Glen Evans was left with a broken nose and his bride Georgina was punched at Fanhams Hall Hotel in Hertfordshire, St Albans Crown Court heard. Lee Doyle, 37, of Houghton Regis denied punching the groom. He and Gary Hutson, 46, of Luton, both charged with affray, were guests at another wedding. Both deny affray on 10 August 2014. The court heard an argument broke out when Mr Doyle and Mr Hutson asked Mr and Mrs Evans and their friends to move away from a fireplace. The newly married couple and their group were having drinks at the hotel following their own reception at another hotel. Mr Evans said the two men and the other groom confronted him, saying the area was reserved, although his party had been put there by bar staff. He said the two men hit him, and he was kicked and punched by others who joined in the attack. Mrs Evans was then also punched, leaving her with bruising to the head. However, Mr Doyle told the court he was trying to defuse the situation, which he described as "volatile". He admitted pushing Mr Evans and "grappling" with him as he thought he was going to attack Mr Hutson. Mr Doyle described Mr Evans as "irate and aggressive" but denied hitting him. Earlier this week Mr Evans denied allegations that he had thrown the first punch and had been "aggressive". The trial continues.

Summary: A man accused of punching a groom when two wedding parties clashed at a hotel has denied hitting anyone but admitted "grappling" on the floor.


Media playback is not supported on this device Del Potro secured a 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 victory over the Swiss player. The Argentine is 165th in the rankings after missing more than two years because of injury problems. Del Potro, who is in the same half of the draw as Britain's Andy Murray, will next play either France's 32nd seed Lucas Pouille or American Donald Young. I am pulling for Del Potro and every player in the locker room is. No player deserves what he has had in the last three or four years. Former US Open champion Del Potro, 27, reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2013 but the former world number four is playing in his first Grand Slam since the Australian Open in 2014 after having three wrist operations. He struggled early on as Wawrinka, 31, claimed an early break before comfortably taking the opening set, but Del Potro fought back well to take the second. Both players broke serve twice in the opening four games of a thrilling third set, which Del Potro won in a tie-break, before taking the fourth set to wrap up victory. "It feels amazing," Del Potro told BBC Sport. "I beat one of the guys who is playing great tennis this season and I couldn't have expected this before today. "I enjoyed the crowd, they were incredible and I'm very happy. "It is my second or third career now after all the injuries. I was sad for the last two years and now I am enjoying playing tennis again. I feel alive." Media playback is not supported on this device Australia's Nick Kyrgios is also in the same half of the draw as Murray and remains on course to meet the world number two in the last 16. The number 15 seed came from two sets to one down to beat Germany's Dustin Brown 6-7 (3-7) 6-1 2-6 6-4 6-4 in a thrilling, rain-affected second-round match on Court Two. The pair had only played three points before a rain delay of more than three hours with the German, ranked 85th in the world, then clinching the first set on a tie-break. Kyrgios swept through the second set in just 15 minutes but Brown regained the advantage by taking the third. However, the Australian then won the fourth to move level and, after another rain delay, clinched the fifth set to reach round three. Spanish 22nd seed Feliciano Lopez will play Kyrgios in the third round, with the winner of that tie then playing either Murray or Australian John Millman in the last 16. Lopez fought back from two sets behind to defeat Italian Fabio Fognini 3-6 6-7 6-3 6-3 6-3. Elsewhere, there were routine victories for 10th seed Tomas Berdych and 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Berdych beat Germany's Benjamin Becker 6-4 6-1 6-2, while Tsonga triumphed 6-1 6-4 6-3 over Juan Monaco of Argentina. You can now add tennis alerts in the BBC Sport app - simply head to the menu and My Alerts section

Summary: Juan Martin del Potro has recorded a shock second-round win to knock fourth seed Stan Wawrinka out of the men's singles at Wimbledon.


The proposed deal is aimed at trying to ease Europe's migration crisis. But Mr Gove said Turkey had seen an "erosion of fundamental democratic freedoms" and the EU should be protesting, not offering "concessions". David Cameron has said it would be "literally decades" before Turkey was ready to join the EU. And he has said the UK has a veto over it happening, saying the agreement of every other EU member - as well as 28 national Parliaments - was necessary before a new country could join. But Mr Gove said it was "official British government policy" for Turkey to become a member of the bloc and "not to have a referendum on new countries joining". The EU referendum on 23 June was the "only chance" for the UK to have its say on free movement from Turkey, he added. The issue of Turkey's bid to join the EU - and the proposed deal to grant Turks visa-free travel in return for Turkey taking back migrants who have crossed the Aegean Sea to Greece - sparked a row earlier on in the EU referendum campaign. In a speech at Vote Leave's headquarters on Wednesday, Mr Gove, one of the leading Out campaigners, returned to the issue, warning about what he said were the security implications of expanding the EU to Turkey. He said: "With the terrorism threat that we face only growing, it is hard to see how it could possibly be in our security interests to open visa-free travel to 77 million Turkish citizens and to create a border-free zone from Iraq, Iran and Syria to the English Channel. "It is even harder to see how such a course is wise when extremists everywhere will believe that the West is opening its borders to appease an Islamist government." Mr Gove said Turkey's "democratic development" had gone into "reverse" under President Erdogan. He added: "We and the European Union should be protesting in the clearest and loudest possible manner at this erosion of fundamental democratic freedoms. "But instead we and the European Union are making concession after concession to Erdogan." The prime minister has previously accused Leave campaigners of making "a very misleading claim about Turkey" and the EU. This issue covers immigration and free movement within Europe. Speaking last month, Mr Cameron said: "It would be decades, literally decades, before this had a prospect of happening and even at that stage we'd still be able to say no." And he added: "The fact that the Leave campaign are getting things as straightforward as this wrong, I think should call into question their whole judgement into making the bigger argument about leaving the EU. "They're basically saying vote to get out of Europe because of this issue of Turkey that we can't stop joining the EU. That is not true." In 2010, Mr Cameron promised to "fight" for Turkey joining the EU, saying he was "angry" at the lack of progress in negotiations. In a speech to the Turkish Parliament, he said he wanted the two countries to work together to "pave

Summary: Justice Secretary and Leave campaigner Michael Gove has issued a fresh warning about the risk of allowing visa-free EU travel for Turkish citizens.


When the hand of God strikes, nudging a major GCSE exam into the path of an England World Cup match, it can be a teachers' worst nightmare. A clash with the Muslim month of fasting may also cause concern in some schools wanting their pupils to do their best. And as exam timetabling is something of a long game, there can be no last-minute changes to scheduling to take into account a major football fixture. With so much hype over world sporting events such as the Olympics or the World Cup, most people will want to watch, says former exams doctor George Turnbull. "With the best will in the world, it is very difficult to talk young people down from taking time out of their revision to watch such events, and staying up late is not the best way to prepare for examinations," says the former adviser for exams regulator Ofqual. "Of course young people should be preparing long before hand, but we all know that it doesn't always work like that The exam itself should be the major event because it has so much potential to affect the young person's life chances," he adds. The public exams timetable is drawn up by the Joint Council for Qualifications at least 18 months in advance of the exams themselves, following consultations with a wide range of stakeholders including religious groups, schools and colleges. And because of the narrow window in which exam boards can hold examinations and get them marked, they are always in a fixed period of six weeks in the education calendar. The JCQ has reiterated that there were only minimal changes carried out to the draft timetable for 2016 before it was published. "In such a large, complex system where there is a large number of candidates taking examinations and a diverse range of subjects available, it is not always possible to meet each and every request," it says. "Exam boards will always aim to be as fair as possible to all. "If a small change can be made for any one group that does not impact negatively on most students, it will, quite rightly, be considered - but these are made before the timetable is published." And even as that timetable is drawn up, there is very little room for manoeuvre, says Andrew Harland, chief executive of the Exam Officers' Association. He cites the example of one local authority that complained, unsuccessfully, their students were going to have to sit a maths exam during their half-term holiday. Exam boards have to get GCSE papers marked in time for schools and colleges to decide places on sixth-form courses, he explains. Equally, A-level papers need to be graded so universities can confirm places to potential undergraduates. In recent years, the exam season has moved from June to July to late May to June, in part, to enable boards to get enough markers. Mr Harland says exams used to run up to the end of term, when people were going on holiday. "The days of markers taking a bundle of papers down

Summary: As it emerges that GCSE and A-level exam timetables have been drawn up to minimise clashes with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, we take a look at what influences and restricts scheduling.


Scientists and charities say the human papilloma virus (HPV) jab will protect them from head and neck cancers. HPV is sexually transmitted and girls aged 12 and 13 receive the vaccine to protect them against cervical cancer. The Welsh government said it is waiting for advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Charities including Tenovus Cancer Care and organisations such as BMA Cymru and Cardiff University's HPV research team will deliver a letter to the Welsh government on Monday calling for the vaccination to be rolled out. They told BBC Radio Wales' Eye on Wales programme the number of head and neck cancer cases are increasing. Dr Mererid Evans, consultant oncologist at Velindre Hospital in Cardiff, said: "I've seen a difference in demographics over the last ten years. "These are younger people with families, and three-quarters of those affected are men. The average age is 55 and most are non-smokers." Jon Antoniazzi, from Tenovus Cancer Care, added: "HPV causes 5% of the global cancer burden. "What the Welsh government could be doing right now is taking a progressive step to stem the tide of these cancers, and show that it really takes the public health of its citizens seriously. "We urge them to diverge from central thinking and vaccinate boys now." In 2008, a vaccination programme was rolled out in schools and 85% of girls in Wales have been vaccinated. The Welsh government said: "We will await the committee's recommendations and will consider the implications for Wales of any proposed changes to the HPV vaccination programme."

