The ex-Middlesbrough assistant, who held the same post at Hartlepool under Colin Cooper from 2013 to 2014, succeeded Ronnie Moore on Wednesday. Moore parted company with Pools after Tuesday's 2-1 home defeat by Stevenage. "The quality I've seen in training, the intensity and the tempo took me by surprise a bit," Hignett told BBC Tees. "I'm walking into a positive situation. Results and performances haven't been the same, the group of players I've seen today are more than capable of beating teams in this league." Former Tranmere and Rotherham boss Moore helped retain Hartlepool's Football League status last term after his appointment in December 2014. However despite a run of four straight wins at the start of the campaign, form tailed off and Hignett will go into Saturday's home game against Yeovil looking for a first win in five with his side four points above the relegation zone. "First and foremost we need to get away from where we are," he added. "I need to get my message across to the team quickly because there will be a change in style." Liverpudlian Hignett is a self-confessed relaxed and jovial character, but says that will have no impact on his performance with reference to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. "Tell Jurgen Klopp that [you have to be serious], there's a time to be serious and a time where you don't have to be," he added. "I do like a laugh and a joke, but when I'm serious I'm serious, there's a time and a place. "Training we have to be serious, match-day ultra serious, but after the game - win lose or draw - I'll be me. "If I want to have a laugh and joke afterwards, as long as the result isn't too bad then I will." Since Hignett's last stint on the Pools' touchline, the club has been taken over by JPNG - led by chairman Gary Coxall - from Ken Hodcroft and IOR Limited. "I was really impressed by what he [Coxall] had to say," Hignett added. "What he wants to do with the club in the future, how he wants to grow the club, his vision, he wanted a clear identity for it - everything I'd want to bring to a football club. "For me it was the perfect fit."

Summary: New Hartlepool manager Craig Hignett says the situation at Victoria Park is "positive", despite taking over a side third from bottom in League Two.


The Russian foreign ministry acted against Waclaw Radziwinowicz because Poland expelled a Russian journalist. In a message on Facebook, the ministry addressed the cat, Marusia, saying: "Don't worry... we'll look after you". But Radziwinowicz, who works for the Gazeta Wyborcza daily, appeared unamused by the joke, saying: "Marusia is going with me to Poland". Speaking to the BBC by phone from Moscow, he said: "I don't understand the [ministry's] message." He complained of "a kind of paranoia" surrounding his expulsion. Sounding upset, he declined to give any further comment. The ministry's message said Radziwinowicz had asked the ministry "to look after my cat, who is staying here". It said he had given various interviews about his imminent expulsion, but "for some reason" had not mentioned that request about his cat. "A final request is sacred - that's why we got concerned [about his cat] right away," it said. "Masya, don't worry, if after all he abandons you or, God forbid, if something worse happens, we'll look after you. We promised Waclaw that we wouldn't abandon his cat." On Friday the ministry ordered Radziwinowicz to leave Russia within 30 days. It was a "reciprocal measure", it said, because of Poland's expulsion of Leonid Sviridov, a reporter with RIA Novosti, part of the Kremlin-backed Rossiya Segodnya media group. Sviridov left Poland on 12 December, after the authorities described him as a "danger to the Polish state". The expulsion followed an investigation by Poland's Internal Security Agency. In a statement to the BBC, Gazeta Wyborcza's managing editor Roman Imielski said he did not understand Russia's "game" over Radziwinowicz, who has been the paper's Moscow correspondent for 20 years. Imielski said the foreign ministry had not given Radziwinowicz any written notification - "only the words from an official of the Russian MFA [foreign ministry]". "Waclaw will take the cat with him. In my opinion, the Facebook statement about Marusia is a kind of Russian humour," he added. He called the expulsion "pure revenge on the best-known Polish journalist in Russia". "Sviridov worked for a state news agency, Radziwinowicz - for a private newspaper. Waclaw for years was particularly disliked by the Kremlin. Not only for his critical articles about Putin and his people," Imielski said. Radziwinowicz had exposed "corruption, state capture by a narrow group of oligarchs, intrusive propaganda and an attempt to rebuild the Soviet empire", he said. "Waclaw is a real institution - his Moscow flat was always full of opposition people, human rights activists and NGOs." A new Russian foreign ministry statement says it would be "justified to blame the previous Polish government for the deterioration of relations [with Russia]". "But the representatives of the country's new government are criticising Russia even more sharply," it complained.

Summary: Russia is expelling a veteran Polish correspondent - and has joked that it will look after his cat for him.


The Australian defeated 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, but fell out of the semi-finals to Brazilian Adriano de Souza, who claimed his first WSL crown. Mr de Souza paid tribute to Fanning saying "he deserved it more than me". There has been strong support after a grieving Fanning won his Pipeline quarter-finals heat on Wednesday. The Australian broke down in an interview after his winning heat, not long after learning of his brother's death. He later posted on social media that it was one of the most challenging days of his life. "I am so grateful for the incredible love and well wishes that have come my way since learning of my eldest brother's passing," Fanning said on Instagram. "Like all my big brothers, Peter will always be a hero to me... I knew I could find the strength to take part in the final event of the season because that's what Pete would want." It has not been disclosed how or where Peter Fanning died. Mick Fanning came close to losing his own life in July after being forced to fight off a shark during a competition in South Africa. Mick's mother, who is currently with him in Hawaii, said she was overwhelmed by the live televised footage of his close encounter with the shark. "I just saw my boy going down. That was absolutely terrifying because I have lost a son before," Liz Osborne told Fairfax media. Fanning's other brother, Sean, died in a car accident in 1998. Immediately after clinching the Pipeline Masters title, Adriano de Souza spoke of conflicting emotions going into the final day of competition. "I wish so much to give a hug to Mick's mum, but it's kind of scary as we are in a world title race and I didn't want to mix it up," de Souza said. "I think Mick deserved it more than me, he's such a strong man, a three-time world champion. The strongest man I have met in my whole life."

Summary: Mick Fanning has missed out on a fourth world surf title in Hawaii after a strong performance overshadowed by the death of his brother Peter.


From April 2017, 600,000 small firms will not have to pay business rates, while 250,000 will pay lower rates. To fund the giveaway, the chancellor capped debt interest payments used by larger firms to cut their corporation tax bills, to 30% of earnings. George Osborne also said corporation tax would be cut to 17% by 2020. Mr Osborne said his business tax reforms were part of a "Budget for small business". The chancellor announced he was permanently raising the threshold for small business rate relief from £6,000 to a maximum of £15,000 and increasing higher rate relief from £18,000 to £51,000. He said that the 600,000 small businesses relieved of paying business rates from next April would see an annual saving of nearly £6,000. Mike Cherry, policy director at the Federation of Small Businesses, said: "The chancellor has listened to our calls for the tax system to be made simpler for small businesses and the self-employed and taken important action on business rates." The chancellor also announced a number of reforms designed to help small businesses cope with what he called "the great unfairness" they faced when trying to compete with some suppliers selling goods online. Mr Osborne said the government would take measures to stop overseas retailers storing goods in the UK and then selling the goods online without paying VAT. He also introduced two new tax-free allowances worth £1,000 a year for so-called micro-entrepreneurs: people who make money from occasional jobs or through renting out property they own. The Treasury estimates that the debt interest rate relief cap, alongside other measures, will help raise £8bn over the next five years. Among those other measures was the announcement that firms making an annual profit of over £5m would face the prospect of having the amount of past losses they could carry forward to offset their corporation tax bill capped to 50% of current profits. Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the CBI business lobby group, said: "The reduction in the headline corporation tax rate sends out a strong signal that the UK is open for global business investment, and reforms to interest deductibility are rightly in line with the international consensus. But she added: "Changes to the tax treatment of losses will make it harder for larger scale-up firms and companies that have been through tough times to play their part in the recovery."

Summary: Small businesses have welcomed what they said were long overdue reforms to tax policy as the chancellor doubled business rate relief.


The girl's account was given to police and the video recording of the interview was shown at the player's trial at Bradford Crown Court. Mr Johnson, 28, who has 12 England caps, is accused of two counts of sexual activity with a child. The former Sunderland and Middlesbrough footballer denies the charges. The girl, who was aged 15 at the time of the alleged incident, described how the winger was her favourite player. "I got a message from Sunderland player Adam Johnson who I'd idolised for quite a while," she said. The girl said that after exchanging messages, she first met up with him on 17 January 2015 when he signed two Sunderland shirts for her. She said the player continued to message her, requesting a "thank you kiss". "I was well up for it. It was a surreal type of thing," she told the police officer. "I met up with him again. I gave him his thank you kiss and more," she said. Mr Johnson sat in the dock watching the recording of the girl give her account on two large video screens. The court heard her describe how Mr Johnson exchanged WhatsApp messages with her after their first meeting, saying "you owe me for this". At the second meeting, in the player's Range Rover, she claimed he said to her: "I've come for my thank you kiss." The girl said: "I was kissing him for quite a while. "He undid the button on my trousers. It took him a while to do that." The girl then described sexual activity between the pair. Later in the interview, the police officer asked the girl what the player knew about her. She replied he knew her age, her school year and where she sat at Sunderland home matches. "He asked me when I was 16," she said. Asked how she felt, the girl said: "As much as I expected it to happen, I was a bit shocked it had. I sort of knew I had done something wrong. "It wasn't that I didn't want it or anything. I just knew it was wrong." The jury of eight women and four men was played a second police interview during which the girl described more serious alleged sexual contact. She said a sex act happened for three or four seconds during the pair's second meeting in his car, on 30 January last year. The woman police officer asked her how she felt. She said: "Not very good. I was disappointed in myself." When the officer asked her why she did not mention the more serious sexual contact in the first interview, she said that there was evidence on text messages to back up everything else she said, but not this sex act. The girl broke down in tears and asked for a break when she was questioned over a video link by Mr Johnson's barrister Orlando Pownall QC about why she had asked friends to lie about what happened. After a short break granted by Judge Jonathan Rose, she said: "I wanted to keep him

Summary: A girl has described how she met footballer Adam Johnson for a "thank you kiss and more" after he signed football shirts for her.


