Speaking in Kiev, Gen Breedlove said Russian military assets being installed in Crimea would have an effect on "almost the entire Black Sea". Mr Breedlove is in Ukraine for high-level talks with Ukrainian leaders. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014. Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday that it had deployed a batch of 14 military jets to Crimea, as part of a squadron of 30 that will be stationed on the peninsula. An initial batch of fighter jets were flown to Crimea's Belbek air base "from military air bases in Krasnodar Territory," Russian agency Interfax reported. Gen Breedlove had said earlier on Tuesday that a large number of Russian troops were also active inside Ukraine, training and advising separatist rebels. Russia has continued to deny allegations from western countries that it played any direct role in the conflict in Ukraine, which has claimed more than 4,317 lives. President Vladimir Putin said that Russia "poses no threat to anyone" and would "resist efforts to draw it into geopolitical intrigue," Russia's Tass news agency reported on Wednesday. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel launched a strong attack on Russia's actions against Ukraine whilst addressing a session of parliament in Berlin. "Nothing justifies or excuses the annexation of Crimea by Russia... Nothing justifies the direct or indirect participation of Russia in the fighting in Donetsk and Luhansk," she said, speaking in the Bundestag. "Russia is calling into question Europe's peaceful order and it is trampling on international law." She added that the possibility of a lasting ceasefire in eastern Ukraine was unlikely and therefore continued economic sanctions on Russia remained "unavoidable". The US and the EU have placed sanctions on Russia for its alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis. Human cost of conflict in east Ukraine 4,317 deaths since April - 957 of them since the 5 September ceasefire, and 9,921 people wounded 466,829 internally displaced people within Ukraine 454,339 refugees living abroad, 387,355 of them in Russia UN data from 18 November Ukraine's year of chaotic events

Summary: Nato's top military commander, Gen Philip Breedlove, has warned that Russian "militarisation" of the annexed Crimea Peninsula could be used to exert control over the whole Black Sea.


Howe, nicknamed "Mr Hockey", spent most of his career with the Detroit Red Wings, winning the Stanley Cup four times. He was in the top 10 of scorers for 21 consecutive years and was named MVP six times, before finally retiring in 1980. Howe was also named an NHL All Star 23 times and was inducted into the hockey Hall of Fame in 1972. Gordie Howe died just before 08:00 on Friday at his son's home in Ohio, according to Sportsnet and CBS News. CNN reported his son Marty as confirming the news. Gordie Howe had suffered a stroke in 2014. He made his debut in 1946, played 26 NHL and six World Hockey Association seasons and held many of the scoring records until the rise of fellow Canadian-born legend Wayne Gretzky. Howe retired in 1971 but made a comeback with the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80 before finally quitting at 52.

Summary: The legendary Canadian ice hockey player, Gordie Howe, has died at the age of 88, US media say.


The Twickenham crowd watched England run in three tries within eight second-half minutes as the home side ran out comprehensive 38-21 winners. Their previous biggest win over New Zealand was 13-0 at Twickenham in January 1936, while the most points they had ever registered against the All Blacks was the 31 they scored at the same venue in November 2002. Only once in 498 Tests had New Zealand been beaten by a bigger margin (28-7). So, what have the pundits got to say about an England victory which very few saw coming? "I can probably see this being maybe the greatest ever England victory, ever, at Twickenham. Nothing is springing to mind where they have annihilated the world's best team as they have today. "I think I have been to every single England game at Twickenham since I was 14. This was by far the best game I've seen. "It's the best performance by an England side considering the opposition and considering what this team has been through, particularly over the last two weeks. This was absolutely magnificent. "Not only has this got to be the greatest game I've seen England play at Twickenham, we've got to put this among one of the world's greatest upsets, maybe even in any sport. Media playback is not supported on this device "It was an absolutely astonishing performance to win by 17 points. England harried, hounded and were just relentless. They said to New Zealand 'We will tackle you wherever you go and then we'll pinch the ball and see if we can live off scraps'. New Zealand cracked. "It has been England's day - this is not about today not being New Zealand's day. England have put New Zealand under pressure and they defended not only for their lives but for the 80,000 people inside Twickenham and the millions watching at home. It has been relentless and they gave everything, epitomised by man of the match Tom Wood. "People stepped up. Individuals stepped up one to 15, not just the odd player, particularly in that second half. It was wave after wave of England, whether it was defence or attack. That was the difference." Matt Dawson was speaking on BBC Radio 5 live. "It was a fantastic Test match played with great energy. This England team has had a lot of flak over the past couple of weeks and they've got a lot of pride back in the shirt. "The crowd just buzzed off it and it was wonderful to be here. "What I liked about the start was that when England walked on the field there wasn't a lot of song and dance about it, they knew they had to do a job and they took the game to New Zealand. "I said beforehand, if you're going to beat the best teams in the world, indeed become the best in the world, you've got to have self-belief and for me they played with that self-belief today. They took the game to New Zealand and deserved the victory. Media playback is not supported on

Summary: England's record-breaking win over New Zealand even had All Blacks coach Steve Hansen praising Stuart Lancaster's side.


The hosts led when Cristiano Ronaldo played in Mateo Kovacic for his first La Liga goal. Kovacic then played in Ronaldo to clip the ball over keeper Geronimo Rulli - his 13th goal in his past 13 games. The visitors had Inigo Martinez sent off for two bookings before Alvaro Morata headed in Lucas Vazquez's cross. Real Madrid were the only one of the top four in Spain to win this weekend, after Barcelona drew 1-1 with Real Betis, Sevilla lost 3-1 to Espanyol and Atletico Madrid drew 0-0 with Alaves. Their convincing victory was even more impressive, given Real Sociedad are in fifth place, only one point behind Atletico in the race for a Champions League spot. Match ends, Real Madrid 3, Real Sociedad 0. Second Half ends, Real Madrid 3, Real Sociedad 0. Zaldúa (Real Sociedad) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid). Offside, Real Madrid. Isco tries a through ball, but Cristiano Ronaldo is caught offside. Substitution, Real Madrid. Marco Asensio replaces Lucas Vázquez. Zaldúa (Real Sociedad) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Casemiro (Real Madrid). Goal! Real Madrid 3, Real Sociedad 0. Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lucas Vázquez with a cross following a fast break. Zaldúa (Real Sociedad) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Casemiro (Real Madrid). Foul by Zaldúa (Real Sociedad). Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, Real Sociedad. Esteban Granero replaces Sergio Canales. Substitution, Real Madrid. Isco replaces Mateo Kovacic. Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid). Attempt saved. Kévin Rodrigues (Real Sociedad) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Carlos Vela. Second yellow card to Iñigo Martínez (Real Sociedad) for a bad foul. Foul by Iñigo Martínez (Real Sociedad). Casemiro (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing. Attempt saved. Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Offside, Real Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo tries a through ball, but Álvaro Morata is caught offside. Kévin Rodrigues (Real Sociedad) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Kévin Rodrigues (Real Sociedad). Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Iñigo Martínez (Real Sociedad). Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Nacho (Real Madrid). Substitution, Real Madrid. Álvaro Morata replaces Karim Benzema. Iñigo Martínez (Real Sociedad) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Karim Benzema (Real Madrid). Foul by Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad). Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing. Attempt blocked. Kévin Rodrigues (Real Sociedad) left

Summary: Real Madrid took advantage of Barcelona and Sevilla slipping up by beating Real Sociedad to go four points clear at the top of La Liga.


The champions paid for a lacklustre first half, where they created clear openings for Jamie Vardy and Robert Huth, but surrendered the ball all too easily. Eddie Howe's side saw 70% of the ball before the break and Marc Pugh scored for the hosts on his first league start of the season with a controlled drive from 18 yards out. Leicester improved but ran into a stubborn home defence and goalkeeper Artur Boruc produced a key save to deny Leonardo Ulloa from six yards in the final minute. Relive Bournemouth's hard-earned win It means Claudio Ranieri's side set an unwanted record as their haul of one point away from home is the lowest total by a defending top-flight champion from the first eight away games of a season. They remain 14th, four points above the bottom three, while the Cherries move to eighth. Boruc's late save followed a key block from Steve Cook to thwart substitute Shinji Okazaki. The two interventions epitomised Bournemouth's resilience and Howe described it as a "heroic" defensive display. His side had conceded nine goals in three games before kick-off, prompting him to call for more solid showings and that is what he got. Good home possession early on killed any momentum Leicester hoped to carry from Saturday's thrilling victory over Manchester City. And Bournemouth's reward for a fifth home win of 2016-17 is to be five points better off than they were at the same stage last season. Pugh added to the positives with an excellent all-round display, showing good technique in keeping a bouncing ball on target for the winner after Benik Afobe's shot was saved. Howe - who refused to set a target of European qualification after the win - described the match winner as "the model professional" for his patience in waiting for his chance start a league fixture. The statistics get uglier for Leicester, who have no back-to-back wins in the league since April. The Foxes have conceded 19 goals on the road, one more than in all 18 away games last season and have managed 21 goals in 16 games - 13 fewer than at the same stage last term. And against Bournemouth they looked one-dimensional going forward. They mustered 12 shots but many of them arrived in a late flurry. Vardy - a hat-trick hero three days earlier - had 26 touches, the same number as Islam Slimani, who was taken off at the break and just six more than Okazaki, who replaced the Algerian. Huth's early volley - deflected wide moments before Pugh's winner - could have significantly changed proceedings but with just 37% possession on the night and only 68% of their passes finding a team-mate, Leicester were not good enough. Their display on the south coast was confused. They were slow from the off and limited in their reaction until it was too late. Ranieri - who has now managed 200 games in the Premier League - will have to find answers. Media playback is not supported on this device Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe: "It didn't feel anything

Summary: Bournemouth moved to the highest league position in their history as Leicester's miserable run away from home continued with defeat at Vitality Stadium.