Summary: Boys should receive a cancer vaccine - already given to young girls - to stop them developing strains of the disease, experts have said.


Reports on Tuesday suggested the 28-year-old's representatives are set for talks with the English side. "There are no direct offers," the source told BBC Sport. "Only by meeting the release clause of 94,376,000 euros will the player leave Napoli. Otherwise Higuain will stay for the remaining two years of his deal." Gareth Bale's £85m move from Tottenham to Real Madrid in 2013 is the most expensive transfer in football history, surpassing the £80m Real paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009. In 2013, then Real Madrid forward Higuain agreed personal terms with Arsenal, but joined Napoli after the Gunners failed to make an offer. Last season, Higuain won the Capocannoniere - Serie A's golden boot - after scoring a league record 36 goals as Napoli finished runners-up to Juventus. Meanwhile, Napoli have not received any offers for 25-year-old Senegal centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, who has been linked with Everton and Chelsea.

Summary: Arsenal must pay Napoli 94m euros (£80m) to sign Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain, according to a source close to the Italian club.


The Woodland Trust said deadfall washed out by rivers from Urquhart Bay Wood could explain a recent report of something emerging from the loch. The trust said the lochside wood was a "Nessie spawning ground". Previous explanations for the monster have included circus elephants being exercised in the waters. Several reported sightings of Nessie have been made recently. Another image of an object in the loch was thought to be the wake of a boat. Monster enthusiasts had earlier in the year been lamenting a lack of incidents. Gary Campbell, who keeps a register of sightings, said in February that for the first time in almost 90 years no "confirmed sightings" had been made of the monster. He said at the time no-one had come forward in 18 months to say they had seen the monster. Being mistaken for tree has been no barrier to fame for other "monsters". Groot, above, is one of Marvel Comics' forest of unusual characters. A Flora colossus from Planet X, the capital of the branch worlds, Groot is one of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy portrayed in a series of comic book stories. The character was among the most popular of a movie based on the stories released over the summer, and a clip of the creature dancing has been viewed almost three million times on YouTube. Like Nessie, Groot has proved to be a goldmine in terms of merchandising with various toys created in his image. Ents, giant woodland shepherds, appear in JRR Tolkien stories. Film director Peter Jackson portrayed Ents as more tree-like than they appear in the books in his adaption of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The Woodland Trust said Nessie spotters might be disappointed to learn debris from Urquhart Bay Wood, near Drumnadrochit and the famous Urquhart Castle, was a likely cause of at least one of the recent sightings. A spokesman said: "Large amounts of wood flows out of the woodland through the two winding rivers that flow into Loch Ness each year, peaking when water is high in late autumn and spring. "I think that some of that debris explains long thin - some stick-like - shapes seen." The spokesman added: "Urquhart Bay is a really important wet woodland, made up of species such as ash, alder, rowan and willow. "It's one of very few intact floodplain woodlands remaining in the UK and has European importance. Challenges such as flooding, movement of the rivers and accumulation of woody debris make it an interesting place to manage." Known locally as The Cover, the wood was once part of the Glen Urquhart Estate. Originally the woodland was granted to the Earls of Seaforth by King James IV in 1509. The wood is situated on a flat low-lying area of alluvial sand and gravel deposits between the deltas of the Rivers Coiltie and Enrick where they flow into Loch Ness. Alder and ash are the main tree species but there are also bird cherry and hazel and small numbers of wych elm, gean, holly, rowan and elder. The Woodland Trust manages 56

Summary: Fallen trees and branches from a woodland could be a cause for recent sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, a conservation charity has suggested.


Polling stations opened at 07:00 BST in the area's 11 constituencies: Chester, Congleton, Warrington North, Warrington South, Halton, Ellesmere Port, Tatton, Crewe & Nantwich, Eddisbury, Macclesfield and Weaver Vale. Votes will be counted after the polls close at 22:00 BST. For the latest news from all the counts in Cheshire, go to our election live service. Results will also be available on your constituency profile page.

Summary: People are voting in Cheshire in the general and local council elections.


It will be first celebrated on 31 May in 2017 with celebrations and events run by Historic England. The date was decided upon after a poll involving 1,000 Londoners. It was closely followed by 5 September - the date of the Great Fire of London. The YouGov questionnaire also declared the Houses of Parliament as the building that best sums up London. People voted for the Queen as their favourite historic London hero for the moment she secretly joined the crowds to celebrate Victory in Europe Day. The results of the poll were released to mark the launch of Historic England's "Keep it London" campaign. People were asked to select a date to celebrate the capital's history, their historic hero and the building that sums up London. Big Ben's first day in operation was 31 May 1859. The campaign is intended to encourage Londoners to notice, celebrate and speak up for the heritage of their city, Historic England said. The public body has also launched a film entitled I am London, which celebrates the historic buildings and places that have borne witness to the capital's history. Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: "Our heritage is a source of pride, a reminder of the city's past, a foundation for its present and the building blocks for its future."

Summary: London's first History Day will be held on the anniversary of Big Ben's first day in operation.


Anthony and Yvonne Pardoe travelled round the world collecting the items which date from the 1900s to the 1950s. Buyers from the US, Israel and Holland attended the auction at Bearnes, Hampton and Littlewood, Exeter. It was thought to be "the fourth largest collection in the world" director Christopher Hampton said. A US Navy Helium diving helmet took top price for a single item at £8,000, followed by an Italian helmet which took £7,200. Auctioneer Brian Goodison-Blanks said: "When you start looking back and start thinking, 'well how did these guys actually go down with these diving helmets on', it looks incredible." He said the colours and patterns of the helmets also sparked "that emotive Jules Verne feeling" in people and "just look wonderful".

Summary: A lifetime's collection of hundreds of diving helmets and equipment has fetched £476,000 at auction.


MPC members voted 8-1 to keep rates on hold - the first time for months the decision has not been unanimous - with Ian McCafferty voting for an increase. In its latest Inflation Report, the Bank said the outlook for inflation was "muted", leading some economists to say a rate rise could now be delayed. However, Bank governor Mark Carney said a rise was "drawing closer". Aberdeen Asset Management chief economist Lucy O'Carroll said: "Those analysts who predicted a rate rise this year may be on brink of having to rip up their predictions." Many analysts had anticipated that two or three policymakers would vote for a rate increase. But the Bank said a collapsing stock market in China and continuing talks over Greece's debts mean the outlook for global growth was muted. The Bank of England said it expected inflation to be back to its 2% target in two years' time. Standing in the way of the Bank's desire for higher inflation is a drop in oil prices and energy costs in general, as well as a rise in the value of sterling, which the Bank estimates has risen 3.5% since May. The timing for a Bank rate increase is "drawing closer", Mr Carney said in a news conference, but cannot "be predicted in advance". The decision would be determined by looking at economic data, he added, including wage growth, productivity and import figures. The increases, when they came, would be "gradual" and limited to a level "below past averages", he said, which is in line with his previous forecasts of how rates will change. This Thursday marks the first time the Bank has released the monthly rate decision at the same time as the minutes of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee meeting, without the hitherto normal fortnightly gap, and has been named by pundits as Super Thursday. "It would have been imprudent to push through a rate rise at this moment when our economic recovery remains in need of care and encouragement," said John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce. "Rates will eventually have to rise and when they do, it should be done slowly and steadily. Until that moment, the Bank of England is right to keep interest rates at current levels." The MPC voted unanimously to continue to hold the UK's bond-buying programme at Â£375bn. The pound fell sharply against other currencies as analysts put back their forecasts of when the Bank might start to raise rates. Sterling fell by a cent against the dollar before recovering slightly to stand at $1.5511, and was down nearly one euro cent against the euro at â‚¬1.4218. There is what to many will look like a contradiction at the heart of the Bank of England's voluminous pronouncements on inflation and interest rates. On the one hand, it expects price changes to be zero or even negative - or well below the 2% target - for longer than it predicted back in May (and actually nought over the next couple of months). But the Bank also expects inflation to

Summary: UK interest rates have been held at 0.5% again by the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).


Darby, 28, made 194 league appearances for the Bantams and helped them to promotion from League Two in 2013. New deals have been offered to goalkeeper Rouven Sattelmaier, defenders Matthew Kilgallon, Rory McArdle, Tony McMahon and James Meredith and midfielder Mark Marshall. The Bantams finished fifth this season before losing to Millwall at Wembley.

Summary: Beaten League One play-off finalists Bradford City have released defender Stephen Darby after five years.


The Conservative government lead by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper had asked Canada's Supreme Court to hear an appeal of that ruling. Debate over the niqab came to a head during the 2015 Canadian elections. Mr Harper was accused of using the issue stir up fears against Muslims. Newly elected Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau opposed the appeal during his campaign. The official court application for the appeal has been discontinued, officials have said, according to the Canadian Press. "Canada's diversity is among its greatest strengths, and the Liberals are ensuring that successful citizenship continue to be included in the Canadian family," Justice Minister Jody-Wilson Raybould and Immigration Minister John McCallum said in a statement. Zunera Ishaq, a Pakistani-born woman, had challenged the Conservative government's law against wearing niqabs when swearing an oath to become a Canadian citizen and won. While serving as prime minister, Mr Harper angered many when he pledged to set up a police hotline to report "barbaric cultural practices" after taking a hard line on the niqab debate.

Summary: The Liberal government in Canada has abandoned a legal challenge that sought to require women to remove their niqabs or face coverings during citizenship ceremonies.


