Left Unity said Labour should be "thrilled" so many people want to join rather than focusing on "people who it thinks are too left wing". It comes after The Times reported "infiltration" of the contest to replace Ed Miliband by the "hard left". Labour says it has a "robust system" to prevent "malicious applications". Ballot papers have not yet been sent out in the leadership contest, which pits Mr Corbyn against Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall and Andy Burnham. Labour says the verification process is ongoing, and has refuted claims the leadership contest is being infiltrated by those who do not support the party. Acting leader Harriet Harman emailed MPs this week with a list of new members from their constituencies, asking them to check for any suspicious names. As well as regular members, people can sign up as registered supporters for Â£3 and take part in the vote. They are asked to confirm they "support the aims and values of the Labour Party". The Times reported 18 members of Left Unity, a left-wing party founded by film director Ken Loach which fielded 10 candidates at the general election, had registered. At-a-glance profiles of the four contenders Left Unity principal speaker Salman Shaheen said: "Left Unity is a party with many disaffected former Labour members. It's no wonder that some people genuinely wanted to have a say in the Labour leadership contest. "They fully agree with the aims and values of the Labour Party - it's the Labour leadership who abandoned those values." Mr Shaheen said it was "ludicrous" to refer to its supports as "entryists", a term used when members of a political group infiltrate another in order to subvert its policies. "The surge for Corbyn is a genuine popular movement that the Blairites can't stop," Mr Shaheen added. "It's not about us - they found just 18 Left Unity members out of the tens of thousands who have signed up to support Jeremy Corbyn's anti-austerity, true Labour politics." Labour said: "All applications to join the Labour Party as a member, affiliate or supporter are verified and those who are identified by our verification team as being candidates, members or supporters of another political party will be denied a vote." The apparent success of Mr Corbyn's campaign has prompted a row within the party, with other candidates saying a Labour Party led by him could not win an election. But Conservative London mayor Boris Johnson said his party should "pay attention" to some of the things said by the Islington North MP, suggesting some of his analysis was "not wholly wrong". "Yes, there is a problem of inequality. Yes, there is a problem of low pay," he said during an event in central London. He added: "I happen to think his solutions are completely wrong and he would take the Labour Party in radically the wrong direction. "But it would be very complacent and wrong to ignore the truth of some of the observations he is making about ways in which society could be better. We should be humble about that."

Summary: A left-wing political party has accused Labour of a "witch hunt" against people signing up to back Jeremy Corbyn in its leadership contest.


"I was very nervous and my words just came out wrong," he wrote on Facebook. The Night Manager star drew censure on social media for a speech in which he referred to aid workers in South Sudan "binge-watching" the programme. The British actor said that his "only intention" had been "to salute [their] incredible bravery and courage." "I apologise that my nerves got the better of me," his post continued. Hiddleston won his first Golden Globe on Sunday - for best performance by an actor in a mini-series or TV movie - for his role in the BBC's adaptation of John le Carre's novel about a hotel manager involved in arms smuggling. After thanking his co-stars and the show's director, he told "a quick story" about a recent visit to "the youngest country in the world". "One night... a group of doctors and nurses wanted to say hello... because they had binge-watched The Night Manager," he continued. "The idea that we could provide some relief and entertainment for the people who... are fixing the world in the places it is broken made me immensely proud." West Wing star Joshua Malina was among those to take issue with the speech, which drew a mixed response from the Golden Globes audience. "Thank you to Tom Hiddleston and all actors who dare to perform in projects that are shown in some of the most dangerous parts of the world," he tweeted. "That was a long story Tom Hiddleston told to pay himself a compliment," wrote the writer and producer Gary Janetti. Other commentators drew attention to the neutral expressions of actors Naomie Harris and Christian Slater during Hiddleston's address. Yet his words drew a warmer response from the World Food Programme, who said it felt "honoured" to have been given a mention. Hiddleston's award was one of three Golden Globes won by The Night Manager, which also picked up supporting actor prizes for Olivia Colman and Hugh Laurie. Colman, who was not at the Los Angeles ceremony, said she was "gutted" she had not been present to accept "such an enormous honour". Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Actor Tom Hiddleston has apologised for his much-criticised acceptance speech at the Golden Globe awards, admitting it was "inelegantly expressed".


Trevor O'Neill was shot outside a supermarket in Majorca just after 21:00 local time on Wednesday, Irish national broadcaster RTÃ‰ reports. His shooting is understood to be linked to a feud between Irish criminal gangs. Mr O'Neill's partner and three children, aged five, seven and 10, were with him when the attack happened. They had travelled to Majorca on Saturday for a holiday for his 40th birthday. Police believe the attack was connected to a dispute between the Hutch and Kinahan groups, but Mr O'Neill was not the intended victim. The feud between the gangs was sparked by the killing of Dubliner Gary Hutch in Spain last year and most of the resulting violence and murders have happened in Dublin. Attempts to revive Mr O'Neill at the scene failed and police are said to be searching for up to three suspects. It is understood that he was not linked to organised crime but may have been talking to a member of the Hutch family at the time.

Summary: An Irishman who was shot dead on a Spanish island is believed to have been killed in a case of mistaken identity in a gang-related attack.


The National Trust is at Rhossili on Saturday, searching for remnants of a village which was engulfed by sand. Recent storms have eroded the cliffs below where the village was located, but there are fears further erosion will mean it will be lost in the sea. Robert Francis-Davies, chairman of Gower Landscape Partnership, said it would be "a coup" to find the remains.

Summary: People are being urged to help uncover traces of a 15th Century village on Gower before it is swept out to sea.


The Welsh government said Jobs Growth Wales had not been scrapped and placements would continue. Last year, the scheme's budget was cut in order for cash to go to the NHS. But the Labour-run Welsh government said this had not affected the scheme which had hit all its targets. Criticism has followed the closure. Chancellor George Osborne from the Conservative party, said the decision to temporarily close the scheme pointed to "confusion" within labour after party leader Ed Miliband had said he wanted the programme to be rolled out across the country. Campaigning in the Vale of Glamorgan, Mr Osborne said: "I remember the Labour party urging me to take this scheme across the whole of the UK. Now they are cutting it in Wales. "What it points to is real confusion in the Labour party. They don't really have a clear plan for Wales and I think Wales as a result would suffer with lost jobs, lost investment." Other parties also criticised the decision with Jenny Willott, for the Liberal Democrats, saying Jobs Growth Wales had been "ineffective". "However, for the Welsh Labour Government to allow this scheme to expire without replacing it is staggering," she said. And Ian Johnson, a Plaid Cymru election candidate, added: "Earlier this year, Ed Miliband said how great the scheme was. "Today, he has been embarrassed by his only government in the UK, who have fundamentally undermined his election pledge to young people." Meanwhile, UKIP's leader in Wales Nathan Gill called on ministers to "focus on creating the right conditions for existing businesses to expand and for new businesses to start". "The only way we will ever truly achieve this is to withdraw from the European Union, which spends each day dreaming up new ways of stifling innovation and creativity in the form of regulations and directives," he said. But the Welsh government said it was aiming to launch a new Jobs Growth Wales programme in May saying it has made a "significant contribution to reducing youth unemployment right across Wales". "The original programme was designed to create and fill 12,000 jobs and to date it has helped create over 17,000 job opportunities and fill almost 15,000 of these vacancies for young people aged 16-24," a spokesperson said. "The European Social Fund budget for the 2007-2013 programme came to an end on 31 March and we have already begun work on the successor programme. "Subject to approval within the new European Social Fund for 2014-2020 we are aiming to launch the new Jobs Growth Wales programme in the first quarter of this financial year." The thrust of the criticism here is that if Jobs Growth Wales is so important to the Welsh economy then how come it has been allowed to come to a halt, albeit temporarily, and how come funding has been reduced? The opposition parties have seized on developments partly because barely a week goes by without a member of the Welsh government trumpeting the success of its back-to-work scheme. The Welsh government insists it is not being scrapped and has responded to

Summary: A flagship Welsh government youth job creation scheme has been temporarily closed while approval for a new one is awaited from the EU.


Leah Kerry was found unconscious at about 04:50 BST on Saturday at Bakers Park in Newton Abbot, Devon. Jacob Khanlarian from Newton Abbot, was charged with two counts of intent to supply a class A drug and one of intent to supply a class B substance. The 20-year-old entered no plea and was remanded in custody by Plymouth magistrates. He will appear before Exeter Crown Court on 10 August. More on the drug-related death and other Devon news It is believed Leah, who was not from the area, suffered an adverse reaction from the substance. She died in Torbay Hospital. Two other girls believed to have taken the same substance were also taken to hospital over the weekend as a precaution, but have since been released. Det Supt Ken Lamont said: "With NPS (New Psychoactive Substances) no-one knows what's in them and that's why they are so dangerous. "Time and time again we hear of people paying the ultimate price for this. "It's not worth experimenting with your life." Last year Totnes teenager Nathan Wood died after after taking the psychoactive drug N-Bomb. Police called on parents to "speak to your children about the dangers of drugs and legal highs".

Summary: A man has been charged following the death of 15-year-old girl suspected of taking drugs.