Iwan Wyn Lewis of Penygroes, Gwynedd, had been sectioned at Ysbyty Gwynedd after allegedly assaulting his mother. The 36-year-old was visited by an officer in April 2016 about his bail arrangements, which a doctor said could have added to his distress. His body was found in the Menai Strait on 2 May. Mr Lewis was receiving treatment at the hospital's Hergest unit and was later moved to the Cynan ward where he received the visit from the officer. Speaking at the inquest in Caernarfon on Thursday, consultant psychiatrist Dr Olufemi Adebajo said he was "extremely unhappy" about the visit. "I don't think the police should be able to come to the ward without special permission," he said. Asked by coroner Nicola Jones whether the conversation with the officer could have added to Mr Lewis' agitation and distress, Dr Adebajo said: "It's quite possible - even likely". He said he had known Mr Lewis for more than two years and never considered him to be a suicide risk. The day before his death, he had asked staff for extra medication because he said he was feeling agitated, but they did not change his dosage because they could see no sign of agitation. On the evening of 2 May, Mr Lewis told staff he was going to the shop, but 45 minutes later his body was found in the Menai Strait. The inquest continues.

Summary: North Wales Police has been criticised at an inquest for sending an officer to speak to a hospital patient with paranoid schizophrenia.


Trouble prompted police involvement outside the ground before violence behind one goal as players warmed up. "Projectiles and fireworks launched from the stands require fans to take refuge on the pitch," Lyon tweeted. The game kicked off 45 minutes late with Lyon scoring twice in the closing 10 minutes to win 2-1. Authorities had categorised the fixture 'high risk', with about 500 police reportedly stationed at Parc Olympique Lyonnais - more than double the usual amount. Both teams left the field as fans spilled on to the playing surface before kick-off, with Lyon president Jean Michel Aulas going into the crowd in an effort to calm supporters. When the French and Turkish sides eventually emerged, both sets of players clapped supporters all round the stadium, before going through brief warm-up drills ahead of a 20:50 BST kick-off. Before Beskitas' fixture against Greek side Olympiakos in the previous round, both clubs worked with Uefa and took the decision to ban away fans in a bid to avoid crowd trouble. It is the third incident at a Uefa competition this week, following Tuesday's bomb attack on Borussia Dortmund's team bus and Wednesday's clashes between Leicester City supporters and police in Madrid. When the match got under way, former Liverpool striker Ryan Babel put Besiktas ahead but moments after Corentin Tolisso's equaliser on 83 minutes, Jeremy Morel robbed Spanish goalkeeper Fabri in the area to tap into an empty net. Match ends, Lyon 2, Besiktas 1. Second Half ends, Lyon 2, Besiktas 1. Hand ball by Gökhan Inler (Besiktas). Attempt missed. Corentin Tolisso (Lyon) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Mathieu Valbuena. Attempt missed. Lucas Tousart (Lyon) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Mathieu Valbuena with a cross. Corner, Lyon. Conceded by Adriano. Corner, Lyon. Conceded by Dusko Tosic. Substitution, Besiktas. Gökhan Inler replaces Cenk Tosun. Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Anderson Talisca (Besiktas). Goal! Lyon 2, Besiktas 1. Jérémy Morel (Lyon) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal. Goal! Lyon 1, Besiktas 1. Corentin Tolisso (Lyon) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner following a set piece situation. Tolgay Arslan (Besiktas) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Mathieu Valbuena (Lyon) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Tolgay Arslan (Besiktas). Corner, Lyon. Conceded by Fabri. Attempt saved. Maxwel Cornet (Lyon) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Nabil Fekir. Lucas Tousart (Lyon) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Cenk Tosun (Besiktas). Mathieu Valbuena (Lyon) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Mathieu Valbuena (Lyon). Cenk Tosun (Besiktas) wins a free kick on the right wing. Attempt missed. Emanuel Mammana (Lyon) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high following a corner. Corentin

Summary: Clashes in the stands that forced some supporters on to the pitch delayed Lyon's Europa League quarter-final first-leg win over Besiktas.


The crash, which happened at the Rising Sun in North Bradley near Trowbridge at about 06:00 GMT, left a huge hole in the front of the building. Wiltshire Police said the driver was taken to Bath's Royal United Hospital for treatment to his injuries, which are not thought to be serious. Nobody was inside at the time of the crash, officers said. The building has been deemed to be structurally safe. The road next to the pub was closed for several hours but has since reopened.

Summary: A lorry driver has smashed through the front wall of a pub in Wiltshire.


The incident took place close to Caernarfon's Crown Court and fire station just before 09:00 BST on Thursday. The mother-of-five was airlifted to hospital in Stoke-on-Trent. North Wales Police has said her 46-year-old partner has been arrested. "This is being treated as a domestic-related crime but I would like to reassure the community that a swift arrest was made," said Det Chf Insp Iestyn Davies. The Welsh Ambulance Service said they were called at 09:00 BST to reports that a woman had been assaulted. Police said the victim remains in a serious but stable condition. Forensic investigations are being carried out at the location, which links nearby estates to a local primary and secondary school.

Summary: A mother walking her children to school in north Wales is in hospital with serious injuries after being attacked on a busy footpath.


If you don't like the latter, I'm afraid there's only bad news in store - there will be more leaflets and canvassing than ever during the next six weeks. That's in large part due to the fact that there is a real spring in the step of the smaller parties, buoyed by a general disappointment in their larger, more-established, opponents. Let's talk about UKIP first because it is they who are making this election so different across the North West. In terms of winning seats, their main - and arguably only - Greater Manchester target appears to be Heywood and Middleton, where they ran Labour very close in last autumn's by-election. But UKIP's impact will be felt much more widely - their claim last week that they are the "new party for the working class" will have sent shivers down some Labour spines. The Tories, meanwhile, are just as worried about losing precious votes in the key marginals which will ultimately decide the result of the election nationally. Chancellor George Osborne will surely be hoping his devolution deals, and the inclusion of Greater Manchester in the so-called Northern Powerhouse, will win over some hearts, minds and votes - but for decades this hasn't been a happy hunting ground for Conservatives. The Greens are also talking up their chances, but it will be interesting to see from whom will their votes come if they do? And will Bez have as much of an impact on politics in Salford and Eccles as he did on the Manchester music scene with the Happy Mondays? Bez - more formally known as Mark Berry - will be fighting on an anti-fracking ticket in the seat being vacated by Labour's Hazel Blears, who has represented the area since 1997. Political punditry can often be a mug's game but let's take a look at some of the other key battles across the region. Labour is very confident of taking Manchester Withington back from the Liberal Democrats. John Leech may have voted against his government on the Bedroom Tax/ Spare Room Subsidy issue, but his party's U-turn on university tuition fees may not play so well in a constituency packed with students. The Lib Dems could also be at risk in their more established seats of Hazel Grove and Cheadle, but their support is much more established in those seats. Elsewhere, the Tories are after Bolton West - where Labour's Julie Hilling has a majority of just 92 - while Labour fancy their chances of regaining Bury North. Conservative David Nuttall swept in there last time after the expenses scandal which ultimately saw the jailing of Labour incumbent David Chaytor. During the next six weeks, BBC North West Online and BBC Radio Manchester will be giving you all the information you need to make an informed choice about the parties and their positions. Three big events during the campaign will be one-hour live debates on Thursday evenings from mid-April, in Withington, Heywood and Bolton. The economy, immigration, and health - chosen as a result of audience research - will be

Summary: It's always just after the clocks go forward that the streets around here fill up with two things - people in garish clothes training for the Great Manchester run, and political candidates chasing your vote.


Lee Tomlin's penalty lit up a quiet first period after Tammy Abraham was brought down in the box by Ipswich keeper Bartosz Bialkowski. David McGoldrick almost levelled the scores soon after half-time, but his low shot was pushed on to the post by Ipswich goalkeeper Frank Fielding. Luke Freeman sealed the win with a spectacular volley from 25 yards. The victory was just a second in eight league games for City and lifted the Robins up to 11th in the table, while Town drop to 16th. Aden Flint felt he should have had a second penalty for City as he went down in the box five minutes after the first spot-kick, but referee Stuart Attwell waved away his protests. Abraham had a chance to double the lead just before the break, but the 12-goal Chelsea loanee headed over the impressive Tomlin's cross. After McGoldrick hit the post, Freeman came up with a goal of the season contender as he smashed home a left-foot volley from far outside the box into the bottom corner for his first goal at Ashton Gate. Bristol City boss Lee Johnson: "It was a sensational goal. It is a really difficult skill to get the ball to dip from the position Luke struck it. "It was a really steady and professional team display, almost like an away performance. We have had to come from behind so often, but today we got ourselves in front and looked really solid. "We haven't got what we deserved from recent games. Now we are three points off the play-offs and looking up the table again." Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy: "The difference between the teams was a penalty and a worldie. They started well, but we got to grips with that. "We were on top when an unbelievable flying bomb hit the top corner of our net for the second goal. It was absolutely unstoppable. "I have no complaints about our display. We need to be more effective in the final third, but other than that I felt we competed well against a good side." Match ends, Bristol City 2, Ipswich Town 0. Second Half ends, Bristol City 2, Ipswich Town 0. Substitution, Bristol City. Gary O'Neil replaces Korey Smith because of an injury. Offside, Bristol City. Josh Brownhill tries a through ball, but Tammy Abraham is caught offside. Substitution, Bristol City. Bobby Reid replaces Lee Tomlin. Attempt saved. Freddie Sears (Ipswich Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Cole Skuse. Jonathan Williams (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Korey Smith (Bristol City). Substitution, Bristol City. Josh Brownhill replaces Luke Freeman. Attempt missed. David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Leon Best. Foul by Cole Skuse (Ipswich Town). Marlon Pack (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Adam Webster (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Tammy Abraham (Bristol City). Attempt missed. Lee

Summary: Bristol City ended a three-game losing run in the Championship with an impressive win over Ipswich Town.


