The operation took four hours. IS continued to fire mortars at the airport from further inside the city after losing the ground to the army. The jihadists have also entered a nearby military base amid further clashes, a military spokesman said. Eastern Mosul was retaken last month. The airport's runway has been destroyed by IS, but BBC Middle East Correspondent Quentin Sommerville, who is embedded with Iraqi federal police units, says it still has value. It's a large piece of land, and controlling it will help secure southern routes to west Mosul, our correspondent says. The assault began with overnight air strikes by the US-led coalition before armoured columns advanced to the airport's perimeter. An Iraqi lieutenant was killed by one of the roadside bombs planted in the area by IS, the BBC has learned. Iraqi forces also came under fire from IS militants who had holed up inside airport buildings, reports said. Foreign troops from the US-led coalition were with the attacking troops, officials told AP, without specifying their nationality. The airport and the al-Ghazlani base are on Mosul's southern outskirts on the western side of the Tigris river. Thousands of Iraqi troops, backed by artillery and air power, are involved in the assault to retake Mosul. Leaflets warning residents of an imminent offensive were earlier dropped over western Mosul, where military officials say narrow winding streets could make retaking the area particularly difficult. Although slightly smaller than the east, western Mosul is more densely populated and includes districts seen as pro-IS. The UN has voiced concern about the welfare of civilians trapped in the city, amid reports that they could number up to 650,000. More than 160,000 people have already fled their homes in and around the city. The UN said in late January that almost half of all the casualties in Mosul were civilians. All bridges linking the east and west of the city, across the Tigris river, have been destroyed by air strikes. IS jihadists overran Mosul as they spread across much of northern and western Iraq in 2014.

Summary: Iraqi security forces have recaptured Mosul airport, a key part of the government's offensive to drive the so-called Islamic State (IS) from the western half of the city.


Tashan Corpe, 27, died in Sedgemoor Road, Bath, on Sunday. Police have charged 30-year-old Josh Farnham of Old Fosse Road, Bath, with murder, grievous bodily harm with intent and actual bodily harm. Rachel Smith, 42, of Sedgemoor Road, has been charged with assisting an offender. Both appeared before Bristol Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. Mr Farnham and Ms Smith were remanded in custody to appear before Bristol Crown Court on Thursday. The crime scene is still cordoned off while officers gather evidence. Det Insp Mike Buck from Avon and Somerset Police said: "Our thoughts are with Tashan's family at this tragic time."

Summary: Two people have been charged after a man was stabbed to death in his home.


12 July 2015 Last updated at 13:45 BST Biologists estimate that albino deer occur once every 100,000 births, so this is really unusual. The little one has had lots of attention from visitors already. Take a look at how the baby deer is settling in.

Summary: A Russian zoo has seen a rare addition to its animal family, welcoming a baby albino deer.


That is a harsh reflection on his playing career, though, because Simeone was a magnificent midfielder, winning 106 international caps and starring in Serie A for Inter Milan and Lazio as well as guiding Atletico to a league and cup double in 1996 (their most recent La Liga triumph). And now, Simeone is carving a new career as one of the game's hottest managerial properties, with his approach to coaching mirroring the blend of winning attitude and technical aptitude that characterised his playing days. If you asked Diego Simeone how his Atletico Madrid team have overcome all the odds to progress to the Champions League semi-finals, where they will face Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, as well as topping La Liga with just six games remaining, he would provide you with a simple answer: "Hard work and humility." Indeed, that is exactly the mantra he has been preaching on a weekly basis this season, as the football world continues to wonder when - or if at all - his steamroller of a team will finally run out of puff. Until recently, most people assumed it would simply be a matter of time. When, not if. But Wednesday's famous victory over Barcelona, where Atletico succeeded in knocking the Catalan team out of the Champions League before the last four for the first time since 2007, sent a loud and clear message: Atletico Madrid are for real. To a great extent, Simeone's assessment of his Atletico team's greatest strengths - hard work and humility - is absolutely right. Atletico were only four points above the La Liga relegation zone when Diego Simeone became coach in December 2011. Within 18 months he had guided them to the Europa League, Uefa Super Cup and Copa del Rey titles. The discipline, intensity and sheer, uncompromising effort of their play is unrivalled. That was never more evident in the opening stages on Wednesday, when Atletico's whirlwind of attacking pressure simply blew Barcelona away, resulting in Koke netting the only goal of the game and David Villa thumping shots against the woodwork twice inside the opening 20 minutes. Hard work and humility - as well as, to use Simeone's other favourite phrase, going from game to game - have allowed Atletico's bunch of largely unheralded journeymen, none of whom (with the exception of Villa) were superstars before they arrived at the Vicente Calderon, to barge their way without an invitation into the upper echelons of world football. For any football fan who has become cynical about the modern game's tendency to be ruled by huge dollops of money, Atletico's unstoppable rise has been a breath of fresh air. In the days of Arab sheikhs, Russian oligarchs and American business tycoons, low-budget teams like Atletico simply aren't supposed to do this well. Yet here they are, with less than six weeks of the season remaining, still in strong contention for the two most prestigious prizes on offer. That is, indeed, largely down to the relentless work ethic instilled by Simeone. But it would be very wrong to suggest that Atletico's current success

Summary: In Britain, Argentine Diego Simeone is best remembered as the man whose reaction to a petulant kick by David Beckham resulted in the England star famously being sent off during a World Cup game in 1998.


They want Ofcom to wait until a decision is made about their plan to merge the two mobile companies. BT and EE are also planning to merge. The spectrum, formerly used by the Ministry of Defence, would provide 4G services for mobile companies. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally approved the proposed merger between BT and EE. But the European Commission has announced its decision to launch an in-depth investigation into the proposed merger between O2 and Three. And Ofcom has previously cast doubt on this merger winning regulatory approval. In a statement on Thursday, Ofcom said it had received letters from Telefonica and Hutchison stating their intention to bring legal action against the regulator over its decision to begin the auction before the outcome of the European Commission's findings. "After careful consideration, given these specific circumstances, we have decided for reasons of good public administration to delay commencing the auction process," it said. Legal action also held up the previous 4G auction - as mobile companies disagreed about how spectrum should be distributed. Ofcom had been due to start accepting applications for the spectrum this month, with plans for the auction to take place in February or March. Now, it looks unlikely to begin before the summer - with the European Commission's judgement on the O2-Three merge expected in May. The spectrum on offer could add capacity to 4G networks, but it is considerably smaller than the previous chunk of 4G spectrum. It has a reserve price of Â£70m, compared with Â£1.3bn for the previous portion of the airwaves. Matthew Howett, an analyst with research company Ovum, said: While Ofcom doesn't have spectacular form when it comes to awarding spectrum on time, in this instance it probably makes sense to delay things. "Should the merger between Three and O2 be approved, then remedies around spectrum holdings will almost certainly take time to work out and any future spectrum award would need to be reconsidered accordingly. "However, if the... merger is blocked, then the spectrum award can go ahead fairly quickly without change." Mr Howett said the impact on consumers would be minimal. "Despite demand for mobile data growing, all mobile operators are fairly well served by their current spectrum holdings and will be for the short to medium term, so while a delay is unfortunate, it shouldn't be too problematic," he said.

Summary: Ofcom is to delay the start of its auction for another chunk of 4G spectrum, after threats of legal action from Telefonica and Hutchison, parent companies of O2 and Three.


Police said officers from the North West counter terrorism unit searched an address on Peakdale Avenue, Crumpsall, Manchester on Friday. The suspect, 26, was arrested the following day on suspicion of offences under the Terrorism Act. Police would not comment on the nature of the alleged offence but said it believed it caused "no threat" to the community.

Summary: A man is being held in Manchester on suspicion of terrorism offences.


Campaigning in Edinburgh a day after her election, she said she had a mandate to change the party. She declined to say which of the four UK Labour leadership contenders she would vote for but said she would be "delighted" to work with any of them. She urged former supporters to give her a chance by listening to her arguments. "One of the first things I said when I was elected was that I'm not asking for people's vote straight away, I wouldn't be so presumptuous," she said. "I'm just asking for their ears, for a chance to be heard." Ms Dugdale was joined at The Meadows by shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray, Labour's only MP in Scotland, and Alex Rowley, the newly-elected deputy leader. Asked if she took any responsibility for Labour's loss of 40 Scottish MPs in May, the former deputy leader said: "I never shied away from taking my responsibility for what happened in the general election. "Party members who voted in the contest that concluded yesterday knew that - but I got 72% of the vote," she said. "That's a huge mandate to change the Labour party." The Lothians MSP refused to be drawn on which of the UK Labour leadership contenders she supported. She said: "The message I can get across is to say that decisions about the Scottish Labour Party will be made here in Scotland and they will be made by me." Ms Dugdale comfortably saw off a challenge from fellow MSP Ken Macintosh for the leadership. Labour MSP Alex Rowley, a former aide to Gordon Brown, was elected as the party's new deputy leader.

Summary: New Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has promised she will decide the future direction of the party in Scotland.


The shortlist for this year's St David Awards, which will be presented on 10 March, has been announced. They acknowledge extraordinary achievements, with categories including citizenship, culture and sport. In the bravery category, Peter Fuller was nominated for stepping in to stop a machete attack in Mold in January 2015. Matthew James from Pontypridd is also nominated for shielding his partner from bullets during last summer's Tunisia terror attacks.

Summary: A man who intervened in a machete attack and a holidaymaker who shielded his fiancee from terrorists have been nominated for awards.


