Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had earlier called for a "Day of Silence", to make a widely-violated ceasefire deal stick. New talks between the rebels and the government could take place in Belarus in the coming days. Russia has resumed gas supplies to Ukraine after months of tough talks. Ukrainian pipeline operator Ukrtransgaz says up to 43.5m cubic metres (1.5bn cu ft) will be imported daily, to prevent winter shortages. Ukraine has paid Russia's Gazprom $378m (Â£242m; â‚¬308m) in advance for December deliveries, officials say. Russia cut off Ukraine's gas in June as the conflict between the government in Kiev and the rebels in the east escalated. But a new gas deal was reached through EU mediation in October. Ukraine and its Western allies accuse Russia of supplying heavy weapons and troops to the rebels - something Moscow has repeatedly denied. The warring sides signed a truce in Minsk in September, but more than 1,000 people have been killed in fighting since then, the UN says. Some of the heaviest fighting has raged at Donetsk airport. The Ukrainian military said on Tuesday a ceasefire had begun in "all the positions of the anti-terrorist operation forces", Interfax Ukraine news agency reported. The pro-Russian separatists had also laid down their arms at 09:00 (07:00 GMT) across eastern Ukraine, Russia's Ria Novosti agency said. Mr Poroshenko said last week that troops would observe the Day of Silence on Tuesday to try to boost the peace deal. Since the conflict began in April, more than 4,300 people have died with almost one million displaced, the UN says. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Kiev must not renege on a pledge to give "special status" to the rebel-held Donetsk and Luhansk areas in the east. Speaking to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, he said Mr Poroshenko had called for that status to be cancelled - a move that would "only strengthen the distrust between the sides, complicating their already difficult dialogue". He also accused Kiev of blocking financial co-operation with the rebel-held areas. Authorities in Minsk said they had not received any confirmation that either the Ukrainian government or rebel representatives would attend new peace talks, which were planned to begin on Tuesday. Russian media reports say that the talks may now begin on Friday instead, but this has not been confirmed. The previous Minsk agreement, brokered in September, projected a 30km (18 mile) military buffer zone in the east and limited self-rule for the separatists. However, the rebels then held leadership elections on 2 November that Ukraine and the West refused to recognise. There have been near-daily clashes and exchanges of heavy weapons fire, leaving hundreds dead. Meanwhile, the last pieces of wreckage from Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was shot down over eastern Ukraine, have arrived in the Netherlands for investigation. Ukraine and its allies have accused Russia of supplying the missile used to bring down the plane, while Russia has denied involvement. A total of 298 people died when the plane came down in July. The Ukraine crisis began a year ago, when then-President Viktor

Summary: Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine are observing a ceasefire after weeks of bitter fighting, officials say.


It was one of 20 left at various locations by Ren Benson, from York, who said she just wanted to give other mothers support. "I am a first-time mum, my little boy is 10 months now, and parenting is really hard," she said. Emma Lowe, who found the supermarket letter, said it was a "lovely gesture" and very welcome. Read more about this and other stories from across Yorkshire On parenting, Miss Benson said: "It is really challenging and there are times when you do feel like you are just on your own and a little bit falling apart." The first letter was left after she had dropped her shopping in the supermarket and felt she was at the "end of her tether". "I thought 'this is the time when I need some love - there must be another mother who is going to feel this way'," she said. Miss Benson said she was inspired by other mothers' random acts of kindness for each other through the online community - The Motherload. "Such a small gesture and it can make the world of difference at times." Mrs Lowe found the letter as she changed her daughter and said it had made her day. "I ignored it at first, but on the envelope it said 'yeah you'. "I opened it and thought what a lovely, lovely gesture that someone has taken the time to handwrite the note to say 'you know you've got this'. "As a first-time mum it is really challenging at times, but I thought that is so lovely that someone has done that and left it for someone to find."

Summary: A handwritten letter of encouragement for new mothers was left in a supermarket baby-changing area.


Mr Blair, who had strained relations with the unions when he was prime minister, said he trusted Mr Miliband would handle it in the "right way". The Labour leader is expected to set out changes to limit union influence in candidate selection on Tuesday. He says he wants to "mend", not end, links but insists he runs the party. Labour has referred allegations of union malpractice in the process to select a 2015 election candidate in Falkirk to the police. An internal party inquiry found evidence union officials signed up new members without their knowledge, breaching party rules, to try and get their favoured candidate elected. Unite leader Len McCluskey has said he has "no trust" in the probe. Labour has insisted the episode is a one-off but said it showed the need for wider reforms to candidate selection, including a cap on how much any candidate can spend to limit the influence of wealthy backers - whether unions or big business. There has also been talk of greater use of open primaries to select election candidates - where everyone living in a constituency is eligible to vote whether they are a party member or not. And some have called for a more fundamental review of Labour's historic financial links with Unite, its biggest backer, and other unions. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Blair - who clashed with the unions over a range of issues during his 13 years as leader - said it would be wrong for him to be drawn into the dispute. "I think he (Mr Miliband) is going to make a speech on this and the last thing he needs is advice from me. "One of my experiences is, when you are about to make a major initiative as leader of the party, the last thing you need are voices off... if you forgive me I am not going to queer his pitch." Asked whether he was worried the dispute would re-open old divisions in the party and undermine Mr Miliband's leadership, Mr Blair said he was "sure he will deal with it in the right way". Speaking on Sunday, former home secretary Lord Reid - a close ally of Mr Blair - said the dispute was a battle for the direction of the party, suggesting Mr McCluskey and other union leaders wanted to take Labour back to the 1970s and 1980s. "I am in no doubt that the leader of Unite wants to impose an ideological direction on the Labour Party that would lead us into political oblivion, as it did in the 1970s and 1980s, and that's why this is a political struggle," he told the BBC. "Ed Miliband didn't particularly go looking for this fight. This fight came to him," he added. "But I think he understands, as everyone else in the Labour Party does that a struggle of this nature, which is in essence political, is a determining struggle about the direction of the Labour Party. "And I have no doubt in my mind that the direction in which Ed Miliband

Summary: Tony Blair refused to comment on Ed Miliband's dispute with the Unite union, saying he did not want to "queer his pitch" or be part of "voices off".


The last episode of the ITV show, which stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman, will air on Monday evening. Chris Chibnall told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's a strange feeling actually, it's quite emotional. "It's been an extraordinary journey with the show and [its success] has taken us all by surprise." Did the critics like Broadchurch? Confirming the drama will not return for any future series, he said: "That is it and there will be no more after this one, absolutely." The storyline of the final series has centred around the rape of Trish Winterman - played by former Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh. Chibnall explained: "When I thought about telling this story, the first thing I did, along with the people I work with, was go and talk to various people and charities who worked supporting survivors of sexual assault. "We went to Dorset sexual assault referral centre and Rape Crisis and Survivors' Trust, and the question I asked them was 'Should we be telling this story in Broadchurch, is it an appropriate thing to do?' "They were unanimous in their reply and said: 'Yes, absolutely, you should, you must, because there's an incredible amount of support out there for people who survive these crimes.'" He added he was also keen for Colman and Tennant's characters - DS Ellie Miller and DI Alec Hardy - to show exemplary behaviour when dealing with the case. "I noticed Dorset Police put out a statement the other day in response to the programme saying 'If you report [a rape] you will be believed by police', so we wanted to show best practice by these extraordinary people that we'd met," Chibnall said. Chibnall's next job will be taking over the reins at Doctor Who, after Steven Moffat announced he would be leaving the programme. The last series of the show to star Peter Capaldi as the Doctor began on BBC One on Saturday, with the opening episode attracting an average of 4.6 million viewers. But Chibnall was reluctant to give too much away about what he has planned for the show when he takes over. "It's way too early to talk about Doctor Who. There's still an amazing series to go out with Peter Capaldi," he said. "I've been thinking about it for a long time and we're putting a team together. But for another year there is an amazing Doctor, there's an amazing showrunner in Steven Moffatt and I've read the scripts for this series and they are phenomenal." Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: The writer and creator of television drama Broadchurch has said he feels "emotional" about the third and final series coming to an end.


Sen McCain has repeatedly called for the US to provide military aid to members of the Syrian insurgency. He becomes the highest ranking US official to travel to Syria, though McCain spokesman Brian Rogers did not give further details about the visit. News of the trip came as US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Paris. The US currently provides non-lethal aid to opposition groups in Syria, where an estimated 70,000 people have been killed since violence broke out in March 2011. Rebels call for arms Sen McCain, the top Republican on the Senate armed services committee, is understood to have entered Syria through Turkey and was on the ground there for several hours. He travelled with the Syrian Emergency Task Force and met General Salim Idris, chief of staff of the rebel Free Syrian Army, as well as 18 other rebel commanders, the BBC has learned. Gen Idris called for weapons to continue their fight, as well as a no-fly zone and air strikes on government targets. These are all steps that Arizona Sen McCain has previously urged the Obama administration to take. Gen Idris also urged airstrikes on the forces of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group whose forces have been fighting in Syria on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad. Sen McCain - who was the Republican presidential candidate in 2008 - has repeatedly urged more forceful American support of Syrian rebels, calling for US cruise missiles to target Syrian government forces. After unverified reports emerged last month that Syrian government forces had used chemical weapons on rebels, the hawkish 76-year-old senator renewed his calls for the establishment of a no-fly zone. He has also repeatedly urged that the insurgents should be armed. But the Obama administration has demurred, amid concerns that weapons might fall into the hands of al-Qaeda sympathisers. Earlier this month, American Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford briefly crossed into northern Syria to meet opposition leaders - in his first visit to the country since he left in February 2012 when the US closed it mission there.