It is in fact the Atacama desert in Chile, one of the driest places on Earth. Average rainfall here is les than 0.1mm (0.004 in) per year and there are many regions which have not seen any precipitation for decades. But while there is little rain, the clouds here do carry humidity. Coastal fog forms on Chile's shore and then moves inland in the form of cloud banks. The locals call it "camanchaca". The fog is made up of minuscule drops of water which are so light they do not fall as rain. During a particularly severe drought in 1956, scientist Carlos Espinosa Arancibia had an idea. The retired maths and physics professor from the University of Chile carried out a series of experiments in the highest hills near the city of Antofagasta. There, he came up with the idea of the fog catcher: netting with tiny openings of approximately 1mm across to capture the tiny water droplets in the fog. The droplets accumulate in the netting and form a bigger drop which eventually runs off the netting into a canal underneath. From there, it is channelled through a pipe to containers at the base of the hills, ready for use. And the research continues today. The town of Pena Blanca boasts one of the biggest study centres for the fog catchers. There are six big nets in the hills overlooking the town. Technical adviser Nicolas Schneider says that thanks to the fog catcher they have managed to combat the desertification of the region. He says that 100 hectares now are again covered in the flora once typical for the region. "We're planning to provide local families with water from the fog catcher in the near future," Mr Schneider says. At the heart of the community is a small building which also uses water from the fog catcher: the town's small artisanal brewery. Fog Catcher Brewery is small. It only produces has three vats and one cold store producing about 24,000 litres per year, but it is the pride and joy of its owner, Miguel Carcuro. "The water from the camanchaca is of excellent quality and gives our beer a special quality," he says. The project's backers say the fog catchers are cheap and sustainable. An average-sized fog catcher of 40sq m costs between $1,000 (£635) and $1,500 depending on the material used. They say its impact on the environment is minimal as the metal posts can be discreetly hidden among vegetation. As the water is transported down the hill by gravity, there is no extra cost involved for transport, they say. It is an idea which has been exported to other arid regions in Peru and Mexico. The largest expanse of fog catchers is located in Tojquia in Guatemala, where 60 fog catchers trap 4,000 litres of water a day. Prof Pilar Cereceda of the University of Chile says she hopes that within a decade Chile will have enough fog catchers to supply the whole Atacama region. "I dream of the day in which the fog catchers can compete with desalination

Summary: The dry, red earth could almost be mistaken for a Martian landscape.


Google said it had "hidden a few British treats" in the device. The speaker and assistant, which launched in the US in November, is part of a growing trend to make artificial intelligence available in homes. The firm is also launching its own wi-fi service in the UK, in an attempt to solve the "frustration when wireless connectivity fails at home". Like Amazon's Echo, Home can answer basic queries as well as control smart home devices, such as lights. It can also help with translations, offer weather and traffic updates and deliver news updates from publications such as the BBC, the Guardian and the Financial Times. "A combination of our natural language processing, machine learning and voice-recognition expertise allow users to interact naturally with the assistant," said Suveer Kothari, director of product planning at Google in a blog post. "And of course, we've hidden a few British treats for you to discover. Just try asking Google Home about its hobbies or favourite foods." The US version of Google Home proved controversial when it began playing information about the new film, Beauty and the Beast, unprompted. Google apologised and denied that it was an advertisement, saying it was experimenting with "new ways to surface unique content". Google Home will be available in stores such as Argos, John Lewis, Dixons and Maplin from 6 April, and will cost Â£129. Google Wi-fi will be available at the same time and will also cost Â£129.

Summary: Google Home, the search giant's smart assistant that rivals Amazon's Alexa, will be launched in the UK in April.


Roedd Aelod Cynulliad Plaid Cymru dros yr etholaeth, Elin Jones, wedi cyhoeddi llun o'r hysbyseb ar ei thudalen Facebook, gan fynnu nad oedd yn wir. Yn dilyn hynny dywedodd Mark Williams, ymgeisydd y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yng Ngheredigion, fod yr hysbyseb yn "nonsens" a'i fod bellach wedi ei dileu. Ychwanegodd Mr Williams, arweinydd y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yng Nghymru, fod ei blaid yn gweithio "gyda phawb sydd yn erbyn Brexit caled, gan gynnwys Plaid Cymru". Yn yr hysbyseb gafodd ei chyhoeddi ar Facebook, dywedodd y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol mai nhw oedd yr unig blaid "sy'n brwydro i gadw Prydain yn y farchnad sengl yn yr etholiad hwn". Roedd yr hysbyseb yn ychwanegu fod "Plaid Cymru'n cefnogi Brexit eithafol ynghyd â Llafur, y Toris ac UKIP". Mae'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol wedi addo yn ystod ymgyrch yr etholiad cyffredinol eleni y bydden nhw'n cynnal ail refferendwm ar ddiwedd y trafodaethau Brexit, gyda'r opsiwn o aros yn yr UE os nad yw etholwyr yn hapus â'r cytundeb terfynol. Mae Plaid Cymru wedi dweud eu bod nhw'n derbyn canlyniad y refferendwm llynedd, ond y bydden nhw'n brwydro i gael "bargen dda i Gymru". Fe wnaeth Ms Jones gyhoeddi llun o hysbyseb y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol ar ei thudalen Facebook ddydd Llun, gan ddweud bod Plaid Cymru "ddim yn cefnogi Brexit eithafol". "Mae popeth rydyn ni wedi ei ddweud yn yr etholiad yma yn gwneud hynny'n glir. Eto mae'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yn dweud celwydd a dweud fel arall," meddai. Dywedodd ei bod wedi "disgwyl gwell" gan Mark Williams, gan fynnu ymddiheuriad. Ychwanegodd yn ddiweddarach mewn neges ar Twitter fod pamffledi ymgyrchu gan y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yn yr etholaeth hefyd wedi ailadrodd yr un neges. Ers hynny mae Mr Williams wedi ymddiheuro, gan ddweud mewn neges ar Twitter: "Roedd yr hysbyseb Facebook yn nonsens ac mae wedi cael ei ddileu. "Rydw i'n gwerthfawrogi gweithio gyda phawb sydd yn erbyn Brexit caled, gan gynnwys Plaid Cymru, a dwi'n ymddiheuro iddynt." Mewn cyfarfod hystings yn Aberystwyth nos Lun, mynnodd Mr Williams nad oedd yn gyfrifol am gynnwys yr hysbyseb, a'i fod wedi dod o gyfeiriad y blaid yn ganolog. Ychwanegodd y byddai'n ymchwilio i'r mater i weld pwy oedd yn gyfrifol am y cynnwys. Dywedodd hefyd nad oedd amser gan y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol i anfon taflenni newydd yn ymddiheuro, gydag ond tridiau nes yr etholiad. Roedd rhai o drigolion yr etholaeth wedi derbyn pamffledi oedd yn cynnwys neges debyg, yn honni na fyddai Plaid Cymru'n "brwydro yn erbyn Brexit caled". Mae Mr Williams wedi bod yn AS dros Geredigion ers 2005, ar ôl cipio'r sedd oddi ar Blaid Cymru. Ymgeisydd Plaid Cymru yng Ngheredigion yn yr etholiad cyffredinol eleni yw Ben Lake. Am restr lawn o'r ymgeiswyr cliciwch yma.

Summary: Mae ymgeisydd dros y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol wedi ymddiheuro ar ôl i'w blaid gyhoeddi hysbyseb yn awgrymu fod Plaid Cymru yn cefnogi "Brexit eithafol".


The campaign was launched on 19 July by the Iraq War Families Campaign Group, which is made up of relatives of British troops killed in the conflict. It aimed to reach that amount to "bring to justice those responsible for the war and the deaths of our loved ones". The campaign was led by Reg Keys and Roger Bacon, who lost sons in Iraq. The funding bid began after the publication last month of the long-awaited report by Sir John Chilcot into the 2003 invasion. Chilcot report: Findings at-a-glance The campaign group initially aimed to reach £50,000 via crowdfunding, but extended its target after raising that figure in nine hours on the CrowdJustice website. It has now received enough backing to fund the whole campaign. Mr Keys and Mr Bacon said in a statement: "This is great proof of the underlying support from the British people in our quest for answers and for justice. "It is startling and humbling at the same time." The money raised will allow the group's lawyers, McCue and Partners - currently working free of charge - to analyse the 2.6 million-word report by Sir John and prepare "a comprehensive opinion approved by expert senior counsel". This would provide guidance on whether legal action against key people involved in the invasion of Iraq would succeed or not. The Chilcot report did not make any findings on whether individuals acted unlawfully. However, it rejected the legal basis for UK military action, and said then-prime minister Mr Blair overstated the threat posed by then-President of Iraq Saddam Hussein and sent ill-prepared troops into battle. Chilcot report: Coverage in full Mr Blair has apologised for any mistakes made, but not the decision to go to war itself. A total of 179 British service personnel were killed in Iraq between 2003 and 2009, when British troops left Iraqi soil. Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians died over the period, though estimates vary considerably.

Summary: An online campaign to fund possible legal action against former Prime Minister Tony Blair and other officials has reached its target of £150,000.