Hannah Miley, Camilla Hattersley, Robbie Renwick, Ross Murdoch, Stephen Milne, Dan Wallace, Duncan Scott and Craig Benson will travel to Brazil. It means that Scottish swimmers make up 31% of the Team GB swim team for Rio. Wallace, a wildcard pick after falling short of the qualifying standard, Murdoch, Scott, Milne and Hattersley will be making their Olympic debuts. But, as expected, there is no place for Michael Jamieson, the 27-year-old who won a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke at the 2012 Olympics in London and had moved back to Edinburgh in a bid to make the team. Renwick and Miley will be competing in their third Olympics. Miley, who competed in Beijing and London, said: "It's quite hard to put into words what it feels like to be selected for my third Olympics. "I still love my sport as much as I've always done and to reach my third Olympics just highlights the dedication that me and my family have put into the sport." "It's another fantastic opportunity to put myself out there against the very best in the world - in the biggest event in the world - and hopefully I can come out on top." The 26-year-old, from the Garioch club, is hopeful of winning her first Olympic medal. "I feel a lot more confident, centred and happy this time around," said Miley. "My previous experiences have been great in Beijing and London, but I feel different heading into Rio and I'm confident that will help me to perform. "I'm more mature and more experienced and I'll approach this one differently to the previous two." Murdoch will swim in the 100m breaststroke after failing to qualify for the more favoured 200m event. "It's bittersweet I didn't qualify in that event I was very close to but I was touched out by my team-mate Craig Benson, who I can say I'm absolutely delighted for," said Murdoch. This will be Murdoch's first appearance at an Olympic Games - but after winning bronze in the 100m breaststroke at the recent World Championships in Russia he's aiming high in Rio. "The time that I swam during the trials would be good enough to qualify for every Olympics final in history," he explained. "As I showed from Kazan all you need is a lane and I was in lane eight and I managed to get myself a bronze medal so at the minute my focus is to get myself through the rounds as easy as possible, get myself into an Olympic final and then anything can happen. "I'm really, really please to be selected as part of Team GB for this summer. It's a bit of relief for me as I made the consideration time not the outright qualifying time. I was pretty confident I would go, but now I know." Renwick will also be eyeing a medal having won gold as part of the 4x200m freestyle relay team at the World Championships. For Stirling University team-mate Benson, it is a second Olympics having been the youngest member of the GB team in

Summary: Eight Scots have been named in the British swimming team for this summer's Olympic Games.


City remain without long-term absentees Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan. Liverpool will assess forward Roberto Firmino, who missed last weekend's win against Burnley with a minor injury. Dejan Lovren, who has been nursing a knee problem, played for the under-23 side on Monday and is fit to make his first senior appearance since January. Divock Origi is doubtful because of a knock and illness, while injured duo Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge will again miss out. Steve Wilson: "Pep Guardiola is well used to managing his sides through a sequence of big games. However, it is unlikely that with either Barcelona or Bayern Munich he approached such a run with each fixture so laced with the danger of defeat. "After Liverpool at the Etihad, Guardiola travels to Arsenal and Chelsea as a prelude to pitting his wits against Arsene Wenger again in the FA Cup semi-final. "City might win the lot - but, after Monaco, Guardiola surely cannot completely silence the nagging voice which says that they could also lose the lot. "Jurgen Klopp will have studied Monaco's approach to beating City and concluded that it was not so very far removed from his own preferred modus operandi - an approach which earned Liverpool a thumping win at City last season." Twitter: @Wilsonfooty Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola: "I have heard people have written that I will change 12 or 13 players [this summer]. That is impossible. They have contracts. You have to pay them. "We will try and improve the team. Next month and a half I expect a huge step forward. Next season will be better. Just because they are out of contract doesn't mean they will all leave. Some will stay." Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Guardiola: "I am not in doubt about his quality. Maybe a few people are but I am not. I respect him a lot. "I know probably a few people think (differently) now they are out of the Champions League but I think the way they played was quite impressive as Monaco. "City could have won the game easily in the second half but because they are human beings they missed a few chances. For me City is the most difficult team to play. I know their image at this moment in this country is a little bit different." There could be a backlash from City after their defeat by Monaco but, even if there is, I don't see them keeping a clean sheet. The Reds will get chances but they will have work to do at the other end too. I am going for a draw, which I think Liverpool would take now. Prediction: 1-1 Lawro's full predictions v boxer Anthony Crolla Head-to-head Manchester City Liverpool 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: Manchester City could recall Yaya Toure and Nicolas Otamendi, both of whom dropped to the bench in Wednesday's defeat by Monaco.


Augustin Dobre and Ionut Muti were caught on CCTV in a council probe into illegal dumping on Priory Road, Aston. They were recorded dumping items including building rubble, heating pipes and 15 rotting sheep carcasses. Dobre, 23, of Village Road in Aston, was handed a six-month prison sentence, while 24-year-old Muti, of Wood Lane in Handsworth, will serve 11 months. The pair were found to have dumped 42 tonnes of waste over 15 visits between August and October last year. Lisa Trickett, the city council's cabinet member for sustainability, said: "None of our neighbourhoods should have to suffer the misery associated with fly-tipping."

Summary: Two men who dumped sheep carcasses, mattresses and other rubbish on waste ground in Birmingham have been jailed.


Speaking in an ITV documentary about his charity work in Lesotho, the prince said losing his mother at a young age made him question his position. He said he used to "bury his head in the sand" but now views life "very, very differently". Harry co-founded the Sentebale charity with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help young people affected by HIV/Aids. The 32-year-old prince told the programme: "I always feel like I need to make something of my life. "I was fighting the system, going 'I don't want to be this person; my mother died when I was very, very young and I don't want to be in this position'. "But now I'm just so fired up and energised to be lucky enough to be in a position to make a difference." Sentebale has delivered adolescent HIV testing and counselling services to more than 21,000 people since it was founded in 2006, and plans to expand into several sub-Saharan African countries by 2020. Harry was interviewed by broadcaster Tom Bradby, who shadowed the prince when he first visited Lesotho 12 years ago. The prince said it was "fun to be good and boring to be bad". "If you're me, if you're your Average Joe, whoever you are, if you can't affect politics and change the big things in the world then just do whatever you can do. "Whether it's in your local community, your village, your local church, walking down the street, opening a door for an old lady, helping them cross the road. "Whatever if it is, just do good. Why wouldn't you?" The programme, due to be broadcast on Monday 19 December, also features contributions from musicians Sir Elton John, Joss Stone and Chris Martin of Coldplay. Harry is reunited with a teenager he met on his first visit and is seen dancing with local children.

Summary: Prince Harry has said he no longer struggles with his royal role and wants to "make something" of his life.


Sarah Johnson was one of 21 women heading to Liverpool when their minibus was hit by a lorry on the M62. Her friend Bethany Jones, 18, was killed while Ms Johnson and several others were badly hurt. Minibus driver James Johnson was jailed for more than six years for causing Bethany's death, in April 2013. Ms Johnson, who broke her shoulder, back and pelvis, said the help she received from a charity while in hospital led her to want to support others. Speaking publicly for the first time about the crash, Ms Johnson described how everyone was "excited and giddy" for the hen party. "To me the impact was just a massive explosion," she said. "I thought the bus had blown up. "I remember the bus dropping on its side. The next thing, I woke up on the roadside so I'd actually come out of the window." Ms Johnson was taken to Leeds General Infirmary where she, along with Bethany's sister Amy Firth, underwent major surgery and spent time in intensive care. Whilst she was there she got support from charity Day One, which helps victims of major trauma. She said: "It's absolutely fantastic. "It supports people by giving benefit advice, legal advice and peer support such as me and Amy, who have been in similar situations and who are now helping other people who've suffered from major trauma." Ms Johnson said the crash had made her realise how lucky she had been. "Beth can't complain, she's not here," she added. "We just have to be grateful for what we've got."

Summary: A woman who was seriously hurt in a fatal hen party motorway crash is now helping other major trauma victims rebuild their lives.


Staff at the hospital, run by the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (NTW) ordered a pizza on 10 December, but were dismayed when the phrase appeared on the delivery instructions. The NTW said staff were "greatly distressed". Neither the hospital or the pizza shop have been identified. The trust, which runs sites in Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland, said it had written to the shop and removed the takeaway from its list of approved suppliers until the matter is resolved. Will Green, head of communications at NTW, said: "Despite great efforts over recent years, mental ill health is still surrounded by prejudice, ignorance and fear. "With one in four people experiencing some form of mental health issue in their lifetime, it is important that organisations such as ours support efforts to reduce stigma and challenge examples of stigma wherever we find them."

Summary: A pizza company labelled a hospital a "looney bin", leaving mental health workers "horrified and distressed".


The Pirates of the Caribbean star will play the title role in Therese Raquin, based on Emile Zola's 1867 classic. Described as "a tale of love, lust, betrayal, and guilt," the play will cast her as a young woman trapped in a loveless marriage who has an affair with one of her husband's friends. The Roundabout Theatre Company show opens in October 2015 in New York. Knightley, who turns 30 next year, previously trod the boards in London in The Misanthrope and The Children's Hour. The actress has two films out next month in the UK - World War Two drama The Imitation Game and US comedy Say When. Therese Raquin has been staged and filmed many times, most recently as the film In Secret starring Elizabeth Olsen. The new version is by British playwright Helen Edmundson, who previously adapted the Tolstoy novels Anna Karenina and War and Peace for the stage. Knightley appeared in a 2012 film of Anna Karenina and has also appeared in film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice and Ian McEwan's Atonement. Therese Raquin begins previews on 1 October and has its opening night on 29 October at a Broadway theatre yet to be announced. Earlier this year Knightley revealed she had hoped to take The Children's Hour to Broadway but could not work out the scheduling with co-star Elisabeth Moss. "We tried to make it happen, but our scheduling didn't work out," she told The Advocate. "It was a real shame, because it would be great doing it on Broadway."