Liberty, headed by Sanjeev Gupta, was first to express an interest in the assets when they were put up for sale. A spokesman for Liberty told the BBC that the firm had put together a team of advisers and financial backers. "The formal process is to submit a letter of intent; it amounts to a bid. It will be done on Tuesday," he said. In addition to the Port Talbot factory - the UK's largest steelworks - Tata's remaining assets include sites at Newport, where more than 1,300 people are employed, and Rotherham, which employs 1,200. Tata also has operations at Corby, Shotton and Teesside. Macquarie, the Australian bank, was advising Liberty on a potential bid, and is considered a potential financial backer of any takeover. Liberty House started life in the university room of Indian-born founder Sanjeev Gupta. While a student at Cambridge University in 1992, the budding entrepreneur started what has since become a global steel and commodities business with annual sales of more than £2bn. With operations in 30 countries, and headquarters in London, Dubai, and Singapore, Mr Gupta's Liberty has also emerged as a possible saviour of Britain's steel industry. Liberty's focus is on recycling the mountains of scrap metal generated in the UK, rather than the historical method of producing steel in blast furnaces. Last month, it acquired Tata Steel's plants in Lanarkshire. In recent years, it has reached similar deals for steel plants in Newport and the Black Country. A management buyout team is also planning to submit a bid under the name Excalibur Steel UK Limited. It has appointed investment banker Mark Rhydderch-Roberts as a non-executive director. He joins Stuart Wilkie, the head of Tata's United Kingdom strip steel business, and former Alcan senior executive and venture capitalist Roger Maggs, on the board. The government has promised to support any buyer of the business by taking up to a 25% stake in a new business and making hundreds of millions of pounds of finance available. Tata has not publicly set a deadline for any deal, but has made it clear it cannot sustain its £1m-a-day losses indefinitely and does not want to prolong the uncertainty for workers and customers. Tata's Scunthorpe operation, which employs more than 3,000 people, has been sold to investment firm Greybull Capital for a nominal £1.

Summary: Liberty House plans to submit a formal bid on Tuesday to buy Tata Steel's UK assets, which include the Port Talbot works employing about 4,000 people.


Duminda Silva was found guilty with four others of shooting dead Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and three of his supporters during local elections in Colombo in 2011. The two men were both members of the then governing party. The defendants are likely to serve long jail terms because of Sri Lanka's moratorium on executions. Their lawyers said they would appeal against the sentences. Silva sustained gunshot wounds and was flown out of the country, apparently for treatment, after the shooting. He was a close ally of the powerful Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose brother Mahinda was president until losing elections in 2015. Many hailed the verdict as proof that judicial independence had been restored in Sri Lanka. "This verdict was only possible because we have a new president," Hirunika Premachandra, the murdered man's daughter who is now an MP herself, told reporters. "I hope there will be justice for all the murders that happened during the previous era, including the killing of former editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, disappeared journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda and rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, so their families can get justice."

Summary: A Sri Lankan court has sentenced a former MP to death for the murder of a rival politician five years ago.


The 26-year-old has made 54 competitive appearances for the Cherry and Whites since arriving in 2014. A former Sale Sharks, Wasps and Bedford Blues player, Atkinson has started a total of 21 Premiership matches. "It's been great to get game-time this season. I'm excited to get this run of games and really push on," he told Gloucester's club website. Director of rugby David Humphreys added: "Mark is someone who has been a stand-out performer every time he takes to the field."

Summary: Gloucester centre Mark Atkinson has agreed a new "long-term" contract with the Premiership club.


Xiaoyu Zaijia - or Little Fish - responds to voice commands using a combination of pictures, text and speech. Unlike many rival AIs it is dependant on a touchscreen It can answer questions, find local services, play music, make video calls and control smart home devices. Baidu Chief Scientist Andrew Ng said that artificial intelligence is "the new electricity". "AI has been growing steadily - every year our AI has been 50% better," he told the BBC at the CES tech show in Las Vegas. "Those of us on the inside feel the acceleration now but we have been feeling it for the last decade. "Just as 100 years ago the electrification of our society transformed industry after industry, I think AI tech has now reached that stage." Little Fish's hardware has been developed by Chinese robotics firm Ainemo Inc but uses Baidu's AI operating system DuerOS. Follow all our CES coverage at bbc.co.uk/ces2017 Existing digital assistants such as the Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant are not screen-dependant but can be used by voice alone. Apple's Siri, however, continues to rely on a display to provide some of its information. Little Fish will launch initially in China in March 2017 and currently only recognises Chinese languages. Baidu has not yet set a price. "What we have seen so far in terms of digital assistants and smart speakers is very much first generation and it has all been about voice," said Geoff Blaber, tech analyst at CCS Insight. "I would certainly expect that over the next 12 months we will see the next iteration of assistants that do integrate a number of different ways of interacting with the device - not just video but also gesture control. "A richer variety of interaction methods helps bridge the gap in terms of the user experience. When they first start using one, a lot of users find it a steep learning curve."

Summary: Chinese search giant Baidu has unveiled an AI digital assistant.


Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested in the restive Balochistan province and accused of "espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan". Last month a top UN court told Pakistan not to execute Mr Jadhav until it had time to hear a case brought by India. India dismissed the mercy petition and a "confessional video" by Mr Jadhav. Pakistan on Thursday released a statement that said Mr Jadhav had sought "forgiveness for his actions" and had "requested the Chief of Army Staff to spare his life on compassionate grounds". India, which denies Mr Jadhav is a spy, has dismissed Pakistan's statement and a second "confessional" video by Mr Jadhav saying, "India expects Pakistan to desist from attempting to influence the proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case through false propaganda". "The developments bring out once again the lack of transparency and farcical nature of proceedings against Jadhav on concocted charges, continued violation of his legal and consular rights and an attempt to introduce prejudice in the proceedings in the ICJ," external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay told reporters on Thursday. Last month India argued in the ICJ that Pakistan violated international laws by not allowing it access to Mr Jadhav since he was arrested in Balochistan in March 2016. Meanwhile, there are differing accounts of how and where Mr Jadhav was detained. Pakistan says he was detained on 3 March 2016 in restive Balochistan province, which has been hit by a separatist insurgency that Islamabad accuses India of backing. India says he was kidnapped by Pakistan while he was in Iran. The nuclear-armed neighbours have a long history of diplomatic spats, and Delhi and Islamabad often accuse each other of sending spies into their territories.

Summary: A former Indian navy officer who has been sentenced to death on charges of spying in Pakistan has filed a mercy petition, the Pakistan military says.


Jahed Choudhury, 24, married Sean Rogan at Walsall Register Office and shared his story on YouTube. However, he told the Victoria Derbyshire Show he had been threatened online and in the street. But the couple said they had also received messages of support and would continue to share their story. Since their ceremony Mr Choudhury said the couple had received death threats online and abuse on the streets. "The worst [messages] say 'the next time I see you in the streets, I'm going to throw acid in your face'. "Even if I walk down the streets, I have people spitting on me and calling me pig - all the nasty stuff. I just keep walking." The couple said they had not yet reported the incident to police and were considering whether to do so. Mr Choudhury said he had also received "amazing" support from his online followers, including people who said the couple had inspired them to come out. "I've been brought up Muslim and the Koran mentions you cannot be gay and Muslim. But this is how I have chosen to live my life. I will never get rid of my faith." Mr Choudhury said he had attempted suicide in the past but added his family had been "really supportive" since he came out. He has now set up a YouTube channel where his story received more than 5,000 views, and says he was motivated to speak out online to encourage support for gay people from religious backgrounds.

Summary: A man thought to be one of the first UK Muslims to have a same-sex marriage said people have threatened to throw acid in his face since the ceremony.


It decided to reorganise the way patients were diagnosed by GPs and specialists by bringing in a new approach, especially to deal with those cancer cases which are not initially obvious. A team of cancer specialists, GPs, NHS and public health experts from Wales have just returned from a fact-finding visit to Aarhus, Denmark's second city. So what was the problem? Prof Frede Olesen of Aarhus University said the changes followed "quite alarming" cancer survival statistics more than 15 years ago showing Denmark was performing poorly compared to other European countries, including the rest of Scandinavia. Part of the problem was that waiting times patients faced before getting diagnosed were too long. It was not so much the most serious cases where patients came to the GP with obvious symptoms. They could be fast-tracked to specialists in hospital. It was the cancer cases where patients either had vague or more difficult to diagnose symptoms - or the small number of cancers found in patients who said they were ill but mostly needed a quick test or scan to rule something serious out. "We looked at 30,000 cancer cases - and more than 25% of all cancer cases were from this group where we didn't think it was something but it suddenly showed as being something and so it's important to find those cases," said Prof Olesen. What were the changes? The model of care introduced in Denmark has three routes. First - for patients with " alarm" symptoms of specific cancers - there are fast-track diagnosis and treatment routes with strict time targets. In addition to that, by law, any patient with a physical illness in Denmark must be investigated within 30 days of a GP referral. Second, the Danish health service from 2007 set up diagnosis centres - at existing hospitals and clinics - where patients with symptoms which GPs cannot diagnose are given a range of tests and scans quickly to find out what is wrong with them, whether it is cancer or something else. GP Dr Hanne Heje, who works in Aarhus - a city slightly smaller than Cardiff - said the new system helps doctors who suspect something is wrong but not necessarily cancer. It also stops the "ping pong" between GPs and different specialists. "Now we know there's a department meeting the patient with open arms saying 'we welcome you', even though there's not a diagnosis written on their forehead," she said. The third route deals with the group of patients with minor symptoms, which are very unlikely to be cancer but in rare cases could be. These patients go to so-called "yes-no" centres which offer a simple test or scan so they can be seen quickly and any problems identified. "This can be solved within hours in some cases but 1% will have a serious disease and this can be detected," said Prof Olesen. "For these patients before - they might have had to wait four to six months, so for the small percentage where something is found, they'd start treatment six months behind the time

Summary: Denmark's health service - which is similar to the NHS - started to look in depth at the problem of cancer survival rates in 2000.