Last month Harrington won the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Sizing John. "These are all firsts for me - it's not bad for a 70-year-old," said Harrington, whose horse, ridden by Robbie Power, won at 9-2. Gordon Elliott's Bless The Wings was runner-up for the second year in a row while Abolitionist took third. The winner is owned by the Cooper Family Syndicate which comprises Sloane, Nigel and Billy Cooper, their sister Hazel and her husband. "They bred him, they own him, they refused a lot of money for him this year and they are fantastic," said Harrington. Thirteen of the 28 runners came from Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House stables, with the best-placed being the 2015 winner Thunder and Roses in fourth. Despite running in his first handicap and for just the fourth time over fences, Our Duke never looked in any real danger and has now been cut from 25-1 to 14-1 for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup. "This means so much to me, it's my local racecourse and I was second in it a few years ago so this is nice compensation," said 35-year-old Power, who was on board Sizing John at Cheltenham and rode the 2007 Grand National winner Silver Birch. "Once he got a good view of his fences and got plenty of light we were going to be happy. "He just travelled so well everywhere, he is just a very good horse." As well as three Cheltenham winners, Power also won four races at Aintree's Grand National meeting.

Summary: Trainer Jessica Harrington celebrated her first success in the Irish Grand National when favourite Our Duke won Monday's big race at Fairyhouse.


The draft legislation was approved by 494 votes to 122, and now moves to the House of Lords. Shadow business secretary Clive Lewis was one of 52 Labour MPs to defy party orders to back the bill and he resigned from the front bench. PM Theresa May wants to trigger formal Brexit talks by the end of March. She will do this by invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, but requires Parliament's permission before doing so. Mr Lewis, who earlier said he was undecided on whether to support the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, announced his resignation as MPs began voting for the final time. He said he "cannot, in all good conscience, vote for something I believe will ultimately harm the city I have the honour to represent, love and call home". Leader Jeremy Corbyn said he understood the difficulties the vote presented some of his MPs but said they had been ordered to back the Article 50 because the party would not "block Brexit". Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, who missed last week's initial vote on the bill, backed it this time. She told the BBC she had "a lot of misgivings about the idea of a Tory Brexit" and predicted the UK would "come to regret it", but added: "I'm a loyal member of the shadow cabinet and I'm loyal to Jeremy Corbyn." The Labour rebellion was five MPs up on last week's vote, while former Chancellor Ken Clarke was again the only Conservative to vote against the two-clause bill. During the voting, SNP MPs were reprimanded by deputy speaker Lindsay Hoyle after they started singing Ode to Joy, the European Union anthem. Afterwards, Brexit Secretary David Davis hailed the "historic vote", adding: "It is now time for everyone, whichever way they voted in the referendum, to unite to make a success of the important task at hand for our country." Peers will now consider the draft legislation, and a government source told BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg: "If the Lords don't want to face an overwhelming public call to be abolished they must get on and protect democracy and pass this bill." Earlier the bill survived several attempts to change its wording and add extra conditions. These included Labour MP Harriet Harman's bid to protect the residence rights of EU citizens in the UK, which was outvoted by 332 votes to 290, with three Conservative MPs rebelling. A Liberal Democrat bid for a referendum on the terms of the UK leaving the EU was defeated by 340 votes to 33. Afterwards, Mr Corbyn tweeted: "Real fight starts now. Over next two years Labour will use every opportunity to ensure Brexit protects jobs, living standards and the economy." But Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused him of giving the Conservatives a "blank cheque". She tweeted: "You didn't win a single concession but still voted for the bill. Pathetic." The bill will be debated in the House of Lords after it returns from recess on 20 February. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron vowed the party's peers would seek

Summary: MPs have overwhelmingly agreed to let the government begin the UK's departure from the EU as they voted for the Brexit bill.


During fieldwork in the mountains, researchers noticed that thrushes in the forests sang much more musically than those on the rocky peaks. They then discovered physical and genetic differences as well, and have now declared the known "plain-backed thrush" to be two distinct species. The mountain-dwelling variety has been re-christened the "alpine thrush". "There aren't too many new birds to be found in the world," lead author Per Alström told the BBC. "So it's exciting when you find one." The Himalayan forest thrush is only the fourth species of bird discovered in India since independence in 1947. Prof Alström, from Uppsala University in Sweden, worked with an international team of researchers on the study, which is reported in the journal Avian Research. They gave the new thrush the scientific name Zoothera salimalii in honour of the late Indian ornithologist Dr Salim Ali. "He did a lot of work on Indian birds and has been really important for bird conservation and knowledge about birds in India," said Prof Alström. The discovery began with some careful listening on a field trip, back in 1999. "I was in Arunachal Pradesh with an Indian colleague, Shashank Dalvi, and we noted that there were two different groups of what was previously called the plain-backed thrush, that occurred at different elevations, in different habitats." One set of birds, found above the tree line, sang quite a harsh, scratchy-sounding song; the other, found in the forests just below, was more tuneful. "They had - to us - incredibly different songs. We couldn't at first find any differences in plumage or structure between them. But we didn't actually see the forest one very well, because it was extremely elusive - extremely hard to see," Prof Alström recalled. Several years of detailed study ensued, as the team compared wild birds from India and China with specimens from 15 museums around the world. This included DNA analysis, which confirmed what the researchers had suspected from hearing the birds' songs: the two groups have bred separately for several million years. "They really are very different, even though they look superficially very similar to each other," Prof Alström explained. "They have had separate evolutionary histories for a very long period of time - possibly the same length of time as humans and chimpanzees have been separate from one another." The team thinks that, all those years ago, the two populations began as one species but branched out as they evolved to cope with the demands of the peaks and the forests. "The alpine thrush has longer legs and a longer tail, proportionately, than the forest bird, which I'm sure are adaptations to its habitat. Because longer legs are more useful in open habitats than in forest." And based on their comparisons to museum specimens, Prof Alström and his colleagues say the original "plain-backed thrush", or Zoothera mollissima, was the mountain-dwelling variety. "So the alpine thrush will actually retain the scientific name of the original species," he said. Meanwhile, on their trips into neighbouring parts of China, the researchers also found that a different thrush

Summary: Scientists have described a new species of bird in northern India and China, called the Himalayan forest thrush.


Twenty males were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder or affray after the fight in Price Street, Birmingham, at 16:15 GMT on Saturday. Police said eight Villa supporters and seven Leicester fans were held after trying to run away from officers. Five more were arrested after being found hiding in a nearby car park. West Midlands Police said the fans were aged between 16 and 21 and had been bailed until dates in February and March. Insp Richard Vickers said: "These few individuals who choose to display their 'support' through anti-social or criminal activity are dealt with strongly and we will always push for Football Banning Orders against such offenders." The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Summary: Football fans hurled bricks and bottles at each other in a "violent clash" before Aston Villa played Leicester City.


If confirmed by the Senate, the 49-year-old would restore the court's conservative majority, lost with the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. The Senate Democratic leader has said he has "very serious doubts" about Judge Gorsuch's nomination. The court has the final legal word on many of the most sensitive US issues, from abortion to gender to gun control. Mr Trump said Judge Gorsuch had a "superb intellect, an unparalleled legal education, and a commitment to interpreting the Constitution according to text". "Judge Gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support," Mr Trump said. He was picked from a shortlist of 21 choices, which Mr Trump made public during the election campaign. Accepting the nomination, he said: ""It is the role of judges to apply, not alter, the work of the people's representatives. A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge, stretching for results he prefers rather than those the law demands." Judge Gorsuch is a so-called originalist, meaning he believes the US Constitution should be followed as the Founding Fathers intended. If successful, his nomination will restore the 5-4 conservative majority on the nine-seat high court. Protests against Mr Trump's choice were held outside the Supreme Court following the announcement. Abortion: He has not spoken out about Roe v Wade, the case which legalised abortion nationwide in 1973, making in difficult to pin down where he stands on the issue. Birth control: Judge Gorsuch has supported religious institutions which objected to requirements for employers to provide access to contraception. In one of his most high-profile cases, he defended the religious owners of retailer Hobby Lobby who refused to fund birth control via staff health insurance. Gun rights: He hasn't ruled directly on firearms restrictions, but is thought to be generally pro-second amendment. He once wrote in a legal opinion that a citizen's right to bear arms "must not be infringed lightly". Euthanasia: He has been vocal about assisted dying, writing a book in 2009 which opposed legalisation. A conservative's dream: Anthony Zurcher, North America Reporter Donald Trump's choice of Neil Gorsuch as his Supreme Court nominee is a fairly traditional pick in a decidedly untraditional time. Judge Gorsuch has a CV and background that would make him a natural selection for just about any Republican president. He's the kind of Supreme Court nominee evangelical and traditional conservative voters dreamed of as a reward for sticking with Mr Trump through the general election despite campaign missteps, controversies and occasional political apostasies. They knew they would get a court pick they wouldn't like if Hillary Clinton won. They hoped they would get someone like Judge Gorsuch if Mr Trump prevailed. Meanwhile, Democrats are left fuming over Senate Republicans' precedent-breaking decision to stymie Barack Obama's attempts to fill this court vacancy for nearly 10 months. They have to decide if they will try to derail Mr Gorsuch's nomination as retribution - perhaps forcing Republicans to break with another Senate tradition, the ability of a minority to a block a Supreme Court nominee

Summary: President Donald Trump has nominated Colorado federal appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch for the US Supreme Court.


Greater Manchester Police spoke to the 42-year-old in Failsworth on Saturday after an abandoned 999 call. The woman had minor facial injuries and a 57-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault. Police later returned to the property in Oldham Road to take a statement from the woman but found her dead. A post-mortem examination found that the cause of death was "not suspicious", a Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman said. A mandatory referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was made because police had been in touch with the woman prior to her death. Det Ch Insp Howard Millington said: "First and foremost I would like to express our most sincere condolences to the woman's family for their tragic loss. "In line with our usual policy when an incident such as this occurs, we have made referral to the IPCC and we await their decision on whether or not they wish to investigate." He added: "In the meantime, we are continuing to investigating the circumstances surrounding the initial call that was made to police which prompted officers to attend and arrest a 57-year-old man on suspicion of assault."