Summary: British actress Keira Knightley is to make her Broadway debut next year in a stage version of a famous French novel.


Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she was replacing Police Commissioner Anthony Batts with his deputy, Kevin Davis, for an interim period. The city was rocked by riots in April when a black man died after suffering injuries in police custody. Six officers were charged over the death of the 25-year-old, Freddie Gray. Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Mayor Rawlings-Blake said Mr Batts had "served this city with distinction" since becoming police chief in October 2012. But referring to the city's high homicide rate, she said "too many continue to die". "The focus has been too much on the leadership of the department and not enough on the crime fighting," she told reporters, adding: "We need to get the crime surge under control." The city has seen a sharp increase in violence since Freddie Gray's death on 19 April, with 155 homicides this year, a 48% increase over the same period last year. On Tuesday, the police department announced that an outside organisation will review its response to the civil unrest that followed Mr Gray's death. The US justice department is also conducting a civil rights review of the Baltimore force and Mr Batts has been criticised by the city's police union. Earlier on Wednesday, the union released its report into the police handling of the rioting. It said officers had complained "that they lacked basic riot equipment, training, and, as events unfolded, direction from leadership". The report also said "officers repeatedly expressed concern that the passive response to the civil unrest had allowed the disorder to grow into full scale rioting". Recent events had "placed attention on police leadership", Ms Rawlings-Blake said, but denied her decision was influenced by the union report. Mr Davis, who is taking over immediately as interim police chief, praised his "friend" Mr Batts and said he was a "true reform commissioner". Mayor Rawlings-Blake said Mr Davis would "bring accountability to police, hold officers who act out of line accountable for their actions".

Summary: Baltimore's mayor has sacked the US city's police chief, saying his leadership had become a distraction from fighting a "crime surge".


The fratricide within the Republican Party is getting much of the national attention, but the two remaining Democratic candidates - and their supporters - are starting to swing some sharp elbows. The Wisconsin primary on Tuesday marks the beginning of the Democratic presidential campaign's endgame. More than half the pledged delegates have already been apportioned, and only a few truly landscape-altering battlegrounds - New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California - remain on the calendar. Mr Sanders can claim momentum, with wins in five of the last six contests, but he needs a sizeable victory in Wisconsin if he wants to properly set the stage for the critical coming contests and cut into Mrs Clinton's 263 delegate lead. It's enough to set both candidates on edge. On Thursday, when confronted by a Greenpeace activist in New York about whether she could address climate change while taking donations from the fossil fuel industry, Mrs Clinton showed a rare flash of anger. "I am so sick of the Sanders campaign lying about me," she said. Her campaign would later assert that the former secretary of state, like Mr Sanders, takes donations from individuals employed in the energy sector but is prohibited from accepting money from corporations. It was a moment of emotion for a usually carefully controlled candidate - and the Sanders camp quickly responded. "If the Clinton campaign wants to argue that industry lobbyists giving thousands of dollars to her campaign won't affect her decisions if she's elected, that's fine," Sanders adviser Jeff Weaver said. "But to call us liars for pointing out basic facts about the secretary's fundraising is deeply cynical and very disappointing." It was just one of numerous recent shots between the two campaigns. When Mrs Clinton unveiled manufacturing proposals on Friday, a Sanders spokesperson said the former secretary of state has embraced "policies that have decimated the manufacturing industry ... and eliminated millions of jobs across the country". Trump's disastrous women voter problem - This voting bloc could doom in chances in the general election #BernieMadeMeWhite: Minority supporters of Sanders speak out - Supporters push back against "all-white" narrative Trump, Clinton and the 'None of the Above' era - Rarely have those running for high office been held in such low esteem Full US election coverage from the BBC At a campaign event, Mr Sanders offered criticisms of Mrs Clinton's six-figure speeches to Wall Street firms, her foreign policy views and her position on environmental issues, as his supporters heartily booed. On Saturday Mrs Clinton noted that she has been a "proud Democrat my adult life" - drawing a contrast with Mr Sanders, who is a self identified "democratic socialist" who serves in Congress as an independent. "I think that is kind of important if we are selecting someone to be the Democratic nominee of the Democratic Party," Mrs Clinton said. "I think the secretary is getting very nervous," Mr Sanders countered on Sunday, noting that polls show him doing better than Mrs Clinton against Republican front-runner Donald Trump. "I think we've got a lot of young people's vote,

Summary: It's crunch time in the Democratic race, and if the past week is any indication, nerves are starting to fray.


Media playback is not supported on this device GB had opened their campaign with a comfortable 31-7 win over Kenya, Dan Bibby (2), Dan Norton, Phil Burgess and Mark Bennett all scoring. Against Japan - who upset joint favourites New Zealand 14-12 - GB led deep into the final stages. But Japan scored a third try, only to miss a conversion to draw with time up. Media playback is not supported on this device New Zealand - who will be without Sonny Bill Williams for the rest of the tournament after he partially ruptured an Achilles tendon - bounced back from their shock opening loss to Japan to beat Kenya. Augustine Pulu scored 11 points, including three conversions, as the All Blacks recovered from conceding a try inside the first minute to win 28-5. Team GB only just maintained their 100% start to the tournament when they met Japan, James Rodwell scoring twice and Marcus Watson adding another with captain Tom Mitchell converting all three tries. The Japanese could have drawn after the final hooter when Lomano Lemeki crossed for Japan's third try, but Katsuyuki Sakai missed the tricky drop-goal conversion. Britain face New Zealand at 16:30 on Wednesday in the final match in Pool C. The top two sides in each of the three pools go into the quarter-finals, plus the two best third-placed teams. Media playback is not supported on this device Feel inspired to have a try? Here's our handy guide.

Summary: Britain's men made it two wins from two in the Olympic sevens as they edged past New Zealand's conquerors Japan 21-19 in a thriller in their second match.


Maria Carreiro, 51, said she "ran down the street like a crazy woman" after her daughter looked online and discovered the award's true size. Among her plans for the winnings were a Hawaii honeymoon after 30 years of marriage and a larger house. Ms Carreiro had worked at a factory before quitting to raise her children. She said her husband had already left his job. "I couldn't believe it," Ms Carreiro told reporters. "I was shaking and just couldn't believe that it was real." Ms Carreiro bought the LottoMax ticket for a Friday drawing and checked her ticket at the store on Saturday morning. She realised her multi-million dollar mistake when she returned home to tell her family. According to Ontario Lottery and Gaming, 60% of winners of more than C$1m paid off debts, 56% took a vacation, 36% bought a new house and 43% either retired, changed jobs or quit.

Summary: A Toronto woman celebrating what she thought was a 40,000 Canadian dollar ($39,428; £26,000) lottery prize had in fact won C$40m, officials have said.


Stormont officials have refused to give any details citing confidentiality. Homeowners will not face bills until at least March 2017, after MLAs ruled to defer charges. Instead, the executive pays the cost of Â£280m a year to NI Water. Further legislation is expected to extend the policy. However, the decision could mean that the authorities are not complying with European rules on water quality. The EU Water Framework Directive envisages that users should pay for their water to promote conservation. Officials in Northern Ireland make the case that people do that through their regional rate. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK not to levy a charge on homes, although businesses do pay charges. That has prompted a debate with calls for the introduction of a charge on homes to pay for improvements in infrastructure. Now, the European Commission has opened a so-called "pilot case" to look at the issue. Essentially, this is a way for the commission to establish whether EU rules are being correctly applied. It allows for the commission and member states to resolve any conflicts without resorting to infringement proceedings. The Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said it could not comment on the detail of the case. "It is the subject of a confidential dialogue with the Commission and the release of further details could potentially prejudice the outcome of those discussions," said the department. The two sides get about 20 weeks to try and sort out their differences. Many cases are resolved without going to a formal hearing.

Summary: The European Commission has asked questions about the Northern Ireland Executive's decision not to charge homeowners for water.


The horror starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as paranormal investigators made $40.4m (£28.5m). Video game adaptation Warcraft came in second with $24.4m (£17.2m) and crime caper Now You See Me 2 was at three, taking $23m (£16.2m). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles dropped to four with $14.8m (£10.4m). Following a spate of poor performing sequels such as The Huntsman: Winter's War, Alice Through the Looking Glass and Ride Along 2, The Conjuring 2 opened nearly on par with its 2013 original. "There's seemingly been a spell cast over the second instalments and The Conjuring, I think, broke that spell," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. "Just the overall quality won over the audience in a genre that's generally looked down upon from a critical perspective.'' Big budget CGI extravaganza Warcraft, taken from the hit video game franchise, reportedly cost $160m (£112.8m) to make, so effectively bombed in the US financially as well as critically. However, it was a phenomenal success overseas, particularly in China where it made $156m (£110m) in its first five days, surpassing 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron to set a new record for the biggest debut for a foreign release. The game is particularly popular there, even spawning a theme park. The magician crime caper Now You See Me 2, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo and Woody Harrelson, followed the disappointing trajectory of most recent sequels, dropping from its 2013 original opening debut of $29.4m (£20.8) to $23m (£16.2m). The fifth Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, Out of the Shadows, fell to number four in only its second weekend. The last movie in the franchise grossed nearly double in its opening weekend box office. Rounding off the top five was X-Men: Apocalypse, taking $10m (£7m) in a troubling third weekend. Next week sees the release of Pixar's Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory.

Summary: The Conjuring 2 has topped the North American box office chart in its first week of release, breaking a recent slump in success for movie sequels.