Racism in football has hit the headlines at Premiership level recently, but a BBC Wales investigation indicates it's also a feature of the amateur and grassroots game in Wales. Teams from black and ethnic minority communities have told Radio Wales' Eye on Wales programme of the comments, abuse and hostility they say they encounter at some matches, from players, spectators and even match officials. There have been a number of racial incidents at football matches in Wales over the past year, including last April when a linesman at a Welsh League game between Cwmbran Town FC and Grange Harlequins FC, from Cardiff, was disciplined by the Football Association of Wales for a comment made to a player. He was fined Â£750 and banned from the Cwmbran Town ground for five months. And last August, Pontypridd team Graig FC were disciplined by the South Wales Football Association for misconduct after supporters of the side were racially abusive towards visiting STM Sports FC, from Llanrumney, Cardiff. Mohamed Dualeh, secretary and manager of Tiger Bay FC, made up of predominantly Somali players from south Cardiff, told the programme of an incident in a game in which his team played. "The team that we were playing, one of our players was involved in a rough challenge. The referee decided that was worth a red card," he said. "The referee pulled his red card and issued to the wrong player. The team captain approached the referee and said 'ref, you are sending off the wrong player.' "He looked at the player and said 'you all look like the same.' "The wrong player walked off the pitch and served a three-match ban when he's not the one who was involved." Sunil Patel, campaigns manager for Show Racism the Red Card in Wales, who provide anti-racism education and awareness training, said the organisation would be launching a campaign later this year to encourage players to report incidents of racism, in the hope of obtaining a clearer picture of the extent of the problem. "We've had reports for about five years, since we were established," said Mr Patel. "Things that players and clubs tell us is about the racism that's coming from the fans, specifically in areas that are not that diverse, reports of referee bias maybe towards the other team, also players being racist towards other players on the pitch as well. "We are hearing this on a regular basis, really." A recent online survey by Staffordshire University, of 2,000 football fans and players, concluded that around 60% had witnessed or experienced racism in football since 2000. Professor Ellis Cashmore, who led the study, told the programme: "It's almost like a knee jerk response, that it's part of football culture that you give the black player a hard time through hissing and booing and racial abuse, and it's just gone either unnoticed or, my own suspicion, is that it's been deliberately ignored. "You would assume it would have disappeared completely but it hasn't, its still there, it's been there consistently, and in recent months we've seen it flare up

Summary: It's the ugly side of the beautiful game.


Carwyn Jones told The Guardian newspaper that people's "sense of disengagement with Brussels" could attach itself to London after Brexit. The UK government said it will trigger the Article 50 process on March 29. Mrs May, visiting Swansea, promised to seek the "best possible deal" that would work for everyone across the UK. Mr Jones told The Guardian the prime minister had a "tin ear" on matters of devolution. He warned the future of the UK could be under threat if the UK government did not listen to the other administrations. "If they are not careful, people's sense of disengagement with Brussels will simply attach itself to London," he said. "They are giving the impression sometimes that they do not listen. "And what kind of message is that to the people of Wales?" Amid calls in Scotland for a second referendum on independence, the first minister said Wales needed to see a "dividend" for his government's continued support of a United Kingdom. "Otherwise people in Wales are going to start saying, well, the government is listening to the Scots, we need to be like them," he said. "And that's a dangerous path for the UK." Last week, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced her intention to seek approval for a second independence referendum, to be held between Autumn 2018 and Spring 2019. Mr Jones met Mrs May in her visit to Swansea on Monday, during which she also signed the Â£1.3bn Swansea Bay Region city deal. Following the meeting, the first minister said the talks had been "constructive". "It was made clear that Welsh interventions had helped change and strengthen the UK positions on transition arrangements and on workers' rights," Mr Jones said. He called for more "partnership working" in the vein of the city deal as Article 50 approaches. Mrs May said she wanted to get "the best possible deal for the United Kingdom that works for everyone across the United Kingdom". She said the objectives included a "good free trade deal" and co-operation on matters such as security. Later in the afternoon, Mr Jones warned the assembly's constitutional and legislative affairs committee there could be Supreme Court challenges if the UK government took back powers from Europe and then decided which were to be devolved. "I think that's wrong," he said. "That's not the way we read our devolution settlement. It is the way that many in the UK government see it." He also told the committee, meeting in Newport, that it was "not always clear" that the Wales Office had "much influence" within the UK government.

Summary: Welsh support for the UK could be in doubt if Theresa May does not listen to concerns about devolution, the first minister has warned.


A few weeks ago we reported very real concerns about the choreography in the aftermath of the summit from Eurosceptic cabinet ministers, worried that the PM would be setting the pace and terms of the debate in its vital early hours. While they didn't commit officially to a position, the sense in Downing Street was that there was no need to shift cabinet from its usual Tuesday spot. They hoped and expected that cabinet ministers who wanted to campaign for exit would keep their counsel until then, when the government had adopted its official position. But in truth, at least one senior figure had already resolved to break their silence and reveal their plan to campaign for Out over the weekend, in defiance of Number 10. With that knowledge, and several frank conversations with Eurosceptic ministers, David Cameron's team have decided to relent. This is not just a story for political process nerds (honest), but it illustrates how Eurosceptics, although in a clear minority in the cabinet, have been able to force Downing Street's hand. This week's summit and now, the 24 hours that follow, are shaping up to be some of the most important in David Cameron's political career.

Summary: This afternoon Number 10 has bowed to the inevitable, and conceded that if (and it is still an if) the deal is done at the EU summit in Brussels this week David Cameron will hold a cabinet meeting as soon as he returns to London early on Friday evening.


Uefa's executive will not allow their congress to discuss Jersey's bid as the island is not recognised by the United Nations as an independent nation. Representatives from Uefa visited the island, which is a crown dependency of Great Britain, in September to meet with Jersey football officials. "This was the response we expected," said Jersey FA president Phil Austin. "From a footballing perspective we more than meet the criteria. "In rejecting our application, the executive of Uefa have said that they're not putting our application forward to the congress. We don't think the executive have the authority to do that, we think it should go to congress," Austin told BBC Sport. Jersey submitted a bid to leave the English FA and join Uefa in December 2015, following the acceptance of Gibraltar and Kosovo, who are not independent nations. But Gibraltar's initial application in 2007 came before the rules were changed, while Kosovo, who joined Uefa in May and played in their first World Cup qualifier in September declared independence from Serbia in 2008. "I have no idea how long it's going to take, we are waiting for a court date hopefully within the next six months, but I don't know," added Austin. "We are watching the costs very carefully and we will take it each step at a time and managed our budget accordingly. "One or two people have stepped forward who believe in what we're doing and will help us with our funding."

Summary: Jersey are to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after their bid to join Uefa was turned down.


Florida Senator Marco Rubio said the rap star was unwise to pretend to shoot a clown dressed as the US president in the video. Mr Rubio told TMZ: "If the wrong person sees that and gets the wrong idea, you could have a real problem." The video, featuring Snoop Dogg and Kaytranada, is a remix of Lavender by Canadian group BadBadNotGood. Mr Rubio added: "Snoop shouldn't have done that. "We've had presidents assassinated before... so anything like that is something people should be really careful about." The video shows Snoop shooting the Trump character with a gun that releases a flag with the word "bang" written on it. Mr Rubio ran to be the Republican presidential candidate. He lost the Republican primary in his home state to Mr Trump. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Snoop Dogg has been criticised for shooting a toy gun at a Donald Trump character in a music video.


The pedestrian was hit at the Texaco garage on Roman Farm Road, Hengrove, on Tuesday evening and trapped by the car until it stopped on Creswicke Road. Shakrun Islam, 30, of Chipping Sodbury, is due before Bristol Crown Court on Friday. He was remanded in custody. The victim, Kyle Clarke, died at the scene from his injuries. His mother, Helen Stockford, said in a family statement: "We would like to thank the public and the emergency services for all their support on Tuesday night. "We would ask the media for privacy at this time to allow us to grieve in peace."

Summary: A man has appeared before magistrates in Bristol charged with murder after a man was knocked down and dragged under a moving car.


The Ibrox club had two bids rejected by the Canaries for the 30-year-old Scot, who becomes Pedro Caixinha's ninth summer signing. Dorrans told Rangers TV: "It feels incredible. It has been a long couple of weeks, but to finally get it over the line is an incredible feeling. "I just can't wait to get the boots on and get started." Bruno Alves, Daniel Candeias, Carlos Pena, Eduardo Herrera, Dalcio, Ryan Jack, Alfredo Morelos and Fabio Cardoso have all made the move to Ibrox. Dorrans made his senior debut for Livingston in a Scottish Premier League game against Kilmarnock in May 2005 and went on to make 91 appearances for the West Lothian club before joining West Bromwich Albion in July 2008. He had seven seasons at the Hawthorns, spending his last four months on loan at Norwich, who he signed for in the summer of 2015. He made 25 appearances in his first season and a further 24 last term. After signing a three-year deal with the Ibrox club, Dorrans added: "I don't think there is ever a wrong time to come to a football club like this. "The size of this football club is incredible - I've obviously had great times down in England, especially at West Brom, but growing up, I knew I always wanted to come to this football club and when the chance came around I jumped at it." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Rangers have signed Scotland midfielder Graham Dorrans from Norwich City for an undisclosed fee.