Summary: A police force has referred itself to the watchdog over the death of a woman hours after she spoke to officers about an alleged assault.


Michael McGibbon, 33, died after an attack in an alleyway at Butler Place, with police saying his killing carried the hallmarks of a paramilitary murder. The 34-year-old was arrested in Belfast on Sunday. Mr McGibbon was married with a young family. A priest, Father Gary Donegan, told the BBC's Sunday News programme how Mr McGibbon's wife tried to save his life when she arrived at the scene. Mrs McGibbon, who is a nurse, came to his aid shortly after the shooting. Police have said Mr McGibbon had contacted them to inform them that two masked men had arrived at his house on Thursday evening. The men asked him to come out of the house but he refused, and they told him they would return. Mr McGibbon's murder had been referred to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.

Summary: A 34-year-old man is still being questioned over the murder of a man who was shot in the legs in north Belfast on Friday night.


The 24-year-old Belgium-born midfielder has made just 23 Premier League starts since joining from Porto on a five-and-a-half-year contract in February 2016. "Sometimes things just don't pan out as you hope," Hughes said. "It has been a frustration for all parties involved. It's fair to say with Giannelli that things haven't quite worked out." Imbula became Portuguese football's record signing when he joined Porto in a £15.1m deal from Marseille in July 2015. "He hasn't quite adjusted to the Premier League," added Hughes. "If there is interest in him then we would consider that. We haven't had any interest, in fairness, but we would look at things if the right offer came in."

Summary: Stoke City's £18.3m record signing Giannelli Imbula could leave the club this summer, manager Mark Hughes says.


Lines, 47, followed up a 3-0 win over the Scot with a 4-0 defeat of England's 1991 world champion John Parrott. The event in Scunthorpe offers the winner a place in the World Championship qualifying event. Now aged 48, Hendry retired after being knocked out of the 2012 World Championship. "I didn't play well. It feels like somebody else's arm out there," he said after losing to Lines.

Summary: Peter Lines defeated seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry in the semi-finals on his way to winning the World Seniors Championship.


Two shots were fire through windows of the house in Moneyleck Park at about 22:20 GMT on Monday. The man, who was in the house at the time, received hospital treatment for his injuries. He has since been discharged from hospital.

Summary: A man has sustained minor injuries in a gun attack at a house in Rasharkin, County Antrim.


Rachid Lamrabet, 42, who lives in London, denies sexually assaulting a 25-year-old man at Greyfriars Kirk, on 26 August 2015. The judge said the case was being deserted after a matter arose and he heard legal submissions. He added that there were "good reasons" for the move. The trial had only just begun at the High Court in Livingston on Monday. Dismissing the jury members, judge Lord Woolman told them: "In the light of submissions made to me I regret that I'm going to discharge you as a jury and continue this case until tomorrow. "I'm not in a position to tell you the exact reasons for that all I can tell you is that there are very good reasons. "I very much regret that this has happened, but sometimes matters occur which are outwith our control. "I regret and I'm sorry for any inconvenience caused to you." Mr Lamrabet, is accused of engaging in consensual sexual activity with his alleged victim but ignored him when he was told to stop. The charge states that he seized the younger man by the body, pushed him to the ground and raped him to his injury. English is not the accused's native language, and a Spanish interpreter sat with him in the dock so he could understand the proceedings.

Summary: The case of a man accused of a homosexual rape in an Edinburgh graveyard has been deserted and will restart with a fresh jury.


Treating wounds in Welsh hospitals or in the home and at clinics by nurses costs the NHS in Wales around £156m a year. The Welsh Wound Innovation Centre (WWIC) aims to improve treatments and lower hospital admissions and stays. Based in Llantrisant, it will include working with patients at the nearby Royal Glamorgan Hospital. Wound care - which includes dealing with problems like pressure sores and infection after surgery - is thought to account for around 5% of the NHS's overall budget and is rising. The new centre is co-headed by Prof Keith Harding, head of Cardiff University's Wound Healing Research Unit, which has been researching wound healing for more than 22 years. This has included pioneering work in the use of maggots for cleaning wounds. In a typical hospital, between 25% and 40% of beds are occupied by patients with a wound, while nurses in the community can spend between 25-75% of their time treating them. "Treating patients with wounds, whether chronic, acute or traumatic, is a surprisingly expensive problem for the health service - not to mention the emotional costs it inflicts on patients and their families," said Prof Harding. He said the centre would look at improvements to wound prevention and treatment, aimed at fewer hospital admissions and shorter stays. WOUND HEALING CASE STUDY - Lauren Brimble, 27, from Abertillery, had bilateral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and has suffered leg ulcers. She took part in clinical trials for new dressings developed by the Wound Healing Research Unit. "We found the Cardiff research unit on the internet and although I was out of the area I arranged to see them and they took me on. "I was in excruciating pain with my left leg, I've never known anything like it and no pain killers would make a difference. But they got on top of it. I had different trials of dressings on each leg over the summer - the right one is fine now and the left one has improved significantly. "The treatment is ongoing but it's been amazing. It's one of those things that unless you've had it you can't understand what it means and the effect it has on your life." The WWIC was set up with £2.5m funding from the Welsh government, as well as the seven local health boards and the private sector. It hopes to be paying for itself within three years through grants and commercial sources. The centre is already supporting the work of five small businesses based in Wales, as well American and Australian companies. It employs 31 people and aims to attract at least 11 investments from abroad, creating a further 45 jobs over the next five years. It recently won a research award from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to help scientists develop a diagnostic test to improve the treatment of chronic wound management. Health Minister Mark Drakeford said: "Our population is getting older and the time and cost associated with treating and managing wounds is set to increase. Only by looking at new ways of treating wounds can we manage

Summary: A new £4m research centre to tackle the "silent epidemic" of wound care has been launched.


Scot Knox carded a three-under-par 67 - matching his first-round score - to finish one shot off the lead. Englishman Casey also shot 67 and is among six players at five under par. Tyrone van Aswegen produced a four-under-par 66 to share the lead with Daniel Berger, Russell Henley and Marc Leishman at seven under. South African Van Aswegen, 34, is looking for his first victory on the PGA Tour. Find out how to get into golf with our special guide. Casey, 39, lost in the play-off in Connecticut last year and is level with former world number one Vijay Singh on the leaderboard. American Bubba Watson chose to defend his Travelers Championship title prior to his appearance at the Rio Olympics and finds himself four shots off the lead and tied for 24th. We've launched a new BBC Sport newsletter, bringing all the best stories, features and video right to your inbox. You can sign up here.

Summary: Britain's Russell Knox and Paul Casey are tied second and third respectively after the second round of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, USA.


Media playback is not supported on this device Monday's 3-0 defeat by Wales, which followed a 1-1 draw with England and a 2-1 defeat by Slovakia, meant Russia finished bottom of Group B. Uefa had threatened to disqualify Russia after violence from fans. "After a type of tournament like this, you need someone else to take charge of the national side for major competitions," Slutsky said. The 45-year-old CSKA Moscow boss succeeded Fabio Capello as Russia coach last July, but only had a contract until the end of Euro 2016. He was told by the Football Union of Russia he would have to choose between the national team and CSKA at the end of the tournament. The 2018 World Cup will be held in Russia, who qualify automatically as hosts. Create leagues and play against your friends in BBC Sport's new Euro 2016 Predictor game

Summary: Russia coach Leonid Slutsky offered his resignation after his side were knocked out of Euro 2016 at the group stage.


In a speech he said, given the effects of the referendum vote, the government had to be "realistic about achieving a surplus by the end of the decade". The target had been the chancellor's most prized goal and had been driving austerity measures in previous budgets. But he said the economy is showing "clear signs" of shock following the vote to leave the European Union. Giving a speech in Manchester, Mr Osborne said: "The referendum is expected to produce a significant negative economic shock to our economy. How we respond will determine the impact on jobs and growth. "We must provide fiscal credibility, continuing to be tough on the deficit while being realistic about achieving a surplus by the end of the decade." Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell welcomed the move, saying: "Sadly the vote last Thursday for Brexit has only brought forward what was inevitable. "The Chancellor had already dropped his other fiscal rules on welfare and debt at the Budget in March, and according to many economists he was expected to be forced to drop this one too." BBC business editor Kamal Ahmed says that the target was heading for the "Treasury shredding machine" following a speech from Home Secretary Theresa May yesterday. In a speech launching her bid to become prime minister she said "we should no longer seek to reach a budget surplus by the end of the parliament". Kamal says that Mr Osborne has now followed suit. Nevertheless, the Treasury insists that it still wants to balance the books and "fix the finances". Mr Osborne first committed himself to returning the national finances to surplus by 2020 at the Conservative Party conference in 2013 and it became policy in the July budget of 2015. But there have been questions ever since over whether that target could be met. Even before the referendum vote he only had "a slightly better than 50/50 chance" of making the target said Carl Emmerson, deputy director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. But the uncertainty caused by the Leave vote could hold back the economy and make creating a surplus even more difficult. "Having voted for Brexit last week, the economy is clearly going to go into a downswing, that might be a full-blown recession, that might just be very very low growth," said Paul Johnson the director of the IFS. It is sometimes easy in these incredible political times to forget that for most people "it's the economy, stupid" still holds true. For the UK economy, one of the most important passages of Theresa May's speech yesterday was when she signalled that George Osborne's "fiscal rule" (to produce a budget surplus by 2020) was for the Treasury shredding machine. "While it is absolutely vital that the government continues with its intention to reduce public spending and cut the budget deficit, we should no longer seek to reach a budget surplus by the end of the parliament," Mrs May said. Now the chancellor has said he agrees, arguing that the government must be "realistic" about its fiscal targets and that austerity policies

Summary: Chancellor George Osborne has abandoned his target to restore government finances to a surplus by 2020.