The 22-year-old agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Italian club and completed a medical on Wednesday. Media playback is not supported on this device "I will always have a very special place in my heart for City, it's a great club with a great future," he told the Manchester club's website. "I thank them for all of their support of me. Maybe one day we will see each other again." City signed Balotelli from Inter Milan for £24m in 2010 and he scored 30 goals in 80 appearances for the club. He helped City to the Premier League title last season, but has managed only three goals in 20 matches this time round. "I think to win the Premier League was a very special moment, and I am proud to have been a part of that," he added. The forward also revealed he bid farewell to his team-mates at the pre-match dinner before the 0-0 draw at QPR. I love Roberto, he has been very important for my career, and I will always thank him for having trust and faith in me "Yes, I said goodbye to everyone at the meal in London before the game at Queens Park Rangers. It was very emotional for me," Balotelli continued. "I spoke with [manager] Roberto [Mancini] before I went to speak to the players. We spoke for some time about lots of things. He was sad, and I was too. But it was a good conversation. I love Roberto, he has been very important for my career, and I will always thank him for having trust and faith in me. "Being at City was an important part of my life and career. I needed to grow up like a player and as a person and it has been a very good experience for me." Balotelli flew to Milan by private jet on Wednesday afternoon with the Italian club's vice-president Adriano Galliani. Galliani said: "With his arrival, we have reinforced our team a lot. He's a dream come true, wanted by [AC Milan president Silvio] Berlusconi and the club. "Mario has been in our hearts for many years and finally we've managed to get him." Milan reached an agreement with City on Tuesday and Balotelli will sign a four-and-a-half-year contract, subject to passing his medical.

Summary: AC Milan have signed striker Mario Balotelli from Premier League champions Manchester City for £19m.


St Botolph's Church, known as Boston Stump, was badly damaged following a tidal surge in 2013 that hit the Lincolnshire town of Boston. The floodlights were replaced but the switch-on was put in doubt when two lights were stolen. Reverend Alyson Buxton said it was "fantastic" to see the church lit up. "We've all been so excited for this moment," she said. "It's wonderful to see so many people here who've had a wonderful service inside. There's at least 400 people here so it's absolutely fantastic." The lights were switched on by BBC Radio Lincolnshire presenters Carla George and Scott Dalton. Peter Sherlock, who gave the church Â£2,000 to reinstall the stolen lights, was among those present and said the service was "very moving". He is still offering a reward of Â£2,000 for information about who stole the lights. Matt Warman, the Boston and Skegness MP, was also there. "A lot of Boston's heritage is about this building and it's hugely significant for everyone," he said. "It's been a long time since the floods that turned these lights off and I think people are now finally starting to see that we are able to get past that and to show people that Boston is unquenchable."

Summary: The exterior of a church known for its tall tower has been lit up for the first time in two years after it was flooded.


Astronauts helped capture 360-degree panoramas of the insides of the ISS modules, as well as views down to the Earth below. Some of the photography features pop-up text descriptions, marking the first time such annotations have appeared on the Maps platform. This is not the first time 360-degree imagery has been captured beyond Earth. In 2015, the European Space Agency published its own interactive tour of the ISS. And last year Nasa repurposed images captured by its Pathfinder mission to Mars to create clips suitable for virtual reality headsets. However, one of the benefits of Google's technology is that it should give members of the public an improved sense of freedom of movement and a greater choice of viewpoints than had been possible before. The tech giant said it hoped to inspire the public to further explore the science and engineering involved in space exploration. "Every [ISS] component had to be flown on a space shuttle or rocket and constructed and connected in space, and it had to be done with such precision that it formed a hermetic environment to support life," project manager Alice Liu told the BBC. "That is an engineering marvel that people should care about and know about." The firm said creating the latest Street View expansion had posed unique challenges. Past efforts - including capturing underwater views of Australia's Great Barrier Reef and elevated sights from Peru's Machu Picchu citadel - involved transporting specialist camera equipment to the locations. But the cost and certification processes that would have been required to do this for the ISS meant it was not practical this time, nor could the US company send its own staff to take the photographs. Instead, it had to rely on the astronauts already on board the ISS, who used digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras they already had to hand. "Typically, to stitch panoramic images we take a camera and mount it on a fixed mount and rotate it around," explained Ms Liu. "In space there were no tripods, so we ended up using a really simple set-up: a pair of bungee cords strapped in the module in a criss-cross fashion, so that the crossing point defined the centre of where the camera needed to be. "The astronauts had to take the pictures at the defined angles and float around the camera to complete the set of images." It took up to 24 such images to create a single panorama. The astronauts had to fit the activity round their other duties and, from first snap to last image download to Google, the initiative lasted four months. "There are a lot of obstacles up there, and we had limited time to capture the imagery," recalled astronaut Thomas Pesquet in a blog. "Oh, and there's that whole zero gravity thing." The notes that pop up as the user moves among the station's 15 modules provide background information about the equipment on display, and are intended to help make sense of what Google acknowledges can be a "confusing" experience. Ms Liu confirmed the annotation technology could be rolled

Summary: The International Space Station has become the first "off planet" addition to Google Maps' Street View facility.


The Sentencing Council also suggests judges could give longer sentences to offenders who film their victims. In a new consultation, the body says judges should closely consider the complex and damaging effect that a crime has on a victim. The proposed new guidelines cover virtually all sexual offences. The Sentencing Council is responsible for trying to ensure consistency in criminal sentencing across all courts in England and Wales and it draws up complex guidelines to assist judges. The council said that its proposed guidelines for sexual offences aim to update the way the courts deal with 54 crimes, to take into account the tactics and technologies used by offenders, as well as the long-term damage done to a victim. The guidelines cover almost every sexual offence that is recognised in the UK, from voyeurism to rape, and, if adopted, would play a key role in dealing with people convicted of historic allegations of sexual abuse when victims have come forward decades after the event. In the 14-week consultation, the council said that judges should be able to send offenders to jail for longer where modern technology proves to be an aggravating factor in increasing the victim's suffering - such as filming abuse of a sexual assault and then distributing it to others. Judges are concerned that they have seen a worrying increase in the number of cases where rapists have filmed their attack and the victim. Previously the focus in sentencing has been largely on the physical act of the crime, such as which part of a body was violated, because the law defines each individual offence in a quite technical way. The council's new guidelines make clear that this form of sentencing does not take sufficient account the potentially catastrophic long-term effect on the victim. Under the new guidelines, judges would also be able to jail those guilty of so-called "one-off" rapes for a maximum of 19 years, a sentence that is currently only for offenders who attack more than once. Judges can also take into account the behaviour of an offender before the specific offence, such as whether they use drugs and alcohol as part of their targeting. Sentencing for sexual offences against children should also look at how the victim has been groomed or whether the assailant was in a position of trust. Lord Justice Treacy of the council said: "We're improving guidance for courts to help them deal with these incredibly complex, sensitive and serious offences. "The perspective of victims is central to the council's considerations. We want to ensure sentences reflect everything the victim has been through and what the offender has done. "We are looking at the whole context, not just the physical offence but also the tactics employed by offenders like grooming activity, the targeting of vulnerable victims or abuse of a position of trust. "No one wants more people becoming victims, so protecting the public is a vital part of our proposals, whether this is by jailing offenders or through rigorous treatment to stop them reoffending." Psychological impact is already taken into consideration in

Summary: Sentences for rapists and other sex offenders in England and Wales could become tougher to recognise the long-term psychological harm they cause.


Oliver McBurnie began the rout with a 25-yard shot in the opening period. Routledge's brace came after the break and Kenji Gorre finished off the win against a team who play in the United States' third tier. New Swans defender Mike van der Hoorn made his debut after joining from Ajax. Swansea face Richmond Kickers at Virginia on Sunday. Charlotte Independence 0-4 Swansea City, Richmond Kickers, Saturday, 16 July 00.00 BST (City Stadium, Virginia) Bristol Rovers, Saturday, 23 July 15:00 BST (Memorial Stadium) Swindon Town, Wednesday, 27 July BST 19:45 BST (County Ground) Wolverhampton Wanderers, Saturday, 30 July 15:00 BST (Molineux) Stade Rennais, Saturday, 6 August 15:00 BST (Liberty Stadium) Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Wayne Routledge struck twice as Swansea City comfortably beat Charlotte Independence in the opening game of their pre-season tour to the United States at Ramblewood Stadium.


The 37-year-old midfielder announced his decision after playing the whole match as Greece lost on penalties in the last-16 tie against Costa Rica. "This was my last game for Greece," said Karagounis. Media playback is not supported on this device "We wanted to stay in Brazil another week or even longer but you can't change it now." Karagounis made his international debut in 1999 and amassed a record 139 caps for his country, scoring 10 goals in the process. He helped Greece win Euro 2004 and their progress in Brazil meant they reached the second round of the World Cup for the first time in their history. Karagounis, who was released by Fulham at the end of last season, said he was making way for Greece's next generation of players. "The national team has grown up, younger players have won invaluable experiences," he added. "This is no small thing and as we helped the team come of age we hope it will continue to be as successful in the future." Greece coach Fernando Santos will also leave his post after his contract expired on Monday. Santos was sent to the stands before the penalty shootout took place against Costa Rica and had to watch on television as his side made their exit from the World Cup. For the best of BBC Sport's in-depth content and analysis, go to our features and video page.

Summary: Greece captain Giorgos Karagounis has retired from international football following his country's elimination from the 2014 Fifa World Cup.


