The 34-year-old has recently returned from a spell with Atletico Kolkata, where he won the Indian Super League. "Everyone knows the affiliation I have with the club," said Pearson. "I thoroughly enjoyed my time here. "It is a good place to come and work so it ticked all the boxes for me and hopefully it suits Motherwell in the short term." Pearson returns to Scotland with an Indian Super League winner's medal and plenty of fond memories. "It was very good. I went out and did pre-season in Madrid for a month and then we flew for the season beginning in October and finished the season off just before Christmas," he said. "We managed to win the league, which was great. "So it made up for the big decision to go out there in the first place, it kind of justified that by coming back with a winner's medal." The Indian Super League has only been around for a few years, with the short season and long distance travel notable elements of the experience for Pearson. "This will only be the fourth year [of the Indian Super League] coming up now, so it is still in the early stages. It is a good competition, only over a short period of time, so the games are thick and fast with lots of travelling - that is one of the things I found quite difficult, the travelling side of it. "But I could not speak highly enough of the league. Everybody out there is superb. They try to be as professional as possible. They have got a lot of experience and big names out there and they are trying to build up grass-roots level and start from the bottom." Pearson also believes the lure of lucrative contracts in India will encourage other players to try their luck over in the sub-continent. He said: "It is certainly a place you will see a lot of players trying to get to. There is a lot of money there, especially for the foreign players who come in. You're allowed 15 foreign players, and 15 local players. But you can only have five foreign players in the starting team at one time - I think they might be reducing that to encourage the progression of the Indian lads." However, Pearson says Indian football still cannot compete with the money being splashed by clubs in China. "I think the money that is getting thrown around in China is just on another level at the minute," he said. "In India they do try to pay the foreign players well because it is only a short time that they are out there and they want to get the best players to come and help the Indian players develop. "They are passionate about it and everything they do, they give it their all." In terms of his ambitions with Motherwell for the rest of the Premiership season, Pearson added: "I am just looking forward to helping the team out, contribute as much as I can between now and the end of the

Summary: Motherwell have signed Stephen Pearson until the end of the season - the midfielder's third spell at the club.


20 July 2016 Last updated at 12:06 BST Police said the shopper "defended herself by repeatedly hitting the female offender over the head with the packet of bacon" in a Facebook post. But CCTV obtained by Altrincham Today suggests the police report was slightly more dramatic than the actual incident, The BBC has approached Greater Manchester Police (GMP) for comment.

Summary: This is the moment an 86-year-old woman "defended herself" with a packet of bacon against a would-be thief in an Iceland supermarket.


Matt Groening told Smithsonian magazine he based the town on Springfield, Oregon, but since it is such a common US place name he knew many would think it was their own Springfield. The Springfield question is one of the best-kept secrets in TV history. The Simpsons is the longest-running animation on US TV, on air since 1989. Characters in the show have often joked about hiding Springfield's real location. "In anticipation of the success of the show, I thought: 'This will be cool, everyone will think it's their Springfield.' And they do," Mr Groening said. There are thought to be at least 34 towns or cities called Springfield in the US. Mr Groening also said he was inspired by the TV show Father Knows Best, which was set in a place called Springfield. But the Springfield in Oregon is just 100 miles (160km) south of Portland, the city where Mr Groening grew up. The Simpsons has sometimes given false answers to the question of Springfield's true location, leaving open the possibility that Mr Groening's latest comments are a continuation of the joke. "Whenever people say it's Springfield, Ohio, or Springfield, Massachusetts, or Springfield, wherever, I always go: 'Yup, that's right,'" Mr Groening said. In one episode, Marge and Homer Simpson's precocious daughter Lisa points to Springfield on a map, but the audience's view is obscured by Bart Simpson's head. It appears that the town of Springfield, Oregon, has known of its connection to the sitcom since 2007, when Mr Groening visited before the release of The Simpsons Movie. "Oh, okay, we knew that," a community relations manager told the Associated Press when she heard about Mr Groening's latest comments.

Summary: The creator of the iconic cartoon sitcom The Simpsons has finally revealed the inspiration behind the show's fictional town of Springfield.


Steven Walters, 48, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault at Stafford Crown Court in September. Chief Constable David Thompson said the case represented "one of the worst violations of policing integrity I've ever seen". Walters was also found guilty of gross misconduct at a disciplinary hearing on Monday and dismissed from the force. More on this and other stories from Birmingham and the Black Country The crimes took place between February and April 2015. Walters, who was based at Sutton Coldfield, approached a woman in her 20s, who he offered a lift home in his patrol car in the early hours. After a colleague asked the woman "what she was doing at that time of night in that dress", Walters placed his hand on her thigh when she was in the car, leaving the victim feeling "creeped out". In the second assault, the court heard he touched the victim under her skirt in her own home while her children were in other rooms. He attempted to kiss her face and neck, and also asked to be taken to a bedroom. Sentencing, Judge Paul Glenn said Walters had shown no remorse, adding: "The public are entitled to have faith in police officers and to trust them in the discharge of their powers and responsibilities. "You exploited that trust and you have brought disgrace on yourself and indeed the force you served." Derrick Campbell, from the Independent Police Complaints Commission, praised the victims for their "courage and bravery" in reporting his crimes. "[Walters] completely abused his position of trust by targeting and taking advantage of vulnerable women for his own sexual gratification," he said.

Summary: A West Midlands police officer who admitted sexually assaulting two women has been jailed for four years.


These are the close-up views provided by academics from Mosul, who have maintained covert contacts linking the city with the outside world. They claim that foreign fighters, once visible in Mosul, have disappeared from the city. "The frontline foreign fighters are rarely there. They've vanished. The houses they occupied are vacant," said one source, speaking anonymously. "They're leaving it to the local fighters, who will become the scapegoats." The IS leadership in the city is also described as "melting away". "It's a lost cause. It's the end of days for them," says one of the scholars from Mosul, who have been supported by the New York-based Institute of International Education, which once rescued academics in Europe from the Nazis. They also talk of "changed tactics", with IS fighters trimming their beards and changing the way they dress to look more like the civilian population - with Mosul residents assuming this is to make them less distinguishable if the city is overrun. Cars in the city have been forced to switch to Islamic State number plates, says one of the academics. The fear from civilians is that this could make all cars vulnerable to an air strike or put them at risk of being attacked in the battle for the city. So far, air strikes have been carefully targeted at government buildings and military sites, according to this view from the city. Another says that this accuracy might seem "impossible" but so far the attacks have been on "confirmed" targets. Mosul University, once one of the biggest universities in the Middle East, had been kept open by the IS authorities when they seized the city in 2014. It had raised questions about whether its laboratories were being used to develop weapons, including for chemical warfare, which could be used in battle or against civilians. But sources now say that this is "no longer an issue" as the university has been pulverised by air strikes. "The university is completely inoperative and air strikes have made it a difficult place to go. Most of the buildings have been brought down, it's virtually gone. The laboratories are destroyed." It is expected there will be "chlorine rockets", but doubts about anything more sophisticated. Another source says that "Daesh used the university to store some weapons" and had blocked access to some sections of laboratories. "It is believed that they used laboratories for terrorist purposes, but it is almost impossible to confirm such claims." But it's assumed that the laboratories would have had chemicals - and that the IS forces might have carried out experiments, such as adding chemicals to explosives. But the destruction of the university is claimed to have stopped any further weapons development. Although there is a claim that "Daesh insurgents are still inside the university to 'protect' it from any emergency situation". As the Iraqi government forces, militias and Kurdish Peshmerga close in on the city, there are signs of deepening tensions between the IS regime and the local population, according to sources. The city's people are said to be in a "state of

Summary: The forces of so-called Islamic State, now besieged in Mosul, are in a state of "frenzy" inside the city, increasingly blaming and terrorising the local population and preparing to conceal themselves if defeated.


Domenico Scala, who heads up Fifa's Ad-Hoc Electoral Committee, is Swiss-Italian - as is Gianni Infantino, one of the five presidential candidates. Scala excused himself from the 2015 elections as he shared nationality with a candidate, Swiss Sepp Blatter. LFA boss Musa Bility says he will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if Scala does not withdraw by Thursday. The battle to replace long-standing president Blatter takes place in 18 days' time. "Article 7.4 of the Electoral Regulations is clear that any member of the Ad-Hoc Electoral Committee who has a conflict of interest … is thereby barred from sitting as a member of the Committee and must be replaced," Bility wrote in a letter to Scala on Monday. Ahead of elections in May 2015 between Blatter and Prince Ali of Jordan - both Scala and Claudio Sulser, who was also on the Ad-Hoc Electoral Committee, stepped aside for this reason. "Prior to the final review process, Domenico Scala (as a dual Swiss/Italian national) and Claudio Sulser (as a Swiss national) withdrew from their positions to avoid any appearance of a potential conflict of interest based on nationality," Fifa wrote at the time. However Andreas Bantel, a spokesman for Scala, says "the fact that a member of the ad-hoc electoral committee has the same nationality as a candidate does not result in a conflict of interest. "There is no such provision whatsoever in the relevant regulations of Fifa," he told BBC Sport. "For the last election period Mr Scala withdrew because the Swiss candidate was the incumbent President. Scala did so in order to avoid even any appearance of a potential conflicted of interest situation and simply as a precautionary measure on a voluntary base. "For this election there are five candidates with no incumbent President. Hence, there is no potential conflict of interest at all." It remains to be seen whether Bility will go ahead with his threat to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In his letter to Scala, he wants to know why the same process has not been followed ahead of the 26 February election. "Following an unprecedented period of sustained turmoil and damage for Fifa as an institution, the fairness and integrity of the current electoral process are absolutely vital for Fifa," Bility wrote. "If we do not receive confirmation from the Fifa Ah-Hoc Electoral Committee within three working days of receipt of this latter that you are stepping down … with immediate effect, the Liberian FA reserves its right to challenge that decision by all available routes." Bility had hoped to participate in the elections himself before being denied by the Electoral Committee in November after failing an eligibility check. On Saturday, the Liberian pledged his vote to Prince Ali while urging his fellow Africans to do the same. Alongside Prince Ali and Infantino, Frenchman Jerome Champagne, Bahrain's Sheikh Salman and South Africa's Tokyo Sexwale are also bidding to replace Blatter as president. The election, which is voted on by Fifa's 209 members, will take place in the organisation's headquarters

Summary: The man overseeing Fifa's presidential polls should step aside due to conflict of interest, says the Liberian FA.


