Gbagbo was subsequently transferred to The Hague to stand trial at the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity. In 2015, Mr Ouattara won a second five-year term with nearly 84% of the vote, in an election described as credible by US observers. An ally of Mr Ggagbo won 9%. A US-educated economist from the Muslim north, Mr Ouattara served as President Felix Houphouet-Boigny's last prime minister after a long career at the International Monetary Fund. After losing a power struggle against Henri Konan Bedie, who became president, Mr Ouattara returned to the IMF, eventually becoming deputy managing director. He made a comeback in Ivorian politics as head of the liberal Rally of the Republicans, which has strong support in the north, and backed the coup that ousted President Bedie in 1999. Disputes about whether Mr Ouattara's parents were Ivorian led to his being debarred from standing for the presidency in 2000 - one of the controversies that prompted the 2002 civil war. As part of the post-war settlement, Mr Ouattara was allowed to register for the 2010 election.

Summary: President : Alassane Ouattara


28 October 2015 Last updated at 14:19 GMT Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren had to grease the station's big robot arm, re-route some cables and remove some insulation. The spacewalk had to be delayed after Lindgren switched on the water flow in his suit too soon. Mission Control had to make sure the suit would be safe, before they gave the all-clear. Water is needed to cool the suit. Kelly who's been living at the orbiting lab since March will stay until March 2016. But early on Thursday morning this week, he will break the American record for NASA's longest single space shot. That 215-day record - more than seven months - was set in 2007. President Barack Obama already has sent his congratulations in a phone call last week- telling him his time in space is ``nothing to sneeze at.'' Kelly replied ''It shouldn't be a problem getting to the end with enough energy and enthusiasm to complete the job. Records are made to be broken.'' Earlier this month, Kelly broke the U.S. record for the most time in space: 383 days and counting over four missions. It will be 522 days in total by the time he returns to Earth. The pair will do a second spacewalk on Nov 6th.

Summary: Two astronauts on board the International Space Station have taken their first spacewalk outside - to do some repairs and maintenance.


Verheydt, who had been with Maastricht since 2015, has signed a three-year contract with Harry Kewell's side. The 25-year-old scored 13 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions last season. Meanwhile, Watford winger Dennon Lewis, 20, has joined the Reds on a loan deal until 31 December. Lewis, who made 29 National League appearances on loan at Woking last season, played under Kewell when the Australian was coach of Watford's under-23 team. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: League Two side Crawley Town have signed striker Thomas Verheydt from Dutch second-tier side MVV Maastricht for an undisclosed fee.


Kjell Lindgren played Amazing Grace on the pipes after recording a message about research scientist Victor Hurst, who was involved in astronaut training. It is thought to be the first time that bagpipes have been played in space. They were made for Mr Lindgren by McCallum Bagpipes at the company's factory in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Kenny Macleod, who works at McCallum Bagpipes, told BBC Scotland the 42-year-old astronaut had got in touch two years ago to say he was going to the space station and wanted to play the pipes while he was there. "He wondered if it was feasible to play bagpipes," he said. "They're made of plastic - they're just easier to keep clean and to make sure they're not contaminated. They're also lighter." In the video, Mr Lindgren is seen to give the pipes a punch before he starts playing. Mr Macleod said it was normal for pipers to massage the bag to get the air flowing, "but not quite as vigorously as that". "The thing about bagpipes is that they're very difficult to play at high altitude because the air is that bit thinner. They're quite hard to blow so he's done well," he added. There are six astronauts currently in space on the 45th expedition to the International Space Centre. In a video recorded in the last few days, Mr Lindgren said all of them had come into contact with Dr Hurst during their training and were "shocked and saddened" to hear about his death. Dr Hurst worked for US engineering company Wyle Science as a research scientist and instructor. He died suddenly in October, aged 48. Nasa flight engineer Mr Lindgren said: "He always had a quick smile, a kind word. I don't know if anyone was more enthusiastic and professional about being involved in human space flight."

Summary: A US astronaut has played a set of Scottish-made bagpipes on the International Space Station to pay tribute to a colleague who died.