The water pipes in the town are old and prone to leaks and bursts, Severn Trent Water said. Part of Milford Road is expected to be closed until the summer as a metal water pipe is replaced. Diversions will be in place. The road is "just too narrow" in parts to be kept open as large machinery will be used, a spokesman said. More than 12 miles (20km) of new water pipes are being laid from the Shugborough area into Stafford town centre. In the first phase, which began in September, pipes were installed on Tixall Road for a new housing development nearby.

Summary: The second phase of a £15m project to upgrade the water and sewer pipes in Stafford is under way.


Sidwell, 34, has made 32 Championship appearances this season to help the Seagulls achieve promotion to the top flight for the first time in 34 years. With his contract due to expire at the end of the campaign, the midfielder is now hoping to sign a new deal. "I want to be a part of it next year because I know we can stay in the Premier League," he said. Brighton's recent win over Wigan confirmed their promotion, and with a four-point lead over second-placed Newcastle, Chris Hughton's side are now hoping to wrap up the league title in the final two matches. Sidwell made 19 appearances for Albion on loan from Stoke during 2015-16 before signing a one-year deal with Brighton in June 2016. He has previously played in the Premier League with Reading, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Fulham and Stoke and believes he deserves the opportunity to play at the top level again. Sidwell told BBC Radio Sussex: "When I signed the contract last year no-one expected me to play as many games as I have. I've probably given a better impact than expected. "When I have played I've played well, I've put my best foot forward and I've given myself every opportunity to earn a new deal. "If there's one on the table then hopefully we can thrash it out, it can be done and we can enjoy the summer."

Summary: Steve Sidwell says he has done all he can to earn a new Brighton contract and play in the Premier League next season.


While the site has remained quiet about its canary's demise, it has hosted a discussion on the subject by a group of lawyers. A warrant canary is a statement saying a company has not received secret requests for user data by government or law enforcement officers. It is named after the birds that were taken down mineshafts to alert workers to toxic gases. If the canary died in the mine the workers knew they had to leave quickly. Similarly, the existence of a warrant canary on a website indicates the "all clear". When it disappears, visitors might assume the website has received classified requests for data. Many websites publish a warrant canary in an effort to be transparent with visitors. The concept gained popularity after the extent of US government surveillance was revealed by whistleblower Edward Snowden. In the US, law enforcement can issue requests for user data that come with a gagging order, preventing the demand from being disclosed. Demands known as national security letters are designed to allow law enforcement agencies to conduct an investigation without interference or alerting the target. But critics say the confidential nature of national security letters, which can be issued without a court order, makes them ripe for abuse by law enforcement. Reddit, Adobe and Tumblr are among the sites that have published warrant canaries. The disappearance of a warrant canary usually only reveals that a website has received at least one secret surveillance request. They are often written in broad terms, as their legality has not been tested in court. "The more practically useful and informative they are, the more legally risky they are too," said Brett Max Kaufman, a lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union. Before it was killed, Reddit's warrant canary said: "Reddit has never received a National Security Letter, an order under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or any other classified request for user information." One Reddit member asked whether websites could print an individual warrant canary on every member's profile, making it immediately obvious when a specific user had been targeted by a secret request. "The government would have a pretty strong argument in that case that the removal of the individual's canary was simply an end-run around the gag order, and that it would jeopardise the government interests in completing its investigation without interference," said Mr Kaufman. "That's not to say an individualised canary could never be lawful." While the disappearance of a warrant canary could indicate that a company has received a classified data request, it remains possible that Reddit removed the canary to avoid a future fight over its legality. "I strongly suspect it is the first," said Alex Abdo of the ACLU. "Unless they received a national security request, nothing else would have changed between the 2014 transparency report and now. "If they abandoned it for the second reason, Reddit likely would not have issued the very cryptic statement that they could not comment on the disappearance of the canary." Reddit did not respond to the BBC's request for comment. One Reddit member questioned whether

Summary: In March, online community Reddit killed its "warrant canary" - a statement on its website declaring that it had not received any secret data snooping requests from government or law enforcement agencies.


US-based golf course designers Mike Keiser, Bill Coore and Todd Warnock have proposed creating the course at Coul Links, near Dornoch. Four conservation charities have joined forces to oppose the project. The developers said they were aiming for "minimal intrusion on the landscape". The Scottish Wildlife Trust, RSPB Scotland, Buglife and Plantlife have concerns the course will result in the loss of a protected sand dunes habitat and rare wildlife. The developers, who have held two meetings in the local area as part of public consultation on the plans, said the building of the course would involve laying turf over less than 55 acres (22ha) within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). SSSIs are areas indentified as having a diverse range of wildlife and geology. The developers said their planned new course, close to Embo, would compliment nearby Royal Dornoch golf course and others in the East Sutherland area. Mr Keiser, who owns Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity to deliver a spectacular championship links golf course which represents all that is natural about golf, in the home of golf. "Our golf course developments aim for minimal intrusion on the landscape and the utmost care and respect for the environment. "Our team of environmental advisors is ensuring complete sensitivity to the land, and its location."

Summary: The developers of a planned 18-hole championship golf course have sought to allay concerns about their proposal's impact on a protected coastal area.


The Lucky Country by Donald Horne, which came out in 1964, has gone on to become a cult classic, as well as saddling this land with an entirely misappropriated nickname. On arriving in Australia just over a year ago, it was the first book I read having received a recommendation from my predecessor. "That sounds upbeat," I thought, seeking inspiration for my new life down under. It is, however, a thoroughly depressing read. A damning and bleak assessment of Australian society in the early 1960s. "A bucket of cold saltwater emptied onto the belly of a dreaming sunbather," is how one critic described it at the time. The opening words of its final chapter sum up the book's thesis: "Australia is a lucky country run mainly by second rate people who share its luck. It lives on other people's ideas, and, although its ordinary people are adaptable, most of its leaders (in all fields) so lack curiosity about the events that surround them that they are often taken by surprise." Essentially, Horne painted a picture of a deeply conservative and unambitious country that had got to where it was by luck rather than merit, riding on the coat tails of its historical ties to Britain. "In the lucky style we have never 'earned' our democracy. We simply went along with some British habits," Horne wrote in his 1976 follow-up, Death of a Lucky Country. The fact that the book's title was ironic and that most people referring these days to Australia as The Lucky Country do so in a positive light, drove Horne round the bend. "I have had to sit through the most appalling rubbish as successive generations misapplied this phrase," Horne later went on to say. In 1964 though, despite being unoptimistically received by its publisher, The Lucky Country clearly touched a nerve with the Australian public. It sold more than 100,000 copies in its first year, an Australian record for a book of its type. It's now in its sixth edition. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott recently described the book's publication as one of the defining moments in Australia's history. The question for many is whether Donald Horne's assessment still applies. Does Australia remain the Lucky Country? It is undoubtedly a successful and prosperous one. When the world's leaders come to Brisbane in a few weeks for the G20 summit, with an agenda including trying to lift more of the global population out of poverty, they will be doing so from the five-star comfort of an incredibly affluent society. A study by investment bank Credit Suisse recently judged Australians to be the richest people in the world, with a median Australian adult worth more than US$225,000 (A$258,000), most of that due to high property values. Research by the Economist Intelligence Unit listed Australia as the second best country in the world to be born, beaten only by the high-flying Swiss. Australian cities regularly pepper the top 10 of best places to live. Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide all made it into the business end of the Economist's latest liveability

Summary: It's 50 years since the publication of one of Australia's most iconic books.


President Thein Sein said the deal had opened up the "road to future peace" in Myanmar, also known as Burma. But the most active of rebel groups have not signed the agreement, which comes after two years of negotiations. Myanmar has been engaged in armed conflict with various ethnic and other groups seeking greater autonomy since independence from the British in 1948. The violence has left tens of thousands dead over the years, displaced hundreds of thousands more and has been used by the military to justify its long hold on political power. Resolving the conflicts is seen as central to Myanmar's attempts to reform after decades of military rule. The government hopes Thursday's deal - which comes weeks ahead of general elections - will be the first step on a path to a lasting political settlement. Speaking at the lavish signing ceremony in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, Thein Sein said it was a "historic day for Myanmar". "We have been able to launch a new road to a peaceful future of our country." The chairman of one of the armed groups, the Karen National Union (KNU), called it "a new page in history and a product of brave and energetic negotiations". The agreement is neither truly nationwide nor strictly speaking a ceasefire. In order to take part in this collective agreement the armed groups had to have previously signed a bilateral ceasefire with the government. So it is not actually halting any conflicts. This at times tortuous process has been about trying to get everyone to the start line before the next phase, political dialogue, gets under way. With only about half the groups having made it to the start line, the way forward from here will be ever more complex. Read more: Ceasefire marks milestone for Myanmar But seven of the armed groups which have been involved in the talks did not sign the final deal. Among them is the largest, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), which has some 25,000 members operating on the border with China, and has largely remained on the sidelines of the talks. Also not signing was the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), whose Independence Army (KIA) controls large areas of north-eastern Kachin state and has regularly clashed with the Burmese army since a ceasefire collapsed in 2011. Thein Sein said the government would "continue with our efforts to bring the remaining organisations into the process". "The door is open for them," he said. Political discussions are now due to begin within months on the structure of a new, and probably more federal, system of government, says our correspondent. But there are still concerns that peace with the groups signing Thursday's agreement could be short lived, if the Burmese army ignores the ceasefire, as it has with others. Earlier this week, all of the groups signing were removed from the government's list of "unlawful associations", a step towards bringing them into mainstream politics. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has previously urged rebel groups to focus more on a lasting deal than a quick

Summary: Myanmar has signed a ceasefire deal with eight armed rebel groups, in the hope of ending decades of conflict.


