He's been refused somewhere to stay because he comes from Ebola hotspot, Sierra Leone. Amara arrived in Norwich from West Africa a fortnight ago and was turned down by two landlords - one by letter. Both were happy for him to stay until he handed over his passport and they realised he was from a country at the centre of the current epidemic. He told Newsbeat that he was "devastated to be turned down". The letter said: "Under normal circumstance. Your profile would be a great profile to be one of our lodgers. "However, given that the world is about to probably experience an Ebola epidemic, we have decided not to accept anyone that has been anywhere near the ebola outbreak within the last two months, or is likely to visit those areas in the near future." Amara, 35, told Newsbeat that it is wrong to assume all people from Sierra Leone carry the disease. He says: "It's very unreasonable. And if you think everybody coming from Sierra Leone is affected, then that's just completely unfair." The good news for Amara is that after a few weeks of looking, he's found somewhere to stay so he can continue his studies. More than 4,400 people have died in the Ebola outbreak, mainly in West Africa. Britain has now begun screening passengers at Heathrow airport. People arriving from the worst-affected countries will be questioned and may have their temperatures taken. Professor Tom Solomon is an expert on diseases like Ebola and how they spread. How worried should we be here in the UK? I think we should be worried about Ebola in West Africa because sadly the cases have gone up and up but the situation in the UK is very different from the situation in West Africa. Was the landlord right to be so cautious? I understand why people are concerned about Ebola but what people need to do is look at the facts and then make sensible decisions. You're not going to get Ebola from renting your flat to someone from Sierra Leone. How do people get Ebola? Ebola is passed on if someone is in contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is actually sick with the disease. So clearly letting out your property wont put people at risk. Is the virus going to become airborne? There is no evidence that the virus is airborne and we have never seen the virus change and become airborne - so there is no evidence to say that this will happen here. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Starting university is meant to be an exciting time but for Amara Bangura it has been a bit too eventful.


ActiveQuote's software provides information on specialist health and protection insurance products. It has won four contracts to operate price comparison sites on behalf of online businesses, such as uSwitch. The Welsh government will provide Â£600,000 to back the firm. It was established by Dr Richard Theo who has a PhD in computer networks from Cardiff University.

Summary: More than 70 jobs are being created by a Cardiff Bay finance firm which acts as an online insurance broker and provides data for price comparison websites.


The man was found unconscious at a flat in Caledonia Court on Wednesday. He was treated at the scene and taken to Galloway Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. Police Scotland said there were no apparent suspicious circumstances and the procurator fiscal had been informed.

Summary: Police are investigating the unexplained death of a 32-year-old man in Stranraer.


Transparency International accuses western governments, including the UK and the US, of ignoring corruption as a major driver towards terrorism, notably in the Middle East. It calls on them to press far harder for accountability in military budgets. The report comes as Iraqi forces advance on the IS stronghold of Mosul. The report, entitled The Big Spin, argues IS took advantage of corruption to radicalise and recruit people, presenting itself as the antidote while ignoring its own dishonest activities. "Corruption is a rallying cry, an enabler and a key modus operandi for IS," said Katherine Dixon, director of Transparency International Defence and Security. "The failure to grasp this undermines efforts to tackle the rise of violent extremism. "The international community expends great efforts tackling the 'ideology' of groups such as ISIS, focusing on the religious rhetoric they produce, yet completely ignoring the material circumstances in which they thrive." Transparency International, which campaigns against corruption in governments, outlines a number of recurring themes used by IS to recruit people in its research. In social media posts, it highlights systematic corruption - including nepotism and bribery - while presenting itself as a provider of security, justice and welfare. It also plugs into a sense of discrimination felt by Sunni groups, and suggests the West and its allies are complicit in the corruption. What's more, corruption has physically weakened some forces - like the Iraqi army, which did not have enough soldiers to combat IS when it first attacked Mosul because thousands of people were being paid, but not actually working. Ms Dixon warns this means that without addressing the problem at the highest level IS will not be defeated. In particular, Ms Dixon - who co-authored the report - said "what we shouldn't be doing is putting western taxpayers' money into helping create exploitative, predatory state forces". "This is not just about closing off the corrupt channels that enable the day-to-day operations of groups like IS, but rethinking relationships with the Mubaraks [in Egypt], Gaddafis [in Libya] and Malakis [in Iraq] of the future," said Ms Dixon. "Corruption is a real security threat, more than just a means for elites to line their pockets. In the end corrupt governments by fuelling public anger and undermining institutions, are the architects of their own security crises."

Summary: So-called Islamic State (IS) will never be defeated unless the corrupt conditions that help it to thrive are addressed, a new report claims.


The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has given the award to the George & Dragon at Hudswell, near Richmond, North Yorkshire. The pub, the village's only community facility, closed in 2008. It reopened in 2010 after residents formed the Hudswell Community Pub Ltd group and raised Â£200,000 to buy the building and land. Read more about this and other stories from across North Yorkshire The group was helped by the Plunkett Foundation which supports community co-operatives in rural areas. Camra said the George & Dragon had a warm and welcoming atmosphere and a strong community ethos. The pub includes a small shop, library, community allotments and free internet access. Paul Ainsworth, from Camra, said: "The George & Dragon is a great example of how a pub has been resurrected as a true community asset." The pub's current manager, Stu Miller, said he was thrilled to receive the award. "It shows that hard work, good beer and the support of the community can help you achieve goals that seemed impossible only a short while ago," he said. Runners up in the UK-wide competition were the Salutation Inn in Ham, Gloucestershire, the Stanford Arms in Lowestoft, Norfolk, and the Swan with Two Necks in Pendleton, Lancashire.

Summary: A country pub saved from closure after villagers stepped in to buy it has been named national pub of the year.


A Chinese statement issued during a visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry said the nuclear issue was the "shared responsibility of all parties". Mr Kerry said the two sides must decide "very quickly" how to proceed. North Korea has recently threatened nuclear attacks, and is feared to be preparing a missile launch. A flurry of warlike statements from Pyongyang has prompted speculation that a launch could happen on 15 April, when the country marks the 101st birthday of the nation's founder and former leader, Kim Il-sung. By Damian GrammaticasChina correspondent After weeks of rising tensions, and North Korea's threats of nuclear war, the diplomatic efforts to tackle this crisis are gathering pace. The pledge to work with the US is a clear signal of China's displeasure with North Korea. China is North Korea's only ally, and is not going to stop supporting the North, but wants it to calm things down. The question is will North Korea listen? In recent weeks the North's regime has made clear it now views having nuclear weapons as vital to its survival. It has said explicitly that it won't bargain them away. North Korea has reportedly moved at least two Musudan ballistic missiles to its east coast, but on Saturday, South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted officials in Seoul as saying that no new movement of the mobile launchers had been detected for two days. US officials including Mr Kerry have been playing down a leaked Pentagon report which warned that Pyongyang could have developed the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile. Since the UN imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea in February, its leadership has promised to restart a mothballed nuclear reactor, has shut an emergency military hotline to South Korea, and has urged diplomatic staff to leave, saying it cannot guarantee their safety. The North says it has also been angered by joint US-South Korean military exercises. Though its rhetoric has been more bellicose than usual, analysts say it fits a long-standing pattern, and may be intended to boost the popularity of Kim Jong-un, who came to power last year. In Beijing Mr Kerry held talks with President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. In comments to Mr Xi, he said the world was facing "a critical time with some very challenging issues". Among them were Korean tensions but also "the challenge of Iran and nuclear weapons, Syria and the Middle East, and economies around the world that are in need of a boost", he said. He later issued a statement saying the US and China were able "to underscore our joint commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner". He said the two sides would have "further discussions to bear down very quickly with great specificity on exactly how we will accomplish this goal". Missile defences in the region North Korea's missile programme The statement was issued after talks with Yang Jiechi, China's top diplomat. Mr Yang said China was "firmly committed to upholding peace and stability and advancing the denuclearisation process". "To

Summary: China and the US have vowed to work together to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear programme and to settle tensions through dialogue.


Many of the elements that make up the foundation of the modern world originated in China, including paper, gunpowder, credit banking, the compass and paper money. China stagnated for more than two decades under the rigid Communist rule of the founder of the People's Republic, Mao Zedong. But China now has the world's fastest-growing economy and is undergoing what has been described as a second industrial revolution. It has also launched an ambitious space exploration programme, involving plans to set up a space station by 2020. The People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded in 1949 after the Communist Party defeated the previously dominant nationalist Kuomintang in a civil war. The Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan, creating two rival Chinese states - the PRC on the mainland and the Republic of China based on Taiwan. China profile - home Country profiles - home Country profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring Beijing says the island of Taiwan is a part of Chinese territory that must be reunited with the mainland. The claim has in the past led to tension and threats of invasion, but since 2008 the two governments have moved towards a more cooperative atmosphere. The leadership of Mao Zedong oversaw the often brutal implementation of a Communist vision of society. Millions died in the Great Leap Forward - a programme of state control over agriculture and rapid industrialisation - and the Cultural Revolution, a chaotic attempt to root out elements seen as hostile to Communist rule. However, Mao's death in 1976 ushered in a new leadership and economic reform. In the early 1980s the government dismantled collective farming and again allowed private enterprise. The rate of economic change has not been matched by political reform, with the Communist Party - the world's largest political party - retaining its monopoly on power and maintaining strict control over the people. The authorities still crack down on any signs of opposition and send outspoken dissidents to labour camps. Nowadays China is one of the world's top exporters and is attracting record amounts of foreign investment. In turn, it is investing billions of dollars abroad. The collapse in international export markets that accompanied the global financial crisis of 2009 initially hit China hard, but its economy was among the first in the world to rebound, quickly returning to growth. In February 2011 it formally overtook Japan to become the world's second-largest economy, though by early 2012 the debt crisis in the eurozone - one of the biggest markets for Chinese goods - was beginning to act as a drag on China's growth. As a member of the World Trade Organisation, China benefits from access to foreign markets. But relations with trading partners have been strained over China's huge trade surplus and the piracy of goods. The former has led to demands for Beijing to raise the value of its currency, the renminbi, which would make Chinese goods more expensive for foreign buyers and possibly hold back exports. Beijing has responded with a gradual easing of restrictions on trading in the currency. Some Chinese fear that the rise

Summary: China is the world's most populous country, with a continuous culture stretching back nearly 4,000 years.


