The company also said it had seen "no evidence" of any impact of the vote in markets outside the UK. Its comments came as it reported an 11% rise in pre-tax profits to Â£173m for the year to 30 June. Its profits were driven by strong trading in Asia and the rest of Europe. In the UK, Hays said net fees were flat, with trading "more challenging" towards the end of its financial year, which coincided with the run-up to the EU referendum. Conditions were particularly challenging in local government and healthcare markets in the UK. Hays also said conditions were tough in banking in the City of London, and there were weakening trends in the construction and property business towards the end of the financial year. Hays chief executive Alistair Cox said: "Following the EU referendum, there is increased uncertainty in the UK market, but we have seen no evidence of any impact elsewhere. "It is too early to tell what the longer term impact may be and as ever, we will monitor activity levels closely." Kean Marden, an analyst at Jefferies, said: "In construction and property, London and larger corporates have been most impacted. To date, Hays has seen no evidence of contagion into Europe." "We are mindful that July and August are seasonally quiet months for the industry and September (which can be one of the largest revenue contributors of the year) will provide more meaningful insight." The UK comprises about a third of Hays' business. It employs about 9,200 people across 33 countries. In the Asia Pacific region net fees grew by 4%, with Australia up 5%, boosted by strong public sector growth. In continental Europe and the rest of the world, net fees increased by 15%.

Summary: Recruitment giant Hays has said the UK job market weakened "significantly" around the time of the EU referendum, but it is too early to judge the long-term impact of the vote.


Beach Buddies, established in 2006, co-ordinates weekly operations around the Isle of Man's coast. A spokesman said the cash will mean the organisation can "expand on its work" which includes launching an educational programme in the coming year. The government awarded the grant and said its work had "encouraged more people to use the outdoors". The island's environment department said Beach Buddies, which has about 7,000 volunteers, had complemented several government strategies which also included growing visitor numbers. Beach Buddies organiser Bill Dale said: "We now believe they [the beaches] are the tidiest in Europe." New initiatives also include more bins at various beauty spots around the island. It also aims to establish an online litter hotline where the public can report problems.

Summary: A beach clean-up charity has been given a £30,000 grant to help keep Manx beaches the "tidiest in Europe".


A partial eclipse was visible in Australia, parts of South East Asia and the Pacific.

Summary: People across Indonesia and the Pacific have witnessed a total solar eclipse, with some parts of Indonesia in total darkness for up to three minutes.


Bailly is due to have a medical this week and terms are thought to have been agreed with the 22-year-old, who will cost the Red Devils about £30m. He has played 40 times in La Liga, the first five of which were for Espanyol. Bailly joined Villarreal for £4.4m in January 2015 and played in every game as Ivory Coast won the Africa Cup of Nations just weeks later. It had been thought Zlatan Ibrahimovic would be Mourinho's first signing since the Portuguese succeeded Louis van Gaal as United manager. The Sweden striker, 34, is a free agent after leaving Paris St-Germain and hinted at the weekend he would make an announcement about his future on Tuesday. But he has refused to elaborate, saying: "There is no confirmation. Keep wondering. I am enjoying the stories." Bailly's reputation has soared this season, which saw him play a key role as Villarreal sealed Champions League qualification, and it's no surprise to see him make a big-money move this summer. His prime asset is his extremely impressive physical presence, with his powerful aerial ability complimenting his pace and strength in the tackle. The brave and determined 22-year-old has less than 50 league games under his belt, though, so United fans should perhaps not expect him to immediately become an automatic starter. He can sometimes concede possession in dangerous areas by making bad decisions, and he doesn't always show composure under pressure, but Bailly possesses all the physical tools and the rest should come with more experience. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Summary: Villarreal central defender Eric Bailly is set to be Jose Mourinho's first signing as Manchester United manager.


No-one was in the vehicle when it careered rear-end first into the side of the building in Dromore Road Retail Park in Omagh at about 17:00 BST on Thursday. Simon Burke said his wife and son, who were in the shop at the time, had were "very lucky" to escape injury.

Summary: A car has smashed through a wall of a shop in County Tyrone after rolling down a hill.


"Many injured - some head injuries, burns, cuts and bruises," tweeted BBC science reporter Rebecca Morelle. Lava flow mixed with steam had caused a huge explosion, which pelted the group with boiling rocks and steam, she said. About eight people had been injured, with some evacuated from the mountain by rescue teams, she added. "Bbc team all ok - some cuts/ bruises and burns. Very shaken though - it was extremely scary," she relayed in one of a series of tweets as she ran down the mountain. The BBC reporter said a volcanologist at the scene told her it was the most dangerous incident he had experienced in his 30-year-career. She said a guide had suffered a dislocated shoulder, while a 78-year-old woman had been very close to the blast, but managed to get away safely. Members of the group ran away from the blast, trying to reach the safety of a snow mobile, she added. Lava ran into snow - Jonathan Amos, BBC science correspondent Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. That makes it a big draw not only for the scientists who want to understand better how these mountains work, but also for tourists who want to be amazed by a spectacular show of fire. But you do not just wander up the mountain. If you're a reporter, you go with an experienced science team; if you're a tourist, you go with guides who are familiar with the sights and sounds that spell danger. But even so, a volcano can often do something that catches everyone by surprise. In this case a flow of lava ran into snow, producing superheated steam that sent fragments of rock flying in all directions. Everyone counts themselves lucky to have escaped with just cuts and bruises. Rebecca Morelle's team was on site filming for a report about advances in volcano monitoring. What happened illustrates just how much we still need to learn about these mountains. Everyone had been taken from the mountain by a team of rescue workers who were "brilliant", Ms Morelle said. The Catania operation centre of Italy's volcanology institute confirmed that three of its volcanologists had been on the mountain when the explosion took place, and said some had suffered injuries, but gave no detail. Mount Etna, which is Europe's tallest active volcano, spewed lava up into the sky in the early hours of Thursday morning, for the third time in three weeks.

Summary: A BBC team and a number of tourists have suffered minor injuries after being caught up in an incident on the erupting volcano Mount Etna in Sicily.


The company's boss has outlined new plans for the social network. One will let you see what you missed while you were offline, say sleeping. "We can use information like who you follow and what you engage with to surface highlights of what you missed and show those to you as soon as you log back in or come back to the app," Twitter explained in a blog post. Another new function could filter tweets, making the app more like Facebook by sifting through the content posted by your friends to find the pictures and jokes it thinks you will be most interested in. This may be unpopular with the users who enjoy the chronological nature of the social network. The change you'll see soonest affects direct messaging. It's not yet clear what the changes will be, but according to Twitter it has "several updates coming that will make it easy to take a public conversation private". The first of these will begin rolling out next week: the ability to share and discuss Tweets natively and privately via Direct Messages. Twitter says it will allow you to upload your own videos directly to the timeline by the beginning of 2015. It also hopes to make it easier for people who are just joining the site by providing them with a ready-made list of people to follow. Twitter described it as "an instant, personalized timeline for new users who don't want to spend time cultivating one on their own". The company admitted that about 125 million people go to Twitter's homepage each month and decide not to sign up, Twitter's new features were mentioned by boss, Dick Costolo, at an investor day. The changes are important to Twitter's financial future, given the competition it faces from other social media companies, and the stock price rose after Mr Costolo spoke. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: It looks like Twitter's changing and maybe, just maybe, it'll ease your #FOMO (fear of missing out).


John Biggadike died when he fell while in the hoist and was impaled on a metal post at Boston Pilgrim Hospital. At Lincoln Crown Court, the prosecution alleged hospital staff were not adequately trained and had wrongly removed a knee support pad. United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust denies breaching health and safety regulations. Mr Biggadike was receiving physiotherapy at the hospital ahead of being discharged in April 2012 when the incident happened. More stories from around Lincolnshire The defence suggest Mr Biggadike's death was not caused by failings in training, but by a failure to act after a previous "serious incident" with a hoist at a hospital in Leicester in 2007. Jurors heard evidence from Sarah Vincent, representing the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Mrs Vincent admitted the Leicester incident was "serious" but conceded the subsequent MHRA investigation was limited to questioning the hoist manufacturer's own investigation and making sure the hospital trust had instructions for using the hoist. United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust denies breach of health and safety regulations by exposing non-employees to risk by failing to train, supervise and monitor its employees in relation to the safe use of the lifting hoist on dates between July 2001 and April 2012. The trial continues.