The animal, thought to be a juvenile minke whale, is about 4m long. It was first seen on Thursday morning and seems to be healthy and content. Minke whales are one of the most common in our waters. It is thought it may have swum in in pursuit of fish in the channel. A fully-grown minke can grow to 9m in length. The harbour authorities are liaising with experts in the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, and are expected to monitor the animal for several days in the hope it returns to open water. There are no immediate grounds for concern over the animal's health, said the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). "Minke whales frequent the waters around the mouth of Belfast Lough, but young or inquisitive animals will, on occasion, come closer inshore," said a spokesperson. "However, our Marine and Fisheries team will continue to monitor the whale's behaviour in conjunction with colleagues from Belfast Harbour Commissioners. "The animal is currently in a well-regulated area within Belfast Harbour where there is no risk of disturbance. "The whale is not in an area that is easily viewable by the public, however, as a marine-protected species, people are advised to enjoy any views they are fortunate to have of this remarkable animal but not to approach or do anything to disturb it," the statement added.

Summary: A whale has been spotted in Belfast Harbour.


Footage emerged online of people appearing to sing the anti-Irish "Famine Song" at the weekend, while a band played along. The council said the right of the Orange Order to march was not "absolute". And it warned future parades could face greater restrictions or prohibition. Police are investigating the footage of the song, which is sung to the tune of the Beach Boys' Sloop John B has previously been ruled to be racist by a Scottish court. A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "The European Convention on Human Rights enshrines the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. "However, these rights are not absolute. They must be balanced by the responsibility to ensure the rights of others are not infringed." He added that the council would have a full debrief with police and the parade organisers, and would take into account any issues of public disorder, anti-social behaviour or damage to property resulting from the procession. And the spokesman said the council would also "take into consideration any evidenced issues and, if a future procession notification is received from the organiser, the likelihood of any restriction or prohibition may be greater." The main County Grand Orange Order parade from George Square to Glasgow Green on Saturday saw 4,500 people in 63 bands take part and another 4,000 people spectating. It was in celebration of Prince William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Eight arrests were made for minor disorder and alcohol-related offences. Robert McLean, executive officer for the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, said: "At the end of the day, members of the public will sing songs to tunes. "I have been quite clear - if police investigate we will assist with their inquiries. We look forward to the debrief and looking at any incidents that occurred." But David Scott, campaign director for anti-sectarian group Nil by Mouth, said: "If the Orange Order are a religious and cultural organisation, what would be the relevance of a Beach Boys song? "We know that tune also has another certain set of lyrics. The organisers should be speaking to band members and saying what is acceptable." Ch Supt Brian McInulty of Police Scotland said the force operated a "zero-tolerance policy" when it comes to any form of sectarian abuse, and would fully investigate any incidents brought to their attention.

Summary: Glasgow City Council will consider banning future Orange Order marches after footage showed members of the public chanting a sectarian song.


The 29-year-old, who played for Keighley Cougars and Wales, died from a cardiac arrest triggered by hereditary heart disease. He collapsed on the pitch during a match at London Skolars on 3 May and efforts to resuscitate him failed. His widow, Lizzie, has asked people to wear rugby league shirts for the service at St Mary's Church, Halifax. Mrs Jones said she wanted the service, which began at noon, to be a celebration of the player's life. BBC Look North's Heidi Tomlinson said hundreds of fans had gathered outside the church to watch the service on big screens. A fundraising campaign set up by the RFL Benevolent Fund to support the couple's five-month-old twins has so far raised Â£150,000.

Summary: More than 2,000 people are attending the funeral of rugby league player Danny Jones.


Pauline King, described by police as a "reclusive hermit", was found at The Avenues on 22 February. Alexander Kerry, 23, of Kinghorn Road, Norwich, was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court after he entered a guilty plea. He denied a charge of sexual assault and the prosecution chose not to proceed on that count. Ms King died as a result of a sustained assault with a knife and hammer during a burglary at her home, the court was told. She lived alone in what police described as a "dilapidated" detached house and neighbours said she was a pleasant but reclusive woman. Kerry was found later the same day wandering nearby streets covered in blood. Det Sup Paul Durham described it as a "vile murder" which "sent a shudder of fear" through the community. Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said Kerry, desperate for money after drinking in a Norwich city centre pub, had broken into the home and beat Ms King to death. He then tried to set fire to the house to destroy the evidence, he said. The court heard he was left deeply damaged after his father murdered his mother as he and his brother slept at their home in 2002. Mr Justice Stuart-Smith said he acted with "animal brutality" to murder Miss King and sexually abuse her dying body in an "act of desecration". He said: "Nothing begins to explain what you did to Pauline King. She must have suffered terribly." Kerry had a criminal record including violence and disorderly behaviour dating back to his teens, he said. Jonathan Goodman, mitigating, said his client had "self-medicated" through alcohol and drugs following the almost "unimaginable" events of his childhood.

Summary: A man who admitted the "vile murder" of an 82-year-old woman in her Norwich home has been jailed for life, with an order to serve 25 years and six months.


The 18-year-old midfielder, who has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal, was the subject of a rejected bid from Newcastle United earlier in the month. BBC Sport understands the deal does not include a buy-back option. The highly-rated youngster, whose Old Trafford contract would have run out this summer, was part of United's FA Youth Cup winning side last year. But United boss Sir Alex Ferguson recently branded Morrison's contract demands as "unrealistic". Ferguson handed the Wythenshawe-born player his senior debut in the Carling Cup in 2010 against Wolves, but the youngster has also had a chequered history off the pitch. Two days after winning the 2011 FA Cup Youth final, the 18-year-old was fined £600 by a court for throwing his girlfriend's mobile phone through a window during an argument. And Ferguson is hoping a change of scenery will help Morrison put his off-field problems behind him. "In the case of Ravel it's been quite well documented," said Ferguson. "I think he's better out of Manchester. "He's got a great talent but it's how to deal with it that is important." Morrison told the Hammers website: "I'm really pleased to have signed. The move has happened very quickly and I'm looking forward to hopefully moving up to the Premier League with West Ham soon. "I'm an attacking player and I'm hoping to get the fans on their feet."

Summary: West Ham United have signed Manchester United's Ravel Morrison for an undisclosed fee.


Most migrants were said to have relocated to accommodation in refitted shipping containers but some moved their tents further inside the camp. Authorities want to clear the area next to a motorway for security reasons. Riot police have been overseeing the operation which seemed to be happening without incident. The move is part of a new housing project in attempts to improve conditions in the camp, which is used by about 5,000 migrants and refugees. The 125 converted containers are equipped with electricity, heating and bunk beds, and each one can accommodate 12 people. Officials had given between 1,000 and 1,500 residents until last Thursday to leave the area, but they were reportedly given a grace period until Monday. But many migrants and refugees had refused to use the new accommodation and moved their temporary homes further inside the camp, despite poor living conditions. Many reportedly feared they could be permanently trapped at the new camp, unable to continue their attempts to cross to the UK. Some also expressed their unhappiness about leaving an area where they have established a community, and are concerned about their future treatment by the authorities. "This (the container camp) is the same as a jail. It is not good," one resident told the BBC. Volunteers helped residents to move their tents from the area in recent days. French and British officials want to reduce the number of migrants in Calais and deter others from arriving in the hope of reaching the UK.

Summary: Bulldozers have started to clear part of the makeshift Calais camp known as the "Jungle" after about 1,000 residents left the area.


Marcel Lazar, known online as "Guccifer", pleaded guilty in May on charges of aggravated identify theft and unauthorised access of a computer. Lazar, who targeted former Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Bush family, was arrested on hacking charges in Romania in 2014 and given four years. He was extradited to the US to face charges in March 2016. The 44-year-old inadvertently uncovered Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's private email account in 2013 after hacking the account of her former political adviser, Sidney Blumenthal. Two years later, it was revealed that Mrs Clinton exclusively used her personal account, which was connected to a private server at her New York residence, while serving as secretary of state. Mrs Clinton's use of private email while at the State Department became the subject of an FBI investigation and has dogged her on the campaign trail. Earlier this year Lazar claimed he had hacked into her private server, but the Clinton campaign has denied there was any such breach. The FBI also has said there is no evidence to prove he had hacked her. Lazar, a former taxi driver in Romania, is believed to have hacked into about 100 US email accounts between 2012 and 2014. In June, a hacker who goes by the alias "Guccifer 2.0" claimed data breaches on the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. US intelligence officials have said they believe Guccifer 2.0 is linked to Russian intelligence services, suggesting that the hack was state-sponsored. There is no known connection between Lazar and Guccifer 2.0.

Summary: A Romanian hacker who targeted high-profile US politicians has been sentenced to 52 months in prison.