Saints - the last visiting team to win at Ibrox 13 months ago - took the lead early on when Blair Alston curled in a fantastic strike. Joe Garner headed Rangers level from a corner before the break. The visitors had several chances in the second half with Alston firing against the post while Garner had a header saved for the hosts. With Aberdeen defeated at Hamilton Academical on Tuesday and Hearts beaten at Kilmarnock, Saints could have gone second with victory but instead they go level on points with the second-placed Dons, albeit having played a game more. Rangers, having taken 16 points from a possible 30 since being promoted, stay fifth edging to within a point of Hearts. The Ibrox side have won only two of their home league games this season, having also dropped points to Hamilton and Ross County. Mark Warburton's side had improved defensively in recent weeks with clean sheets in league wins over Partick Thistle and Inverness. However, with Wes Foderingham resuming goalkeeping duties from Matt Gilks - Rangers' best player in the 1-0 Scottish League Cup semi-final defeat by Celtic - the Ibrox side found themselves a goal down early on to Saints as Alston picked his spot after robbing Lee Hodson for his first Saints goal. Tommy Wright engineered an away win over Rangers in last season's League Cup when the hosts - then in the Championship - bringing an end to a 11-game winning sequence. And the Northern Irishman's team had several opportunities to go back in front early in the second half with Brian Easton, Liam Craig, Danny Swanson and Chris Kane all going close before Alston fired against a post. Garner had netted just once since his summer move from Preston North End but the striker broke his Ibrox duck with a headed finish off Harry Forrester's corner, having gone close from a similar situation moments before. And Garner threatened to nod Rangers ahead on 74 minutes but could not beat Zander Clark, who made good first-half saves to deny Jason Holt and Josh Windass. Warburton sought fresh impetus in attack with the introduction of Martyn Waghorn, Kenny Miller and Barrie McKay off the bench but St Johnstone held firm with David Wotherspoon clearing a Miller effort off the line. Rangers' Mark Warburton: "It was a decent first half but we didn't continue that and we gave the ball away cheaply. "We weren't brave getting out, despite the possession stats we didn't play the way we wanted to. "It's a demanding crowd because they're used to success. The players have to recognise it's an expectant crowd - and quite rightly. We have to respect that and learn from that." St Johnstone's Tommy Wright: "It's never easy coming here. We're happy to take a point but we could have taken all three as we had a few good chances in the second half. "We knew we'd stay above Rangers with a positive result. We're content with the return but there are no prizes given out so we're not going to get carried

Summary: Rangers and St Johnstone had to settle for a point each after a Scottish Premiership draw in Glasgow.


He was killed in his vehicle near the presidential palace in the capital, Mogadishu, the officials added. The president has cut short his visit to Ethiopia following Abas Abdullahi Sheikh's killing, state radio reports. He grew up in a refugee camp, and became Somalia's youngest MP in November and a minister in February. Somalia has been wracked by conflict since the long-serving ruler Siad Barre was ousted in 1991. It is currently battling militant Islamists from the al-Shabab group, which is affiliated to al-Qaeda. Security forces on patrol came across a vehicle blocking the road and, thinking it was being driven by militants, opened fire, police Major Nur Hussein told Reuters news agency. Mr Abas was killed "by mistake - they opened fire on his car accidentally. May God rest his soul", Mogadishu mayoral spokesman Abdifatah Omar Halane was quoted as saying. A rising star has been killed: Abdirizak Atosh, BBC Somali, Nairobi Somali youth have been robbed of a role model following the shocking death of Mr Abas. Always polite and well-dressed, the former child refugee was widely admired for his determination to succeed. Coming from a prominent religious family, Mr Abas studied at Kenya's prestigious Nairobi University and entered politics last year. He became an MP for the port city of Kismayo in Somalia's Jubbaland region after an electoral college chose him ahead of a government minister who had been on the political scene for more than two decades. Mr Abas' victory showed that Somalis were fed up with the old guard, and were demanding change. Sensing his popularity with the youth, the president appointed him to the cabinet in March. Less than three months later, this rising star has become the latest casualty of more than two decades of violence in Somalia. But in this case some are asking: Has Somalia lost a future president? Mr Abas was given a state funeral in Mogadishu attended by President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo, members of parliament, Somali youth and elders. President Farmajo has ordered security chiefs to "immediately get to the bottom of this unfortunate tragedy" and make sure the perpetrators were "brought to book". Information Minister Abdirahman Osman said several people had been arrested, but did not give details, state-owned Radio Mogadishu reported. Troops are sometimes nervous, and have previously shot officials - and each other - by mistake, says BBC Somalia analyst Abdullahi Abdi. But Mr Abas, the public works minister, is probably the most high-ranking official killed by "friendly fire", he adds. Mr Abas grew up in Dadaab camp in Kenya, home to hundreds of thousands of Somalis who fled drought and conflict. The president appointed Mr Abas to the cabinet following his surprise election victory in February. President Farmajo promised to improve security and establish an effective government in Somalia. Much of the country is still under the control of al-Shabab.