Summary: US Senator John McCain has visited Syria to meet rebels in the war-torn country, his office has told the BBC.


It is hoped the theatre, founded in 1875, will be used for theatrical performances, cinema screenings, comedy and live music. The BBC studios, at the eastern end of the Palace, will also be repaired and refurbished. If successful in raising funds it is hoped the theatre will reopen in 2018. The theatre and studios form part of a larger east wing restoration project to transform Alexandra Palace into a new cultural destination. As part of the renovations, the glazed east court will become a space for the public and for exhibitions. Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) is contributing £18.8m towards the project, while Haringey Council is contributing £6.8m. The entire east wing will be refurbished at a cost of £26.6m. Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust have committed to raising the final £1m by summer 2017. The theatre, which has languished unused for decades, still has much of its original decor and stage machinery in place. It was created to showcase opera, musicals, plays and all kinds of entertainment, even hosting early cinema screenings.

Summary: Alexandra Palace has started a £1m fundraising campaign to bring its Victorian theatre back to life after lying unused for 80 years.


Andrew Steele, from Dunfermline, turned at a police station and confessed to and raping one girl and touching another between 1996 and 2005. He was initially released pending further investigations but was detained months later. He then said he been hallucinating when he made the confession. Sentence was deferred for background reports. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Steele, aged 49, told officers his mother was "up in the sky" urging him to confess to the sex crimes when he made his revelations. Police traced the girls and took statements from them. Both victims were aged seven when the abuse began. Steele admitted rape, indecency offences and failing to turn up for an earlier court date, when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh. Advocate depute Mark McGuire said: "On 28 December in 2014 the accused voluntarily attended at Kirkcaldy police station and disclosed that he had interfered with the girls." "On 3 March in 2015 the accused was detained. Under caution he told the officers that he was having hallucinations on the day that he confessed. He told them that his mother was up in the sky telling him to confess. He maintained this position throughout the interview." The prosecutor said before his first appearance at the police station Steele had gone to hospital and claimed he was hallucinating. "He was assessed by three medical professionals who concluded that he was suffering from alcohol withdrawal. He was deemed fit to be discharged," said the prosecutor Steele was remanded in custody and put on the sex offenders register.

Summary: A man has admitted sexually abusing two girls in Fife over a nine year period.


Barclay left the Warriors for Wales two seasons before they clinched their maiden title. But the back-row has now skippered Scarlets to Saturday's final against Munster after a stunning semi-final win over Leinster in Dublin. "I said to our coach today, it reminds me a lot of where Glasgow were one or two years ago," Barclay said. "All these young guys pushing through who are now playing regularly for Scotland; I can see that happening here." Barclay, 30, led his 14-man team to victory in Friday's last-four clash as they became the first away side to win a semi-final in the league's history. He says the Scarlets squad is the strongest he has seen in his five years in Llanelli. "I've never played in a final, never mind won anything at club level," he told BBC Scotland. "I left Glasgow and the following year they got to the final. The year after, they won it. Media playback is not supported on this device "I always looked on with a little bit of envy - a lot of my close friends played in that team and they say it was unbelievable." Barclay says it would be a personal career highlight to win the final and does not think some of his team-mates will be distracted by selection to this summer's British and Irish Lions squad. "Guys like Jon Davies and Liam Williams, you wouldn't blame them if they had one eye on the Lions tour," he said. "But, the way they're playing, Jon is probably playing the best rugby I've ever seen him play for Scarlets." After injury sidelined Greig Laidlaw in the defeat by France, Barclay assumed the Scotland captaincy for the remaining three Six Nations fixtures against Wales, England and Italy. With Laidlaw's late call-up to the Lions touring party, Barclay retains the leadership of the squad for the June fixtures against Italy, Australia and Fiji - Gregor Townsend's first as head coach. However, his ongoing involvement with the Scarlets' season finale means the 60-cap player will miss the first fortnight of the pre-tour camp. "I still wasn't sure if Gregor would come in and completely change things as sometimes happens with a new coach," said Barclay. "I had a couple of years out of the Scotland squad, I'm always on edge a bit more around selection times; I certainly don't ever expect to be playing. "That's why I'm not too fussed about the length of seasons, or feeling beat-up or fatigued. I'm just enjoying being involved and playing rugby still. "Gregor phoned me before to let me know I was going to be captain. He wanted me to focus on playing for the Scarlets for the next few weeks and not fill my head with Scotland stuff. "It's a bit different to a Six Nations or Autumn Test series, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I've played a long time and not been in a final. "Part of it is missing out on a bit of preparation, but the other half of that is I'll still be playing

Summary: Scotland captain John Barclay sees parallels with his Scarlets side and Glasgow's 2015 Pro12-winning vintage.


Captain Scott Brown scored the only goal in Warsaw's Stadion Narodowy, where the two sides will meet again in October in a European qualifier. "It meant absolutely nothing, because there will be changes," said Strachan. "These two teams won't be the same. Media playback is not supported on this device "But what it does, for the next couple of months, is give us confidence." Scotland's next friendly is likely to be at Fulham's Craven Cottage in May, with Nigeria having invited Strachan's side to play them in London. Wednesday was Scotland's third successive away win, and they have gone five matches unbeaten, the past four without conceding a goal. "That's good and it's not easy to do that," Strachan told BBC Scotland, though he is not getting carried away with his side's improvement. "It wasn't a great game. I don't think you could expect anything other than that at this time of the season in a friendly. "It gave us a chance to have a look at them and vice versa, but we got some bonuses." Strachan, who put the clean sheet down to hard work by his whole team, also praised debutant Andrew Robertson. The 19-year-old Dundee United left-back came on as a second-half substitute a year to the day after playing for amateurs Queen's Park in a victory over Elgin City in Scotland's lowest tier. "I thought it didn't faze him and that adds to our squad. If he can keep up his performances then there's no reason why he shouldn't be in the next one," Strachan said. But the manager reserved most praise for Brown, whose powerful finish from the edge of the box followed up his winner in the previous friendly in Norway. "I thought he was the man of the match, and that sealed it," Strachan said. "I thought he was fantastic. "We're looking to be more potent in attack. We need to work at that, that's for sure, but we're hopeful of having players over the next six months who will add to that." Brown put the improvement in form down to the players understanding their roles under Strachan. "It shows you the form the lads are in," said the Celtic midfielder. "We're doing really well, we're listening to what the manager's got to say and we're putting it in place on the pitch. "We're getting up the park as well and we're defending as a group. I think that's the main thing. "We look like a team out there, we try to keep the ball as well." Asked if he agreed with Strachan that victory would mean little come their return to Warsaw, Brown suggested it did give his side a slight edge. "It's good to get a game and we know what they're like and we know we can play against them," he said. Barry Bannan said the result in Warsaw kept the national side's unbeaten run going. "Everyone in the changing room is delighted," he added. "Poland are in our group and we've had a look at them. We've given a good account

Summary: Scotland manager Gordon Strachan said his side's 1-0 friendly victory over Poland will have no effect on either team's Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.


Ricciardo and Vettel are respectively 60 and 117 points behind leader Lewis Hamilton with 150 still available. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said their title hopes were a "long shot" but Mercedes' reliability problems gave them a chance. "Due to their shocking reliability, hopefully we can keep ourselves in the championship," he said. Although reigning champion Vettel is almost completely out of the reckoning and has only a mathematical chance, Horner says it is too early for Red Bull to consider team orders to aid Ricciardo's challenge. Vettel finished second to Hamilton in Singapore on Sunday with Ricciardo third while Nico Rosberg retired with an electrical failure. "Mercedes have an enormous advantage at this point," Horner said. "We'll take it one race at a time. Both of them are still just in it and both have taken a chunk of points out of Nico. "Daniel, OK he's conceded three points to Seb but is that going to make the difference? Impossible to say with a crystal ball at this stage but at the moment it doesn't make sense to interfere with team orders. "Daniel is totally comfortable and happy with that. "If there was a realistic chance of Daniel winning and Sebastian was mathematically out of the championship, then we'd do the best we can for the team but the situation we're in at the moment is it's a long shot."

Summary: Red Bull insist Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel are still in the fight for the drivers' championship.