So what is the levy? What's really at stake? And why raise the rate now? What is the bank levy? It is an annual tax on the value of all of the debts of the UK banks (including money deposited with the banks), except that: Originally, the Treasury had planned to charge a lower rate of 0.05% during 2011, but in February it changed its mind, and switched to the standard rate of 0.075% from May. The standard rate was originally set at 0.075%, but it was raised slightly in March to 0.078%, and is now being raised again, to 0.088%, from January. What's it for? The government thinks it will discourage banks from relying on risky forms of borrowing, which were blamed for making the 2008 crisis much more dangerous. The tax will also raise a lot of money for the government. So will this help deal with the budget deficit? The Treasury hopes the tax will bring in £2.6bn every year. That's equivalent to 2.1% of the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast for the budget deficit this year. It's no small amount for the banks either. It's equivalent to about 19% of the reported profits before tax of the big five UK banks over the 12 months to September this year - although the tax burden will be borne by more than just these five. What's risky about the type of borrowing that the government wants to discourage? Traditionally, most of the money that banks lend out comes from the deposits they receive from ordinary people and companies. But during the past decade, banks found new and more complex ways to borrow trillions of pounds from international markets. Unlike ordinary deposits, there is no natural limit on the availability of this money, as it can come from anywhere in the globe, and the same money can be recycled between the banks again and again. A lot of the debts created were very short-term - meaning the banks needed to go back to the markets to reborrow every few days. When the financial crisis hit, investors began to worry that banks might not be able to repay their debts. This caused a kind of bank run, with investors refusing to lend. Unable to refinance all of their short-term debts, even profitable banks were threatened with failure. Why are retail deposits exempt from the levy? Bank runs are popularly associated with long queues of ordinary depositors wanting to empty their bank accounts - just as happened to Northern Rock. But since the 1930s, governments have insured most of the money deposited by their citizens in order to discourage these depositor bank runs. Indeed, the government responded to the Northern Rock crisis by promising to guarantee all of its deposits. In the UK, the first £85,000 of an individual's money is insured (it used to be £35,000 before the financial crisis). This means that most depositors do not need to worry about the safety of their money during a financial crisis, and the banks don't need to worry about all those deposits being

Summary: The government says it will increase the levy on banks from 0.078% to 0.088% from 1 January.


The 30-year-old was previously with Wigry Suwalki, who are 14th in Poland's second tier. County manager Jim McIntyre said: "He has 35 international caps for Lithuania under his belt, bringing a wealth of experience to the squad." Sernas started his career with Dainava Alytus in his homeland and has also played in Russia, Turkey and Australia. After leaving Dainava, he had spells with Vttra, Spartak Nalchik, Widzew Lodz, Zaglebie Lubin and Gaziantepspor, who sent him on loan to A-League outfit Perth Glory last year. County have already signed former Celtic defender Marcus Fraser,striker Craig Curran, previously of Nuneaton Town, and defender Cameron Burgess on loan from Fulham during January. The Dingwall side are bottom of the Scottish Premiership, four points behind 11th-placed St Mirren but with two games in hand.

Summary: Lithuania midfielder Darvydas Sernas has become Ross County's fourth signing of the January transfer window.


Lights first went off as Ramon Lobo, a pro-government lawmaker, defended the energy policies of President Nicolas Maduro, reports said. Opposition MP Luis Florido quipped on Twitter: "The country's reality has hit them in the face." The session was later suspended. Venezuela faces a severe electricity crisis and shortages are frequent. Reports said other buildings in the same area of the capital, Caracas, were also hit by power cuts, on Wednesday afternoon. Venezuela's National Assembly is controlled by the opposition. Delsa Solorzano, an opposition MP, tweeted a video of the chamber in the dark. MP Freddy Guevara, also from the opposition, said: "What a shame: the parliament session was interrupted because the energy went off. Right on the day we're discussing the energy sector law." Oil-rich Venezuela is in the middle of a deep economic crisis caused by a drop in global oil prices. The country is suffering from a shortage of basic goods, food and electricity. Earlier this year, the government introduced power rationing and a two-day working week for public sector workers as ways to tackle the crisis. It said a major drought, which dramatically reduced water levels at its main hydroelectric dam, was to blame. But the opposition accused authorities of mismanagement. Some of the measures have already been lifted.

Summary: A power cut left Venezuela's parliament in the dark as it discussed a law dedicated to the energy sector.


The incident happened on Morningside Road, near to Jordan Lane, at about 11:45 on Sunday. A local diversion was put in place at Comiston Road and Churchill Place, following the incident. Police Scotland have appealed to anyone who may have seen the elderly woman, or the bin lorry, before the incident occurred. Sgt Andrew Miller, of the road policing unit, said: "The woman was walking with a wheeled walking aid, similar to a zimmer frame, and we're hopeful anyone who might have seen her will come forward with relevant information."

Summary: An 85-year-old woman has died after being struck by a bin lorry in Edinburgh.


Rumours of a tour to celebrate the band's golden anniversary have been circulating for a number of years. However, Richards would not go so far as to say when the quartet would be performing in public again. "There's things in the works - I think it's definitely happening," he told the BBC. "But when? I can't say yet." "We're playing around with the idea and had a couple of rehearsals - we've got together and it feels so good." Richards was speaking to BBC arts editor Will Gompertz the day before the band turns 50. They played their first gig at London's Marquee Club on 12 July, 1962; and had their first hit, a cover of Chuck Berry's Come On, 12 months later. A photography exhibition marking the band's long career will be launched at London's Somerset House on Thursday. Talking about the pictures, which include reportage, live concert and studio images, the guitarist said he felt "weird" looking back at the group's early days. "It's amazing - most of these pictures I think, 'where was the cameraman?' I don't remember them being there," he said. He added he would like the band to continue for as long as possible, saying: "There might be life in the old dog yet - we'll die gracefully, elegantly wasted. "Sometimes its hard work and you wonder why you're doing it, but apart from those few moments it's been an incredible adventure." The Stones last world tour, A Bigger Bang, played to 4.5m people in 32 countries over two years before it finished in London in 2007. With ticket sales of $558m (Â£360m), it was the most profitable tour of all time, until it was eclipsed by U2's 360 tour last year.

Summary: The Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards says the band have met up for "a couple of rehearsals" as they mark 50 years together.


England was ranked seventh for child independence in the study of 18,000 seven- to 15-year-olds in 16 countries, by University of Westminster academics. Freeing children to go out alone in their local area benefited their health and development, the researchers said. Fear over traffic was the top reason for restricting freedom, they added. The children and their parents were surveyed between 2010 and 2012 about what they were allowed to do in their local neighbourhoods without supervision. This included: The study said: "A large proportion of children under 11 years old in most of the countries do not have the the freedom to get about their local area. "Even the oldest children are restricted in what they are allowed to do, at an age when many of the rights of adulthood are close to being granted, including the right to drive vehicles on the road once the test has been passed." Overall, Finland was found to be the top-performing country on independent mobility, with Germany coming second. According to the survey, most Finns can, without supervision: In England, most primary school children are allowed to cross roads without supervision but only 28% to travel home from school and even fewer to go out after dark, travel on local buses or walk to places other than school. Even at secondary school, less than 25% are allowed out alone after dark. Ben Shaw, director of the Policy Studies Institute, said: "Obviously, we've got to protect children but part of their development is that we allow them to gain independence. "People see the change from primary school to secondary school as the time to do it, but not having them do it earlier means there is a spike in road accidents at this age."

Summary: Anxious parents in England give their children less freedom to play and go outside than those in many other European countries, research suggests.