They say that the new material is more robust and hardwearing than previous efforts to create artificial cartilage. A traditional ink-jet printer combined with a specialised spinning-machine is used to make it. It could lead to bespoke cartilage created for individual patients. But one expert warned it was too early to be confident it would ever be used. The study was published in the Institute of Physics' journal Biofabrication. It marks the latest effort to use 3D printers in medicine following the use of a machine to make a replacement lower jaw and efforts to create 3D-printed scaffolds to support the growth of bone cells. Scientists said they were able to build cartilage made from a chemical compound known as a polymer coated with cartilage cells from a rabbit's ear. They combined the ink-jet printer with a machine that uses an electric current to spin very fine fibres from the polymer solution. It allowed the construction to be easily controlled, meaning scientists could make the artificial cartilage porous. This is key to encouraging real cartilage cells to integrate into the surrounding tissue. So far the printed cartilage has been tested on mice and, after eight weeks, appeared to have developed the properties of real cartilage, suggesting it has potential for insertion into human patients. The scientists said that in the future it could allow medics to create cartilage specific to each patient's needs. They suggest an MRI scan could create a blueprint of a body part, such as a knee, and matching cartilage could be made using the 3D printer. "This is a proof-of-concept study and illustrates that a combinations of materials and fabrication methods generates durable implantable constructs," said James Yoo, a professor at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and one of the paper's authors. At present one of the best options available to doctors treating cartilage damage is a technique called microfracture surgery. It involves drilling small holes into the bone in the cartilage's gap to encourage bleeding. Scar tissue then forms over the gap, acting as a replacement for the missing cartilage. But it is not generally suitable for older or more obese patients, and it does not work if the lesion is too large. Dr Richard Weiler - a consultant in sport and exercise medicine at University College London Hospitals - told the BBC the new innovation could potentially offer respite to a wider range of the patients he treated. But he had doubts about whether it would ever be used. "Certainly with sport there are injuries that cause damage to cartilage - we have seen this with some famous footballers, cyclists and other athletes who have had traumatic injuries where the cartilage has been damaged and then drops off and doesn't grow back very well in the affected area," he said. "However, there have been lots of previous cartilage replacement technologies that were shown to have had an effect in animals but have proved not to be as good as hoped when used long-term by humans. "This technology sounds an interesting development, we would just

Summary: Researchers have developed a way to "print" cartilage that could help treat joint diseases and sporting injuries.


On Friday his campaign backed away from his claim that he had been admitted to the prestigious US military academy at West Point. Mr Carson, however, continues to stand by his assertion that as a teenager he tried to stab a relative, angrily denouncing what he says is liberal bias in a CNN investigation that found no corroborating witnesses to the event. In a presidential campaign season that has been anything but ordinary, the latest kerfuffle over Mr Carson's childhood stories places American politics firmly in bizarro-world. "Ben Carson defends himself against allegations that he never attempted to murder a child," reads the headline on a New York magazine article. Usually a candidate faced with previously unrevealed evidence of youthful indiscretions - or worse - denies the charges. Such was the case with Republican nominee Mitt Romney in 2012, when reporters unearthed evidence that he bullied other students in high school. Here, however, Mr Carson is asserting that recollections from childhood acquaintances that he was bookish and shy are mistaken. Instead he's testified to the veracity of examples of misbehaviour that he cites as evidence of his childhood temper, including that: Mr Carson recounts these stories during speeches and in his autobiography as evidence that he was a misguided youth who only achieved success after a religious awakening. It's part of the narrative that has earned the renowned neurosurgeon a devoted following among the evangelical community for years and is one of the reasons why he has attracted strong support from voters in Iowa, a key battleground in the Republican nomination race. A CNN report found no evidence backing up any of Mr Carson's claims, however - even those that Mr Carson said took place on school grounds. Mr Carson appeared on CNN Friday morning to defend himself, leading to a heated confrontation when network presenter Alisyn Camerota pressed him for further details. "This is a bunch of lies attempting to say I'm lying about my history," Mr Carson said. "I think it's pathetic, and basically what the media does is they try to get you distracted." He said the names he cited in his book were changed to protect friends and family members and that the "close relative" he tried to stab had recently told him not to reveal his identity. "The story is well-documented," Mr Carson said. "If you choose not to believe it, if it doesn't fit the narrative that you want, that's fine. Let's let the American people decide." Mr Carson later told a conservative radio programme that he intends to fight CNN "tooth and nail". That may turn out to be a more difficult battle for Mr Carson, however, after another claim in Mr Carson's book was found questionable. Shortly after the CNN confrontation, Politico reported that the Republican had erroneously asserted that he had been accepted to the US military academy at West Point. Carson campaign manager Barry Bennett told Politico that the candidate was a decorated high school ROTC member who had been encouraged to attend the academy but had never formally applied. As polls

Summary: Ben Carson is increasingly on the defensive over stories he has told about his troubled childhood in his autobiography, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.


The victim claims no-one responded when he brought the alleged offences to light. A complaint is being reviewed by the Church of England, his lawyer said. Clergy representatives said they were unable to comment on the claims published in the Guardian as they formed part of an active investigation. The priest said all five men were aware of his claims he had been repeatedly raped by a vicar when he was 16 in 1984, but none of them acted. He said he made the allegations verbally to the Right Reverend Peter Burrows, the Bishop of Doncaster; the Right Reverend Steven Croft, the former Bishop of Sheffield, and now Bishop of Oxford; and the Right Reverend Martyn Snow, a former Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham, and now the Bishop of Leicester, between July 2012 and February 2013. The Archbishop of York John Sentamu and the Right Reverend Glyn Webster, the Bishop of Beverley, were also made aware when they were copied in to a letter sent to the Rt Rev Croft in June 2013, he said. His lawyer, David Greenwood, of Switalskis Solicitors, said the priest finally spoke up after a safeguarding issue in his own parish "triggered his memories". "He reached out for help to the Bishop of Doncaster but found that he got no help, no support and no response," he said. "He continued to try to elicit a response from the senior people in his diocese but got nothing." Under the Church of England's clergy disciplinary measures a complaint must be made within one year of the alleged misconduct. An application for permission to make complaints out of time has been lodged and is being considered by the church. Mr Greenwood said a complaint had also been made to West Yorkshire Police and the details of the alleged misconduct passed to the Goddard Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. A spokesperson for the archbishop said he had only been sent a copy of the letter and the original recipient of the letter had "a duty to respond and not the archbishop". A spokesperson for the bishops said that if the complaint went forward "our bishops will make a full response to the various allegations made in due course". A complaint has also been made by the priest against Roy Williamson, a former bishop of Bradford and now an honorary assistant bishop with the diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, that he failed to act at the time of the abuse. A spokesperson for his diocese said: "We cannot comment during a live investigation except to say that if approached by the authorities we will offer them every co-operation." West Yorkshire Police said it is investigating a report of a historical serious sexual offence said to have occurred in the Bradford area in the 1980s. A force representative said: "A crime has been recorded and a 69-year-old man has been spoken to in connection with the inquiry."

Summary: A priest has accused the Archbishop of York and four bishops of misconduct after they "failed to act" on allegations he was raped by a vicar.


The 28 EU interior ministers will hold an emergency meeting on the crisis on 14 September. July was a record month, with more than 100,000 reaching the EU's borders. But it is proving difficult to get agreement on joint action, as migration pressure varies from country to country. What are the biggest obstacles to a solution? Free movement arguments The EU core principle of free movement - embodied in the passport-free Schengen area - is in dispute. UK Home Secretary Theresa May called the EU migration system "broken", saying the Schengen system had "exacerbated" the problem of large-scale irregular migration. The UK and Ireland are not in Schengen, but nearly all of their EU partners are, as well as some non-EU countries. Nationalists across Europe, such as the National Front (FN) in France and Italy's Northern League, also blame Schengen for the ease with which many migrants have travelled from southern to northern Europe. But the governments in France and Germany are among those who value Schengen for its contribution to the European economy. Schengen makes it easier for firms to hire workers from other EU countries, or to post workers abroad. The principle of free movement also has huge symbolic value for the EU. East Europeans embraced it eagerly after decades of communism, when travel to the West was impossible for most ordinary citizens. But Schengen members can re-impose border controls temporarily for national security reasons, for example if they face an extraordinary surge of migrants. There is pressure in the EU now to give authorities more discretion to do that. Why do Europe's political leaders seem unable to act? Arguments over barriers Hungary, which is in the Schengen zone, has built a 175km (110-mile) razor-wire fence 4m (13ft) high along its border with Serbia, which is outside the area. The barrier will be strengthened in the coming weeks, but it is highly controversial. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius criticised it, in remarks rejected by the Hungarian government as "shocking and groundless". In the first quarter of 2015 Hungary became a new migration hotspot, as thousands of asylum seekers saw it as an easier gateway to northern Europe. Of the 32,810 asylum applicants in Hungary in that period 70% were from Kosovo. Most Kosovans are fleeing dire poverty, rather than political or religious persecution, so in most cases their asylum claims are rejected. But now, many of those reaching the fence have fled the war in Syria and have legitimate asylum claims. Trainloads of migrants are heading for Austria and Germany from Budapest - and Hungary's neighbours worry that it has merely shifted the problem on to them. Bulgaria - not in Schengen - has also put up a razor-wire fence on its border with Turkey, to keep migrants out. Spain's small territories of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa are similarly fenced off. The UK's investment in extra border security at Calais, in northern France, is less controversial, as the UK is not in Schengen and migrants have been risking their lives jumping on to lorries and trains. But it

Summary: Europe is struggling with its biggest migration crisis since World War Two, with unprecedented numbers of refugees and other migrants seeking asylum in the EU.