The 31-year-old editorial director at online US fashion website Highsnobiety is unsurprisingly passionate about clothes. He says his favourite luxury brands are now substantially cheaper in London. "Like anything from Comme Des Garcons. I got a jacket last time I was there for 40% less than I would have paid here," he says. Before June last year, when the UK voted to leave the EU, he rarely went shopping on his regular work trips to the UK. "The littlest things from a pint at the pub to a short Uber ride were murder on my bank account because of the exchange rate." Now that some brands are significantly cheaper, he spends about $350 (£274; 310 euros) each time he comes, but thinks the favourable exchange rate means he saves around $100. "It's easier for me to splurge and sometimes I do it too much for my own good," he confesses. Mr DeLeon isn't the only one indulging. Just over a year on from the EU referendum, the pound is still around 16% lower against the dollar. The weakness has lured over a flock of international tourists hungry for high-end brands at relatively bargain prices. Payments firm WorldPay says non-UK consumers' card spending at department stores rose by a fifth in the first three months of the year, while spending on electrical goods rose 22.7%. US shoppers like Mr DeLeon have been amongst the biggest spenders, splashing out an extra 21.5% on their cards during the same period, it said. "The extreme currency fluctuations encourages shoppers to buy more," says Honor Strachan, principal retail analyst at GlobalData. "They're getting more for their money." But how do companies manage this kind of discrepancy; with precisely the same product priced significantly differently depending on where in the world it is bought? After all a boom in revenues in one market, can seriously dent demand in the markets international shoppers are coming from. Many of the world's most famous brands — such as Burberry and Apple — simply raised their UK prices to try and make sure what they sold cost broadly the same across their international markets. But luxury footwear brand Crockett & Jones, which has 12 stores worldwide across locations including London, Paris and New York as well as global wholesale partners, says it has deliberately left prices unchanged. "The last thing we want to do is abuse our customer confidence and raise prices in the UK. "We certainly don't increase our prices at a whim to take advantage of said currency fluctuations," says James Fox, export sales director at the firm. Mr Fox believes that in the long term it's best to keep pricing simple. "We strive to have a level playing field as and where we can. "We offer sterling, euro and dollar price lists, which gives our customers piece of mind that they are buying in their own currency at a level price to the potential competitors within their market." He says generally any discrepancies tend to average out across currencies, and that re-pricing is only possible "once or twice a

Summary: "I really shop when the pound falls in value," says American Jian DeLeon.


The 32-year-old had been playing in the Isthmian Premier Division with Leatherhead following his release by Newport at the end of last season. Pidgeley has made 260 appearances in spells with nine clubs, including Chelsea, Watford and Millwall. Forest Green are currently second in the National League table, one point behind leaders Cheltenham Town. Pidgeley could make his Rovers debut when they host Aldershot on Friday.

Summary: National League side Forest Green Rovers have signed goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley until the end of the season.


Dermot Nolan, chief executive of Ofgem, told the BBC that domestic gas and electricity prices should be cheaper "for the vast majority of people". Wholesale energy costs make up nearly half of a domestic bill, and have fallen by about a third in the last 12 to 18 months, he said. Yet, prices had not fallen, he added. Energy UK, which represents the major energy energy companies, insisted that there was a competitive market of 34 suppliers and that people should switch for savings of hundreds of pounds. Lawrence Slade, chief executive of the trade body, said the industry had made "mistakes in the past" in failing to assist those languishing on variable deals but that the situation had improved alongside increased competition. The regulator has said 70% of consumers remain on standard variable tariffs which have hardly changed since early last year. Pressure is mounting on the UK's big six energy suppliers to cut their prices in line with falling costs after the latest analysis showed wholesale gas and electricity prices in the UK hit a five-year low at the end of 2015. Figures published on Thursday showed the cost of energy on the wholesale market tumbled to Â£36.76 per megawatt hour on the Power Index, compiled by market information provider ICIS.

Summary: Energy companies are "overcharging in many cases" with bills failing to fall in line with dropping wholesale costs, the industry's regulator has said.


That's the conclusion of a study that suggests a fourfold rise in the amount of mineral and organic phosphorus needed on grasslands by 2050. The researchers say that at present, more phosphorus is being lost from soils than is being added by farmers. But there are concerns that increases in the use of the mineral could damage the environment. Phosphorus is an irreplaceable element for all life forms - but it is only since the 19th century that humans have been systematically using it to boost agricultural production. The mineral can be mined as phosphate ore - but animal excrement is also an important source especially in the developing world. Demand grew so rapidly over the 20th century that there were concerns about overuse and "peak phosphorus". But research published in 2012, looking at the need for phosphorus on crops, suggested that future demand could be met from existing sources. This new study though looks at the use of phosphorus on grasslands which cover around a quarter of the Earth's ice-free land areas. These fields are crucial are in the production of milk and meat. As global incomes rise, demand for these products is set to soar. This in turn will spark a rise in demand grass crops and production is expected to increase by 80% by 2050. But the study points out that at present, the vast majority of grasslands in the world are losing more phosphorus than they are gaining. The losses are mainly caused by farmers collecting manure from grasslands and using it to fertilise croplands. The amount being lost from intensive farming is far greater than from pastoral systems. Between 1970 and 2005, 44% of these losses occurred in Asia. "This is one main factor," said Prof Martin van Ittersum, a co-author of the study from the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands. "Of all the manure that is deposited on the grassland, half of it is taken away for croplands or used for fuel or for plastering the walls of the houses in Africa. The fact is that the grasslands are not fertilised, so you have very little inputs to the system." The researchers say that to meet the projected demand for grassland in 2050, the amounts of phosphorus used will have to grow more than fourfold from 2005 levels. To cope with both grassland and arable land demands, the overall use of mineral phosphorus fertiliser must double by the middle of the century. "It is a vast area but that is very significant, yes," said Prof van Ittersum. "It is our strong assumption, that productivity will decrease and the pressure on our feed crops will increase and that is something that we should avoid," he said. "There is already a societal concern that we are feeding too much of our cereal crops to livestock and that pressure will only increase if our grasslands decrease in productivity." But increasing the amount of phosphorus used on land, especially in mineral form, carries significant environmental concerns. Excessive use of fertilisers of all types can lead to a leaching of

Summary: The world must significantly increase its use of phosphorus-based fertiliser to meet future demands for food.


The club will appoint a head coach to look after the first team, with Slade overseeing scouting among other duties. He will be in charge for the final time when they host Birmingham as the Championship season ends on Saturday. "The club feels that it is necessary to have a change. We want to create a spark to take us to another level," said chief executive Ken Choo. Slade joined Cardiff in October 2014 from Leyton Orient and has said he wants to stay with the Bluebirds. He held talks with chairman Mehmet Dalman following the defeat at Sheffield Wednesday which ended their play-off hopes. Slade has insisted he has made ''progress'' at Cardiff this season with the Bluebirds destined to finish either seventh or eighth, having been placed 11th at the end of the 2014-15 season. He succeeded Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who was in charge when Cardiff were relegated from their only season in the Premier League, 2013-14. Cardiff had targeted a place in the play-offs, and fell short as they recorded one win in their previous six matches. Choo's comments hint that the club feel Slade has taken the team as far as he can. "We feel it is necessary to have a vacancy in that position," he said. "And then have some body take it to another level. "This season we have improved significantly. We want to build on it so we are trying to create a leaner and meaner team for next season." "It's going to be different, that's for sure and I've done an awful lot of games as a manager and now that has come to an end," said Slade. "But I will look forward and focus and look to see what I can do help in the process of moving the club forward. "I'm looking forward to the Birmingham game and it really would be nice to go out on a high and get three points to finish the season." BBC Wales football correspondent Rob Phillips says: "The bookies have already installed Craig Bellamy as favourite to take over from Slade, but that is highly unlikely to happen. "Cardiff are looking for an experienced candidate who they believe will build on the stability Slade installed. "Any new recruit would also obviously have to be happy to work with a head of football, which might be off-putting for some."

Summary: Russell Slade is to be removed from his role as Cardiff City manager and will take up a new role as head of football.


Beijing imported almost 524,000 barrels per day, a 35% jump from the previous month. The surge comes even as the US has asked countries to cut oil imports from Iran and threatened to impose sanctions against financial institutions doing business with Iran's energy sector. Beijing, the biggest buyer of Iranian crude oil, defended its imports. "China's importing of Iranian oil is based on its own economic development needs," said Hong Lei, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry. "This is fully reasonable and legitimate." China's economic growth in recent years has seen a rise in demand for energy resources, turning it into one of the biggest consumers of crude oil in the world. Imports from Iran are key part of Beijing's overall fuel imports. However, it has been under pressure to cut its imports from Iran after the US threatened that firms dealing with Tehran's energy sector will be cut off from the US financial system. China's imports from Tehran had fallen significantly in the first four months of the year, but analysts said that was mainly due to the ongoing payment dispute and low seasonal demand. They said that with the dispute now settled, it was business as usual between the two countries. "They are quietly carrying on as normal," Tony Regan of consultancy firm TriZen told the BBC. Mr Regan added that Beijing was also hopeful that the US will grant it some kind of an exemption from the sanctions, not least because of the delicate nature of the US-China relations. "The US may not want to be seen as the one challenging China on this issue," he said.