Four constituents raised the action under the Representation of the People Act 1983. They argued he misled the electorate over a memo claiming SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon would rather have seen David Cameron become prime minister. Judges have ruled that there will now be a "By Order hearing" to discuss the next part of the case. Lady Paton and Lord Matthews had heard a preliminary legal debate at a special Election Court, which examined three questions. The first was whether section 106 of the act - which makes it illegal to make or publish false statements about any candidate during an election campaign - could apply to candidates talking about themselves, as well as attacks on their rivals. The judges have ruled that the language used in section 106 was "wide enough to encompass a statement made by a candidate about himself". However, they said they wanted to hear evidence about the two remaining issues before issuing a determination on the case. These are whether the words were false statements of fact which related to Mr Carmichael's personal character or conduct, and whether they were said "for the purpose of affecting the return of any candidate at the election". The judges said they wanted to hear evidence on these issues because each case had to be considered on its own facts. Lady Paton said: "Circumstances can be envisaged where a false statement of fact is of such a nature that the effect in relation to a candidate's personal character or conduct transcends the political context. "The question of the type of relationship between the statement and the personal character and conduct of the first respondent is one which requires evidence, including evidence as to the motive or reason for giving the false statement." Mr Carmichael's QC had asked the judges to dismiss the case, on the grounds it was "irrelevant" and "bound to fail". Legal argument was heard at a special election court in Edinburgh earlier this month, which was broadcast and streamed online live. The case is believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland for 50 years. It arose from a story in the Daily Telegraph at the start of the general election campaign in April. Mr Carmichael - Scottish Secretary in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition before the election - had authorised the leaking of a civil service memo suggesting First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had told the French ambassador she wanted David Cameron to remain in Downing Street. He claimed in a TV interview the first he had heard of it was when he received a phone call from a journalist. However, the MP later admitted full responsibility for sanctioning its release, and accepted the "details of the account are not correct". The constituents who brought the petition were aided by crowd funding.

Summary: A legal challenge to Alistair Carmichael's election as MP for Orkney and Shetland is to proceed.


The Iridis4 has state of the art coprocessors which can each perform a trillion calculations per second - a measurement known as a "teraflop". The university said the new machine would allow academics to work on more projects at faster speeds. Iridis4 will be used for subjects such as engineering, archaeology and medicine, as well as computer science. Pro vice-chancellor Prof Philip Nelson said: "Staying ahead of the game in high performance computing [HPC] is vital to help the university stay competitive. "Simulation and computation enabled by HPC are recognised globally as the third pillar of modern research and this investment will ensure we remain world leaders in this field." Iridis4 will be used for a range of research, including engineering, archaeology and medicine, as well as computer science. The world's most powerful computer is China's Tianhe-2, which can perform 33,860 trillion calculations per second. The university said its new computer ranked among the top 10 in the UK. The most powerful is at the Science and Technology Facilities Council in Warrington. Others are based at the University of Edinburgh, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the United Kingdom Meteorological Office.

Summary: A £3.2m supercomputer, one of the most powerful in the UK, has been installed at the University of Southampton.


Bayern were dominant early on as Thomas Muller struck from Dante's pass before Mario Gotze scored following a corner. David Silva pulled a goal back from close range after Jesus Navas's cross. Aleksandar Kolarov equalised with a penalty after James Milner was tripped before Milner's fine finish won it. Bayern's last three home defeats in European competition have come against English clubs - Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea It was an amazing turnaround from Manuel Pellegrini's side, who almost earned the 4-2 victory they needed to go through as group winners as Alvaro Negredo had a late effort saved by Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. But after Bayern scored twice in the opening 12 minutes, the fact City fought back to claim an unexpected victory will give them confidence as they progress to the last 16 for the first time. Although Bayern and City both finished with 15 points, the German side's 3-1 win during the first group game in Manchester meant their better goal difference proved crucial. Both teams had already qualified before this game but Bayern boss Pep Guardiola was clear that finishing second in the group - and thus facing a seeded team in the first knockout round - was "not an option". But his team looked vulnerable as they suffered only their third defeat of 2013 with Silva and Milner excellent throughout. Media playback is not supported on this device It started with the Germans in imperious form as City looked nervous after an early a mix-up between Joleon Lescott and recalled goalkeeper Joe Hart. And after five minutes the visitors were undone as Dante's diagonal pass caught Kolarov napping and Muller nipped in behind the City captain to finish past Hart. Hart had to save Dante's header and turned Ribery's effort onto the post after another Lescott mistake before Bayern went 2-0 up from the resulting corner. Mario Mandzukic had time to shoot towards goal and his effort found Gotze, who also had space to stroke the ball past Hart from close-range. By this stage, the only question was how many goals Bayern would score. Hart had made four touches, and two of them were to pick the ball out of the net. Matters appeared to worsen when Micah Richards was replaced at right-back by Pablo Zabaleta after pulling a hamstring but the introduction of the experienced Argentine seemed to galvanise the visitors. Source: Uefa CL regulations Shortly after a decent passage of play, City grabbed a goal back. Silva, on his return to the team after a calf injury, tucked in after Milner had headed Navas's right-wing centre back across goal. After a frantic first half, City continued to improve but in the space of three minutes either side of the hour mark, the game then flipped on its head. Silva was the architect as he played in Milner, who was brought down by Dante in the penalty area. Kolarov sent Neuer the wrong way from 12 yards. Spanish midfielder Silva then set Navas free down the right and Milner curled a beautiful shot in at the

Summary: Manchester City staged a superb comeback to end Bayern Munich's record run of 10 consecutive Champions League wins but they still finished as Group D runners-up behind the German champions.


Sinn FÃ©in's Martin McGuinness said his mother Peggy was "traumatised" to learn the truth. He was talking to BBC journalist Peter Taylor for a TV documentary to be broadcast on Monday, 29 September. The former IRA commander from Londonderry joined the IRA in 1970, shortly after the Troubles began. He said he had not told his parents about his membership of the paramilitary organisation. "My mother found, I think it was a black beret or something like that, in the house and it immediately traumatised her, I think," he said. His mother, Peggy McGuinness, died in 2008 aged 84. Looking back on the moment when she found out, he said: "She did not hit me with it or anything like that or if there were gloves, there was no smack across the face with the gloves. "I think that it was a moment in time and she was obviously annoyed at the prospect that all of our lives were changing and maybe mine more dramatically than anybody else's." On 30 January 1972, the Army shot dead 13 innocent civil rights protesters in Derry on Bloody Sunday. Martin McGuinness was second in command in the IRA at that time. He later addressed the Saville Inquiry, set up to establish why those people were killed. The inquiry found that Mr McGuinness was present at the time of the violence and "probably armed with a sub-machine gun" but did not engage in "any activity that provided any of the soldiers with any justification for opening fire". He rose to become a senior figure in the IRA and Sinn FÃ©in and was involved in negotiations with the government that led to paramilitary ceasefires and the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. In June 2012, he shook hands with the Queen on her visit to Northern Ireland - a photograph that became a symbol of reconciliation. Earlier this year, Mr McGuinness attended a Windsor Castle banquet hosted by the Queen marking the state visit to Britain of Irish President Michael D Higgins. The deputy first minister has also called for a border poll in Northern Ireland on unification with the Republic of Ireland and said he was fighting politically for reunification. In recent years, Mr McGuinness has insisted his job had become a political one. "My war is over," he said. "My job as a political leader is to prevent that war and I feel very passionate about it. "I want to build a better future for all our people. It is a political project, not a military one." The documentary Who Won The War will be broadcast on BBC One NI on Monday 29 September at 21:00 BST.

Summary: Northern Ireland's deputy first minister has said his mother discovered he was in the IRA when he left a beret in her house in the 1970s.


Ministers are to publish draft laws they say are a "landmark" in prohibiting the substances' production, distribution, sale and supply. Legal highs, officially called new psychoactive substances, have been linked to a number of deaths. Ministers said young people who took them were "taking exceptional risks with their health". A blanket ban on legal highs, which are often sold online or on the high street, was in the Conservative Party's election manifesto and featured in the Queen's Speech. Labour also promised to ban their sale and distribution in its manifesto. The Psychoactive Substances Bill applied to "any substance intended for human consumption that is capable of producing a psychoactive effect", the government said. Alcohol, tobacco and caffeine will be excluded, and there are also exemptions for food and medical products, while controlled drugs will continue to be regulated by existing laws. The new restrictions will also extend to the sale of nitrous oxide - also known as laughing gas or "hippy crack" - for human use. What are legal highs? The government said the "legitimate sale" of nitrous oxide, which is also used for food processing, medicinal and industrial purposes, would not be affected. Home Office minister Mike Penning said the measures would "fundamentally change the way we tackle new psychoactive substances". They would end the "game of cat and mouse" whereby new drugs appeared on the market more quickly than the government could identify and ban them, he said. He added: "The blanket ban will give police and other law enforcement agencies greater powers to tackle the reckless trade in psychoactive substances, instead of having to take a substance-by-substance approach." Legal highs are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act, although individual substances, such as mephedrone, have been outlawed. The government's proposals would apply throughout the United Kingdom, and would include powers to seize and destroy legal highs and to search people, premises and vehicles. Civil measures - including prohibition notices and prohibition orders - will also be possible. Commander Simon Bray, of the National Police Chiefs' Council, said: "A blanket ban on new psychoactive substances will make it simpler for law enforcement to deal with those drugs which are potentially unsafe but which may not yet be controlled."