Dieumerci Mbokani is doubtful due to illness, but Abel Hernandez could return after a hamstring injury. Burnley winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson is out after tweaking a medial knee ligament against Lincoln. Fellow midfielder Steven Defour is back in training after a hamstring injury but won't feature on Saturday, while Jeff Hendrick is still suspended. Steve Bower: "At the turn of the year Hull looked doomed; devoid of any confidence and hope. The impact Marco Silva and his new faces have had since has been remarkable. "The atmosphere has changed and, so too, have their chances of survival. They have used the break to continue to bond at a week-long training camp in Portugal. "Now the Tigers have an opportunity to record three consecutive home wins in the Premier League for the first time. "They face a Burnley team who, incredibly, only have a solitary point on their travels. "That has to change at some stage and Sean Dyche's team will hope for a response after last weekend's cup shock. "A trip to Hull, though, is a different proposition to earlier in the season." Twitter: @SteveBowercomm Hull head coach Marco Silva: "The pressure always stays with the team and the coaches. "It's one more game and of course we respect Burnley. We want to win and prove ourselves on the pitch." Burnley manager Sean Dyche on his side's run of four away games in a row: "I think it's brilliant for us because the timing's magnificent. "The teams on the opposite side, they are expected (to win) now, we're not because everyone looks at the form book and goes, 'Well it's going to be hard for them to win away because they haven't won any away'. "Expectancy grows on the team you're playing now. Statistics work in your favour over a season and mindset works in your favour because the pressure is on the opposition." I think most Burnley fans would rather see their side win this game than have beaten Lincoln in the FA Cup. Having said that, I don't see Sean Dyche's side beating Hull. The Tigers are scrapping for anything they can get at the moment. Prediction: 1-1 Lawro's full predictions v Let it Shine judge Martin Kemp Head-to-head Hull City Burnley SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

Summary: Hull will be without midfielder Sam Clucas this weekend because he is serving a one-match suspension.


Alan McQuillan told the BBC the current attitude to drugs was "creating a cash cow for organised crime, especially in relation to cannabis". He said police needed to focus on paramilitaries as the source of the drugs problem in Northern Ireland. The former policeman was taking part in a BBC Talkback discussion about drug dealing in Northern Ireland. "I think there is real scope for de-criminalising cannabis," he said. "The time has come to consider it." Mr McQuillan said the focus needed to be on teaching parents and children about the reality of the drugs trade. "We need to invest in education, to be aware that often the people who are dealing drugs are corrupted young people who are paying for a habit by dealing to other children," he said. Former Ulster Unionist MLA Adrian Cochrane-Watson told a local newspaper on Wednesday he would "break the legs" of any drug dealers he caught. He was speaking after a family emergency in which a young relative became unwell after smoking cannabis. Speaking in the Radio Ulster discussion on Wednesday, Mr Cochrane-Watson said he made no apology for his outspoken remarks. He said: "When I see drug dealers driving about in their fancy sports cars - money to burn - it does make me angry. "When I know who these people are, it makes me frustrated. "If I had got my hands on the guy who dealt these drugs to 13-year-old kids, I'd rather the police would have gotten there before me."

Summary: A former deputy chief constable has said it may be time to reconsider de-criminalising cannabis.


Rejected by the country they call home and unwanted by its neighbours, the Rohingya are impoverished, virtually stateless and have been fleeing Myanmar in droves and for decades. In recent months, tens of thousands of Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh amid a military crackdown on insurgents in Myanmar's western Rakhine state. They have told horrifying stories of rapes, killings and house burnings, which the government of Myanmar - formerly Burma - has claimed are "false" and "distorted". Activists have condemned the lack of a firm international response. Some have described the situation as South East Asia's Srebrenica, referring to the July 1995 massacre of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims who were meant to be under UN protection - a dark stain on Europe's human rights record. Tun Khin, from the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK, says Rohingyas are suffering "mass atrocities" perpetrated by security forces in the northern part of Rakhine state. A counter-insurgency campaign was launched after nine border policemen near Maungdaw were killed in a militant attack in early October, but the Rohingya say they are being targeted indiscriminately. The BBC cannot visit the locked-down area to verify the claims and the Myanmar government has vociferously denied alleged abuses. But UN officials have told the BBC that the Rohingya are being collectively punished for militant attacks, with the ultimate goal being ethnic cleansing. The Rohingya are one of Myanmar's many ethnic minorities and say they are descendants of Arab traders and other groups who have been in the region for generations. But Myanmar's government denies them citizenship and sees them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh - a common attitude among many Burmese. The predominantly Buddhist country has a long history of communal mistrust, which was allowed to simmer, and was at times exploited, under decades of military rule. About one million Muslim Rohingya are estimated to live in western Rakhine state, where they are a sizable minority. An outbreak of communal violence there in 2012 saw more than 100,000 people displaced, and tens of thousands of Rohingya remain in decrepit camps where travel is restricted. Hundreds of thousands of undocumented Rohingya already live in Bangladesh, having fled there over many decades. Since a dramatic Rohingya exodus from Myanmar in 2015, the political party of Nobel Peace Prize winner and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi has taken power in a historic election, the first to be openly contested in 25 years. But little has changed for the Rohingya and Ms Suu Kyi's failure to condemn the current violence is an outrage, say some observers. "I'm not saying there are no difficulties,'' she told Singapore's Channel NewsAsia in December. "But it helps if people recognise the difficulty and are more focused on resolving these difficulties rather than exaggerating them so that everything seems worse than it really is.'' Her failure to defend the Rohingya is extremely disappointing, said Tun Khin, who for years had supported her democracy activism. The question of whether she has much leverage over the military - which still wields great power and controls the most powerful ministries -

Summary: They have been described as the world's most persecuted people.


The 23-year-old from Westmeath beat Gadzhimagomedov on a unanimous 5-0 points decision in the Ukraine decider. Kurt Walker and Brendan Irvine had to settle for bronze medals after losing their semi-finals on Friday. Lisburn bantamweight Walker was beaten by Mykola Butsenko while Belfast flyweight Irvine lost to Niall Farrell. Walker and Irivine were both defeated on a unanimous decision. Belfast light-welterweight Sean McComb missed out on a bronze medal after losing to England's Luke McCormack in the 64kg division on Wednesday. McComb suffered a narrow 3-2 split decision loss in the 64kg division. All four Irish boxers have ensured a place at August's World Championships in Hamburg by virtue of having reached the last 16.

Summary: Ireland's Joe Ward has won a third European Championship light heavyweight gold medal after defeating Russia's Muslim Gadzhimagomedov in the final.


The non-league club's ground at Meadow Park was completely submerged by the 2007 floods and they have been unable to play there since. The new ground will be a completely new build, within the boundaries of the old stadium, and will include flood defences. The plans will be submitted to Gloucester County Council next week. Club spokesman Mike Dunstan said: "We have regularly communicated with residents and can say that this flood defence proposal will give substantial and significant benefits to the residents and businesses of the Sudmeadow area. "GCFC flood risks consultants have been working on this proposal since 2008 with the EA (Environment Agency) to provide the solution." Since 2007 the club has played home games at the grounds of Forest Green Rovers, Cirencester Town and Cheltenham Town. Club chairman Nigel Hughes said: "I am especially pleased for our supporters who have, throughout this very difficult time, been wonderfully supportive and extremely patient with us. "There is still much work to be done but this gives us all a big lift and is something to work towards."

Summary: Plans to rebuild flood-damaged Gloucester City Football Club's stadium have gone on display.


The UN has said media restrictions and violence meant the environment was not conducive to free, credible elections. Unrest started in April after President Pierre Nkurunziza said he would run for a third term - something protesters say is illegal. The president says he is entitled to a third term because he was appointed for his first term, not elected. The presidential election is scheduled for 15 July. East African leaders have called for a further two-week delay. Africa news highlights: 7 July The electoral commission spokesman told the BBC turnout for the parliamentary poll had been low in the districts of Bujumbura where there had been protests, but that in some provinces outside the capital it was as high as 98%. The ruling party - the CNDD FDD - was ahead in every province of the country, Burundi's electoral commission announced. They won 77 out of 100 elected seats in parliament, AFP news agency says. The BBC's Maud Jullien says all of the country's private broadcasters have closed in recent months, and many civil society leaders have left the country claiming their lives were under threat. At least 70 died and 150,000 people have fled the country. Reporting on a coup and a crisis... using a music-sharing site 10.4m population 50 years - life expectancy for a man 2nd poorest country in the world 85% are Hutu, 14% Tutsi 300,000 died in civil war

Summary: The ruling party in Burundi has won the parliamentary election boycotted by the main opposition parties.


The unemployment rate last month was 4.3%, falling a 10th of a percentage point to its lowest level since 2001, the US Labor Department said on Friday. But payrolls increased by just 138,000. Economists had expected growth of more than 180,000. Official job creation figures for March and April were also revised down. The jobs report is a closely watched barometer of the US economy and one of the metrics the US central bank considers as it sets interest rates. A number of reports have shown that US growth in the first quarter was weak. Federal Reserve officials have said they are monitoring the figures, but believe the slowdown is temporary. Some slowdown in job creation has been expected, as the labour market heads deeper into one of the longest expansions in US history. But the 138,000 jobs added in May marked a sharp deceleration from the average monthly gain of 181,000 over the previous 12 months. Trump: A New Economic Policy for the US? Is the US economic recovery stuck in a rut? Job creation kept pace with population growth in May, but it was not what financial markets were expecting, said Paul Diggle, senior economist at Aberdeen Asset Management. "Today's numbers probably won't stop the Fed from raising rates next week. But they might well influence what happens next," he said. "If wage growth doesn't improve, the Fed is going to want to soften its stance on how many rate rises are to come this year and next." Private sector employers added 147,000 jobs over the month, led by the professional and business services, health care, and leisure and hospitality sectors. Construction and mining payrolls also rose. But losses in the retail sector continued, with payrolls falling by 6,100 over the month. Government was also a drag on job creation, with 9,000 fewer positions. Employment in manufacturing also dipped. The decline in the unemployment rate came as the number of people outside the labour force - neither working nor looking for work - increased in May. The labour force participation rate was 62.7%, retreating from earlier this year. The revisions to March and April, which come as the Labor Department receives more detailed information, also meant there were about 66,000 fewer gains over the two months than previously reported. Gus Faucher, senior economist at PNC Financial Services, called Friday's report "disappointing". He said some of the slowdown came as some employers had trouble finding workers with the right skills. Wages are up, but not as much as might be expected, he added. Average hourly earnings were $26.22 last month, rising 2.5% over the year. But economists at Moody's Analytics said the soft jobs number in May might omit summer hiring that occurred later in in the month. They wrote that they expected to see future gains, even if the overall pace of expansion slows. "Because of the peculiarities inherent in the May report, we are minimising its importance," they wrote. "There are few risks on the horizon that suggest that the economy is at risk of downturn."