Last week's news that Nigeria's Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, wants all new recruits to the country's police force to undergo a lie detector test cannot have been an April fool's joke as it's now the end of August. A police statement stated clearly that the "polygraph test is aimed at ensuring that candidates are not of questionable character", and that new police officers should "conform to acceptable standards necessary for an ideal police officer the Nigerian people deserve". Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe's former finance minister: "Whenever I see a policeman, I run away because he sees me as an ATM" Just what sort of questions would be set for the future cops is not clear, but the move is innovative and opens up all manner of possibilities on the African political landscape in our search for the kind of public officials the continent deserves. And why stop at just police recruits? Journalists could be asked: "Have you ever taken money to write or ignore a story?" Football players in the Under-17 World Cup could break out in a sweat at the simple inquiry: "How old are you?" Politicians and presidents, meanwhile, may find the truth-telling exercise a challenge too far. The search for honest police officers who fulfil the "acceptable standards" sought by Nigeria's police chief could be extended to most African states. Back in July, citizens in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, vented their anger over phony police roadblocks, which crop up every few miles "to check the roadworthiness" of vehicles, but more importantly provide a pretext to spot-fine drivers and extract money from impoverished commuters. And since the state is struggling to pay public workers, it is entirely credible that such fines exist to supplement the officers' meagre and late salaries. "Whenever I see a policeman, I run away because he sees me as an ATM," declared Tendai Biti, former finance minister. Encounters with African police forces can also be deadly. Ethiopian police clashed with demonstrators demanding answers to human rights abuses in the north-west of the country, and several people lost their lives in the city of Bahir Dar in the Amhara region. Farai Sevenzo: "Following orders, history has sometimes instructed us, is not a credible excuse" Force is the default setting for African police, with officers deployed on the streets willing to unleash tear gas in Nairobi, Harare, Lusaka, Addis Ababa or any other African capital. Anti-government demonstrations in Harare last week saw water-cannon and yet more tear gas as the government blamed unknown "foreign elements" for trying to incite rebellion. In the age of instant news and social media sharing, the evidence of African police brutality is a click away and all over the web. So, would a polygraph test for new recruits lessen such incidents? What kind of questions would the recruits have to answer? Would there be questions about their sympathy for the beaten citizens? Or would they be about their loyalty to entrenched police chiefs who have had jobs for life, much like the men who appointed them? As governments face dissent, citizens are

Summary: In our series of letters from African journalists, film-maker and columnist Farai Sevenzo questions whether lie detectors could help promote honest law enforcement.


The man, 65, was walking in woods near the town of Buchen when he encountered the female African elephant, called Baby. The 34-year-old elephant was later captured and returned to the circus. Police are now investigating how the elephant got out of its enclosure and why it acted so aggressively. "There's evidence of third-party involvement," Heidelberg police spokeswoman Yvonne Schmierer told the AP news agency. "Either someone forgot to shut the enclosure, or the elephant was released intentionally." Local news agency Stimme reported that the elephant had previously injured at least two people - including a man who was thrown in the air and a 12-year-old boy who suffered a broken jaw when he was hit by its trunk. Stimme reported that the German branch of animal rights group Peta was urging the authorities to remove the elephant from the circus.

Summary: A man taking his regular morning stroll in south-west Germany was attacked and killed by an elephant which had escaped from a circus, police say.


Sukhjit Singh, from Derby, was found dead in his bed while on holiday in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. His wife Ramandeep Kaur Mann is facing charges of plotting the killing with his childhood friend Gurpeet Singh. Police claimed the pair are lovers but her family has denied the charges and said it is launching a legal battle. Friends in Derby said the news came as a shock and their priority was the couple's young children, who remain with their grandmother in India. The family were visiting Sukhjit's mother in Banda, about 450km (280 miles) south east of New Delhi, and were due to fly home earlier this month. Local police said the Derby man was found dead in his mother's house with his throat slit and having sustained head injuries on 1 September. They accused Ramandeep and Gurpeet of being lovers and arrested Gurpeet as he attempted to board a flight to Dubai. Gurpal Singh worked with Sukhjit at the National Sikh Museum in Derby and saw the family the night before they flew to India. "We all really want to know the truth. All we've heard are reports in the media and we are concerned the story is being repeated without a proper investigation," he said. "We are all in shock. They are a lovely family - he was a devout and humble man. There was nothing to suggest anything was wrong at home. "I'm not questioning what the Indian police have said but we would all like to see a proper investigation of what has happened." The Foreign Office said it was providing assistance to a British national who had been detained and to the family of Sukhjit Singh. Prayers will be said at the Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Derby later and for several days next week.

Summary: A British woman has been accused by police in India of colluding with her alleged lover in the murder of her husband.


Two women aged, 18 and 19 from Grangetown, and a third aged 19, from London, have been charged with fraud by false representation. The arrests were made after people were approached by cold callers who claimed to be collecting money for Unicef. But the charity confirmed no one had been authorised to fundraise in the area. The women appear at Cardiff Magistrates Court on Friday 1 May. Two other men who were also arrested have been released on bail pending further investigations.

Summary: Three people have been charged over allegations of fraudulent fundraising in Cardiff.


Scarborough Athletic FC played in its home town for the first time since the club was founded in 2007. The team, formed after the collapse of Scarborough FC, has been playing home fixtures nearly 20 miles away in Bridlington. The Sea Dogs lost 4-1 against Sheffield United XI in front of a sell-out 2,000 crowd at Flamingo Land Stadium. Chairman Trevor Bull said: "Today is not only a great day for our club, it is also a massive day for our town." The club was formed after Scarborough FC went out of business with debts of £2.5m. It is jointly owned by about 350 supporters. Fan and club communications officer Will Baines said: "A lot of people have put a lot of work in to the club while we've been in exile, but now we're coming home." Mr Baines said the move back to Scarborough was key to the future success of the side. "We're fan-owned which means we've got our destiny in our own hands," he said. "We've not got a big investor backing us, so that's why it's important that we're back in town as it's the money that we get through the turnstiles every week that will pay for the club." The homecoming fixture generated such interest the council and club warned people not to congregate on the hill overlooking the ground as it has no public right of way. The stadium forms part of a £50m development built on the town's former Weaponness Park and Ride site, which includes a swimming pool, new University Technical College and Coventry University's Scarborough campus. Scarborough FC's former ground - the McCain Stadium - was demolished in 2011.

Summary: A football team has played its first home game in more than 10 years after moving into a new stadium.


They said the Syrian government had failed to respect the 1 June deadline for widespread aid distribution agreed by world and regional powers. Only a small amount of aid was delivered on Wednesday and a convoy to the town of Darayya near Damascus did not carry food. The UN Security Council will meet on Friday to discuss the air drops. Syrian town in 'extremely dire' state What's left of Syria? US State Department spokesman John Kirby said hundreds of thousands of Syrians needed "sustained and regular" access to aid. He said the UN food agency, the World Food Programme, had briefed the US on how the air drops could be carried out. Meanwhile British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond described the limited access for aid allowed on the day of the deadline agreed by the International Syria Support group (ISSG) as "cynical". "While air drops are complex, costly and risky, they are now the last resort to relieve human suffering across many besieged areas," he said. The US and UK called on Russia and Iran, which back the Syrian government, to use their influence to ensure the air drops could proceed safely. Russia said the arrival of Wednesday's aid convoys was a positive step. The ISSG, co-chaired by the US and Russia, comprises 17 world and regional powers, as well the Arab League, the European Union and the United Nations. In April, the UN said at least 4,000 people were besieged in Darayya by Syrian government forces, which have surrounded the suburb for four years. The Darayya convoy - the first since November 2012 - contained vaccines, baby milk, medicine and nutritional goods. Separately, the rebel-held town of Muadhamiya, north-west of Darayya, received deliveries of food parcels and wheat flour on Wednesday, a month since aid convoys last visited. Darayya's electricity supply was cut off more than three years ago. UN emergency relief co-ordinator Stephen O'Brien said in April that the Syrian government had ignored "countless" requests for aid to be allowed in. An aid convoy was blocked from entering the town last month, despite all involved parties agreeing aid could be delivered. The latest delivery was made by teams from the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Red Crescent. Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday it had agreed a pause with the Syrian authorities for 48 hours to allow for the distribution of humanitarian aid in Darayya. It borders a military airport used by Russian planes in support of the government of President Bashar al-Assad. It was one of the first towns to report demonstrations against the Assad regime, and has been under siege since late 2012. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported clashes this week between rebel groups and government fighters on the outskirts of Darayya. The UN believes there are more than 4.6m people living in hard-to-reach areas in Syria, including nearly 600,000 in besieged areas.

Summary: The US, UK and France have urged the UN to begin air drops of humanitarian aid to besieged areas in Syria.


Hearts' majority shareholder Ann Budge hopes fans can drive this income via continued pledges to the Foundation of Hearts (FOH) and support of the club. The transfer of Budge's shares to FOH would be delayed under the proposal. "If contributions continued at today's levels, majority ownership would pass to FOH only eight months later than originally envisaged," said Budge. "However, they would be taking over a club with everything in place to ensure financial stability and to position the club for continued growth. "It is worth noting that, should the number of pledgers increase over this period, the original five-year plan could still be achieved." Supporters and the club's on-field success, securing a third-place finish in the Scottish Premiership, form half of the £6m reserve, with the remaining £3m stemming from benefactor and commercial contributions respectively. Budge has asked the Foundation of Hearts to postpone repayment of her loan for two years in the hope of raising the £3m for the main stand project during that period - current monthly income stands at £125,000. Hearts also hope to raise £3m via a debenture scheme, which will soon be announced. Budge has, in addition, offered to transfer 20% of her shares once £1.5m has been raised towards the stand and another 15% when the target is reached. Her remaining 40% stake would be handed over when her £2.5m loan is repaid. She has also offered to waive interest payments on her loan during the two-year period. "This would effectively be my personal contribution of £300,000 to the main stand fund," she said.

Summary: Hearts are looking to double a £6m fund to cover the estimated cost of building a new main stand at Tynecastle.


Sir Gareth attended a ceremony at Windsor Castle on Thursday, after being named in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in June. The 68-year-old former scrum half won 53 caps for Wales from 1967 to 1978. He also won 10 caps for the British Lions' winning series in New Zealand and South Africa. At 20 he became Wales's youngest captain, and during his era the Welsh side dominated the Five Nations Championship Originally from Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen in the Swansea Valley, Edwards spent his playing career with Cardiff RFC. In 1974 Edwards was named BBC Wales Sports Personality of the year. After his retirement in 1978, he became Captain on the popular sports quiz, Question of Sport. He now works as a pundit for both the BBC and S4C. He is married to his childhood sweetheart Maureen and they have two sons, Owen and Rhys.