Summary: A new "blanket ban" on so-called legal highs will carry prison sentences of up to seven years, the government says.


Vale took a deserved lead when AJ Leitch-Smith converted Byron Moore's cross. Jamal Campbell-Ryce equalised just after half-time with a drilled finish and Sam Hird headed the hosts in front. JJ Hooper's curling shot brought the visitors level, but Gboly Ariyibi turned in a corner and O'Shea's 20-yard shot sealed the win. The win moved the Spireites up to 17th, five points clear of the relegation zone, while Port Vale dropped to 13th, 10 points adrift of the play-off places.

Summary: Chesterfield boosted their hopes of staying up with a comeback win to dent Port Vale's slender play-off hopes.


He is the first American Secretary of State to visit the city. In a meeting with Somalia's president under tight security at the airport, he said: "Next time I come, we have to be able to just walk downtown". The US backs the Somali government in its fight against Islamist militant group al-Shabab, which still controls many rural parts of southern Somalia. African news as it happens: 5 May 2015 The meeting with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and civil leaders was held at Mogadishu airport, as Mr Kerry isn't leaving its heavily fortified perimeters. Mr Kerry said: "I visited Somalia today because your country is turning around". The more recent changes he pointed out were Somali forces pushing al-Shabab out of big towns and a "determined international effort" to put virtually all of Somalia's pirates out of business. BBC Somalia analyst Mary Harper says the US plays a crucial if controversial role in Somalia, supporting the weak central government in its fight against al-Shabab. Al-Shabab leaders have been killed in US drone strikes. Our correspondent points out that America is careful to take a less visible role than it did in the 1990s, when the bodies of US servicemen were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu.

Summary: The US Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on an unannounced visit.


The film, Caste on the Menu Card, was the only film among the 35 sent to India's information and broadcasting ministry to be refused clearance. Festival director Manoj Mathews told BBC Hindi he was "disturbed and disappointed" by the decision. Ministry officials said they were "not provided with adequate information". Mr Mathews said: "There were documentaries showcased on this platform which dealt with more controversial issues than this and we have had no problem." The documentary was filmed by five students from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. "The documentary is about how caste works in the meat industry. How it's a livelihood question for workers of the industry. We are talking about social exclusion, we are talking about caste," Atul Anand, one of the students who made the documentary, told BBC Hindi. "We are shocked and upset. We made this documentary between August and September 2014, before beef was banned in Maharashtra. "We took almost three months to make this documentary and it was sparked by a row on our campus in 2014 after some students demanded that beef and pork be banned," Mr Anand said. Mr Mathews told the Indian Express newspaper that information and broadcasting ministry officials had told him that "due to the current political situation over the beef ban issue they have not give exemption permission for this particular documentary". However ministry officials told the newspaper that they had not received "adequate information" about the film and were willing to reconsider the decision if they got the required information. In another incident, reports from the north Indian state of Haryana indicated that an editor of a state government publication was sacked because of an article that said beef was nutritious.

Summary: A documentary on beef eating habits in India has been withdrawn from a Delhi film festival for "technical" reasons, its organisers have said.


Wales have not beaten the All Blacks in 26 matches since 1953 and the world champions are undefeated at Eden Park since 1994. Flanker Warburton, who starts after a shoulder injury, returns to the ground for the first time since being sent off for a tip-tackle in the 2011 World Cup semi-final defeat by France. "He who dares wins," Warburton said. Wales are yet to beat New Zealand on their own turf and the All Blacks have won their last 34 games at the Auckland ground. The match will be New Zealand's first since beating Australia 34-17 in the 2015 World Cup final. Steve Hansen's side are favourites to win the three-Test series, but Warburton, 27, says Wales must take the game to the home team. "There are going to be opportunities in the game where it might be on to go out the back or it might be on for somebody to blitz. If it comes off it pays dividends," he said. "You're going to have to take a few risks on Saturday, you can't be conservative and expect to win." Wales coach Warren Gatland added: "When the opportunity arises, we've got to be expansive, we've got to take risks and we've got to play rugby. Often the difference between one side and the other is just a bit of magic." Warburton's controversial red card against France in 2011 came as Wales' World Cup dream ended with a 9-8 defeat. But the British and Irish Lion says returning to the scene of heartbreak will not play on his psyche. "There's so much water under the bridge since then. That never even crosses my mind," said Warburton. "This is a brand new challenge, to play the All Blacks out here." Warburton has not played since 30 April and is one of five changes to the team beaten by England last month. The Cardiff Blues forward says he has benefited from his time on the sidelines. "It's actually been a little bit of a blessing to freshen me up a bit, to top up the fitness levels," he said. "I've been doing running for a long time now so fitness won't be an issue. "Compared to the other injuries I've had it'll be a much easier transition back into Test rugby."

Summary: Wales captain Sam Warburton says his side must not be afraid to take risks against New Zealand on Saturday.


It was due to be held at Queen's University in Belfast in June. In an email to delegates, the university's vice chancellor Patrick Johnston said he had made the decision on Monday that the event would not proceed. He cited concerns about the security risk for delegates and about the reputation of the university. The symposium: Understanding Charlie: New perspectives on contemporary citizenship after Charlie Hebdo, was due to be hosted by QUB's Institute for Collaborative Research in the Humanities. Twelve people died when two brothers, Said and Cherif Kouachi, fired on the journalists on 7 January at the satirical magazine's offices in Paris. Five others were killed over the two following days by one of their associates.

Summary: A conference in Belfast to discuss the fallout from the Charlie Hebdo murders has been cancelled.


The call came after "significant human remains" were found at the site of a former home in the Republic of Ireland. The home was run by the Bon Secours order of nuns in Tuam, County Galway. The bodies ranged from premature babies to three year olds. The discovery was made as part of an investigation into claims by a local historian that up to 800 babies and young children died at the home and were buried in unmarked graves. Amnesty International has said that archaeological surveys should be carried out at all former mother-and-baby homes in Northern Ireland. Archbishop Martin said many in the church and society were "ashamed" of what had emerged at the home in Tuam. He added that "families are owed an apology" and that the church had repeated an apology it made in 2014 when the claims "first came to light". "It makes me feel awful. I feel incredibly sad in recent days. We as a church do not want to repeat the awful mistakes of the past." He added: "It's an appalling time for us and everyone in society. "We're opening up a whole chapter in the society in Ireland and the rest of the world where there was a terrible stigma against unwed mothers. "There was a terrible time, we in society and in the church isolated and stigmatised them." Meanwhile, the Irish children's minister Katherine Zappone has said that 474 "unclaimed infant remains" from mother-and-baby homes were transferred to medical schools between 1940 and 1965. Irish national broadcaster RTÉ made claims about the transfer of remains in a 2011 documentary. Ms Zappone told the Dáil (Irish parliament) that the transfer of remains was "part of a tapestry of oppression, abuse and systematic human rights violations that took place all over this country for decades". She also said an interim report into the home in Tuam would be published by the end of March, a move Archbishop Martin said the Catholic Church supported.

Summary: The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland has backed a call by Amnesty International for an inquiry into mother-and-baby homes in Northern Ireland.


They say the star spent more than $75m (£59.6m) on 14 homes and needed 12 storage facilities to house his collection of Hollywood memorabilia. The Management Group are countersuing Depp after the Pirates of the Caribbean actor sued them for $25m (£20m). Depp, they claim, is "fully responsible for any financial turmoil" he faces. "He has refused to live within his means, despite... repeated warnings about his financial condition," their countersuit claims. Their legal action, obtained by the Deadline website, also accuses the actor of spending: Last month, Depp claimed The Management Group owed him more than $25m. His lawsuit also alleges the company failed to file him taxes on time, costing him $5.7m (£4.5m) in penalties. Depp's latest legal tussle comes in the wake of his divorce to Amber Heard, which was finalised in January after months of wrangling. The 53-year-old will be seen later this year as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Johnny Depp's financial troubles are caused by his lavish lifestyle, claim the former business managers he is suing for mismanaging his earnings.


The 32-year-old recorded a time of 34.259 seconds in Szeged in Hungary, improving on the 35.197 that won gold in Rio last year. As in Brazil, Frenchman Maxime Beaumont was second, pipped on the line by Heath with 0.05 seconds between them. Jon Schofield, Heath's partner and fellow Rio Olympic silver medallist in the K2 200m, finished ninth in 36.213. The pair have been forced to focus on the single kayak event, since the K2 200m has been dropped from the Olympic programme for Tokyo 2020. "This is a benchmark for the rest of the season for me," said Heath, from Guildford. "The first race is the most nerve-wracking because you haven't seen each other for quite a few months, so it is good to get back on the water and see how they are doing in comparison to you." Find out how to get into canoeing or kayaking with our inclusive guide.

Summary: Britain's K1 200m Olympic champion Liam Heath won his first race of the season at the Canoe Sprint World Cup.