It was supposed to be a moment that rocked the virtual world. Mr Modi, widely acknowledged as one of the world's most influential politicians on social media, enveloped a slightly stunned Mark Zuckerberg in a bear hug. But what was it that really happened in Menlo Park? Why did some people think Mr Modi wasn't acting in India's best digital interests when he hugged Mr Zuckerberg? India with an internet population of 354 million - which has already grown by 17% in the first six months of 2015 - is an obvious target for not only Facebook, but other Silicon Valley giants. And they have all been more than happy to pledge their support for digital India - a recently launched government initiative aimed at reinvigorating an $18bn (Â£11.6bn) campaign to strengthen India's digital infrastructure. Google offered to provide 500 railway stations with free WiFi and Microsoft pledged to connect 500,000 Indian villages with cheap broadband access. But this huge show of support and the increased interest in India has caused some concern within the country. "Is Digital India going to only make India a consumer of services offered by global tech companies in lieu of data? Personal data is the currency of the digital world. Are we going to give that away simply to become a giant market for a Facebook or a Google? Look at the way the tech world is skewed. Only China has been able to come up with companies that can take on these MNCs" Prabir Purkayasta, chairman of the Society for Knowledge Commons in India, told the BBC. "The British ruled the world because they controlled the seas," he said. "Is India going to be content to just be a digital consumer? To being colonised once again?" And in the aftermath of the Facebook townhall in particular, some talk has begun to surface about what Mr Zuckerberg's real India ambitions are. Soon after the townhall ended, both Mr Modi and Mr Zuckerberg declared their support for digital India by using a special Facebook filter to tint their profile pictures in the tri-colour of the Indian flag. Multitudes of Indians followed suit and timelines were awash with snazzy tinted profile pictures, all in support of "Digital India". But then a tech website released what it claimed to be a portion of Facebook's source code, which allegedly "proved" that the "Support Digital India" filter was actually a "Support Internet.Org" filter. Facebook quickly issued a denial, blaming the text in the code on an "engineer mistake" in choosing a shorthand name he used for part of the code. But the "mistake" which has been coupled with a huge advertising blitz for Internet.Org across television channels and newspapers has raised suspicion about Facebook's motives. A Facebook poll on Internet.Org that frequently appears on Indian user timelines has also been ridiculed for not giving users an option to say no. Instead the answer options to the poll question "Do you want India to have free basic services?" are "Yes" and "Not now". Internet.org (now called free basics), aims to extend internet

Summary: A bear hug, a photo filter and a new debate on net neutrality - Ayeshea Perera examines the domestic fallout of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook townhall in US.


The Bath winger, 22, missed matches against France and Wales after injuring his hamstring in January. Head coach Eddie Jones said on Sunday that he was "confident" Watson would feature against Italy. The defending champions have also retained Northampton Saints prop Paul Hill for the week-long training camp. Forwards: Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Paul Hill (Northampton Saints), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins) , Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints). Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath Rugby), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

Summary: Anthony Watson has been included in England's 25-man training squad for their Six Nations game against Italy on 26 February.


25 February 2015 Last updated at 00:03 GMT The company behind the development, Tekever, said the technology could in the short term be used to enable people with restricted movement to control aircraft. Longer term the firm said piloting of larger jets, such as cargo planes, could be controlled in this way without the need for a crew on board. However, one aviation expert told the BBC he thought the industry would be unlikely to adopt such technology due to a perception of being potentially unsafe. Drone specialist Tekever, which works with security firms, police forces and the military, adapted existing Electroencephalography (EEG) technology so it could issue instructions to the software used to give the unmanned drone instructions. EEG works by detecting activity in specific parts of the brain. After several months of training, "pilots" are said to be able to teach their brain how to think about moving a small circle on a computer screen either up or down, which in turn steers the drone left or right. "We believe people will be able to pilot aircraft just like they perform everyday activities like walking or running," said Ricardo Mendes, Tekever's chief operating officer. "We truly believe that Brainflight represents the beginning of a tremendous step change in the aviation field, empowering pilots and de-risking missions, and we're looking forward to deliver these benefits to the market with highly innovative products." In the future, some of this technology may be put to use to control much larger aircraft, although Mr Mendes acknowledged considerable challenges with both regulatory hurdles and public confidence. Those concerns were echoed by John Strickland, an independent aviation consultant based in London. "This to me is certainly at the moment a bridge too far," he told the BBC. "You could get someone radically-minded who might say it, but I'd be surprised if anyone would do it." Mr Strickland said the airline industry was instead focusing its innovation efforts towards things like better materials and more economical engines. Mr Mendes said the technology would incorporate safety measures to counteract the effects of someone having, for example, a seizure while piloting. "There are algorithms on board that prevent bad things from happening," he told the BBC. He added: "Technology is evolving, regulations are evolving. [Unmanned jets are] obviously going to happen. The question is not if, it's when." Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC

Summary: Technology that allows a drone to be piloted from the ground using only a person's brainwaves has been demonstrated in Portugal.


Swiss Xhaka, 24, is believed to have been with a friend who had visited him in London and was returning home. The man is understood to have arrived late for his flight back to Germany and was not allowed to board. It is at this point that the racial abuse is alleged to have occurred. Arsenal have declined to comment other than to say it is a private matter that is now in the hands of the police. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police told the BBC: "Police were called at 19:29 GMT on Monday, 23 January following an allegation that a member of staff had been racially abused at Heathrow Airport, Terminal Five. "The allegation was made by a third party. Officers attended and spoke with a man in his 20s. He was not arrested. He voluntarily attended a west London police station where he was interviewed under caution. Enquires continue." The incident occurred just over 24 hours after Xhaka was sent off during his team's 2-1 victory over Burnley in the Premier League.

Summary: Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has been interviewed under caution by police following an allegation he racially abused an airline staff member at Heathrow on Monday night.


The Channel 4 celebrity winter sports competition ended last night with a showdown between the Made in Chelsea star and Olympic gymnast Louis Smith. Spencer came out on top to win the cow bell trophy as he beat Louis Smith by almost one metre in the final jump. The Made in Chelsea star told fans 'To all those who supported me in #TheJump thank you from the bottom of my heart. Love to all my fellow competitors too!!'

Summary: The winner of The Jump 2017 is Spencer Matthews.


Media playback is not supported on this device Wales led 13-12 at the break but Fourie du Preez's try with five minutes remaining edged it for the Springboks. Backs Tyler Morgan and Dan Biggar plus hooker Scott Baldwin joined Wales' list of injured players during the game. "We don't want to make any excuses. South Africa won... and we weren't good enough to win," said Gatland. "At the end of the day South Africa did what South Africa do. They got one chance and they took it and that was the result." Wales lost a trio of front-line stars in centre Jonathan Davies, full-back Leigh Halfpenny and scrum-half Rhys Webb to long-term injuries before the tournament began. Two more centres - Cory Allen and Scott Williams - were then forced out of action in the opening two pool games against Uruguay and England, with wing Hallam Amos joining them. Wales then lost the versatile Liam Williams - a full-back or wing - during their punishing final pool match against Australia. Media playback is not supported on this device Fly-half Biggar went off the field after a knock to the head just before the scrum which led to South Africa's try. The player remonstrated with WRU medical manager Prav Mathema and team doctor Geoff Davies, but Gatland backed the decision. "That's a medical call," he said. "They took him off the field for a head injury assessment; it looked like he'd got a bit of a knock, he looked unsteady on his feet. "He obviously felt that he was OK, but we support our medical team 100% so there's no issues on that from the coaching set-up." 'We knew it was going to come down to fine margins," said a "proud" skipper Sam Warburton, who lamented what he felt was a premature end to the campaign. "It's a quiet changing room - it's hard to find the words, it's all so raw," he said. "It feels premature with two weeks of the competition left. We've been together since June and all those gruelling camps… it's over, done and dusted." Warburton praised the players who had come in to replace the casualties, saying: "The guys who've stepped in have done a fantastic job. This could be the last World Cup for many of us, but we go out with no regrets." Warburton was sent off in Wales' 9-8 World Cup semi-final defeat by France in 2011, and after this latest disappointment said: "Hopefully I will be around when one of these tight ones goes our way."

Summary: Head coach Warren Gatland said Wales' string of injuries were no defence for their 23-19 World Cup quarter-final defeat by South Africa.


23 March 2017 Last updated at 14:55 GMT

Summary: Former US President Bill Clinton is introduced to the McGuinness family by Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams


Abendanon has won the European Player of the Year award, the third time a French-based English player has won it. Yet since the 2011 Rugby World Cup, an RFU rule has said only those involved in domestic rugby can play for England. "Having that rule in place restricts players from playing at the top level," said 28-year-old Abendanon. "You're playing with the best players in the world and coming here has made me a better player and better person. "I know exactly why the RFU has that policy in place and I don't expect it to change - but I have changed my mind on it since moving out here." Abendanon played two matches for England in 2007 but last summer he moved from Bath to Clermont, scoring a fine solo try in the 24-18 loss to Toulon. in the final of the European Rugby Champions Cup. Toulon's Steffon Armitage and Jonny Wilkinson, now retired, won the European Player of the Year award, in 2014 and 2013 respectively. After winning the award, Abendanon told BBC Radio 5 live he "would encourage more people to move" to France. Abendanon has said "it would be a dream come true" to represent England in the 2015 World Cup, but England head coach Stuart Lancaster has only picked domestic-based players. "I played for 10 years in England and came out to France because I thought my international career was over," added Abendanon. "I'm sure Steffon felt the same. "Playing in France has rejuvenated our games and whether we get rewarded for that is up to Stuart." Listen to Abendanon speak to BBC Radio 5 live

Summary: Clermont full-back Nick Abendanon says the Rugby Football Union should allow players working for clubs outside England to represent the national team.