Summary: US employers added fewer jobs than expected in May, but the unemployment rate dipped further as the economy headed toward full employment.


Warriors called off the game, without consulting Widnes, as the pitch had deteriorated following Storm Doris and needed time to recover so that Wigan Athletic could play football on it. But the match then went ahead on the scheduled date at the Vikings' ground. Warriors, who won the game 28-26, must pay £2,000 in costs for the RFL. An independent operational Rules Tribunal determined the Warriors breached operational rules and some of the league's code of conduct. The Rugby Football League said it would set up a working party so the stadium sharing clubs - Wigan, Hull FC, Salford Red Devils and Leeds Rhinos - can discuss the issues in relation to sharing a ground.

Summary: Wigan Warriors have been reprimanded and ordered to pay costs for postponing their Super League fixture against Widnes Vikings in February.


The 58-year-old, who has slipped to 100 in the world rankings, failed to make a half-century break at Ponds Forge. China's Ding Junhui defeated Ireland's Greg Casey 10-4, while compatriot Liang Wenbo beat England's Joe O'Connor 10-2. There are three rounds of qualifying, with 16 qualifiers joining the world's top 16 at the Crucible from 16 April. Davis' last appearance at the Crucible showpiece came in 2010, when he produced a surprise run to the quarter-finals before being beaten by eventual champion Neil Robertson. Ding, an 11-time ranking event winner, is playing the qualifiers for the first time since 2007 after a disappointing season that has seen him drop out of the top 16. Two-time Crucible finalist Ali Carter is also through to the next stage of qualifying.

Summary: Six-time champion Steve Davis failed to reach the World Championship as he lost 10-4 to Fergal O'Brien in the first round of qualifying in Sheffield.


The House of Lords heard the government had not yet taken a decision as to whether an inquiry will be held. Launching one now could prejudice the on-going investigations into the Hillsborough disaster, it heard. About 10,000 strikers and 5,000 police officers clashed at the coking plant near Rotherham in June 1984. More than 120 officers and pickets were injured and 93 people arrested. On Tuesday, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) ruled a full report into allegations of police misconduct will not be made public. Live updates on this story and others in South Yorkshire What was the 'Battle of Orgreave'? What happened at Hillsborough? Lord Richard Keen, Lords spokesperson for the Home Office, said a barrister had been commissioned to go through 10,000 police documents "in the context of the investigation at Orgreave". In response to a question from Lord Richard Balfe, he said: "The IPCC has told the Home Office officials that if it announces any action to set up an inquiry or other investigation relating to Orgreave it would have an impact on the Hillsborough investigation. "For that reason, the decision will only be taken after that part has been concluded." He added work was still on-going to "assess whether material related to the policing of Orgreave is relevant to the Hillsborough criminal investigations". Barbara Jackson, from the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, said: "We respect all that the Hillsborough campaigners have had to go through, but we would like our issue dealt with as quickly as possible, as soon as their verdict is in the public domain."

Summary: Any inquiry into police actions during the Battle of Orgreave would not take place until Hillsborough investigations conclude, the Home Office said.


However, it said the girls abducted from a school in Chibok in April 2014 were not among them. The military said the girls and women were freed during major operations ending in the seizure of four Boko Haram camps in the Sambisa Forest. A military spokesman said they were now being interviewed. Weapons were also seized at the camps taken in the latest operation, the military said. In recent months Nigerian security forces have taken back most of the territory previously under the control of Boko Haram, the BBC's Tomi Oladipo reports from Lagos. Gen Chris Olukolade said the hostages were freed as part of a major, ongoing operation. He said accurate intelligence had helped the military locate the camps, which had been attacked from all directions by ground and air forces. Last October, the government said it had secured an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of the girls taken from Chibok, but Boko Haram subsequently denied this. The abduction of the girls in Chibok sparked global outrage with many joining a campaign online to free them using the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. Several nations including the US and China vowed to help find them and there have been reported sightings of the girls, but none has been found to date. Meanwhile, the government of neighbouring Niger gave more details about fighting between its troops and Boko Haram on an island in Lake Chad over the weekend. It says 28 civilians died when Boko Haram attacked Karamga island and that 46 of its troops died in the battle for the island, along with more than 150 militants. Reports in local media have given a much higher death toll for government forces. Boko Haram's insurgency, and the army campaign against it, have killed more than 15,500 people since 2012. The violence has recently spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Summary: The Nigerian military says it has rescued 200 girls and 93 women from an area where the Islamist militant group Boko Haram is active.


The Republican nominee denied ever sexually assaulting women, but turned his fire on ex-President Bill Clinton in a bitter US presidential debate. "There's never been anybody in the history of politics that has been so abusive to women," he said. Hillary Clinton refused to address his comments about her husband. Mr Trump's attack on the Clintons came after moderator Anderson Cooper asked him about a 2005 video released on Friday that revealed Mr Trump bragging about groping women. The 70-year-old billionaire dismissed the remarks as "just words" and "locker room talk". When pressed on whether he had engaged in sexual misconduct, he denied doing so and instead focused on Mr Clinton's previous indiscretions. No criminal charges have been brought against Mr Clinton in any allegations of sexual assault. Mrs Clinton said the explosive video, which has sparked an exodus of Republicans denying support to their presidential nominee, "represents exactly who he is". "With prior Republican nominees, I disagreed with them," she added, "but I never questioned their fitness to serve. When the two took to the stage in St Louis for their second of three debates, they did not shake hands, striking a bitter tone that would continue throughout. Mr Trump said if he won, he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Mrs Clinton and she would be in prison over her private email arrangements. "Everything he just said is absolutely false but I'm not surprised," she responded. "It's just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country." "Because you'd be in jail," he interrupted. Mr Trump also said his Democratic rival "has tremendous hate in her heart" while criticising her for referring to his supporters as "deplorables". Mrs Clinton said she apologised for the comment, adding: "My argument is not with his supporters, it's with him, about the hateful and divisive campaign he has run." The two also sparred on the conflict in Syria, Russian aggression, Trump's refusal to release his tax returns and his plan for the "extreme vetting" of immigrants arriving from countries with links to terrorism. The evening concluded when an audience member asked the candidates to say one positive thing about each other. Mrs Clinton said his children were a great reflection of him while Mr Trump called his opponent "a fighter" who never gives up. An hour before the debate began, Mr Trump appeared at a news conference with women who accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct. He joined three women who allege the former president sexually assaulted them and called the women "very courageous". The Republican was under immense pressure after making obscene comments about women in the video. At least 33 senior Republicans - including senators, members of Congress, and state governors - have withdrawn their support since the video surfaced on Friday. Donald Trump entered this debate threatening to unload every bit of malicious allegations and rumours on Hillary Clinton. And he did. Accusations of Bill Clinton's sexual impropriety? Check. Her work as a public defender representing a rapist? Yup.

Summary: Donald Trump has responded to an outcry over his remarks about groping women by launching a blistering attack against Hillary Clinton and her husband.


He carded a six-under-par round of 64 to finish 21 under, one shot ahead of American Ollie Schniederjans. Former world number one Stenson hit eight birdies in his closing round, including three in a row from the 15th. Schniederjans also shot 64, while compatriot Webb Simpson finished four shots back in third place. American Davis Love, at 53 seeking to become the oldest winner in US PGA Tour history, finished eight shots adrift in a tie for 10th. Stenson, 41, said: "I don't know how many times I'm going to get as close to playing as well as I did at Troon. "I'm just very pleased with how I closed out this week."

Summary: Sweden's Henrik Stenson won the Wyndham Championship to claim his first title since The Open at Royal Troon last year.


Stuart Coffey, 44, transferred cash from Bracebridge Heath Medical Practice into his own account between 2008 and 2013. Lincoln Crown Court heard he stole so much money the surgery fell into rent arrears of £37,000. Coffey, of Bede Close, Quarrington, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud. The fraud was discovered when Coffey left the practice and staff discovered the rent had not been paid and other invoices were outstanding. Prosecutor Jonathon Dee said a review of accounts found "pretty much consistently over five years the defendant had been stealing from the practice". The judge, Recorder Stuart Sprawson, said: "This was deliberate. It was clearly planned." Coffey's barrister, Mark Harries, said his client was "ashamed and disgusted with himself". He said he had begun taking the money after struggling to meet mortgage payments. Denise Bluck, the current practice manager at the surgery, said the theft had a "significant impact" on the practice but it was "working hard to deal with the impact".

Summary: A former GP practice manager who stole nearly £250,000 from the surgery he managed has been jailed for two years and eight months.