Summary: Wales rugby great Gareth Edwards has been knighted by the Duke of Cambridge in recognition of a glittering sporting career and services to charity.


Meden Sports Centre in Warsop, Nottinghamshire, has faced ongoing maintenance issues with a temporary closures and Â£500,000 spent on repairs. Mansfield District Council has said it is "unsustainable" and has launched a consultation on its future. However, Warsop Parish Council said it was "essential" to the area and it would fight to keep it open. The centre, which dates from the 1960s, was closed for six months in 2014 after an inspection identified fire safety concerns. Officials have said renovation or rebuilding costs could cost between Â£1m to Â£8m. Andrew Tristram, district council portfolio holder for the environment, said: "The council has undergone a review of leisure services at Meden Sports Centre and concluded that the current operating model is not sustainable for the future. "There are increasing uncertainties about the running costs and capital investment due to the condition of the building". However, parish council chairman Andy Wetton said: "The centre is essential to the area but this administration seems hell-bent on closing it. "There was money available to replace it but this has been spent on other things. "Any attempt to close it would be a declaration of war on Warsop and we would fight it hard." The district council said no changes would be made before April 2018.

Summary: Any move to close a sports centre would be a "declaration of war" on the local community, a councillor has warned.


Mr Duncan Smith has warned the government risks dividing society with politically-motivated spending cuts. Mr Cameron is to reject this - and No 10 has rubbished claims of a rift with George Osborne, saying the chancellor still has the PM's full confidence. The disability cuts Mr Duncan Smith quit over will be shelved. Downing Street said the changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) announced ahead of Mr Osborne's Budget last week would not go ahead "in their current form". But alternative proposals for saving the Â£4bn earmarked for the savings would not come until the Autumn Statement towards the end of the year. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for Mr Osborne's resignation and Conservative MPs have spoken out against the leadership with Mr Duncan Smith's former ministerial team divided in their responses to his resignation. Treasury minister David Gauke is answering an urgent Commons question from Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell on changes to the Budget - Mr McDonnell had called for the chancellor himself but this appears to have been ignored. This will be followed by a statement from Mr Cameron - ostensibly on last week's EU summit - at which he is expected to restate his commitment to "compassionate Conservatism" and reject Mr Duncan Smith's criticisms of his style of government. Former Tory leader Lord Howard urged MPs to "listen to what the prime minister has to say" and to "calm down". Mr Duncan Smith set out the reasons for his surprise resignation in an interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr, in which he said the way Mr Osborne had cut benefits in his Budget at the same time as cutting taxes for the better off was "deeply unfair" and that he had become "semi detached" from government. Ross Hawkins, BBC political correspondent George Osborne: chief tactician and patron, a man whose word makes or wrecks careers. That was the view of many Tory MPs for a very long time. Now, many doubt he will ever be their leader, or even the chancellor much longer. It's not that they think David Cameron is poised to sack him or that he's about to resign, as Labour demand. They simply believe a swift leadership election is highly likely whatever the result of 23 June's EU referendum. If it does come that soon, there will be - one predicts - a "genocide of the Cameroons and Osbornites". A stubbornly enduring deficit, a tax credit U-turn, and the sheer numbers of MPs who have chosen to back a leave vote at the referendum have seen Osborne's authority leak. A weekend of melodrama has - in one Tory MP's view - burst the dam. Read more from Ross Lord Howard played down Mr Duncan Smith's criticisms of government policy - but Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston said they were "very serious". "Today, when David Cameron stands up, he has to reaffirm the message that led many people like myself to join the Conservative Party in the first place when he became leader," she said. "Are we about social justice? Are we about spreading the burden

Summary: Prime Minister David Cameron will later attempt to halt the civil war in his party caused by Iain Duncan Smith's resignation from the cabinet.


The militants, who call themselves Sinai Province, posted pictures online of what looked like a missile followed by a large explosion on the ship. Egyptian officials said a coastguard vessel caught fire after a fire-fight with militants on the shore. The army said there were no casualties, contradicting the militants' claim. The incident happened in waters off the north Sinai town of Rafah, which neighbours the Gaza Strip. The SITE Intelligence Group carried a statement and pictures from Sinai Province which it said showed a guided anti-tank missile moments before it struck the vessel, and then the moment of impact. Witnesses said they saw other naval boats rushing to the scene to rescue those on board the burning vessel. It follows a wave of attacks on the Egyptian military by Sinai Province. Earlier this month, more than 100 people - including at least 17 soldiers - were killed in clashes after militants launched near-simultaneous raids on military checkpoints in Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah in Sinai. Analysis: BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner Not surprisingly, there is a wide gap between the two versions reporting the maritime attack off the north coast of Sinai. IS - specifically their local affiliate called "Sinai province" - claim they fired a shore-to-ship missile at the craft and support this with photos on social media showing a massive fireball that would certainly have killed many crew and possibly destroyed the whole ship. Egypt officially denies there were any casualties, saying there was a fire-fight during which a coastguard boat was set on fire. Since anyone found contradicting official casualty figures there risks a $60,000 fine, it is likely that the truth lies somewhere between the two versions. Either way, this is a worrying development for shipping in the region. It comes just two weeks after a major battle between Egyptian forces and IS in Sinai, and it's clearly proving difficult to remove the militants and their growing arsenal from the area. Egypt has vowed to rid its Sinai Peninsula of the militants, and has had a state of emergency and a curfew in place since last October. Sinai Province was previously called Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (Champions of Jerusalem), but announced a name change in November 2014 when it pledged allegiance to IS, the militant organisation that has taken over large parts of Iraq and Syria. The group has been on the rise since the military overthrew Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013, and has killed at least 600 police and armed forces personnel since then. Jihadist attacks on shipping in the Middle East

Summary: Islamic State-affiliated militants in Sinai say they have carried out a missile attack on an Egyptian naval vessel in the Mediterranean Sea.


NHS Digital confirmed so many NHS staff use the search engine that it had started asking them to take a quiz to verify they were "not a robot". News site the Register reported one NHS Trust had told staff to "use Bing" instead. Google indicated its systems were designed to spot unusual traffic and were working as intended. Detecting suspicious traffic from one network can help defeat potential cyber-attacks, such as attempts to try to overwhelm a website. The BBC understands Google is not deliberately singling out NHS traffic. A Google spokeswoman said: "Our systems are simply checking that searches are being carried out by humans and not by robots in order to keep web users safe. Once a user has filled out the Captcha [security check], they can continue to use Google as normal." The NHS is one of the biggest employers in the world, with more than a million members of staff. An email sent by an NHS system administrator suggested the number of staff using the search engine was "causing Google to think it is suffering from a cyber-attack". NHS Digital told the Register: "We are aware of the current issue concerning NHS IP addresses which occasionally results in users being directed to a simple verification form when accessing Google. "We are currently in discussion with Google as to how we can help them to resolve the issue." NHS Digital was unable to suggest what NHS staff may be searching for using Google.

Summary: NHS staff using Google's search engine has triggered one of its cybersecurity defences.


"This film will help bridge the gap between people of the Indian mainland and those from the north-eastern states," Mary Kom told the BBC. The five-time world champion is from the remote northeast state of Manipur. Bhansali, who has been planning the film for a year, described the boxer as an "inspiration to every Indian woman". "I am very impressed with the way Mary Kom is leading her life with so much conviction and courage. We'll start working on the film very soon. I haven't decided on who will play her role," Bhansali told the BBC. Recently, thousands of north-eastern people fled the Indian cities of Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad fearing reprisal attacks in the wake of ethnic clashes between Bodo tribes and Muslims in the north-eastern state of Assam. The boxer says she has been worried about her relatives and friends living in Bangalore and "could not properly sleep at night when this exodus was taking place". The mother of twin boys feels that Bhansali's film on her will help clear the air because "our people look different but they are Indians. We have the same passions when the country is involved". Bhansali's assistant Omung Kumar, who researched Mary Kom's life and wrote the script, will direct the film. But will it be possible to screen the movie in the boxer's home state Manipur, where separatist rebels have imposed a ban on Bollywood films? "I hope nobody will object to a film if it centres on my life story, my struggles to become a boxer," Mary Kom said. India's thriving film industry has rarely picked on themes from the country's long-embattled north-eastern states and the few films that have been made have focused on the separatist insurgencies and India's counter-insurgency efforts in the region.

Summary: Indian Olympics bronze medallist, boxer MC Mary Kom, has welcomed a film that Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali wants to make on her life.


The Court heard that a further pregnancy would be a "significantly life-threatening event" for both the mother and child. Mr Justice Cobb said the woman had the "same human rights" as everyone else and this was not a case of "eugenics". He has authorised health and council services to intervene and perform the sterilisation. The name of the woman has not been released, to protect the identify of her children. The Court of Protection, which rules in cases when people are unable to make decisions for themselves, heard the woman has no contact with any of her six children. All are being raised by carers. The 36-year-old's history was described as "extraordinary, tragic, and complex". Two of the children were born at home in conditions described as "unhygienic and overrun by pets". There is evidence that barbecue tongs were used as forceps, although this was denied. In another birth, the woman - known only as DD - contested there was no father and the pregnancy resulted from a "tablet from a health food shop". Mr Cobb's judgement said: "The ethical, legal and medical issues arising here are self-evidently of the utmost gravity, engaging, and profoundly impacting upon DD's personal autonomy, privacy, bodily integrity, and reproductive rights." It said there were considerable concerns about the woman's safety. Doctors said the wall of her uterus was "tissue-paper thin" and likely to rupture in childbirth, leading to almost certain death of the infant. Mr Cobb insisted: "Those who lack capacity have the same human rights as everyone else. "This case is not about eugenics, this outcome has been driven by the bleak yet undisputed evidence that a further pregnancy would be a significantly life-threatening event." He has authorised a sterilisation operation, but there will be no notice given to the woman or her long-term partner, who also has learning disabilities. Rebecca Schiller, the co-chairwoman of the human rights in childbirth charity Birthrights, said: "Taking away a person's ability to have a child is truly draconian. "It may be justified in extreme circumstances, but immense care must be taken to safeguard the rights of people with mental health conditions."