Charlie Alliston, of Trothy Road, Bermondsey, was 18 when he allegedly hit Kim Briggs while going 20mph in central London in February 2016. Mrs Briggs, 44, suffered brain injuries, including two skull fractures and died in hospital days later. In what is believed to be a legal first, Mr Alliston, now 20, is on trial for manslaughter, which he denies. He also denies causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving. HR consultant Mrs Briggs, of Lewisham, south London, had been on her lunch break when the crash happened. The jury heard Alliston had been riding a "fixie" - a fixed wheel track bicycle with no front brake used by track racing cyclists - which is not legal on the road without modification. A few days after the incident in Old Street, Shoreditch, Mr Alliston posted a comment online, claiming he had tried to warn Mrs Briggs but that she had "ignored me" and "stopped dead" in his path, the court heard. The jury was told he wrote: "I feel bad due to the seriousness of her injuries but I can put my hand up and say this is not my fault." On the forum he described how their heads collided and hers "ricocheted" into his, the trial heard. He wrote: "It is a pretty serious incident so I won't bother saying she deserved it. It was her fault but she did not deserve it." He went on to claim in the forum Mrs Briggs had been on her mobile phone at the time of the incident, the court heard. Jurors at the Old Bailey were shown CCTV footage of the collision on 12 February and were told the defendant had been riding a black PlanetX carbon frame fixed rear pedal cycle. That type of bike is more commonly seen racing at the Olympic velodrome, jurors were told. If Mr Alliston had been riding a bike with proper brakes, he would have been able to avoid the collision with Mrs Briggs, prosecutor Duncan Penny QC said. The trial continues.

Summary: A cyclist who knocked over and killed a woman posted on online forums the crash was "her fault", the Old Bailey heard.


Police said three armed men took a five-figure sum from the vehicle in the city's Sauchiehall Street on Monday at about 21:45. A spokesman said no-one had been injured although two security guards aged 47 and 49 were left badly shaken. The area around the bank, which is near the Buchanan Galleries shopping centre, has been cordoned off by police. Police said the security guards had been making their delivery when they were approached by the three armed men, who threatened them and demanded they hand over a box of money. It is understood the cash taken was in the region of Â£50,000. Following the robbery, the three men got into a white Seat Leon car, which sped off along West Nile Street towards the Cowcaddens area. The car has since been found in Scott Street, near Stow College. Police said it was being taken for forensic examination. Inquiries have so far revealed that the car performed a u-turn on West Nile Street, causing a cyclist to take evasive action to avoid a collision, immediately prior to the robbery. Officers are appealing for the cyclist to contact them. The suspects are described as wearing dark-coloured clothing and balaclavas to conceal their identities. Det Insp Alasdair Barlow said: "We are reviewing CCTV images in and around the city centre. "We would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incident or noticed the car, in particular the cyclist. "As the car left the scene, it was being driven at speed so people may have noticed its excessive speed."

Summary: A G4S security van has been robbed outside a branch of Royal Bank of Scotland in Glasgow city centre.


The party's Anna McMorrin polled 26,081 votes with the Tories' Craig Williams on 21,907. But Tory Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns narrowly held on to his Vale of Glamorgan seat, with party colleague David Davies retaining Monmouth. In Pontypridd, Owen Smith had more than double the number of votes of Conservative Juliette Ash. And Labour's Nick Thomas-Symonds had nearly twice as many votes as the Tories' Graham Smith in Torfaen. Ms McMorrin said Labour fought "a very positive and energetic campaign" in Cardiff North, with lots of people out knocking on doors. She said it was a combination of Welsh Labour and the message from the UK party that gained the victory. The new Cardiff North MP said the Conservatives made it into a Brexit election and it is now important the country gets "the best, most sensible deal". Craig Williams, who lost the seat for the Conservatives, said there should not be a rush to judgement. In a tweet to thank supporters, he said he was "heartbroken", adding "sorry I let u down". Jessica Morden beat the Conservatives' Natasha Ashgar by more than 8,000 votes to retain her Newport East seat. And Chris Evans held Islwyn with 58.8% of the vote, while Gerald Jones held Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney. In Blaenau Gwent, Nick Smith beat Plaid Cymru with 18,787 votes to 6,880. Paul Flynn retained the Newport West seat, as did Ann Clwyd in Cynon Valley and Wayne David in Caerphilly. Chris Bryant comfortably retained Rhondda, a seat taken by Plaid leader Leanne Wood in the assembly election, with almost three times as many votes as the Plaid candidate. Chris Elmore also retained Ogmore, Jo Stevens kept Cardiff Central, Kevin Brennan kept Cardiff West and Stephen Doughty held on to Cardiff South and Penarth, all for Labour. The Tories had targeted Bridgend, but Madeleine Moon retained the seat for Labour by more than 4,000 votes. Jo Stevens, who boosted her majority in Cardiff Central for Labour to more than 17,000, said they had "run a very positive campaign". She said Jeremy Corbyn was "a fantastic man, an honest politician, people warm to him - you've seen bigger turnouts for young people". Owen Smith, who last year stood in a Labour leadership contest against Mr Corbyn , said: "I was clearly wrong in feeling that Jeremy wouldn't be able to do this well and I think he's proved me wrong and lots of people wrong and I take my hat off to him." He said he believed the Labour manifesto had been "incredibly popular". "People clearly warmed to the radical ideas that were proposed in the manifesto," he added. "They want an end to austerity - they want to see a government that invests in public services and we were hearing that on the doorsteps." Cardiff West MP Kevin Brennan dedicated his victory to the late former First Minister Rhodri Morgan, who had launched his campaign. "One of the reasons we've done so well in Wales and across the country has been the positive manifesto we had, the positive ideas in comparison to

Summary: Labour has taken the Cardiff North seat from the Conservatives.


The speed of change, development and growth in Asia is staggering, particularly when you compare it to the inability of Washington DC to get anything done at all. I had the privilege of being one of the first people to fly out of Hanoi's gleaming new international airport terminal on Monday. The building opened with great Vietnamese fanfare on Christmas Day. But here's what's really impressive - the project was only started in 2009. That is five short years in which to build not only a large new airport terminal but also a six-lane motorway and an impressively high-tech bridge to connect the facility to the centre of the city. Imagine America, or Europe for that matter, being able to accomplish anything that big in that short a time frame. Political divisions in the US Congress mean America can't agree on any new infrastructure projects, let alone something on that scale. And I can tell you, when you fly from the capital of Vietnam to the capital of the world's superpower, you realise it's Washington's airport that desperately needs the upgrade. By comparison with all five of the clean, modern Asian airports I visited during my trip - in Cambodia, Vietnam and South Korea - it was Dulles that felt like it was in the developing world. With so much construction going on in South-East Asia, you would think Western firms would be rushing to invest. But Hanoi's new airport - like Ho Chi Minh City's new subway system - has been built with Japanese money. From what I could see, the Asian boom is being financed with Asian cash. If I owned a construction company, or a hotel chain, or an airline, or pretty much anything related to travel or tourism, I'd park myself firmly in the East. Take a tour of the Angkor Wat in Cambodia after 9:00am and the crowds of Chinese tourists are almost impressive as the ancient Khmer ruins themselves. Where only 10 years ago there would have been just a handful of intrepid Chinese visitors, outnumbered by Westerners, today there are millions of them. And of course, their numbers will only grow. The new face of global tourism is Asian and any hospitality firm not catering to Asian tourists is missing a profitable trick. I loved my two weeks in Asia. It was the first time I had been back in too long. Despite being dragged round endless sights at the crack of dawn, my kids loved it too, the welcome for them was just as warm as I remembered it when I used to live in Japan. I was there for holiday not work, so my impressions are just that, impressionistic, but I came away with two clear observations - a sense of how fast things are moving there compared to here and of how little the West seems to feature in that boom.

Summary: It has become a truism that this is going to be an Asian century not an American one - but there's nothing like seeing the two continents first-hand to really understand why.


Firefighters across the UK who retired between 2001 and 2006 received lower lump sums than they should have because of an error by the UK government. The Treasury has given the Welsh government £5m to compensate those affected in Wales. It follows a ruling by the Pensions Ombudsman in a test case in May. Retired Strathclyde fireman William Milne received more than £30,000 after winning his claim against the UK Government Actuary's Department (GAD). The Ombudsman ruled that firefighters and police officers who retired between December 2001 and November 2006 should receive a top-up to their lump sum, plus interest. Thousands of police officers - including hundreds in Wales - are also affected. As the fire service is devolved, the Welsh government is overseeing the compensation payments to retired Welsh firefighters. The UK government is responsible for payments to retired police officers in England and Wales. A Welsh government spokeswoman said: "The Treasury has provided the necessary funding so that we are not required to absorb the costs from our existing budgets. "The Welsh government will provide grant payments totalling £5.24m to the three Welsh Fire and Rescue Authorities to cover payments owed to firefighters who retired between 2001 and 2006."

Summary: About 400 retired firefighters in Wales are to receive thousands of pounds in compensation because their pensions were miscalculated.


West Australian fire authorities said it is too late for some residents in Waroona area who have not yet evacuated to leave. They said the "out-of-control and unpredictable" blaze was burning along the South Western Highway. Strong winds overnight fanned the flames which reportedly started in the Lane Poole Reserve on Wednesday. Waroona resident Melissa Young told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. she left her home when she saw the glow of the fire. "The glow is scary enough... and the ash is coming into the backyards and into the fences, and the smoke's getting really thick so it was just time to get out," she said.

Summary: Lives and homes are under threat from a fast-moving bushfire sparked by lightning south of Perth.


Naseby Battlefield Project (NBP) wants to build the centre at the Northamptonshire site of the decisive battle of the English Civil War. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has given the group £9,900 to pay for a feasibility study and consultation. NBP will then apply for a grant to build the centre. The battle took place on 14 June 1645, when the army of parliament destroyed the King's army in fields just outside the village of Naseby. The NBP Trustees and Patrons want to create the Naseby Battlefield Visitor Centre as an information resource about the battle itself, the Civil War, the political and social history of the era, the rural environment in the 1600s and what life was like at the time. NBP chairman Lord Arthur Hazelrigg, said: "We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop our plans for a visitor centre that will bring the Battle of Naseby to the national prominence it deserves. Mike Ingram, project trustee, said the centre "would be somewhere to anchor the story and show artefacts of the battle".