Downing Street backed a report by think tank Policy Exchange which said selling high value homes when they become vacant would raise £4.5bn a year. That would be enough to build 80,000 to 170,000 social homes, the report said. Labour said new homes were urgently needed but "driving out hard-working families on low wages from whole neighbourhoods" was not the answer. In its Ending Expensive Social Tenancies report, Policy Exchange argues the move could create the largest social house building programme since the 1970s - giving the economy a kickstart. Neil O'Brien, the think tank's director, told the BBC that social housing would still exist in very expensive areas under its proposal, but there would just be "less of it". "The truth is I don't believe anybody has the right to live in the most expensive parts of town. "People do have a right to get housed, just not in the very most expensive areas," he said. He also suggested that the overall number of people waiting for social housing, currently around 1.8 million, could be reduced by about 500,000 if the scheme was implemented. The prime minister's official spokesman said: "This is something that councils can choose to do already. "Councils should be looking for ways to use their social housing stock as efficiently as they can. The waiting list for social housing has increased a lot over passing years. "They need to think about how they can use that social housing stock efficiently. "If they can sell high-value housing to invest in more social housing and find more homes for more people, then that is certainly something they should look at." But Labour said the coalition's "failed" polices were "making the housing crisis worse not better". Shadow housing minister Jack Dromey said: "Councils and housing associations should make effective use of their housing stock but the government should not force them to arbitrarily sell off social homes, breaking up mixed communities and driving out hard-working families on low wages from whole neighbourhoods." He said the government should use a bank bonus tax to fund 250,000 affordable homes and "put unemployed builders back to work" and boost the construction industry. 'Lucky family' Expensive social housing - which Policy Exchange defines as housing worth more than the average property in each region - accounts for 21.8% of the total social housing stock in the UK, it says. This equates to 816,000 properties - out of a total of 3.78 million - which the think tank says could raise up to £159bn if sold. It says London alone has more than £70bn of expensive social housing. About 3.5% of the total stock becomes vacant every year owing to people moving out or dying, the think tank said. This meant the government could sell a total of 28,500 properties each year, raising £5.5bn a year. The figure would stand at £4.5bn after paying off the debt held against the stock, the report said. Mr O'Brien argued that many hard-working people might want to live in a nicer area or in a bigger house but

Summary: Councils should consider selling off their most expensive houses to build more cheap homes, the government says.


Jon Rahm's status as one of Europe's most exciting prospects was confirmed by a fine victory on the PGA Tour at Torrey Pines last Sunday. The 22-year-old capped his maiden triumph with a thrilling eagle at the last, where he holed a snaking 60-footer to finish three clear of the field. Rahm, who hails from Barrika in the Basque country of northern Spain, has made an extraordinary start to his professional career. He secured his Tour card within just four events of joining the paid ranks seven months ago. Having completed a stellar college career at Arizona State, where he won the prestigious Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus awards, the youthful Spaniard was third at Congressional last year before finishing runner-up at the Canadian Open last July. His rapid rise accelerated further with this victory over a strong field in California. It is little wonder Europe's Ryder Cup captain, Thomas Bjorn, was among the first to recognise the achievement. "Congratulations on your first PGA Tour win," Bjorn tweeted. "When you win, you might as well do it in style! What a finish." It is a significant result for Bjorn because it has elevated Rahm into the world's top 50. All indicators suggest the Spaniard, currently ranked 46th, is likely to remain in this upper echelon for many years to come. And with a place in the top 50 comes the freedom to pick and choose tournaments on both sides of the Atlantic. With his PGA Tour card secure, the Spaniard is on schedule to be free to accept European Tour membership in time for next year's Ryder Cup. Rahm has already stated his desire to play for Europe in Paris and under new rules would only need to play four events each season to satisfy the Tour's membership criteria. "I've thought about the Ryder Cup a lot," he said during the World Cup at the end of last year. "I so want to play in the matches; who doesn't? But right now I need to establish myself on the PGA Tour." That task has already been accomplished with astonishing speed and it means the 2018 Ryder Cup can be firmly on Rahm's radar. "The next one is in France and that is close to home for me," he said last November. "I will be doing all I can to be there. So to answer your question: yes, I will be joining the European Tour at some stage. "I am very much a European, and I want to play there. But I have taken a different route to professional golf in that I have gone to college in the US. "Once I have the freedom to fly back and forth a bit more it will happen. It is my dream to represent Spain in the Ryder Cup." Phil Mickelson's brother Tim coached him at Arizona State and is now the Spaniard's agent. Phil is convinced his sibling has unearthed a golfing gem. "I think there's an intangible that some guys have where they want to have the pressure, they want to be in

Summary: While Tiger Woods inevitably generates a frenzy of interest during his return to the European Tour, the continent has already got plenty to be excited about thanks to a new Spanish superstar in the making.


The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body which oversees the rules of the game, passed the law at a meeting in Zurich. It will come in to force on 1 June, in time for the World Cup in Brazil. The new law was proposed by the Football Association and will apply to domestic and international football. FA general secretary Alex Horne said: "The idea is to get some consistency. The simplest rule for the image of the game is to start from the basis that slogans will not be allowed." From the time the new rule comes in to place, incidents such as Mario Balotelli's infamous "Why Always Me?" message, which he revealed after scoring against Manchester United in 2011, will be banned and subject to a sanction. Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke said: "It is definitely decided that players must not have any slogan or statement, and we are making the decision that it will apply to the World Cup." Law 4 of the game, which relates to players' equipment, will be amended. It states: "Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer logo. "A player/team of a player that reveals an undergarment that shows political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturers' logo will be sanctioned by the competition organiser or by Fifa." Meanwhile, the IFAB rejected a proposal from Uefa to amend the so-called "triple punishment" which occurs when a penalty kick is given within a game, warranting a player being sent off and a possible goal being scored. It was agreed that a pilot project carried out by the FA and Scottish Football Association relating to revolving substitutes in amateur football will continue, as will a Uefa experiment into the use of a sin bin in recreational football. The IFAB also discussed the potential use of video replays for match officials but remains of the view that technology should be allowed only for goal-line incidents because "it is a clear yes or no decision". An IFAB statement read: "Concerns were raised about video replays slowing the game down and increasing the number of stoppages."

Summary: Players who display messages on T-shirts worn underneath their strips will face punishment after new proposals were agreed.


But thanks to the controversy around gifts to David Cameron from his mother, IHT is now under the political spotlight. Just 40,100 families - that's around 8% of estates - will pay any IHT at all in 2016/17, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Thanks to rising house prices, that number is set to rise over the next few years, but much more slowly than was originally expected. That's because the chancellor, George Osborne, has finally been able to make changes to IHT - changes that were blocked by the Liberal Democrats during the years of coalition government. So how does IHT work - and what reforms are already in the pipeline? If you pass on property, or anything else of monetary value, to your descendants, you will pay IHT, but only if the total value exceeds £325,000 in 2016/17. Anything above that amount will incur tax at 40%. Since married or civil partners can transfer assets free of tax between each other, one partner automatically inherits the other's allowance. So in practice, the IHT allowance is often doubled to £650,000. In other words, if a father passes wealth to a mother, who subsequently also dies, she can pass on up to £650,000 without having to pay IHT. From April 2017, the government will introduce a new Transferable Main Residence Allowance (TMRA), to help people pass on property to their descendants. Initially this will be set at £100,000, rising to £175,000 by 2020/21. When added to the IHT threshold of £325,000, it will allow each individual to pass on £425,000 with no tax payable - or £850,000 per couple. By 2021, the tax-free limit will be £500,000 each, or £1m for married or civil partners. Further details of TMRA can be found here Even if a parent sets up a trust in favour of a child, inheritance tax is still payable. In most cases, IHT will be charged at 20% on money or property when it goes into the trust, if it exceeds the IHT allowance. If the parent dies within seven years, an additional 20% is charged, to equal the 40% non-trust rate. In addition, assets within a trust are usually re-assessed every ten years, to take account of changing property valuations, for example. Under the existing rules, you can pass on money, property or possessions without paying any tax, as long as you survive for seven years after giving it to the recipient. If you die within the seven year period, and you gift more than the allowance, a taper system exists. If you die six years after making the gift, for example, you will only pay 8% IHT. See table below. In addition you can give up to £250 a year to as many people as you like without paying tax. Usually it is the estate which is liable for IHT. However if you are the recipient of a gift, and the giver has died within 7 years, and has already given away more than £325,000, you could be liable to pay IHT yourself. More details on

Summary: Very few people pay inheritance tax (IHT) and it raises relatively little money for the Treasury.


Adam Lallana replaced the Brazilian in that game on his return from a month's lay-off and could be in line to start. Southampton's leading scorer Charlie Austin might be involved for the first time since dislocating his shoulder on 8 December. He is among several players expected to step up their comebacks by playing for the under-23 side on Friday night. Steve Wilson: "Having failed to score against Southampton over the course of three matches already this season, Liverpool would be right to be wary of this latest encounter at a time when they can afford no more slip-ups. "After drawing with Bournemouth and losing to Palace, a home win is overdue - but Southampton have already exploited Liverpool's vulnerabilities as well as anyone. "If Jurgen Klopp's side do fail to finish in the top four it will be entirely of their own doing after underperforming in too many games which on paper seemed underwhelming. "Southampton may be securely mid-table without too much to trouble them, but the boos which greeted their inability to beat Hull at St Mary's a week ago will have hurt and should ensure a response." Twitter:@Wilsonfooty Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "It cannot be our job to count points, our job is to get them. "There is absolutely no club in the top spots who can waste points in the next match day: not Chelsea, not Tottenham, not Liverpool, City, United or Arsenal. "We all have to fight with all we have and that makes this league so exciting." Southampton manager Claude Puel on speculation over his future: "I've been surprised to see these reports because it seems for me it has been an interesting season with many games. "There have been European games, cup games, with quality. We reached the final at Wembley against Manchester United and we've also improved many players. "We're ninth in the table with all these games, all these injuries. "Sometimes we lack consistency and a clinical edge, and all of this we have to correct for next season because we can do better." Liverpool owe Saints after they lost to them in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup, and I think they will get some revenge. Prediction: 2-0 Lawro's full predictions v indie rock band Kasabian Head-to-head Liverpool Southampton SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

Summary: Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho is confident he will be fit despite suffering a dead leg against Watford.