The huts, and the luxury items inside, belong to Dairo Antonio Usuga David, better known as Otoniel, one of the most wanted men in Colombia. Currently some 1,200 members of the security forces are chasing the elusive gang leader. That is more than double the 500 who hunted Pablo Escobar, the drug lord who controlled the infamous cocaine cartel of the same name. Otoniel runs the Usuga clan, a drug gang that has its powerbase in the Uraba region of Colombia, but whose network extends across the country and beyond. Members of the gang have been arrested as far away as Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Peru and Spain. The US Department of State describes it as a "heavily armed, extremely violent criminal organisation". It is offering up to $5m (Â£3.4m) for information leading to Otoniel's arrest. Otoniel has been in charge since his brother, Juan de Dios, was killed on 1 January 2012 when police raided his New Year's Eve party. The gang is first and foremost engaged in drug trafficking, but it has also been accused of extortion, illegal mining, forced disappearances and murder. It is very much a family business. Otoniel's partner, Blanca Senobia Madrid Benjumea, was in charge of the group's finances until her capture last month. His nephew, Harlison Usuga, looked after the drug traffic routes north to Central America and liaised with Mexican drug cartels until he, too, was captured in February. Over the past five years, the security forces have captured a whopping 6,700 members of the group. But its leader has evaded them so far. Last month, they launched a massive and costly operation to catch the elusive gang leader. Sources linked to the operation say $225,000 was spent on tracking down Otoniel in the first 25 days of the hunt. The people tasked with arresting him have been given clear orders from President Juan Manuel Santos and Defence Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon: Do not leave Uraba until you have caught Otoniel and have dismantled the whole clan. So far, the security forces have seized 5.5 tonnes of cocaine, and destroyed a number of coca crops and laboratories that turn leaves into cocaine. But they have yet to find Otoniel. His uncanny ability to dodge the security forces is partly due to his family's close ties to the region. Otoniel was born in Uraba and knows the region like the back of his hand. Most importantly, through threats and intimidation he has gained almost total control over the local community. When he called on locals to down tools to mark his brother's death at the hand of the police, the region came to a standstill for several days. When people in the region hear Otoniel's name mentioned, they react with fear. It is hard for the security forces to gain people's trust here, and it is something they have not yet fully managed. Moreover, Otoniel uses a variety of tricks to evade the police. He has trained dogs to alert him to anyone approaching his hide-outs. Police recently managed to catch one of his guard dogs

Summary: Widescreen TV sets hooked up to satellite dishes, expensive drinks and perfumes - these are just some of the luxury items Colombian police have found in huts in the otherwise poor rural area of Uraba, in western Colombia.


It's been almost a year since the 26-year-old released her last single. McCartney is one of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century, selling over 100 millions albums worldwide, as part of the Beatles, Wings and as a solo artist in his own right. West has previously collaborated with both Rihanna and McCartney, though never before as a trio. Four Five Seconds is a move away from Rihanna and West's previous work together on All of the Lights (from West's album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy) and Run This Town, where the pair teamed up with Jay Z. This time the track is a slower, acoustic guitar-driven number. West played a snippet of Four Five Seconds to industry experts at the iHeartMedia music summit on Wednesday. It's yet to be confirmed if the song will appear on an album by any of the artists. Though producer Ty Dolla $ign did tell Billboard earlier this month that the song is likely be part of West's upcoming release. It follows West's own collaboration with McCartney at the beginning of the year. When Only One was released, a spokesperson for West said that the song would be the first "publicly available recording from what has become a prolific musical collaboration between these two legendary artists." The pair began working together in Los Angeles last year. At the time a statement noted, it began with "a simple brainstorming session between the two, with McCartney improvising on the keyboards and Kanye vocally sketching and shaping ideas in a stream-of-consciousness riff." It's possible Four Five Seconds was also a result of these sessions. 72-year-old McCartney has a long history of collaborations with other artists, singing duets with Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and George Michael. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Rihanna has released a collaboration with Kanye West and Paul McCartney, called Four Five Seconds.


It is seen as a response to the growing threat from Russian submarines which have stepped up their own patrols in these very same waters. It has also highlighted a gaping hole in Britain's own defences. For now though it is the hunt for U33, not Red October. The German U-boat is acting as the unseen enemy below the waves. U33's commander Kai Nicklesdorf and his 28 crew, who live in cramped conditions, are trying to avoid detection by 10 Nato warships. Their task, for this exercise, is to try to take out the command ship, the USS Vicksburg, and an oil tanker. When they dive the only visible sign of their presence will be the brief sight of a periscope breaking the waves for a matter of seconds. Up on the bridge of the USS Vicksburg, Rear Admiral Brad Williamson prepares his fleet of 10 warships, including the Royal Navy Frigate HMS Portland, to begin the search. He says this is important training and that his crews are all aware of Russian submarine activity. There have been recent reports of Russian submarines off the coast of Sweden, Finland and the UK. He says the training "focuses our minds and for the guys in combat it's not theoretical that we might have to do anti-submarine warfare". For the surface ships the task of locating an invisible enemy under vast stretches of ocean is not that easy. It has been likened to looking for a needle in a haystack. Up on the bridge of the USS Vicksburg, the crew scan the horizon looking out for a periscope. Down below, in a darkened room in the bowels of the ship, sailors listen in and monitor the results from the ships sonar and sensors. Lieutenant Colin Ryan, Vicksburg's anti-submarine warfare officer, admits that it is much easier for a submarine to hide than a surface ship. He says there have been incidents on this deployment when they have identified submarines. But when I ask whether they have been Russian, he replies nervously: "I wouldn't want to comment on that," before adding: "In general, we're always on the lookout." Nato members rarely comment on the activities of their own submarines, let alone the movements of any potential enemy. But this exercise is proof there is growing concern about Russia's increasing military strength. While many European nations have been cutting their defence budgets and the capabilities, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been heavily investing in his. Russia now has a fleet of around 60 submarines - the larger nuclear powered ones and smaller diesel electric submarines which can operate in shallow waters. Earlier this month Russia launched what it claims is the "quietest submarine in the world". Peter Roberts, a former Royal Navy officer, and now a senior fellow at the defence think tank RUSI, says it now leads the world in submarine development. He describes them as technologically advanced and their crews as highly skilled. They are, he says, the "quietest and most challenging adversary in the world". When out on patrol they can go undetected

Summary: In the North Sea, off the coast of Norway, Nato has been conducting its largest ever anti-submarine warfare exercise.


In his first spell he won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations but the deal was not renewed after the 2014 World Cup. He later returned on a match-by-match deal, which ended in November after failure to reach the 2015 Nations Cup. "It's a fresh start. We need the support of our fans, media and every Nigerian to return the team to where we truly belong," Keshi told BBC Sport. "As a coach and former player I was also hurt that we failed to qualify for the last Nations Cup. I remain confident that this time around we will see an improvement, change in attitude and positive results "To succeed we all need to come together as one because Nigeria belongs to us - this is not Stephen Keshi's team but our national team." BBC Sport understands that Keshi has been set several targets and that his contract will be terminated if he does not meet them. The 53-year-old was also required to sign a code of conduct and is expected to work with the Nigerian Football Federation technical committee. However, the NFF's technical committee boss Felix Anyansi-Agwu said: "The NFF board is confident Stephen Keshi can take the Super Eagles to new heights. "We want Nigerians to see this as a new beginning and to support the team and the NFF." Keshi, who also won the Nations Cup as a player with Nigeria in 1994, declined to comment on the contract details or the exit of his long-term assistant Daniel Amokachi. Former Nigeria striker Amokachi has left his role with immediate effect and been replaced by Salisu Yusuf. Yusuf, who led Kano Pillars to the Nigerian title in 2008, has previously worked as assistant to former Nigeria coach Samson Siasia at both senior and U20 levels. As caretaker coach, Keshi endured a turbulent 2014, in which he was sacked by the NFF and only reinstalled after intervention from Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan. His last two home matches in Abuja and Akwa Ibom were marred by a negative reaction from the public and Keshi has pleaded for the home supporters to be positive during the 2017 Nations Cup qualifiers. The Super Eagles have been drawn in one of the toughest-looking groups, alongside seven-time champions Egypt, Tanzania and Chad. "I understand we still have some disappointed people out there but our dedicated players deserve our encouragement and support," added Keshi. "It doesn't matter where they play, these boys always give everything and we need to stand by them and the coaching crew. "I remain confident that this time around we will see an improvement, change in attitude and positive results."

Summary: Stephen Keshi has been appointed Nigeria coach for the third time and signed a two-year contract on Tuesday.


Welsh's The Blade Artist, featuring the return of Trainspotting character Begbie, has been shortlisted for the Fiction Book of the Year award. He is up against Kelman's latest novel Dirt Road, as well as the Man Booker Prize-nominated His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet. The winner will be announced in Edinburgh on 24 November. Also shortlisted are The Sunlight Pilgrims by Granta's best young British novelist Jenni Fagan, Kevin MacNeil's The Brilliant & Forever, and This Must Be The Place from best-selling author Maggie O'Farrell. The Saltire Society organises the awards, which cover poetry, research, non-fiction, history and first-time writers. Winners are given Â£2,000. Kathleen Jamie and Don Paterson are among those shortlisted for the Poetry Book of the Year award, while Orkney author Amy Liptrot's The Outrun and John Kay's Other People's Money are two of the candidates for the non-fiction award. Those in line for the First Book of the Year award include Scottish lawyer Isabel Buchanan for her biographical account of working on death-row cases in Pakistan, aged 23. The winning book from each category will go on to compete for the Saltire Scottish Book of the Year award and a Â£6,000 prize, which last year went to Michel Faber for his novel The Book of Strange New Things. Jim Tough, Saltire Society executive director, said: "Spanning academia, poetry, biography and prose, the sheer scale and variety of writing talent to be seen in the shortlists is remarkable. "As always, excellence is evident across all awards and I know the judges will have their work cut out to decide upon winners."