Summary: Instructions for a hoist involved in the death of a hospital patient were not comprehensive, a court has heard.


Sergeant Randy Johnson, 34, was killed in an explosion near Baghdad in 2007, Woolwich Crown Court heard. The fingerprints of Anis Abid Sardar, from Wembley, London, were allegedly found on two other bombs at the scene, but not that which killed Sgt Johnson. Mr Sardar, 38, denies murder, conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion. Prosecutor Max Hill QC told the court: "This is an unusual trial in that almost all of the evidence you will see and hear comes from Iraq. "The Crown's case is that the defendant Mr Sardar was directly involved in making bombs for use in Iraq during 2007. "As you will hear, he seems to have been based in Syria, probably in the capital city Damascus at relevant times." He explained that although the offences took place in Iraq, Mr Sardar is on trial in London as a British citizen. Mr Hill said the bombs "were not off-the-shelf bombs, they were made with deadly intent". They were later taken to an FBI laboratory in the US for examination by experts. Sgt Johnson, of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, was killed when the armoured vehicle he was travelling in hit a roadside improvised explosive device (IED). Other US soldiers were seriously injured by the blast and also in a fire-fight while dealing with another IED, the court heard. Fingerprints found on the bomb that killed Sgt Johnson belonged to another man, Sajjad Adnan, who worked with Mr Sardar, the prosecution said. Mr Adnan, who is not British, was handed over to the Iraqi authorities after the bombings and his current whereabouts are unknown, Mr Hill said. Jurors heard Mr Sardar was part of a group that left a number of IEDs buried under the roads west of Baghdad. The bomb that killed Sgt Johnson was part of a sequence, Mr Hill told the court, "involving bombs concealed geographically quite close together". Mr Hill said the bomb series was part of a "joint effort by the defendant Mr Sardar, together with Adnan and others". "That is why it is unnecessary for Mr Sardar to have left his own finger mark on the bomb which killed Sgt Johnson," he said. The prosecution made clear that this was an "unusual trial in that almost all of the evidence... comes from Iraq." Nevertheless it is, according to them, lawful to try Anis Sardar here because he is a British citizen who lives and works in London. It is the first time we have seen a prosecution in this country for charges of making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during the insurgency in Iraq. This has been a case a long time in gestation, since Mr Sardar was arrested seven years after the bombs were recovered from a dusty road west of Baghdad. The jury was told they were forensically analysed by the US authorities in Iraq and America before being examined by British scientists. Though Mr Sardar claimed to have travelled to Syria in 2007 to learn Arabic, the court heard that police found documents in his London home which suggested he

Summary: A British man worked on bombs planted in Iraq that claimed the life of a US soldier, a court has heard.


The order was issued by Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery after he witnessed the surrender of Nazi forces in northern Europe on 4 May. The mimeographed document is one of the earliest written records of the German surrender. The words in purple ink on it read: "All offensive ops will cease fire from receipt this signal." It adds: "Orders will be given to all troops to cease fire 0800 hrs tomorrow Saturday 5 May." Richard Davie, of auctioneers Nottingham's International Autograph Auctions, said the note was an "historically important document". German forces in Italy had already surrendered on 2 May, but those in north-west Germany, Denmark and Holland surrendered to Field Marshal Montgomery, who was commanding all the British and Canadian armies in Europe, inside a tent at his headquarters, at Luneburg Heath on 4 May 1945. The final document of unconditional surrender was signed at US General Dwight Eisenhower's headquarters in Reims on 7 May. An official statement declaring the war in Europe over was made the following day.

Summary: A rare document ordering Allied forces to cease fire following the surrender of Nazi Germany has sold for £1,000.


The 26-year-old midfielder signed a one-month deal at Fratton Park on Monday and made his debut against Coventry in the EFL Cup 24 hours later. "I haven't come here just to sit on the bench," the Congo international told BBC Radio Solent. "I'm hungry and Portsmouth are a top club." Linganzi and goalkeeper Liam O'Brien, 24, have both signed short-term deals. O'Brien returns for a second spell at Portsmouth, having left in 2010. The former England Under-19 international has previously played for Barnet, Brentford and Dagenham.

Summary: New Portsmouth recruit Amine Linganzi is determined to secure a long-term contract with the club.


Analysts say North Korea has several nuclear warheads but this development would be an advance as submarine-fired devices are difficult to detect. This latest test has not been independently verified. The US said using ballistic missiles was a "clear violation" of UN sanctions against North Korea. A statement from the State Department made no comment on the reported test but called on North Korea "to refrain from actions that further raise tensions in the region". State media described the missile emerging with "a fiery, blazing trail", but did not mention the date or the location of the test. The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, was pictured apparently overseeing the launch. Mr Kim said his country now possessed a "world-level strategic weapon capable of striking and wiping out in any waters the hostile forces infringing upon [North Korea's] sovereignty and dignity", the reports said. After the announcement, South Korea said the North fired three anti-ship cruise missiles into the sea off its east coast. Pyongyang had warned it would fire without warning against vessels it claims have violated its waters. South Korea is yet to comment on the missile test, but the country's National Security Council has met in emergency session. Claims about North Korea's military capabilities always have to be treated sceptically. The latest pictures in the state-run media may or may not be photo-shopped, perhaps to insert Kim Jong-un very prominently into the picture of a missile launch. However, analysts at the respected US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University in the US reported recently that satellite pictures indicated that "the conning tower of a new North Korean submarine first seen in July 2014 houses one to two possible vertical launch tubes for either ballistic or cruise missiles". The academics also said that satellite imagery indicated "that North Korea has been upgrading facilities at the Sinpo South Shipyard in preparation for a significant naval construction program, possibly related to submarine development". Missiles launched from submarines dramatically change the calculation that any potential target must make because the warning time is so much shorter than with land-based missiles with which preparations on the ground might also be detected. The best estimate of North Korea's nuclear arsenal is that it could make up to 20 weapons but that its ability to make them small enough for a missile is unclear. It is clear, however, that the ambition is there - not least because the North Korean foreign ministry said so: Its nuclear forces were a "powerful, treasured sword" to "protect the sovereignty of the country". It may be moving faster than previously thought.

Summary: North Korea says it has successfully tested a submarine-launched missile, which if confirmed would be a significant boost in its arsenal.


The military says all but eight of the 129 girls have escaped, but parents of the girls say many are still missing. It is thought Islamist militant group Boko Haram took the girls to forested areas near the Cameroonian border. The group is waging a bloody campaign for an Islamic state in northern Nigeria. Nigerian students living in fear What is Nigeria's Boko Haram? Also on Wednesday, 18 people were killed in an attack in the Gwoza district of north-eastern Nigeria, local officials told the AP news agency. The BBC's correspondent in Lagos, Will Ross, says the Nigerian military's statement that most of the girls had escaped their captors contrasts sharply with other information available to the BBC, including the claims of parents of pupils at the school. They insist "many" of their children are still missing. The raid on the boarding school is a great source of embarrassment for the Nigerian authorities who say their military campaign against the militants is succeeding, he adds. Hours before the military issued its statement, the governor of Borno state Kashim Shettima said the vast majority of the girls were still missing and offered a reward of 50m naira ($308,000; Â£184,000) for information. The air force, army, police, local defence units and volunteers have all been involved in the search for the schoolgirls. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the "shocking" mass abduction and called for the girls' immediate release. "The targeting of schools and schoolchildren is a grave violation of international humanitarian law," he said in a statement. "Schools are, and must remain, safe places where children can learn and grow in peace." The BBC's Hausa Service says Boko Haram has kidnapped civilians in the past - usually women to work as sex slaves. Gunmen reportedly arrived at the school in Chibok, a remote area of Borno state, late on Tuesday, and ordered its teenage residents on to lorries. A local politician said about 50 soldiers had been stationed near the school ahead of annual exams, but were apparently overpowered. Local residents reported hearing explosions followed by gunfire. "Many girls were abducted by the rampaging gunmen who stormed the school in a convoy of vehicles," local education official Emmanuel Sam told the AFP news agency. A girl who managed to escape and did not want to be named told the BBC that she and fellow students were sleeping when armed men burst into their hostel. The girl said she and her schoolmates were taken away in a convoy, which had to slow down after some of the vehicles developed a fault, at which point 10 to 15 girls escaped. "We ran into the bush and waited until daybreak before we went back home," she said. Nigerian media reported that two members of the security forces had been killed, and residents said 170 houses were burnt down during the attack. The militants know the terrain well and the military has had only limited success in previous efforts to dislodge them from their forest hide-outs. Militants from Boko Haram - which means "Western education is forbidden"

Summary: Mystery surrounds the fate of more than 100 teenage girls who were abducted from a school in the remote north-east of Nigeria.


