Four wards were closed to visitors at Arrowe Park Hospital, Wirral, on Monday before the visiting ban was extended on Thursday. The ban does not affect Wirral Women and Children's Hospitals. Gaynor Westray, director of nursing and midwifery at the hospital, said the decision was "in the best interests of our patients". She said: "The safety of our patients is paramount to us and it is never an easy decision to make but this will help us contain the spread of this highly contagious bug." The hospital has also asked the public to not visit its accident and emergency department if they have symptoms of the bug. Norovirus - which causes vomiting, stomach cramps, fever and diarrhoea - is easily spread from person to person. Symptoms usually begin between 12 to 48 hours after a person becomes infected, with most healthy people making a recovery within one to three days. Arrowe Park has not given an indication of how long the ban is likely to remain in effect.

Summary: A hospital has suspended visits to patients on all its wards following an outbreak of the norovirus bug.


Firefighters were called to a home in Marlborough Road just after 22:00 GMT on Saturday after a fire developed in the first floor and roof. A man was removed from the home by firefighters, but later died in hospital. The cause of the fire is being investigated by Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Thames Valley Police.

Summary: A man has been killed in a fire in Oxford.


The Australian, whose car has a major aerodynamic update, was 0.234 seconds quicker than Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. Title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel were third and sixth, Hamilton 0.7secs quicker than Vettel and 0.372secs behind Ricciardo. Hamilton, who has won five times in 10 years in Hungary, trails Vettel by one point at the mid-point of the season. Hamilton was 0.4secs quicker than team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who was fifth behind the second Red Bull of Max Verstappen, and 0.6secs off Ricciardo, struggling with his set-up. Vettel also appeared to be struggling. The four-time champion was a second off the pace, complained of a lack of rear grip and had a spin and a number of moments when he ran wide and off track. He was not the only one to fall prey to the slippery surface at the Hungaroring. Both Haas drivers crashed at the fast Turn 11, Romain Grosjean incurring only light damage, but reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi bringing out a red flag when he buried his car in the wall, damaging the left-hand side. And at the end of the session, Renault's Jolyon Palmer lost control at the exit of the fast uphill kink at Turn Four, bouncing over the kerbs and smashing his front wing to pieces. Palmer finished the session in an encouraging 10th, just one place and 0.3secs behind team-mate Nico Hulkenberg on a weekend when he is under pressure. Former F1 driver Robert Kubica will test with Renault at this track next week as the team assess whether the Pole is capable of returning to the sport more than six years after a horrific rally crash left him with only partial use of his right arm. It was not immediately clear whether Palmer had damaged the new floor that was introduced for the first time at the last race and which he was using for the first time. Plus, if he had, whether Renault had sufficient spares to fit a new one. McLaren lived up to their promise to perform better than usual in Hungary because of the relative unimportance of engine power at the track, with Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne best of the rest in seventh and eighth places.

Summary: Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo sprung a surprise with fastest time in first practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix.


Roedd Jason Cooper wedi bod o flaen llys o'r blaen ar gyhuddiad o geisio llofruddio Laura Jayne Stuart, ond clywodd y llys ddydd Gwener bod Ms Stuart wedi marw. Ymddangosodd Mr Cooper, 27 oed o Ddinbych, ar gyswllt fideo o garchar Altcourse yn Lerpwl. Mae'n wynebu cyhuddiadau o lofruddio Ms Stuart yn Ninbych ar 12 Awst, ac o glwyfo David Roberts gyda'r bwriad o achosi niwed corfforol difrifol iddo. Doedd dim cais am fechnïaeth ac fe gafodd y diffynnydd ei gadw yn y ddalfa nes i'r achos yn ei erbyn ddechrau ym mis Chwefror, 2018. Er bod dyn wedi ei gyhuddo, mae Heddlu Gogledd Cymru yn pwysleisio fod eu hymchwiliad yn parhau, a bod swyddogion yn dal i chwilio am y gyllell gafodd ei defnyddio i drywanu Ms Stuart. Mae'r heddlu yn gofyn i unrhyw un sydd â gwybodaeth i gysylltu drwy ffonio 101 neu 0800 555 111 gan ddefnyddio'r cyfeirnod RC 1712 2068.

Summary: Mae dyn wedi ymddangos o flaen Llys y Goron Yr Wyddgrug i wynebu cyhuddiad o lofruddiaeth.


The 22-year-old striker was one of three AC Milan players targeted during their match against Roma on Sunday, which was halted for two minutes. "If it happens one more time, I'm going to leave the pitch, because it's so stupid," the Italy international said. "I was about to leave, but they will think I wanted to leave because we had difficulty with the game." AC Milan were down to 10 men at the time when the Serie A fixture at their San Siro stadium was temporarily stopped. The game only restarted after the visiting Roma supporters were ordered to cease their behaviour. Roma, who were fined 50,000 euros (£42,400) by the Italian Football League for the incident, released a statement on Monday condemning the actions of their supporters and promised to "face this issue head-on". The punishment was criticised by Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who told the world governing body's website: "They have not made any investigation of what happened. Just to give a pecuniary sanction is not valid, not acceptable." Balotelli, who has scored 11 goals in 12 games since his January switch from Manchester City, said the incident had altered his thinking about the best way to tackle the problem. He told CNN: "I always said if it happens in the stadium, I would just behave as if nobody had done anything and that I don't care, but now I think I've changed my mind a bit." There have been a number of incidents this season involving racial abuse of AC Milan's players. A January friendly between Milan and Pro Patria was suspended because of racist chants aimed at Kevin-Prince Boateng. The following month, Inter Milan were fined 50,000 euros after their fans were found to have abused their former player Balotelli in the Milan derby. And in April, champions Juventus were fined 30,000 euros (£25,000) after their supporters racially abused the AC Milan players.

Summary: Mario Balotelli has threatened to walk off the pitch if he is ever again subjected to racist abuse from fans.


Kamal C Chavara was detained by the police in Kerala state on Sunday after the youth wing of the Hindu nationalist BJP lodged a complaint against him. Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that the anthem must be played in every cinema before a film is screened. Some 20 people have been held in Kerala and Tamil Nadu since then for remaining seated during the anthem. Also, India's colonial-era sedition law has been often used against students, journalists, writers and social activists and those critical of the government. Reports said that the BJP's youth wing lodged a complaint against a Facebook post by Mr Chavara which allegedly insulted the anthem. The post was apparently an excerpt from one of his books. Senior police official Sateesh Bino told the NDTV news channel that the writer-activist "is being questioned for his controversial post on the national anthem on Facebook" and had been charged with sedition. Earlier this month, 12 people were arrested at a cinema in Kerala, after they remained seated while the national anthem played. The cinemagoers, who were attending an international film festival, were later freed but they face charges of "failure to obey an order issued by a public servant, thereby causing obstruction or annoyance to others". And at a cinema in Chennai, eight people who did not stand for the anthem were assaulted and abused, police said. The eight were later charged with showing disrespect to the anthem.

Summary: A writer in India has been charged with sedition for allegedly showing disrespect to the national anthem.


Hart, 29, is yet to make an appearance for City this season and has been told he can leave the club if he wishes. "It is a big concern," said Allardyce, who told BBC Radio 5 live he will confirm his captain this month. But the former Sunderland boss said Hart will be in his squad for next month's World Cup qualifier with Slovakia when it is named on Sunday. Hart has won 63 caps for England, but had a disappointing Euro 2016, making mistakes against Wales and Iceland as the side was knocked out in the last 16. Media playback is not supported on this device With Hart out of favour with new City manager Pep Guardiola, Argentinian Willy Caballero has been an ever-present for the club so far this season. Everton are keen on signing Hart, who is not attracted by the prospect of joining interested parties Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund. Barcelona said on Saturday they had reached the "beginning of an agreement" with City over the transfer of their goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. "We want as many players as possible in their club's first team that join up with the squad, then go on to play for England and be successful," said Allardyce. "It doesn't happen as much now as it did 20 or 25 years ago because there are a smaller number of [English] players who play in the Premier League now." England's opening Group F qualifier for the 2018 World Cup will take place in Trnava on 4 September and will be their first game under Allardyce, who was appointed after Roy Hodgson resigned following the defeat to Iceland. Allardyce is still to decide whether Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney will continue as captain. "I will reveal the captain by Wednesday at the latest because everyone is asking the question," he said. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: England manager Sam Allardyce is worried about goalkeeper Joe Hart's situation at Manchester City.


Mr Marshall-Andrews told The Times he had jumped ship in light of the Brexit campaign and Labour's refusal to stand aside in the Richmond Park by-election. The QC and barrister was MP for Medway from 1997 to 2010. A Labour spokesman said: "Bob Marshall-Andrews has not been a member of the Labour Party for some years." Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said he was "coming over to the only party that is offering a credible opposition to a divisive Tory Brexit government". Mr Marshall-Andrews used to sit with the socialist group of Labour MPs alongside Mr Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell. He pointed to last year's by-election in South West London as a key moment in his decision-making. That Richmond Park election saw the Conservatives and UKIP stand aside in order to avoid taking votes from Zac Goldsmith, while the Greens refused to put up a candidate to allow the Lib Dems a free run. Labour rejected calls to not put up a candidate. "Faced with a common enemy on this historic issue there was an urgent requirement for a common strategy if not common sense. Labour rejected both and fielded a candidate," said Mr Marshall-Andrews.

Summary: Former Labour MP Bob Marshall-Andrews has defected to the Lib Dems after describing Jeremy Corbyn's party as a "political basket case".