Summary: Irvine Welsh and James Kelman are among the famous names in the running for this year's Saltire Literary Awards.


The UN bestowed the honorary title to the famed heroine, also known as Princess Diana of Thermyscira, on her 75th birthday on Friday, marking the launch of a year-long social media campaign to promote women's empowerment and gender equality. But the decision was not without controversy, sparking outrage among both UN members and women's rights advocates across the world. More than 1,000 of anonymous and "concerned" UN staff members have signed an online petition arguing that Wonder Woman was not an appropriate choice, noting the character's physique as: "a large breasted, white woman of impossible proportions, scantily clad in a shimmery, thigh-baring body suit with an American flag motif and knee high boots -the epitome of a "pin-up" girl". Critics who signed the petition said it was "disappointing" that the UN "was unable to find a real-life woman that would be able to champion the rights of ALL women on the issue of gender equality and the fight for their empowerment". The comic book superhero has sprung back into culture relevance with the upcoming release of a new Wonder Woman film starring Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who appeared at the UN ceremony along with actress Lynda Carter, who also portrayed her in the eponymous 1970s US TV series. Wonder Woman, an Amazonian princess who was created by Harvard-trained psychologist William Moulton Marston in 1941, was inspired by the leaders of the suffragist movement and has been long considered a feminist icon. "The focus [of the UN] was on her feminist background, being the first female superhero in a world of male superheroes and that basically she always fought for fairness, justice and peace," UN official Maher Nasser told NPR. The organisation said the character's appointment was meant to "highlight what we can collectively achieve if women and girls are empowered" and "to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls", according to the UN's website on sustainable development goals. But the honour appeared to be ill-timed. The announcement follows the UN's selection of Portugal's Antonio Guterres as its next Secretary General despite a global push for the organisation to select its first female top diplomat. In fact, a recent analysis found that nine of 10 senior leadership roles at the UN went to men. Prospective female candidates in the race included the former prime minister of New Zealand, the director general of cultural agency Unesco, the Moldovan deputy prime minister and a senior EU official. Why wasn't a woman elected as UN secretary general? "It is alarming that the United Nations would consider using a character with an overtly sexualized image at a time when the headline news in United States and the world is the objectification of women and girls," the petition read. About 100 UN staff members protested the appointment at UN headquarters, bearing signs emblazoned with the words: "I am not a mascot" and "Let's get real". Outrage reverberated across social media, with women's rights advocates pointing to real-life women who fit the bill over Wonder Woman. France's highest-ranking female Cabinet minister, Segolene Royal, told CBS "Nobel Peace

Summary: The United Nations has come under fire for appointing comic book character Wonder Woman as its new Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls.


A winding-up petition was dismissed by the High Court on Monday. The brief hearing in London revealed an undisclosed amount of money owed to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs had been paid by the Exiles. A club statement said the takeover had been agreed, subject to the approval of the Rugby Football Union. The Championship side but have struggled to pay players' wages since previously avoiding liquidation in April, and Rowland Phillips has not been replaced since leaving as head coach. Welsh - one of England's oldest clubs, having been formed in 1885 - said the financial security provided by the unnamed California-based group would allow the club "to plan for the future with confidence and renewed enthusiasm". Club chairman Bleddyn Phillips commented: "We are thrilled and very excited to be able to announce the arrival of a new owner which will provide the club with the financial strength to sustain its ambition to be not only a competitive rugby team playing in the top tiers of the game in the United Kingdom, but, equally importantly, to consolidate and enhance its social, community and amateur based activities at its spiritual home at Old Deer Park". The Exiles were a Premiership side as recently as 2015, when they were based at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford and finished bottom of the table after losing all 22 games. They subsequently returned to their traditional home at Old Deer Park in Richmond after three seasons away and started the new season with a narrow 33-32 defeat at Rotherham on Sunday. Their plight further highlights the difficult financial situation in English rugby's second tier. The Rugby Football Union, which runs the Championship, has been accused of under-funding the league, which was reduced from 16 teams to 12 in 2009. Every team became fully professional at that time, and a new five-year funding deal with the governing body was agreed in 2015. For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.

Summary: London Welsh have avoided liquidation after paying their debts, and are now set to be taken over by an United States-based investment group.


The 37-year-old made 64 appearances for his country, including three at the 2006 World Cup, and is Poland's most-capped goalkeeper. Boruc has been mainly used as a back-up keeper to Lukasz Fabianski and Wojciech Szczesny in recent years. "It has not been an easy decision for me and has been one that I've taken incredibly seriously," he said. "However, after much thought and consideration I feel that now is the right time in order to focus fully both on my family and club career at AFC Bournemouth."

Summary: Bournemouth's Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc has announced his retirement from international football.


The man had originally been charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Paul Colin Morrison, 51, from Burton Leonard, Harrogate, on 1 November. Mr Morrison died at Harrogate District Hospital on 20 November. A 44-year-old man, from Harrogate, is expected to appear before the town's magistrates in December. Mr Morrison suffered head injuries in the incident which occurred in the beer garden at the Wetherspoons Royal Baths pub on Parliament Street at around 19:30 GMT. A 43-year-old man from the York area also required treatment for facial injuries during the incident.

Summary: A man has been charged with manslaughter after a man died in hospital almost three weeks after an incident in a pub beer garden.


Drew Nelson said members have organised protests that will be controlled by the Orange Order and will be peaceful. At a joint news conference on Thursday, the order and unionist leaders unveiled the first part of their "graduated response" to a Belfast parade ruling. Meanwhile, a court challenge to the ruling is due to be heard on Friday. A judicial review hearing is expected to take place in the High Court in Belfast at 14:00 BST. On Thursday evening, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said she would meet unionist and Orange Order leaders to discuss their call for a commission of inquiry into the issue of parades. Speaking on the BBC programme The View, Mr Nelson said the institution was doing what it could could to ensure peace. "We are stepping up to the mark here to try and manage this situation," Mr Nelson said. "If we did nothing, it would create a more volatile situation and increase the risk of violence and we are doing everything in our power to stop that. The Parades Commission, last week, ruled that the Ligoniel Orange Lodge should not make a return parade along a stretch of the Crumlin Road that separates unionist and nationalist communities on 12 July. It is the second year in a row that such a ruling has been made. Several nights of rioting took place after the same parade was stopped from returning along the road last year, with scores of officers injured.

Summary: The Orange Order's grand secretary has said the institution has put a massive effort into calming the situation in Northern Ireland ahead of 12 July.


There are 56 cases involving 97 deaths. They include killings by police officers and soldiers, and others where there are allegations of state collusion. As the review got under way in Belfast, the time taken by police to security-vet and disclose classified case files was repeatedly highlighted as an obstacle in the way of progress. Twenty-two of the cases are more than 40 years old. Lord Justice Weir, the presiding judge of the Coroners' Service, is spending the next two weeks conducting preliminary hearings to assess the state of readiness of each case. Families of those who were killed and their legal teams have been asked to inform the court of the issues which are outstanding in each of the cases. The stalled inquests into the Army shootings of 10 people in Ballymurphy, west Belfast, in 1971, and of five more civilians in nearby Springhill a year later, were examined on the opening day in Laganside Courts. The cases focusing on nine deaths linked to the Royal Ulster Constabulary's (RUC) alleged "shoot to kill" policy in the 1980s were also assessed. A barrister for families of two INLA members shot dead by the RUC in 1982 - Seamus Grew and Roddy Carroll - criticised police after they said disclosure could not be completed ahead of a proposed September 2017 inquest date. A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) representative told the court at least another year would be required. The barrister for the Grew and Carroll families accused the police of failing to honour a series of similar disclosure commitments since the cases were re-opened in 2007. "Obviously there is the suspicion within the families that the PSNI have been dragging their heels over disclosure in order to protect the RUC," he said. "They are fighting a rearguard action on behalf of the RUC, which they have done successfully to date." Ahead of the review, a senior police officer said the disclosure delays were due to the huge pressures being placed upon the PSNI's Legacy Support Unit (LSU). Dep Ch Const Drew Harris said attempting to run the 56 inquests at the same time, rather than sequencing them in order, resulted in the LSU continually jumping from one case to the other. When the review is completed, a coroner will be appointed to hear inquests identified as ready to proceed. In the others, relevant parties will be instructed to provide any outstanding material needed for an inquest to take place. Some of the hearings are expected to take place later this year. The most complex and controversial ones are likely to be heard by a High Court judge, while others will be heard by a County Court judge. Justice Minister David Ford last year authorised the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service to recruit "investigative support" for coroners dealing with the legacy inquests. The review was announced by Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan in October, a month before he was appointed president of the Coroners' Courts. Sir Declan said he wanted to assure the families of those who were killed that

Summary: A major review of inquests into some of the most controversial killings during the Troubles got under way on Monday.


He said he had been inspired by Pope Francis's call for peace and dialogue. Demonstrators set fire to the Congress building last month in protest at a secret Senate vote to allow second terms. Paraguay suffered under decades of dictatorship until 1989 and many oppose presidential re-election. Senators say they will continue to campaign for a vote in the lower house. They argue that Paraguay is the only country in Latin America that does not allow second terms and it needs to modernise its constitution. During the riots, police shot dead a demonstrator which triggered calls for crisis talks backed by Pope Francis. They fell apart when the main opposition, the Liberal Party, boycotted them. The conservative president had the backing of his leftist rival Fernando Lugo, who was president from 2008 to 2012 and also wants to run again.