9 May 2015 Last updated at 09:34 BST Gentoo penguins tend to live in ice-free areas near Antarctica, and make special circular nest made out of stones, moss and feathers. Their steam-lined bodies mean they can swim up to 22 miles and hour underwater, faster than any other diving bird. Senior penguin keeper at the zoo Dawn Nicoll said: "We are really happy that the first of the gentoo penguin eggs have hatched".

Summary: Egg-cellent news the first gentoo penguins chicks have arrived at Edinburgh zoo this year.


A 26-year-old man sustained facial injuries during the incident on a number 9A bus travelling on Paisley Road, Tradeston, towards Penilee. The disturbance happened at about 20:00 on 20 December. Police described the man they are looking for as white, in his 50s, of heavy build. He has blotchy skin and a shaved head. He was wearing a hooded black body-warmer with a blue zip-top underneath. Officers have asked anyone who recognises the man or has any further information to contact them.

Summary: Police have released CCTV images of a man they want to speak to following a racist assault on a Glasgow bus.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 28 April 2014 Last updated at 18:47 BST The site is believed to contain thousands of copies of a video game called ET The Extra-Terrestrial which is thought to be one of the worst video games ever made. We asked Gordon Sinclair from retro gaming event Play Blackpool to share his 'top 5' worst video games. 1. Cassette 50, Z50 Spectrum published by Cascade Games Ltd 2. Rise of the Robots, Amega published by Time Warner Interactive 3. Superman, Nintendo 64 published by Titus Software 4. Busby 3D, Playstation published by Accolade & Telstar 5. ET The Extra-Terrestrial, published by Atari Inc

Summary: A massive video game burial site has been discovered in New Mexico, USA.


Craig Rodger, 25, was hit by a Porsche as he crossed Wilbraham Road in Chorlton, Manchester, in March 2014. Mohammed Basit Chaudhry was accused of causing death by dangerous driving but died in Dubai the following year. Mohammed Omayr and Raheel Rehman, both from Chorlton, were sentenced to two and three years respectively at Manchester Crown Court. Police said Omayr had been contacted by Mr Chaudhry after the crash. The men drove in convoy to Brookburn Road, about half a mile away from the scene of the crash, where Rehman set fire to a Porsche Panamera. Mr Chaudhry was dropped off at his home by Omayr, police said, and, six days later, he left the country. The following month he died in a collision in Dubai. His identity and death were confirmed when his body was brought back to the UK. Omayr, 33, of Wilbraham Road, and Rehman, 28, of Lambton Road, both admitted conspiracy to pervert the course of justice at an earlier hearing. After sentencing, Mr Rodger's family said they had been given "legal closure" but "the grief and heartache for us will go on forever". They added: "To anyone who thinks they can drive recklessly and dangerously on our roads, this is the result, and to think you can then run and cover up your crime - you cannot and you will always look over your shoulder until you are brought to justice." Sgt Lee Westhead, of Greater Manchester Police, said Omayr and Rehman were "cowardly and insidious individuals". "The decisions they made that night are truly abhorrent," he said. "The unwavering patience and dignity demonstrated by Craig's family throughout this period is utterly amazing."

Summary: Two men who helped an alleged hit-and-run killer conceal evidence have been jailed.


The 71-year-old was crushed under the vehicle as she crossed Princes Street opposite the Waverley Steps and beside the Balmoral Hotel on Thursday. The crash happened at about 12:15 and the road was closed for two hours. Sgt Iain Blain, of Police Scotland, said: "This collision has left a woman with serious injuries and we are keen to hear from anyone who witnessed it."

Summary: A woman who was knocked down by a taxi in Edinburgh city centre is in hospital with multiple serious injuries.


Ms Khobragade was arrested in New York on suspicion of visa fraud and making false statements, after being accused of underpaying her Indian maid. She has denied all the charges and was later released on bail. India has demanded an apology from the US over her alleged "humiliation". Ms Khobragade was handcuffed and strip-searched last Thursday after a complaint from her maid, Sangeeta Richard. She has in turn accused Ms Richard of theft and attempting to blackmail her. US Secretary of State John Kerry has expressed his "regret" over the incident, but a government minister on Thursday said that was not enough and that the US must apologise and admit it had made a mistake. Delhi has ordered a series of reprisals against the US. Security barricades around the US embassy in the city were removed and a visiting US delegation was snubbed by senior Indian politicians and officials. State Department spokesperson Marie Harf answered in the negative when asked if Ms Khobragade would go "scot free" and the US courts would be asked to drop the charges against her. "We take these allegations very seriously. We're not in any way walking back from those allegations or the charges," she said adding that this was "really a law enforcement issue". Ms Harf said the US informed every country annually about "obligations they have for their staffs when they bring them to the US". "We make those obligations very clear and we take any allegations that they haven't done so very seriously," she added. On Friday morning, India again insisted that the US must apologise as the action taken against Ms Khobragade was "unacceptable". "The US is playing games with India. But America must understand that the world has changed, times have changed and India has changed," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath told reporters. On Wednesday, angry MPs from several Indian parties called on the government to take tough action against the US and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Ms Khobragade's treatment as "deplorable". Who, What, Why: Does consul have immunity? But US prosecutor Preet Bharara said in a statement that Ms Khobragade "was accorded courtesies well beyond what other defendants... are accorded". According to documents filed in a New York court, Ms Khobragade wrote on a visa application that the maid would be paid $4,500 (Â£2,746) a month. But investigators said she instead paid only $573 per month - less than the New York state minimum wage. If found guilty, Ms Khobragade faces a maximum sentence of 10 years for visa fraud and five years for making false statements.

Summary: The US will not drop charges against Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, the state department has said after her arrest last week led to a huge diplomatic row.


Ben, from Sheffield, was 21 months old when he disappeared on 24 July 1991. His mother Kerry has always maintained her son, who would now be 26, is alive and was probably abducted. South Yorkshire Police said officers travelled to Kos on Sunday and would hold a press conference on Tuesday at the site where Ben was last seen. Live updates on this story and others from South Yorkshire Ben vanished after travelling to the island with his mother and grandparents who were renovating a run-down farmhouse building in the village of Iraklis. Ms Needham said: "We believe someone on Kos does know something - and if they do please come forward. It doesn't matter how insignificant they think it is - if they have information let the police know." Det Insp Jon Cousins said: "The lives of Ben Needham's family were ripped apart when he disappeared more than 20 years ago and their determination to find him has not diminished. "They are more desperate than ever to find answers about what happened to him." He said officers would be "actively" distributing leaflets and posters and carrying out "house-to-house visits" in the Iraklis area. "It is likely that someone out there knows what happened to him and we will be appealing to people in Kos who have information to come forward and tell us what they know. "The force is working closely with the Greek authorities to ensure a number of lines of existing enquiry are explored." He also said there was a "£10,000 Crimestoppers reward available" for anyone who provided information leading to the discovery of Ben. Earlier this year, the force secured £450,000 from the Home Office to investigate the disappearance of toddler Ben Needham for another six months. A DNA test was carried out on a man in Cyprus in an attempt to establish if he could be the toddler, but proved negative in 2013. In 2012, a police operation focused on a mound of earth and rubble close to where Ben was last seen, but no trace of him was found.

Summary: A team of 10 police officers has returned to the Greek island of Kos to carry out "house-to-house visits" in the search for missing Ben Needham.


Reports in France suggest the Borussia Monchengladbach winger will stand by his decision at the 2015 Nations Cup to take a break from internationals. The 27-year-old made the announcement after a quarter-final loss to Ghana. "The time has come for me to reconsider my international career in order to focus on my club," he said. Guinea coach Luis Fernandez, who only took charge of the Syli Nationale in April, has named Traore in a 23-man squad for the 6 September fixture. But veteran defender Kamil Zayatte, who has been overlooked by Fernandez, has admitted that his playing days are truly over after the latest omission. "No, it's fine. All is well," Zayatte told French radio station RFI. "It is the choice of the coach and I respect him. It's time for me now to move on. Good luck Syli ". Trabzonspor's Kevin Constante and Spain-based Alhassane Bangoura are also in the squad. But there is no room for Bouna Sarr, who turned down the chance to play for Guinea at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and against Swaziland in June. Tiny Swaziland stunned Guinea 2-1 in a horror debut for former France World Cup star Fernandez as qualification for the Nations Cup in Gabon began in June. Diminutive attacker Tony Tsabedze scored both goals in the Group L clash, hosted in Morocco because Guinea are banned from staging international matches following the Ebola outbreak in the country.