It became one of the most successful drama shows on British television. Rees starred as the spirited servant Demelza, who married Cornish tin mine owner Ross Poldark. Something of a Downton Abbey of its day, and a contemporary of ITV's popular Upstairs Downstairs, up to 15 million viewers tuned into the BBC's Sunday evening costume drama. A story of love and greed among sweeping landscapes, Poldark was set in the 18th Century and based on books by Winston Graham. It ran for two series between 1975 and 1977. Co-starring Robin Ellis and Ralph Bates, it was shown in 22 countries. Fellow Welsh actress Ruth Madoc told the BBC: "Angharad was a lovely, gentle woman and very pretty. "Poldark was a landmark series which everyone remembers so well." Before the TV series which made her name, Rees had appeared in the 1972 film Under Milk Wood with fellow Welsh actors Richard Burton and Sian Phillips, along with Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor, and was nominated for a best newcomer award for her role in the film Moments (1974) with Keith Michell. An acclaimed acting career on stage, screen and radio followed. TV credits included Dennis Potter's Joe's Ark, Remington Steel, a BBC adaptation of Shakespeare's As You Like It and Trainer, a drama series set in the world of horse racing. She also appeared in the cult horror film Hands of the Ripper and plays such as A Winter's Tale, Richard II, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. For her radio work, she won the Prix Italia for Florent and the Tuxedo Millions in 1982 and was nominated for a best actress award in 1985. However, she turned her back on acting when her eldest son Linford was killed in a car crash on the M11 in Essex in 1999, aged 26. At the time, Rees and husband, Dynasty actor Christopher Cazenove, said they were "devastated". Linford had recently gained a postgraduate degree in philosophy from Cambridge. Speaking to the South Wales Echo newspaper two years later, Rees said she was "distraught" following Linford's death and threw herself into her "therapeutic" passion for jewellery design. "I was about to open the shop when my son died," she told the newspaper. "I became very reclusive. I used to go there every day and work. It was a creative thing and I could lose myself in it." Her talent led to a successful fine jewellery business, with a shop in Knightsbridge. Her pieces featured in the film Elizabeth - The Golden Age. It wasn't her first venture in the business world. In the early nineties, Rees set up her own company to teach relaxation techniques, helping executives, sports stars and academics. "I like having something on the go. I'm not a lady who lunches," she said in the interview. After her divorce from Casanove, who died in 2010, she married David McAlpine, of the construction family in 2005. Despite stepping away from the acting spotlight, she remained an active supporter of the arts. She also did poetry readings and recited at the gala opening of the Welsh

Summary: Welsh actress Angharad Rees, who has died of cancer at the age of 63, was one of the best-known faces of the 1970s thanks to her role in Poldark.


The layoffs will be announced in the coming weeks, according to unnamed sources who spoke to Bloomberg News and the Wall Street Journal. A memo from BlackRock's president Rob Kapito and chief operating officer Rob Goldstein said the job cuts have not been finalised. BlackRock declined to comment. The last time BlackRock cut a significant number of jobs was in 2013 but the firm ended the year with a higher headcount. The new round of layoffs comes following months of volatility in the financial markets, which has negatively impacted the income made by traditional banks and other investment houses. Rivals like Franklin Resources, AllianceBernstein and State Street are also shedding jobs as part of their cost-cutting efforts. BlackRock has 13,000 employees globally and manages around $4.6tn in assets.

Summary: The world's largest money manager BlackRock reportedly plans to cut 400 jobs, or about 3% of its workforce, in its biggest round of layoffs to date.


The Gran Fondo was in the city for the first time, giving riders the option of taking on a 100 mile (160km) course or a shorter 37 mile (60km) route. Plymouth based cyclist Jonathan Tiernan-Locke, who is serving a two-year doping ban, was among the riders. The Sky Ride offered families the chance to cycle a 5 mile (8km) tour of the city.

Summary: Thousands of bikers in Devon took to the streets as two big cycling events came to Plymouth.


The Women into Sustainable Employment scheme aims to improve language and workplace skills and is being piloted in Dundee and Glasgow. It is run by Bridges Programmes, which supports refugees, asylum seekers and others who do not speak English as a first language. If successful, the project could be extended across Scotland. The Scottish government said research suggested women from black and ethnic minority groups face many barriers to work and are under-represented in Scotland's labour market. Minister for Youth and Women's Employment, Annabelle Ewing, said: "This course is aimed at precisely that group of women and I am very pleased that the Scottish government is able to fund the programme in two of Scotland's cities to help improve their employability, including building up their confidence, sharpen their English language skills and experience the workplace itself. "We hope that if successful, such an innovative approach to the provision of English for speakers of other languages can be rolled out across Scotland to allow many more to benefit in the future. "We are committed both to strengthening the economy and reducing inequality in Scotland. Schemes such as Bridges will help us make progress on both fronts by helping a minority group take their rightful place in the workplace." Founder and director of the Bridges Programmes, Maggie Lennon, said "We are delighted that the Scottish government is funding what we know to be a successful and practical way of getting black and minority ethnic women into work. "The key to the approach is working closely with employers at every stage, to ensure that the training is relevant to their needs as well as the women, meaning work- placements are more successful which in turn can lead to more sustainable job outcomes. "Once again we see Scottish employers taking a pro-active role in supporting people far from the workplace."

Summary: A new project to help women from ethnic minority backgrounds into work has been given £110,000 of government funding.


A further thirteen pupils at the fee-paying school have been suspended for using E-cigarettes. Another pupil has been suspended and given a final warning after the discovery of the class B drug. In a letter to parents, rector Dr John Halliday said police were conducting an investigation into the incident. Dr Halliday wrote: "Following the discovery of a small amount of cannabis on school property, three pupils in F3 have now left the school for their involvement in this incident. "As I intimated last week, the school immediately notified the police, who are conducting their own investigation. "We obviously cannot comment on their investigation but I can reassure you that no pupil still at school is under investigation by the police." Dr Halliday said the 13 pupils suspended following E-cigarette use were given "clear warnings" and guidance. He said that the school had strict anti-drugs and anti-smoking policies. He wrote: "Breaches of the policy are treated with the utmost seriousness, with the resulting disciplinary decisions reached after full and thorough consideration of the facts and circumstances. "I and my senior colleagues have been addressing these incidents directly and believe that we have taken appropriate action in support of the school's standpoint that such behaviour cannot be tolerated."

Summary: Three pupils at the High School of Dundee have been expelled following the discovery of cannabis on school property.


Three open-top buses took the first team, youth team and family members on a parade from Stamford Bridge towards the King's Road in west London. Chelsea ended their campaign eight points clear at the top after a final day win over Sunderland on Sunday. The match also marked Didier Drogba's final game for the club after he announced his intention to move on. Following the championship win, manager Jose Mourinho said: "We have art in our game but we also have fantastic spirit, organisation and pragmatism. "We are a complete team and that is why we are champions." The side had topped the Premier League table for a record 274 days ensuring they would be crowned champions for the first time in five years.

Summary: Thousands of football fans turned out to watch Chelsea's victory parade following their Premier League victory.


The initial plan was to pass ownership to supporters' group Well Society in five years, but instead it has taken 14 months for the handover to be agreed. This was always going to be the final outcome, since Hutchison was never interested in owning or running the club long-term. For him, a Lanarkshire boy whose business career took him abroad and eventually into a life of significant wealth, the point was to contribute to his local community. Challenges remain, though, even if Hutchison believes much of the hard work has been carried out. The significant progress is that costs have been cut, that investments have been made on infrastructure projects at Fir Park and on improving the chances of the football side of the business contributing to self-sustainability. Hutchison is satisfied that in agreeing to sell his 76% shareholding for £1 to the Well Society, he has paved the way for stability and fan ownership. If there is a message from Hutchison, it is that fans and local businesses need to step up to support the club financially, so that it never needs to be reliant on wealthy individuals or investors. "I can't speak to the future of any business, whether it's secure or otherwise, but if they have enough customers and they follow the strategy which has been implemented, we've significantly improved the probability of success," Hutchison told BBC Scotland from his home in Barbados. "[The club] is extremely close [to break even]. In recent months, the player budget has been reduced dramatically, we've been able to sign some really excellent younger players on longer-term contracts, which reduces costs because you don't have to buy a much more experienced player, we've significantly reduced the medical bills by the introduction of the sports scientist. "We could do with a little bit of a boost on the commercial side, but we have that pipeline of young talent coming through which would give the opportunity for additional transfer income. "What [supporters] need to do is decide whether or not they want to try to make it work and whether they want to step up. "The second, and probably more important one, is that I'd like to see more local companies participate more effectively with the club and the community." Hutchison had to address costs at Fir Park since the club was running at a loss. Before John Boyle's controlling interest was transferred in January 2015, Hutchison had to provide £30,000 to pay bills. He has since invested £650,000 and £380,000 in loans, with at least £180,000 having been paid back, and the remaining repayment terms altered. Motherwell previously used to budget to finish in the top half of the Premiership, which meant that any drop in form had a significant impact on working capital. That has changed, while 10 players left the club in January, although one of them - James McFadden - subsequently signed a new short-term deal until the end of the season. Under Mark McGhee's management, the focus is to be on developing young players, and Hutchison is particularly proud that

Summary: Les Hutchison's involvement at Motherwell has ended before he expected it to.


Panthers kept alive their title hopes and closed the gap on leaders Devils to four points. Two goals from Matthew Myers put Panthers in control before Joey Martin replied. Franklin MacDonald, Geoff Waugh and Evan Mosey's two goals secured the win. The sides meet again in the Challenge Cup final at the Sheffield Arena on Sunday.

Summary: Cardiff Devils lost 6-1 away to Nottingham Panthers in the Elite League, less than 48 hours before playing the same opposition in the Challenge Cup final.


Guy Bridge, 16, completed the lap on Thursday in two hours, 32 minutes and 25 seconds to become the fastest single-handed sailor round the island. His mother, Steph Bridge, claimed the spot for the fastest female in three hours, three minutes and 24 seconds. The World Sailing Speed Records (WSSR) will formally ratify the timings later. WSSR said: "This is the first time there has been an official attempt in these two categories. It's a benchmark." Guy, who beat his brother, Olly, 18, in the race by just two seconds said: "It feels amazing but my legs were burning - it was tough." The trio from Exmouth reached speeds of 25knots during the 55-mile (89km) race which started and finished off the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes.