Summary: China's imports of crude oil from Iran rebounded in May after the two countries resolved a payment dispute.


Security forces are still searching for the missing students, who were abducted by Boko Haram Islamist militants on 14 April. The military fuelled confusion in the immediate aftermath by incorrectly saying most of the girls had been rescued. Parents and some girls who escaped say more than 200 students were seized from their school in Chibok in north-eastern Borno state by gunmen overnight. A local government official confirms the incident, saying the exact number of missing students is unclear but puts the number at around 100. Nigeria's military says most of the girls managed to escape or were freed and releases a statement saying only eight girls are still missing. Locals say many remain unaccounted for and parents of the missing girls head into the Sambisa forest near the Cameroonian border to search for them. On their return they say they did not see any Nigerian soldiers in the forest. Major General Chris Olukolade, a military spokesman, says a report stating that most of the girls had been freed was incorrect but was "not intended to deceive the public." Parents insist that more than 200 girls are still missing. The military has not rescued any of the girls. Asabe Kwambura, headmistress of the school in Chibok, appeals to the government to do more to save the girls and calls on the kidnappers - thought to be members of the Boko Haram group - to "have mercy on the students." Ms Kwambura tells the BBC that at least 190 girls are still missing, contradicting a local state governor who said that around 80 of the students were yet to be found. Footage emerges of the school shortly after the attack, showing the classrooms after they were set alight by gunmen. A government source tries to explain the discrepancy, by telling the BBC it was initially thought only science students had been seized ahead of their exam but there were also 105 art students in the hostels at the time, which the authorities had not realised. Nigerians take to social media to show their anger at the government response and Ibrahim M Abdullahi, a lawyer in Abuja, sends the first tweet using the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. Hundreds march through Abuja to protest at government "indifference" to the mass abduction. A community leader from Chibok warns that the girls may have been taken to neighbouring states and forced to marry militants. He says that 230 girls are missing - another increase in the figure. Desperate parents in Chibok stage a protest calling on the government to do more in the search for the missing girls. Protests are also staged again in towns and cities across Nigeria. Nigerian police say militants are holding 223 girls, after 53 of the initial 276 girls who were abducted managed to escape. He explained the higher figure by saying pupils from surrounding schools had gone to Chibok to take exams, as it was believed to be safe. President Goodluck Jonathan make his first public comments since the abduction, saying his government is seeking assistance from the US and other world powers

Summary: Nigeria's government has been accused of being too slow in its response to the kidnapping of more than 200 girls from a school in the north of the country.


Their medal followed Samantha Murray's individual gold and the women's team silver earlier in the week. After strong fencing, swimming and show jumping rounds, French and Evans took an 18-second advantage into the final shoot-run combined phase. However, Lithuania's team overtook them and won gold by just three seconds. There was no shame in defeat, though, with Laura Asadauskaite being the reigning Olympic champion and Justinas Kinderis having won the men's world title last year. Media playback is not supported on this device "With Laura behind me I was running for my life, I was really scared," said 23-year-old French, who won silver with Murray in the women's relay. "It's been a really good day though." The British pair were particularly impressive in the morning's fencing round, winning 27 of their 38 battles to rank second. They climbed to the top of the rankings with a strong 2x100m freestyle relay swim before both delivered clean show jumping routines. Although French maintained Britain's advantage heading into the changeover in the combined event, 21-year-old Evans struggled in the second shooting phase which allowed Kinderis to move clear. "Me and Justin were playing mind games the whole way around," Evans told BBC Sport. "Unfortunately I didn't managed to pull it off today, but I'm still happy to have won a silver medal." The mixed-team event is not currently part of the Olympic programme, but the sport's international governing body - UIPM - hope it could be included for the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Kate French and Joe Evans won Britain's third medal at the Modern Pentathlon World Championships in Poland by winning silver in the mixed team relay.


The man had left the medals on a work surface to clean before leaving his home in Wootton Park, Bristol, only to find on his return that they had vanished. It is thought someone entered the house via a rear door on the afternoon of 22 June. Avon and Somerset Police are appealing for help in tracing the items. Among the collection of medals was a bronze 1939-45 star, a bronze France and Germany star and a police long service medal. The medals were were engraved with the victim's name, the regimental number 2666006 and 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards. A silver and green French Legion d'Honneur medal - the highest decoration bestowed by the French state - and a black wallet with gold lettering in the bottom right corner were also taken. Anyone with information is urged to call 101 and quote reference number 5216151507.

Summary: A 91-year-old war veteran had his six medals stolen from his home while he went on a shopping trip.


Media playback is not supported on this device Wales lost their EuroHockey Championship II final to Scotland, but both teams have reached the A Division. Clements says doing so has been a "challenge" on a limited budget, but feels it will bring benefits. "I'm over the moon for the players and staff. It's a huge achievement," Clements told BBC Wales Sport. "It puts us on a different level and exposes us to a different level of competition that will hopefully drive performances up." The Wales women's side narrowly missed promotion to the top tier, following their 2-1 defeat by Russia in Friday's EuroHockey Championship semi-final. But Clements was pleased with their performances and with the number of fans who came to watch the Cardiff tournament. Media playback is not supported on this device "I'm a big believer in the inspiration our athletes and staff provide as role models," he said. "The buzz around the venue here in Cardiff has been huge and so is the reception the guys have had. "Everyone's buzzing about the sport at the moment and I really feel that'll transcend into people picking up a stick for the first time." The Wales men will join the likes of Germany, England and the Netherlands in the EuroHockey A Division in 2019. But before that both the men and women's teams hope to qualify for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Clements says he hopes competing at these big tournaments will help earn more Welsh players call-ups for Great Britain. "We really want to push the boundaries and not have a glass ceiling to where we want to get to," he said. "The better we perform as a group, the more chance we've got of players progressing into the GB squads. "Ultimately if we can develop some Olympians that would be utopia."

Summary: Hockey Wales head of performance Dan Clements believes the men's promotion to Europe's top tier will help transform the sport in Wales.


The Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) had taken a neutral stance before the 23 June referendum. Members have now met in the wake of the result, and said Brexit was the preferred option. The SFF is due to meet Fisheries Minister Fergus Ewing on Monday for talks about the way forward. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said one of her priorities is to protect Scotland's place in the EU. SFF chief executive Bertie Armstrong said the two standpoints seem to be incompatible. He told BBC Scotland: "There is a gap between the two ambitions. "For the fishing industry it's a complete no brainer - we should be out the EU and out the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)." A Scottish government spokesman said: "As the First Minister has stated, we are intent on pursuing all options to maintain Scotland's EU status. "The first minister also made it clear during questions in parliament yesterday that she is aware of the feelings of the fishing industry and others who did not vote to remain. "Although her priority continues to be the clear majority of people across Scotland who did vote to remain in the EU, she is keen for ministers to engage closely with the industry to listen to their concerns." He added: "We are committed to ensuring Scotland's interests are at the heart of any EU decisions taken on fishing and ministers are continuously engaging in discussions with key stakeholders, this includes meeting with the Scottish Fishermen's Federation again on Monday." The UK voted to leave the EU. The vote north of the border was to remain. A flotilla of fishing boats sailed up the Thames to urge Parliament take back control of British waters last month. The Scottish government said before the result that EU membership was in the "best interests" of Scotland's fishing industry. In 2014, Scotland exported Â£449m of fish and seafood to Europe - 68% of the total value of Scottish food exports into that market. Worldwide, seafood exports are the second largest food and drink export behind whisky, and the industry supports thousands of jobs.

Summary: The fishing industry wants out of the EU in the face of Scottish government efforts to keep the country in, ministers are being told.


The announcement comes days after Russia and Turkey negotiated a ceasefire in Syria which is largely holding, according to the UN. Russia has carried out air strikes on anti-government rebels since 2015. Moscow's involvement is credited with turning the war in favour of its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Russian intervention - five key points How bombing campaign paid off for Putin Russia used Syria as live-fire training - US general "In accordance with the decision of the supreme commander of the Russian armed forces Vladimir Putin, the Russian defence ministry is beginning the reduction of the armed deployment to Syria," Gen Valery Gerasimov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. Tasks set for the carrier group, led by the Admiral Kuznetsov vessel, had been completed, the commander of the Russian force in Syria Col-Gen Andrei Kartapolov was quoted as saying. Col-Gen Kartapolov said Russia still had sufficient air defence capabilities in its S-300 and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems deployed in Syria, AFP news agency reported. The force reduction follows an order from President Putin on 29 December, days after Syrian government troops finally ousted rebels from the key battleground city of Aleppo in their biggest victory since the uprising against President Assad began in 2011. Russia, along with Turkey and Iran, is now pushing for peace talks to be held later this month in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana. Russia first launched air strikes in Syria in September 2015, saying they were targeting the fighters of so-called Islamic State. Last March, Russia announced it was withdrawing forces but continued air strikes. This is not Russia's first "withdrawal" from Syria. In March 2016 President Putin announced the start of a pull-out. Some warplanes were flown out. But Russia's military role continued and its air power remained decisive. Russia has aircraft, air defences and artillery deployed in Syria, along with many advisers working with Syrian government forces. But we have never been able to ascertain the exact scale of the Russian forces involved. The initial phase of the Russian "draw-down" involves the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and its naval group, which has hardly played a major role in the fighting. Russia's stated intention is to build up its bases in Syria for the long-term, but Mr Putin may be signalling that in Moscow's view, with the fall of Aleppo and the entrenchment of the Assad regime, one important phase of the fighting is over.

Summary: Russia is starting to withdraw forces from Syria and its aircraft carrier group will be the first to leave, the Russian armed forces chief says.