Summary: A project to build a visitors' centre, costing more than £1m, for the site of one of most key battles in English history has won a lottery grant.


You might forgive Laura Trott and Jason Kenny for leaving Rio rather full of themselves. Five competitions between them, five golds won. As of Tuesday night, had the couple been a country they would have sat 13th on the medal table, above Jamaica, Kenya and Brazil. That would be to misunderstand what makes them tick. This is a couple who got engaged while on the sofa watching an episode of EastEnders. You might think too that it would get competitive around the breakfast table in the cottage they share just outside Knutsford in Cheshire. Kenny now has six Olympic golds from three Games, more than Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Bradley Wiggins. Trott has four, more than any other British woman, and from one fewer Olympics. That would be to misjudge their relationship. Cycling superstars on their own, together they can be almost ordinary, almost invisible. After the gold rush, after their tearful embrace in the Rio velodrome with the world watching on, that may be about to change. "The difference in their characters is what makes it work for them," says Trott's father Adrian. "Until he gets to know you, Jason is a little bit shy. He's quiet and understated. Laura is bubbly, chatty, just as you see in her interviews. "If they were both like Jason, God only knows how they'd talk about anything. And God forbid having two Lauras in a household!" The relationship between the two began in the build-up to London 2012, with Kenny about to come out of Chris Hoy's muscled shadow at his second Olympics and Trott about to experience her first. "I remember seeing Laura at the velodrome years ago," says Kenny's mother Lorraine. "I said to my husband, 'Flipping heck, you need to watch this young lady.' She was in the elimination race, only a tiny thing, and she kept sprinting over the top of everyone. She was amazing. "The first time I knew something was happening between the two of them was when Jason phoned me up and said, 'I'm bringing Trotty home for a bacon butty.' "I said to him, 'Is she your girlfriend?' 'No, she's just a friend.' "She made herself at home straight away. Into the house, sat down, feet up on the sofa. "We liked her from the off. She's a girly girl, so I can talk make-up and clothes to her. It's such a treat - having had two sons, I've had years of remote-control cars and standing out in the rain, and at last I can talk to someone about posh shoes." Trott and Kenny are not the first couple to both win Olympic golds. Some (Steffi Graf, ladies' singles 1988, Andre Agassi, men's singles 1996) have carried more global renown. Others have also won gold in the same sport at the same Games, most recently triathletes Jan Frodeno and Emma Snowsill at Beijing in 2008. But no-one at a summer Games has more. No-one else gets even close. Neither has the British duo finished. Trott is 24, Kenny 28. The next Olympics in Tokyo are

Summary: One relationship, 10 Olympic gold medals.


Helio Hermito Zampier Neto, a 31-year-old defender for Chapecoense, was in a stable condition, doctors said, after surgery on a lung, a knee, a wrist and his head. Five other people survived the crash, which killed 71 people. Colombian officials say evidence is growing that the plane ran out of fuel. Miguel Quiroga, the pilot of the British-made Avro RJ85 aircraft, had been warned by an official at Santa Cruz airport, in Bolivia, where the plane took off, that he might not have enough fuel, Bolivian Deber newspaper said. But, despite the official's concerns, he went ahead with the flight to Medellin. The country's authorities have not yet commented. In a leaked tape, the pilot can be heard warning of a "total electric failure" and "lack of fuel". The flight missed a planned refuelling stop in Cobija, on the border between Brazil and Bolivia, because the airport did not operate at night, Brazil's O Globo newspaper reported. The pilot had the option to refuel in Bogota, it said, but headed straight to Medellin. Bolivia's President Evo Morales said he would take "drastic measures" to determine who was responsible for the crash. On Thursday, the country's aviation authority suspended the operating licence of charter airline LaMia, which was part-owned by the pilot and two other aviation officials. Colombian police released a video (in Spanish) with the moment crew member Erwin Tumiri was rescued alive. It showed him conscious, screaming for his colleagues. He is in hospital and reports in local media suggest he may be discharged this weekend. The other crew member who survived, Ximena Suarez, was said to be in good condition in hospital. The four other survivors were still in intensive care. Neto's father, Helam, said on Facebook that news of his recovery was giving the family "renewed hope and faith". "My son is getting better and better. He has just undergone surgery on his leg and doctors say he will return to football," he said. "We shall continue praying because we still need his discharge from hospital to see him closely." Doctors said 24-year-old goalkeeper Jakson Ragnar Follmann would not lose his left leg, after having his right one amputated. Defender Alan Ruschel, 27, had spinal surgery, but his movements were not affected, they added. Journalist Rafael Henzel was listed as stable. The bodies of the Brazilian victims were flown out of Medellin on Friday. Many of the victims were players and staff of Chapecoense, who were due to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana against Medellin team Atletico Nacional. In the squad's home town of Chapeco, in southern Brazil, temporary structures have been set up in the football stadium for an open-air wake on Saturday. Some 100,000 people are expected to attend. The plane's flight recorders are to be examined in the UK. A full investigation into the crash is expected to take months.

Summary: A Brazilian football player who survived a plane crash in Colombia on Monday is recovering and may be able to resume his career, his father says.


It comes after a jury concluded the death of a man from St Austell was suicide, while undergoing care 140 miles from where he lived. David Knight was killed by a train near St Austell after going on leave from a Somerset hospital. The Department of Health has admitted "unacceptable" patients "are receiving care far from home". Click here for live updates on this story BBS South West Political Reporter Tamsin Melville said county coroner Dr Emma Carlyon was understood to be satisfied there was a commitment locally to continue to work hard to ensure the lowest number of patients possible leave the county for treatment. An inquest in June heard that in May last year Mr Knight died of multiple injuries when he was hit by a train on the viaduct. The 29-year-old had been suffering from paranoid schizophrenia when he died. A jury said his death was contributed to by an inadequate risk assessment and support while he was on leave from Cygnet Hospital in Kewstoke, Somerset. The inquest heard Mr Knight was being treated there because there were no acute psychiatric inpatient beds available in Cornwall. The NHS said 30 adult mental patients were placed out of Cornwall in 2015/16, 150 the year before when a key unit was closed for six months, and 60 the year before that. The Department of Health said it had increased mental health funding to Â£11.7bn and had accepted the recommendation of the Mental Health Taskforce that the inappropriate use of out of area treatments for adults in acute care "must be eliminated by 2020/21". "We will work to a faster timetable if at all possible," said a spokeswoman. "We will consider Dr Carlyon's letter in detail once it arrives."

Summary: Cornwall's coroner will raise concerns with the health secretary over the care of mentally ill patients far from home.


Bethany Hill, 20, was found dead with neck injuries in Stratford-upon-Avon on 3 February last year. It is alleged she was killed by Jack Williams, 21, and his girlfriend, Kayleigh Woods, 23, at the flat they all shared in Hertford Road. The pair, who are on trial at Warwick Crown Court, deny murder. See more stories from across Coventry and Warwickshire here Opening the case, prosecutor Stephen Linehan QC said Miss Hill was a former girlfriend of Williams and had a "volatile" relationship with Woods, a transgender woman with whom she had planned to have a child. Jurors heard Miss Hill was found dead by a police officer in a blood-drenched bathroom. Mr Linehan QC told the court: "In the course of the killing, Beth's wrists were bound together with duct tape and the blade was used to inflict repeated cuts across the back of her neck before she was killed by the jugular vein being cut through." He said Miss Hill was found dead after Woods, formerly known as Kyle Lockwood, dialled 999 at 19:07 GMT on 3 February, telling the operator: "Well my best friend is dead in my flat." Alleging the "sadistic" killing may have been carried out for "perverted pleasure", Mr Linehan QC said: "What she was saying was that her friend had killed herself while she was out of the flat and that she had returned to find blood everywhere, and that she had cleaned up the flat before making that telephone call. "All of these things were lies. Bethany Hill had not died as a result of cutting herself - she had been brutally, brutally murdered. "She [Woods] lied because she was one of the two people who took part in the killing and the other person was the defendant Jack Williams. Mr Linehan said the pair had "set about trying to cover up the truth about what they did" from the moment of the 999 call. The court heard that Miss Hill, who was brought up in Bidford-on-Avon, had a brief relationship with Williams as a teenager. She then moved to Stratford to begin a college course, while Williams, also from the Bidford area, met Woods and moved in with her. Before the alleged killing, the court heard, Miss Hill had also moved into the flat in Hertford Road, using the bedroom, while Woods and Williams slept in the sitting room. The trial continues.

Summary: A woman was tied up and "brutally murdered" by her ex and his partner, who then tried to pass the killing off as a suicide, a jury has heard.


The conditions endured by chainmakers and their demands for a minimum wage caused a national scandal and in 1910 they held a strike. It lasted for ten weeks and is credited with changing the lives of thousands of workers earning poor wages. Artist Luke Perry, from a family of chainmakers, has created the statue after more than two years. Mr Perry's statue was unveiled on Friday morning in Mary Macarthur park, named after the trade unionist who led the women chainmakers 102 years ago. He said: "It's something which is a wonderful piece of our history, but still, I don't think enough people know about it." The statue stands at 10 ft (3 metres) and weighs nearly three-and-a-half tonnes. The area's links with chain making are kept alive every month at a rare surviving chain shop at Mushroom Green in the heart of the Black Country. In 2010, a plaque honouring Mary Macarthur was put up in the park as part of the 100th anniversary events.

Summary: A monument to the women chainmakers of Cradley Heath in the Black Country has been unveiled.