Summary: Somalia's security forces have shot dead a 31-year-old government minister after mistaking him for a militant Islamist, officials have said.


Noah Zunde, who was 22 months old, succumbed to heatstroke after being left in the car for seven hours. His mother, Romy Zunde, had mistakenly believed she dropped Noah at childcare, the Coroners Court of Victoria heard. Ms Zunde was sleep-deprived, stressed and dealing with a change in routine before the tragedy, the court was told. Police did not lay charges. A coronial lawyer recommended that Ms Zunde should not be held criminally responsible. The inquest into the death in the Victorian town of Kyneton in 2015 is investigating ways to prevent similar incidents. A psychologist told the inquest he believed Ms Zunde suffered a memory lapse called "forgotten baby syndrome". "If you are capable of forgetting to post a letter, you are capable of forgetting to take your baby out of the car," said Matthew Mundy, an associate professor at Monash University. "Your memory is limited, it's limited in the number of things you can remember at any given time, and it's limited in the amount of time you can remember a thing for. "Your brain at the neural level doesn't discriminate between [posting] a letter, a baby or remembering to pick up your mobile phone". In his opinion the lapse could happen to anyone, he said. Noah is one of five children within 10 years who have died in Victoria after being left inside a vehicle. The court was told sensors installed in some cars in the United States alerted parents to the presence of children. Coroner Sara Hinchey will hand down her findings at a later date.

Summary: A mother was suffering from "forgotten baby syndrome" when her young son died in a hot car, an Australian inquest has heard.


"Industrial-strength" extremists cannot be dealt with "just with force of arms", he said in a rare interview. During the Iraq war, Mr Petraeus devised the strategy that saw a "surge" in US troop numbers and secured support from Sunni tribesmen against al-Qaeda. Iraq's US-backed army is now battling to retake territory seized by IS. Gen Petraeus described the group as "a formidable enemy". "It is really a conventional army that also has elements of an insurgency, and indeed significant terrorist elements as well," he said. But when asked to compare IS with its predecessor, al-Qaeda in Iraq - which Gen Petraeus was instrumental in defeating - he said the latter "had much greater roots in Iraq and much greater numbers than IS". The retired general characterised the recent capture by IS of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, as "a strategic loss in the sense that the narrative of IS being on the defensive - of losing - was shown to be somewhat hollow". "I do think Ramadi will be retaken in a matter of weeks or less," he added. "But this was a big setback. At such a time, one has to look at the strategy, at refinements that need to be made, at efforts that need to be augmented, and I know that's what's going on right now." 1974: Graduates from West Point US military academy, joining the army 2007: Leads US troop surge during Iraq conflict 2008: Head of US Central Command 2010: Nato commander in Afghanistan Mid-2011: Leaves military to become CIA director November 2012: Resigns over affair After commanding international troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gen Petraeus became head of the CIA but was forced to stand down in 2012, following revelations of an extra-marital affair. Subsequent allegations that he provided classified information to his mistress while he was CIA director led him to plead guilty to one misdemeanour charge. But despite the turbulence of his private life, Gen Petraeus remains one of the heroes of America's controversial military operations of recent years. He was the architect of the "surge" in Iraq that deployed more US troops, but equally important, got them out of their defended compounds to create security at a local level. He also greatly expanded the Anbar Awakening, the mobilisation of Sunni tribesmen to combat al-Qaeda. Not surprisingly in the wake of the recent setbacks in Iraq, his views are being canvassed by the White House, the Pentagon, and on Capitol Hill. The keynote of the Petraeus approach today is as it always was - the need for the political and military aspects of strategy to march closely in step. "You cannot deal with an industrial-strength extremist problem just with force of arms," he said. "You have to have that political component as well." Political change has to start at the top. Above all, Gen Petraeus says, "the Sunni Arabs have to be given incentives to support the new Iraq rather than to oppose it". As to the fundamental question - can the Iraqi military actually win against Islamic State? - he has few

Summary: Ex-CIA Director David Petraeus has told the BBC that Islamic State militants can only be defeated through a dual military and political approach.