Summary: A mother and her teenage son have set benchmark records for the fastest circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight on kiteboards.


A trial of more than 500 patients found that it did not prolong or improve their quality of life any more than other forms of treatment. More than 45,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year in the UK. In a third of cases, the cancer will spread to the brain. Secondary brain tumours are usually treated with whole brain radiotherapy along with steroids and other treatments to reduce the side-effects of cancer therapies. But it can have serious side-effects, such as nausea and extreme tiredness, and cause damage to the nervous system. This study, involving doctors, researchers and patients from hospitals right across the UK, found that there was no improvement in the quality of life of patients after one week of whole brain radiotherapy. These patients tend to already have a poor prognosis. Dr Paula Mulvenna, consultant clinical oncologist with Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said whole brain radiotherapy was used because it was thought to control tumours. "But in our lung cancer clinics, we were not seeing the improvements we had hoped for in our patients. "Survival times are poor and have hardly changed since the 1980s. "What's more, the technique's toxicity can be substantial and it can damage cognitive function." According to Prof Ruth Langley, from the Medical Research Council clinical trials unit at University College London, radiosurgery - a very precise form of radiotherapy - is a favoured alternative technique, which has minimal side-effects. But some scientists say there may still be a place for whole brain radiotherapy. Writing in a linked comment in the Lancet, Dr Cecile le Pechoux from Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus in France said: "We believe that optimised whole brain radiotherapy, given at the right time to appropriate patients, could lead to more individualised strategies." They said all treatments should be discussed with patients, taking into account the result of this trial.

Summary: Whole brain radiotherapy is of no benefit to people with lung cancer which has spread to the brain, says research in the Lancet.


A Vauxhall Astra and a Peugeot 206 were involved in the crash on Blackburn Road in Sheffield at 01:00 GMT. Joshua Fothergill, 19, of Rotherham was in the Astra and died at the scene as did Liam Parkin, also 19, of Sheffield who was in the Peugeot. A 20-year-old man, held on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop, has been bailed. Three other men who were travelling in the Peugeot were injured and taken to hospital for treatment. They were a 24-year-old and an 18-year-old from Rotherham, and a 21-year-old man about whom no other details were released by police.

Summary: Two teenagers who died when two cars collided in the early hours of Saturday have been named by police.


Samuel Walker was fatally injured in a hit-and-run as he crossed a road in Chorlton, Manchester, in February 2003. Joyrider Nawnee Mackin, 35, was jailed for nine years in November for causing death by dangerous driving. Car owner Craig Chevelleau, 33, was jailed for 23 months after being convicted of perverting the course of justice at Manchester Crown Court. Chevelleau, who was sentenced on Wednesday, was described as Mackin's "criminal associate" by police. He claimed the vehicle was stolen by a stranger while he was using a phone box. Chevelleau said he saw his car being driven off by an unknown person but thought it was a prank by a friend, so did not report it to police until three hours later. The vehicle was later found abandoned by police. Sgt Lee Westhead said his "web of lies" had helped Samuel's killer escape justice for 12 years. Ambulance staff attempted to revive Samuel at the scene before he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He would have celebrated his 18th birthday in March.

Summary: The owner of a car that knocked down and killed a five-year-old boy more than 10 years ago has been jailed.


The 28-year-old tested positive for a banned substance just days before heading to the Olympic Games in Rio. He claimed the result was orchestrated to stop him speaking out about politics in Indian sports, saying: "Their intention is to shut me up." Navin Agarwal, director general of India's anti-doping agency, denied samples could have been tampered with. Singh said he denied "all the allegations of doping that I am accused of". "I am being targeted and it's a clear case of conspiracy against me," he said. "My sample has been tampered with "I have been speaking out against the politics in sports in India and how badly athletes are treated and their poor training facilities, and this has riled many powerful people in the country." Singh is the second Rio-bound Indian athlete to fail a doping test after wrestler Narsingh Yadav, 26, last week tested positive for a banned steroid. Yadav has also denied wrongdoing, claiming his food supplements were spiked. "I believe that there is foul play involved in this entire episode," he told India's NDTV station. No sanctions for the pair have been announced, and Singh has been asked if he would like to have a second sample tested.

Summary: Indian shot put champion Inderjeet Singh believes he failed a drugs test because of a "conspiracy" against him.


They provided information that would help find the "truth", Mr Fillon said. Last week investigators began a preliminary inquiry into reports she earned €500,000 ($534,000; £428,000) as her husband's parliamentary assistant. Le Canard Enchaine newspaper has questioned how much work she did for the money between 1998 and 2012. Both the centre-right candidate and his Welsh-born wife deny any wrongdoing. In a statement, he said that the information they provided to police would prove the work done by Mrs Fillon. Mr Fillon said last week he was "outraged by the contempt and misogyny" in the newspaper's story. He also said that he wanted to be heard by the investigators and would step down if put under formal investigation. The husband and wife were questioned separately by police specialising in financial crime, BBC Paris Correspondent Hugh Schofield says. The whole affair is causing serious jitters in Mr Fillon's centre-right Republican party, he adds. They are hoping that the documents provided to police are enough to show that Penelope Fillon did indeed earn the money she received. Mr Fillon, 62, is the front-runner for the presidential election in April. National Front leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron are seen as his main challengers. The practising Catholic is an admirer of Margaret Thatcher and defeated the more moderate Alain Juppe in a landslide at party primaries in November.

Summary: French police have interviewed presidential candidate Francois Fillon and his wife Penelope over claims she was paid for fake work.


Benjamin Herman, 80, of Hook, Hampshire, denies four counts of sex abuse against a girl under 13 in the early 1970s. Mr Herman is a former equerry to the Duke of Edinburgh. Under cross-examination, the woman told Blackfriars Crown Court: "I am not fantasising, lying or imagining it." Mr Herman held the equerry post between 1971 and 1974, managing the duke's official diary and accompanying him on official visits. He faces three counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 13 and one count of indecency with a child between January 1972 and January 1974. The court heard the woman wrote in a letter to her brother last year: "He groomed and manipulated me and assaulted me four or five times." Defence counsel Nerida Harford-Bell accused her of making up "lies", hating "posh people" and hunting for attention. She also suggesting the woman was "hoping to get money from this". The woman told the court: "I don't want any money, I don't want his wretched money. I don't want anybody's money." Members of Mr Herman's family in the public gallery wept as the exchange took place. The trial continues.

Summary: A woman who claims she was "groomed" and sexually abused by a former royal aide told a jury she had not made up the story and did not "want his money".


When Peter Young was in charge of mental health services at Australia's refugee detention centres, he says it became increasingly clear that authorities wanted to "keep the lid" on health issues that asylum seekers were experiencing. The senior Australian psychiatrist says immigration authorities wanted details about the high rates of mental illness among children at the centres to be removed from his official reports. He was asked to delete clinical opinions that made a direct link between prolonged detention and mental health problems. Dr Young was director of International Health and Medical Services (IHMS) - a private health service contracted by Australia's Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) to provide health care to detention centres - a role he held for three years. Its services covered the country's controversial offshore facilities on the Pacific island of Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island, where all asylum seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are sent - never to be resettled in Australia even if their refugee claims are proven. In advising on treatment, Dr Young argued with authorities who considered acts of self-harm by detainees as "a type of bad behaviour, rather than a manifestation of people in extreme states of hopelessness". He says he was later refused permission to use data he had collected about health issues in detention centres in presentations or publications. "They made it very clear this type of information should never get into the public domain," he told the BBC. Now there is fear that health workers could go to prison for such revelations under new Border Force laws that threaten "entrusted people" with up to two years in prison if they reveal protected information about Australia's detention facilities. In recent months, hundreds of doctors and nurses have staged public protests in cities across Australia, posing with their hands over their mouths to highlight the risk of being silenced. Their concerns are shared by Australia's 13 peak medical groups, who have accused the government of trying to "gag" health professionals. The World Medical Association has also warned the laws are "in striking conflict with basic principles of medical ethics". Critics say the gag is the latest act in a "culture of secrecy" around tough Australian policies designed to stop boatloads of asylum seekers from arriving on Australian shores. The government is unapologetic about its stance on "stopping the boats" It denies it is trying to silence doctors and nurses or that it wants to suppress health information. The Border Force says the new laws are to protect "operational security" and insists robust internal mechanisms are in place through which medical concerns can be raised and addressed. The federal Labor opposition agrees. It supported the legislation and says health workers will be protected by 'whistleblower' protections under the Commonwealth Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013. However, legal experts say it is not clear what sort of information would be protected and there are a range of internal hurdles that could delay or deter disclosures. That confusion alone may suit the government, says human rights lawyer George Newhouse.

Summary: Australian laws forbidding people working in the country's detention centres from speaking out about what they see have raised grave concerns in the medical community.


The Chesterfield striker was cleared of rape at a retrial in 2016. He had been charged with attacking the woman in a hotel room in Rhyl, Denbighshire. Following the retrial, North Wales Police investigated after the woman's name was revealed on social media. Anyone who reports being a victim of a sex offence is guaranteed lifelong anonymity. North Wales Police's temporary Supt Jason Devonport said the publishing of her name was a "serious" offence. The men, aged between 16 and 23, were from the Sheffield, Derbyshire and Birmingham areas. All were cautioned after admitting publishing the name of the woman - who has lifelong anonymity under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 - after the retrial verdict. Supt Devonport said: "This type of offence is fortunately rare, however, I'd like to emphasise all police forces take offences of this nature very seriously. "We will vigorously pursue and prosecute those who don't respect victims' anonymity." In November 2012 - following the initial trial - nine people were made to pay compensation to the woman after they admitted naming her on Twitter and Facebook. Mr Evans, 28, was originally found guilty of rape at Caernarfon Crown Court in 2012, but that conviction was quashed in April 2016. A retrial jury found him not guilty of the offence six months later. The Chesterfield striker had been charged with attacking her at a hotel on 30 May 2011. He was found not guilty of the same charge, after a retrial at Cardiff Crown Court, in October 2016. Mr Evans' former club Sheffield United announced this week it was to re-sign him.