Summary: The President of Paraguay, Horacio Cartes, says he will no longer seek re-election after his bid to change the constitution triggered rioting.


The former Rangers captain will join Killie on a three-year deal to team up with boss Gary Locke at Rugby Park. McCulloch, 37, was deemed surplus to requirements at Ibrox after Rangers' new management team of Mark Warburton and David Weir arrived in June. The former Wigan Athletic midfielder won three top-flight league titles and two Scottish Cups with Rangers. McCulloch, who played many of his 46 games for Rangers last season in central defence, joins striker Kris Boyd and full-back Stevie Smith in making the move to Kilmarnock from Ibrox this summer. Scotland international McCulloch was involved with Locke in Kilmarnock's preparations for Saturday's friendly against Berwick Rangers. He joined Wigan from Motherwell in March 2001 and, after more than six years there, moved to Rangers for £2.25m.

Summary: Lee McCulloch will sign for Kilmarnock in a player-coach role, his representative has confirmed.


Barbara and Colin Sellins, from Southborough in Kent, do not have any immediate family and wanted to make sure their funerals were paid for. They have been told it is unlikely they will get back the Â£4,000 they spent. A Kent Police spokeswoman said they were reviewing the Sellins' case and enquiries were ongoing. "We are also in contact with both the liquidators and official receivers who are also investigating this company," added the spokeswoman. Mrs Sellins said she found out Banham Funeral Services had gone out of business when she attempted to make contact to change a detail about her ceremony. "We have worked hard all our lives. We don't owe anybody anything. We don't even have credit cards," she said. "We have been left completely penniless. Who is going to bury us?" The former management of Banham Funeral Services were contacted by the BBC but declined to comment. According to Companies House, the business was liquidated in May 2014. Insolvency firm MHA MacIntyre Hudson, which was appointed to wind up the company's affairs, said "to date there have not been any assets realised and therefore no distribution to creditors". Graeme McAusland, from the Funeral Planning Authority, said: "What should happen in a proper arrangement is, if a customer pays money over, that money is put aside in a trust or an insurance policy that is separate from the company that is selling the plan. "That means it is ring fenced so if the company gets into trouble or goes out of business those assets are still there and therefore the funeral can still happen."

Summary: A couple who paid for their funerals in advance claim to have lost their life savings after their funeral director went out of business.


Amber Rudd told the BBC the manifesto was "not going to be identical to the last one" and said things had changed since 2015 because of Brexit. The target, set by David Cameron in 2010, has never been met and recent figures put net migration at 273,000. The PM indicated in April that she would stick with the aim. Speaking on a campaign visit last month, Theresa May, who was Ms Rudd's predecessor as home secretary, told the BBC: "We want to see sustainable net migration in this country." "I believe that sustainable net migration is in the tens of thousands." Questions had been raised about whether the commitment would feature in the Conservative manifesto after Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said that immigration was "not about putting numbers on it" but about ensuring Britain had the skilled workers it needed. Asked whether she agreed with her colleague, Ms Rudd told BBC Radio 5live's Pienaar's Politics: "It's too early to say. I appreciate you want to push me on this but we are going to have to wait until the manifesto comes out." Pressed on the issue again, she added: "That's why we're having a new manifesto. It's not going to be identical to the last one. "We're setting it out for hopefully for a five year term, we've got a lot to think through to work out what's the best way to deliver on our priorities." She added: "My personal view is, we need to continue to bring immigration down. I want to make sure that we do it in a way that supports businesses, you know we're ending freedom of movement when we leaving the European Union. "So the situation from that time the [2015] manifesto... has changed because we're leaving the European Union, so it's right that we look at it again." Ms Rudd also played down the potential impact of excluding students from net migration figures, saying: "It's a complete red herring to talk about taking students out of those numbers and it making a big impact." This was because, in theory, roughly the same numbers of students should be leaving the UK at the end of their courses as are arriving each year. Official figures out last month show EU migrants make up more than one in 10 manufacturing sector workers in the UK. The government has promised new migration controls after the UK leaves the EU, when freedom of movement rules will no longer apply, but it has yet to set out the precise model it will adopt. Labour says it accepts that the principle of the free movement of people - which EU leaders say goes hand-in-hand with single market membership - would have to end after Brexit. But shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer has said new immigration controls should not be the "overarching priority" as the UK leaves. UKIP has said that Mrs May's failure to reduce net migration to less than 100,000 while she was home secretary suggests that she could yet "back slide" on delivering Brexit.

Summary: The home secretary has refused to say whether the Conservative manifesto will repeat their 2015 pledge to cut net migration to the "tens of thousands".


Kallum Watkins gave the bottom-of-the-table Rhinos an early lead but Willie Isa's first two Wigan tries put them 12-4 ahead at the break. George Williams, Dom Manfredi and Ben Flower put the Warriors in control before Mitch Achurch pulled one back. But Oliver Gildart and Dan Sarginson went over late on to wrap up the win. Wigan's victory, complete with their biggest points haul of the season, leaves four teams separated by only points difference at the top of the table, although Catalans and Hull both have the opportunity to take over as leaders if they beat Wakefield and Hull KR respectively on Sunday. Shaun Wane's Warriors came into the game - a re-match of last season's Grand Final won by Leeds - having suffered back-to-back league defeats but knowing that they had not been beaten at Magic Weekend since 2008. And once they went in front they proved too good for the out-of-sorts Rhinos, whose nightmare season since winning the treble last year shows no signs of ending. Leeds, who were without 10 regulars through injury and suspension, have now lost five successive games in all competitions and defeat leaves them six points away from eighth-placed Widnes in the race for a top-eight finish before the league splits. Leeds coach Brian McDermott: "It was a tough way to lose, a tough scoreline. Obviously the crucial part was just after half-time but before then the game was a contest. "I thought we gave it absolutely everything. We kept on having a crack, probably over-played a bit. "There was another chunk of effort this week. We're clearly hamstrung with players missing and what's gone on in pre-season and you get to the stage when things don't go your way. "But quietly there are some positives. I think there is something special to be done for us at the end of the year. "Your objectives shift as weeks go by and you keep losing games. I don't think I'm giving up on the Grand Final - I know numerically we might just be out of touch at the moment. "But there is something there to work with, something good for the future. These young fellas are learning some lessons." Wigan coach Shaun Wane: "I thought we played well for 40 minutes. We started well in both halves and were ruthless but then we got a bit bored and went away from it. "I have to say there is loads of spirit in the Leeds team, there is no question about that. They have a competitive coach and competitive players." Leeds: Hardaker, Handley, Watkins, Keinhorst, Golding, McGuire, Lilley, Galloway, Jones-Buchanan, Singleton, Ferres, Cuthbertson, Walters. Replacements: Mullally, Hallas, Achurch, Briscoe. Wigan: S. Tomkins, Manfredi, Gildart, Sarginson, Charnley, Williams, Smith, Crosby, Powell, Flower, Bateman, Isa, O'Loughlin. Replacements: Mossop, Tautai, Sutton, Burke. Referee: Robert Hicks (RFL), replaced by Joe Cobb (RFL) on 18 minutes because of injury.

Summary: Wigan went level on points with Warrington, Catalans Dragons and Hull FC at the top of the Super League table with a Magic Weekend win over Leeds.


The new network will see up to 21 US-style local TV stations in areas including Belfast, Edinburgh, Cardiff and London. The service will be available to all terrestrial viewers and may also be offered on satellite, cable and online. Ofcom said it will decide on successful applicants this autumn, with the new channels expected to launch next year. Licences will be awarded based on a set of criteria including the provision of local news and current affairs, programme proposals, launch date and commercial viability. The 21 areas Ofcom have selected for local TV are: Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton & Hove, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Grimsby, Leeds, Liverpool and London. Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Plymouth, Preston, Sheffield, Southampton and Swansea will also benefit from the service. The areas were selected for having sufficient levels of interest from potential operators and being technically capable of receiving a local TV service. The BBC Trust also published the final details of its funding contribution for the network. As part of the current licence fee settlement, the BBC agreed to contribute up to Â£25 million for the successful bidder to build the network. "I hope to see some really exciting bids for new local TV channels," UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said. "Local TV will not only create jobs but it will also provide communities with news and content that is relevant to their daily lives."

Summary: Media regulator Ofcom has opened up bidding for operators to set up their own local TV services across the UK.


Jacob McIntyre's body was recovered from the River Ericht at Cally Bridge, near Blairgowrie, at about 12:35 on Sunday. He had been reported missing from a property in the nearby Milton of Drimmie area at 11:15. A police investigation into the circumstances of his death is continuing. Police, firefighters, a water rescue unit and air ambulance were involved in the search. Police Scotland said Jacob's family were "understandably upset at their tragic loss" and did not want to make any further statement at this time. Det Chf Insp Iain Wales said: "This is a very tragic incident which resulted in a young boy sadly losing his life. "The events will undoubtedly bring shock and sadness to this small community and further afield. "We would like to thank our Scottish Fire and Rescue Service colleagues for their courage and assistance in Sunday's difficult conditions. "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Jacob's family at this difficult time."

Summary: A two-year-old boy found dead in a river after being reported missing in Perthshire has been named by police.