Summary: Ibrahima Traore looks set to reject a call-up to the Guinea squad for September's 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Zimbabwe.


About 10 caravans arrived at the King George V playing fields car park in Topsham Road, Exeter on Friday. Nigel Parker, the Central Youth Football Club chairman, said he could not have children walking through their campsite to the changing rooms and had cancelled all games this weekend. He described the situation as "irritating". "They are parked next to the changing rooms. I couldn't take the risk," said Mr Parker. The site has a number of full-sized football pitches, a youth rugby pitch and a children's playground. Labour councillor Marcel Choules said: "It's disastrous that the football matches have had to be cancelled as a result. "People aren't against travellers, what people are against is the disruption caused." A spokesman for Exeter City Council, which owns the site, said they have attended for an initial inspection. The travellers are yet to comment.

Summary: Fourteen football matches have been cancelled after travellers set up camp next to playing fields.


The 33ft (10m) deep hole appeared in Fontmell Close, St Albans, a former clay pit site, on 1 October last year. Investigations into the cause mean utilities to some homes have not yet been restored and the road has not reopened. Hertfordshire County Council hopes the work will be completed by Christmas. More on this story and others from Hertfordshire Following the collapse in the early hours, families in more than 50 homes were left without power, water or sanitation before temporary solutions were provided for the majority. Residents still have to use a temporary road built across a nearby heath. A full microgravity survey and exploratory drilling established the hole was caused by old mine workings and a ground subsidence investigation report found that no evidence "indicated further significant mined voids". Councillor Terry Douris said: "It was essential that we established the cause of the collapse before we started repairs. "This has been an extremely stressful time for the residents and it would be wonderful if they can be safely back in their homes for Christmas." Ben Bagshawe was evacuated on the night along with his heavily pregnant wife, and their baby boy was born a week later. They have been renting a flat for the past year with the cost covered by his insurance. "It's been frustrating but not the end of the world," he said. Rosemary and Derek Broom, the residents closest to the hole who have been able to remain in their house, said they feel the road is now "the safest place to live in the country". "The roads, the fields, the children's play area, everything has been so well surveyed we don't feel at all worried," Mrs Broom said.

Summary: Four families who had to move out of their homes when a huge sinkhole opened up in their road are still waiting to return after a year.


The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Scotland said the party could generate between £1.1bn and £1.2bn by 2020/21. SNP income tax plans would raise £300m and the Scottish Conservatives zero. Scottish Lib Dem tax pledges could result in added revenue of £750m and the Scottish Greens of up to £950m. New finance powers - including setting the rates and bands of income tax on non-savings and non-dividend income - are heading to Scotland in April 2017. Each of the five Holyrood parties have been outlining their tax and spend plans ahead of the Scottish Parliament election on 5 May. The SNP has pledged to freeze tax rates, and will not implement UK government changes to the threshold at which people start paying the 40% tax rate. It has also promised to raise the personal allowance to £12,750 by 2020/21 by setting a zero rate - a move which the IPPR says will cost £130m a year. £1.2bn Labour £300m SNP £750m Lib Dems £0 Conservatives £950m Greens Scottish Labour and the Liberal Democrats want to increase income tax by 1p, while Labour would also raise the additional rate for top earners to 50p. The Tories have pledged to match UK government tax plans and therefore will raise no additional revenue, the IPPR said. The Greens have announced plans to create new tax bands and increase the additional rate to 60%. In March, the think-tank calculated the next Scottish government would face a £2bn annual spending gap by 2020. Its latest research compares tax proposals already announced by the parties to what would be raised if they followed UK tax plans, assuming the UK government raises the higher rate threshold to £50,000 by 2020/21 as planned. Russell Gunson, director of IPPR Scotland, said: "Our analysis is the first time we've been able to show how much each of the parties are seeking to raise in additional tax revenue. "With billions of pounds of spending cuts and benefits coming to Scotland over the next few years, the balance of tax rises and spending cuts proposed by the parties needs to be front and centre of the plans they will take to the country to vote on next month. "Ahead of manifestos being published over the course of this month, the parties need to be clear with voters as to how much, if any, tax they hope to raise - and what scale of public spending cuts and reform of our public services they're proposing." Scottish Labour public services spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: "This expert intervention shows that only Labour has a credible plan to use the powers to stop the cuts to schools and public services. "The SNP's refusal to tax the richest will see the poorest lose out." SNP Finance Secretary John Swinney said: "This report shows that it is only the SNP that are putting forward balanced, reasonable and fair tax proposals that will support public services like our NHS whilst protecting households budgets." He added that it showed "Labour's plans are a tax grab on some of the least well

Summary: A left-leaning think tank looked at the tax promises of Scotland's parties and concluded that Scottish Labour's plan would raise the most revenue.


The Scots can reach the World Cup quarter-finals with a victory at St James' Park on Saturday. "In a World Cup you don't go out half-hearted to get through to the next game," said Visser. "I don't think any coach puts out a second string squad to do that against South Africa." Stuart Hogg continues at full-back and will be the only player to start the first three Pool B matches for Scotland. Fly-half Finn Russell is absent through injury and flanker John Hardie is not being risked after suffering a head knock in the opening win over Japan. Impressive performers Sean Maitland and Mark Bennett are left out, while experienced front-row duo Ross Ford and Alasdair Dickinson are on the bench. Gordon Reid, Richie Vernon, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne and Blair Cowan, who was called up in place of the injured Grant Gilchrist, are all in the match-day 22 for the first time at the tournament. "We've had three games in 10 days and the squad has been selected with 31 players to do the job," added Visser, a try-scorer in the win over USA. "We're expecting everyone to perform and we're going out to win the game tomorrow." Scotland top the group after two bonus-point victories, while the Springboks recovered from a surprise loss against Japan to demolish Samoa. The big-hitting Pacific Islanders are Scotland's final opponents before the knockout phase of the tournament. But Visser is only focused on the task ahead in Newcastle. "South Africa are a physical team and that generally comes out in the forwards because that's the way they like to play. But they have quality throughout the team," added the 28-year-old. "They've got a world class set of backs and some young players have come through really well recently. "They have a world class finisher in Bryan Habana as well, so they are incredibly dangerous. We'll keep an eye on Willie le Roux at the back as well - he's a handy player." South Africa: Willie le Roux; JP Pietersen, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Bryan Habana; Handre Pollard, Fourie du Preez (captain); Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis; Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager; Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen. Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Willem Alberts, Ruan Pienaar, Pat Lambie, Jan Serfontein. Scotland: Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour, Richie Vernon, Matt Scott, Tim Visser, Duncan Weir, Greig Laidlaw, (capt), Gordon Reid, Fraser Brown, Willem Nel, Richie Gray, Jonny Gray, Josh Strauss, Blair Cowan, David Denton. Replacements: Ross Ford, Alasdair Dickinson, Jon Welsh, Tim Swinson, Ryan Wilson, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Peter Horne, Sean Lamont.

Summary: Winger Tim Visser insists Scotland are only thinking about beating South Africa and rejects the notion that the side is weakened by 10 changes.