Holders Glasgow City joined Hibs in the fourth round with a 3-1 success over Rangers Ladies. Celtic also safely made their progression into the last 16 with a 3-1 win at home to Forfar Farmington. Elsewhere in the third round there were wins for Glasgow Girls, Stirling University, Hearts, Hutchison Vale and Jeanfield Swifts. Hibs are targeting a cup double after landing the SWPL Cup earlier in the season with victory over champions Glasgow City. The two sides meet next weekend on league business, with Hibs trailing leaders City by two points.

Summary: League Cup winners Hibernian Ladies beat Renfrew Ladies 19-0 in the third round of the Scottish Cup.


Toulon's Halfpenny, 26, ruptured anterior cruciate knee ligaments during Wales' 23-19 win over Italy at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday. Scrum-half Rhys Webb, also 26, suffered an ankle injury in the match, but there is no news yet on the extent of the damage. Halfpenny's likely replacement at full-back, Liam Williams, has not played since having foot surgery in June. The other two full-backs in Wales' 31-man squad - Bristol's Matthew Morgan and Dragons' Hallam Amos - have six caps between them. Halfpenny has scored 508 points in 62 appearances for Wales. The Welsh Rugby Union has not said who will replace Halfpenny. Wales start their World Cup campaign against Uruguay in Cardiff on 20 September, before playing co-hosts England, Fiji and Australia their remaining Pool A matches. Former Wales Shane Williams has questioned coach Warren Gatland's decision to select Halfpenny against Italy. Halfpenny started the game with strapping on his right leg, suggesting he was already carrying an injury. Record Wales try-scorer Williams said the victory over Italy was "just horrendous for Wales". "Webb has been the form player for Wales and to lose Halfpenny as well, it's just a massive blow," he said. "You kind of thought 'do we need Halfpenny on the field? Let's wrap him up in cotton wool and roll him out when we really need him'. "Wales is in mourning already. Especially with Halfpenny, he was strapped up on his leg anyway." Props: Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Paul James (Ospreys), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Samson Lee (Scarlets). Hookers: Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets). Locks: Jake Ball (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing 92), Dominic Day (Bath), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys). Back-rows: Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt). Scrum-halves: Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues). Fly-halves: Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Matthew Morgan (Bristol), Rhys Priestland (Bath). Centres: Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), Scott Williams (Scarlets). Wings: Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints). Full-back: Liam Williams (Scarlets).

Summary: Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny is out of the Rugby World Cup.


A club statement on Thursday said they had "mutually agreed to his resignation in the interests of both parties". It comes after just five league matches of the 2017-18 season, of which Barrow won one, drew three and lost one. Michael Moore will take interim charge while the Bluebirds search for a successor to 45-year-old former Mansfield and Torquay boss Cox. In May, Barrow gave fellow National League club Hartlepool United permission to speak to Cox, before Pools appointed The New Saints boss Craig Harrison. Cox had arrived on a three-and-a-half-year deal in November 2015 following Darren Edmondson's exit by mutual consent. An 11th-place finish followed in 2015-16, before a seventh-place finish last term. Barrow's statement added: "His efforts have made the club more professional both on and off the pitch. We wish him the best of luck in the next step of his career."

Summary: National League club Barrow have announced the departure of manager Paul Cox after nearly two years in charge.


The American band had been set to perform in Bellahouston Park on Tuesday. However, promoters PCL said the show had been cancelled because "adverse weather conditions" meant it was "no longer safe" for the bands to perform. In a statement on their website Green Day said they were "very distraught". They said the stage was deemed "unsafe for the fans and everyone involved". The band added: "We are very distraught about this as we are in Glasgow now and were very much looking forward to this show as one the highlights of our tour. "We have been playing in extreme weather conditions throughout this European tour, and the last thing we want to do is see a show cancelled. "We love our Scottish fans and we don't care if it's raining... sideways, although the safety of our fans and our crew is always our top priority. "We love you Scotland, we love the city of Glasgow and it goes without saying that we will be back." In a strongly worded post on Instagram, the band's bassist Mike Dirnt posted a video of himself next to a Saltire. He said: "We are devastated and it... sucks that the show today has been cancelled due to safety issues. "I know today's show would have been insane! I'm at a loss for words and so disappointed right now, but please know we will be back ASAP! Rage & Love." Disappointed fans have also voiced their anger at the last-minute announcement. Charlotte Durcan, from Lincolnshire, said she and her family had travelled nearly four hours to attend the concert. "We arrived safely, paid for parking, paid for our hotel, and at 13:45 received an e-mail to say that the concert has been cancelled," she said. "We could have saved our money," she added. "The hotel won't reimburse us as there is a 72-hour notice period. We will be staying there for one night only as we just came for the concert. We're not really sure how to pass the time now. "It's my first time in Glasgow and it has ruined my Glasgow experience." Many ticket holders took to social media to express their disappointment. One said she was "absolutely devastated" by the decision, after waiting seven years to see the band perform in Scotland. Others raised questions over the weather conditions, claiming that T in the Park and Glastonbury often go ahead in heavy rain. It also led to queries about how well prepared the organisers were for the sell-out concert. Glasgow City Council, which operates Bellahouston Park, said they did not tell the promoters to cancel the gig. They said the decision was taken by the promoters and the band's management, who informed the council of the move. The promoters announced the cancellation on Twitter shortly before 13:30. The gates were due to open at 14:00. They said fans would receive refunds. In a statement, they said: "Adverse weather conditions overnight and throughout the morning, during the bands scheduled load in, led to issues on stage. "A meeting between the on site health and

Summary: Promoters have blamed bad weather for the decision to cancel a concert by Green Day in Glasgow, only hours before it was due to begin.


Mosimane said they could only blame themselves for not capitalising on a quick start in Atteridgeville, just outside Pretoria, where they were 2-0 up after just six minutes as their Ugandan visitors seemed to suffer from stage fright. We have ourselves to blame for putting ourselves in this position so we need to take ourselves out of this position Sundowns had the lion's share of possession in the first leg of their last 32-tie after that, but still allowed KCCA to get back into the game and net a potentially vital away goal in the 69th minute. "We have ourselves to blame for putting ourselves in this position so we need to take ourselves out of this position. So we have to fight for it. We have the experience, we have the game, we have the personnel.," said Mosimane, voted Africa's Coach of the Year for 2016. It means a tenuous lead for the return leg of the second round tie in the Ugandan capital where KCCA need win only 1-0 to go through on the away goals rule. Mosimane says Sundowns will have to defend well in the return but also pointed out his own team's good away record in winning last year's crown. He said KCCA would be forced to leave gaps at the back as they went in search of victory in front of their own supporters "It won't be an easy game for them either because they have to push everybody upfront to go score And then we can play on the break also because we've got that ability." KCCA surprised Mosimane with their work ethic and their recovery after conceding goals to centre backs Bangaly Soumahoro and Ricardo Nascimento so early in the game "They worked hard. They are a hard working team, they really worked off the ball, they fight, they run, they don't give up, they have the hope," he said of the Ugandan champions, who are also current league leaders in their domestic competition. Sundowns now face the possibility of joining the likes of recent champions who have come unstuck in embarrassingly early fashion in defence of their crown. Last year it was TP Mazembe who went out before the group phase and two years before that Egypt's Al Ahly were handed a shock second round defeat by their namesakes from Benghazi in Libya.

Summary: Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane says the African Champions League holders are in a difficult position after failing to take advantage of a star-struck Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and not press home their early dominance as they began the defence of their title on Friday night.


More than 5,300 bottles of alcohol were seized by the investigators in the southern city of Liuzhou. They also found packets of a white powder called Sildenafil, better known as the anti-impotence drug Viagra. Police in the Guangxi region are now investigating the two distillers. The Liuzhou Food and Drug Administration said (in Chinese) that the powder was added to three different types of 'baijiu' - a strong, clear spirit that is the most popular drink in China. They said the haul was worth up to 700,000 yuan (Â£72,000; $113,000). Doctors recommend that adults requiring prescription should take only one dose of Viagra a day, with a lower dose for those over the age of 65. China continues to face widespread food safety problems. In June, police in cities across China seized more than 100,000 tonnes of smuggled meat, some of which was more than 40 years old. The 2008 tainted milk scandal outraged the nation. Some 300,000 people were affected and at least six babies died after consuming milk adulterated with melamine.

Summary: Distillers in China added Viagra to thousands of bottles of spirits and told customers it had "health-preserving qualities", food safety officials say.