Of the 7,532 Spaniards interned at Mauthausen, only 2,335 survived. It is only because of the dogged detective work of a Spanish historian that their memory has not been sullied by an impostor, who 10 years ago was president of Spain's main association of Nazi victims, the Amical de Mauthausen. Enric Marco was exposed shortly before he was due to share a platform at the camp with then Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Madrid-based historian Benito Bermejo, an expert on Spain's deportees, became interested in Marco after meeting him at a conference in 2002. Bermejo found his story especially intriguing as Enric Marco claimed to have been imprisoned in Flossenbuerg, a camp in Bavaria and an unusual destination for a Spanish deportee. Bermejo read all the versions he could find of Marco's past, starting with his claim that he had been an anarchist forced to flee to France from his home city of Barcelona after the Spanish Civil War had been lost. "I was curious, interested, but then I became very perplexed." "[Marco's] version of events changed each time he told it, both about the camp and how he had got there," Bermejo told the BBC. Benito Bermejo also found it mysterious that on the few occasions he tried to talk to him face to face, Marco did not want to discuss his experiences in Nazi Germany. As head of the Amical de Mauthausen, Marco showed a penchant for high-octane speeches packed with horrific details of life in Flossenbuerg. He moved several MPs to tears when addressing Congress on International Holocaust Remembrance Day in January 2005. Searching the foreign ministry archive, the historian found an official request from army command in Catalonia for information on Marco's whereabouts, as he had failed to present himself for compulsory military service in 1943. The foreign ministry replied that Marco was at that time employed by the Deutsche Werke naval shipyard in Kiel, northern Germany. Far from fighting fascism, he had signed up as one of 20,000 Spaniards who worked for the Third Reich under a 1941 agreement between Franco and Hitler. "So now I know that Marco was not a deportee, that he went to Germany voluntarily and that there is something strange going on," says Bermejo. But he still had doubts over the extent of Marco's deception because some volunteer workers who got into trouble with the Nazi regime did end up in concentration camps. Marco was briefly imprisoned in Kiel but never convicted, let alone sent to a camp. For months Bermejo sought an explanation from him. Then, with the 60th anniversary event at Mauthausen days away, he sent a report to the prime minister's office and the Amical association. And he waited. "What more could I do? I decided that going public with what I knew would be a kind of declaration of war and very controversial at that moment." On his way to Austria, the day before the Mauthausen ceremony, Bermejo read in a Spanish newspaper that Marco had had to return to Barcelona as he was "indisposed". In El

Summary: Spain's dwindling number of survivors will mark the 70th anniversary on Tuesday of the liberation of Mauthausen, the Nazi concentration camp in northern Austria where most of the 9,000 Spanish deportees ended up.


The star slid off the circuit at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey while recording his slot for the opening episode of the latest series. On Twitter he said: "I'm driving for the first time ever today, on a race track, on tv. Wish me luck." Kiefer Sutherland and Will Smith will also appear in the new series. Sheeran managed to drive off the test track a few times and admitted he'd never driven a car ahead of the recording. Johnny Vegas drove round the track in the now retired Suzuki Liana with big L plates on the top of the car in 2003, while Jack Whitehall didn't have a driving licence either and drove an automatic version of the Vauxhall Astra in series 21. Top Gear's track was added to Google Street View last year. The show's test driver, The Stig, was followed by a Google car round the 1.75 mile (2.82km) circuit so it could be mapped. The latest series, the show's 22nd since its relaunch in 2002, is to start with a simultaneous broadcast in more than 50 countries. The programme will be seen in Australia, Africa and the Middle East at the same time as it is shown on BBC Two. A further 10 countries including Malaysia, Taiwan and Mongolia will screen it within 24 hours of its UK debut. Ed Sheeran's Top Gear appearance is on Sunday on BBC Two at 20:00 GMT Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: Ed Sheeran, who doesn't have a driving licence, has managed to drive Top Gear's "reasonably priced car" off the show's race track.


But the long-awaited comeback of Noir Desir frontman Bertrand Cantat, 49, has been overshadowed by fresh allegations over the suicide of another woman in his life. Kristina Rady, a respected Hungarian arts director and Cantat's wife, hanged herself in 2010 - two-and-a-half years after the singer's release from jail for killing the actress Marie Trintignant in Lithuania. In a telephone message to her parents left six months earlier, Rady spoke of the psychological and physical violence to which she said Cantat was subjecting her. She said that "a series of events worse than those of 2003" was taking place; that on several occasions she had narrowly "escaped the very worst"; and that "if anything happened... there would be witnesses to testify". The couple married in 1997 and had two children. But they separated in 2002 after Cantat started his affair with Marie Trintignant. After Cantat beat the actress to death in a Vilnius hotel room, Rady stuck by him and gave evidence in court on his behalf. When he was granted conditional release in 2007, they tried to resume their relationship. But in January 2010, Rady told her parents that she was suffering mental and physical abuse, and feared for her life. "Everyone thinks he's an icon, and everyone wants the best for him, but then he comes home and does these terrible things to me in front of the family," she said. Revelations about the telephone recording have led magistrates in Bordeaux to re-open the investigation into Rady's suicide. Campaigners on behalf of victims of marital violence say there is a clear legal case to answer, and that a prosecution could be brought against Cantat for indirectly causing Rady's suicide. Further questions over Cantat's return to the spotlight have been raised as a result of a sympathetic interview in Les Inrockuptibles magazine - the first time the singer has spoken in public since the murder. In the interview Cantat complains of how the "media circus" twisted the events of Vilnius; how "my own story was stolen from me"; and how "my view of events, my testimony was given no space". "My remorse, my suffering, my sensitivity - it didn't count for anything in the story. I became a caricature. The fact that I love Marie so much - it was wiped. All they wanted was what was sordid. What was beautiful was hidden," he said. Asked about the Rady suicide, he said: "My God, it's the same soap opera... the assumptions and the delusional accusations concerning me are unacceptable. It's appalling, disgraceful to have become the symbol of violence against women." He said he was in touch with Rady's parents, who "recently spent a week with us. It was very warm... People tried to tell them I was a murderer, but they came to see they'd been manipulated." Yael Mellul, a feminist lawyer who is pushing to have Cantat questioned about Rady's death, said the interview was "unspeakably indecent". "This is a man who beat a women to death with his bare hands. But in the interview he dares to talk

Summary: The man hailed as the Jim Morrison of French rock returns to the music scene this week with his first record release since murdering his girlfriend in 2003.


Players did not speak to the media before and after Friday's 2-0 friendly win over Romania in Falkirk. Their stance comes as Anna Signeul's squad prepare for next month's Euro 2017 finals in the Netherlands. The Scottish FA said in a statement that it was "disappointed they have chosen not to undertake their media responsibilities". But the governing body hopes to resolve the matter before Tuesday's friendly against Sweden in Vaxjo. "We can confirm that we are in discussions with the Scotland Women's national team players regarding terms and conditions ahead of the women's Euros in the Netherlands next month," it said. "We will endeavour to resolve this matter at the earliest opportunity through discussions with their advisors." Scotland's home-based players are being funded to go full-time as they prepare for the finals, where Scotland meet England, Portugal and Spain. A package agreed between the Scottish Football Partnership, Sport Scotland and energy firm SSE will provide finances until the tournament is over. Around half the squad are expected to benefit from the scheme. Head coach Signeul distanced herself from the dispute, saying she feels coaches should not be involved as it is between the players and the SFA. "I'm not involved at all in that process," said Signeul, who suggested it was the same for men's head coach Gordon Strachan. "They do this on the men's side as well, they negotiate contracts. "It is between the SFA and the players and I don't think Gordon has anything to do with this either, it's nothing to do with us coaches." Signeul will name her squad for Euro 2017 on 20 June.

Summary: Scotland's women are refusing to carry out any media or commercial activity due to a dispute with the Scottish FA.


He says more new arrivals are imminent with a focus on midfield after gaps were filled elsewhere. Westley saw his side end an eight-game losing streak in League Two with a draw against Colchester on Saturday, but the County manager is still not satisfied. "I'm still expecting to be active in the market," confirmed Westley. Despite the point against Colchester, County remained bottom of the table and six points from safety. Westley has been overseeing a major overhaul of his County squad including bringing back former Exile David Pipe. Westley wants more experience. "We need to strengthen. We've got experience in the dressing room and we've got one or two youngsters. I just need just one or two more experienced ingredients," he said. "I've strengthened the back-line, I've strengthened the front-line so obviously the midfield is going to be next." One midfielder it seems Westley does not have to worry about replacing is Josh Sheehan. The 21-year-old's loan spell from Swansea was due to end this month, but Westley expects Sheehan to now remain until the end of the campaign. The Newport boss added: "We've spoken to Swansea and I hope and expect Josh to stay."

Summary: Manager Graham Westley wants to add to the nine players he has already signed for Newport in the January transfer window.


In a statement in the official Granma newspaper, the government described the project as "a serious error". "The symbols of the Revolution are and will always be sacred," it read. The colognes - Ernesto and Hugo - were unveiled on Thursday by a state laboratory in the capital, Havana. Labiofam said Ernesto, the cologne named after the Argentine-born revolutionary who helped Fidel Castro take over in Cuba in 1959, would be a woodsy and refreshing citric scent with notes of talcum powder. Hugo, named after the late Venezuelan president, would offer a softer, fruitier fragrance with hints of mango and papaya. "They will be very attractive colognes, but the names also mean a lot to us," said Isabel Gonzalez, vice-president for research and development for Labiofam during the launch. But the project was mocked in the social networks and criticised by supporters of the Cuban Revolution, who considered it disrespectful. Labiofam had been in the process of developing stylised bottles and labels for the products before putting them on sale in Cuba and overseas. "We didn't want to create propaganda, but rather pay homage to them and help their names endure," said Cuban biochemist Mario Valdes, who led the scent design team, on Thursday. The company said it had obtained the agreement of the families of Che Guevara and Hugo Chavez to use their names in the colognes. But that has now been denied by the Cuban government. "The details of this irresponsible action were discussed in detail on Friday with the company's director and the employees who presented the products, which were still being developed," read the statement of the Executive Committee of the Ministers' Council, headed by Cuban President Raul Castro. "The appropriate measures will be taken to deal with this serious error. "Such initiatives will never be accepted either by our people or by the Revolutionary Government."