Overall, the poorest pupils do worse in science and maths subjects in areas with selective schools, suggests research for the Royal Society, the UK's independent scientific academy. New grammars are likely to help "only a small proportion" of the poorest pupils, it says. Ministers maintain that their proposals will improve social mobility. A government consultation on plans for more selective education closed earlier this month. "Social mobility is a complex issue," said Prof Tom McLeish, chairman of the Royal Society's Education Committee. "We support the government's commitment to ensuring all students fulfil their potential, regardless of their background. "However, we are concerned that the approach to selective education outlined in the green paper may only support the small number of high ability disadvantaged pupils who do attend selective schools, at the cost of disadvantaged pupils who do not." Researchers from the Education Policy Institute, commissioned by the Royal Society, looked at the impact of selective education on the attainment of the most disadvantaged young people - those on free school meals - in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects. The researchers found free school meals pupils performed less well in GCSE maths in areas where there were selective schools. In non-selective areas in 2015, 48.1% of free school meals pupils got a C or more, compared with 72.3% of pupils not eligible for the meals. But in selective areas the attainment gap was wider, with only 43.9% of free school meals pupils getting at least a C, compared with 74.8% of pupils not receiving the meals. The researchers found that free school meals pupils in selective schools performed very well, with 98% getting at least a C, compared with 99.2% of non-free school meals pupils. However, free school meals pupils make up only 3% of selective schools so their achievements are not enough to make any difference to "an overall negative impact on the attainment of all free school meals pupils in GCSE mathematics in selective areas", say the researchers. They also found that fewer free school meals pupils in selective areas took double or triple sciences at GCSE. "We have found no evidence to suggest that overall educational standards for free school meals pupils in STEM subjects in England would be improved by an increase in the number of places in selective schools," the Royal Society concludes. Dr McLeish added that the best way to help every pupil achieve their potential is to make sure that they are taught by "well-trained, motivated and supported, specialist science teachers". Support is essential, he said, to help teachers "draw out the natural curiosity and creativity that grows from a framework of knowledge in science". In particular, the Royal Society proposes partnerships between universities, schools and businesses which could involve university staff teaching part-time and even carrying out some of their research in schools.

Summary: Top scientists fear plans for more grammar schools in England will not boost disadvantaged pupils' grades.


Jeremiah Regis, aged two-and-a-half, was found injured at an address in Wolverhampton on November 20. Sindyann Regis and Chevaze Mcgregor appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday charged with murder. The court heard Jeremiah was found with more than 100 injuries, including a bite to the chest. A tribute released by his family said: "Jeremiah was a lovely, quiet, innocent little boy who was always smiling. "He will be greatly missed by his Nanna and entire family." At Friday's hearing, Ms Regis, 25, of High Street, Wednesfield, and Mr Mcgregor, 27, of New Road in Rainford, Essex, spoke only to confirm their names. Judge James Burbidge adjourned the case until December and set a provisional trial date of 25 April. Jeremiah was found with head and body injuries when police and paramedics were called to an address in High Street, Wednesfield, shortly before midnight on Sunday. He was pronounced dead in hospital on 21 November. A post-mortem examination showed he died of abdominal peritonitis caused by blunt force trauma.

Summary: Tributes have been paid to an "always smiling" toddler whose mother and stepfather have been accused of his murder.


Delivering his judgement, a judge said it was for the Stormont Assembly, and not a judge, to decide social policy. A joint case was taken by the first lesbian couple and the first gay couple to enter civil partnerships in the UK. The second case was brought by a couple who wed in England but want their marriage legally recognised at home in Northern Ireland. The judge heard the cases together due to the similarities of the legal arguments. Mr Justice O'Hara said: "It is not at all difficult to understand how gay men and lesbians who have suffered discrimination, rejection and exclusion feel so strongly about the maintenance in Northern Ireland of the barrier to same sex marriage. "However, the judgment which I have to reach is not based on social policy but on the law." Same-sex marriage is legal in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, but is banned in Northern Ireland. Shannon Sickles, Grainne Close, and Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kane were challenging Stormont's refusal to legislate for same-sex marriage. Ms Close said she was "devastated" by the ruling. "For us, this is a personal matter," she said. "We have families and our children are being treated differently because of today's result." Her partner, Ms Sickles, said they would continue their legal challenge. Twelve years ago, Northern Ireland was the first place in the UK to introduce civil partnerships. Ms Sickles and Ms Close made history on 19 December 2005 when their relationship was legally recognised in the UK's first civil partnership ceremony at Belfast City Hall. They were closely followed by Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kane, whose civil partnership took place later that same day. During the joint challenge to the law in Northern Ireland, the couple's lawyers argued that the ban breaches Article Eight of the European Convention on Human Rights, by denying respect for their private and family lives. But a lawyer for Stormont's Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) countered that the ban was not a breach of human rights and that civil partnerships already met the minimum requirements set out under human rights law. The couple who married in England had been granted anonymity, and their case was referred to as Petition X. The campaign for same-sex marriage has been highly divisive at the Northern Ireland Assembly in recent years, and is currently one of the main sticking points in Stormont's continuing political crisis. Assembly members (MLAs) have voted five times on whether or not to introduce same-sex marriage. During the fifth vote in November 2015, MLAs voted in favour of legalisation for the first time, with the slimmest majority of 53 votes to 52. However, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) used a Stormont veto, known as a petition of concern, to block the motion and prevent any change in the law. Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw said it was "shameful" the couples had been forced to take their cases to court. "Last May both Sinn Féin and the DUP refused the Alliance Party's proposal to reform the petition of concern - the crucial reform

Summary: The High Court has dismissed two cases challenging Northern Ireland's ban on same-sex marriage.


Kvitova followed up wins over world number one Angelique Kerber and Britain's Johanna Konta with a 6-1 6-2 demolition of Romania's Halep. The two-time Wimbledon champion needed just 67 minutes to win the semi-final. Kvitova goes on to face Slovakian 10th seed Dominika Cibulkova, who beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6 6-3 6-4. Cibulkova, who missed four months of the season in 2015 after having surgery on her left foot, is now close to qualifying for the eight-player WTA Finals in Singapore for the first time. "I'm a good player," said the 27-year-old. "I can beat top players. But I was missing consistency in my game. This is the first year that I'm really consistent playing the whole year." Kvitova, 26, hit 34 winners in a dominant display against Halep, overpowering the Romanian to reach her first final of 2015. "It's amazing," said the two-time Wimbledon champion. "I came to this tournament and really didn't expect this kind of performance. Physically I'm still so-so - I'm really happy that I'm not falling apart. "But I played a really great match today in spite of everything, which really put the pressure on her."

Summary: Czech 14th seed Petra Kvitova kept up her superb form by thrashing fourth seed Simona Halep to reach the final at the Wuhan Open in China.


Musicians are nominated for a Grammy award by music companies, and the winners are chosen by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. The award ceremony first started in 1959, as a way to honour those people who produced really great music, and has continued ever since. The Grammy Awards are seen as the most important and respected prizes in the music business, so winning one is pretty important! When the Grammys first started there were more than 100 different categories for awards, but now there are only 83. The name Grammy is actually short for gramophone, which is a machine invented in the 19th Century to play music records. The top of it looks a bit like a trumpet. Here are some more fun facts about the Grammy Awards...

Summary: The Grammy Awards are an annual ceremony held in the USA, which celebrate outstanding achievement in the music industry.


The 23-year-old younger brother of Sunderland's Wes Brown, had been on trial with the Shakers. Brown has also had spells at Bradford, Doncaster, Oldham, Coventry, Ipswich, Watford and Carlisle, making over 50 appearances in the Football League. He is available for Bury's League One season opener as they travel to Doncaster on Saturday. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: League One side Bury have signed former Barnsley defender Reece Brown on a six-month contract.


16 January 2017 Last updated at 13:09 GMT Nominating officer Michelle O'Neill said the DUP's actions had "diminished the credibility" of the political institutions and said it was now "over to the people to have their say".

Summary: Stormont faces collapse after Sinn Féin refuses to nominate deputy first minister.


As we drove through the first small villages on the way to the capital Port-au-Prince, we could see the damage the hurricane was still inflicting. The roads were already awash with rushing muddy floodwaters, the people we passed were trying to cover themselves as best they could, but they were struggling just to move against the pouring rain. Haiti's capital is disorientating. You lose all sense of being on a tropical island in the Caribbean. It is a city crammed with people. Its broken buildings, sewage and rubbish-strewn streets are tough and the bad weather brought by the storm only makes them more inhospitable, but life goes on. We drove past busy street markets, people loaded on their bikes or walking with their shopping. This is a country used to disaster. It looked like the Haitians of Port-au-Prince were determined to carry on. We only began to see the real destructive force of Hurricane Matthew once we moved towards the south-west of the country. Trees fallen, banana crops uprooted and flattened, houses under water and men and women trying to get the debris out of the way. It was noticeable how the people we passed were coping alone. There were no army or police around to help. Even the aid agencies are struggling to move around this damaged corner of the country. As if the hurricane had not hurt the people and their lives enough, a crucial route to those hit hardest by the storm was destroyed. A bridge was washed away, leaving a wide muddy river between those who survived and the people stricken in the south. The people in this town split by the rushing brown river were trying to do their bit too. A man with a shovel hopelessly digging a hole in the ground, others chopping away trees that had fallen in the road. We were on the river bank looking at the misery, only to be told we were actually standing where four families' homes had stood just days before. More rain fell on now homeless people. A mother told us her children had just started school and their new uniforms had been washed away. Among the tears from those who lost their lives to the river, there was also laughter and cheers from people on the banks as others tried to cross. In the busy street, a bus had its doors open playing music, reminding us where we were. I had been told before coming the people here were resilient; they will need to be to cope with this new natural tragedy.

Summary: We crossed the border from the Dominican Republic and the skies darkened and the heavens opened, dumping more misery on to a country that has suffered so much.