With lawyers once again due to argue over the proposals at the Court of Session this week, here's a look at the background to the minimum pricing plans - and where they might be going next. The SNP, which has formed the Scottish government for the past nine years, has been trying to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol since 2009. It wants to set the price of a unit of alcohol at 50p - meaning the cost of the strongest ciders would more than double in off-licences, while a four-pack of 4% lager would cost at least £4, a bottle of whisky would cost at least £14 and a bottle of wine a minimum of about £4.50. Supporters of minimum pricing believe the move is necessary to tackle the country's binge drinking culture, with Scots buying 20% more alcohol on average than people in England or Wales. They say that alcohol is now 60% more affordable in the UK than it was in 1980, and that it is now possible to exceed the maximum weekly recommended intake of alcohol for men for less than £5. The minimum pricing policy - which received wide support from health professionals, the police, alcohol charities and sections of the drinks industry - was voted down by opposition MSPs when it first came before the Scottish Parliament in 2010. But the SNP tried again after being re-elected with a majority the following year, and the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act was passed by Holyrood in May 2012. The proposals immediately came under attack from five wine-producing nations - France, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria and Portugal - who are concerned that it would increase the cost of their products in Scotland. But more importantly, they are concerned about Scotland setting a precedent that the rest of the UK and other countries around the world could follow. In its legal guidance to the Scottish government, the European Commission said it believed minimum pricing was a disproportionate way of tackling Scotland's problem drinking. And it raised concerns that the policy could breach EU competition law by restricting imports of foreign alcohol. Separately, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) launched a legal challenge to the policy in the Scottish Courts. The SWA also says minimum pricing would breach EU trade laws, be ineffective in tackling alcohol misuse, penalise responsible and poorer drinkers, and damage an export industry worth more than £4bn to the Scottish economy every year. The Court of Session dismissed their case, but the SWA has not given up on its legal battle, with the appeal process reaching the European Court of Justice (ECJ) last year. The ECJ agreed that minimum pricing may breach EU rules on free trade, and suggested that the Scottish government should instead look at using tax increases as a way of raising the price of alcohol. However, the ECJ also said that it should be for the Scottish Courts to decide - and so the case is back before a panel of three judges in the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The Scottish government has indicated

Summary: Legislation that would introduce a minimum price for a unit of alcohol was given Royal Assent by the Queen after being passed by the Scottish Parliament four years ago - but the policy still hasn't been introduced.


The 28-year-old Erskine has agreed a pre-contract to sign for Thistle on a three-year deal in June. Manager Alan Archibald expects to lose Bannigan in the summer. "We were aware of him being out of contract in at the end of the season and Dundee United hadn't made a move on it," he said of Erskine. "We have went through the right channels and have that in place and it's a good one to look forward to for next season." It will be Erskine's third spell with United's Scottish Premiership rivals. He started his career at Firhill before moving to Tannadice in 2013, only to be loaned back later that season. But he was a first-team regular with the Tangerines last season. This term, he missed out during September, October and November through injury but returned to action in December. Asked if Erskine could join Thistle during the January transfer window, Archibald told BBC Scotland: "That's down to Dundee United. "He's their player and we have to respect that and we've just put that in place for next season." Archibald laughed off newspaper headlines suggesting that he had threatened to resign should Bannigan be sold during January. "It was tongue in cheek what I said in the papers," he said. "But I would be devastated and we'll not let him go. "It would need to be crazy money to let him go. "It would not be worth it for us as he is a key player. "If you let your key player go in January for what would not be a great amount of money would send out all the wrong signals." However, asked about reported interest by Aberdeen, Archibald said: "It is just paper talk. There have been a few linked with him. "He's a good player and out of contract and we expect that. "We know he is going to go in the summer - he will get good offers. "But there is no bitterness. We won't get a fee for him, but we've had four or five years out of him playing at the top of his game."

Summary: Dundee United midfielder Chris Erskine will return to Partick Thistle in the summer as the Glasgow club prepare for the departure of Stuart Bannigan.


Petty Officer Aimee Mejia, 21, was involved in a three-car accident on the island on Saturday, injuring two people, said police. It is the latest incident involving US troops based in Okinawa. Many Okinawans have long campaigned against the heavy US military presence. Police said PO Mejia was driving the wrong way down a street and hit two vehicles. A local woman was left with a cracked breastbone. Her alcohol levels were about six times the permissible level, Japan's NHK network reported. Under the US Navy's order, personnel will not be allowed to drink at all, on or off base, and cannot leave the base grounds, except for commuting and necessary errands such as picking up their children or groceries. The Navy said the "liberty curtailment" would remain in place until all personnel had gone through extra training, while alcohol was banned outright until officials "are comfortable that all personnel understand the impact of responsible behavior". "These measures are not taken lightly," Rear Adm Matthew Carter, Commander of Naval Forces Japan, said in a statement. "For decades, we have enjoyed a strong relationship with the people of Japan. It is imperative that each Sailor understand how our actions affect that relationship, and the US-Japan Alliance as a whole." The US military previously said it was co-operating with the Japanese investigation into the alleged drink-driving case, and expressed sympathies for the injured people Okinawa is home to more than half of the 50,000 American military personnel based in Japan. Opposition to their presence has rumbled on for years, with anger resurfacing each time a military member is involved in a crime. US personnel were already under curfew and observing a 30-day mourning period after a civilian military employee was arrested on suspicion of dumping a local woman's body last month. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed outrage over the incident, and raised the issue with US President Barack Obama at the G7 summit in Japan.

Summary: The US Navy has banned all its personnel in Japan from drinking alcohol and has restricted off-base activity after a sailor was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.


The Toffees, back in the tournament for the first time since 2010, controlled much of the game as a Ricardo Rodriguez own goal and a Seamus Coleman header gave them a 2-0 half-time lead. Leighton Baines put the game beyond Wolfsburg with a second-half penalty. Kevin Mirallas drilled in a late fourth for Everton before Rodriguez grabbed a consolation with a curled free-kick. The win puts Everton top of Group H and was just reward for manager Roberto Martinez, who underlined his intention to take the competition seriously by naming a strong side, after calling it "the perfect next step" for the club. The Toffees narrowly missed out on the Champions League last season as they finished fifth in the Premier League, but with their participation in this season's Europa League ending a four-year absence, Martinez has expressed a determination to go as far as possible. Everton's attacking display on Thursday will certainly give him confidence of progressing from a group that also contains French side Lille and Russians FK Krasnodar. Martinez had opted not to rest any of his first-team regulars for the visit of Wolfsburg, naming the same side that defeated West Brom 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday. Romelu Lukaku got his first of the campaign in that game and the striker spearheaded an exciting, attacking quartet that also included Aiden McGeady, Naismith and Mirallas. They have all contributed to Everton's impressive statistic of having scored at least two goals in every game this season, and it was of little surprise they each played significant roles in the goals against Wolfsburg. Naismith was the first to make a telling contribution, forcing the opener with Everton's first attack. After winning possession, Naismith ran into the area to receive a Baines pass before stabbing a shot at goal. Rodriguez tried to clear, but the ball cannoned off goalkeeper Diego Benaglio, and hit the Wolfsburg full-back again before ending up in his own net. That was Everton's first goal in Europe at Goodison Park since beating Sporting Lisbon 2-1 in February 2010, and it had the buoyant home crowd hungry for more. Everton duly attempted to deliver, with full-backs Baines and Coleman becoming more adventurous as Wolfsburg offered little going forward, and their attacking instincts resulted in the home side's second goal on the stroke of half-time. Mirallas's drive was weakly pushed into the path of Baines, who had followed the shot into the area, and he knocked the ball across goal for Coleman to nod in. Wolfsburg boss Dieter Hecking introduced Germany midfielder Aaron Hunt for the start of the second half, but within seconds of the restart Everton went further ahead. This time, Robin Knoche's foul on McGeady was deemed to have occurred inside the area, and Baines confidently despatched the resulting penalty. The goal effectively ended Wolfsburg's hopes of returning to Germany with anything to show but, with nothing to lose, they embarked on a spell of dominance. For a good 30 minutes they enjoyed the lion's share of possession and attempts on goal, as Tim Howard produced

Summary: Everton marked their Europa League return with a dominant victory over Germans Wolfsburg at Goodison Park.


Mr Tucker will take over on 1 October, succeeding Douglas Flint who has been in the role since 2010. The appointment breaks an HSBC tradition of appointing insiders to the chairmanship. One of his first jobs will be to find a replacement for Stuart Gulliver, the chief executive of HSBC, who plans to step down next year. While HSBC is Europe's biggest bank, the bulk of its profits are generated in Asia. Mr Tucker has been chief executive of AIA for seven years, during which he oversaw the insurer's expansion in Asia. Before AIA, he was the chief executive of insurance giant Prudential, and brings to HSBC his experience at the top of a UK financial giant as well as his Asian exposure. Richard Dunbar of Aberdeen Asset Management, told the BBC the bank has "obviously decided" that an external perspective would be useful to HSBC at this time. He added that while chief executive of Prudential, Mr Tucker did a good job of expanding its Asian assets, which are seen as the firm's "jewel in the crown". HSBC has been through an overhaul in recent years in an attempt to reverse declining profits. Over the past six years it has cut more than 40,000 jobs and sold off businesses. Despite those efforts, profits tumbled more than 60% last year. The banking industry has been hampered by the extended period of very low interest rates, which makes lending money less profitable. For HSBC, that problem has been compounded by its move into less risky areas of banking since the financial crisis which started in 2007. Those challenges make the appointment of a new chief executive even more crucial for investors, a search which will now be led by Mr Tucker. HSBC has also been attempting to repair its image after a series of scandals. Earlier this year it reached a $470m (Â£325m) settlement with the US government and states related to dubious mortgage lending and foreclosure practices during the financial crisis. In 2015 Mr Gulliver and Mr Flint apologised for "unacceptable" practices at its Swiss private bank which helped clients to avoid tax. In late 2012 HSBC paid US authorities $1.9bn in a settlement over money laundering. AIA said that Ng Keng Hooi, would take over as chief executive from 1 September.