Summary: Ten men who revealed the identity of the woman involved in footballer Ched Evans' rape trial have been cautioned.


The 23-year-old, who made her senior international debut in 2012, featured at last year's World Cup in Canada. The former league winner with ADO Den Haag scored 15 goals in 94 appearances for Ajax since joining them in 2012. "I was looking for a new challenge and I'm delighted to get the chance to play for such a big club," Middag told the Women's Super League leaders' website. "It's a bonus to be playing in the Champions League and I'm really looking forward to playing at the highest level against clubs from France and Germany."

Summary: Manchester City Women have signed Netherlands midfielder Tessel Middag from Eredivisie Women's side Ajax.


Qiang Gao, 39, attacked the co-worker in the kitchen of the Szechuan Express takeaway in Thatcham, Berkshire in May. The victim, 40, suffered severe head injuries including a fractured skull and had a finger partially severed. Gao, of Acorn Drive, Thatcham was found guilty of attempted murder at Reading Crown Court. Adrian Foster, chief crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: "There is no doubt that, with the force used, Gao intended to kill the victim. "Gao clearly acted out of blind retaliation in a grossly disproportionate manner and is undoubtedly an extremely dangerous man." Gao was arrested on 28 May and charged with attempted murder the following day. He denied attempted murder, claiming self-defence, but was found guilty by a jury after a five-day trial.

Summary: A man who struck a colleague in the head with a meat cleaver after a row over a chicken has been jailed for 11 years.


Researchers found that four out of five children in England who ate school lunches had tried food at school that they had not tried at home. Half of parents questioned said their children had asked for foods they had eaten at school to be cooked at home. The survey, of about 1,000 parents, found the most popular vegetables were carrots, sweetcorn and peas. Aubergine, chickpeas and spinach were among the least popular. Of the parents questioned, 628 had children who ate school lunches. (% denotes proportion of parents who said their child would eat each vegetable) England's School Food Trust commissioned the research after a survey by the Mumsnet website suggested some parents gave their children packed lunches because they thought they were too fussy to eat anything else. Trust chairman, Rob Rees, said: "Every parent knows it's a nightmare watching their child push food around the plate. "School meals can be a great way to help parents encourage their children to try new foods and to increase the variety of foods in their diet." Mumsnet co-founder, Carrie Longton, said: "Getting children to eat healthily is every parent's dream, but meal times at home can often be a battle ground and emotionally charged. "From Mumsnetters' experience it seems that once at school there's a desire to fit in with everyone else and even some positive peer pressure to boast about the variety of what foods you can eat. "School meals have also moved on quite a bit from when Mumsnetters were at school, with healthier options and more variety." School meals in England now have to comply with strict nutritional guidelines. About four in 10 primary school children in England now eat school lunches, slightly more than in secondary schools. More children in Scotland eat school lunches - about 46%. The survey was conducted online between 26 February and 5th March among a panel of parents who had at least one child in school aged 4-17 years old.

Summary: School lunches can tempt fussy eaters to try new foods, a survey for the School Food Trust has suggested.


The 58-year-old moved from his position as chief executive to director of football earlier this year. Spireites director Ashley Carson said the role was now "redundant". Turner, who joined Chesterfield in 2011, told the club website: "I am very disappointed to be leaving Chesterfield, but I can understand the situation and I leave on good terms."

Summary: Chesterfield director of football Chris Turner has left the struggling League One club.


Media playback is not supported on this device Stokes smashed 158 from 131 balls and Taylor compiled a stylish 114 before both were retired out. Nick Compton, batting at three, marked his return with 58. That helped England recover from 56-3 as Alastair Cook managed only two and new opening partner Alex Hales eight. Hales is set to become the eighth man tried at the top of the order since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012 when the first of four Tests against South Africa begins on 26 December. In this first of two warm-up matches, the Nottinghamshire man faced nine balls, one of which was an edge through the slips, before the 10th took his off stump as he offered no stroke to Junior Dala. Cook had already been trapped lbw Thandolwethu Mnyaka and, after Joe Root edged behind for a 28 scored exclusively in boundaries, the tourists were wobbling. Enter Compton, given the chance at number three ahead of Gary Ballance, to play with the sort of control England require after the omission of Ian Bell. He was eventually pinned lbw on the back foot, allowing Taylor and Stokes to push the innings into a higher gear. Stokes, in particular, dished out some brutal treatment, going from 50 to 100 in only 38 balls. In all he struck 23 fours and five sixes, the last of which left the fielding side unable to find the ball. When both men were called to the pavilion, Jonny Bairstow (35) and Moeen Ali (33 not out) were afforded some time at the crease.

Summary: Ben Stokes and James Taylor both made unbeaten centuries as England reached 470-5 on the opening day of their warm-up match against a South African Invitation XI in Potchefstroom.


Fellow tenants Newport Gwent Dragons are subject to a takeover bid from the Welsh Rugby Union, who have said they see Rodney Parade "as a rugby venue." County have a lease to use the ground - and have primacy of fixtures on the venue if they remain in the Football League - until 2023. "Our view is quite clear - we've got a contract," Foxall said. "That is something that we're expecting to be honoured. "Obviously there is a vote in early May by the shareholders for Newport Rugby and we'll wait and see what happens with that." The WRU's takeover of Newport Gwent Dragons will be put to the vote on Tuesday, 9 May. In 2013 the Exiles agreed a 10-year lease to use the stadium after gaining promotion to the Football League from the Conference. Newport RFC chairman Will Godfrey said both County and Newport Squash Club, who are also based at Rodney Parade, are protected under their current agreements. Godfrey said the WRU had been made aware of that fact. The WRU have signalled their intention to install an artificial surface which is against Football League rules. On the pitch, County are two points clear of the League Two relegation with two games remaining after six wins in 10 games under caretaker manager Mike Flynn and can clinch survival this weekend if they win and rivals Hartlepool lose. Newport secured promotion back to the Football League in 2013 and Foxall said relegation to the National League would be a "massive" blow, "To lose that status again, in a relatively short space of time would be pretty devastating for the fans but also for the city of Newport," Foxall told BBC Wales Today.

Summary: Newport County chairman of operations Gavin Foxall says he expects the League Two club to remain at Rodney Parade.


Pierre Cornlouer from Tredegar spent 30 years in the Navy, serving in the Falklands, the Gulf and Bosnia. He wrote The Adventures of Mrs Orangeleaf to explain to his daughter what life was like for servicemen. An animation of it is narrated by Simon Weston and voiced by 40 other veterans. They are all aged 20 to 85, with many of them people Mr Cornlouer has met in his role as chaplain for the Alabare charity - which helps those struggling to cope with life outside the military. The Armed Forces Covenant funded the animation and radio play adaptations and they will be premiered in Portsmouth to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the Falklands conflict later this year. Mr Cornlouer said recording them helped many veterans "feel part of something" for the first time since leaving the forces. "My daughter asked 'what are you doing daddy?' when I spoke to her [while away]. I replied 'giving Benjamin [HMS] Illustrious his breakfast'," he said. "I described oil sandwiches, Norman the Harrier taking off from it and lights on the Hormuz strait between Iraq and Iran being pirates." Trying to explain to a child what he was experiencing was the inspiration behind him putting pen to paper. He was an assistant steward on the QE2 after it was commandeered to take soldiers to the Falklands when the conflict over the South Atlantic British colony broke out with Argentina in 1982. "We got to know many of them and gave them a can of beer [as they got off] and wished them luck," he said. "But then we had to pick up survivors from the Coventry and Antelope [British boats that had been bombed] and realised the Galahad [another ship] had also been hit. "We lost some of them. That is when we realised the nature of the war." While flashbacks of what he saw, such as the badly injured servicemen he helped, can be triggered any time such as through television shows, his books give a different perspective of the conflict. Instead of the horrors, details on the Falklands War are limited to a story about "two penguins, a seal and a ship stuck on ice". Mrs Orangeleaf and the Pirates has sold 10,000 copies, while he has written two others, including Mrs Orangeleaf Goes to Santa's rescue - based loosely on the Army helping out after floods hit England over Christmas 2013. "The idea is to let children and adults know that the Army, Navy and air force don't go around killing people," he said. "You see on the news stories about places like Syria and some things are very graphic. "There are messages in the book, like don't bully people, with a liar on the ship getting the worst jobs and details of the humanitarian work." Through his chaplaincy work, he runs coffee mornings for veterans around south Wales. He said being able to joke and make light of things they had experienced was part of the "healing process" for many ex-servicemen, with the project being an extension of that. Mr

Summary: A book explaining to children how the armed forces "don't just kill people" is now being used to help veterans suffering from issues such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


The 23-year-old has not started a game since the trip to Bournemouth on 10 September, with tests showing he was eight pounds over his ideal weight. "I don't think there's just one reason [why he's not fit]," said Pulis. "We've put a fitness programme in place and we're hoping and praying that it'll help him get back." He added: "The lad has bought into it and wants to get himself fit." Berahino has appeared five times for the Baggies this season and has yet to score. He came to prominence two seasons ago when he scored 20 goals in 45 appearances for his club. This attracted interest from Tottenham who had three bids rejected, including one for £22.5m, in the 2015-16 summer transfer window. In response to not being allowed to leave, the forward suggested he would not play for Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace again. He eventually featured 35 times last season, but only scored seven goals. Both Stoke and Crystal Palace had £20m bids for the player rejected during the last transfer window. Never want to miss the latest West Brom news? You can now add the Baggies and all the other sports and teams you follow to your personalised My Sport home.