Government sources told the BBC that the tribal fighters set fire to a building used by the militants. The source said 10 IS militants and five tribesmen had died in the clashes that followed. Issa al-Issawi, the exiled mayor of Fallujah, said that more tribesmen were joining the fight against IS. Reports said the violence involved men from multiple tribes and IS members known as al-Hisba, who are responsible for enforcing religious strictures in the city. "Clashes took place between sons of the al-Mahamda and al-Juraisat tribes against the al-Hisba group," Mr Issawi told AFP news agency. He said the violence stemmed from tensions over increasingly difficult living conditions while Fallujah is besieged by Iraqi security forces. Sheikh Majeed al-Juraisi, a leader in the al-Juraisat tribe, told AFP the clashes were part of an uprising against IS fighters in the city and called on the government and security forces to help. Reports suggested the tribesmen had seized parts of the north of the city, but later ceded the ground back to IS jihadists. Fallujah, which is about 50km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, has been held by anti-government forces since the beginning of 2014 and is now one of two Iraqi cities still under the IS group's control. IS militants launched a sweeping offensive in June 2014 that overran large areas north and west of Baghdad, but security forces and allied fighters have pushed the jihadists back with support from US-led air strikes.

Summary: Local tribesmen have reportedly clashed with fighters from the so-called Islamic State (IS) in the IS stronghold of Fallujah in western Iraq.


A 24-hour walkout by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, in protest at the introduction of driver-only trains, ended at 11:00 BST on Wednesday. Southern warned passengers to expect "difficult and frustrating" journeys throughout the day. Two further strikes have been announced for 10 May and 12 May. Latest updates here The RMT confirmed it would attend talks with Southern "over the guards jobs and safety dispute" on Friday. Dyan Crowther, chief operating officer for Southern owner Govia Thameslink Railway, told BBC Sussex: "We are very pleased to hear that and we look forward to meeting the RMT". Southern said some routes were again suspended or reduced with 700 fewer services across Sussex and east Surrey. Ms Crowther said the timetable would not return to normal until Thursday as they needed to get rolling stock and staff into the right position. Paul Barker, a commuter from Rye, normally catches a Southern train to Ashford then a high-speed service to St Pancras. He said he worked from home on Tuesday but went to Robertsbridge on Wednesday to catch a Southeastern service to London. He said: "It was standing room only from Frant, but you cannot take two days off work". RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "This dispute is about safety. The company, with an eye on ever-fatter profits, is prepared to axe the guards on some of the most overcrowded and potentially-dangerous services." The company said there would be no job or pay cuts but the planned changes would make conductors more visible while drivers would operate doors. It accused the RMT of "scaremongering" and said "driver-only operation is a safe, proven way of working" which had been used "on 40% of trains across the Southern network for 25 years".

Summary: Talks to prevent a further strike by Southern rail conductors are to be held on Friday.


The Manchester Evening News reported it related to a councillor who admitted making indecent images of children. Mike Owen and two senior officers have been suspended following an external review of the case, a spokeswoman said. Council leader Rishi Shori said the suspensions would allow the three to "focus on responding" to the case. He said they were "a neutral act". The council had commissioned the review by childcare expert Malcolm Newsam after it "received allegations that there were failures to act appropriately in following safeguarding procedures in respect of an individual case," he added. Deputy chief executive Pat Jones-Greenhalgh will replace Mr Owen until the council's own investigation is concluded, the authority's spokeswoman said.

Summary: Bury Council's chief executive has been suspended over claims he and others failed to follow procedures in their handling of a safeguarding case.


The first minister said images of Aylan Kurdi being carried from the sea had "touched our hearts". Ms Sturgeon is to convene a migrant crisis summit on Friday with councils and humanitarian agencies. Prime Minister David Cameron has come under increasing pressure for Britain to accept more refugees. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson is among those who have urged Mr Cameron to do more to tackle the refugee crisis in Europe. But Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said accepting more refugees was not the answer. Speaking at First Minister's Questions, Ms Sturgeon said: "As first minister I pledge that I will ensure Scotland will do everything possible to help in this refugee crisis. "I will be far from the only person reduced to tears last night at the picture of a little boy washed up on a beach. "That wee boy has touched our hearts but his is not an isolated tragedy. "He and thousands like him whose lives are at risk is not someone else's responsibly; they are the responsibility of all of us. "So yes I am angry, I am very angry at the walk-on-by attitude of the UK government and I implore David Cameron to change his position and change it today. "I pledge as first minister of this country that we stand ready to offer sanctuary to refugees that need our help." Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale also criticised Mr Cameron's response to the crisis. She urged the first minister to "convene an urgent meeting with Scotland's council leaders, party leaders and people in this parliament and other relevant government agencies so that Scotland can speak with one voice and match our compassion with the action we are all willing to take". Ms Sturgeon said she had already set up a summit, which will bring together humanitarian organisations, including the Scottish Refugee Council, leaders of councils, civic organisations and religious leaders. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said he would accept the invitation to attend the summit. Ms Davidson said the UK government must act "closer to home" and go beyond donating aid to Syria, adding: "This is not an immigration issue - it's a humanitarian crisis." She added: "I call on David Cameron to lead our government's response and accept more refugees."

Summary: Nicola Sturgeon has told how she was reduced to tears by photos of a dead Syrian boy washed up on a Turkish beach.


Democrats Mark Warner and Joe Manchin, who have "A" ratings from the National Rifle Association (NRA), now say action is needed after the massacre. President Obama has held a meeting with three of his cabinet to discuss how the law might change. Noah Pozner and Jack Pinto, both aged six, were buried on Monday. They were among 20 children and six adults killed at Sandy Hook school in Connecticut. Other victims' funerals will be held throughout the week, and the town has already begun removing Christmas decorations in mourning. Two adults who were injured in the attack survived are recovering in hospital and would be crucial witnesses as police continue their investigation, it was confirmed on Monday. Lt Paul Vance said they were recovering and would be interviewed at an appropriate time. Children who witnessed the attack would also be interviewed - in the presence of parents and professionals - Lt Vance added. The Sandy Hook gunman was named as Adam Lanza, who took his own life at the end of a killing spree that began with him shooting dead his own mother. Despite a long history of pro-gun views, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin told US network MSNBC on Monday that it was time to "move beyond rhetoric" on gun control. Mr Manchin, a gun owner and frequent hunter, said: "I don't know anyone in the sporting or hunting arena that goes out with an assault rifle." "It's common sense. It's time to move beyond rhetoric. We need to sit down and have a common sense discussion and move in a reasonable way." Virginia Senator Mark Warner, another Democrat who has backed gun owner's rights, told reporters outside the Virginia capitol that the "status quo isn't acceptable". He later called for "rational gun control" in an interview with a local news broadcaster. Mr Warner said he had been approached repeatedly over the weekend as people began to seek answers and solutions. On Sunday President Barack Obama told residents at a vigil in Newtown the US must do more to protect its children. Rate per 100,000 people Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reports In statistics: Guns in the US Viewpoints: Should gun laws change? Mark Mardell: Twenty Christmas trees "We can't tolerate this any more," Mr Obama said. "These tragedies must end and to end them we must change." On Monday, White House spokesman Jay Carney said tighter gun control laws are part of the answer to violence in the US, but stressed that the president did not have a specific policy to announce. "It's a complex problem that will require a complex solution," Mr Carney said. "No single piece of legislation, no single action will fully address the problem." He added that the president supports reinstating an assault weapons ban that expired in 2004. California Senator Dianne Feinstein, a long-time advocate for gun regulations, said on Sunday she would introduce assault weapons ban legislation in the beginning of the next congressional session. And New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a vocal backer of stricter regulation, called on Mr Obama and Congress to

Summary: Two pro-gun US senators have called for changes to firearm laws, as the first victims of the 26 victims of Newtown school shootings were buried.


It has been a busy period of transfer activity as teams look to strengthen and build on their previous campaign. With gaps to fill, many clubs have been looking outside of the Scottish border for new talent. Alongside club stalwarts and players familiar with the Scottish game, which players will help shape the season? Celtic built their title-winning side around a solid foundation at the back last season. Virgil van Dijk and Jason Denayer were at the heart of a defence that kept 22 clean sheets in the league. With the latter returning to parent club Manchester City, manager Ronny Deila has been quick to find a replacement. Dedryck Boyata signed a four-year contract this summer, ending a nine-year stay at Manchester City and the 24-year-old has already looked settled among his new team-mates. A goal on his competitive debut against Stjarnan, followed with the winner on Thursday, helped Celtic secure a 1-0 first leg lead over Qarabag. Celtic will be looking for this form to continue as they chase a fifth consecutive title. Last season, Aberdeen had their best league campaign since the 1993-94 season as they secured second place. This season, they will be looking to improve on the promising strides they have taken under Derek McInnes. The Dons have strength in depth in most departments, but the acquisition of goalkeeper Danny Ward from Liverpool on a season-long loan looks to have been a smart piece of business. McInnes deployed both Jamie Langfield, 35, and Scott Brown, 30, between the sticks last season, but the early indications seem to point to Ward being given the opportunity to stake a claim to be the club's number one this season. Impressive displays in the Europa League qualifiers have strengthened the 22-year-old Welshman's position and he could be a key factor if the Dons are to push Celtic all the way in this season's title race. Nadir Ciftci's £1.5m departure to Celtic this summer has left Dundee United boss Jackie McNamara with a position to fill in his forward line. McNamara will be hoping that Croatia Under-21 cap Darko Bodul will be the man to do the job. At 26, Bodul has plenty of experience throughout Europe. Beginning his career in his native Austria with First Vienna, Bodul has also had spells with Dutch sides Heerenveen, Ajax and Sparta Rotterdam, as well as stints with Nacional of Portugal, Austrians Sturm Graz and Danish outfit Odense. He left Austrian Bundesliga side Rheindorf Altach at the end of last season. Bodul made his pre-season debut in a United shirt during the 2-1 defeat by Queens Park Rangers, coming on as a second-half substitute before starting in the 1-0 friendly defeat by Watford, lasting an hour before being replaced. McNamara described his new signing as ''technically gifted, skilful and a penalty box goal scorer". With some impressive teams on his CV and a two-year contract, United will hope to see the best of Bodul in the coming season. He may have the most famous name in Scottish football, but Dutchman Rodney Sneijder wants to be his

Summary: The Scottish Premiership season commences this weekend and fans can expect to see a swarm of new faces run out for their side for the first time.