It is adopting a Cardiff University professor's approach which he says has made the Welsh capital safer than similar sized UK cities. It works by using information from victims to identify violence hotspots, such as in nightclubs and parks. The method has already been adopted by Western Cape in South Africa and Milwaukee in the USA. The man behind it, Professor Jonathan Shepherd of Cardiff University's School of Dentistry, said there was no reason it could not work anywhere in the world. One of the most significant breakthroughs was the sharing of information and joint action by police, councils and emergency departments to try to curb violence. Every time someone comes through accident and emergency with any sort of injury where alcohol is a contributory factor the police are informed. It is claimed that the approach has reduced hospital admissions for violence by 42% in Cardiff, relative to 13 similar cities in Wales and England. More than 100 hospitals across Wales and England have since copied Cardiff. "It's very low tech and the basic requirements are that the police and local government and health meet from time to time in an organised way," Prof Shepherd said. "That's not rocket science, so we think this is applicable widely, including poor countries [and] low and middle income countries. "We would very much like to see this implemented in a country like Nigeria, Uganda or South American countries where there's a lot of violence. "It's in the World Health Organisation-recommended approach but it's easier said than done." Prof Shepherd, who was a surgeon at Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales, started his work in 1996 after realising that a great deal of violence which resulted in hospital treatment was not known to the police because victims did not report it. He also noticed trends in the types of facial injuries he was treating. Patients were being regularly admitted who had been glassed, and one early success was putting pressure on clubs and city centre pubs to adopt plastic glasses. The move brought about an immediate decline in facial injuries connected to alcohol. However, there were continuing problems with drink-related crimes in the city so Prof Shepherd and his violence and society research group continued their innovative approach. The research group's research into violence, alcohol and late-night safety was recognised with a Queen's Anniversary Prize for excellence in higher education in 2009. Amsterdam decided to adopt the approach after a delegation from the city, including the chief inspector of the police force, visited Cardiff last year. Hidde Toet, from the Dutch Consumer Safety Institute and who led the delegation, said after the visit: "The Cardiff model provides us with an effective method to improve the way we share information and implement preventative measures by police and local government to effectively reduce violence."

Summary: The Dutch capital Amsterdam is following in the footsteps of Cardiff in a bid to reduce violent behaviour.


The tiny crustaceans are a naturally-occurring parasite that can cause disease and are responsible for many losses to wild and farmed fish stocks. With resistance to chemical treatments rising, the Glasgow team has been looking at breeding resistance. It has now come up with a new protocol to breed resistant fish and developed a mathematical model to predict outcomes. Sea lice can cause skin lesions and increased susceptibility to infections by suppressing the host's immune system. The parasite is estimated to cost the worldwide fish farming industry hundreds of millions of pounds a year. Professor Michael Stear said: "Sea lice infection is a major threat to the health of farmed salmon and to the fish-farming economy. "Our research has produced a practical tool for quantifying resistance to sea lice and shown that selection could substantially reduce the need for drug treatments. "Selective breeding for sea lice resistance should reduce the impact of sea lice on fish health and thus greatly improve the sustainability of Atlantic salmon production." The study outlining the Glasgow University model is published in the Royal Society journal Interface. WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: "There is no doubt that sea lice are a major problem for Scotland's salmon farming industry and that large amounts of chemicals are currently used to combat the problem. "If we are to protect the wider environment, then finding ways to reduce the industry's reliance on chemicals is to be welcomed. "However, as chemical use is only one of a number of environmental impacts from salmon farming, we need to see more farms sign up to the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's "responsible farming" labelling scheme, and pledge to operate more sustainably in all aspects of their operations."

Summary: Researchers at Glasgow University have developed a new way to protect farmed salmon from sea lice.


But the co-founder and chief executive of UK chocolate shop chain Hotel Chocolat says he was actually inspired to set up his own business after seeing the success of his father's other company - a printing firm. Since the first Hotel Chocolat store opened in 2004 the company has gone on to grow into a multi-million pound empire, with 81 shops, eight cafes, two restaurants, and a hotel. As soon as Mr Thirlwell, 51, starts talking, there's no mistaking what drove the firm's evolution. He speaks about chocolate with such evangelical zeal he is bouncing up and down in his chair. Talking wistfully about the 18th Century, when chocolate houses were all the rage in London, Mr Thirlwell admits that his fantasy is to "make cocoa the hero" again - educating people to recognise and appreciate the higher cocoa content in the chocolate Hotel Chocolat produces compared to some of the best-known brands. "We want consumers to be having the same debate about the flavours of different cocoa beans as wine," he says. Mr Thirlwell's desire to educate extends to leaving chocolates he thinks people should like on the shelves even when they're not selling. The firm's 100% dark chocolate products, for example, took five years to become profitable. Yet using large amounts of cocoa doesn't come cheap, and the firm's "Signature Cabinet", which has three drawers full of chocolates, costs a whopping £160. But Mr Thirlwell says the pricing makes sense if you look at the cost of the cocoa hit, as well as the packaging. He points out that by contrast, the firm's entry level "Selector" range starts from £3.75. "It's very important to us that we're accessible," he adds. Such a wide-ranging pricing structure seems to work with customers, as the company enjoyed sales of £70m in the year to the end of June 2013. And it is continuing to expand apace. Hotel Chocolat's rapid development has been helped by the creation of innovative chocolate bonds, through which it has raised around £5m from investors, to whom it pays "interest" in chocolate. Mr Thirlwell picked up the business bug working for his father's printing firm in his school holidays. He says it gave him a strong sense that running a company was "exciting". Nonetheless, he "didn't have a clue" what he wanted to do with life until he got a job at a French hi-tech firm as part of his French and economics degree. The lure of business was so strong, he dropped out of his course altogether, staying on in France to help the company export its products. It was on his return to the UK that Mr Thirlwell met Hotel Chocolat's co-founder Peter Harris, who interviewed him for a sales and marketing job at another tech firm. They hit it off so well that just 10 months later, they left together and in 1987 set up Hotel Chocolat's forerunner - The Mint Marketing Company (MMC), which sold packaged mints branded with company logos. Mr Thirlwell got the idea for the business after his father told him that

Summary: As the son of the man who helped build the Mr Whippy ice-cream brand, it may seem that Angus Thirlwell was destined for a career in confectionery.


Finn, 27, played in the first Test at Lord's but was dropped for Old Trafford where England won to level the series. However, a calf injury to all-rounder Ben Stokes has led to Finn being recalled over seamer Jake Ball. "Physically he's sorted out and his pace is back up, which is when Steven Finn's at his best," captain Alastair Cook told BBC Radio 5 live. "We're backing a guy who hasn't had the best summer but a couple of things have changed over the last few weeks." Finn, who is averaging almost 40 with the ball in first-class cricket this summer, took his best figures of 6-79 against Australia when England last played a Test at Edgbaston. However, he struggled in his last five-day outing at Lord's, where he failed to take a wicket. "We're giving him another go and I think sometimes, with selection going that way, people aren't always looking over their shoulder all the time," Cook continued. "Our seam bowling department is looking strong." Media playback is not supported on this device Stokes, 25, has made just two Test appearances this summer and has had three injuries in the past nine months that have kept him on the sidelines. He made 38 runs and picked up two wickets at Old Trafford before being forced off the field with a calf problem. "Stokes is that cricketer who plays on the edge, he drags a lot of people with him and that character will be missed," Cook said. "You want people to get on the front foot and Ben throughout his career has been able to do that. It's more than just his runs and wickets that we're missing." Joe Root's scores of 254 and 71 not out in the second Test, along with Cook's first-innings century, masked some middle order worries for England. James Vince, batting at four, has fallen to several loose shots while Gary Ballance has made a combined total of 72 runs in three innings in this series. "It's a situation we've found ourselves in over the past couple of years. We don't have that strength in depth at the moment in batting," Cook added. "That's one of the tough things about playing international cricket - you come in and straight away you're under scrutiny, unless you get a score straight away. "It is a very different game to playing county cricket so guys take time." Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq refused to name his squad for Wednesday's Test, instead preferring to keep the opposition guessing. Misbah was the only Pakistan player to make a half-century in either innings at Old Trafford and the bowlers struggled on a hard pitch. "I don't want to let the other team know," he said. "We know, our team knows and that's the most important thing for us. "If you look at the previous Test match, we let them score too heavily and once the opposition score 600 runs, it's difficult to come back into the game." Pat Murphy, BBC Radio 5 live "Alastair Cook admits it was a very difficult call

Summary: Fast bowler Steven Finn will return to the England side for the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston.