Summary: A mother of six with an IQ of 70 should be sterilised for her own safety, the Court of Protection has ruled.


Kirsty Blackman, SNP MP for Aberdeen North, found a toy rabbit at the Carriage Gates entrance last July. She tried to trace the owner on social media but no-one came forward for months. After turning to Mumsnet, a user got in touch at Hogmanay, saying the toy belonged to her six-year-old daughter. The woman said she worked near Westminster at the time and her daughter was "gutted" when the bunny went missing as they had been "inseparable since birth". She reclaimed the toy on a visit to the House of Commons on Wednesday. Ms Blackman updated followers on the toy's time at Westminster, including pictures of her and the Jellycat Bashful Bunny with Big Ben behind them and at Prime Minister's Questions. She also drafted an Early Day Motion stating the House of Commons is "saddened by the discovery of the abandoned bashful bunny by the gates of the Palace of Westminster" which was not submitted to parliament but was signed by several SNP colleagues. Ms Blackman said previously: "I have two young children, so I know the devastation that can be caused when a toy is lost."

Summary: An MP who issued a social medial appeal after discovering a soft toy abandoned outside the House of Commons has reunited it with its young owner.


The 25-year-old scored five goals in 15 appearances for the Loftus Road side last season but finished the campaign on loan at MK Dons. Former Arsenal trainee Emmanuel-Thomas has previously had spells at Ipswich and Bristol City and spent time on loan at Blackpool, Doncaster and Cardiff. He becomes Gillingham's eighth signing of the summer transfer window. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: League One side Gillingham have signed Queens Park Rangers forward Jay Emmanuel-Thomas on a season-long loan.


Inspectors in abattoirs used to be able to cut open pig carcasses to check for signs of disease. But under new European regulations, supported by Britain's Food Standards Agency (FSA), they will have to rely on visual checks alone. The FSA says the new system avoids the risk of harmful bacteria being spread. Around eight million pigs a year are slaughtered for meat in the UK. Ron Spellman, a British meat inspector with 30 years' experience, says the new regulations, which took effect from 1 June, risk diseased parts of animals going undetected. Listen to Allan Urry's report on File on Four on BBC Radio 4 at 20:00 BST on Tuesday 17 June, or catch up on the BBC iPlayer Mr Spellman, who is director general of the European Working community for Food inspectors and Consumer protection (EWFC), which represents meat inspectors across the EU, said: "Last year we know that there were at least 37,000 pigs' heads with abscesses or tuberculosis lesions in lymph nodes in the head. They won't be cut now. "There's no way to see those little abscesses, little tuberculosis lesions without cutting those lymph nodes." Meat from pigs' heads, is recovered by specialised parts of boning plants and goes into pies, sausages and other processed foods. The new regulations have been drawn up by the European Food Safety Authority, an agency funded by the EU, but they are based on scientific advice from the FSA. The FSA's chief operating officer Andrew Rhodes told the BBC it was better to have a hands-off system using visual checks to reduce cross-contamination, because bugs like E. coli and campylobacter are causing scientists more concern. He said: "The risks to the consumers are increasingly from microbiological and pathogenic hazards and that's what we must control. "We cannot simply ignore the risks that are brought by touching, cutting and handling products that are later going to go on to be cooked and eaten, we have to do this properly." But the FSA's support for the new measures puts them at odds with many of their own frontline staff, the 1,100 meat inspectors who check safety standards in Britain's 350 slaughterhouses and in meat-cutting plants which process carcasses. Some in the slaughtering industry are also opposing the changes. Kevin Burrows, of C and K Meats, owns an abattoir in Suffolk whose main business is pork. He sees the new hands-off approach as "a backward step" and says his customers in Asian markets still insist on their pork being checked in the old way, which the FSA has agreed to allow him to do. But he says: "Why should an exported product be under higher scrutiny than a British product? We'll end up with a two-tier system." Shadow food and farming minister Huw Irranca-Davies has called for an urgent meeting with the FSA. He says he is not convinced by the science he has seen on the matter and is worried the new rules could damage Britain's exports, which rely on a reputation for high welfare and meat hygiene standards. Mr Irranca-Davies said: "We

Summary: More diseased meat could end up in sausages and pies because of changes to safety checks in slaughterhouses, hygiene inspectors have warned.


Comley, 20, has played twice for the R's first-team and signed a two-year deal at Loftus Road in May, having been with the club since the age of nine. His full debut came as a substitute in last season's 5-1 Premier League defeat by Leicester City. "We like what we've seen from Brandon and we think we can work with him," Carlisle boss Keith Curle said. The Islington-born midfielder, who featured in a trial match for Carlisle against Barrow, will return to his parent club on 20 February.

Summary: Carlisle United have signed midfielder Brandon Comley from from Queens Park Rangers on a one-month youth loan.


Williams, who took Cuthbert's place on the wing during the Six Nations, will miss Wales' first two warm up matches following foot surgery. Ex-Wales centre James says Cuthbert faces a big task to win the shirt back. "He'll be very lucky if he gets back in," he said. "I don't think he's put his hand up this season." Cardiff Blues' back Cuthbert, 25, has not played for Wales since their 26-23 win over Scotland in February at Murrayfield, their second match of Six Nations. He was left out of the matchday squads altogether for their three remaining fixtures. The previously prolific Cuthbert failed to score in 11 of the 14 matches he played for his region in the Pro12 during 2014-15, but crossed twice in their final fixture of the campaign against bottom side Zebre. He has been included in Wales' 47-man World Cup training squad which will be trimmed down to 31 at the end of August and James told Radio Wales Sport that the winger needs to improve. "It's down to mental attitude possibly," the 2001 British Lion said. "It depends how he goes in the training camp. "If I was in the training camp and I was one of the backs I'd see this as a massive opportunity to really step up my game, show what you can do and put your hands up." Wales head coach Warren Gatland is "optimistic" Williams, 24, will recover in time to take part in the World Cup. James says losing the Scarlets' back would be a setback for Wales, who are already without injured centre Jonathan Davies (knee). "It would be a massive blow," said James. "He's certainly a valuable commodity to have in the back division. "He seems to create a hell of a lot of try-scoring opportunities, which we've seen him doing time and time again for Scarlets, but also for Wales this season. So let's hope he makes a speedy recovery."

Summary: Alex Cuthbert would be "lucky" to regain his Wales place even if Liam Williams is ruled out of the Rugby World Cup, according to Dafydd James.


Lindsay Rimer, 13, was found in the Rochdale Canal five months after she disappeared in Hebden Bridge in November 1994. Despite extensive police inquiries, her killer has never been found. Kate Rimer said not knowing what happened to her little sister had been a "life sentence" for their family. Lindsay left her home in Cambridge Street at about 22:00 GMT and visited the Trades Club in Home Street. The last known sighting of her was caught on CCTV 20 minutes later as she bought cornflakes at a shop in Crown Street. Her body, which had been weighted down with a stone, was recovered about a mile upstream from the town centre. Ms Rimer, who was 20 when Lindsay went missing, hopes speaking publicly will help anyone with information to come forward. "From the beginning we have been filled with grief and we cannot stop the grief and instead, remember her with love until this comes to an end," she said. "We miss her so much but every memory of her is tainted - it is so painful and bleeds into everything we do. "It is about time this came to an end; it is a life sentence for this family." West Yorkshire Police staged a Twitter reconstruction of Lindsay's last movements in November, on the 20th anniversary of her disappearance. Det Supt Simon Atkinson said they were still looking for a "golden nugget" of information to bring the killer to justice.

Summary: The sister of a murdered schoolgirl has spoken publicly for the first time since the discovery of the teenager's body 20 years ago.