Thistle got in front from the penalty spot, Sean Welsh netting after Ryan Dow had fouled Kris Doolan. County threatened when Craig Curran fired against the post. The hosts lost Liam Lindsay to a neck injury in the second half and Welsh threatened again before Chris Burke fired County level. It had appeared Thistle, who were the better side for much of the game, were about to record their first victory since the opening day of the season. But, just as they have done recently against Hamilton Academical and Hearts, they conceded a late goal to drop points. In fact, they could have lost all three points as Ryan Scully saved instinctively from Ryan Dow moments after Burke's equaliser. Alan Archibald will once again rue missed opportunities and a failure to capitalise on their overall dominance of the match. Lindsay's serious-looking injury after coming into collision with Scully and Andrew Davies caused disruption to the Thistle backline but the points should already have been safe. Archibald's managerial acumen - despite Thistle's lowly league position - was recognised by Shrewsbury Town's enquiry this week. As he sought to put an end to his side's eight-game winless run, he shuffled his pack, dropping Adam Barton into a back three and using Callum Booth and Christie Elliott as wing-backs. Not only did that provide Thistle with energy and width, but it allowed their central midfield trio of Welsh, Abdul Osman and Ryan Edwards to dominate the County duo of Ian McShane and Martin Woods. It meant they bossed the game and though Lindsay had to be replaced by Ziggy Gordon, it appeared Thistle had found the means to finally win again. Media playback is not supported on this device Just as Thistle's winless run continues, so does County's, though Jim McIntyre will be a lot happier that it does so with a draw rather than another defeat. They are now without a victory in seven matches, but Burke's injury-time strike at least put an end to their goalless streak. County scarcely threatened Scully's goal before that but did come within a couple of inches of an equaliser when Craig Curran steered a shot against the post. But the continuing absence of striker Liam Boyce through injury is hurting the Staggies and McIntyre will hope his return comes sooner rather than later. Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald: "We were very good, dominant for most of the match, but County nearly stole it. We need to turn those into victories. That's too many points that have been dropped at home." Burke was bundled over in the box as County began to press in injury time before eventually grabbing the equaliser through the former Rangers and Scotland winger. Ross County manager Jim McIntyre: "It's a stonewall penalty. I've watched it back. If the ref deems the first one a penalty, that's every bit as much a penalty. He's got one right and one wrong. He's made a mistake so that's disappointing." Match ends, Partick Thistle 1, Ross County 1. Second Half ends, Partick Thistle 1, Ross County 1.

Summary: Partick Thistle were pegged back late on by Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.


Similar techniques to make simple body parts have already been used in patients, but the kidney is one of the most complicated organs made so far. A study, in the journal Nature Medicine, showed the engineered kidneys were less effective than natural ones. But regenerative medicine researchers said the field had huge promise. Kidneys filter the blood to remove waste and excess water. They are also the most in-demand organ for transplant, with long waiting lists. The researchers' vision is to take an old kidney and strip it of all its old cells to leave a honeycomb-like scaffold. The kidney would then be rebuilt with cells taken from the patient. This would have two major advantages over current organ transplants. The tissue would match the patient, so they would not need a lifetime of drugs to suppress the immune system to prevent rejection. It would also vastly increase the number of organs available for transplant. Most organs which are offered are rejected, but they could be used as templates for new ones. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have taken the first steps towards creating usable engineered kidneys. They took a rat kidney and used a detergent to wash away the old cells. The remaining web of proteins, or scaffold, looks just like a kidney, including an intricate network of blood vessels and drainage pipes. By James GallagherHealth and science reporter, BBC News Grow-your-own organs might seem like a fantasy, but there are people walking around today with organs made in this way. A major breakthrough came in 2006 when bladders made from patients' own cells were implanted. Grown windpipes have also been transplanted. In regenerative medicine there are four levels of complexity: flat structures such as skin; tubes such as blood vessels; hollow organs such as the bladder; and solid organs such as the kidney, heart and liver. The last group is the most difficult as they are complex organs containing many types of tissue. However, there have been early glimmers of success. Beating rat hearts have been produced, and grown lungs have been able to keep rats alive, if only for a short time. Growing solid organs is still in its infancy, but these animal studies provide an interesting window on what could be the future of organ transplants. Will we ever grow replacement hands? This protein plumbing was used to pump the right cells to the right part of the kidney, where they joined with the scaffold to rebuild the organ. It was kept in a special oven to mimic the conditions in a rat's body for the next 12 days. When the kidneys were tested in the laboratory, urine production reached 23% of natural ones. The team then tried transplanting an organ into a rat. Once inside the body, the kidney's effectiveness fell to 5%. Yet the lead researcher, Dr Harald Ott, told the BBC that restoring a small fraction of normal function could be enough: "If you're on haemodialysis then kidney function of 10% to 15% would already make you independent of haemodialysis. It's not that we have

Summary: A kidney "grown" in the laboratory has been transplanted into animals where it started to produce urine, US scientists say.


The Ibrox club have been linked with another bid to land the Jambos midfielder, having had offers rejected earlier this summer. Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha watched Walker in friendly action against Newcastle on Friday night. "A lot of people continue to say a lot of things, and that's it really, there isn't a situation," Cathro said. "Jamie is happy, he is focused, he is training well, playing well. Like everyone really." Walker, 24, has turned down the chance to sign a new Hearts contract, with his current deal expiring next summer. And while Cathro refused to comment on reports suggesting the club have improved their offer to the player, the head coach is relaxed about the winger's situation. "I talk to Jamie almost every day, even on days off, because he is a player I'm fond of," Cathro said ahead of his side's trip to face Elgin City in the League Cup on Tuesday. "He is a big talent, he is someone who at a point will move on to a bigger league, a bigger club and have opportunities to work towards the top levels of the game. Of that there is no doubt. "And I'm very happy to be playing a part in how he progresses towards that. "But, for now, people are just wasting their time." Walker made his Hearts debut in the 2011-12 campaign and has scored a total of 41 goals in 135 games for the Jambos.

Summary: Hearts head coach Ian Cathro has played down reports of Rangers renewing their interest in Jamie Walker.


Media playback is not supported on this device The 30-year-old London 2012 gold medallist recorded 8.18m in his final jump to win ahead of Uruguay's Emiliano Lasa (7.96m). Holly Bradshaw set a new British women's pole vault record of 4.80m. There was a minute's silence before the event for the victims of Monday's attack in the city. Twenty-two people were killed and another 116 were injured by a suicide bomber as the crowd left a performance by US singer Ariana Grande at the Manchester Arena. The Great City Games, which is staged in the city centre, was given the go-ahead by council and police on Tuesday. The Great Manchester Run will also go ahead this Sunday and will be covered on BBC One from 12:30-14:30 BST. Friday's competition was the first major event in Manchester since the attack and drew thousands to a sunny Deansgate and Albert Square. The latter, which three days ago hosted a vigil for those who lost their lives in the attack, was the scene for a stellar display from Rutherford. His jump of 8.08m in his second attempt had already ensured victory before his final effort, which saw him extend his lead further. "It's been absolutely amazing to get you all out here in support of us," said Rutherford afterwards. "It's been an incredibly difficult week for everybody and I'm so pleased we can come here and give you something to smile about and enjoy. "Manchester is one of my favourite cities in the world to go to. I love it for the football and I love it for all you guys getting behind us in sport. "It truly is a special place." Media playback is not supported on this device It was a superb evening for Bradshaw, who beat her own personal best before going on to surpass her own British record in the pole vault. Starting at 4.50m, the 25-year-old from Preston cleared at the third attempt to ensure victory over her rivals, with fellow Britons Rachel Gibbons and Sally Peake and Belgium's Chloe Henry all failing to go higher than 4m. She then went on to surpass the mark of 4.71m she set in 2012 before also clearing 4.80m at the first attempt. "It was a bit nerve-wracking at the start," Bradshaw, who was sixth at London 2012 and fifth four years later in Rio, told BBC Sport. "But there were great conditions. Once I got in the zone, to jump 4.72 and then 4.80 I am really chuffed. "Training has been going great. I am in the best shape I have ever been in. I just need to stay healthy, keep sharp and build momentum going into the majors." Media playback is not supported on this device Jonnie Peacock eased to victory in the T44 men's 100m in 10.92 seconds, accelerating to pull well ahead of his three challengers. South Africa's Arnu Fourie was second (11.25secs), with Michail Seitis third (11.39) and Italy's Emanuele di Marino fourth (12.18). "We had a massive shift on technical aspects last year and had just six months

Summary: Britain's Greg Rutherford claimed a resounding long-jump victory at the Great City Games in front of a big crowd in Manchester's Albert Square.


NHS England medical director Sir Bruce Keogh says he worries they will put vulnerable people "at risk", while chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies says they will "inevitably lead to patients suffering" and Health Minister Ben Gummer claims they will be put in "harm's way". It's easy to understand why. On 26 and 27 April junior doctors will stop providing emergency cover - unlike in the previous strikes in the contract dispute. It means as well as downing tools for their routine duties, medics will walk out of A&E units and intensive care departments, leaving some of the sickest and most vulnerable patients in the hands of others. But will the reality of the all-out strike be really as bad as the rhetoric? After all, the doctors' code of conduct produced by the General Medical Council decrees they must not harm patients or put them at risk. And the British Medical Association is adamant the stoppages do not breach this code because of the contingency plans being put in place. The union is legally bound to give the NHS seven days' notice of industrial action. In this case the health service has had five weeks. The time has allowed hospital bosses to carefully consider what they need and put plans in place. This has been done in partnership with BMA reps, while at a national level Department of Health and NHS England officials have been meeting regularly to ensure the contingency arrangements are satisfactory . And as yet no hospital has yet said it cannot cope. This is because large chunks of the routine work has been postponed and staff will be redeployed into emergency areas. There will be consultants, staff doctors - those who are not in training but have not yet reached consultant level - nurses, midwives and health care assistants in work. GPs are also being asked to keep a greater number of appointments free for urgent on-the-day cases than normal, while patients will be warned in the lead-up to the strike to think carefully about how they use the health service during the stoppages. The result is that there are plenty of people who think the system will run pretty smoothly. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Royal College of Emergency Medicine have both released statements saying they are satisfied with the arrangements being put in place. In fact, you could argue the result in some departments may be that the system may actually work better than on a normal day. Take A&E, for example. Having more consultants on the floor could actually speed up the flow of patients as they will be able to make quick decisions about the care patients need. Although there is an argument the smaller hospitals with fewer consultants may find it more difficult. Meanwhile, in emergency surgery and intensive care the presence of consultants should, in theory, more than make up for the absence of the juniors. Also, it should be remembered that the stoppages are from 08:00 to 17:00 BST - not for 24 or 48 hours as the

Summary: The warnings about the forthcoming all-out junior doctor strikes have been coming in so thick and fast that you could be forgiven for thinking it will be Armageddon.