In July, the authority earmarked £38m to the scheme as part of a package of works totalling more than £100m. Proposals include creating a dual carriageway, designated bus lane, as well as Witney to Oxford train and tram services. Up to 30,000 vehicles use the route between Oxford and Witney each day. Joe O'Connor, from Stanton Harcourt, said his commute to Oxford takes about 20 minutes "on a good day", but an accident on the A40 can lead to delays of up to two hours. "You have to give so much time to extra travelling which is horrendous," he said. "You should be able to regiment your time a little bit." Witney MP David Cameron described the A40 as "a bit of a foot on the windpipe of west Oxfordshire economy". He added he wanted to see a dual carriageway created along the route. As part of the strategy, Oxfordshire County Council said it wanted to improve travel times an "journey reliability" between Witney and Oxford, as well as "stimulate economic growth" and improve safety. Council leader Ian Hudspeth said long-term solutions would require "ambition and creativity". The public consultation closes on 8 November.

Summary: Views from members of the public on how best to solve congestion problems on the A40 in Oxfordshire are being sought by the county council.


Police were called to Jackson Road in Clacton at about 21:10 BST on Tuesday. The female officer was seriously hurt and remains in hospital and a colleague who also tried to intervene received a minor leg injury, Essex Police said. A 23-year-old woman from Clacton and a man aged 21 were arrested and have been released under investigation. Police are appealing for witnesses. More news from Essex The "disturbance between a group of adults and youngsters" began in Jackson Road and moved to the corner of West Avenue and Agate Road, the force said.

Summary: A police officer has been slashed in the face with gardening shears during a large-scale disturbance in Essex.


The 80 signatories include leading figures in the Asian hospitality industry and award-winning gospel singer Rachel Kerr. The PM is expected to recommend Britain remains in a reformed EU. Remain campaigners said several Commonwealth leaders, including India's PM, had urged Britain to stay in. The 80 figures from Britain's Commonwealth community criticised Mr Cameron for a lack of ambition in his EU reform demands, which he hopes to put to the public in a referendum in June. They claimed the UK government's immigration policy discriminates against non-EU citizens. In their letter to Mr Cameron, published by the Vote Leave campaign, they say: "As patriotic Britons of Commonwealth backgrounds, we saw the EU renegotiation as an opportunity to rediscover Britain's global vocation. "As long as Britain's trade policy is controlled by the EU, we cannot sign bilateral free trade agreements with Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand or for that matter any other non-EU state. "Vested interests on the Continent sustain a relatively protectionist policy. We have to apply the EU's common external tariff to exports from Commonwealth countries - hurting consumers here as well as producers there. "At the same time, our immigration policy forces us, in effect, to turn away qualified workers from the Commonwealth so as to free up unlimited space for migrants from the EU. "The descendants of the men who volunteered to fight for Britain in two world wars must stand aside in favour of people with no connection to the United Kingdom." One of the signatories, Pasha Khandaker, president of the UK Bangladesh Caterers Association UK, said the 12,000 curry houses his organisation represents "have been struggling to recruit the talent that they need because of the difficulties associated with employing people from outside of the EU". "If the UK had a fairer immigration system it would be easier for businesses to recruit skilled workers regardless of their nationality," he added. Other signatories include Rachel Kerr, who won a Mobo award in 2012, in the gospel music category, and Moni Verma, founder of Veetee Rice, a UK-based food business with a turnover of Â£80m a year. A spokesman for Britain Stronger in Europe said: "Several Commonwealth leaders have been very clear that Britain is stronger, safer and better off in Europe. "Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Britain is the entry point for trade right across Europe; while Australia's former deputy prime minister said the Commonwealth could never replace the trade Britain does with the EU. "We get the best of both worlds in Europe, trading freely with the world's largest market, as well as accessing free trade deals with over 50 countries around the globe. "While Leave campaigners may look back with rose-tinted spectacles, they have no plan for what Britain outside the EU would look like, and no guarantee that trade, jobs and prices wouldn't be hit." In a separate development, 63% of business people polled by the British Chambers of Commerce said David Cameron's EU negotiations would not change the way they will vote in the referendum. The internet survey of 2,133 BCC members

Summary: Community and business leaders with Commonwealth links have written to David Cameron to urge him to back Britain's exit from the EU.


Mahmoud Amir Alagha is working in four dimensions to capture digitally the way partial paralysis affects people's expressions. His research is supported by the university which awarded him a scholarship and supported him when, as a refugee from the conflict in Syria, he applied for permission to stay in the UK. Mahmoud began studying in Glasgow in 2014 but was only able to complete his postgraduate course because he received a fee-waiver scholarship from the university. The 28-year-old graduated with distinction in his Masters degree and hopes to take his research to a higher level. He is currently applying to do his PhD and the UK government has given him leave to remain for five years. Mahmoud has been using technology developed in Scotland to capture 3D images of moving faces. "This is stepping into the fourth dimension," he says. "Capturing 3D images over time." After capturing the images he superimposes a digital mask. "This mask is composed of points, could be thousands," Mahmoud says. "It is a mathematical construction so you can do decimation to make more points or reduce the number of points. "It depends how much is really clinically significant." Those thousands of reference points highlight how our faces move, or fail to move, because of injury, conditions such as Bell's Palsy or the aftermath of surgery, which can cause facial paralysis. Mahmoud say this technique could provide pointers to the correct treatment. He says: "Muscles move the face. There are a very big number of muscles. "Being able to decode the face by region, for example, you can know that this muscle that is being supplied by that branch of the nerve is being affected because it is paralysed or is weak. "Being able to study the region rather than the whole face, or both of them, gives us a new dimension into the management of these cases." Mahmoud, who is from war-torn Aleppo, was half way through his masters degree when he became a refugee. He says: "By the end of the first year, the situation in Syria got mad. I had at some point to apply for asylum in the UK and the asylum process was harsh. "I could not afford the tuition fees for the second year. At that point I was stepping into the unknown. I felt like I was losing my solid ground." Ashraf Ayoub, professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Glasgow University, has been Mahmoud's mentor and supporter during his quest for refugee status. He says: "If it was rejected he would have been deported immediately. That would have been very dangerous for him and undermine what he had achieved in the first year and destroy him as a human being and as a potential scientific researcher." Practical support came from the university in the form of the scholarship, one of four given to refugee students. Prof Ayoub says it has paid off handsomely. He says: "Number one, the enthusiasm. He wanted really to break the mould and innovate the application of this technology. "He also brought to it some of

Summary: A postgraduate researcher at Glasgow University is developing new technology designed to help people with paralysed faces.


They range from extra responsibility for off-street parking, through to tourism. Potentially, though, the most controversial move will be putting politicians in charge of all but the most significant planning decisions. Councils will be able to accept or reject developments in their own areas. Currently, if you want to build a new house or erect an extension, you have to apply for permission to the Planning Service, an agency that comes under the umbrella of Stormont's environment department. Planning officials refer your application to your local council. The councillors can express their opinion on the merits of your application, but the final say rests with the Planning Service. From April 2015 that responsibility will shift to the councils themselves, meaning elected politicians will make planning decisions. So is this a positive move, democratising our planning system? Michael Corr, the creative director of Northern Ireland's architecture and planning centre, PLACE, is optimistic. Mr Corr already works with councils and government departments, providing advice on new developments like leisure centres. He told me the move is "a huge opportunity for the future, which offers local councils an opportunity to develop their own community and development plans". But do Northern Ireland's politicians have the necessary skills? Speaking about voters, Mr Corr said: "They really want to choose politicians who have the ability and understand urban regeneration and planning issues, because it's those politicians who will be able to make the biggest difference." However, not everyone is so upbeat. Back in the 1960s, local councils in Northern Ireland were accused of discrimination in the allocation of public housing. Protests, like the one against Dungannon council's allocation of housing in County Tyrone, fuelled the Civil Rights movement. The environmental group Friends of the Earth warn that a strict code of conduct will have to be rigorously enforced in order to ensure the new councils' handling of planning matters is regarded as fair and transparent. James Orr, Northern Ireland director for Friends of the Earth, said: "In terms of property deals and in terms of politicking, we could see a situation not too far away from what happened in the 1960s, where certain communities get planning permission more favourably than other communities." Mr Orr is also concerned about what he describes as a "tradition of close relationships between developers and political parties here". He said: "It's quite easy to see that continuing, where we get a laissez-faire system which says, 'you look after your community and we won't bother engaging in proper democratic planning' . That is a real danger and that's why we need the nuts and bolts of good transparency put in place." Friends of the Earth argue that giving politicians more powers with real financial consequences for developers and objectors makes it increasingly important that the public should know who donates to Northern Ireland's political parties. Some local politicians remain opposed to the move, because they say it could deter donors worried about their personal security. Others argue that the Â£7,500 limit for declaring donations is largely irrelevant to Northern Ireland, as the Stormont parties

Summary: Northern Ireland's 11 new district councils are due to get a range of fresh powers when they take over local government from 1 April next year.