Summary: West Brom striker Saido Berahino has been put on a weight-loss training plan in a bid to get him fit, Baggies manager Tony Pulis has revealed.


De Kock hit four sixes in a brilliant 135 and Amla made 127 as the hosts reached their target of 319 with 22 balls to spare at Centurion. Joe Root hit five sixes in 125 - his highest one-day international score - but England's 318-8 proved inadequate. England lead the series 2-1 with two matches to play. Coming together at 36-1 after Jason Roy was run out for 20, Root shared stands of 125 with Alex Hales (65 off 73) and 82 with Ben Stokes (53 off 37). Hales and Root played sensibly to bring up their fifties in the 23rd over but Hales, who made 99 in the second ODI, got out when he hooked Kagiso Rabada straight to Morne Morkel on the fine leg boundary. In-form Jos Buttler was promoted to number four but was out first ball, flicking Rabada to leg gully. England captain Eoin Morgan struggled to find his timing, labouring to eight off 24 balls before he was caught at mid-wicket. But Root continued to bat with skill, reaching his hundred off 95 balls, and then hitting two sixes and a four from his next three deliveries. The Yorkshireman was finally run out in the 43rd over when a straight drive ricocheted off the non-striker's stumps into the leg-side field and a mix-up with Stokes left the 25-year-old stranded. Stokes raced to his 50 in 33 balls - and despite a rush of late wickets as Kyle Abbott took two in two, David Willey and Adil Rashid added late runs to set South Africa a testing target. De Kock and Amla ignored the thunder and lightning rumbling around the stadium to get South Africa off to a perfect start. De Kock took advantage of anything slightly wide while Amla moved around the crease to upset the bowlers' lines, enabling the duo to bring up their century stand in the 18th over. England's spinners bowled in tandem but were unable to slow the scoring, with De Kock cracking three sixes on his way to his century from 96 balls. The onslaught continued with Amla supporting De Kock from the other end, whipping the ball off his legs for a six as England's bowlers grew increasingly resigned to their fate. The stand was finally broken when De Kock tamely chipped Rashid to Root at mid-wicket. But Amla reached his century to move level with Chris Gayle, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sourav Ganguly in seventh place in the all-time ODI centuries list. The 32-year-old saw his team to the verge of victory before he was caught behind off Chris Jordan with just eight runs required. Faf du Plessis hit a six to level the scores and then hit the winning run next ball to keep the series alive heading to Johannesburg on Friday for the fourth match. England captain Eoin Morgan: "I thought 318 was a good score. The wicket got a little worse as our innings went on and a little wear and tear crept in, but Joe Root was outstanding. "They had an incredible opening partnership but I thought

Summary: Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla put on 239 for the first wicket to help South Africa beat England by seven wickets in the third one-day international.


We asked some of those taking part in the Online Influence Conference 2015 for their thoughts on what's going on - and what's next. You can follow too on Twitter at #Oi15 @OiConf John Watton, EMEA marketing director at Adobe Marketing Cloud who is returning to his home city for the conference; Amanda Neylon, head of digital at Macmillan Cancer Support, whose career has included Vauxhall Motors and the Met Police; Dr Jonathan Deacon, reader in marketing and entrepreneurship at University of South Wales, with a background in business, and Andrew Grill, global partner social business at IBM and previously CEO of Kred. Marketing on social media - is it about big bucks or can even the smallest business do it well? John Watton, EMEA marketing director at Adobe Marketing Cloud, @jwatton: "What I love right now is that the old barriers to marketing - money and technology - no longer exist. Marketing is accessible to everyone and it has become more about a company's willingness to do these things and their understanding how it can help to meet your business goals. Saying that, if you are able to invest in social media marketing you will be able to go far beyond just the likes and follows, and tie every piece of data to your bottom line." Amanda Neylon, head of digital at Macmillan Cancer Support, @amandaneylon: "I believe with the right insight driving the decisions anyone can do great social media marketing on any budget. Many of our social media marketing successes have been around amplifying amazing user-generated content rather than creating specific assets, because that is where the powerful stories are. For example, promoting tips from The Source - our site designed to help us reach friends, colleagues, neighbours who may want to help someone with cancer but don't necessarily know what to do or say - has been a powerful way to reach new audiences." Dr Jonathan Deacon, reader in marketing and entrepreneurship at University of South Wales, @UniSouthWales: "No, like a lot of things in life the more cash you throw at something does not mean that it will get better. Social media is about three key things in my mind. Who you want to talk with, what you want to say and what you want them to do once you have said it. "Firstly, do you know your audience? Not just bland agglomerations of 'people' but an in-depth understanding of the individuals that make up an audience. What type of content do they read/share and why? How is it written? "Secondly, what do you want to say to this audience? What are you trying to achieve? Writing content is critical. Will the content that you share have meaning to the audience you want to communicate with and will they respond? "And thirdly, do you want someone to share your content, act upon it or perhaps just be amused by it? "If you take a closer look at these three things you will probably see that small firms are just as able as large firms to achieve a

Summary: It's the "social" social media event of the year in Wales - hundreds of people involved in digital marketing are in Cardiff to hear insights from the likes of Google, Twitter, YouTube, and IBM.


One of the men was arrested in the capital Berlin and the other in a town close to Cologne, in west Germany. Police seized computers, mobile phones and sketches in the raids but did not find a "smoking gun", prosecutors' spokesman Martin Steltner said. About 450 officers were involved in the raids. One of the men detained, reported to be aged 35, had been living in a refugee shelter in the town of Attendorn, east of Cologne, and is wanted by the Algerian authorities for alleged links to IS. Police said "investigations show that he has been trained militarily in Syria". The man's wife, also wanted by Algeria, was detained at the same time but prosecutors said she was not a suspect in the German case. The suspect held in Berlin was arrested on suspicion of falsifying identity documents, police said. Two other Algerians in Germany, said by police to be "from the jihadist scene", were tracked down but not arrested. "Our understanding is that the four men accused could have planned to carry out an attack together," Mr Steltner said. German media said the possible targets included central Berlin tourist sites Checkpoint Charlie and Alexanderplatz. Since January, the suspects had changed their mobile phones multiple times and communicated using instant messaging services, reports said. Germany's security concerns have risen since the Paris attacks last year. Officials declined to comment on a report in the Tagesspiegel newspaper, citing security sources, which said senior IS figures had ordered an attack on Germany.

Summary: German police have arrested two Algerians suspected of planning an attack and having links to the militant group, Islamic State (IS).


Bill Palmer, from Southampton, called the Alex Dyke show on BBC Radio Solent about his life after his wife went into a nursing home. Dyke immediately ordered a taxi to bring Mr Palmer to the studio to allow phone-in listeners to chat to him. A recording of the call has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook. The 95-year-old, from Sholing, married his wife Sheila, 85, on 2 June 2014 after they had been friends for 30 years. Shortly afterwards Sheila - who has dementia and colitis - fell and was taken into hospital. She was then moved into a nursing home, where she now lives. Mr Palmer phoned the BBC Radio Solent programme on Wednesday during a phone-in on "Love - later in life". Although he visits his wife every day, he said: "Every day is hell. I feel so alone". The production team immediately arranged to take Mr Palmer to the studio in Southampton, where he sat in on the rest of the show. Mr Palmer said: "I just sit with my wife and we tell each other we love each other, and that's it. "She knows who I am and she often says 'we did get married on the second of June didn't we?' - and that's when it hurts. "I listen to the radio and watch TV and have lots of friends, but unfortunately when you get old people don't visit - that's life." Listeners phoned in to offer support and advice to Mr Palmer. He was offered Sunday lunch, afternoon trips out and a ukulele orchestra to play for him, but he kindly turned them all down. "I didn't know such kindness existed," he told one caller. Dyke said Mr Palmer had "touched the hearts of thousands of listeners" and it was his "nicest moment in 30 years of broadcasting".

Summary: A 95-year-old invited into a BBC radio programme after calling in about being lonely has become a hit on social media.


But Reaction Time is a bit of an unusual commission that left me, as producer, staring at a half-hour gap in the schedule and wondering what would fill it. It is the network's first programme made entirely on smartphones. The premise was simple on paper. BBC Radio 4 put a prompt on social media ahead of Valentine's Day: "Tell us a story about love," inviting anyone in the world to make a two-minute voice recording of their relationship story, on their phone, and email it in as an attachment. Then, I would knit the contributions into a half-hour of online dates, first loves, and bitter break-ups. I will confess to some nerves. Until recently, the quality from mobile recordings would not be good enough - but, in my day job as a journalist, I have used the technique when we have not been able to get an interviewee to a studio. The technology has improved massively in recent years and is often comparable to a traditional recording. As the process started, there were anxious days when nothing arrived, and, then, suddenly - a brilliant anecdote. (Caroline's wedding gets derailed spectacularlyâ€¦) I would refresh the inbox open-mouthed at relationship stories that could not be broadcast; weeding out information about people's exes that could get me sued, and in one instance, deciding against broadcasting an entertaining but detailed account of what happens when you get dysentery on honeymoon. The other factor that gave me a few worries was that people seemed particularly keen to share their disasters - marital break-up, hated exes, a ruined wedding, loneliness, a complete inability to pull - was there anyone with a nice, romantic story? It turned out there was, and it was from a woman called Samantha. Her tale finishes the programme, and it is a bit of a jaw-dropper. I knew I had something when I played it to a reasonably hard-bitten reporter at the next desk and she cried. One of the key decisions about the programme was that if we were handing over half an hour to Radio 4's listeners, we should go the whole hog and get one of them to present it. So a few weeks ago, I emailed Narelle Lancaster. The 39-year-old advertising lecturer had sent in one of my favourite stories about a catastrophic night out. Her date's opening gambit was: "Your breasts look fantastic in that dress." And then it got worse. When I contacted her about presenting the programme, Lancaster, who lives in the UK, had gone back to Australia for two months. After realising every one of my phone recording sessions with her would have to take place not far off 00:00 GMT, I banged my head on the desk a few times and got on with it. Soon enough, Lancaster was sitting on the other side of the world with two phones in her hands, one landline against her ear so I could coach her, and a smartphone to record the script with in the other hand. She told me: "It was not easy - we did

Summary: When Narelle Lancaster emailed a new BBC Radio 4 programme, she did not expect to become its presenter.