Stephen Kinnock, as the son of a former Labour leader, is one of the better-known among the 2015 intake of MPs. But like the rest of the new faces he has to wait for behind-the-scenes negotiations to conclude before he can be allocated a permanent office at Westminster. "So no office," the Aberavon MP tells me. "We're hot-desking. "I have been given a telephone extension on the system here in parliament but as I don't actually have a telephone or a desk or an office for any of those things I'm not sure what good that does me at the moment." He says constituents can contact him via a number on his website. Craig Williams held off a Labour challenge to hold Cardiff North for the Conservatives. He has benefited from a new induction programme with new MPs offered help from designated "buddies" among the parliamentary staff. "I've had a couple of tours," he says. "Not that it helps because it's a bit like a rat warren in here. It's like Hogwarts, I think, but it's a great building to get lost in - and I'm going to continue getting lost but I'm sure it'll come before long." Mr Williams knows where his office facilities are - he just struggles to find them. "I've got a desk and a phone in committee room 17. It's up three floors that way, left-right, left-right. I get lost twice getting there but there's something in committee room 17 for me." I ask Stephen Kinnock if he has had any advice from his father. The question is met with a familiar throaty chuckle. "What my dad has always said to me is 'be yourself. You'll get criticism, you'll get people having a go at you, the key thing is to never take it personally. This is the job'." Before he can get on with the job, he and the other 649 MPs have to be sworn in, taking the oath of allegiance. They have to do this in English, but can repeat the oath - or affirmation - in Welsh, Scottish Gaelic or Cornish. Without it, they can't take part in Commons debates or votes - or even get paid.

Summary: He may have a famous name but he does not have an office or a phone yet.


The clash with Edinburgh is Townsend's last as Glasgow head coach, before he takes charge of the national team. He will name his squad for the June fixtures against Italy, Australia and Fiji on Monday. "This game is really important in finalising who we're going to take," Townsend told BBC Scotland. "We thought about announcing it a couple of weeks ago, but thought that wouldn't have been fair on the players who are involved in this game. Media playback is not supported on this device "It's the last game of the season, we'll know who is available in terms of injuries after this weekend, and it's an opportunity for certain players that may be close to selection to push themselves into that final squad." Townsend's Warriors have failed to earn a Pro12 semi-final spot for the first time in five seasons, finishing in sixth place regardless of Saturday's result. Their inter-city rivals have endured a torrid league campaign - ending a run of eight successive defeats with Friday's win over the Dragons - and can finish no higher than ninth. The incoming Scotland boss will lead his new charges on a three-Test southern hemisphere tour, taking on Italy in Singapore, Australia in Sydney, and finally Fiji in the archipelago capital of Suva. "The one positive from a Scotland perspective about neither Glasgow or Edinburgh making the play-offs is that we'll have more time to work with the players," Townsend added. "We'll have a three-week build-up to our tour. It'll be really exciting, we're going to a new environment, Singapore to play Italy, then Sydney to play Australia, then on to Fiji. So six weeks working with that group of players is invaluable for us as new coaches." The former Scotland international, who won 82 caps, will have a near-full-strength compliment of players at his disposal, with Warriors duo Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour the only Scots to win selection for the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand. "We'll be looking to take our strongest squad," Townsend said. "So after this weekend the players that are available, players that are on form, players who've played well for Scotland, have got the best chance of going on that tour." Townsend will also have former Scotland captain Mike Blair at his flank, with the retired scrum-half joining the national coaching set-up for the trio of Tests. Blair took up the role of skills coach with Glasgow after retiring from playing last April, and will remain with the Warriors staff outside of international windows. "Mike's a new coach, he's only been coaching for this season, but he's shown a really good commitment to the role," Townsend said. "He works very hard, he's been a big help to me in terms of the attack, he's been a big help to the players too with the skill work he does and the close work he does with the scrum-halves. "So to have him when we're on tour and when we're in Test windows will be great, but also for him to continue [at Glasgow] working with

Summary: Gregor Townsend says Saturday's 1872 Cup derby provides one last chance for players to force their way into his first Scotland squad.


Rockstar have announced the game's release has been delayed until 24 March. The latest version of the open world adventure was due to go on sale on 27 January. A statement from Rockstar said: "The game requires a few extra weeks of testing and polish to make it as good as can be." "Moving a release date is never a decision we take lightly and is a choice we make only when we know it is in the best interests of the game and our fans. "Thanks everyone for your understanding and we assure you these few extra weeks will be worth it when the game does arrive in March." It's not all bad news though. The company announced that eagerly-awaited online heists are coming to consoles before the PC release date. Screenshots from the PC version of GTA V have been released, with Rockstar promising "even greater levels of detail". Los Santos and Blaine County will be visible in 1080p at 60fps, with up to 4K resolution and support for up to triple monitor configurations. While you're waiting for the game to be released you can make sure your PC is up to scratch. Minimum specifications required to run GTA V have also been published. Grand Theft Auto V became the fastest-selling entertainment product ever when it was released on 17 September 2013, taking just three days to generate $1bn (Â£620m) in revenue. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: PC gamers will have to wait a little bit longer if they want to play Grand Theft Auto V.


The Public Administration Committee said it would seek written evidence and publish an interim report before the summer recess later this month. Eurosceptic Tories fear the rules are being amended to allow the government to campaign openly to stay in the EU. But ministers say it is needed to allow them to continue their work. The committee, headed by Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin, said the purdah probe would form the first part of a wide-ranging inquiry into the EU Referendum Bill, the proposed law that will authorise a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU by the end of 2017. Mr Jenkin said he and his colleagues wanted to know why the government was planning to partially "disapply" the existing rules on government announcements in the four weeks leading up to the referendum. The inquiry will focus on the existing rules, as set out in the 2000 Political Parties and Referendum Act, the government's case for amending them, how ministers plan to go about it and the impact it will have on the impartiality of the civil service. In a vote on the issue last month, 27 Conservative MPs rebelled against their party, urging ministers to reinstate the full purdah period although the government won the vote after Labour abstained. The government has said the existing rules would potentially prevent ministers from attending EU meetings and making decisions with a European dimension. They have insisted they will address MPs' concerns about this and other matters - such as the funding available to different sides and the length of the campaign itself - as the bill makes its way through the Commons. The committee will publish its report on 22 July.

Summary: Plans to relax so-called "purdah rules" on government announcements in the run-up to the EU referendum are to be the subject of a quickfire inquiry by MPs.


Investigators in Operation Pallial have found evidence of 140 allegations of historical abuse between 1963 and 1992. Seventy six new complainants have also come forward. The claims centre on 18 homes involving offences against boys and girls aged between seven and 19. A total of 84 suspected offenders have been named - 75 male and nine female. Of these, 16 have been named by more than one complainant. By Mark EastonHome editor The scale of the investigation is quite a surprise. We had a huge police investigation in the 1990s and we had a public inquiry led by a former judge, as well as other inquiries. And here we are all these years later, we look at this again and discover that it is far more widespread - over four decades, going right back to the early 1960s. Previously, we thought it started during a period from the mid-1970s and the investigation now covers, not just three or four children's homes, but 18 children's homes. We are talking about systemic, serious sexual and physical abuse that, it would appear, has been conducted by a large number of people. There are 84 names - 75 men but nine women as well. If the allegations are true, it's an appalling scandal and a scandal that, as some victims have said, was left unresolved for far too long. It is believed that 10 of the 16 may be deceased. Home Secretary Theresa May ordered this inquiry following a Newsnight report in November, that as well as leading to a Tory peer being falsely accused of paedophilia, alleged that child abuse in north Wales in the 1970s and 1980s was far more widespread than had previously been investigated. North Wales Chief Constable Mark Polin said: "Offenders quite rightly should have to look over their shoulders for the rest of their lives." Keith Bristow, director general of the National Crime Agency (NCA), has agreed to continue investigations at the request of Mark Polin, the North Wales chief constable. "I took the decision to ask the director general of the National Crime Agency to investigate these allegations last November conscious that some victims of historic abuse may not have the necessary level of confidence in North Wales Police to report these matters directly to us," Mr Polin said. "Operation Pallial has now secured accounts from almost all victims who are willing to support an investigation and it makes absolute sense for the officers and staff involved to date to be the core of phase two and to move matters forward as quickly as professionally as possible." At a news conference in Colwyn Bay, Mr Polin told victims: "It's never too late to report abuse." He also sent a message to offenders, saying: "If you believe the passage of time will reduce the resolve of Operation Pallial or any police force to identify people who are still alive and to bring them to justice, you are sorely mistaken." Det Supt Ian Mulcahey of Merseyside Police is leading the day-to-day investigation. He said: "We're prioritising our work focus on those

Summary: An independent investigation examining claims of historical child abuse at children's homes in north Wales has found "significant evidence of systemic and serious sexual and physical abuse".