"The most scared I've ever been," says Scotland's open-side flanker. The setting is a building in Queenstown on New Zealand's south island - a holiday resort about an hour and a half from Dipton, the farming country where Hardie was born and reared. Legend has it that there was a fire in Lockhart's place in the late 1800s. Three generations of the family perished. Only a girl called Mary survived - and she haunts the place to this day. Many Kiwis have gone there over the years and many talk of the sense of foreboding that exists behind that main door. Hardie's now one of them. Chilled to the bone, he says. "Never going back. Never ever." The fact that Lockhart's gaff is part of a theme park called Fear Factory - New Zealand's equivalent of the Edinburgh Dungeons - is neither here nor there to Hardie. When you ask him what's the most tense he has ever been in his life, you don't hear tales of his early years playing for the Southland Stags in Invercargill, or the time he came face-to-face with some assassin in Super Rugby. He mentions the Fear Factory instead. "I went with my girlfriend about a year ago," he said. "It's pitch dark and you have to follow this red light around these alleyways. "You don't know where you're going then these creatures start jumping out at you. Terrifying. Once was enough. "I don't normally go in for that kind of stuff, but I did a bungee jump once and I'm not doing that again either. Give me a hard game of rugby instead." Afraid of the dark? It doesn't tally with Hardie's tough persona. Hardie, 27, is a strange animal - a Scotland international who has never played an international in Scotland, his five caps being won in Turin, Paris, Gloucester, Newcastle and at Twickenham in that epic World Cup quarter-final against Australia. A measure of his success since his sudden elevation to the Scotland squad in the summer has been the silencing of the debate surrounding his arrival. One minute, he was a Highlander who wanted to be an All Black and the next a Scot - with a granny from Fife - in the World Cup team. His ascent jarred, but the quality of his game has overtaken everything. He was terrific at the World Cup, his dynamism and cleverness at the breakdown helping to protect and unleash the rapiers in his backline. "It's one of the best things I've done in my life," he says of his move from what he calls the "comfort zone" of Highlanders rugby. "Having won a cap, I owed it to Scotland to stay here and playing for Edinburgh has been a really good decision. "I got into too much of a routine in New Zealand and it was good to get out of it. I needed something different in my career - a change in scenery, new players, new coaches. "I love the Highlanders, but it was time to try something else. But it was nerve-racking

Summary: He doesn't know what possessed him to visit the old Lockhart Hotel that day, but it was an experience John Hardie is never likely to forget.


Sales volumes increased by 1.7% in November from the month before, the Office for National Statistics said. Compared with the same month last year, sales were up by 5%. However, Keith Richardson from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking said it was "too early" to say whether Black Friday was really a success for retailers. "Retailers were better prepared this year and adapted the US-style Black Friday to better reflect British culture. Some chose not to take part while many others spread the discounts over several days to better protect margins and ease the burden on their websites and IT platforms." The ONS said the amount spent by shoppers was up 1.4% in November compared with the month before, and was also up 1.4% from the same point a year earlier. The value of online sales increased by 4.9% in November from October, and were 12.7% higher compared with last year. "Retailers may see some pay-back after the Black Friday promotions led shoppers to pull-forward spending that would otherwise have taken place in December, but the underlying sales trend looks set to remain strong as we head into 2016," said Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit. He added that spending was not just being driven by discounts. "Households are benefitting from improved job security, low inflation and falling energy prices, the latter helping free-up more income to boost retail sales."

Summary: UK retail sales rose by more than expected in November, as shops offered promotions at the end of the month in the run up to Black Friday.


The National Assets Management Agency (Nama) is the Republic of Ireland's "bad bank", set up to deal with toxic loans after the 2008 property crash. The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) is investigating Nama's Northern Ireland deal after cash was transferred to an Isle of Man bank account. Parties to the deal deny wrongdoing. Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson holds a Stormont meeting with PIMCO, a California-based global investment company. It is interested in buying Nama's Northern Ireland loan portfolio. The meeting is also attended by Frank Cushnahan, at the time a member of Nama's NI Advisory Committee and Ian Coulter, then managing partner at Belfast law firm, Tughans. Northern Ireland's then Finance Minister Sammy Wilson makes the Irish government aware that two clients of the US law firm Brown Rudnick are interested in acquiring the portfolio. One of them is PIMCO. Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan replies to Sammy Wilson, saying the interested buyers should contact Nama. Mr Noonan makes it clear any sale must be done on the open market. Frank Cushnahan resigns from Nama's Northern Ireland Advisory Committee, citing personal reasons. US investment firm PIMCO submits a bid for the Northern Ireland portfolio. It wants a deal which would mean the portfolio not going on the open market, attracting other potential purchasers. However, Nama decides it must be sold to the highest bidder. Nama appoints an international bank to drum up interest in its Northern Ireland portfolio auction, dubbed Project Eagle. Nine companies, including PIMCO, are approached. As PIMCO is finalising its bid, it discovers a fee arrangement involving a £15m, three-way split between its lawyers Brown Rudnick, Ian Coulter and Frank Cushnahan. PIMCO makes Nama aware of its concern and withdraws. The lawyers then transfer their services to another bidder, Cerberus Capital Management. Cerberus representatives, including former US Vice President Dan Quayle, meet Peter Robinson at Stormont. In the end, only two firms make offers to buy Nama's Northern Ireland loans portfolio. The highest bid of £1.24bn - a fraction above the minimum reserve price - is made by New York investment fund Cerberus and is accepted. The other offer from Fortress is for £1.1bn, which is below the reserve. Ian Coulter, managing partner of Tughans, resigns the Belfast law firm due to what is described at the time as an "internal matter". Mick Wallace, an independent politician from County Wexford, tells the Irish Parliament (Dáil) that £7.5m fees paid to Tughans had been moved to an Isle of Man bank account, reportedly to facilitate a payment to a Northern Ireland politician or political party. In response, Tughans confirms Mr Coulter had moved money without its knowledge, but added that it had retrieved it. Mr Coulter says no politician was ever to have benefited. A police investigation begins, led by the UK National Crime Agency. Stormont's finance committee also opens an inquiry into the deal. Mr Cushnahan strongly denies any wrongdoing. Loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson gives evidence to Stormont's finance committee. Using privilege, he alleges five deal-fixers had been due to share the Isle of Man money.

Summary: BBC News NI looks at the timeline of Nama's Northern Ireland property loans portfolio sale, which is now the subject of a criminal investigation.


The singer-songwriter tweeted on Sunday that he had given his "whole wardrobe [to] a bunch of charity shops" in Suffolk. Two shops in his home town Framlingham, Suffolk, and one in Ipswich were given several bags each on Wednesday. Suffolk Family Carers, based in Claydon, near Ipswich, also received about 15 pieces of clothing and plans to sell them via eBay in May. "It will give fans from around the world a chance to get them," said Anna Haley, from the charity. She said the charity, which is fundraising with BBC Radio Suffolk for a new mobile carers centre, had been working with Sheeran's mother, Imogen, a jewellery designer. "His mum has designed a bangle for us, so he's heard about the campaign from her," she said. Sue Ryder is to sell its items in Framlingham on 18 April. St Elizabeth Hospice, which also has a shop in the town, said it was still deciding on how its clothing would be sold. East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH), for whom Sheeran is an ambassador, said it planned to hold an online auction, but would be saving some of the items for a sale at its new charity shop, due to open in Framlingham in May.

Summary: A fourth charity has been given a bag of clothes by pop star Ed Sheeran.


Jhanvi Ahuja was visiting the India Gate monument in Delhi on the night of 28 September with her parents and other relatives when she disappeared. She was found on Sunday night with a placard around her neck with her name and her uncle's telephone number on it. A passer-by who found her called her family and informed the police. After the child went missing, her family launched a campaign - Bring Back Jhanvi - on Facebook, Twitter and the instant messaging service WhatsApp to find her. "She was found standing on a road outside a gurudwara (Sikh temple) in Janakpuri area in west Delhi," Jhanvi's uncle Gaurav Chopra told the BBC. "She had a little board hanging around her neck. It gave her name and her father's name. It said she was lost at India Gate and asked anyone who found her to call her father. The board had my mobile phone number written on it." Mr Chopra said he asked the caller, a teenager, to sit with the child while he drove to the area. "The people who had taken her had shaved her head but I immediately recognised her. I started crying, she also started crying. I gave her some chocolates. She looked a little tense, but she was fine and in good health." Mr Chopra took her to the police station where Jhanvi's parents also arrived and identified her. Her father Rakesh Ahuja told reporters that it was like "a rebirth of a daughter". It is not yet known who took away the child but police say they suspect her kidnappers panicked and abandoned her following a widespread media coverage of the case and the social media campaign. Some suspect that her head was shaved to change her appearance. Child rights organisations says nearly 96,000 children disappear in India every year and that most of the missing children end up as labour, in brothels or in other exploitative situations. Activists say the authorities are not doing enough to stop child trafficking but officials claim a lack of resources and co-ordination on a national level makes tracing missing children difficult.

Summary: A three-year-old Indian girl who went missing a week ago has been found after her family launched a massive social media campaign.


Footage showed the workers rescued through a hole cut in one of the glass windows of One World Trade Center. The Fire Department of New York earlier told the BBC the two people were uninjured and tethered. The call came in at 12:42 EST (17:42 GMT) and firefighters were on the scene in less than four minutes, it said. The window cleaners were pulled inside at around 14:15 EST. The rescued men were identified as Juan Lopez, who has been a window cleaner for five years, and Juan Lizama, who has been on the job for 14 years, Gerard McEneaney, a labour union official, told Reuters. The 1,776ft (541m) tower opened for business last week as the first of 3,000 employees of publishing giant Conde Nast moved into their new offices there. A police official said the partially collapsed cradle was hanging at "a 75-degree angle". The cable on the cradle apparently broke as it retracted towards the roof of the building. People on the ground were moved back in case glass fell from One World Trade Center, the country's tallest skyscraper. Gary Hansen, an architect who worked on the building, happened to be across the street during the incident. Mr Hansen told Reuters the building was designed with three cranes on top, two to suspend platforms and one for emergencies. "These are the kind of emergencies architects plan for," he said.

Summary: New York firefighters have rescued two window cleaners who were trapped on a collapsed cradle 69 storeys above the ground at the World Trade Center site.