This is not because of panic, but possibly as a way of suppressing it. As one MP put it: "The wise heads will need to tell any hotheads to calm down." The prime minister will meet her internal critics head on. Having phoned over the weekend candidates who were defeated in an election she didn't need to call, she will find that many of those who escaped that fate are cross. But widespread demands for her to go are not expected. Instead, there will be demands for her to consult more, including meeting regularly with the 1922 executive, and to turn Downing Street from a bunker into an open house by broadening her range of staff. However, few MPs expect her position to be strong and stable for the next five years. One senior backbencher told me: "It is inconceivable she will lead the party into the next election. Her authority has been diminished unquestionably." Another said: "Party members have been too bruised by her." "She has bought herself some time", said a senior backbencher, but added: "How she behaves will determine how long she's there." There is a feeling that the party is holding on to nurse for fear of something worse. "There is zero appetite for another election," as one MP put it, and a feeling that, in an early poll, victory wouldn't be guaranteed. Some say Labour's digital campaign and mobilisation of young people was particularly impressive, and another election would give Jeremy Corbyn the opportunity to do what he does best - campaign. Equally, a leadership election could be destabilising ahead of Brexit talks - though it's widely expected one will take place well before 2022. Some kind of arrangement with the DUP is seen as inevitable, but one MP cautioned "the devil is in the detail". One of the reasons the 1922 meeting has been moved forward is so any deal can be discussed before it is sealed. Nonetheless, it is anticipated that the most flexible of arrangements is likely to be put in place; one that would mean there would have to be negotiations with the DUP on an issue-by-issue basis. Theresa May is expected to hear strong criticisms of what one backbencher dubbed "her miserable manifesto". Of course, some individual policies, such as social care - "It went down like a lead balloon" - will be singled out, but the presentation of policy will also be attacked. MPs will say that an effective fourfold lifting of the floor on residential care costs wasn't widely understood. And a campaign which barely mentioned the economy will come under fire. "We didn't dodge a bullet but were winged," said one. "If Labour had a more credible leader we could have been in even bigger difficulties." There has been speculation that there may now be a "softer Brexit", partly because of an influx of Scottish MPs who favour close trading relationships with the EU, but also because of the elevation of Damian Green to First Secretary of State. He is a friend of Mrs May's, a Remainer in the

Summary: A meeting of the Conservative Party's influential backbench 1922 committee - in effect all Conservative backbenchers - has been brought forward by 24 hours to 17:00 BST on Monday.


The Scot, 26, stopped Joubert in the sixth round - a ninth win out of nine. "I had to [get] over the clash of heads and cut in the first round," he told BBC Scotland. "It's a pretty nasty cut. "I learned I can deal with having to get cuts and when it gets rough I can carry on with it. I kept myself nice and calm." The 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold medallist has previously stated his ambition to fight fellow Scot and WBA super-lightweight champion Ricky Burns. Taylor's promoter, former world champion Barry McGuigan, said: "We'd love that fight. That's a great fight, that's a magnificent fight down the line. "He [Taylor] is impressive. He's so inventive. He's creating his own little style. Taylor has got that uniqueness about him, he's just so inimitable in everything he does. "He's great to watch and he's definitely going to go the whole way. The difficulty for me now is how do I fill the gap between here and world championship fights because that's where he's capable of going? "I need to have something else in the middle because once you make that step, there's no turning back. You can't go back and have easier fights where you can gain experience. That's my dilemma." And Taylor added: "I'm quite happy where I am just now, maybe another defence of the Commonwealth, maybe even knock on the door of the European [title]. "I learned a lot about myself [against Joubert]. I was impressed with my own performance. "I caught him clean a few times and he took them and he came back at me and hit me a couple of times himself. "Once I started finding my range, started catching him with good shots, it didn't take me long once I caught him clean."

Summary: Josh Taylor says he "learned a lot about himself" in his Commonwealth super-lightweight title defence against South Africa's Warren Joubert.


The 25-year-old man reportedly calls himself Harald Hitler. The man, sporting a side parting and a trademark moustache, had been seen having his photograph taken outside the house in Braunau am Inn in which Adolf Hitler was born. The lookalike had recently moved to the town on the German border, police spokesman David Furtner told the BBC. Mr Furtner said this was not a joke or a piece of performance art. "The young man knows exactly what he is doing," the police spokesman said. He said the man had also been spotted in Vienna and Graz. Pictures of the man were published by Austria's Heute.at news website on Monday. Glorifying the Nazi era is a crime in Austria. Last October, the Austrian authorities decided to demolish Hitler's birthplace house to stop it becoming a focal point for neo-Nazis. Hitler was born in a rented room on the top floor of the building on 20 April 1889. During Nazi rule, the house was transformed into a shrine to Hitler as the town drew in a wave of tourists. But as the Nazis began to lose control in 1944, it was shut.

Summary: A Hitler lookalike has been arrested in Austria on charges of glorifying the Nazi era, local officials say.


The king commissioned the piano for the palace from renowned maker Thomas Tomkison in about 1821. The instrument displays the flamboyant taste Tomkison shared with the king. It was bought by Brighton and Hove City Council with funding from Arts Council England and the Victoria and Albert Museum, The piano is thought to have been removed from the Pavilion by Queen Victoria after she ascended the throne in 1837. However, its whereabouts for many years are unknown and it is thought to have held in private collections. A Brighton Pavilion spokeswoman described the instrument as "an elegant rosewood grand, extravagantly decorated, inlaid with brass, gilt mouldings and gilt turnbuckles, with elegantly carved legs". Councillor Alan Robins said: "King George's piano has long been on a wish list of desirable assets for the Royal Pavilion and so we're thrilled to have brought it back to its rightful home. "The piano is playable but as it's been dormant for 20 years will need some restoration. It would be amazing to be able to hear music of the period played on it."

Summary: King George IV's only known surviving grand piano has been returned to Brighton's Royal Pavilion after being bought at auction for Â£62,000.


Ancient cities around the shores of the Mediterranean and Adriatic are on the front line, their stone streets squeezed full of summer visitors as budget airlines and giant cruise ships unload ever-growing armies of tourists. Take the Croatian city of Dubrovnik: a perfectly preserved historical miniature, carved from honey-coloured stone set in a sea of postcard blue. Around 1,500 people live within the walls of its Old City, custodians of cultural treasures left by everyone from the Romans and the Ostrogoths to the Venetians and the Habsburgs. On a busy day three modern cruise ships, each one the size of a floating apartment building, can disgorge five or six times that number of people into the city. They join the throngs of tourists staying in local hotels and in rooms rented over the internet, in streets where almost every elegant stone house has been converted into a B&B. The overall effect is Disneylandish - a sense that you meet no-one but other tourists or ice-cream sellers, tour guides, waiters, reception clerks and buskers who are there to keep the tourist wheels turning. Mark Thomas, who edits The Dubrovnik Times, explains the phenomenon like this. "When I first got here, I'd stand back if I saw that people were taking photographs of each other. Now there are so many people that I know if I did that, I'd never get anywhere here." Dubrovnik has a particular problem because its ancient appeal has now been bolstered by that most modern of phenomena - the HBO mini-series. The city, unchanged for centuries, provides the main locations for Game of Thrones. Fans come on pilgrimages to visit the settings. One souvenir shop owner, who told me he doesn't watch the series himself, admitted he had Googled a couple of catchphrases to help attract customers. "It does seem crazy," he admitted, "to stand here when it's 35 degrees, shouting that 'Winter is Coming'." Dubrovnik is not alone in struggling to balance its need for tourists' money with the need to ensure that those tourists don't end up destroying the beauty they've come to see. The tiny Italian island of Capri has warned that it could "explode" under the pressure of the trade that sees as many as 15,000 visitors a day travelling by boat from the mainland, to visit its once-idyllic streets and squares. One local official told The Daily Telegraph: "You can't fit a litre-and-a-half into a litre pot." Florence, Barcelona and some Greek islands like Santorini have suffered too, and it was perhaps Venice which experienced the problem first. Its population has been falling since the 1950s, effectively forced out by the hordes of cruise-ship visitors. Tourism, of course, remains essentially a good thing and in the developed world we nearly all do it. It means trade and cultural exchange and it's both a symbol of rising prosperity and a generator of future wealth. Part of the "problem" is that travellers from traditional sources like the UK, Germany and the USA are increasingly being joined by the new middle classes of countries like Russia, China

Summary: There are places where the surge of global tourism is starting to feel like a tidal wave.


Robert Amoroso, 64, now from Hampshire, lived in Clifton from 1979 to 2013, the period of the alleged offences. Mr Amoroso was found not-guilty of two counts of sexual activity in the presence of a child. On Wednesday he was cleared of 14 other charges, including indecent assaults, sexual assaults and sexual activity in the presence of a child. Nottingham Crown Court heard the charges related to seven boys aged between 12 and 16.

Summary: A former teacher accused of sexually abusing boys in Nottingham has been cleared on all counts.


The engineering firm says the £250m expansion of its Malmesbury headquarters will eventually bring 3,000 new jobs to the town. Planning conditions have been added regarding archaeological issues and addressing site access, along with concerns about increased traffic. The expansion is expected to be the largest in the firm's 20-year history. A spokesperson for Dyson said the decision was just one part of a number of stages in the planning process and they did not want to comment further.