The Stephensons single-decker was a mile off the local bus route and must have been driven down a farm track, said farmer James Mizen. Mr Mizen said a bus mechanic knocked at the door of his Thaxted, Essex, farmhouse to tell him a vehicle was stuck on the property. Stephensons declined to comment on the incident. It is understood the bus did not have passengers at the time. Live: For more Essex stories Mr Mizen said: "The mechanic said the bus was on our muck heap. "He must have gone down a no-through road, down a single track road, ignored the 'no unauthorised vehicles' sign and then down our farm track before stopping at the muck heap. "Apparently there had been a road closure and one of his colleagues told him to take a right, which he did. "It doesn't seem there was much common sense at play. The further he was getting the more awkward it was going to get for him. "We don't even like taking our tractor right down to the muck heap, never mind a commercial bus." Mr Mizen and his brother Chris used a tractor to tow the bus free.

Summary: A bus ended up stuck in a manure heap after apparently taking a wrong turn.


Nóirín O'Sullivan welcomed the fact that new police recruitment had begun, but said policing is a profession that constantly needs new people. She said 300 new recruits would keep the gardaí at a standstill. She said over 500 new recruits every year were needed to ensure the force could deal with emerging crime trends. Ms O'Sullivan was speaking at the annual conference of the Garda Superintendents in County Kildare. The superintendents say they are under serious pressure to ensure they have sufficient officers to police the country on a 24-hour basis. The Irish government recently announced new recruitment, however, the general secretary of the Superintendents' Association Denis Ferry, said the gardaí needed at least double the level to maintain current levels of service.

Summary: The commissioner of An Garda Síochána (Irish police) has said the force needs more than 500 new recruits a year to provide a proper service.


Kleptomaniac Theo, from Ipswich, first hit the headlines in 2013 for stealing Christmas decorations. Recently he has been stealing toy food, including a pineapple and an aubergine. "We are deeply ashamed of our cat, especially as he had convinced us that he had changed his criminal ways," his owner wrote to neighbours. Rachael Drouet created a leaflet for her neighbours in a bid to reunite the stolen items with their rightful owners. "This year has been relatively quiet, save for some Bettaware catalogues and the odd flat balloon," the leaflet read. "Until a few days ago when he started bring home toy food. "So far we have cheese, a green pepper, fish, a pineapple, an aubergine, and a felt basket to put them all in." Theo, a five-year-old Siamese cross, also managed to bring home a child's body warmer. Earlier this year, he stole a catalogue from a house down the street owned by a policeman, which Ms Drouet said "wasn't ideal". Among the items stolen in the last couple of years are muslin cloths, fluffy pens, a USB phone charger cable and a child's piece of art. Theo also took to stealing Christmas decorations from neighbours' trees. Ms Drouet said this year she managed to reunite items from Theo's haul with their rightful owners before too long. "I wrote the flyers and then luckily managed to find out who all the things belonged to," Ms Drouet said. "You get tired of knocking on neighbours' doors and saying 'me again'".

Summary: A pet cat with a track record for stealing has slipped back into his criminal ways despite convincing his owner he was a reformed character.


Perry Beeches III is one of a chain of six free schools. Mr Cameron described the schools as "a real success story". But the Ofsted report said too many students were underachieving and described teaching as "inadequate". Perry Beeches chief executive Liam Nolan said he "fundamentally disagreed" with the inspectors. The school's headteacher, Darren Foreman, its senior leadership team and chair of governors have resigned, Mr Nolan said. Mr Nolan has taken on the role of interim head teacher, together with Jackie Powell. The report said: "Teaching is inadequate. Too much is dull and fails to engage students who became bored and start to fidget." It also accused the school's leadership of having an, "unrealistic and inaccurate" view of the school and added students' behaviour required improvement. Mr Nolan said: "This judgement makes me question Ofsted's credibility." However he said he intended to work with Ofsted to make the school outstanding. He described the report as an, "unfortunate blip". He said: "Within six months you will see us back on the top." The Perry Beeches schools are funded by central government but not run by local authorities. Two of the other schools in the chain have been rated "outstanding" by Ofsted. Perry Beeches III was opened by the Prime Minister in September 2013. At the time, he said the majority of free schools were, "a real success story we should build on as a country". A Department for Education spokesman said: "Liam Nolan and the Perry Beeches free schools are transforming the life chances of children in Birmingham, in some of the most deprived communities of the country. "The performance of Perry Beeches I and II has set the bar for schools across the rest of the country. "Swift action has already been taken to change the leadership of Perry Beeches III and to turn around the performance of the school."

Summary: A £7m Birmingham free school opened by Prime Minister David Cameron is to go into special measures following a highly critical Ofsted report.


Hoilett joined on a free transfer on 10 October and was Warnock's first signing as Bluebirds boss. The 26-year-old Canadian, who worked with Warnock at previous club QPR, made his Cardiff debut in Friday's 2-1 Championship win over Bristol City. "It's great when you have a manager who believes in you," said Hoilett. "I was 100% ready to go. I worked with him at QPR and he gave me an extra boost. I love working under Neil Warnock, so it was a no-brainer to come here to Cardiff," he added. Warnock's first game in charge attracted the biggest crowd of the season so far at Cardiff City Stadium, 22,776, and Canada player Hoilett loved the experience. "You could see everyone was giving their all. Everyone was running that extra yard for each other, putting tackles in," he added. "We got the result, which is great for getting the bragging rights in a local derby. The atmosphere was magnificent."

Summary: Winger Junior Hoilett says the opportunity to be reunited with manager Neil Warnock made his decision to join Cardiff City a "no-brainer".


Barker, 33, who captained Derby under Clough, has not played competitively since dislocating his knee and rupturing ligaments in March 2012. He is set to start training with Burton after undergoing minor knee surgery. "If we have room budget-wise and he is OK, then it is a no-brainer for us," Clough said. "He is just a good post influence to have around with Championship experience. He is a good person to have around the football club. "His treatment is going well and he is close to joining back in, so he is one that we haven't ruled out at all." After taking nearly three years to recover from his horrific knee injury, Barker returned to play for Derby's under-21 side in February 2015, only to be released by the Rams later that year. He has since been granted a testimonial year by the Championship club and has repeatedly expressed a desire to return to play professionally. Clough says Barker is still capable of making an impact as a player. "You want him to contribute on the pitch, but he has a lot more to offer than just on the pitch," Clough said. "He wants to get out and play. There will be plenty of times this season with five or 10 minutes to go when we will need someone to come on and head the ball in our box. "I cant think anyone better than him."

Summary: Former Derby County defender Shaun Barker will be offered a deal at Burton Albion if he can prove his fitness, says manager Nigel Clough.


It had notified the UN of its intention to leave last October, saying the ICC pursued "regime change". The opposition Democratic Alliance then argued in court that the government had to first seek parliamentary approval. But it may not be the end of the government's bid to leave The Hague-based court. Justice Minister Michael Masutha was quoted as saying after the court ruling in February that the government would consider its options. In the meantime, according to a statement on the UN treaties website, the planned pull out has been officially cancelled. South Africa's original decision to pull out came after a dispute over Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's visit to the country in 2015. The authorities refused to arrest Mr Bashir despite him facing an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes. Mr Bashir was attending an AU summit in Johannesburg, when the government ignored an ICC request to arrest him. The ICC has been accused of being biased against Africans. The ICC and global justice: A non-binding African Union resolution agreed in January called for the mass withdrawal of member states from the court, with some countries accusing the ICC of undermining their sovereignty. The ICC denies the allegation, insisting it is pursuing justice for victims of war crimes in Africa. Last year, Burundi and The Gambia, along with South Africa, also said they would leave the court. But The Gambia, under new President Adama Barrow, has changed its mind.

Summary: South Africa has revoked its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) after the High Court said the move was unconstitutional.


The latest claim came as a female pupil, who alleged she was raped by a teacher in 1990 while attending its former junior school, spoke to the BBC. Kate, who we are not identifying, told her story to the police two years ago but the case collapsed. Gordonstoun said it was committed to assisting the police. BBC Scotland spoke to Kate, who claimed she was raped by a teacher while on a camping trip in 1990 when she was a 12-year-old pupil at Gordonstoun's prep School, Aberlour House. She eventually told her story to the police but the case collapsed after another witness withdrew her statement at the last minute. Kate, who now lives in England, has now joined a group of former pupils who are pressing for a change in Scotland's corroboration laws and asking the school to deal with the many claims of bullying and abuse. She said: "I do remember feeling very isolated, because it was the first night of the trip it happened. I just had no idea what had just happened to me. "I hold the school in great esteem but obviously there were failings at the time. "An apology is always a nice thing to hear. I know it's a different era but it would be nice to hear an apology." Police Scotland confirmed that it has been contacted by another former pupil in recent days concerning what it calls a historical matter at Gordonstoun. In a statement, Gordonstoun said: "We were shocked and saddened to hear of Kate's account of her experience at Aberlour House. "Cases of this kind must be unimaginably distressing for the victims and we are committed to managing any case of historic abuse as openly as possible, assisting the police with any inquiry and, above all, supporting victims in any way we can. "We have given the investigating police unrestricted access to the archive records we hold for Aberlour House. "We were surprised and disappointed that her case did not go to court and remain available to assist future investigations."