Chechen Muslim clerics met on 3 April, two days after the paper's revelations, and said the report had insulted their faith and the dignity of Chechen men. "Retribution will catch up with the true instigators, wherever and whoever they are," their resolution said. Novaya Gazeta says it amounts to a call for "reprisals against journalists". "We urge the Russian authorities to do everything possible to prevent actions aimed at inciting hatred and enmity towards journalists, who are doing their professional duty," the paper said. On 1 April it reported that more than 100 people had been detained in Chechnya on suspicion of being homosexual, and that at least three had been killed. The Russian LGBT Network, in touch with victims in Chechnya, told the BBC that the report was true. Homophobia is rife in the mainly Muslim North Caucasus republic. Authoritarian leader Ramzan Kadyrov is fiercely loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. A spokeswoman for the LGBT Network said detainees were tortured with electric shocks and beatings at a prison near Argun, 20km (13 miles) from the city of Grozny. "All the people arrested are homosexual men or perceived as being gay," said Natalia Poplevskaya. Ramzan Kadyrov has denied the allegations, calling them "lies". His spokesman Alvi Karimov said there were no gay people in Chechnya. The Chechens' spiritual leader, Mufti Salah-haji Mezhiev, confirmed that "retribution" was part of the resolution adopted at the special Muslim meeting in Grozny on 3 April. "There will be retribution!" he told the Russian news website RBC. "Allah will punish those who slandered the whole Chechen nation and Chechen Republic's clerics." Novaya Gazeta's 1 April report said the detainees included some influential Muslim clerics close to Mr Kadyrov, and two well-known Chechen TV presenters. In an open letter to the mufti, the paper's chief editor Dmitry Muratov said his journalists would continue investigating human rights abuses in Chechnya. "We did not insult - nor had we the slightest intention to insult - the Chechen people," he wrote, urging dialogue. Chechens have been linked to two murders of Novaya Gazeta reporters who investigated crimes in Chechnya - Anna Politkovskaya and Natalia Estemirova. But much remains unclear about those contract killings, and that of Boris Nemtsov, an opposition politician who was shot dead in Moscow in 2015 and also exposed corruption and organised crime in Chechnya. The LGBT Network says it is helping people to flee the persecution in Chechnya and accuses the Russian authorities of ignoring the abuses. If Russia fails to prosecute anyone, it says it will file a case at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Summary: The Russian daily Novaya Gazeta says it is alarmed by a Chechen Muslim call for "retribution" after the paper reported violence against gay men in Chechnya.


Under a longstanding agreement with the city of New York, the museum must accept whatever patrons offer to pay. But signs at cashier desks appear to demand full price, the suit contends. The museum says its "recommended" policy has been place for 40 years and it makes no effort to deceive visitors. The lawsuit, filed in New York City on behalf of former patrons, contends that the world famous museum, which receives six million visitors a year, uses misleading marketing and cashier training to deceive unwary visitors. Lawyers say the signs in the lobby listing the price of admission with the word "recommended" below in smaller type violate a 1893 law mandating the public be admitted free of charge at least five days and two evenings per week in exchange for monetary grants and rent-free use of city-owned land. The suit, which lawyers hope will eventually represent a broad class of people who have visited the museum in recent years, seeks a change in the admissions policy and reimbursement for those who they say were misled. Confusion over whether visitors were required to pay the full $25 is "an issue with tourists travelling to the US from a foreign country", Michael Hiller, a lawyer for those who brought the suit, told the BBC. "They are violating the statute, plainly and simply," Mr Hiller said, referring to the 1893 law. "The museum was designed to make art accessible to the public." A former employee of the Met is expected to testify, Mr Hiller said. The witness, who trained cashiers from 2007-2011, alleges that signage was changed from "suggested" to "recommended" because administrators believed it would encourage people to pay more, Mr Hiller said. Harold Holzer, a spokesman for the museum, said the 1893 law had been superseded. New York City agreed to the museum's request in 1970 to charge an admission fee - so long as the amount was left up to individuals and the signage reflected that. About 40% of visitors pay full price, Mr Holzer said. He said gate proceeds allowed the Met to offer free admission to special exhibitions. About 11% of the museum's operating expenses were covered by admissions last year. As a non-profit organisation, the museum pays no income taxes. It is one of the wealthiest museums in the world, with a $2bn investment portfolio. Mr Holzer estimated the museum would receive 15-20% of its operating budget from the fees this year, with 11% coming from city grants. The Met believes its policy "guarantees access for people regardless of their ability to pay", Mr Holzer said. He noted other New York City museums charge steep admission fees. Entrance fees for prominent New York City art museums such as the Whitney, the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim range from $18 to $25. Mr Hiller demands the museum stop charging entirely for admission and remove the cashier desks. "You have got to eliminate any effort to charge people," he said.