In the late 1960s/early 1970s, the ice fields slipping down Mont Blanc and the surrounding mountains of the European range covered some 375 sq km. By the late 2000s, this area had fallen to about 275 sq km. The research has been presented at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting, the world's largest annual gathering of Earth scientists. It mirrors some findings of retreat occurring in other sectors of the Alps which sit across the borders of several nations, but predominantly Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Germany, France, and Italy. The new French Alps glaciers inventory was produced by Marie Gardent, from the University of Savoie, and colleagues. It assessed the roughly 600 glaciers in broad areas incorporating the Ecrins, Belledonne, Vanoise, Ubaye and Grande Rousse Arves massifs, as well as the famous Mont Blanc Massif in the north. The team drew upon map archives, past satellite imagery and aerial photographs. Manual inspection was used to check the automatic delineation methods employed in the pictures was correct. "We use manual delineation to verify the satellite data because there can be a problem with debris cover on a glacier," explained Ms Gardent. "Automatic delineation from satellite data will sometimes say there is no glacier when in fact we know there is one there. Also, deep shadows can hide the glacier margins." The only existing glacial inventory from the French Alps was published four decades ago within the context of the World Glacier Inventory. It found the overall area of ice to be about 375 sq km. By 1985-86, in spite of a short advancing period in the late 70s/early 80s, glacial coverage had decreased to a value close to 340 sq km, the new survey shows. Since then, the withdrawal has accelerated, with the area being reduced to about 275 sq km in the late 2000s. This represents an average loss of some 26% over the last 40 years. The retreat is not uniform across the French Alps, however. The greatest losses have been seen in the southern sectors. In the Belledonne Massif, for example, glaciers have almost completely disappeared; and in the Ecrins Massif, glacial retreat is more than three times stronger than in the Mont Blanc Massif. "The glacier retreat is less important in the northern Alps than in the southern Alps," Ms Gardent emphasised. "We think this is because of the lower elevation of the mountains in the south, but also because of climatic conditions which are different. There is more precipitation in the north and there is also more cloud." The northern region includes the biggest French glacier of all - La Mer de Glace, which falls over a 1,000m in altitude down Mont Blanc itself. Its area today is just over 30 sq km, a shade smaller than the 31.5 sq km in the late 1960s/early 1970s. Efforts to assess and monitor glacier health are going on across the Alpine region. At this very meeting three years ago, Swiss researchers reported that glaciers on their part of the European range were also losing mass at an accelerating rate. Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk

Summary: Glaciers in the French Alps have lost a quarter of their area in the past 40 years, according to new research.


The QPR defender, 36, released a statement saying his "wonderful wife and soul mate" Rebecca Ellison had "passed away peacefully" at a London hospital. Ms Ellison, 34, who married Ferdinand in 2009, had breast cancer. She leaves behind three children, Lorenz, nine, Tate, six, and four-year-old Tia. In a statement, Ferdinand said she died on Friday night. "Rebecca, my wonderful wife, passed away peacefully after a short battle with cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London," the footballer said on QPR's website. "She was a fantastic loving mother to our three beautiful children. She will be missed as a wife, sister, aunt, daughter and granddaughter. She will live on in our memory, as a guide and inspiration. "Myself, my parents Janice and Julian, along with Rebecca's parents Lesley and Stephen, would like to thank our families, friends and my club colleagues who have rallied around in these desperate days, weeks and months." Ferdinand thanked the staff who treated his wife at the south London hospital, adding: "I would also like to express my gratitude for the dedication and expertise of the staff led by Professors Johnstone and Clark at the Royal Marsden. "Their valiant efforts to prolong Rebecca's all-too-short life will not be forgotten." Messages of support have been posted on Twitter from the world of football. Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel wrote: "Really sad news that Rebecca Ellison, the wife of Rio Ferdinand has passed away. My condolences to Rio, their children and the family. RIP" BBC presenter and former England captain Gary Lineker tweeted: "Thoughts are with Rio Ferdinand and his family. How dreadfully sad." In a statement, the west London club said: "The thoughts of everyone at Queens Park Rangers Football Club are with Rio and his family at this immensely difficult time." Manchester United said: "Everybody's thoughts at #mufc are with Rio Ferdinand today, whose wife sadly passed away last night." Ferdinand, who grew up in Peckham, south-east London, was capped by England 81 times and has also played for West Ham United and Leeds United. Both sets of players wore black armbands in QPR's match against Liverpool at Anfield, which the home team won 2-1. When Leroy Fer scored in the 73rd minute, he lifted his shirt to reveal a "stay strong family Ferdinand" message. Other team-mates also tweeted their condolences. QPR captain Joey Barton posted: "Just heard the terrible news. RIP Rebecca." Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy wrote: "Devastating news about Rebecca Ferdinand... My thoughts go out to him and his family."

Summary: The wife of former Manchester United and England captain Rio Ferdinand has died from cancer.


The service is available to Three customers travelling to the Republic of Ireland, Australia, Italy, Austria, Hong Kong, Sweden and Denmark. European authorities have been clamping down on roaming charges. But Three is the first network to abolish them altogether, albeit in selected countries, where it has sister networks. Three says customers on a pay monthly contract would be able to use their allowances of free minutes, texts and data with no extra charges for being abroad. However, those on unlimited plans will be subject to some restrictions. In a press release, Thomas Malleschitz, marketing director at Three, said: "By abolishing expensive roaming charges in select countries, we are allowing our customers to get even more value from their minutes, texts and data abroad by removing the fear associated with staying in touch while travelling." Analysts say that other operators of mobile phone networks are likely to follow Three's lead, particularly those who already have a presence in other countries. Matthew Howett, a senior analyst at consultancy firm Ovum, says the deal from Three is also interesting because it applies to nations outside the European Union, where there has been pressure from authorities to lower roaming charges. "Reducing roaming charges outside of that bloc will welcomed by many, since prices have remained stubbornly high in some countries," he said.

Summary: Three has announced that it has abolished international roaming charges in seven countries.


Staff were told on Tuesday that the city centre business had gone into liquidation with the loss of 53 jobs. It was opened by Thomas Austin in 1830 and is thought to have been one of the oldest stores in Europe. One worker, Toni McNally, has been employed by the business for her entire working life. In November 2014, the building was sold to the City Hotel Group. The receiver then sold the trading side of the business. "I'm there from I was 14 and I'm just absolutely devastated," Ms McNally told BBC Radio Foyle, "We laughed everyday, we had great customers, our colleagues were great, our bosses were great. "Even for the management themselves it was just horrific." Toni has two children and believes it will be difficult to adjust to being unemployed. "I don't have a clue, I've never even been to the unemployment centre. "The liquidators have set up a clinic for us to go on Friday so we can discuss what we're entitled to and all the rest of it," she said. "We were all like brothers and sisters. I loved everybody that I worked with." Another worker, Jackie McCormill, described how she arrived at the store to find the shutters pulled down. "We pulled the shutter up and stood inside to wait for one of the managers to say that the shop was closed, that the liquidators were in, and that it was all over for us really. "The other girl I was with was actually physically shaking, it's like someone hit you over the head with a hammer, but this has been coming. "Everybody was crying, women all red faced. People's faces were just drained." Jackie said management had done their best to keep the business afloat. "It seems like ten years this recession's going on and it just seems to be going deeper and deeper down. "They tried their best to keep that store and I think they kept it a lot longer than most people would."

Summary: Some workers at Austins, in County Londonderry, say they have been left devastated by the closure of the department store.


Business Secretary Sajid Javid told the Green Investment Bank's annual meeting he would start "exploring options" to bring in private investors. The bank, thought to be the first of its kind, has invested about £2bn of public money in about 50 projects. But critics called the sale "reckless" and questioned the government's commitment to a low-carbon economy. It is unclear how much of the GIB the government might sell, although the Financial Times has reported that it could be about 70%, with a sale price of well above £1bn. The move is part of the government's plan to sell off assets to pay down the deficit, and comes after the disposal of stakes in Royal Mail and Lloyds Banking Group. The Edinburgh-based GIB was launched in 2012, pledging loans to "green" projects that have also attracted private sector money. It has invested in wind power, bio-energy, and renewal projects. The bank said it became profitable in the 2014-15 financial year, making a £100,000 pre-tax profit. But there are restrictions on its borrowing, and Mr Javid hopes that full access to the capital markets will increase its lending powers. Speaking at the GIB's annual review event in London on Thursday, Mr Javid said: "The bank will be able to access a much greater volume of capital and deploy it across a much wider array of green projects." He added that the privatisation would mean "more money going into green innovations" and more support for "environmental entrepreneurs". Mr Javid said the GIB had debunked the idea that green investment was incapable of making a profit. "Its rigorous, commercial approach to investment has helped attract sovereign wealth funds, pension schemes and private equity investors to the sector for the very first time," he said. Chancellor George Osborne said in an earlier statement: "We want the Green Investment Bank to attract more investment and we will use the money we raise to pay down the national debt and deliver lasting economic security for working people." Mr Javid's department has hired Bank of America Merrill Lynch to advise on the financial details and timetable for the sale. Critics argue that a sale would dilute the bank's purpose and undermine the UK's commitment to the green economy. Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, called the sell-off plan "rash and irresponsible" and said any such move called into question the UK's commitment to investing in a low-carbon economy. "The government should keep at least a majority stake in the Green Investment Bank to ensure investor confidence is upheld and the commitment to low-carbon lending remains," she said. Think-tank E3G, which advised on the original plans to established a green bank, said a sell-off would be "reckless" and damage investor confidence. Chief executive Nick Mabey said: "The Green Investment Bank is not just the government's most lauded innovation in the war against climate change. It has kept investment in the real economy going at a time when bank lending had fallen to an all-time low. It has played a critical role in supporting the UK economic recovery.