Summary: Another former pupil of Gordonstoun public school in Moray has contacted police over claims of historical sexual abuse, it has emerged.


Three fire engines were called to Railway Street, Tunstall, at about 2320 GMT on Tuesday. Crews brought the fire in the lounge under control within half an hour. The cause was believed to be accidental. The two people, who were suffering from smoke inhalation, were rescued from a first floor window. They were later discharged from hospital.

Summary: A man and a woman have been taken to hospital after being rescued from a house fire in Stoke-on-Trent.


A UN panel will now try to determine if the Syrian government was responsible, as the US has alleged. The attack on Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province was the most deadly in Syria in more than three years. It prompted a retaliatory US missile strike against a Syrian air base. The fact-finding mission for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is based in The Hague, concluded that, after interviewing witnesses and examining samples, "a large number of people, some of whom died, were exposed to Sarin or a Sarin-like substance". "It is the conclusion of the FFM (fact-finding mission) that such a release can only be determined as the use of Sarin, as a chemical weapon," a summary said. The new report has been circulated among OPCW members but has not been made public. A joint UN and OPCW investigation will now investigate who was to blame for the attack. US President Donald Trump ordered a cruise missile strike on Shayrat air base after US officials concluded that the facility was where a Syrian Air Force jet had been armed with a Sarin-filled bomb. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has previously said that the incident was fabricated.

Summary: A fact-finding mission by chemical weapons watchdog the OPCW has concluded that the banned nerve agent Sarin was used in an attack in northern Syria in April that killed dozens of people.


The Woodland Trust's annual contest will decide which specimen represents the country in the Europe-wide event. The final winner of the England heat will be decided by public vote. This year's list includes yew trees, ancient oaks, hawthornes and the sycamore under which the Tolpuddle Martyrs first met. Experts at the Trust whittled down 200 public nominations to four shortlists for each country in the UK, with the winner from each region competing in the European event. The Scottish list includes an oak said to have been visited separately by both William Wallace and Rob Roy, while Northern Ireland's list includes an avenue of trees used in Game of Thrones. Meanwhile the Welsh list includes two of the oldest trees in the UK, reputed to be almost 5,000 years old. Calke Park is a haven for ancient trees with the oldest an oak called The Old Man of Calke, thought to be between 1,000 and 1,200 years old. The average age of a large oak in the UK is about 200 years. This ancient yew could be 2,500 years old and is close to the site where King John sealed Magna Carta at Runnymede - although some argue it was under the Ankerwycke tree's shadow. It is also said to be the spot where Henry VIII courted Anne Boleyn. This tree in St Martin's Church, Martindale, Cumbria is believed to be at least 800 years old. The nearby church has a bell with an untranslated Nordic rune cast into it and an altar apparently made from meteorite. According to legend Joseph of Arimathea, an uncle of Jesus, thrust his staff into the ground at Wearyall Hill in Somerset where it took root as a hawthorn tree. It was chopped down in the Civil War but descendants survive at Glastonbury Abbey from where a flowering spray has been sent to the Monarch each Christmas since the 17th Century. A recent survey revealed many of the trees in Linford Manor Park are more than 300 years old and are considered significant because of their relationship to the design of the 18th Century grounds. This venerable oak is a descendent of the tree the future King Charles II hid in following his defeat at the final battle of the English Civil War in 1651 at Worcester. The young Charles attempted to flee to Wales but had to seek refuge in Boscobel where he hid first in a tree and then in a priest hole. In 1834, six farm labourers were sentenced to seven years in an Australian penal colony after a meeting under a large sycamore in Tolpuddle to talk about falling wages. There was a public outcry and their actions laid the foundations for trade unions. The large hollow tree - estimated to be 330 years old - is now a place of pilgrimage for trade unionists. The black poplar is one of the rarest native trees in the UK, with only 2,500 thought to be left. This fine example is in the grounds of Acklington School and is estimated to be between 250

Summary: A tree which stood at the time of Magna Carta and another with links to the time of Christ have been shortlisted in the Tree of the Year competition.


In return Venezuela accused Chile of "inadmissible interventionism" and a "lack of diplomatic circumspection". Braulio Jatar was taken into custody on 3 September after publishing videos of a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Mr Jatar was born in Chile and also has Venezuelan nationality. He is an open supporter of the opposition and runs a news website on Margarita island in Venezuela. The Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based pressure group, called on Venezuela to "allow all journalists to report freely". On Monday. Brazil's foreign minister also criticised the Venezuelan government's actions, saying the country had seen an increase in what he called "arbitrary detentions". Jose Serra told a local newspaper such detentions "make it even more difficult to have the dialogue between government and opposition that is indispensable for overcoming the dramatic political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis that is affecting Venezuela". At the start of September, Mr Jatar released videos of a protest when island residents jeered the president. Protests have been a regular occurrence in Venezuela as the opposition calls for President Maduro to be removed from power. They blame him for the country's economic crisis and accuse the electoral commission of delaying a referendum that could shorten his rule. President Maduro accuses the opposition of trying to stage a coup. Mr Jatar was arrested with about 30 other people on Margarita island. The others have since been released but Mr Jatar is still in detention and his family believe he is not on the island any more. Some reports said the authorities claimed he had tens of thousands of dollars in cash, which was to be used to attack an international summit starting on Margarita island on Tuesday. Venezuelan prosecutors have not commented on the detention but the foreign ministry said he was suspected of extortion and fraud. Chile demanded at the weekend that Venezuela make the journalist's whereabouts known. The Venezuelan government said it "rejected" the demand and accused the Chilean foreign minister of "bowing to pressure from the most reactionary sections of the bourgeoisie" who still support General Pinochet, the country's former right-wing dictator. Chile's response was to say that "the promotion and defence of human rights do not have borders" and Mr Jatar had not had access to his lawyer in a week.

Summary: The government of Chile has demanded that Venezuela "immediately" disclose the location of a journalist who was detained earlier this month.


Kerry Foods confirmed the redundancies, which were initially announced in February. The company said a consultation process "had failed to secure a strategy which would ensure the sustainability of production at the site". The firm said it was retaining the factory on the town's Europarc industrial estate and was looking at "future possibilities for the site". Kerry Foods said employees were given confirmation of the plant's closure on Wednesday following a 90-day consultation period. A company spokesman said: "We are doing everything we can to assist employees in securing new employment."

Summary: A Grimsby frozen food factory has closed with the loss of 337 jobs.


In addition to original versions of the games, Halo: The Master Chief collection will also include a new visually-upgraded version of Halo 2. Purchasers of the November release are also being promised "beta" access to the multiplayer version of the forthcoming Halo 5. One company watcher said it illustrated the firm was listening to its fans. "I think it's a smart move," said David Scarborough, from GamesTM magazine. "It shows a willingness to satiate the appetite of Xbox hardcore gamers, which is what Microsoft sees the Halo franchise as - it's biggest hardcore gaming franchise. "It also feeds into the hype for the next entry in the series. "But I personally don't think it will be something that will incentivise people who haven't yet bought a new console to buy an Xbox One." Xbox gamers who already bought the titles on earlier versions of the Xbox are being given an added reason to buy the games again: the package will also include access to watch a new live-action series called Halo: Nightfall. The episodes, produced by Ridley Scott, are currently being filmed in Ireland, and are separate to the Steven Spielberg Halo TV series promised last year. While new pre-rendered trailer footage of Halo 5 was shown to the audience at the firm's E3 press conference in Los Angeles, developer 343 Studios was not yet ready to demo gameplay or confirm a launch date. Xbox chief Phil Spencer told the crowd at the Microsoft event that Halo was the "reason Xbox is here today". He also acknowledged that his firm had changed its strategy to take account of customer feedback - a nod to it abandoning restrictions on the sale of second-hand disks and releasing a cheaper version of the console without its Kinect voice/camera sensor. He pointedly said at the event's outset that this year's conference would be dedicated exclusively to showing off new games, rather than sharing the time to show off other multimedia features. Microsoft's rival Sony had exploited previous attempts to promote the Xbox as both a games machine and a means to control cable TV, pitching the PlayStation 4 as the machine for serious gamers. That move helped the Japanese company to enjoy stronger sales since both machines launched last November. Other new titles on show for the Xbox One included the hyper-reality game Sunset Overdrive, which features a character who skids across rails blowing up people who have been turned into mutants by a poisonous fizzy drink. The colourful game is an Xbox One exclusive and due out later this year. Microsoft Game Studios showed off another new Xbox One exclusive at an earlier stage of development called Phantom Dust - which is billed as a "battle for reality". It had previously released an action-strategy title by the same name for the original Xbox a decade ago. The in-house games publisher also previewed a dragon-fighting title - developed by Japan's Platinum Games - called Scalebound for the new console, and a fresh version of its open-world third-person shooter Crackdown, originally released for the Xbox 360. One

Summary: Microsoft is recoding the main games in its Halo series to run on its recently released Xbox One console.