Summary: HSBC has appointed Mark Tucker, the chief executive of Asian insurer AIA, as group chairman.


Radioactive cooling water was also mistakenly discharged into a submarine reactor compartment, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) reported. Reporting of safety incidents at the base, which refits Britain's nuclear submarines, was "below standard". Contractor Babcock International said safety was its "highest priority". The ONR issued a legal notice to improve after an incident last year in which a worker was contaminated with radiation. The ONR said the dose was "very small" but it "highlighted shortfalls" in health and safety at the yard. Babcock has been ordered "to bring the arrangements up to an acceptable standard" before the end of January 2016. The ONR said five other incidents broke safety rules between October and December last year. They were: The ONR also reported "shortfalls in the operation of the emergency monitoring vehicles" during a nuclear submarine accident exercise. Peter Burt, researcher at the anti-nuclear weapons pressure group Nuclear Information Service, said: "This is a worrying string of events in a short time at Devonport. "If the site operators are not able to improve performance rapidly the MoD should take steps to take the operating contract away from Babcock." Nuclear engineering consultant John Large, who has advised the government and environmental groups on nuclear issues, said: "These are not uncommon incidents in a complex operation like Devonport. "But the level of detail is not good enough. For instance what is the connection with the torpedo tubes and a radiological incident on the submarine?" The ONR declined to go into any more detail on the incidents, saying the reports were intended as summaries. Babcock said in a statement: "Improvements relating to the ONR enforcement notice and other recently reported incidents at Devonport Royal Dockyard are being addressed through a broader nuclear safety improvement programme to further enhance our current high levels of safety, in agreement with ONR." Plymouth City Council said it "takes the safety of nuclear operations at Devonport extremely seriously, as does the site operator. "It is protocol that we are informed immediately of any safety issues or incidents that are likely to be of concern to the wider public. "The operator also reports on its safety performance every six months at the local liaison committee." The Ministry of Defence (MoD) declined to comment.

Summary: Devonport naval base has been warned of legal action after a worker received a dose of radiation amid a series of safety breaches.


2 January 2017 Last updated at 07:05 GMT Now it's 2017 is and there's plenty going on to look forward to! So to get you ready we here at Newsround have put together a video with loads of stuff for you to look out for. Have a watch, it's full of dates to remember!

Summary: 2016 has come to an end and it certainly was an eventful year.


Scott Flynn flagged down a police car and told officers "I want the jail" after stealing a bottle of juice and smashing a window. Flynn was spotted putting two packages in his mouth at police headquarters in Dundee. He planned on taking the drugs into Perth Prison to pay off a debt. The 31-year-old claimed a gang said that he and family members would be "slashed" if he did not cooperate. Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court that the packages contained almost 40g of heroin and just over 3g of cannabis resin. She said forensic officers had estimated the total maximum value of the heroin at £3,860. "However, if the accused had intended to resell these drugs once remanded to prison then the value could be as much as five times that," she said. Flynn admitted charges of theft, vandalism and being concerned in the supply of drugs on 8 November last year. Defence solicitor George Donnelly said: "Sometimes those who are in debt are told they have to work off that debt. "His work was to try to get these drugs in to Perth Prison. "He was advised graphically that if he didn't he and member of his family would be slashed. "They mentioned his sister and her baby, and his grandad who has dementia and cancer." Sheriff Alastair Carmichael told Flynn: "You committed two offences with the intent of being arrested and taken in to the prison sector in possession of heroin. "This is a serious matter."

Summary: A man who deliberately got arrested in an attempt to smuggle up to £20,000 worth of heroin into prison has been jailed for three years.


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Summary: Wimbledon has begun, which means the stars are out watching the tennis - wearing a mixture of smiles, sunglasses and serious looks on their faces.


The 27-year-old woman was attacked at about 20:00 on 20 February while walking along a path between Byres Road and Glenmalloch Place in Elderslie. Police said three men seen in the area at the time may have seen the suspect or "unwittingly" witnessed something. The suspect was white, aged between 35 and 50, and with dark receding hair. He hit the woman, causing her to fall to the ground, and then raped her. Det Insp Louise Harvie said: "Extensive inquiries are continuing to trace whoever is responsible for this serious sexual assault. "There are three men that officers wish to trace as they were seen in the area near to where the incident took place, and may have seen the suspect or unwittingly witnesses something vital to this investigation. "I would urge them to come forward and speak to police." The first man was seen in Stoddard Square, Elderslie, at about 20:00 on Sunday 19 or Monday 20 February. He is described as between 30-50 years of age and wearing dark trousers and a light top. The second man was seen near the Wallace Monument in Main Road, Elderslie, at about 20:15 on 20 February. He is described as being in his 30s, 5ft 10in, of a stocky build with short, dark hair and clean shaven. He was wearing dark trousers and a dark parka-style jacket. The third man was also seen near the Wallace Monument at about 01:10 on 21 February. He is described as between 30-40 years old, with a broad build and wearing dark jeans, a black jacket and white trainers.

Summary: Officers investigating the rape of a woman in Renfrewshire have appealed for three men to come forward, saying they could be vital witnesses.


The controversial bonfire is in a public car park at Ravenscroft Avenue, off the Newtownards Road. It is one of four Belfast bonfires that are the subject of court injunctions, sought to prevent them getting bigger. Meanwhile, police are investigating complaints about "distasteful" materials placed on bonfires. Traditionally, bonfires are lit in many loyalist areas of Northern Ireland on the Eleventh Night of July. They mark the start of the annual commemoration of William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. However, some bonfires have caused controversy because they are built close to family homes and pose a risk to health and safety. On Tuesday, Sinn Féin's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill said the burning of flags and election posters on bonfires was a "hate crime". She called on the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to take steps against the practice. "Once again, we have witnessed bonfires across the north being festooned with stolen Sinn Féin election posters, Irish national flags and other emblems," she said. "The theft and burning of posters from any party as well as flags, effigies and other symbols is not culture, it is a hate crime." John Finucane, who ran unsuccessfully for Sinn Féin in the June general election, has said the Orange Order needed to do more to address the burning of flags and posters on bonfires. Speaking after his election posters appeared on a bonfire near Conway Street in Belfast, Mr Finucane said it was "wrong" and "a hate crime". Pictures have also emerged on social media of a bonfire in east Belfast draped with a banner carrying a racist message directed at Celtic footballer Scott Sinclair. In a statement, the PSNI said: "Police are investigating complaints about various materials, some of which are clearly distasteful, placed on the bonfire. "Where police are aware of a crime being committed, an investigation will follow. "We take hate crime very seriously and actively investigate all incidents reported to us," it added. The Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster said: "Bonfires on the Eleventh Night have long been part of the unionist culture. "Those who have waged a campaign of demonisation against such celebrations should dial down the rhetoric. "To those who build bonfires, I urge them to not play into the hands of those who want to demonise the culture - they should be respectful of their neighbours. "Endangering property and lives should not be a concern for residents on the Eleventh Night," she added. Progressive Unionist Party councillor John Kyle said there are "real issues with some bonfires" and steps need to be taken when property and lives are put at risk. But he added: "Let's see the broader picture - if we are going to create a future that is peaceful, that is prosperous, then there needs to be respect. "Two of the major casualties of the past 18 months have been trust and respect, there is now no trust, or very little trust, between unionism and republicanism or nationalism. "There is very

Summary: A number of homes close to a large bonfire in east Belfast have been boarded up to protect the properties from heat damage when the fire is lit.


Students were asked to trace Arabic calligraphy in an exercise some parents said amounted to indoctrination. Officials said the schools were closed out of an "abundance of caution" and there were no specific safety threats. School administrators say a different lesson will be used in the future. One week ago, students at Riverheads High School were studying the Middle East and were asked to trace a piece of Arabic calligraphy that translated to: "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah". Some pupils refused the assignment and parents accused the teacher of indoctrination. Officials with the Augusta County school district were quick to point out that the study of a region's religion and language are included in geography lessons. However, anger built up and by Wednesday complaints had become so numerous that the school's doors were locked and monitored. By Friday, the messages - described as profane and hateful - had increased and the decision was made to close the schools. Officials said that no specific threats were received, but law enforcement officials and the school district board recommended the closure because they were being cautious. The lesson was intended to illustrate the complexity of the Arabic language, they said, and not meant to promote any religious system. But future classes will use a different, non-religious example of Arabic. The decision to close the schools has drawn criticism as well. "It looks like fear wins again," a resident told the News Virginian newspaper. On the paper's Facebook account, locals have been debating the closure with one man saying, "our patriot forefathers are rolling in their graves," and another rhetorically posting, "how do these terrified people leave their houses every day?"

Summary: A school district in the US state of Virginia has closed all schools on Friday after a geography lesson that included Islam sparked vociferous complaints from around the country.