Summary: The Metropolitan Museum of Art's practice of requesting a "recommended" admission fee of $25 (Â£16) deceives patrons entitled to pay as little as they choose, a lawsuit charges.


A man entered the store on Balmoral Place between 07:30 and 07:45, threatened a 33-year-old member of staff with a weapon and attacked him. The suspect fled with a four-figure sum of cash, cigarettes and the wallet and mobile of a 61-year-old customer who came into the shop and intervened. Police described it as a "shocking" and "vicious" attack. The suspect was described as white, in his early 20s, wearing black trousers, a black top, light pink trainers and a black scarf covering his face. He was also carrying a black backpack which may have had pink markings on it. Det Con Andrew Hope said: "This was a shocking attack. It was vicious and the member of staff sustained a serious head injury during the attack. "He was taken by ambulance to the Borders General Hospital where he was treated and has since been released. "The suspect had no thought for the staff member or the customer who thankfully was not injured in the incident. "The Post Office is a busy place, as is Gala Park where the suspect made off towards, so I would appeal to anyone who saw the attack and who hasn't already spoken to police, or anyone who can assist officers with their inquiries to contact us."

Summary: A shop worker has been seriously injured during a raid on a post office in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders.


The 23-year-old from Guernsey appointed Veronelli in December 2013, but he is no longer able to commit to spending up to 40 weeks a year on the road. Veronelli, 36, moved from Florida back to Buenos Aires earlier this year to be with his young family. Watson, the world number 55, won her second WTA tour title at the Hobart International in January. Veronelli, a former world number 150, had notable success in guiding Watson back inside the world's top 50 for a time, after she had slipped down the rankings following a bout of glandular fever in 2013.

Summary: British number two Heather Watson has parted company with her Argentine coach Diego Veronelli.


Now, none of her albums are available on the music-streaming service, after the singer removed her entire back catalogue. So far there's been no word from Swift on why she's taken the tracks down. Spotify meanwhile has released a statement saying that the company hopes "she'll change her mind" and return to the site. If you're really desperate for some Taylor Swift - Newsbeat has managed to find two tracks on Spotify that seem to have been left behind. Love Story still features on a compilation called Heart Breakers and The Hunger Games soundtrack has Safe & Sound on it - but there's no guarantee they'll be on there for long. "We love Taylor Swift, and our more than 40 million users love her even more - nearly 16 million of them have played her songs in the last 30 days, and she's on over 19 million playlists," said Spotify. "We hope she'll change her mind and join us in building a new music economy that works for everyone." They added, in reference to one of her hits, Stay Stay Stay: "PS - Taylor, we were both young when we first saw you, but now there's more than 40 million of us who want you to stay, stay, stay. It's a love story, baby, just say, Yes." Representatives for Swift have yet to return a request for comment. The 24-year-old's fifth album, 1989, was released last week and has topped the album charts in the UK. It sold 90,000 copies, making it the fastest-selling album of the year by a female artist, but it was not put on Spotify. Swift has been outspoken in the past about music piracy and in an article in the Wall Street Journal earlier this year, she described how the business models used by some artists have devalued music. "Piracy, file-sharing and streaming have shrunk the numbers of paid album sales drastically, and every artist has handled this blow differently," she said. "In recent years, you've probably read the articles about major recording artists who have decided to practically give their music away, for this promotion or that exclusive deal. "My hope for the future, not just in the music industry, but in every young girl I meetâ€¦ is that they all realize their worth and ask for it." Spotify claims that its business model, in which revenue is shared with the "music community", helps to tackle the issue of piracy. "We believe fans should be able to listen to music wherever and whenever they want, and that artists have an absolute right to be paid for their work and protected from piracy," it said. "That's why we pay nearly 70% of our revenue back to the music community." The site has compiled two playlists in response to her departure, one of which is called What to Play While Taylor's Away. The other - A Little Playlist Poetry for Taylor Swift - features tracks whose titles when read in order say: "Hey Taylor We Wanted to Play Your Amazing Love Songs And They're Not Here Right Now."

Summary: For the last few weeks, Taylor Swift's Shake it Off has been one of the most streamed tracks on Spotify in the UK.