Police forces tasked with implementing strict state interpretations of Islamic morality exist in several other states, including Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Malaysia. Many - especially those with an affinity with Western lifestyles - chafe against such restrictions on daily life, but others support the idea, and growing religious conservatism has led to pressure for similar forces to be created in countries that do not have them. Here are some places where "morality police" forces patrol: Name: Gasht-e Ershad (Persian for Guidance Patrols), supported by Basij militia Who they are: Iran has had various forms of "morality police" since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, but the Gasht-e Ershad are currently the main agency tasked enforcing Iran's Islamic code of conduct in public. Their focus is on ensuring observance of hijab - mandatory rules requiring women to cover their hair and bodies and discouraging cosmetics. They are empowered to admonish suspects, impose fines or arrest members of the public, but under reforms that come into force this year, will soon no longer be able to do any of these things. Instead, 7,000 undercover Gasht-e Ershad agents will be deployed to report suspected transgressions to the police, who will decide whether to take action. The Gasht-e Ershad is thought to draw a lot of its personnel from the Basij, a hard-line paramilitary unit; it also includes many women. What people think: They are mainly seen as a scourge for urban women - usually from wealthier social groups - who try to push the boundaries of the dress code. This includes wearing the headscarf as far back on the head as possible, or by wearing looser clothing, especially in the heat of summer, although men sporting "Western" hairstyles are also at risk. Fear of encountering them has even prompted the creation of Android app that helps people avoid Gasht-e Ershad mobile checkpoints. President Hassan Rouhani has expressed opposition to the Gasht-e Ershad, but Iran's constitution gives him little sway over the security forces. Name: Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, or Mutawa (Arabic for Particularly obedient to God) Who they are: Formed in 1940, the Mutawa is tasked with enforcing Islamic religious law - Sharia - in public places. This includes rules forbidding unrelated males and females to socialise in public, as well as a dress code that encourages women to wear a veil covering all but their eyes. Instead of a police-style uniform, they wear a traditional Saudi robe and keffiyeh. What people think: Although the Mutawa is widely disliked among liberals and the youth, general opinion in the conservative Sunni-majority kingdom supports it. But even conservatives have been irritated by recent high-profile cases deemed excessive or internationally embarrassing, such as an actor being charged for letting fans take selfies with him, or a female mannequin being seized because of its clothing. Perhaps in response to this criticism, the authorities have curbed the force's powers, as a result of which it can no longer arrest or pursue people but can only report them to the regular police. Name: Public Order Police

Summary: News that Iran has deployed thousands of undercover agents to enforce rules on dress has cast the spotlight on an institution that is a major feature of daily life in several Muslim-majority countries.


The 30-year-old has played 12 times for Orient since joining in October. "There were one or two alternative options that came up but having been here for three months and got a feel for the place, I am happy to be staying," he told the club website. Orient, who are 21st in League Two, face Mansfield on Saturday.

Summary: Leyton Orient midfielder Michael Collins has signed a new contract which will keep him with the League Two club until the end of the season.


The supporters had been on a stadium tour but managed to cut themselves off from the remainder of the party. They were found on Saturday morning during a security sweep of the stadium before being handed over to police, who decided not to arrest the pair. United say there was no risk to supporters attending the Arsenal game. The pair had been searched and their belongings put through a metal detector before they went on the tour. The incident comes six months after United's Premier League game against Bournemouth at Old Trafford had to be called off at short notice when a suspect package was found in a toilet in the corner of the stadium. It turned out to be a fake explosive left behind after a training exercise earlier in the week.

Summary: Two Manchester United fans spent Friday night undetected in an Old Trafford toilet in an attempt to see Saturday's Premier League game against Arsenal.


Police said the 29-year-old man was attacked at the Gorbals venue's Island Bar at about 01:30. He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital but was released after treatment. His attacker was white, in his late teens to early 20s, between 5ft 7in and 6ft tall, with short, dark hair. He was wearing a white polo shirt and light-coloured knee-length shorts. Det Con Lee-Anne Miller, of Police Scotland, said: "The injured man was standing in the bar area when he became involved in an altercation with the suspect which then led to a fight in which he was stabbed. "Thankfully no-one else was injured but with the number of people about, this could have escalated quite easily. "We are working with staff from the venue, who quickly stepped in to stop the fight, and we are checking CCTV inside the premises to identify the person responsible for the attack." She added: "The gig was packed at the time of the assault and a number of people have been spoken to regarding what they saw, however, I am still keen that anyone who witnessed the incident contact police."

Summary: A man has been stabbed in a bar at the 02 Academy in Glasgow.


On 11 January, 32-year-old Whittingham will have been with the Bluebirds a decade, but his latest deal in the Welsh capital runs out in the summer. It looks certain Whittingham will commit his future to the Bluebirds by signing a new contract. "We'll talk about that before the FA Cup probably," said Warnock. Cardiff face Fulham in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday, 8 December, but before that, on Monday 2 January, the Bluebirds entertain Whittingham's former club, Aston Villa in the Championship. Back in 2007, then-Cardiff boss Dave Jones, bought Whittingham from Villa for a fee of £350,000. Since then, the dead-ball specialist has established himself as one of the most popular players ever to pull on a Cardiff shirt. He has been named in the Championship Team of the Season three times and, in 2015, he was included in the Football League Team of the Decade. Whittingham also finished joint-top scorer in the Championship in the 2009-10 campaign having found the net 20 times in the league for the Bluebirds. During his time with Cardiff, Whittingham has turned down the chance of a move away from the Welsh club. This season he is currently the club's joint-top scorer in the league having found the net five times so far. But despite that, Warnock says he will not be rushed into a new contract to keep the midfielder. "That's the least of my worries at the minute. I haven't sorted my own [contract] out yet, let alone Peter's," joked Warnock. "Peter knows, I've said to him, 'you'll be here as long as me Peter' and he laughed and said, I know, that's what worries me. "No, we've got a few days [before the Fulham game] then we've got no league points to worry about so we'll probably have a chat during that period."

Summary: Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock has confirmed the club will start discussing a new contract for midfielder Peter Whittingham.


The bloc's leader, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, looks likely to succeed Helle Thorning-Schmidt as prime minister. But difficult talks lie ahead. Mr Rasmussen's own Venstre (Liberal) party saw great losses in Thursday's poll, and the biggest party in the right-bloc is now the anti-immigration Danish People's Party (DPP). As a result, the bloc that will rule Denmark is likely to be very different from the one Mr Rasmussen led when he was prime minister in 2009-2011. We have yet to fully understand the roots of the DPP's success, but its calls for tougher asylum policies combined with demands for border control seem to have paid off, amid concern over the public cost of immigration. It was expected to make huge gains, but on election night it was clear that it had done even better than expected - increasing its share of the vote by 8.8%. The DPP took 21.1% of the vote, while Venstre - the party of the likely premier - saw its worst election result since 1990, with less than 20%. A lot of long-serving Venstre MPs will lose their seats. Their election party was a strange mix of worried faces and joyful cheers. Much of Venstre's failing support is due to Mr Rasmussen himself. Polls have indicated he scores poorly when voters rate him for trustworthiness, following a string of scandals and media stories over the years. As the likely prime minster, he will have to manoeuvre carefully with a strong DPP. Another strong force within the right-wing bloc will be the Liberal Alliance, which also saw large gains after campaigning for tax and spending cuts - quite the opposite of the DPP's more social-democratic economics. Many questions about Mr Rasmussen's government remain unanswered, and the coming weeks will see tough talks. The questions pile up: Will Venstre form a government on its own? Or is the DPP ripe for the responsibility of forming a coalition government? Either way the right-wing bloc will have to deal with differences in terms of euroscepticism and Denmark's position vis-a-vis David Cameron's attempt to renegotiate the UK's EU membership terms. So far the right-wing bloc has signalled support for Mr Cameron's bid. Back in the losing left-wing bloc, Mrs Thorning-Schmidt - Denmark's first female prime minister - announced that she would step down as leader of the Social Democrats. Everything points to Mette Frederiksen as her successor. Mrs Thorning-Schmidt did not mention any names in her succession speech, but noted that she would not be the last female prime minister her party would have. It is still unclear what she will do next. At the age of 48, she is a relatively young former PM, and she has previously shown an ambition for a position in international politics. It is summer time in Denmark - but for everyone involved in politics, vacations will have to wait. Asmus Leth Olsen is an assistant professor at the department of political science at the University of Copenhagen.

Summary: The centre-right bloc which won Denmark's general election has begun negotiations to form a new government.


One former worker told BBC Two's Newsnight that staff were told of complaints about a client who sexually exploited girls he met there, off site. But she says these concerns were not passed on and Newsnight has established that authorities were not alerted. The charity said it would have told police of any allegation it knew about. Two witnesses allege complaints were made known to staff at the charity's Urban Academy in Southwark, south-east London, which provides educational support to over-16s with "complex emotional or behavioural needs". The charity's chairman, Alan Yentob, who is also the BBC's creative director, said: "There is no evidence that we were informed about a sexual abuse case. I think this amount of rumour and allegation and counter-allegation… is disgraceful." Before it shut its doors on Wednesday, Kids Company provided practical, emotional and educational support to some of the most deprived and vulnerable inner-city children and young people in London, Liverpool and Bristol. The charity, founded in 1996 by Camila Batmanghelidjh, was well known for its famous and wealthy supporters who included David Cameron, but has been closed amid a row over funding. In addition to the allegations being made to Newsnight, a former client of the charity has told BBC News that, when she was 16, she was touched inappropriately by a 24-year-old man who was also a client of the charity at that time. She said she attempted to tell a teacher at the charity, which provides educational services, but the conversation was stopped before she could explain she had been assaulted. Kate (not her her real name) said the sexual assaults took place over a period of seven months in 2009, and occurred at one Kids Company site. "He would touch me in inappropriate places," she said. "He would have his dirty comments like how he would like to do certain things. I got pushed to the wall once as well when he threatened me and said that if I didn't comply to his wishes then he would get me." Kate explained what happened when she tried to tell a teacher working at the charity what she had been going through. She said she telephoned the teacher and opened the conversation with an explanation that she was being harassed, but the teacher ended the conversation and put the phone down before she could mention the sexual assault allegations. Kate explained that some of those attending Kids Company with her were not "kids" but men in their 20s. "Everyone was way older, they are all adult, not kids, they shouldn't be there. I was intimidated anyway, I felt intimidated by these men," she said. Responding to Kate's claim, Ms Batmanghelidjh said: "I would be very concerned if a staff member turned round and said they can't do anything about it. "I'd be very surprised and if a staff member, one staff member, had done that there were lots of others to go to." Kids Company employs 600 paid staff, as well as working with a pool of about 8,000 volunteers and 500 students. One woman

Summary: The Kids Company charity failed in its handling of allegations of serious incidents, including sexual assaults, former staff have said.