The region's number of under 15s taking alcohol remains above the national average, according to the Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership. Its campaign Meet the MacPhersons draws on evidence gathered from 200 young people and 20 parents. They were asked for their experiences of the dilemmas faced by children, teenagers and parents in relation to alcohol. Almost three quarters of young people in the Highlands have drunk alcohol by the time they turn 15, according to the partnership, whose members include NHS Highland. The partnership said there has been a 10% reduction in underage drinking in the region since 2010, but it remained above the national average. Deborah Stewart, co-ordinator for Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, said families have an important part to play in tackling underage drinking. She said: "Underage drinking remains a concern as it contributes to a range of negative health and social outcomes. "There is also evidence that shows early alcohol use is associated with increased risk of dependency in adulthood and chronic diseases associated with excessive drinking in adults. "By reducing underage drinking we can reduce the risk of alcohol problems developing in adulthood and families can play a part in that by modelling sensible drinking, communicating risks associated with drinking and participating in positive activities. That's why we would like families to Meet the MacPhersons." Last month, NHS Highland's director of public health said children as young as three can recognise the smell associated with alcohol. Dr Hugo van Woerden said he recognised that responsible drinking was "a normal part of a healthy society". But he has raised concerns about levels of alcohol abuse and children's exposure to it. He said in the health board's area 9.4% of men and 7.2% of women were classed as problem drinkers. His report mentions "children as young as three can recognise the smell associated with alcoholic drinks". Dr van Woerden also said there had been a rise in alcohol intake by women aged 16-24.

Summary: A new campaign seeks to tackle underage drinking in the Highlands.


The energy firm reported a 24% drop in pre-tax profits for 2016 to £172m - much of that explained by the weak oil drilling and refining markets in the United States. It reduced the valuation of its US assets by £30m, though it said there were signs of that market recovering. Revenue fell in 2016 by 3% to £1.5bn. Aggreko said trading conditions were particularly difficult in South America, with a renegotiation of a contract to supply power in Argentina. European trading was stronger. The figures lacked the boost Aggreko gets regularly from supplying power to the Olympics and Winter Olympics. Comparisons with 2015 looked poorer because that year included temporary powering for the European Games. The company pulled out of bidding for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games, complaining that the bidding process was running too late and was disorganised. Aggreko, which is headquartered in Glasgow with a generator assembly plant in Dumbarton, intends to cut annual costs by £25m, starting in the second half of this year. Commenting on current trading and outlook, chief executive Chris Weston said he expected the cost cutting to help the firm achieve growth in 2017: "However, this will be more than offset by the significant impact of Argentina, and as a result we expect full year profit before tax and pre-exceptional items to be lower than last year." As a response to the results announcement, Aggreko's share price dropped by 11%. Mr Weston added: "Whilst the trading environment over the last 12 months has been challenging I am pleased with the progress that we are making across the group, implementing our transformation programme to return the business to growth. "We are investing in the right technologies to reduce costs to our customers, improving our customer focus and delivering efficiencies."

Summary: Scotland-based temporary power company Aggreko has suffered a slump in its share valuation after warning of a dip in profit this year.


But how does today's technology compare with that from 30 years ago? We sent Ricky to the Centre for Computing History to try out some old school tech with some local kids. Take a look at how they got on. Released in 1981 the top end model of the BBC Micro had 128KB of memory, to put that into perspective you would need almost 8,000 Micro Computers, to equal the same memory as an average smartphone today! The memory was so small you couldn't even fit one photo taken from today's smartphones on there. The BBC Micro Computer was hugely popular, and was in around 80% of school classrooms in the UK at the time. However, they stopped making the it in 1994, when it couldn't compete with the more advanced models. Check out what these kids thought of it... The Apple Newton was one of the first touch screen tablet devices made by Apple, and was released in 1993. The only way you could make the touch feature work, was by using a pen called a stylus. One of its main features was it's ability to recognise handwriting, however many people said it was a bit rubbish and it got it wrong - a lot! The Newton was stopped five years later because it was very expensive, and not very popular.

Summary: Tablets, computers and phones have advanced super quickly in the last few years, and are a huge part of our daily lives.


All the goals came during the second half at a packed Monrovia stadium with state president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf among those who saw Mitis Mulbah score twice and Benjamin Sarkoh once. It was a memorable win for the Liberians against Kabylie who are among the 10 most successful clubs in African competitions. Mulbah broke the deadlock in a goalmouth scramble on 58 minutes and completed the rout after Sarkoh punished a blunder from Algeria goalkeeper Malek Asselah. The unexpectedly heavy loss for Kabylie was another blow to Algerian football, after the Desert Foxes were eliminated from the recent Africa Cup of Nations at the group phase. Kabylie's loss was followed by defeat for another Algerian side, Mouloudia Alger, who are also former African champions. They were beaten 2-1 away to debutants Bechem United of Ghana, but will at least have an away goal to take into their return leg next weekend. Elsewhere, Rayon Sports of Rwanda are virtually assured of a last-32 place in Africa's second-tier club competition after beating newcomers Al Salam Wau of South Sudan 4-0 in Juba. Savio Nshuti triggered a second-half goal rush by netting after 54 minutes and Pierrot Kwizera, Nova Bayama and Moussa Camara scored in the final quarter as Salam collapsed. Bosnian Enes Sipovic notched the second-half winner as Ittihad Tanger of Morocco, experiencing continental football for the first time, came from behind to defeat Douanes of Niger 2-1 in Niamey. There was more success for Morocco as second division outfit MAS Fes used home advantage to build a 3-0 lead over former African champions CARA of Congo Brazzaville. An embarrassing blunder by the Congolese goalkeeper, who allowed a harmless low cross to slip from his grasp, gifted Ivorian Koffi Boua the first goal for 2011 Confederation Cup winners Fes. Al Hilal Benghazi of Libya overcame the handicap of not being able to play at home by beating fellow Confederation Cup debutants Ulinzi Stars of Kenya 1-0 in Cairo. Ahmed Al Abbar scored the winner just after half-time for Hilal, who were forced to move the fixture to Egypt on security grounds. Volcan of the Comoros exceeded expectations by drawing 0-0 with Vipers of Uganda in Kampala, raising the prospect of a first overall African success by a club from the multi-island Indian Ocean nation. Record three-time title-holders CS Sfaxien of Tunisia are among 12 clubs who received byes into the round of 32. Like the Champions League, the Confederation Cup will have a new look this season and increased prize money. The number of qualifying rounds before play-offs against Champions League last-32 losers has been cut to two and the group phase expanded from eight clubs to 16. Prize money has been given a 170% boost, including $1.25m (£1.16m) for the winners and $275,000 (£220,000) for the lowest-placed group finishers.

Summary: Monrovia Breweries of Liberia made a dream African Confederation Cup debut by trouncing twice former African champions JS Kabylie of Algeria 3-0 in the first leg of their preliminary tie.


A fire crew had been called to an out-of-control bonfire with gas canisters in it, at a park opposite Southview on Thursday night. Seconds later, two youths were hurt when the fire flared up in their faces. The crew from Larbert gave first aid until paramedics arrived. One youth was taken to hospital for treatment. Watch Manager Graham Cuthil said: "It's hard when your crew are being threatened and abused for trying to do their job and keep people safe. "This bonfire was clearly unsafe which was sadly proven as the two young lads received burns to their faces before we could get to work and extinguish it." Overall, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it was a successful Bonfire Night with officers attending 144 fires across the east of the country. Gordon Pryde, group manager for the Stirling and Clackmannanshire area. said: "On the whole Bonfire Night 2015 passed without significant incident. "On 5 November we received 10 calls to bonfires in the Stirling and Clackmannanshire area. "Over the weeks and months leading up to Bonfire Night we work hard with our partners and communities and we are beginning to see the positive impact of that work. We would like to thank the public for their fantastic support." Officers in Fife and Edinburgh said they were also pleased with the relatively low level of incidents, and said it showed that education and other preventative work was paying off.

Summary: Firefighters were threatened by youths, moments before a dangerous bonfire left two young people injured in Stenhousemuir.


Since making his first-class debut in 2014, the 21-year-old has claimed 43 wickets in 15 matches. Taylor produced career-best figures of 6-61 in Derbyshire's Championship loss to Lancashire last April. "Tom is an exciting talent who has already shown the ability to win games for Derbyshire," elite performance director Graeme Welch said. "He now has a big summer ahead and we hope he can continue to contribute to winning games for the club."

Summary: Derbyshire fast bowler Tom Taylor has signed a one-year contract extension with the Division Two side.


The claim comes after extra fundraising powers for councils were outlined in last week's government Spending Review. But the LGA said councils would still face a combined shortfall of £6.8bn by the end of the Parliament. The government said council tax was expected to be lower in real terms in 2020 than a decade earlier. In the Spending Review, Chancellor George Osborne said local authorities responsible for adult social care would be allowed to increase council tax by 2% above existing limits. By adding in the maximum new levies allowable without a referendum, the LGA estimated that Band D bills could cost an average of just under £200 more over the next five years. It said this would not be enough, particularly as budgets continued to face new pressures such as those caused by an aging population. Any shortfall might have to be made up by further increases to costs such as car parking charges, it added. One senior councillor said councils were now also facing "a reckless gamble" of having to use cash reserves to fund services. A Department for Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "In reality councils will have almost £200bn to spend on local services over the lifetime of this Parliament, a cash terms increase and a reduction of just 1.7% in real terms each year. "The Spending Review offers a £3.5bn package for adult social care to ensure councils can support their older and most vulnerable residents, while at the same time council tax is expected to be less in 2019-20 in real terms than it was in 2010-11. "With councils accounting for a quarter of all public spending it's right they continue to play their part in paying off the deficit."