They join rugby star Mike Tindall, who's married to the Queen's granddaughter, Zara Tindall. The first series - in which stars compete in winter sports - saw injuries. Two finalists, Sir Steve Redgrave and comic Marcus Brigstocke, retired hurt. Sally Bercow, married to MP John Bercow, has been on Celebrity Big Brother, as well as appearing in a Channel 5 series with Paddy Doherty. Ola Jordan partnered TV wildlife expert Steve Backshall in the latest series of Strictly, but was voted off the show in November. Also in the line-up are Jackass star Steve-O, ex-JLS star JB Gill, Sir Paul McCartney's ex-wife Heather Mills and choreographer and ex-Dancing On Ice judge Louie Spence. Former I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestants Phil Tufnell, Ashley Roberts, Joey Essex and Stacey Solomon will all be on the show. Completing the line-up are Paralympian Jon-Allan Butterworth, socialite Lady Victoria Hervey, heptathlete Louise Hazel and Made In Chelsea star Louise Thompson. Steve-O and Lady Victoria Hervey both appeared on ITV reality show Love Island in 2006. The 16 contestants have already begun training for events including bobsleigh, slalom and ski cross. The fastest racers in a skeleton bobsleigh will directly qualifying for the final stages, while others will have to perform a live ski jump to progress. Those who jump the shortest distances will be put on a subs' bench to replace any casualties. Last year's winner, Joe McElderry, was drafted in after too many competitors were injured. Socialite Henry Conway broke a bone in his hand and Melinda Messenger withdrew with concussion suffered on the bobsleigh track. Past British Winter Olympic stars Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, Graham Bell, Amy Williams and Jenny Jones will be among the experts on hand for the show, which will be shown on TV early next year. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Sally Bercow, wife of the House of Commons Speaker, Strictly Come Dancing star Ola Jordan and Gogglebox regular Dom Parker are among the contestants on Channel 4's show The Jump.


The key foreign ministry portfolio has gone to Ibrahim Ghandour, a former presidential assistant. Mohamed Zayed has been appointed oil minister, while Mustafa Osman Obeid was appointed acting defence minister. The new government will comprise a total of 31 cabinet ministers. In addition President Bashir has also appointed governors for Sudan's 18 states in what he has vowed will be a "new page" for his country, Speaking at his inauguration last week, the president said that he wanted to repair ties with the West, tackle corruption and bring peace to the country. Another priority is restoring Sudan's ailing economy. Mr Bashir, 71, seized power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989. Even President Bashir has been forced to admit - with civil war(s) continuing, and the ongoing economic crisis - that Sudan needs to change, and this reshuffle is part of his promised reforms. The most surprising decision is the removal of Abdel Rahim Hussein as defence minister, as for many years he has been President Bashir's confidant and friend. Mr Hussein has been named governor of Khartoum state, one of several changes among the governors, which seem designed to remove any who were developing sizable local power bases. But simply replacing ministers and governors will not bring change. Instead, the way Sudan is governed will have to improve if the country is to escape from its current malaise.

Summary: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has formed a new government a month after winning elections that were boycotted by the main opposition parties and tarnished by a poor turnout.


Nasri, 29, was an unused substitute for Thursday's International Champions Cup win over Borussia Dortmund in China. Defender Gael Clichy revealed on Wednesday that Guardiola had exiled some players from first-team training until they meet certain weight targets. And the new City boss said of Nasri: "He arrived a little bit overweight." The France international missed six months of last season with a thigh injury he suffered in training. Guardiola, who arrived at the club at the start of July, said the player's fitness is "much better now" and added: "Last season, he was injured in the season. We want to avoid that. We want the players on the pitch to be fit. "We want their weight to be in the right place where they can run 90 minutes like Fernandinho and [Aleksandar] Kolarov and the others. Hopefully in the next two weeks, he will be OK." When asked if he was pleased with Nasri's progress, Guardiola said: "I cannot have any complaints about the team. It's the opposite. "The fans can be so proud of these players. In every training session, they've tried and tried with the rhythm we play." Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has not yet played for the club during pre-season because of his weight, says manager Pep Guardiola.


Akpan, 25, was dismissed in the 87th minute of Rovers' 2-1 Championship defeat by Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday, 14 February. The Nigeria international denied the charge, which was upheld by an independent regulatory commission. Rovers were fined £5,000 for their players' response to the incident. He has already missed one game as part of the ban, with Friday's game against Burton also included, leaving him with two further games to serve.

Summary: Blackburn Rovers midfielder Hope Akpan has had his three-match ban for violent conduct extended to four, following a Football Association charge.