The UK's businesses are considering what reforms, if any, will be best for them. Helena Morrissey, chief executive of Newton Asset Management, told the BBC the EU was no longer fit for purpose. But co-founder of Innocent Drinks, Richard Reed, says the UK gets a lot more out of the EU than it thinks. David Cameron, who has said he wants the UK to remain in a reformed EU, is busy trying to renegotiate Britain's terms of membership of the European Union. "As a nation we have done so well by going out into the world, not from retreating from it," Mr Reed told Radio 4's Today programme. His own firm, which was set up 15 years ago, is now trading with 17 countries across the EU. He said 50% of sales were into the EU, whereas 85% of the company's workers were in the UK, showing it's possible to get more out of the trading bloc than is put in. "In the recession of 2008 if we had not had our European markets, we would probably have gone out of business," he added. Ms Morrissey, who as well as running the fund manager Newton Asset Management is part of Business for Britain, which is lobbying for renegotiated terms for Britain's EU membership. She says she is concerned about the EU's "ever-closer union" and that "we have delegated a lot of decision-making". "If we leave we would need to leave with good partnership with the EU... we could play our part as the UK on the world's stage," she said, dismissing the idea that an exit of the union would diminish the UK's international standing. "It would be a lot easier for Britain to negotiate trade agreements with individual countries," she said, pointing out that Iceland - not an EU member - has a trade agreement with China and has a much smaller population and economy than the UK. Big companies have threatened to rethink basing their European operations in the UK should Britain leave the EU, including Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank. "I do think big businesses want often to maintain the status quo" which can help them thwart smaller firms, said Ms Morrissey. And she maintained that the debate should not be about immigration: "We benefit hugely from having people come to us... for me that's not the issue here." For Mr Reed: "Overall, we are stronger and safer and culturally more enriched in than out. "Things we want to change we can change... you get to influence the rules much more if you are on the committee making them." He said the union was not perfect, and he would like to "improve the situation", but the vote would be "binary, in or out". For him, it is "definitely in". The head of GE, the US conglomerate which makes everything from jet engines to trains and medical equipment and employs 17,000 people in the UK, told the Daily Telegraph that it did not matter if the UK remained in the European Union. Jeff Immelt told the newspaper the UK was

Summary: A topic of debate at this week's Conservative Party conference will be the UK's relationship with Brussels ahead of a referendum due in 2017.


The former England captain was appointed until the end of the season in April but failed to pick up a point. Granada will finish bottom of La Liga and Adams said: "This season has been a disaster, we must not make the same mistakes. "The main error has been signings. The owner is aware that he has made many mistakes, but this is a long project." Adams' immediate future is unclear. He has insisted that he will not stay on as coach but has been working at the Spanish club as a consultant since November and is vice-president of the company owned by Granada's club president. Granada scored three goals in his seven-match reign. At the top of the table, Real Madrid are three points ahead of nearest rivals Barcelona. Real travel to 11th-placed Malaga while Barca are at home to ninth-placed Eibar in Sunday's final games of the season. Match ends, Granada CF 1, Espanyol 2. Second Half ends, Granada CF 1, Espanyol 2. Attempt missed. Martin Hongla (Granada CF) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a corner. Attempt blocked. Jeremie Boga (Granada CF) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Corner, Granada CF. Conceded by Víctor Álvarez. Víctor Álvarez (Espanyol) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Víctor Álvarez (Espanyol). Martin Hongla (Granada CF) wins a free kick on the right wing. Víctor Álvarez (Espanyol) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Isaac Cuenca (Granada CF). Attempt blocked. Sverrir Ingi Ingason (Granada CF) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Héctor. Substitution, Espanyol. Hernán Pérez replaces Leo Baptistao. Substitution, Granada CF. Jeremie Boga replaces Entrena. Substitution, Espanyol. Víctor Álvarez replaces Pablo Piatti. Attempt missed. Martin Hongla (Granada CF) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Adrián Ramos. Attempt saved. Isaac Cuenca (Granada CF) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Adrián Ramos. Offside, Granada CF. Héctor tries a through ball, but Adrián Ramos is caught offside. Attempt missed. Jean Carlos (Granada CF) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Substitution, Granada CF. Martin Hongla replaces Uche. Jurado (Espanyol) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Uche (Granada CF). Attempt missed. Leo Baptistao (Espanyol) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Gerard Moreno. Dangerous play by Víctor Sánchez (Espanyol). Sverrir Ingi Ingason (Granada CF) wins a free kick on the left wing. Corner, Espanyol. Conceded by Héctor. Pablo Piatti (Espanyol) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Pablo Piatti (Espanyol). Rene Krhin (Granada CF) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. David Lombán (Granada CF) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left from a direct free kick. Marc Roca (Espanyol) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Summary: Tony Adams called Granada's season "a disaster" after he lost his seventh and final game in charge against Espanyol.


Mr Pena Nieto said he had made a commitment to help 300 artisans who had stalls at the San Pablito fireworks market and had lost their livelihoods. The disaster in the city of Tultepec has killed 35 people and injured another 70. The market has been burned to the ground three times in the past decade. "We made a commitment to support everyone, the 300 stall owners of that market to recover and support them so that they can continue their activities next year normally," said Mr Pena Nieto during a visit to survivors in hospital. The cause of Tuesday's explosions is yet not clear. Most of the 35 people killed are so badly burned their bodies will have to be identified using DNA testing. Some of the victims were taken to a specialised hospital in the US city of Galveston, Texas. Video from the scene showed a large number of fireworks rocketing into the air as they caught fire. Fireworks continued to explode after the initial blast, as smoke billowed from the area in thick black clouds. The market had contained up to 300 tonnes of fireworks, Mexican media reported. The economy of Tultepec relies heavily on the pyrotechnics industry. The city lies north of the capital Mexico City. The authorities promised to "defend the livelihoods" of the people who worked at the market and support them until it is rebuilt. "The artisans are not alone," said Mexico state Governor Eruviel Avila.

Summary: Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto has promised to rebuild an open-air fireworks market destroyed by a series of huge explosions on Tuesday.


The 20-year-old Slovak has yet to play for Fulham's first team, but made 17 appearances in the National League on loan at Welling last term. Rodak, who has represented his country at youth level, will go straight into Accrington's squad for their League Two fixture against Cheltenham on Saturday. Stanley are 20th in the table, four points above the relegation zone. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.

Summary: Accrington Stanley have signed goalkeeper Marek Rodak on loan from Fulham until the end of the season.


Two cars and a lorry were involved in the collision on the A52 near Nottingham on 25 November. Father-of-three Gurdip Singh Kareer, 41, from Wollaton, was a "loving, caring family man", while Kyle O'Connor, 22, of Wollaton Vale, Nottingham, "loved everything". Two men, aged 22 and 24, have been arrested and bailed over the crash. The family of Mr Kareer said: "He was a loving, caring family man that always put his wife and three children Kaiden, nine , Argent, four and Tiana, 11 months, first before anything else. "He doted on his family and everything he did was for his family. He was a loving brother, a caring son and will be very sadly missed forever - but never forgotten." Mr O'Connor's family described him as a loving and adventurous man "Kyle was a loved brother, son, grandson, nephew and best friend. "Kyle loved everything and everyone around him, behind his fearlessness, strength, sense of fun and adventure, which we will hold in our hearts forever. "As a family we would like to thank everyone who has shown love and support," they said. There were lane closures on the road for nearly 24 hours after the accident. Police have renewed an appeal for any witnesses and particularly dashcam footage from any vehicles which were near the scene at the time of the crash.

Summary: Tributes have been paid to the two men who died in a crash which closed a major road in the East Midlands.


A group led by Americans Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan bought a controlling 60% stake in Swansea in a deal ratified by the Premier League on 1 July. They are due in Swansea on Thursday but the Trust, which retains a 21.1% holding, is disappointed with progress. "We are still to receive information regarding plans for the football club," said Trust chairman Phil Sumbler. He added the new owners were yet to give any indication "what investment into the football club, if any, is proposed". Sumbler said the Trust urgently wanted to discuss the long-term plans for the club and the negotiation of a new shareholders' agreement. "We are disappointed that our desire to enter into these discussions has not been matched by the buyers or the other remaining shareholders," he said. "However, we remain keen to work with Messrs Levien and Kaplan and their representatives in order to ensure all parties pull together in the long-term interests of the football club. "We are also keen to introduce improved governance and structure to the football club to ensure we have an effective plan for the coming season and beyond." BBC Wales Sport revealed in April which of Swansea's directors would be selling all - or part - of their shareholdings. The previous shareholders took charge in 2002, at a time when Swansea were struggling in the lowest tier of the Football League, and oversaw their climb to the Premier League. Their shares were believed to have increased tenfold in worth by the time of the takeover in June 2016. Sumbler added: "This is a key time for both Swansea City and the Supporters' Trust and it is in everyone's interest that we swiftly conclude negotiations so that, both on and off the field, we can concentrate on the new football season ahead." When the takeover was ratified by the Premier League, a statement issued by Levien and Kaplan said they were keen to work with the Trust. "There are still a few minor loose ends to tie up on the deal which we envisage will be completed before the end of the month," they said. "In the meantime, we are both extremely excited to be part of a new era for Swansea City and working with Huw Jenkins and the Supporters' Trust in taking the club forward."