Summary: Council tax bills in England could cost an average of £200 more for band D properties by 2020, the Local Government Association has warned.


The number of pedestrians and cyclists hurt in accidents fell by more than a third between 2012 and 2016 - but the rate was lower in 20mph zones, the city council said. The council said it will now evaluate the effectiveness of existing zones. It also agreed to spend the Â£687,000 road safety pot on alternative schemes. Since 2014, a 20mph limit has been introduced on more than 1,000 roads and around 138 schools in the city. This has cost the council about Â£640,000, according to a BBC Freedom of Information request. It led to an average speed reduction of 0.7mph in these areas but the "amount of accidents experienced in 20mph zones has not fallen as quickly as initially hoped", the council said. For example, casualties of cyclists on the city's roads fell by more than 40% between 2012 and 2016 but the drop in 20mph zones was notably lower - 16% in Gorton and 12% in Miles Platting, Newton Heath, Moss Side and Fallowfield. Last year, one person in Greater Manchester was convicted for exceeding the speed limit in a 20mph zone, police said. While the review is undertaken, money for road safety will be spent on other traffic calming measures and pedestrian crossings. Councillor Rosa Battle said: "It's important that we fully understand how effective these zones have been in terms of reducing accidents so far." Rod King, director of 20's Plenty for Us, welcomed the report but said it was "incorrect to use early, small number datasets which are not statistically valid and compare them to whole city totals".

Summary: A plan to expand 20mph zones across Manchester is to be reviewed after their impact on reducing the number of accidents was called into question.


On Saturday, James Brokenshire became the first secretary of state to attend a gaelic football match in Northern Ireland. It is understood he was in the stadium's control room when the anthem was played. The Northern Ireland Office said he attended "in the spirit of friendship". However, A County Armagh Labour MP said Mr Brokenshire had "snubbed" the anthem. "I think that's quite a regressive step," Conor McGinn told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme. "I'm confused and bemused by it and I've asked him to clarify why he did it." Mr McGinn said he understood Mr Brokenshire arranged it so "he wouldn't be present to take his seat" when the anthem was played before the McKenna Cup final. "Four years ago Her Majesty The Queen visited Dublin and Croke Park, we've since had a reciprocal visit from the Irish president where both anthems were played with mutual respect, were attended by the taoiseach (Irish prime minister), the prime minister, other ministers. "So what I want to find out is: Is this a change of protocol and why Mr Brokenshire didn't observe the normal courtesies and protocols around the playing of the national anthem?" In 2012, then first minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson attended the McKenna Cup final, his first GAA match. Mr Robinson also took his seat just before the game began after the anthem was played. In 2011, then sports minister Carál Ní Chuilín became the first senior Sinn Féin member to attend a Northern Ireland international football match. She also did not take her seat until after God Save the Queen was played. Mr McGinn said he was "not naive" about the feelings of unionist or nationalist politicians, but that Mr Brokenshire is a "UK government minister". "James Brokenshire should be there as the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, a co-guarantor of the (Good Friday) agreement and someone who is above the fray, in a sense. "He should observe proper respect and protocols for the Irish national anthem, in the way that I would expect the Irish foreign minister to observe the protocols of the UK national anthem." A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said Mr Brokenshire was "delighted" to attend the match and he "did so in the spirit of friendship". "Saturday night was about sport, not politics," the spokesperson added. Speaking about the match on Saturday, Mr Brokenshire said he had received an "absolutely incredible" welcome.

Summary: The Secretary of State has been criticised after it emerged he took his seat at a GAA game after the playing of the Irish national anthem.


It is a direct quote from the man himself and reads: "I leave an institution that has the potential to reach broad audiences across the UK and abroad, through its own programmes, partnerships and online." It's that word "potential" that sticks out. What does he mean "potential"? He's talking about an institution that has developed - on his watch - from a well respected but modestly visited gallery in Pimlico to an international art megabrand boasting the most visited museum of modern art in the world (Tate Modern), two hugely popular regional galleries, a country-wide network of partnerships and a lending programme that sees Tate's collection of British art presented in major museums from Beijing to Boston. By most people's reckoning, Nicholas Serota has already delivered on Tate's "potential". But clearly, he doesn't see it that way, which is the measure of the man and an insight into why he has made such a success of his time at Tate. He doesn't do complacency. His comment about "potential" reflects three aspects to his character: a predisposition not to blow his own trumpet, a relentless drive, and a challenging nature. He doesn't want the next incumbent to think he or she has an easy ride: there is work to be done. He might be leaving, but he's setting the agenda before he goes. And who might that person be to come in and realise Tate's "potential"? The front-runner I reckon is Maria Balshaw, who has done a splendid job as the boss of the Whitworth in Manchester, a role she's coupled with being leader of the city's cultural programme. Then there's Iwona Blazwick, the long-serving director of the Whitechapel Gallery in east London, who helped shape Tate Modern's curatorial philosophy when she was working for the gallery in the late '90s. She has long been tipped as Serota's successor, and the path from Whitechapel to Tate is the one he took. Of the internal candidates, the most obvious is Frances Morris, but she has only just taken on the job as director of Tate Modern. The recently departed Jessica Morgan could also be a contender, but again, she has barely settled into her role as the boss at the DIA Art Foundation. The search team is bound to look further afield. Klaus Biesenbach from MoMA PS1 might get a call, as could super-curator Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, and quite possibly Michael Govan of the LA County Museum. Finally, Tim Marlow from the Royal Academy and Matthew Slotover, the co-founder of Frieze, are both notable figures who could bring something new to the party.

Summary: There is one sentence in the press release announcing Nicholas Serota's departure from Tate that stands out.


In London, Labour's Sadiq Khan defeated Conservative Zac Goldsmith to become mayor. Khan came out on top in three constituencies that had voted for former mayor of London Boris Johnson in 2012. After second preferences were counted and transferred, Khan received a total of 1,310,143 votes (56.8%) and Goldsmith 994,614 (43.2%). The Labour candidate gained 44.2% of first preference votes, with Goldsmith securing 35%. Green Party candidate Sian Berry came in third with 5.8%. Full details of London's results are available here. The mayor has control over four major policy areas in London - transport, policing, environment, and housing and planning - and the London Assembly scrutinises the mayor's policies. In the London Assembly election, Labour secured 12 seats while the Conservatives ended up with eight. The Green Party had the third most votes and have two seats in the Assembly, as do UKIP. The Lib Dems claimed the remaining seat. The SNP will retain its grip on government, after having claimed 59 of the 73 constituency seats up for grabs - up six on their 2011 result. Overall, the SNP will occupy 63 of the 129 seats at Holyrood, with the Conservatives becoming the second-largest party on 31. Labour took 24, the Greens six (all from the regional lists), and the Lib Dems five. Some of the SNP's gains came at Labour's expense in Glasgow, which now represents a clean sweep for the governing party. It also took Edinburgh Northern and Leith from Labour. But it faltered elsewhere in the capital, losing Edinburgh Central to the Conservatives and Edinburgh Western to the Lib Dems. The Scottish Labour Party recaptured Edinburgh Southern from the SNP. Your browser does not support this interactive content As the interactive vote-share map above demonstrates, the Labour party's share of the constituency vote in Scotland was concentrated in areas where it largely failed to get over the finish line ahead of the SNP. The SNP, on the other hand, dominated the count nearly everywhere in the country, winning more than 30% of the vote in all but three constituencies. The Scottish Conservatives increased their share of the vote by more than eight percentage points, once again doing best along the border with England, but their strong performance in Aberdeenshire and Perthshire was enough to win them one constituency seat there too. With regional results factored in, the party gained 16 seats on the previous election in 2011 and will now be the second-largest party in the Scottish parliament. That the Lib Dems doubled their constituency seat count, from two to four, masks a dismal night for the party, which lost its deposit in 48 constituencies. For the first time since the parliament's creation in 1999, the Lib Dems are fifth in the political pecking order. With six MSPs - one less than it had in 2003 but four more than the 2011 election - the Scottish Greens now stand as the fourth largest party in the Holyrood chamber. It won all of its seats through the regional list system and not through the constituency vote. Labour is

Summary: What impact have the elections had on the political maps of London, Scotland, Wales and England?


Three games were held at Newcastle United's St James' Park and a dedicated Fanzone was created at Science Central. NewcastleGateshead Initiative said hosting the event had brought a windfall to the city and hotel occupancy reached 99% on match days. Chief executive Sarah Stewart said the "memorable event" had been a "huge success" for the region. Ms Stewart said: "I think it's fair to say Rugby World Cup 2015 in Newcastle has been a huge success. From the games themselves to the atmosphere inside the Fanzone, we've had a remarkable two weekends. "We've welcomed thousands of international visitors who have all contributed to the estimated £43m of economic impact hosting the tournament has brought to Newcastle. "I have no doubt we'll be feeling the positive effects Rugby World Cup 2015 for many years to come." The third and final game at the stadium was held on Saturday with Scotland beating Samoa 36-33. Northumbria Police said there had been "exceptional behaviour" from all those who attended, with very few low-level arrests throughout the event. Ch Supt Steve Neill said: "I can't thank the fans, visitors and local people enough for their excellent behaviour and patience. "I am exceptionally proud to have been a part of it myself. "This is not something that happens on our doorstep every day but everyone in the region has welcomed this opportunity and reaffirmed that the North East is one of the friendliest, most vibrant and safest places to be."

Summary: The Rugby World Cup has generated about £43m for Newcastle's economy, tourism bosses say.