The 23-year-old made 116 as Tim Groenewald and Lewis Gregory rattled through the rest of the hosts line-up. Jennings, who hit 15 fours, finally fell top-edging Josh Davey to gully before Durham were bowled out for 256. Tom Abell and Davey fell lbw to Rushworth, then Onions bowled Marcus Trescothick as Somerset closed on 30-3. Durham batsmen Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick both fell cheaply as Somerset started brightly before Jack Burnham (33) helped repair the innings in a 79-run third-wicket partnership with Jennings. Burnham eventually fell when he was bowled by Davey. Gregory then claimed two wicket in two balls, including uprooting Paul Collingwood's middle stump first ball, as Somerset looked to gain some momentum. Rushworth became Gregory's fourth victim of the day, departing to an exceptional slip catch from Jim Allenby it left the visitors with 12 overs to face. And last year's Division One leading wicket-taker struck in his fourth when Abell was trapped playing across the line before nightwatchman Davey was caught out in the next over when the ball nipped back. Onions' inswinging yorker then dismissed the Somerset captain as the away side limped to the close, trailing by 226 runs.

Summary: Keaton Jennings' century and three quick wickets from opening pair Chris Rushworth and Graham Onions gave Durham the edge against Somerset on day one.


Conservative-run Bath and North East Somerset Council is holding a presentation of initial concept pictures of the redevelopment. Banes recently agreed it had to save £2.6m from its £351m budget in 2010-11. It also approved plans to spend £200m over five years in projects, including £33m in Keynsham town centre. The presentation is being held on 22 February at the Key Centre in Keynsham. A council spokesman asked that people who want to attend give the authority notice in advance.

Summary: A council which wants to spend £33m on development including new offices, retail space and a library near Bath is inviting local people to see its plans.


Many people say that is just supply and demand. But since a Devon father's Facebook "rant" on the subject went viral, more than 165,000 people have signed a petition calling on the government to "cap" price rises in the school holidays. The issue will be debated by MPs later, but what solutions might help holidaymakers? The popular petition, now the fifth most signed since the government set up its e-petitions website, asks UK authorities to "enforce action that caps the percentage increase on holiday prices in school holidays". Mother-of-two Donna Thresher, from Essex, set up the petition and said holiday companies should also be forced to advertise term-time holiday costs when selling trips in the school holidays - allowing customers to see the difference. Theresa Greenwood, who has four children and lives in Manchester, said a cap could stop many parents being "priced out of even the cheaper end of the market". Another parent, Debbie Bower, from Sheffield, said: "It is wrong to allow 300%-plus increases in school holidays for so-called supply and demand." And father-of-four Nigel Walton said a cap of 50% above term-time prices was needed to stop holiday companies "profiteering". But responding to the e-petition, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said it was "for businesses to decide the market worth of their products". And travel journalist Simon Calder said: "If that [regulation] were to happen then you might as well just close down the whole holiday industry because they simply could not make any money." Richard Singer, of travel deals company Travelzoo, set up an e-petition calling for Airport Passenger Duty (APD) to be suspended or reduced during the school summer holidays. The petition, which has been signed by more than 38,000 people, says the move would help end the "parent trap" of inflated holiday prices. Information gathered by Travelzoo last year suggested holidays from the UK to long-haul destinations were 40% more expensive in the "peak" summer weeks, and a survey found 80% of families felt "penalised" by the prices. Mr Singer said a "creative solution" was needed, and suspending APD should be part of that. APD ranges from £13 to £188 per passenger on most flights, with lower rates for economy passengers and shorter flights. Zoe Keene, a member of Holiday Price Increase, a Facebook group set up to campaign for reduced prices, said tax breaks would be "easier to implement" than trying to get holiday companies to cut prices. Responding to the Travelzoo e-petition, the Treasury said APD played an "important part in supporting this government's stabilisation of the UK's public finances". APD is paid by airlines - not directly by passengers - and the Treasury said there could be no guarantee of savings being "passed on fully" to customers even if the tax was cut. The Association of British Travel Agents said the travel industry "would welcome" staggering of school holiday dates to avoid high demand in short periods. It said a poll of its members last week found 85% favoured "staggering by region" in the UK, a system already used in several

Summary: Is it fair for airlines and holiday companies to charge much more during the school holidays than in term time?


At least one bomber blew himself up outside the mausoleum of Sayid Mohammed bin Ali al-Hadi, which was then stormed by gunmen, reports say. Another bomber is said to have blown himself up among fleeing worshippers. Meanwhile the death toll from Sunday's suicide bombing in Baghdad has again been raised, from 281 to 292. Amid growing public anger over the truck bombing, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi fired the three top security officials in Baghdad on Friday. They were the head of Baghdad's security command, the head of interior ministry intelligence for Baghdad and the official responsible for Baghdad in the national security adviser's office. IS said five of its members had carried out the raid on the site in Balad. The militant group follows an extreme form of Sunni Islam and often targets Shias, who it regards as apostates. About 50 people were injured in the attack, police and medical sources said. Islamic State: The full story Worshippers were marking the Eid al-Fitr festival, celebrating the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, when the site came under mortar fire. The first bomber then struck a market at the entrance to the shrine. A third bomber was shot dead before he was able to detonate his explosive vest, reports say. It came four days after IS carried out the deadliest bombing in Baghdad, 45 miles (70km) south of Balad, since the 2003 US-led invasion. That attack target a shopping complex in the mainly Shia Muslim district of Karrada. IS militants overran large parts of northern and western Iraq two years ago, but government forces have since regained much of the territory. In response to the battlefield setbacks, including the recent loss of the western city of Falluja, the militants have stepped up their attacks on civilians. The Iraqi government has been accused of not doing enough to protect its citizens and has stepped-up security in Baghdad in response to the latest violence.

Summary: Suicide bombers and gunmen have killed at least 35 people in an attack by so-called Islamic State (IS) at a Shia shrine in the Iraqi town of Balad.


The company also says its franchisees were helped by a "record low cheese price, favourable wheat price and a fall in fuel costs". Pre-tax profits were Â£73.16m, up from Â£62.1m in 2014. E-commerce sales now account for 77.7% of all UK deliveries and 48.6% of online sales are made using its app. Domino's says online orders in the UK rose by nearly 29% last year and app-based orders shot up by more than 41%, with 11.5 million people now having downloaded the app in total. "The thing that customers want more than anything else is convenience and that means food that's delivered to their home," chief executive David Wild told the BBC. The second most important thing, he said, was food that can be ordered online. "We have seen a massive increase in our online orders - a total of 11.5 million app downloads since we launched our app two or three years ago - and what we have learnt is that customers like to find it easy to get hold of a pizza and that's the most important trend," Mr Wild said. The chain opened a record 61 new stores in the UK in 2015, taking its total number of outlets to 869 by the end of the year. Domino's said its franchises had seen increased profitability over the course of the year "primarily as a result of the benign food price environment combined with the group's purchasing power". "In 2015 we passed on savings of Â£11m from lower food costs primarily from cheese and dough and the outlook remains favourable for 2016." Apart from the UK business, Domino's Pizza Group also owns the franchises in the Republic of Ireland, where it has 47 stores, and Switzerland where it has 15, as well as Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. Last December, it entered into a joint venture to buy Germany's biggest delivery chain, Joey's Pizza. That deal was finalised at the beginning of last month and as a result Domino's Pizza Group is no longer directly operating in Germany. In the UK, Domino's featured in a Channel 4 documentary called "A Slice of Life" which was viewed more than a million times and which it said, resulted in a significant increase in recruitment applications. During the year Domino's launched the Tikka Pizza and reintroduced the hot dog stuffed crust pizza. In the first nine weeks of trading in 2016, UK like-for-like sales grew by 10.5%, in Ireland they were up 13.7% and in Switzerland 4.3%. "Momentum continues with a good start to 2016 despite increasingly tough comparatives through the rest of the year," Domino's said.

Summary: Domino's Pizza has revealed what it describes as "excellent" results for last year, driven primarily by the growth in its digital sales.


Seventeen-year-old Sylvia Fleming was pregnant when she was murdered in Omagh in 1998 by Stephen Scott. He was sentenced to life, but has been taking part in a pre-release scheme. The prison service said the Victim Information Scheme (PRVIS) gives victims an opportunity to provide and receive information about prisoners. Miss Fleming went missing in April 1998. Her body parts were found under the foundations of a partially-built house eight weeks later. Sentencing Scott in 2000, the judge described him as "thoroughly evil". He said: "The manner in which her body was disposed of after her murder is surely the most gruesome. "I am satisfied that you, Scott, not only deliberately killed this young girl but that you planned that killing and carried it out in circumstances so squalid that they would revolt any right-thinking person." Her sister, Josie Fleming, told BBC Radio Foyle she was contacted by someone who had spotted the killer painting a fence. "Even though we knew the time was coming we are angry and fearful," she said. "They need to let us know when he is due for his official release - it's important for us to know when this evil person will be free to walk the streets." Miss Fleming said she believes Scott is "capable of anything" and should never be freed. "He took her into his flat, he tied her up in a bed and put a blindfold over her eyes and covered her mouth with tape," Ms Fleming said. "He injected her with insulin and when she passed away he put her in the attic and then took her down and put her in the bath to cut her up." "You never can come to terms with what happened, we're learning to live with it but we'll never, ever get over it." In a statement, the prison service said those who register with the Victim Information Scheme will get details about a person convicted of a crime against them. They will receive details about any temporary release a prisoner is granted, the month and year in which a prisoner is expected to be released, any conditions of the prisoner's release and any breaches of those conditions which result in the prisoner's return to custody. In the case of life-sentence prisoners, the victim can obtain information about the minimum number of years the life prisoner must serve, when the life prisoner is being considered for release and have the opportunity to give views when the prisoner is considered for final release.

Summary: The sister of a teenager who was murdered, cut up and buried by her boyfriend says she is afraid after discovering he has been out of prison.