Summary: The Cuban government has said it will take disciplinary action against a state pharmaceutical company that created perfumes named Ernesto Che Guevara and Hugo Chavez.


Gray opened the scoring from the spot after Shane Duffy felled George Boyd in the area. Rovers pressed for an equaliser but Elliott Bennett's powerful effort was brilliantly kept out by home keeper Tom Heaton. The Clarets are now four points clear of third-placed Hull. Relive Burnley v Blackburn here The victory was the first time Burnley had beaten Rovers at Turf Moor in 38 years and took them a point above Middlesbrough, who beat Wolves 2-1 on Friday night. Paul Lambert's visitors might feel aggrieved they did not get anything from the game, having had 15 attempts to Burnley's eight and being dominant in the second half. Blackburn also felt they should have been awarded a first-half penalty when Hope Akpan went down under the challenge of Stephen Ward, while Heaton was again on hand to deny Bennett's low drive in the second period. Michael Keane did have a late chance to seal it for the hosts, but the centre-back scuffed Scott Arfield's delivery when free in the area as Sean Dyche's side held on to a hard-fought win. Burnley manager Sean Dyche: "That's my sixth Lancashire derby and I've not seen a decent one yet. "They've always been tight affairs and we thought it might be that type of game again. "It was cagey and awkward but obviously I'm delighted we came out on top and it is fantastic for the town and the fans. For me it's three points and another win but for the town it is a different thing." Blackburn boss Paul Lambert: "I thought we should have won. We were brilliant on Tuesday and we were great today. "I'm sitting here totally relaxed because I thought we played a right good game against a side who have a lot of Premier League players and have more money than us. "You wouldn't have noticed the points difference today and that's the level I want my players to play at." Match ends, Burnley 1, Blackburn Rovers 0. Second Half ends, Burnley 1, Blackburn Rovers 0. Foul by Matthew Lowton (Burnley). Tony Watt (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing. Rouwen Hennings (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Tony Watt (Blackburn Rovers). Attempt blocked. Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Elliott Bennett. Tony Watt (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card. Fredrik Ulvestad (Burnley) is shown the yellow card. Foul by George Boyd (Burnley). Thomas Spurr (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Matthew Lowton (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers). Scott Arfield (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers). Attempt missed. Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Chris Brown replaces Hope Akpan. Foul by Michael Keane (Burnley). Grant Hanley (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free

Summary: Burnley beat Lancashire rivals Blackburn to go back to the top of the Championship thanks to Andre Gray's first-half penalty.


And perhaps to some it may seem bullish to deny the youngest kids a free lunch, even if free breakfast is on offer. The move has sparked taunts of "May, the meals snatcher" - reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher's infamous cancelling of free school milk. But to Theresa May's Conservatives it was a policy that no longer added up. The party does not believe "a free school lunch for every child in the first three years of primary school... is a sensible use of public money". It's one of those tough decisions - but a free breakfast, cheap at a 10th of the price, now seems a more desirable alternative to the Conservatives - although the value of the free-lunch scheme has never been assessed. For some, the idea - brought in by the coalition government in 2014 - was always too expensive. It was very much a Liberal Democrat policy and plans were announced by Nick Clegg at his party's conference in 2013. It was not long before his man in the education department, the then schools minister David Laws, was accused of understating the costs of the policy itself. This he denied, but the then Education Secretary Michael Gove sought reassurance from the Treasury that schools would not be forced "to subsidise meals by reducing their spending on teaching and learning". Those opposed also started to claim it might cut into the budget used to provide much-needed extra school places. And in a sense, the Conservatives do not want to be seen to be funding free dinners when in this tougher school-funding climate heads are saying they are unable to pay for some of the basics. They say the pressures on their budgets are much more about the unfunded extra costs of teachers' pay, pensions and national contributions. Valentine Mulholland, head of policy at the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "After the nightmare of bringing this policy in at breakneck speed and all the capital funding spent to upgrade kitchens and dining facilities, it's pretty sad to see this U-turn." A BBC News Freedom of Information request just six months before it was due to come into force, in September 2014, found 2,700 primary schools needed new catering facilities before they could even think about offering free meals to all infant pupils. Primary school heads had complained they were being asked to do something undeliverable in the time allowed. In any event, as they so often do, schools managed the challenge that landed in their laps. Perhaps this is why teachers and heads appear to feel so upset at the idea of scrapping free lunches - even if breakfast is being offered instead. National Union of Teachers general secretary Kevin Courtney said cancelling the universal offer of a hot meal in the day is "mean-spirited and wrong-headed". The policy did not make sense, or represent value for money, given the investment many schools had already made in kitchens and staffing, he said. "It is a long time for a child to go without food from the morning until 3:30pm, which

Summary: "Mean-spirited" and "wrong-headed" is how teachers' leaders have described Theresa May's plan to scrap free school meals for infant pupils in England.


Migration Watch says this would cut net migration - the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving - from 180,000 to 65,000 a year. But James McGrory, from the pro-EU Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, called the report "disingenuous". He said it was "another example of fudging the facts". The UK is set to have a referendum by the end of 2017 on whether or not it should remain a member of the European Union. The report from Migration Watch, which advocates tighter immigration controls, looks at possible policies that could be introduced if the UK voted to leave the EU and considers their impact on overall migration figures. BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw No-one knows for sure what impact a British exit from the EU would have on immigration. It would depend on the terms of a new settlement that might take months to negotiate and years to put into place. But say, as Migration Watch advocates, that it did herald controls on the flow of low-skilled EU migrant labour, would that really work in reducing net migration? Wouldn't there be an influx of migrants from the EU before the restrictions came into force? Wouldn't businesses that currently rely on labourers, chambermaids and supermarket shelf-stackers from Europe demand that they be allowed to recruit them from elsewhere? And wouldn't the EU introduce work permits for British workers, thereby reducing emigration from the UK? These are questions that need answers in the months leading up to the referendum. The report suggested the key change could be the introduction of work permits which would limit EU nationals entering the country to higher-skilled workers, their family members and students, while low-skilled workers would not be granted entry. Lord Green of Deddington, chairman of Migration Watch, said: "It is time to examine possible alternative immigration regimes." Under the current arrangements, signs indicated migration to Britain would "continue at a substantial rate for the foreseeable future", he said. "Indeed, immigrants tend to generate further migration as their friends and relatives join them in their new countries," he said. "Work permits for EU citizens would substantially reduce net migration and its resultant pressure on our population and public services." The 16-page paper suggests that on average only about 20% of EU migrants who came to Britain between 2004 and 2014 were doing higher-skilled work. It said: "This could substantially reduce the EU inflow for work to perhaps one fifth of its recent level and would, in turn, substantially reduce net migration by perhaps 100,000 a year from the current level of 180,000." The figures should not be taken as a "precise estimate" but were "intended to illustrate the scale of the potential reduction under the policy outlined", it said. There would be no need for restrictions on EU citizens coming to the UK as students or tourists, the authors concluded. Those who are "self-sufficient" would also be free to live in Britain, including those who are looking for jobs. Under the suggested system there would also be no restriction on EU family members of

Summary: Net migration could fall by about 100,000 a year if the UK leaves the EU and introduces work permits for EU citizens, a pressure group has said.


Tunisia had faced expulsion from the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations until apologising to Caf for complaints it lodged against the organisation during this year's Nations Cup. Morocco, meanwhile, were only able to enter the 2017 Nations Cup qualifying draw after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) overturned a ban on its participation. We are preparing for a future full of good things for both Africa and Morocco "We are preparing for a future full of good things for both Africa and Morocco," said Moroccan FA chief Fouzi Lekjaa. "We are back after a little break of a few months, but it has not had a big impact. The impact was minimal and we were, along with our Caf colleagues, able to make it pass." Morocco were punished in February after being replaced as 2015 Nations Cup hosts last November, just two months before the competition began. The North Africans refused to stage the tournament in January 2015, citing fears over importing the Ebola virus, and asked for a postponement of either six or twelve months instead. Earlier this month, Cas overturned Caf's ruling and reduced a fine imposed on Morocco's FA from $1m (£675,000) to $50,000 (£34,000). Equatorial Guinea stepped in to stage the 2015 finals, despite having just 64 days to prepare. The host nation was also at the centre of the incident that led to Tunisia's row with Caf, which the local federation (FTF) says is now over. "I am convinced that the page has been turned and that there will no longer by any problems," FTF vice-president Maher Snoussi told BBC Sport. Seeking their first Nations Cup triumph since 2004, the Tunisians were leading 1-0 in the 90th minute of their quarter-final against the hosts when they were awarded a highly contentious penalty. The spot-kick was converted and Equatorial Guinea went on to win 2-1 in extra-time, as the Tunisian players and bench largely lost their heads as tempers flared. The Tunisians wrote a furious letter to Caf in response, which prompted African football's ruling body to demand an apology by 31 March 2015 or face disqualification from the next Nations Cup. Contrary to media reports, the Tunisia Football Federation insists it never accused Caf nor Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn of corruption. "We never spoke of corruption because we had no evidence," said Snoussi. "But we were strongly convinced that the referee sought out an unjustifiable penalty, and that perhaps he was influenced by the atmosphere inside the stadium." "But we never accused either him or any Caf member of corruption. "We simply said the referee was very badly chosen and we contested that a 45-year-old, coming towards the end of his international career, should have been selected. "In our famous letter, we said that the commission in charge of appointing referees had to assume responsibility for appointing a referee incapable of handling the match." Tunisia's 2017 participation seemed in doubt until a meeting with Caf president Issa Hayatou and others in Senegal in mid-March led to a rapprochement. "Luckily, with the strong pressure of Issa Hayatou,

Summary: Tunisia and Morocco's differences with the Confederation of African Football (Caf) are in the past, both North African nations say.