Zuniga can play in either full-back position and has 62 caps for his country. The 30-year-old joined Napoli in 2009 from Siena, and played for four years under new Watford boss Walter Mazzarri. He is the Premier League club's fourth summer signing, following centre-back Christian Kabasele, striker Jerome Sinclair and record buy Isaac Success. Zuniga played four times for Colombia at the 2014 World Cup, and it was his challenge that caused Brazil forward Neymar to miss the 7-1 semi-final defeat by Germany. The defender has appeared 125 times for Napoli during seven years at the Serie A club and spent a short spell on loan at Bologna at the start of 2016. Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Watford have signed Colombia defender Juan Camilo Zuniga on a season-long loan from Italian side Napoli.


The ban, effective Thursday, applies to officials with access to classified information, as well as ministers, mayors and country magistrates. BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei says there are concerns that they may inadvertently reveal information. It comes as relations between the two sides are already strained. Some officials choose China for further education partly because they want to build connections to generate trade and investment opportunities. But there have also been a string of cases involving Taiwanese defence ministry officials spying for China, our correspondent says. "The ministry has discussed the matter for some time and published the revised regulations in view of national security," said Interior Minister Chen Wei-zen on Wednesday. State media Focus Taiwan cited National Security Bureau data that showed 97 civil servants went to China between 2004 and 2013, mainly to pursue doctorates. They mainly studied at Xiamen University in Fujian Province, China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing and Jinan University in Guangzhou, Focus Taiwan said. Relations between the two sides were frayed earlier this year when protests broke out in Taiwan over a trade deal with China. In March, student protesters occupied the parliament building. In October, Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou voiced support for Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, angering Chinese officials. There are also increasing worries about China's growing influence in Taiwan, our correspondent reports. Beijing claims Taiwan as a province of China with hopes of reunification at some point.

Summary: Taiwan has banned its senior government officials from higher studies in mainland China, citing "national security" reasons.


The New Zealand fighter failed to impress against the Romanian who took the bout at two weeks' notice, winning a 119-108 117-110 117-110 decision. The champion landed sporadic flurries throughout but never looked like scoring a stoppage in Auckland. He has said he will campaign overseas, with Britain's WBA and IBF champion Anthony Joshua a potential opponent. Though he remains unbeaten in 23 fights, the manner of this win may make Parker a tougher sell for pay-per-view audiences overseas. The 25-year-old - who claimed the vacant WBO belt against Andy Ruiz in December - did land some shots when in close to Cojanu but when at distance he looked incapable of finding ways to rock a man three inches taller and around two stone heavier. Cojanu, who now has 16 wins and three losses to his name, was one of Parker's sparring partners but stepped in to the main event when Britain's Hughie Fury withdrew through injury. Cojanu landed a left hook of his own in the 10th round and chased a stoppage win in the 12th. But, in truth, he always looked occupied with spoiling Parker's work, most notably when having a point deducted for leaning on the champion's neck in the fourth. Parker said afterwards: "You can all see why we bring Razvan into camp for us. He put on a great fight. "I've done my best to keep fights here in New Zealand but it's down to us to go and get some exposure overseas now."

Summary: Joseph Parker defended his WBO heavyweight title for the first time in a drab points win over Razvan Cojanu.


The 35-year-old wing has signed for the Mitsubishi Dynaboars in Division Two of the Japanese League on a one-year deal. Williams scored twice in his final competitive game as Ospreys . "It was a last-minute offer that I had to give great thought to in a short space of time," Williams told Twitter. "Really looking forward to this exciting venture." Williams announced his in February after he turned down Ospreys' offer to extend his playing career with the Welsh region to a 10th season. The 2008 International Rugby Board player of the year in December, with 58 tries in 87 games for his country and two in four Tests for the British and Irish Lions. Williams signed off from the international stage in typical fashion, scoring a last-gasp try in the in Cardiff on 3 December. The double-Grand Slam winner was also Ospreys' record try-scorer, with 57 touchdowns in 141 matches, and scored late on in his last game for both club and country. But Williams' final appearance in Europe was for the Barbarians in their in Cardiff on 2 June. He was expected to continue his association with the Ospreys next season by with the Liberty Stadium club but the Welsh region have released him for this "once in a lifetime" opportunity. An Ospreys statement said: "Taking into account his fantastic service to the Ospreys, we understand that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Shane and his family to experience a new culture and life in a new country and will not stand in his way. "We wish them the best of luck in Japan and look forward to welcoming Shane back to Ospreylia upon completion of his playing commitments, when he will continue to represent the region with distinction off the field." Williams is second in international rugby's all-time try-scoring list behind Australian wing David Campese. And the legendary wing follows former Ospreys team-mates Jerry Collins and Filo Tiatia, who joined Yamaha Jubilo and Toyota Verblitz respectively in 2011, to Japan.

Summary: Wales' record international try-scorer Shane Williams has completed a U-turn on his rugby retirement and will play for a Japanese side next season.


The 50 planes around the world were grounded due to battery malfunctions that saw one 787 catch fire in the US. Over the past week teams of Boeing engineers have been fitting new batteries to the aircraft. This was after aviation authorities approved the revamped battery design. The Ethiopian Airlines plane took off at 09:45 local time (07:45 GMT) and landed in Nairobi, Kenya, some two hours later. Each 787 has two of the lithium-ion batteries which caused problems. In addition to new versions of the batteries which run at a much cooler temperature, the batteries are now enclosed in stainless steel boxes. These boxes have a ventilation pipe that goes directly to the outside of the plane. Boeing says this means than in the unlikely event of any future fire or smoke, it would not affect the rest of the aircraft. By Richard WestcottBBC transport correspondent, Nairobi Flight ETH 801 between Addis Ababa and Nairobi wasn't exactly a run-of-the-mill flight. For starters, it was full of Boeing executives and the boss of Ethiopian Airlines. Several passengers on board asked me what was going on, why was the BBC on a routine flight in Africa? Many didn't realise that they were the first passengers to fly in a Dreamliner since it was dramatically grounded in January. There were plenty who knew about the safety scare surrounding the plane, although only a couple that we spoke to said it had made them a little more tentative about flying. Boeing still has a huge job on its hands, convincing passengers that its most high-profile, most hi-tech airliner is safe. Two senior Boeing executives went out of their way this week to tell me that they'd happily put their family on the plane. It's the kind of quote that sounds good. Still, Boeing will be desperately hoping that its Dreamliner nightmare doesn't come back to haunt it. Boeing said it put 200,000 engineer hours into fixing the problem, with staff working round the clock. On Thursday, the US Federal Aviation Administration issued a formal "air worthiness" directive allowing revamped 787s to fly. Japanese airlines, which have been the biggest customers for the new-generation aircraft, are expected to begin test flights on Sunday. A total of 300 Boeing engineers, pooled into 10 teams, have in the past week been fitting the new batteries and their containment systems around the world. Boeing is expected to complete repairs on all 50 of the grounded Dreamliners by the middle of May. In addition to the Dreamliners in service with airlines, Boeing has upgraded the 787s it has continued to make at its factory in Seattle since January. The Dreamliner entered service in 2011. Half of the plane is made from lightweight composite materials, making it more fuel efficient than other planes of the same size. The two lithium-ion batteries are not used when the 787 is in flight. They are operational when the plane is on the ground and its engines are not turned on, and are used to power the aircraft's brakes and lights.

Summary: An Ethiopian Airlines 787 Dreamliner has flown from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, the first commercial flight by the Boeing aircraft since all 787s were grounded in January.


The Tinkoff rider finished the 4km time trial ascent of Mont Chery in the French Alps in 11 minutes, 36 seconds. Australia's Richie Porte, riding for BMC Racing, was six seconds adrift, with Team Sky's Froome third. Britain's Froome has won the race twice before - in 2013 and 2015 - both times going on to win the Tour de France. He decided to go out early in the race against the clock because he was concerned it might rain later in the race. "It was tough. I was running out of legs," he said before Contador and Porte had finished. "I'm happy with that. Just the feeling makes me happy. I feel like I'm in good shape. I still have some work to do and I hope to keep the momentum till the Tour de France." Contador, also a two-time Tour winner (2007 and 2009), is yet to win the eight-stage, week-long Dauphine, but has twice finished second - in 2010 and 2014. He said: "The climb suited me really well. It's a bit of a surprise to beat Froome and Porte but I knew that I could do well." Britain's Adam Yates, who rides for Australian-based team Orica GreenEdge, finished eighth, 31 seconds behind Contador. The three-week Tour de France starts on 2 July at Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy. Stage one result: 1. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff) 11mins 36secs 2. Richie Porte (Aus/BMC Racing) +6secs 3. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +13secs 4. Daniel Martin (Ire/Etixx - Quick-Step) +21secs 5. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/Etixx - Quick-Step) +24secs 6. Wout Poels (Ned/Team Sky) +25secs 7. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R) +29secs 8. Adam Yates (GB/Orica) +31secs 9. Diego Rosa (Ita/Astana) +37secs 10. Jesus Herrada (Spa/Movistar) +39secs

Summary: Spain's Alberto Contador opened up a 13-second lead over main rival Chris Froome in winning the first stage of the Criterium du Dauphine.