Summary: The UK's "green" bank, which invests in environmentally-friendly infrastructure projects, is to be part-privatised.


Killie moved eight points clear of bottom side Dundee United with a 3-0 win over St Johnstone on Saturday. With five games matches remaining, the target is to make ground on Hamilton who are four points better off. "Rangers are coming up and, if Hibs manage it too, then the league gets it's wow factor back," said Clark. "You want to be part of that and it gives me the chance to attract the kind of players I would like to make sure the club isn't in this situation again. "The club has been dicing with survival for many seasons and that needs to change." Clark, 43, arrived at Rugby Park in mid-February on a three-and-a-half-year contract. The former Blackpool and Huddersfield boss went six games without a victory, with the team scoring just one goal, before a Kris Boyd double helped see off St Johnstone. Kallum Higginbotham was also on target in a comprehensive victory. Media playback is not supported on this device "We'd been creating chances, so it was never an issue," Clark told BBC Scotland. "It was just getting the players to have the confidence to take more risks and finish off those chances. "In previous games I'd been pleased with our level of performance. There was only one indifferent performance against Ross County when we weren't at the required standard. "I knew, with a little bit of luck in front of goal, that the results would come. "We had Hearts, Aberdeen and Celtic in that run and we should have taken points in those games. "We've got one (win) but we still need a few more." With Clark arriving after the transfer window, his recruitment has been restricted but he has managed to bring in Julien Faubert, along with Miles Addison and Alex Henshall. "I felt we lacked pace and power and that's what I've tried to address in the out of contract market," said the former Newcastle and Fulham midfielder. "When I came through the door we had one of the worst defensive records in the league. "You've got to start from the back and we've been stronger. We've had three clean sheets. "We need to start scoring more and hopefully Saturday is the start."

Summary: Manager Lee Clark is urging Kilmarnock to build on the first win of his tenure and make sure they are part of an exciting top flight next season.


Party officials opted not to automatically reselect Mohammad Asghar, prompting an open contest. On Thursday night it was announced Mr Asghar had topped the poll. A second AM forced to follow the same procedure, William Graham, finished outside the top four - meaning he is effectively de-selected. Second on the list will be Laura Anne Jones, previously an AM between 2003-07. In a statement, Mr Graham said: "Whilst I am personally disappointed that I will not be part of an expanding Welsh Conservative team after the elections in May, I remain as invested as any of my colleagues in the goal of bringing an end to this tired Labour government." The Conservatives currently hold two of the available four seats in South Wales East. The 60 AMs include 20 elected via regional lists, aimed to give a fairer reflection of support for each party.

Summary: A Conservative AM forced to face a ballot of party members has come top of the South Wales East regional list for the 2016 assembly election.


Media playback is not supported on this device England have won their opening two Six Nations games and face Ireland at home on Saturday before Wales' pivotal visit to Twickenham on 12 March. "We're undefeated in three games and it sets it up a massive game for two weeks time in Twickenham," said Warburton. "Everyone knows what is on that match. It's a match the fans want to see." Wales, who are chasing their fifth Six Nations Championship since 2005, are hoping for their their first back-to-back wins over England at Twickenham since 1978. Wales won their first game at Twickenham in 20 years in Warren Gatland's first game in charge in 2008 before winning the 2012 Triple Crown at English rugby's home in 2012. And British and Irish Lions skipper Warburton added: "We got a victory there last year in the World Cup. We went there in 2012 with this same bunch of boys and won so we've had good experiences at Twickenham." George North's try and 14 points from Dan Biggar's boot eased Wales to victory over France in Cardiff, adding to their opening draw against Ireland and win over Scotland. Media playback is not supported on this device After helping to send England out of the 2015 World Cup by beating them at Twickenham, Wales return there hoping for the first back-to-back wins since 1976 and 1978 Five Nations triumphs in west London. "The England games are honestly some of the toughest Test matches I've been involved in," said Warburton. "Twickenham is one of my favourite places to play rugby. It'll be a fantastic atmosphere and the England players will be highly motivated. "You haven't seen the best of us and I don't think you have seen the best of any side in the Six Nations this season." Warburton admitted the match was so boring he expected a Mexican wave to break out in the stands "I remember thinking on the pitch 'the fans are going to start a Mexican wave in a minute - it's pretty boring'," said the Cardiff Blues flanker. "Jamie Roberts just said to me walking on the pitch 'it was an ugly way to win at Test match'. "Defences are getting better and better every year. We're trying to score nice wide tries." "It's what we work on in training week in week out, but it's one thing doing it on the training pitch and another doing it in front of a highly skilled, motivated international team. "There's not much space on the field any more and it's sometimes down to individual brilliance." But while Warburton felt the game was "boring", coach Gatland was "happy" with the win. Gatland said: "I thought it was brilliant. It's what Test rugby is all about. We defended brilliantly in the second half. "Things we had worked on looked really good for us."

Summary: Captain Sam Warburton wants a "10% improvement" in Wales' possible Six Nations title showdown against England after their "ugly" win over France.


Ferrari were the only team to run the soft tyre, which is about a second a lap faster than the medium used by Mercedes. Nico Rosberg was third fastest, 0.503 seconds slower than Vettel, with Lewis Hamilton a further 0.157secs adrift. Max Verstappen was sixth following his promotion to Red Bull, 0.169secs behind new team-mate Daniel Ricciardo. The Dutchman visibly took a few laps to become accustomed to the higher grip of the Red Bull compared to the Toro Rosso he has been driving so far, entering Turn Six in jerky style, but was into his stride after a handful of laps. Daniil Kvyat, who has been demoted to Toro Rosso to make way for Verstappen, was 12th fastest, four places and 0.505secs slower than team-mate Carlos Sainz. Hamilton's Mercedes engine is fitted with a new design of part of the hybrid system in an attempt to cure the problems that have hit him in the last two races. The new part is the MGU-H, the part of the hybrid system which recovers energy from the turbo and which failed on Hamilton's car in qualifying at both the Chinese and Russian Grands Prix. Hamilton also has a new turbo for this weekend - and is on the third example of both new parts, with only five allowed to be used all season. The world champion, who is 43 points behind Rosberg in the championship after just four races, admitted on Thursday it was inevitable he would suffer grid penalties later in the season as a result of his high consumption of engine parts. Rosberg is using a new engine and MGU-K - the hybrid system that recovers energy from the rear axle - but is only on his second example of both. Behind the Red Bulls, Williams' Valtteri Bottas was seventh fastest and and team-mate Felipe Massa ninth despite two similar spins at Turn Five, ahead of McLaren's Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard's team-mate Jenson Button was only 19th, with the official F1 website saying he had steering problems. Ferrari's focus on soft tyres could potentially indicate that they will try to take advantage of their car's gentle treatment of tyres by focusing on that rubber for the race, which might be a way of reducing their performance deficit to Mercedes. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is notoriously tough on tyres and this is the first race at which Pirelli has brought the soft tyre to this event. Mercedes, as they did during winter testing, focused their running on the medium tyre. There was a bizarre incident at the end of the session when Vettel was sent out as the clock was running down. The German stopped at the end of the pit lane, telling his team the light was going red just as he passed it. Spanish Grand Prix First practice results Spanish Grand Prix coverage details

Summary: Sebastian Vettel headed Kimi Raikkonen in a Ferrari one-two in first practice at the Spanish Grand Prix.