Prof Jacquie McGlade said the UK was shifting away from clean energy as the rest of the world rushed towards it. She said the cuts in renewables subsidies, coupled with tax breaks for oil and gas, sent a worrying signal to the coming UN climate summit in Paris. The UK government says it will meet its targets on carbon emissions in the most cost-effective way. A spokesman said it was "absolutely committed to getting a global deal in Paris". Prof McGlade said the UK appeared to have abandoned its leadership on climate change, while 150 other nations were making unprecedented pledges to shift towards clean energy. She told BBC News: "What I'm seeing worldwide is a move very much towards investment in renewable energy. To counterbalance that you see the withdrawal of subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuels. "What's disappointing is when we see countries such as the United Kingdom that have really been in the lead in terms of getting their renewable energy up and going - we see subsidies being withdrawn and the fossil fuel industry being enhanced." Prof McGlade said this was the wrong message to other nations in the run-up to the Paris climate summit next month - and to its preparatory meeting in Bonn this week. "It's a very serious signal - a very perverse signal that we do not want to create." It is unusual for a senior UN official to criticise the policies of a leading member state in such forthright terms. The UK government has promised to reset its energy policies shortly, to explain how it will meet carbon targets while offering fewer subsidies to renewables, following a Â£1.5bn overspend on the notional budget for clean energy. Ministers say they have to force energy bills down. They want new solar and wind projects to be built without subsidy, although the industry says that is impossible at the moment. Since the announcements of subsidy cuts in the summer, three solar firms have collapsed, more than 1,000 jobs have been lost in the clean energy industry and energy investors have started to drain away from the UK. One potential international investor, Paddy Padmanathan, CEO of Saudi-based ACWA Power, told the BBC: "It's been very badly managed because yesterday we had subsidies - today, I'm sorry, nothing. "That's basically what has happened in the United Kingdom. You [should] phase out the subsidies - work with the industry in a much more measured way." He said investors would turn away from investing in UK infrastructure as a result. "They will withdraw, they are withdrawing," he said. "Everyone is running around the world looking for other places. Thank you very much, I've picked up experience now, the UK is not the best bet, let me go somewhere else. Even the UK companies are looking aggressively elsewhere." A Department of Energy and Climate Change spokesperson said: "We are absolutely committed to getting a global deal in Paris, which will create a level playing field for businesses, driving innovation and growing the low carbon economy." The spokesman said subsidies had

Summary: Cuts in support for renewable energy in the UK have been criticised by the UN's chief environment scientist.


Former Dons midfielder Sheerin, 39, has been player-manager at the Red Lichties since 2010 and replaces Neil Cooper at Pittodrie. Arbroath were relegated to Scottish League Two after finishing season 2013-14 bottom of League One. Aberdeen chief executive Duncan Fraser said boss Derek McInnes chose Sheerin after "a comprehensive process". Speaking on the club's website, Fraser added: "Despite wishing to retain Paul's services, Arbroath chairman John Christison was good to deal with and completely appreciated Paul's desire to come back to Aberdeen." Sheerin played for several Scottish clubs and also featured for Östersunds in Sweden before moving into coaching. He won a Scotland Under-21 cap in in the mid-1990s. Sheerin guided the Arbroath to their first national trophy in their history by winning the Scottish Third Division title and promotion in 2011.

Summary: Paul Sheerin has left his post as Arbroath manager to become Under-20s coach at Aberdeen.


Ramirez blocked a shot and picked up the loose ball in his own half before he ended a storming run into the Bournemouth penalty area by cutting inside Andrew Surman and side-footing home. Stewart Downing added Middlesbrough's second from close range after Alvaro Negredo nodded Adam Traore's cross to the far post. Bournemouth had almost taken the lead earlier on when Josh King chested down a Jack Wilshere pass and had a volley tipped on to the crossbar by impressive keeper Victor Valdes. The Cherries were reduced to 10 men after 79 minutes when Surman went off injured, manager Eddie Howe having made his three substitutions. There is plenty to admire about Middlesbrough's play in terms of effort, commitment and attitude but, prior to this match, they had struggled in front of goal with only seven goals in nine top-flight matches. However, they scored two in a game for the first time since their only other league win this season, which came against Sunderland on 21 August. Ramirez and Downing each scored for the first time this term, while the lively Adama Traore, who was denied a first-half penalty, was a constant threat with his pace and powerful running. The main drawback for Boro from their first home win of the campaign will be the form of striker Negredo, who has not scored since the opening day of the season. The Spaniard cannot be faulted for his work-rate but, when through on goal in the second half, he struck a tame shot which was easily saved. "We deserved it and we were more clinical," said Downing. "We've played well in a lot of games so far this season but have lost or drawn. That was a big win and will give us a lot of confidence." Bournemouth, now without a win in their past seven away league games, started promisingly as King had a shot cleared off the line by Adam Clayton and then hit the crossbar with a volley. However, the visitors failed to match the intensity levels shown in last week's draw with Tottenham. Striker Benik Afobe made a difference after his introduction - he was refused a penalty following a Ben Gibson challenge and looped a late header on to the crossbar - but Bournemouth could not prevent a first league defeat in five outings. Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka: "Our last three games have been really good and we had to show everybody we could compete, especially at home. "With this performance and commitment of everybody, I think we are going the right way. "The team showed we are really good when we are together. Once again we showed we have a clear plan and we have to keep going." Media playback is not supported on this device Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe: "Not a great performance from our perspective. We had our chances. The goals we conceded were really disappointing. "It's been a surprise to us we haven't done better away from home. Our away form last season was excellent. "For whatever reason we haven't quite got that momentum

Summary: A brilliant solo goal from Gaston Ramirez helped Middlesbrough to a first win in eight Premier League games as they beat Bournemouth at the Riverside Stadium.


He had an initial spell with the Vikings between 2008 and 2013 and was named one of its 50 greatest players. Defensive end Allen, 34, last played for the Carolina Panthers in 2015 and also had spells with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Bears. "We are proud to have Jared retire as a member of the Vikings franchise," said Vikings owner Zygi Wilf.

Summary: Jared Allen will retire as a Minnesota Vikings player after he signed a one-day deal with the NFL team on Thursday.


Stuart Hamilton, 37, was last seen by his friends and family two weeks ago. Hamilton, from Gorgie in Edinburgh, was seen on CCTV at Haymarket Station on Sunday at 10:16. He then travelled by train to Manchester. He was then spotted by a former colleague near Buckingham Palace in London on Tuesday at 13:30. Mr Hamilton is white and of medium build. He is about 6ft 2in with short, dark, receding hair. He was last seen wearing a blue top along with a black hooded top, blue jeans and white trainers. He was also carrying a dark rucksack. Police Scotland has been working with Greater Manchester Police and the Metropolitan Police Service. Insp Jonathan Elliot, of Police Station, said: "We are continuing our search for Stuart, which has now moved to London. "Anyone who knows Stuart's whereabouts in either Edinburgh, Manchester or London, or recognises his description, is asked to contact police immediately."

Summary: A missing man last spotted on CCTV footage taken at an Edinburgh train station has now been seen in central London.


23 October 2015 Last updated at 18:33 BST But for Ivorian entrepreneurs, access to funds and training is sometimes complicated. Ahead of elections this coming Sunday, 24-year-old designer Anine Mariam Ouattara tells the BBC about difficulties young people face and her aspirations for her country.

Summary: Ivory Coast's economy is growing and the business environment has dramatically improved since the political crisis that hit the country following elections in 2010.


Michael Robson, 44, who is serving a prison sentence for manslaughter, absconded from Hatfield Prison in Doncaster on Thursday. Robson, from North Tyneside, was originally convicted of murder in 1996 but had his sentence reduced to manslaughter after an appeal in 2006. He was arrested by officers in West Yorkshire on Sunday.

Summary: A convicted killer who was on the run from an open prison in South Yorkshire has been recaptured, police said.


He was trying out a 45m (150ft) high zip wire at Victoria Park, where the Games are being shown on big screens. The wire then lost momentum, leaving him suspended "like an odd Christmas decoration" above a crowd of people. As onlookers snapped photos, he joked: "This is great fun but it needs to go faster." Highwire act Boris defies political gravity Lee Medcalf, who was at the event, said: "When Boris came down the zip wire, it was very James Bond-esque with him shouting 'Team GB'. "However, he seemed to lose momentum and was left hanging there like an odd Christmas decoration for about five to 10 minutes. "He spoke to the crowd, which had gathered beneath him, saying 'this is what it's all about; this is great, this is fantastic, this is Team GB'. "I was thinking 'Yeah it's good, but you're still just hanging there'." A spokesman for the mayor said: "The mayor has survived his first zip wire experience relatively unscathed. "Clearly the judges are likely to have marked the mayor down for artistic impression, and unlike team GB, the mayor may not be winning too many Gold medals today. "He does however remain unbowed." Prime Minister David Cameron said London was "lucky to have" Boris Johnson as mayor. Mr Cameron said: "If any other politician got stuck on a zip wire it would be disastrous. "With Boris it's a triumph... London is lucky to have him."

Summary: The Mayor of London Boris Johnson was left dangling on a zip wire for several minutes when it stopped working at an Olympic live screen event.


Zanzibar, which is officially part of Tanzania but has its own government, was given unanimous approval at the Confederation of African Football's general assembly in March. The archipelago has long hoped to become a member of the international football community and had its previous application rejected by Fifa in 2005. "Following admission of Zanzibar into CAF, TFF has now formally submitted application for Zanzibar to become a member of FIFA.," TFF president Malinzi wrote on his official Twitter account on Sunday. The Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA) has already fulfilled a crucial requirement which states that national associations must be affiliated to continental confederations before they can join Fifa. Should Fifa accept Caf's 55th member association, then it will become the 212th member association of world football's governing body. It will also be granted the right to vote on global football issues and the national team will be able to take part in the 2022 World Cup qualifying competition. Zanzibar was previously an associate member on the continent, allowing its clubs to play in Caf competitions but its national team was excluded. The semi-autonomous territory is expected to participate in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.

Summary: Tanzania's Football Federation (TFF) president, Jamal Malinzi, has confirmed Zanzibar's fresh bid to become a member of Fifa.