Summary: Swansea City's Supporters' Trust says it is disappointed by a "lack of engagement" over the club's takeover.


Naomi Gwynne wrote to South Lanarkshire Council after finding her brother Isaac was unable to use the swings. Both children are autistic and Isaac is visually impaired by a brain tumour and has severe learning difficulties, so he cannot hold on to a normal swing. The council said it had found a new seat it was hoping to install soon. Naomi wrote to the authority after visiting the new park near their home in Hamilton and seeing that Isaac could not use the assisted swings as they were too small. She wrote: "I like the new park but please could you make a disabled swing for it? "Isaac my twin brother is too big for a baby swing but can't hold on to the bars of the grown up swings. "His favourite thing is a swing and we are both sad. Why did you forget about him? I have drawn a swing he would like. Thank you." The twins' mother, Miriam Gwynne, said the children were excited when the park opened on Bothwell Road. She said: "I was surprised when my daughter asked this weekend if I could help her spell 'disabled' and then she handed me her wonderful letter. "I was so emotional that she had noticed and cared so much for her twin brother who has such multiple disabilities. "I was so sad that a brand new park would not be automatically inclusive and so proud of my eight-year-old for standing up for her brother. "Isaac has complex autism, is non-verbal, has global delay and learning difficulties and NF1 [disorder]. He is also visually impaired and requires a lot of care. But to Naomi he is simply her brother who deserves to play and swing as much as anyone else." Mrs Gwynne, 40, posted her daughter's message on Twitter, calling for people to share it. South Lanarkshire Council has responded to Mrs Gwynne. The authority's head of facilities, waste and grounds services, Alistair McKinnon, said: "All new play areas are designed to incorporate an element of inclusive play. The overall aim is to allow children of all abilities to play together and present a range of experiences and challenges. "There are six of the 15 items in the newly refurbished play area at Bothwell Road which are classified as inclusive by the manufacturer. "However, following the heartfelt letter from Naomi and a review of provision in surrounding play parks, we have been able to source a seat which we think may be suitable for Isaac and are looking to have it installed as soon as possible."

Summary: An eight-year-old girl has accused a council of "forgetting" about her disabled twin brother when it installed new equipment at their local park.


Jayden Stockley headed wide from Jonny Hayes' cross early in the second half and Rangers quickly capitalised on that miss when Kenny Miller tucked in. A powerful Lee Hodson shot doubled the home side's advantage. The hosts' Clint Hill and Aberdeen's Ryan Jack were each dismissed for two bookings, with Andrew Considine heading a late consolation for the Dons. The Ibrox side had started the day level on points with Hearts but trailing them on goal difference. However, with Hearts held to a draw by Ross County, Mark Warburton's side go two points ahead of the Tynecastle side and remain eight behind leaders Celtic. Rangers had lost at Hearts in midweek while Aberdeen were coming off a 3-0 defeat by Celtic in Sunday's League Cup final, with the Dons aiming to end a 25-year wait for a win at Ibrox. But that run continues with Warburton's side winning by the same scoreline that they lost by at Aberdeen's Pittodrie in September. The visitors had their chances in Glasgow with James Maddison - who scored a stunning free-kick winner in the sides' last meeting - seeing a set-piece effort bounce wide. Stockley got a foot to a Graeme Shinnie cross to draw a save from Wes Foderingham and came close to putting Derek McInnes' side ahead three minutes after the break. Hayes got round his man to cross from the left but Stockley could not direct his header from six yards on target. Maddison failed to get a hold of a couple of shots before Rangers' second but the midfielder did deliver the free-kick for Considine's goal. Captain Lee Wallace fired wide in the hosts' best first-half advance and it was the composure of Miller that finally broke the deadlock. Moments after Stockley's miss, 36-year-old striker Miller, deployed in midfield, latched on to Joe Garner's speculative cross and finished first time. Barrie McKay had the vision to find Hodson inside the box amid a spell of pressure and the Northern Ireland international lashed a shot into the roof of the net for Rangers' second, having started ahead of regular right-back James Tavernier. McKay's replacement Harry Forrester forced a save from Joe Lewis as the pressure continued. Defender Hill had earlier escaped unpunished following a risky challenge on Shinnie inside his own box but bookings for fouls on Maddison resulted in the 38-year-old's dismissal. Jack, 24, followed Hill up the tunnel after being cautioned in the wake of a lengthy spell of pushing following a Rangers foul, the Dons skipper having earlier been booked for impeding Michael O'Halloran. And there were further bookings in stoppage time to take the tally to 11. Rangers' Mark Warburton: "The players were more than irked by comments made about them, by comments questioning their battling qualities and their desire. "But they responded really well, there was a lot of nonsense written about them and they more than answered those questions. "First half nobody really controlled the game, it was pretty neutral. But, second half, we stepped on and won second balls and I felt we deserved to win."

Summary: Rangers beat Aberdeen to go second in the Scottish Premiership in a match that featured a red card for each side.


Media playback is not supported on this device Belgium, ranked second in the world, are the next test for Chris Coleman's side as they look to continue their remarkable progress in France. Legendary Wales strikers Dean Saunders and John Hartson, who between them won 126 caps and scored 36 goals for their country, explain how Wales can win and book a place in the semi-finals. Media playback is not supported on this device Saunders: Belgium are going to dominate possession, which is fine, but we have got to stop them from hurting us - that is difficult because they have so many different weapons in their attack. We will have to close down Kevin de Bruyne, who has been playing behind Romelu Lukaku and has got a stinging shot in him on either foot, but if Eden Hazard is fit then he will be Belgium's most dangerous player. When we beat Belgium in Cardiff in June, Coleman kept Hazard quiet by bringing in Jazz Richards at right wing-back and moving Chris Gunter infield to be the right-sided centre-half in our back three. Between them, they handled him really well down Belgium's left, but I don't see Chris doing the same this time because continuity has been a big part of why we have done so well in France, especially at the back where we have been unchanged in all four games. Media playback is not supported on this device I can see Chris sticking with the same team that started against Northern Ireland, but our right-sided defensive midfielder - either Joe Allen or Joe Ledley - will have to get across to help Gunter as soon as Hazard gets the ball, along with James Chester, the right-sided centre-half. Their job will be to stop Hazard from coming inside and to show him down the line instead. When that happens, Gunter will also try to stop the cross from coming in, but you have to be realistic - Hazard is so good, he is going to get some balls over. So all our midfield players will have to pick their runners up around the box, not just De Bruyne, and the most important thing will be to mark Lukaku tightly because he will be trying to get between our other two centre-halves when the cross comes in. Media playback is not supported on this device Saunders: When we clear those crosses, we have got to counter-attack like I know we can do, because while Hazard's attacking play is one of Belgium's strengths, it is also a weakness. Jan Vertonghen's injury means we do not know who will play as Belgium's left-back against Wales but, whoever it is, we will be able to isolate them because Hazard does not run back. Hungary did it effectively, and they do not have the same attacking threat as us. The mistake they made was leaving their wide players too far up the pitch and that allowed Hazard to hurt them more - he was on fire in that game and Belgium should have won by more than

Summary: Wales are the only home nation left in Euro 2016 and are in the last eight at the finals of a major tournament for the first time since 1958.


One skeleton was found earlier this week, but now nine graves have been uncovered. The remains are in the process of being exhumed from underneath the area previously used as the venue's mini conference room. They are thought to be from a Quaker burial ground that existed before the Royal Pavilion Estate was built. Alan Robins, chair of Brighton and Hove City Council's tourism, development and culture committee said: "The remains are now being carefully exhumed and will be examined to determine more about the deceased before being re-buried or cremated." He added the Royal Pavilion Estate site had "so many strong historic links" and the find is "another important addition to the city's rich cultural story". Darryl Palmer of Archaeology South-East, which is managing the dig on site, said: "This is a significant find that shines a light on an important historical moment in the city. The Quaker meeting house and cemetery at the Dome is recorded on the Bishop's map of 1803 and absent by the OS town plan of 1876. "The best clue as to when worship and burial ceased is when the Quaker meeting house moved to the current location on Meeting House Lane in 1805." A spokesperson for Brighton Quakers said they were "excited" with the news "We have known for a long time about the burial ground being used from 1700 to 1805 but did not know that any Quakers were left buried there." The work at the Corn Exchange is part of a project to restore the Royal Pavilion Estate buildings and gardens. It is expected to finish by the end of 2018.

Summary: A 200-year-old burial site has been discovered during redevelopment work at Brighton Dome Corn Exchange.


The regime said 22-year-old Otto Warmbier's medical condition was caused last year by botulism and a sleeping pill he was given after his trial. But Fred Warmbier said his son had been treated "brutally". He spoke as an Ohio hospital said Otto had suffered a "severe neurological injury" and is in a stable condition. "We went for 15 months without a word from or about Otto," Mr Warmbier said of his son, who fought back tears at Thursday's press conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. "It was only a week ago that the North Korean government now claims that he was in a coma for almost all of that time. "Even if you believe their explanation of botulism and a sleeping pill causing the coma - and we don't - there's no excuse for a civilised nation to have kept his condition secret and to have denied him top notch medical care." Otto Warmbier, an economics student from the University of Virginia, was arrested in January 2016 while visiting North Korea as a tourist. Botulism is a type of poisoning which can cause total body paralysis, difficulty in breathing and death in some cases. It's caused by the clostridium botulinum bacteria, but the symptoms of botulism are not from the bacteria themselves. Instead, the microscopic organisms produce a powerful toxin which attacks the nervous system and causes paralysis. That poison is called botulinum - which you may know for its commercial use in Botox, which removes wrinkles by paralysing facial muscles. Botulism is contracted in two ways in adults - by eating food contaminated with the toxin, or through wounds. The foodborne method happens when the bacteria are tinned or stored in food in another way that deprives them from air (which is when they produce the poison). This rarely happens in modern western food production, but is what North Korea claims happened to Mr Warmbier. He was given a 15-year prison sentence for attempting to steal a propaganda sign from a hotel. Fred Warmbier told reporters his son had been held as a "war criminal'. He said he and his wife, Cindy, had relied "on this false premise that they would treat Otto fairly and let him go". In honour of his son, Fred Warmbier wore the same jacket Otto was wearing when he was paraded before media to tearfully confess to attempting to take the sign as a "trophy" for a US church. Mr Warmbier also appeared to criticise the Obama administration for failing to help secure his son's release. How harsh is prison in North Korea? "When Otto was first taken we were advised by the past administration to take a low profile while they worked to obtain his release," he said. "We did so without result. Earlier this year Cindy and I decided the time for strategic patience was over." The university student was freed hours after US basketball star Dennis Rodman arrived in North Korea, but Fred Warmbier said the professional athlete's visit had nothing to do with his son's release. The US has in the past accused North

Summary: The emotional father of a US student freed by North Korea this week says he does not believe the regime's explanation for his son's coma.