Two-year-old Mandarin Princess, trained by Charlie McBride, was declared winner of Thursday's 13:40 race at Great Yarmouth after beating Fyre Cay. But a scan afterwards identified the horse as three-year-old stablemate Millie's Kiss, who had been due to run in a later race at the same course. "It's an honest error and no-one stood to gain anything by it," said McBride. Stewards referred the matter to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). The result officially stands for betting purposes, but some bookmakers have said they will pay out on the horses finishing first and second. McBride told the Racing Post he did not notice it was the wrong horse because he was "stressed and rushing" after being delayed collecting the saddle. "I took a young girl who has been with me for two or three months to the races - she's ridden both fillies and knows them both," he said. "After we checked them in we got some lunch and I sent her to get the two-year-old ready and I went to the weighing room to get the saddle. "I like to weigh my horses out early but I had to wait over 20 minutes for the saddle. "The filly was already out when I got back and as I was stressed and rushing I didn't look that closely - I just assumed it was the right horse." The BHA described the incident as "unprecedented" since a microchipping identification system for horses was introduced in 1999. It said: "The scan identified the horse to be Millie's Kiss, the trainer's other runner in race four. "They (the stewards) interviewed the trainer, the stable groom, the veterinary officer and the equine welfare integrity officer responsible for the sampling unit. "Having heard their evidence they referred the matter to the head office of the British Horseracing Authority and ordered Millie's Kiss to be withdrawn from race four." Millie's Kiss had been due to run for Newmarket trainer McBride in the 15:15 race. The responsibility lies with the trainer to present and run the correct horse in the race. Stipendiary steward Tony McGlone told At The Races all horses are scanned before they are brought into their stables at the course. "We sent the horse for routine testing as normal and the veterinary officer scanned the horse and found it to be the incorrect horse," he said. Punter Nicholas Quinn said the controversy had left racegoers bemused. "This looks very bad for British racing. The one thing you shouldn't have to hope for is that the right horse is in the right race," he said. John Egan, who rode the 'winner', said he was surprised the horse was not disqualified or the race declared void. "At the end of the day, we're all human. Mistakes happen. I feel most sorry for Charlie," he said. John Mear, a member of the Four Winds Racing Partnership that own Millie's Kiss, said they were "shocked and upset" for the trainer. "It's nothing untoward. He's just made a genuine mistake. He must be absolutely heartbroken," he said. "The issue had not

Summary: British horse racing's governing body is to investigate after the 'wrong horse' won a race at odds of 50-1.


The song United We Stand brings together Ladysmith Black Mambazo from South Africa and Malian singer Salif Keita. Lyrics include the line "Africa is our home, make it a better place". At least seven people have died over a month of attacks on foreigners and foreign-owned property in South Africa. African news at it happens: 1 May 2015 Ladysmith Black Mambazo singer Sibongiseni Shabalala told the BBC he was trying to send the message that "Africa is for all of us". "You can't say you don't like the foreigners to stay in your country. This is not your country, this is our country. "We are saying people should unite. If there's problems, people should sit down and talk. "One day your child will want to go and live in Mali, Nigeria or Ghana but because of your decision today it will be very difficult for your future generation to be able to do the same." The song is playing on South African radio from Friday, will be premiered on TV on Friday evening and will be released on iTunes on Monday.

Summary: Two of Africa's most famous musicians have released a song against the recent violence against foreigners in South Africa.


Administrator FRP Advisory said a "sustained deterioration" since the EU vote had exacerbated Rivington Biscuits in Wigan's financial difficulties. The company, which makes Pink Panther wafers, will cut 99 of its 123 staff, keeping 24 while it seeks a buyer. The administrators said the firm would "fulfil orders into the New Year". Rivington Biscuits, which trades from Ormside Close in Hindley Green, Wigan, is owned by Dutch company Van Delft. A FRP Advisory spokeswoman said over the past year, the biscuit makers had "experienced particularly challenging trading conditions" and been "left with no viable alternative other than to seek the protection of administration". "The problems were compounded by the sharp decline in the value of the pound against the euro," she said. Russell Cash, partner at FRP Advisory, said the business was left "facing unsustainable cash-flow pressure" after "a sustained deterioration in trading conditions and significant additional pricing costs since the summer". "As administrators, given the financial situation, we have had to take the difficult decision of making a large number of redundancies and our immediate priority is to assist those staff who have lost their job to make timely claims," he added.

Summary: A popular brand of pink wafer is under threat after a company went into administration following a "sharp fall" in the value of sterling after Brexit.


Luis Barcenas will be asked about documents published in El Pais newspaper that allegedly show payments to leading PP members, including Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Mr Barcenas and Mr Rajoy both strongly deny any wrongdoing. Financial markets slumped earlier this week amid worries about the claims. State prosecutors, who received the documents from El Pais on Tuesday, are holding preliminary investigations to see if anyone has broken the law. El Pais says Mr Barcenas wrote the documents that it published last week, describing them as the PP's "hidden accounts". They contain lists of donations against the names of senior members of the party, including Mr Rajoy. Mr Barcenas arrived by taxi at the anti-corruption prosecutors' office accompanied by his lawyer, Alfonso Trallero, Spanish media report. A crowd of onlookers and journalists had gathered, and shouts of "thief!" and "where is my envelope?" could be heard. On Saturday, Mr Rajoy went on TV to deny ever having received secret or improper payments. Key players: Spanish 'slush fund' Q&A: Spain's corruption scandal Small groups of demonstrators took to the streets in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville calling on him to step down, and clashes with police took place in the capital at the weekend. Mr Barcenas stepped down as treasurer in 2009 after being implicated in a separate corruption case known as the Gurtel scandal. In that case, he stands accused of tax fraud and receiving illegal payments, claims he also denies. He is due to be questioned by investigating judge Pablo Ruz about the Gurtel case on 25 February, El Pais reports. Correspondents say the latest allegations have particularly angered the public because Mr Rajoy's government is demanding huge sacrifices from the public as the country battles recession and 25% unemployment. The central claim is that documents published by El Pais are a list of undeclared cash "donations" linked to senior PP members. Until 2007, Spanish political parties were allowed to receive anonymous donations. Spain's chief prosecutor has said there could be enough evidence to investigate the allegations. The PP has said it will take legal action against those responsible for what it says is a smear campaign, and Mr Rajoy has promised to publish his earnings online. Opposition leader Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba has called for him to resign, but the BBC's Tom Burridge in Spain says that, as things stand, that looks unlikely. Political scientist Anton Losada of Santiago de Compostela University said that the prime minister would find it harder to implement austerity policies. "There is a high political cost to pay, with a problem of legitimacy," he told AFP news agency. "He cannot demand sacrifices and at the same time make money, especially if it is not legal." According to Ferran Requejo, a political scientist at Barcelona's Pompeu Fabra University, Mr Rajoy would now struggle to be taken seriously in the eurozone. "An accusation of corruption in a governing party is a serious accusation," he told AFP news agency. "He is not going to be listened to the slightest bit by the European institutions."

Summary: A former treasurer of Spain's governing Popular Party (PP) has arrived for questioning by prosecutors in Madrid over claims of secret payments.


Leeds had the better of the first half, but the Brewers came closest to opening the scoring when Ben Turner headed Matt Palmer's free-kick against the bar. Wood put the hosts ahead after the break, firing down the middle from the penalty spot after a trip on Doukara. And Doukara sealed the win in injury time, slotting in after being picked out by Wood on the counter-attack. The result ended Burton boss Nigel Clough's perfect record against Leeds, a team he had beaten in all six of his past encounters in his previous role as Derby manager. The Brewers remain without an away win in the Championship, having been promoted to the second tier of English football for the first time in their history last season. Leeds were always likely to provide tough opposition in the first-ever meeting between the two sides, with their unbeaten record at home now stretched to five matches. Garry Monk's side have climbed to ninth in the table, while defeat for Burton sees them slide to 17th. REACTION: Leeds manager Garry Monk speaks to BBC Radio Leeds REACTION: Burton boss Nigel Clough speaks to BBC Radio Derby Leeds head coach Garry Monk: "It wasn't the best of performances, considering the context of the week we have had. We are not overly happy with the performance but are delighted with the desire to get the win. "I was pushing the players to put on a good performance but I knew it would be hard after Tuesday night. "We showed real character and determination to fight to the end. We had to scrap but we knew we would get chances and it was about taking those chances." Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough: "That's what it's been like for us away from home, things are just not falling our way. "Leeds are a good team and this is a very hard place to come. This season is a great learning curve for the players who are learning all the time. "I thought that we defended and battled well today. We stuck in there for a long time and were very close to getting what would have been a valuable point." Match ends, Leeds United 2, Burton Albion 0. Second Half ends, Leeds United 2, Burton Albion 0. Souleymane Doukara (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration. Goal! Leeds United 2, Burton Albion 0. Souleymane Doukara (Leeds United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal following a fast break. Attempt blocked. Jackson Irvine (Burton Albion) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Attempt blocked. Jackson Irvine (Burton Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Attempt blocked. Matthew Palmer (Burton Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Substitution, Leeds United. Alex Mowatt replaces Hadi Sacko. Ronaldo Vieira (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Matthew Palmer (Burton Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Ronaldo Vieira (Leeds United). Kyle McFadzean

Summary: Goals from Chris Wood and Souleymane Doukara gave Leeds victory against Burton Albion in the Championship.


The venture's backers include Tesla Motors and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel, Indian tech giant Infosys and Amazon Web Services. Open AI says it expects its research - free from financial obligations - to focus on a "positive human impact". Scientists have warned that advances in AI could ultimately threaten humanity. Mr Musk recently told students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that AI was humanity's "biggest existential threat". Last year, British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking told the BBC AI could potentially "re-design itself at an ever increasing rate", superseding humans by outpacing biological evolution. However, other experts have argued that the risk of AI posing any threat to humans remains remote. A statement on OpenAI's website said the venture aims "to advance digital intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit humanity as a whole, unconstrained by a need to generate financial return". "It's hard to fathom how much human-level AI could benefit society, and it's equally hard to imagine how much it could damage society if built or used incorrectly." The statement said AI "should be an extension of individual human wills and, in the spirit of liberty, as broadly and evenly distributed as is possible safely". It said only a tiny fraction of the $1bn pledged would be spent in the next few years.

Summary: Prominent tech executives have pledged $1bn (£659m) for OpenAI, a non-profit venture that aims to develop artificial intelligence (AI) to benefit humanity.