Summary: Outline plans to double the size of Dyson's research centre in Wiltshire have been approved by planners.


It was relief more than real jubilation. The simple truth was that the combined list of candidates headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had performed disappointingly. But politics is about expectations. At one point a rumour swept the gathering that he'd lost more than a third of his alliance's seats in the Knesset - in the end the exit polls suggested it would be more like a quarter. Cue wild celebration. If you add together Mr Netanyahu's natural allies among the religious parties and the rest of the right - and assume he'll be able to attract at least one party from the centre or even the left - then he should be able to form a government again. Senior Likud figure Danny Danon was quick to tell me that the only thing that would be remembered from this night was the fact that his boss had won a third term as prime minister. "There is only one prime minister possible for Israel from these results. And that's Benjamin Netanyahu. "I say to my friends here on the left that they should not be opening the champagne after these results." Any champagne that Mr Netanyahu may be tempted to open will be feeling a little flat though. He emerges from these elections a rather diminished figure, whose wheeling and dealing skills may be sorely tested as he sets about building a new coalition. When he spoke to a crowd of activists in Tel Aviv he was measured, although it took him some time to persuade his supporters to stop celebrating long enough to make himself heard. "I am going to seek as broad a government as possible", he said. " I'm going to seek out many partners." That was perhaps his way of acknowledging that the overall results of the night were curiously ambiguous. To the left of Mr Netanyahu, Labour picked up seats but to the right of him so did Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home party) led by his former chief of staff Naftali Bennett. The undoubted star of the evening was Yair Lapid, a famous TV presenter who stepped off the screen to found a new centrist party called Yesh Atid (There is a Future). It has been an extraordinary debut. The party may well emerge as the second largest grouping in the new Knesset and should command a place in a Netanyahu-led coalition. Because Mr Lapid is a political newcomer, it's hard to say what price he might try to extract in return for his support. But you can expect a higher profile for the vexed issue of whether Israel's ultra-Orthodox community ought to be required to perform its share of national service (it's currently exempt). The wider world will examine these results for clues about Israel's future attitude towards peace talks with the Palestinians or the possibility of a pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The truth of the matter is that it's far too early to make those kind of judgements, which will depend on the balance of forces within a future coalition more than on the

Summary: When the giant TV screens at the Likud election headquarters finally flashed up the results of the national exit polls, one-by-one there was a sudden tidal wave of sound.


The male in his early 30s was found with critical injuries in North Woolwich Road, Silvertown, at about 13:30 GMT. He was pronounced dead at the scene and inquiries are under way to locate his next-of-kin, the Met said. No arrests have been made. Two other cyclists were killed in the capital within hours of each other on Monday. Anita Szucs, 30, died after an apparent hit-and-run on Bounces Road, Enfield, while Karla Roman, 32, was killed in a crash with a coach on Whitechapel High Street, Tower Hamlets.

Summary: A cyclist has died in a crash with an HGV in east London.


The Islamic Center of Boca Raton had planned to host a polling site for the state's primary in August and the general election in November. Officials rescinded the invitation, drawing sharp criticism from Florida lawmakers who said it reinforced religious discrimination. The site was moved to a nearby library. County Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher said she moved the site after receiving about 50 complaints from people who said they did not want to vote in a mosque. The Islamic Center has been used as a polling station at least since 2010, the Washington Post reported. Democratic US Representatives Ted Deutch and Lois Frankel released statements opposing the move. "If we are going to use places of worship as polling places, we should not discriminate,'' Mr Deutch said. It is unclear how many houses of worship are used as polling places across the country, but churches are often selected as host sites because of their large auditoriums and parking lots. Mosques in California, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Ohio have served as polling places, including one that has been used since at least 2004, according to the AP news agency.

Summary: A Florida mosque has been removed as a polling station for the 2016 election after local officials received complaints and threats of violence.


Passwords were found on public websites such as Pastebin, where hackers often dump data. Recorded Future said it was impossible to say whether all the passwords were active. The details were likely to have been stolen when used to access malware-ridden sites. Recorded Future's report said many government employees had used their official emails, and possibly the same passwords, to log in to third-party web services that had been hacked. The company scanned more than 680,000 web sources over the course of a year. It found 705 emails and passwords originating from government agencies. The data was connected with the departments of defence, justice, the treasury and energy as well as the CIA and the director of National Intelligence. "The presence of these credentials on the open web leaves these agencies vulnerable to espionage, socially engineered attacks, and tailored spear-phishing attacks against their workforce," the company said on its blog. Recorded Future called on government departments to make their networks more secure by requiring staff to use two-factor authentication, which requires users to have two separate components to their log-ins, and only allowing them to remotely access their systems via virtual private networks. "It isn't that these agencies don't know what to do, it is just that they aren't implementing the changes," said Scott Donnelly, a senior analyst at Recorded Future.

Summary: A security intelligence company has found the stolen log-in credentials for up to 47 US government agencies accessible online.


At least 17 US-based and local groups receiving foreign funding were targeted, according to activists and Egyptian state media. An official said at least one of the US-based groups was operating without proper permits. The US state department said it was "very concerned" and urged authorities to stop the "harassment" of NGO staff. Some civil society activists have reported that employees were prevented from leaving while searches continued. "This is not appropriate in the current environment," state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, adding that senior US officials had been in touch with Egyptian military leaders to express their concern over the raids. Egypt's military has vowed to investigate how pro-democracy and human rights organisations are funded and has said repeatedly it will not tolerate foreign interference in the country's affairs. "The public prosecutor has searched 17 civil society organisations, local and foreign, as part of the foreign funding case," official news agency Mena cited the prosecutor's office as saying. "The search is based on evidence showing violation of Egyptian laws including not having permits." The US-based groups targeted include the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI), loosely associated with the US Democratic and Republican parties. 'Guardians of freedom' Documents and computers have been seized as part of the investigations and one report said that the IRI's doors had been sealed with wax. Julie Hughes, Cairo Director of the NDI, told the BBC about 14 members of the security forces had turned up at its offices. "They came in and asked all of us to gather together in a room, to leave the laptops on our desks, and open and accessible," she said. "They went around the room from computer to computer looking through files and then gathering up those computers, and then about four and a half hours later they left." Both pro-democracy groups, who say they take a neutral political stance, run programmes to train members of nascent political parties in democratic processes. The Arab Centre for the Independence of Justice was also among those being investigated, its head, Nasser Amin, told AFP. Civil society groups have responded angrily to the raids. "[Former President Hosni] Mubarak's regime did not dare to undertake such practices prior to the uprising," the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said in a statement. The group said the authorities were "aiming to intimidate activists and rights advocates, gag their mouths and freeze their activities in support of human rights and against repression and torture". Nobel peace laureate and Egyptian reformist Mohamed ElBaradei said any attempt to stifle such groups would surely backfire. "Human rights organisations are the guardians of nascent freedom. Efforts to suffocate them will be a major setback," he wrote on his Twitter account.

Summary: Egyptian soldiers and police have raided the offices of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Cairo.


NASUWT members in Derry City, Strabane, Mid Ulster, Fermanagh and Omagh council areas will strike on 31 January. The union's teachers in Belfast and Newtownabbey staged a strike on 30 November closing a number of schools. Members of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) are also due to stage a half-day strike on 18 January. In October, all teaching unions in Northern Ireland rejected an offer that would have seen their pay frozen last year and a rise of 1% for 2016-17. NASUWT regretted the further action, but had no choice but to take it, said its general secretary, Chris Keates. "Strike action can be avoided if there is an improvement on the 0% pay award for 2015/16 and a genuine commitment to meet with the NASUWT to seek to resolve our trade dispute," she said. The union's official in Northern Ireland, Justin McCamphill, said the strike was the responsibility of the education minister, Peter Weir, and the teaching employers. "Parents will also recognise that unless teachers are recognised and rewarded as highly-skilled professionals and have working conditions which free them to focus on teaching and learning, there will be a long-term detrimental impact on the quality of education provision for their children," he said. However, members of two other teaching unions, the Ulster Teachers' Union (UTU) and Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), have voted not to strike. Instead they are taking action short of a strike including non-co-operation with school inspections by the ETI. Peter Weir has previously called the strike action "futile" and urged the unions to negotiate pay settlements for the years ahead. The unions are due to meet the teaching employers again for talks on 12 January.

Summary: Teachers belonging to the National Association of Schoolmasters and Women Teachers are to stage a one-day strike over pay, workload and job insecurity.


The drilling rig was destined for a yard in Turkey to be decommissioned when a towline broke and it ran aground on Lewis. It is now temporarily anchored in the island's Broad Bay where divers will inspect the structure for damage. But councillor Angus Campbell has said it could remain longer term. He has written to the rig's owner, Transocean, to consider breaking up and recycling parts of the structure at facilities near Stornoway on Lewis. Hugh Shaw, the Secretary of State's representative for maritime salvage and intervention, who is overseeing the salvage operation, has said a decision on the final destination of the rig has still to be made. In his letter to Transocean, Mr Campbell said: "We are pleased that you continue to engage with the local supply chain and, given the significant and positive economic impact to the islands, would now ask that serious consideration be given to the use of local facilities and engineering expertise in carrying out the necessary repairs. "As you will be aware, there is an established oil and gas supply chain in the islands with considerable lay down area at the Arnish facility and good connections for skilled workers to move in and out as required. "Secure additional storage for recyclable parts pending resale could be available at Creed Park on the outskirts of Stornoway. "We would be very happy to work with Transocean, Smit Salvage and other relevant key stakeholders to ensure that direct and indirect benefits are, as much as possible, retained in the islands."

Summary: The leader of Western Isles local authority, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, has said the rig Transocean Winner could be scrapped on the islands.