The company is working on technology that combines disease-detecting nanoparticles, which would enter a patient's bloodstream via a swallowed pill, with a wrist-worn sensor. The idea is to identify slight changes in the person's biochemistry that could act as an early warning system. The work is still at an early stage. Early diagnosis is the key to treating disease. Many cancers, such as pancreatic, are detected only after they have become untreatable and fatal. There are marked differences between cancerous and healthy tissues. Google's ambition is to constantly monitor the blood for the unique traces of cancer, allowing diagnosis long before any physical symptoms appear. The project is being conducted by the search company's research unit, Google X, which is dedicated to investigating potentially revolutionary innovations. It marks the firm's latest shift into the medical sector following its work on glucose-measuring contact lenses for patients with diabetes and the acquisition of a start-up that developed a spoon to counteract the tremors caused by Parkinson's disease. Google has also bought stakes in Calico, an anti-ageing research company, and 23andMe, which offers personal genetic-testing kits. The diagnostic project is being led by Dr Andrew Conrad, a molecular biologist who previously developed a cheap HIV test that has become widely used. "What we are trying to do is change medicine from reactive and transactional to proactive and preventative," he told the BBC. "Nanoparticles... give you the ability to explore the body at a molecular and cellular level." Google is designing a suite of nanoparticles which are intended to match markers for different conditions. They could be tailored to stick to a cancerous cell or a fragment of cancerous DNA. Or they could find evidence of fatty plaques about to break free from the lining of blood vessels. These can cause a heart attack or stroke if they stop the flow of blood. Another set would constantly monitor chemicals in the blood. High levels of potassium are linked to kidney disease. Google believes it will be possible to construct porous nanoparticles that alter colour as potassium passes through. "Then [you can] recall those nanoparticles to a single location - because they are magnetic - and that location is the superficial vasculature of the wrist, [where] you can ask them what they saw," said Dr Conrad. Unattached nanoparticles would move differently in a magnetic field from those clumped around a cancer cell. In theory, software could then provide a diagnosis by studying their movements. As part of the project, the researchers have also explored ways of using magnetism to concentrate the nanoparticles temporarily in a single area. The tech company's ambition is ultimately to create a wristband that would take readings of the nanoparticles via light and radio waves one or more times a day. Prof Paul Workman, chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research in London, told the BBC News website: "In principle this is great. Any newcomers with new ideas are welcome in the field. "There is an urgent need for this. If we can detect cancer or other diseases earlier, then we can

Summary: Google is aiming to diagnose cancers, impending heart attacks or strokes and other diseases, at a much earlier stage than is currently possible.


The figures come from a report produced by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra). It uses assumptions about births, deaths and migration to project population changes. It predicts that the working-age population will rise by less than 1% but the population aged 65 and over is projected to increase by almost 26%. The report also assumes that the level of migration to Northern Ireland will continue to be very low. It breaks down population changes by local government district and predicts the largest rise of 10.4%, or 21,400 people, in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. The smallest increase is predicted for Derry City and Strabane, up by 1.5% or 2,200 people. Derry City and Strabane is one of seven out of 11 areas projected to see a decline in their work-age populations. Over the longer term, the population of Northern Ireland is projected to reach two million by mid-2034. By mid-2038, annual population growth is projected to fall below 0.2% for the first time since mid-1999, due to a falling number of births and rising number of deaths as a result of an ageing population. The population aged 65 and over is projected to increase by 74.4%, or 498,500 people, from mid-2014 to mid-2039, with the result that one in four people (24.7%) will be in this age category. The report does not attempt to predict the impact that future government policies or changing economic circumstances might have on demographic behaviour.

Summary: The population of Northern Ireland is projected to rise by 5.3% to 1,938,700 by 2024.


Profits for the three months to March rose to $3.8bn (Â£2.6bn), compared with $2.1bn for the same period in 2015. The stronger performance in Europe helped Ford to outpace Detroit rival General Motors. Ford chief executive Mark Fields said the company had an "absolutely terrific start to the year". Shares rose 3.2% in New York, but are still 11% lower than this time last year. Ford's European business made a pretax profit of $434m in the quarter - higher than the total for all of last year - and substantially better than a $42m loss for the same period in 2015. By comparison GM made a $6m loss in Europe during the first quarter of 2016, better than the $239m loss last year. Ford remained the region's best-selling commercial vehicle brand, reflecting the popularity of the Transit and Ranger lineups. In North America, Ford's F-150 trucks and SUVs were a major contributor to the company's profit growth. Pretax profit in the region rose to $3.1bn, outpacing GM's $2.3bn and more than double the $1.5bn for the first quarter of 2015. Earlier this month the company said it had set up a new subsidiary, Ford Smart Mobility, in a bid to combat growing competition from the technology sector. Ford has been investing in driverless cars and earlier this year tested a self-driving vehicle in the snow.

Summary: Ford posted a record quarterly profit following strong sales in Europe and moving more pick-up trucks and SUVs in North America.


The 60-year-old was a passenger in a car that was involved in a collision with a van on the Foreglen Road in Claudy at about 16:00 BST on Tuesday. The injuries sustained by the drivers of the car and the van are not believed to be life-threatening. Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the crash to contact them.

Summary: A man has died in hospital after he was injured in a car crash in County Londonderry.


The clashes, between Sunni pro- and anti-Syrian groups, followed the shooting dead on Sunday of two anti-Syrian clerics. The violence is the first in Beirut since the conflict began in neighbouring Syria in March last year. The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says the incident shows how divided the Lebanese are over the Syrian crisis. It follows a week of clashes in the northern city of Tripoli between anti-Syrian Sunnis and Alawites who support the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Syrian and Lebanese politics have been deeply intertwined throughout the history of the two states. Syria, the dominant partner, had a large military presence in Lebanon for 29 years, finally withdrawing soldiers in 2005, but maintaining a strong influence. Political factions in Lebanon have often defined themselves as pro- or anti-Syrian. By Jim MuirBBC News, Beirut Given how deeply and sharply Lebanon is divided over Syria, it's a miracle that there hasn't been much more violence than there has. But the killing of two Sunni clerics at a Lebanese Army checkpoint in the north of the country on Sunday could hardly pass without consequence - though the fallout could have been much greater. Only in Beirut did the tension break into open conflict. And it was restricted to a clash between Sunni groups, with the mainstream Future faction of Saad al-Hariri using the occasion to squeeze out the small, pro-Syrian Arab Movement Party, whose leader Shaker Berjawi fled. In nearby areas of south Beirut, Hezbollah - the most powerful force in the land - kept well out of it. Political and religious leaders from all sides urged restraint, while the government pledged a vigorous enquiry into the death of the two shaikhs. Divisions over Syria are the defining issue in Lebanese politics. Everybody knows how real the danger is that the country would be torn apart if those differences are allowed to erupt freely onto the streets. Sunday's violence was triggered by the shooting dead of two Sunni sheikhs linked to the anti-Syrian Future movement, headed by opposition leader Saad al-Hariri, at a Lebanese army checkpoint in the north on Sunday. Supporters of Mr Hariri responded by blocking main roads with burning car tyres, but security forces intervened to clear them. In Beirut's southern district of Tariq al-Jadideh, offices of a local pro-Syrian leader came under attack by gunmen. Rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun fire were heard for much of the night. But the clashes died away after the leader, Shaker Berjawi, left the area, and the Lebanese Army moved in. Sunni religious and political leaders have called for the utmost restraint, and an investigation has been launched into the killing of the two sheikhs. Correspondents say there are fears of a return to the violence seen in clashes between Sunni and Shia Muslims in 2008 which brought the country close to civil war.

Summary: At least two people have been killed and 18 injured in clashes overnight in the Lebanese capital Beirut.


Holdsworth, 47, beat takeover offers from banker Roger Tamraz and Bolton Wanderers Supporters' Trust. The club, owned by Eddie Davies, are £172.9m in debt and have been trying to find a buyer for a number of months. The Championship strugglers are scheduled in the High Court on Monday over a £3m unpaid tax bill. It is hoped the takeover will soon be completed as Wanderers must let the High Court know by 19 February if they are going to enter administration, and also prove they have funds to continue trading. Former Wimbledon and Brentford forward Holdsworth spent six seasons at Bolton, scoring 52 goals in 188 appearances. BBC Radio Manchester also understands the sale of the Trotters' training ground at Euxton has yet to be finalised, with League One side Wigan making an approach.

Summary: Bolton Wanderers have given preferred bidder status to former striker Dean Holdsworth's Sports Shield consortium, reports BBC Radio Manchester.


A two-vehicle crash on the A470, between Church Street in Rhayader and the Llangurig roundabout, happened shortly after 11:45 GMT on Friday. It affected motorists travelling between Builth Wells and Llanidloes before the road reopened by 17:30. The A483, north of Welshpool, was later shut after a crash involving five vehicles just before 15:00 and the road remained closed into the evening. Check if this is affecting your journey

Summary: Two Powys roads were forced to close after separate serious collisions.