The pre-tournament favourites - last knocked out of this competition in 1993 - had led when Isabel Kerschowski fired in early on. But Nadia Nadim nodded Denmark level after half-time and Theresa Nielsen's late header completed the comeback. It is only Germany's third loss in the 26-year history of the competition. The Olympic champions - ranked second in the world - created plenty of chances but were also frequently opened up at the back by a Denmark side who, after a nervy start, became increasingly dangerous. The opener came courtesy of a goalkeeping error, as Stina Lykke Petersen misjudged Kerschowski's fierce shot from the edge of the area and could only parry the German's shot in to the net. After the break, Germany hesitated when they thought they had conceded a free-kick only for the referee to play an advantage that Denmark took, with Portland Thorns forward Nadim jumping well at the far post to nod in the equaliser. Plenty of openings for both sides followed as the game became stretched with the prospect of extra time looming. Another right-wing cross found Nielsen unmarked in the Germany penalty area on 83 minutes and she headed in to spark wild Danish celebrations. The result guaranteed that the tournament will have a different winner for the first time since Norway's triumph in 1993, with Germany having won the following six European Championships. Media playback is not supported on this device The match had to be rescheduled for 11:00 BST on Sunday after torrential rain fell on Saturday night in Rotterdam. That meant the quarter-final was one of three to take place on Sunday. Austria beat Spain in a shootout after the sides drew 0-0, meaning they will face the Danes in the semis. And England beat France 1-0 to secure a meeting with hosts Netherlands, who booked their place in the last four on Saturday with a win over Sweden. Match ends, Germany 1, Denmark Women 2. Second Half ends, Germany 1, Denmark Women 2. Attempt missed. Isabel Kerschowski (Germany) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Corner, Germany. Conceded by Theresa Nielsen. Offside, Denmark Women. Pernille Harder tries a through ball, but Nadia Nadim is caught offside. Delay over. They are ready to continue. Substitution, Germany. Lena Petermann replaces Linda Dallmann. Delay in match Theresa Nielsen (Denmark Women) because of an injury. Attempt saved. Anja Mittag (Germany) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Anna Blässe. Attempt blocked. Lena Goeßling (Germany) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Attempt blocked. Linda Dallmann (Germany) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lina Magull. Attempt missed. Nadia Nadim (Denmark Women) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Katrine Veje. Goal! Germany 1, Denmark Women 2. Theresa Nielsen (Denmark Women) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Frederikke Thøgersen with a cross. Foul by Dzsenifer Marozsán (Germany). Nadia

Summary: Germany's bid for a seventh consecutive European Championship title is over after Denmark fought back to win an entertaining Euro 2017 quarter-final.


Craig Bryson gave the Rams an early lead when he struck from the edge of the area, before Thomas Ince curled in a stunning effort to double the lead. Shortly after Bryson hit the crossbar, Darren Bent added a third when he headed home from close range. Ipswich struggled for clear-cut chances, while Derby missed several. Ince, whose earlier effort came after he drifted in from the right to score his 11th goal of the season, could only hit the post from a low cross by Bent in the second half. Ipswich keeper Bartosz Bialkowski also made smart saves from both Bent and Jacob Butterfield. The hosts had a late penalty appeal when Grant Ward went down in the area, shortly before Kieffer Moore's shot was deflected wide on his home debut. The result leaves the hosts with just one win from their last seven games, a run which included being knocked out of the FA Cup by non-league Lincoln City. There was further bad news for McCarthy's men, with influential forward Tom Lawrence replaced at half-time because of injury. Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy: "It looked like an ordinary start from both teams, but the first goal was far too easy for me, as was the second. "We'd had a bit of a rally just before the third goal, when we should have scored from a corner kick, but then we give the ball away and it ends up in the net. "It's quite clearly a foul in the build-up, which is not irrelevant because at 2-0 we could maybe get back in it, but 3-0 has put the game to bed." Derby manager Steve McClaren: "We should have scored more goals, but you can't have everything. I thought we were great in the first half - we've been so disappointed with our starts over recent games. "There were some tremendous performances and to come here and win 3-0 means the credit has to go to the players. "The most important thing in the second half was not to be complacent, keep a clean sheet and take home the three points." Match ends, Ipswich Town 0, Derby County 3. Second Half ends, Ipswich Town 0, Derby County 3. Kieffer Moore (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Cyrus Christie (Derby County). Attempt missed. Grant Ward (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Kieffer Moore. Attempt missed. Kieffer Moore (Ipswich Town) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Grant Ward with a cross following a corner. Corner, Ipswich Town. Conceded by Markus Olsson. Attempt blocked. Kieffer Moore (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Grant Ward. Foul by Freddie Sears (Ipswich Town). Cyrus Christie (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Hand ball by Grant Ward (Ipswich Town). Foul by David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town). Craig Bryson (Derby County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Summary: Derby County eased past Ipswich Town to rise to sixth place in the Championship and add more pressure on Tractor Boys boss Mick McCarthy.


A coroner's report said Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old African-American, hanged herself but her family doubt this. She was arrested on 10 July over a confrontation with a policeman who pulled her over for a traffic offence. A video of the incident shows the officer appearing to threaten her with a Taser and say: "I will light you up." Both state officials and the FBI are investigating her death. Sheriff Glenn Smith, whose Waller County jail was where Bland was held, told the AP news agency on Wednesday that during the booking process she said she had tried to kill herself in the past . He said Bland's comments were made after she was asked a series of questions that are posed to every person who is detained at the jail in Hempstead, about 60 miles (100 km) northwest of Houston. Mr Smith said another guard also spoke to Bland. She told him she was upset but not depressed, according to the sheriff, and both jailers insisted she appeared fine at the time. She was found dead in the cell three days after her arrest and officials say she hanged herself. Cannon Lambert, the lawyer representing Bland's family, said relatives have "no evidence" that she previously attempted suicide and denied she was suffering from depression. He said the family wanted investigators to get to the bottom of what happened, adding: "Sandy [Bland] was a social activist. Social activists don't take her own life." He also said the dashcam video of the arrest, which was released by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) on Wednesday, showed that Bland's death "could have easily been avoided". In the video, Brian Encinia, a white police officer, is seen issuing a ticket and then asking Bland to stub out her cigarette, which she refuses. When she refuses to step out of the car, he tries unsuccessfully to pull her out. He then appears to threaten her with a Taser and says the words: "I will light you up." She gets out of the car and they move out of vision, but the audio suggests the confrontation becomes physical before more officers arrive. A number of breaks were spotted in the original video that the DPS posted on to YouTube, prompting many people on social media to question the authenticity of the entire film. But a DPS spokesman insisted it had not been edited and that the glitches were a result of a technical error. The original video was later removed and another version was posted online. Officer Encinia, who has been on the force for just over a year, said he was kicked during the arrest. He has been put on administrative leave. Texas DPS director Steven McCraw said his officers have "an obligation to exhibit professionalism and be courteous" but that "wasn't the case in this situation". Prof Lawrence Sherman, director of the Institute of Criminology at Cambridge University, said the video clearly shows the officer is "out of control". He told the BBC that the response was "heavily disproportionate to the seriousness of the offence"

Summary: A US woman who died in police custody three days after being arrested told a guard she previously attempted suicide, according to the sheriff in Texas.


Watson lost out to Ryan Moore for the final wildcard spot but will still play a key role for the US in Hazeltine. "We're thrilled to have him," said Love, who is trying to stop Europe from claiming a fourth consecutive win. Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Tom Lehman and Steve Stricker are also assistants. Love, who was also captain in 2012 when Europe won after a record comeback, said Watson, 37, completed an "interesting group" of vice-captains. "We have a mix of guys who think differently," he said. "You couldn't put five guys together of differing personalities who get along so well." Watson, who has played in the past three Ryder Cups, reiterated to Love he wanted to be part of his backroom team, despite losing out to Moore. "When I told the team members and assistant captains, we were in disbelief," said Love. "What Bubba did really shows how together the US team really is." BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter: "One of the key elements as far as Davis Love was concerned in terms of selecting his wildcards was team chemistry. "Bubba Watson is ranked seventh in the world, so if you were going to pick him because he is a top-10 player in the world, it makes total sense. "If you're going to drop someone who is a top-10 player, then it is clearly down to a lack of chemistry. But here he is in the backroom staff. It's fascinating." Players, officials and fans will pay their respects to golfing great Arnold Palmer, who died on Sunday aged 87, when the 41st Ryder Cup starts on Friday. Flags at Hazeltine were lowered to half-mast on Monday in tribute to the seven-time major winner, who was nicknamed 'The King'. Players from both teams will wear pins bearing a special logo, while tournament officials are finalising details of a video tribute and minute's silence to be held during the opening ceremony. Love said he had spoken to Europe captain Darren Clarke about honouring American legend Palmer. "Whatever we do, we are going to do together," said Love. "He was my inspiration as a golfer, a role model as how to act as a professional." Clarke added: "Our sport wouldn't be where it is without Mr Palmer. He was a global superstar and inspired people all over the world to take up our sport." Media playback is not supported on this device Europe are aiming to continue their recent dominance of the biennial event by winning a fourth consecutive Ryder Cup for the first time. But Northern Irishman Clarke, who arrived in Minnesota with his team on Monday, said past glories count for nothing against a US side that Love claims is the "best ever assembled". Europe have won 10 and drawn one of the past 15 events. "I think it's irrelevant going into this week," said Northern Irishman Clarke. "Each Ryder Cup is individual in its own right." We've launched a new BBC Sport newsletter, bringing all the best stories, features and video right to your inbox. You can sign up here.

Summary: United States skipper Davis Love says Bubba Watson will add "a lot of fun" and "great heart" after naming the two-time Masters winner as a vice-captain for this weekend's Ryder Cup.