A new website has been launched for farmers to find practical advice on dealing with the disease on their land. A five-point biosecurity action plan and poster campaign are also included in the initiative. The measures are being promoted by organisations such as Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the National Farmers' Union. Recommended actions include asking for a herd's TB history before buying cattle, and taking steps to minimise wildlife access to cattle, their feed and housing. Speaking at the launch of the campaign at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire, Farming Minister George Eustice said "good progress" is being made to eradicate TB in England. However, he said reducing the risk of disease entering a farm is a "crucial element" to end the "devastation" it causes for farmers and rural communities. "There are simple and practical ways for farmers to reduce risk to their herds and neighbouring businesses from bovine TB which are set out in this new action plan approved by vets and farming experts," he added. Mr Eustice encouraged all cattle farmers to visit the new website and "think about the actions they could take to make a difference to improving the security of their herd". Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease of cattle and is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), which can also infect and cause TB in badgers, deer and other mammals. Badgers, which some claim transmit TB to cattle, have been subjected to culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire for three years running. A pilot cull in Dorset is also being held this year. According to Defra, about 30,000 cattle were slaughtered in Great Britain in 2014 because of bovine TB.

Summary: The government has unveiled new tools and advice for farmers as part of a fresh campaign to tackle bovine TB.


Caerleon-born Machen, who died in 1947, is known for his story The Bowmen, set in World War One, which gave rise to the legend of the Angels of Mons. Newport council is consulting on budget plans that could see the library shut. A spokesman said it would relocate the reference library if the building shut but no decisions have been made. The Friends of Arthur Machen literary society said its members, who include comedian Stewart Lee, actor Barry Humphries and writer Alan Moore, are writing to the local authority. Friends' founding member Godrey Brangham said: "This obviously is of great concern regarding the Machen collection in the reference library." Friends' chairman Ray Russell said: "Newport holds the finest public Machen collection in the UK. "We'd like them to preserve it, develop it, and keep access to it open. "Arthur Machen was a local son of Gwent who won worldwide literary fame, and it is hoped that Newport will continue to honour his work." Arthur Machen 1863-1947 •Born 150 years ago in Caerleon, south Wales •Fantasy and horror writer •Works include early self-published book Eleusina, The Great God Pan and The Three Imposters •Fans include Stephen King, Mick Jagger and Rowan Williams •His portrait is in the National Museum Wales More about the first modern horror writer The leader of the council has met with the group, and a spokesman said: "If the proposal to close the central library building did go ahead then the council would consider where the best possible place to relocate the reference library would be." The consultation on the council's budget savings proposals continues until 16 January 2015.

Summary: Fans of horror writer Arthur Machen have called on Newport council to protect the collection of his books and papers at the city's central library.


The 20-year-old had "cardiac arrhythmias" - heart rhythm problems - during the game against Werder Bremen. The club statement said the chances of recovery from the damage is nil. It added: "The diagnosis was made that a lot of [his] brain is not functioning. All this probably occurred due to a lack of oxygen supply." On Monday, the club had said tests showed his "heart is functioning normally" and brain scans did not detect "any anomalies" - but new tests revealed the extent of the damage. The Amsterdam-born player was flown by helicopter to hospital in Austria - where the abandoned friendly match was being played. Ajax say he will soon be transferred to a hospital in Amsterdam for further care. Former Manchester United and Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, now CEO at Ajax, said: "This is the worst possible message. It is terrible. We feel enormously for his parents, siblings and other relatives. "The blow is also difficult for Ajax, though we knew we had to consider this scenario. They were uncertain days, lots of people in different ways have sympathised with his situation and is greatly appreciated. "Abdelhak is such a great talent, but unfortunately we will never know how far his star would have reached had this not happened. " Nouri played 15 league and cup games for Ajax in 2016-17, scoring one goal in a Dutch Cup tie. This content will not work on your device, please check Javascript and cookies are enabled or update your browser

Summary: Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri suffered "serious and permanent brain damage" after collapsing in a friendly match on Saturday.


Air pollution is blamed for about 2,000 premature deaths in Scotland each year. The warning has come from environmental law organisation ClientEarth. It has already won a landmark ruling against the UK government at the Supreme Court in London. In April last year, the court ruled ministers must draw up plans to deal with air pollution as quickly as possible. ClientEarth argues the UK government's plans are inadequate and it has already pledged to take the issue back to court. Pollution levels in Glasgow were cited as part of ClientEarth's case. It said the city was one of four areas in Scotland identified as having illegal and harmful levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), which comes mostly from diesel vehicles. The group has now warned the Scottish government could also find itself facing legal action over its record on air pollution. Environment minister Dr Aileen McLeod said the Scottish government was continuing to make progress in improving our air quality. She said: "Data shows that significant reductions in air pollutants have been achieved since 1990 and further decreases are predicted in the future, given our knowledge of the likely impacts of planned investment. "Although there has been excellent progress, we recognise that there is more to be done to deliver further benefits for human and environmental health where areas of poorer air quality remain." If a case is brought it is understood it would be to the Court of Session in Edinburgh. ClientEarth lawyer Alan Andrews told BBC Scotland: "With Glasgow a key city in our case against the UK government, we know that air pollution is causing a huge public health issue in Scotland. "In the next few months we will be taking the UK government back to court for its failure to protect people across the country from toxic air pollution. "Air quality in Scottish cities is in our sights as much as the rest of the UK and the Scottish government should be aware that it could face legal action should it fail to act." Meanwhile, the Scottish government has urged all of the country's local authorities to carry out roadside emissions testing. It follows a BBC investigation, which found less than half of the Scotland's councils use powers designed to ensure the most-polluting vehicles are taken off the road. Transport minister Derek Mackay, told the Scottish Parliament: "Clearly there is a lot to be done. It's a very challenging area and I think it is right to keep the pressure on it, including our partnership with local authorities. "There is already funding within the system to execute many of the actions which have been identified. "In terms of roadside testing, 13 out of the 32 local authorities are implementing that. I would encourage others to implement the current regulations as well." Glasgow tests about 3,000 vehicles a year but Edinburgh City Council tests none, despite holding the powers to do so. It blamed a lack of funding but the Scottish government insisted cash was available to pay for roadside testing. Lesley Hinds, City of Edinburgh Council's transport and environment

Summary: The Scottish government is facing the threat of court action if it fails to tackle illegal levels of air pollution in the country's biggest cities, BBC Scotland has learned.


The row has exposed deep divisions within his ruling Socialist Party (PS), many of whose members believe the president has veered dangerously to the right in his reaction to the Paris atrocities. With just a year till campaigning starts for the 2017 presidential election, it shows the uphill task facing Mr Hollande as he tries to forge a united leftwing bloc capable of returning him to the Elysee. The problem might appear abstruse - and with little actual impact in the battle against jihadist extremists. But in France - and especially among the French left - symbols count. And the right to carry the title Citizen of a French Republic is a matter over which people have fought and died. The problem arose from a promise by Mr Hollande - made in his speech to the united houses of parliament after the attacks - to strip of their French nationality convicted terrorists who are "bi-nationals", in other words who have a second nationality. In detail: Paris attacks The unanswered questions Who were the attackers? Significantly, he said this should apply to bi-nationals "who are born French" - and not just to people who have acquired a second French nationality through residence or marriage. (In some circumstances, this category can already be stripped of nationality). The president - backed by Prime Minister Manuel Valls - decided it was the kind of strong response the people of France expected. Polls putting support for the measure at 80%-85% suggest he is right. At the time he announced it - with the shock of the 130 dead still reverberating - little was made of the idea. But today the opposing voices are rising in crescendo, and it is clear many on the left regard the president's proposal as a grotesque betrayal. For critics, the idea of stripping "French-born bi-nationals" of their French citizenship is fundamentally wrong because it creates two classes of French citizen. It means if you are a French jihadist with only one nationality, then your French citizenship is safe. But if you are a French jihadist who has two nationalities (say French and Algerian), then your French citizenship can be taken away. The measure removes the universal nature of French citizenship, and thus discriminates against the estimated three million people (mainly of North African origin) who have two passports. So goes the argument. Former Socialist minister Benoit Hamon said: "This decision will create a schism among people of the left, but equally in the nation as a whole. "I fully recognise that there are political issues at stake here. "But ends cannot justify the means. "It is a question of conscience and of values." Meanwhile, ever-provocative Left Front leader Jean-Luc Melenchon said his feeling was "less one of indignation or disgust, more one of total nausea". "Curse them for this unprecedented ignominy," he added. The nationality issue is fast becoming one of those abstract points of principle on which the French left loves to tear itself apart. On one side are those with the president, who say it would be mad to ignore

Summary: Determined to act tough after November's attacks, France's President, Francois Hollande, finds himself trapped in a damaging ideological fix over French nationality, and whether certain convicted terrorists can be made to give it up.