It's not that surprising that even an experienced gardener like him looks a bit awkward. I'm not sure that many of us would quite know what to do when handed a giant vegetable in front of a pack of photographers. But it won't be surprising to see it all over the newspapers and stuck in people's memories. And it was a reminder that before Mr Corbyn even tries to win the battles he will certainly face this week - over nuclear weapons, over how to balance the country's books, or over the way Labour makes its decisions - his team's priority must be, get through the week without mishap. For party conferences are strange, intense, microclimates where the what is said on the stage, however carefully crafted or considered, can be subsumed by our old friends, "events", however silly. And sometimes those are the moments that shift opinion, or express a truth political parties don't want to contemplate. And occasionally, they are the moments senior politicians lose control. In 2003 I remember seeing Conservative aides grimace during the then leader Iain Duncan Smith's speech, as he promised the "quiet man" was "turning up the volume". That week, everywhere Conservatives had been huddled in corners wondering how to unseat him. His strangely delivered speech contributed to his ultimate exit. In 2006 I remember Cherie Blair's unguarded, and then denied remark, whizzed round the conference centre in 2006, when she cried out "it's a lie" when Gordon Brown heaped praise on her husband. Nothing expressed the levels of bitterness between the two camps so well. In 2008, it wasn't just the rather silly picture of him clutching a banana that put David Miliband onto the front pages, but that he'd been overheard talking of avoiding a "Heseltine moment". His leadership ambitions were what made the conference banana moment worth printing. The year before, when Sir Menzies Campbell was already under attack for lacklustre leadership of the Liberal Democrats, I recall the uncomfortable press visit to an environmentally friendly house outside Bournemouth, where aides allowed him to be photographed while inspecting an organic toilet. Awkward didn't begin to cover it. Unfair perhaps, but that moment suggested all that what was wrong with his party machine, and weeks later he was gone. There is so much at stake for the Labour Party this week, that Jeremy Corbyn's "marrow moment" may be quickly forgotten. The point is, to have a hope of sticking to his agenda, the first priority for Team Corbyn may be avoiding mishaps. In the frantic environment of conference, much more experienced political teams have lost complete control of events. One senior Labour figure suggested to me that with Mr Corbyn's first Prime Minister's Questions, "expectations were low, so when it wasn't a disaster it was a relief", and that conference might be the same. With disagreements all around, and the extraordinary divisions between Labour's supporters and members and their MPs, a silly photograph on the eve of the event may prove the least of Mr Corbyn's concerns. What his team will hope tonight

Summary: Just as I was sitting down to write about the existential struggle for Labour's soul we may witness in Brighton in the next few days, my inbox pinged with the photograph of Jeremy Corbyn, bemusedly holding a marrow.


Attempt saved. John Swift (Reading) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Offside, Fulham. Ryan Fredericks tries a through ball, but Chris Martin is caught offside. Attempt missed. Paul McShane (Reading) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Liam Kelly with a cross following a corner. Corner, Reading. Conceded by Tomas Kalas. Attempt blocked. John Swift (Reading) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Liam Kelly. Attempt blocked. Garath McCleary (Reading) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by John Swift. Goal! Reading 1, Fulham 0. Roy Beerens (Reading) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal following a set piece situation. Penalty saved! John Swift (Reading) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom right corner. Penalty conceded by Tim Ream (Fulham) after a foul in the penalty area. Penalty Reading. Liam Moore draws a foul in the penalty area. Garath McCleary (Reading) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Tim Ream (Fulham). Second Half begins Reading 0, Fulham 0. Substitution, Fulham. Lucas Piazon replaces Michael Madl. First Half ends, Reading 0, Fulham 0. Offside, Reading. Garath McCleary tries a through ball, but John Swift is caught offside. Danny Williams (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Stefan Johansen (Fulham). Liam Kelly (Reading) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Stefan Johansen (Fulham). Corner, Reading. Conceded by David Button. Attempt missed. Roy Beerens (Reading) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Danny Williams. Attempt missed. John Swift (Reading) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Roy Beerens with a cross. Paul McShane (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Chris Martin (Fulham). Attempt saved. Danny Williams (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by John Swift. Attempt missed. Stefan Johansen (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Attempt missed. Sone Aluko (Fulham) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Tom Cairney. Paul McShane (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Paul McShane (Reading). Tom Cairney (Fulham) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Chris Gunter (Reading). Scott Malone (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Offside, Reading. John Swift tries a through ball, but Garath McCleary is caught offside. Offside, Reading. Roy Beerens tries a through ball, but Garath McCleary is caught offside. Attempt saved. John Swift (Reading) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Roy Beerens. Attempt blocked. Tom Cairney (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Stefan

Summary: Reading will be without left-back Jordan Obita who is suspended following his sending off against Derby County.


It was 1993 and Muhammad Ali was in Glasgow signing books with his friend, the photographer, Howard Bingham. We stood in that queue for three hours or more, people of all ages chatting about Ali and what he meant to them. There was an old man there - maybe 80. Twenty-three years later and his face is as clear in the mind's eye as it was then, when we inched our way forwards and listened to his stories. This was no braggadocio. As Ali once said, 'It ain't bragging if you can back it up'. And that Glasgow man could definitely back it up. He spoke about being at Wembley when Clay beat Henry Cooper in 1963, about being at Earls Court when Ali took apart Brian London in 1966, about being in Dublin when Ali did Al 'Blue' Lewis in 1972. He knew it all. He spoke - quietly and not at all boastfully - about attending Ali's fight with Karl Mildenberger in Germany. None of us so-called Ali aficionados in that slowly moving line had ever heard of Karl Mildenberger. So when Ali's people lowered the boom about his death at the weekend, one of the first thoughts was for that wee man in 1993 and what happened when we eventually got to the top of the queue and entered the bookshop, like children heading into Santa's Grotto. Media playback is not supported on this device He did not ask for Ali's autograph or take his picture, he just stood away at the side and watched Ali do his thing. Then he became emotional. And Ali noticed. Ali was exhausted - he should have been out of there hours before but he promised to stay until the last person left - and he did not have the strength to speak, but when he got up to leave he looked over at the old man, smiled as much as his illness would allow and then slowly put his up his fists, as if challenging him to a fight. The old man did the same - and smiled back. It is funny the things you remember, but that one tender and fleeting image is impossible to forget. No words were exchanged, but none were needed. Ali was the most eloquent man in the history of sport, but even when Parkinson's robbed him of his full voice he still moved people with the simplest gestures. Since his death, the eulogies have come thick and fast from all corners of the world and all spheres of society. There was not a nook or cranny on this planet that his legend did not reach. For the best part of half a century he has inspired not just great sports writing but great literature. Hugh McIlvanney, Tom Wolfe, Gay Talese, Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, Pete Hamill, Hunter S Thompson, Mark Kram, David Remnick, Thomas Hauser - all heavyweights in their own game, all with a body of work that will keep Ali's complexity and the epic sweep of his personality alive for eternity. In looking back

Summary: The queue snaked out of the side door of the book shop, 50 yards down the street, 100 yards down one side of an alleyway, 100 yards back up the other side and down the street again.


Tareck el-Aissami was described by the US treasury as a drug "kingpin" who worked with traffickers in Mexico and Colombia to ship drugs to America. Hitting back, he accused the US of "defamatory aggression". Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro demanded a public apology from the US for sanctioning his new deputy. The sanctions freeze Mr Aissami's assets in the US and bar him from entering the country. He is seen as a powerful figure within the governing party and has been entrusted by Mr Maduro with key powers normally held by the president, such as determining ministerial budgets and expropriating private companies. The US treasury accuses him of being in the pay of convicted Venezuelan drug lord Walid Makled for protecting drug shipments. "They'll never be able to defeat our unbreakable resolution to be free forever," Mr Aissami said. Sanctions were also imposed on wealthy Venezuelan businessman Samark Lopez, described as Mr Aissami's "primary frontman". Mr Lopez released a statement saying he had not trafficked drugs. Vice-President Aissami is the highest-ranking Venezuelan official ever to be sanctioned by the US, which has not exchanged ambassadors with the country since 2010. US counter-narcotics experts have long said that large amounts of cocaine transit from Colombia through Venezuela on to Europe and the US.

Summary: The vice-president of Venezuela has accused the US of "imperialist aggression" after it slapped sanctions on him for allegedly trafficking drugs.


Tidal energy specialist Nova Innovation said this was the first offshore tidal array in the world to deliver electricity to the grid. Two 100kW turbines have been installed so far in the Shetland Tidal Array at Bluemull Sound. The blades for the turbines were made by Shetland Composites. Edinburgh-based Nova Innovation said tidal energy was a "long-term source" of predictable renewable power, with the turbines generating to full power across all tidal conditions. Simon Forrest, managing director of Nova Innovation, said: "We are absolutely delighted to be the first company in the world to deploy a fully operational tidal array." Mr Forrest said the deployment of the second turbine showcased the technology. The UK Carbon Trust estimates a Â£126bn global tidal energy market could be developed by 2050. WWF Scotland said the turbines were another "major milestone" on Scotland's journey to becoming a "fully renewable nation". The charity's director in Scotland, Lang Banks, added: "With some of the most powerful tides in Europe, Scotland is well placed to lead in developing this promising technology, which will help to cut climate emissions and create green jobs right across the country." Jenny Hogan, director of policy at Scottish Renewables, said: "Scotland is already at the forefront of capturing power from the tides and waves, and Nova's latest news demonstrates that lead is well-deserved. "The country is already home to some of the most advanced marine energy technologies anywhere, as well as the European Marine Energy Centre: arguably the most advanced marine energy proving site in the world. "With companies like Nova and others all working on developing this cutting-edge technology, the sector holds huge promise for the future."

Summary: Turbines installed off the coast of Shetland could herald a "new era" in tidal energy, according to the company running the project.