Scientists found a single dose of the protein Hi1a worked on lab rats. They said it showed "great promise as a future stroke treatment" but had not yet been tested in human trials. The Stroke Association said the research was at its early stages but it would "welcome any treatment that has the potential to reduce the damage caused by stroke". The researchers, from the University of Queensland and Monash University, travelled to Fraser Island in Australia to hunt for and capture three potentially deadly Australian funnel web spiders. "We regularly collect spiders from Fraser Island off the south coast of Queensland," explained lead researcher Prof Glenn King. "The reason for this is that funnel-web spiders dig burrows that can be as deep as 20-30 cm. Thus, digging them up from hard clay soils is very difficult. Fraser Island is a sand island which makes it easy for us to extract the spiders from their burrows." The team then took the spiders back to their laboratory "for milking". This involved coaxing the spider to release its venom, which could then be sucked up using pipettes. Next the scientists dissected the venom gland of the spiders and honed in on a protein in the venom to recreate a version of it in their lab. They then injected this Hi1a into the lab rats. A stroke is a brain attack that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off or there is bleeding on the brain Source: Stroke Association They found that the protein blocked acid-sensing ion channels in the brain - something the researchers say are key drivers of brain damage after stroke. Prof King said the protein showed "great promise as a future stroke treatment". "We believe that we have, for the first time, found a way to minimise the effects of brain damage after a stroke. "Hi1a even provides some protection to the core brain region most affected by oxygen deprivation, which is generally considered unrecoverable due to the rapid cell death caused by stroke." The research was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "My lab is interested in developing drugs for human nervous system disorders. Many of these disorders involve either dysfunctional ion channels (e.g. epilepsy) or over-active ion channels (chronic pain and stroke). Thus, we are typically looking for molecules that modulate the activity of ion channels. The venoms of small venomous invertebrates such as spiders, centipedes and scorpions have evolved to target the nervous system of insects, and consequently they are absolutely full of ion channel modulators. Because the human nervous system is more complex and wired differently to insects, ion channel modulators that kill or paralyse insects can actually be beneficial to humans. Thus, looking in venoms for ion channel drugs is not as weird as it seems." Dr Kate Holmes, deputy director for Research at the Stroke Association, said: "We do not have an accurate picture of what happens in human brains from this research, therefore, it is currently unknown if this could be a successful treatment option

Summary: A protein in spider venom may help protect the brain from injury after a stroke, according to research.


Menstruation is generally a taboo topic in India, something that is rarely talked about openly. But at the weekend, several photographs popped up on my Facebook page of young Indian women holding placards - some made up of sanitary napkins and tampons - with the slogan "Happy To Bleed". A little bit of research led me to this petition, started by college student Nikita Azad, who was annoyed by the sexist remarks made by the head of the famous Sabarimala temple in Kerala. "A time will come when people will ask if all women should be disallowed from entering the temple throughout the year," Prayar Gopalakrishnan, who recently took charge of the hilltop temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, told reporters earlier this month. "These days there are machines that can scan bodies and check for weapons. There will be a day when a machine is invented to scan if it is the 'right time' for a woman to enter the temple. When that machine is invented, we will talk about letting women inside," he added. Ms Azad insists that there is no "right time" to go into a temple and that women should have to right to go "wherever they want to and whenever they want to". The temple priest's comments, she says, reinforce misogyny and strengthen the myths that revolve around women, and that "Happy To Bleed" is a counter-campaign against menstrual taboos. Hinduism regards menstruating women as unclean so, during her periods, a woman is not allowed to enter the temple, touch any idols, enter the kitchen or even touch the pickle jar. Many Hindu temples in India - and also globally - have prominent notices displayed at the entrance telling menstruating women that they are not welcome, and many devout Hindu women voluntarily keep away from temples when they are menstruating. But the Sabarimala bars all women in the reproductive age from entering the temple. The temple website explains that as Lord Ayyappa was "Nithya Brahmachari - or celibate - women between the 10-50 age group are not allowed to enter Sabarimala". The website adds, rather threateningly, that "such women who try to enter Sabarimala will be prevented by (the) authorities" from doing so. Ms Azad says "we don't believe in religion that considers half the world impure" and that theirs is "not a temple-entry campaign" - it's "a protest against patriarchy and gender discriminatory practices prevalent in our society" and that they are fighting against sexism and age-old taboos. Since its launch on Saturday, #HappyToBleed has received a lot of responses, especially from young urban Indian women. "More than 100 women have posted their photographs on Facebook holding banners and placards, with catchy slogans, and many more have shared these photos on their timelines," Ms Azad told the BBC. The campaign has also been picked up by many people on Twitter who have written in with messages of support. Some, however, have also wondered how women can be "happy" to bleed since periods can often be pretty painful. "We are using happy as a word to express sarcasm

Summary: After an Indian temple chief recently said he would allow women to enter the shrine only after a machine was invented to detect if they were "pure" - meaning that they weren't menstruating - outraged women have launched a #HappyToBleed campaign on Facebook to protest against the "sexist statement", writes the BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi.


David Annett, 38, of Church Road, Dromara pleaded guilty at Craigavon Crown Court to a total of four charges. He admitted defrauding the First Trust Bank, two counts of theft and transferring over £110,000 of property out of his employer's business account. In August 2012, Annett went into Lurgan police station to admit responsibility. A prosecution lawyer told the court that in 2007, while working for Portadown-based JP Hagan Solicitors he was "approached by a senior partner who asked him if he wanted to become a partner in the firm." "The offer came at a cost - the cost was £250,000. The defendant remortgaged his home at Church Road with First Trust Bank/Allied Irish Bank." Personal account He already had a mortgage with UCB Home Loans, which totalled £220,000. The lawyer said that the First Trust Bank believed "they would be the first charge on the property". The money was released to Hagan's Solicitors to settle the UCB mortgage and pay the £250,000 to take up the partnership. However, the lawyer said, the UCB mortgage "was not discharged" and "the defendant accessed the business account and transferred the entire amount of monies into his personal account". In another incident, Annett was approached by a County Down family who had been offered £25,000 to buy its land. Investment property He said he would have the money checked out under the proceeds of crime legislation. Whilst having the money in his possession Annett removed £17,380 out of the £25,000. The court also heard that, in March 2008, Annett moved £112,000 out of the law firm's business account to "buy himself an investment property in Corby, England". A defence lawyer said that, after going to the police station. Annett went to see his minister and the elders of his church and confessed his crimes.

Summary: A County Down solicitor defrauded a bank of £400,000 to help buy a partnership in a legal practice and an apartment in England.


The competition kicked off on Friday evening as Ayr United beat neighbours Kilmarnock 1-0 in Group E. And the cup gets into full swing on Saturday, with 15 more games. Well have lost to two English National League sides in pre-season, while Hibs' games included a draw with Sunderland. Lennon's side beat Dunfermline Athletic and Berwick Rangers in pre-season and will host Montrose in the Group D match. "I was never a lover of pre-season when I played and as a manager I never paid to much attention to the results either," lennon told HibsTV. "It was all about getting the players fit, but I've been pleased so far. The players have done very well. "We know what is ahead of us and we know what's at stake in the Betfred Cup. We want to go as far in the competition as we can, if not win it." Nigeria defender Efe Ambrose will not feature against the Gable Endies after arriving back at training two days late with the Edinburgh club. The 28-year-old, who was signed from Celtic this summer, said his delay was because of a personal matter. Lennon said this has now been resolved. It is the second year of the new League Cup group-stage format, with Premiership rivals Ross County hosting League One's Alloa Athletic in Saturday's other Group D game. Motherwell are the top seeds in Group F, but the squad that is being reshaped by Robinson [nine players have arrived with 16 exiting] have suffered defeats by Gateshead and Barrow. "The cup competition comes really, really early," the Well manager said before their trip to face League One side Queen's Park. "I would rather have people 100% ready, but everybody's in the same boat. "We will get better, especially our understanding. We brought in nine players and potentially one or two more. "I think we need a bit of an injection of pace in the top end of the pitch, but we probably have to move people on first." One player Robinson has no intention of losing is Louis Moult, and the manager insisted the striker is ready to give 100% despite a rejected bid from Aberdeen. Group H top seeds Partick Thistle face a tricky opener at home to Livingston, who won promotion to the Championship. Thistle midfielder Stuart Bannigan is close to a return after 15 months on the sidelines through injury, but the 24-year-old is unlikely to feature as manager Alan Archibald is wary of rushing his recovery. Archibald is already without right-back Mustapha Dumbuya, who is facing a couple of months on the sidelines after having surgery on an injury. Fellow defender Niall Keown is also doubt after picking up a knock before leaving Reading. Archibald has therefore been forced back into the transfer market to find a new right-back as well as a new striker after Ade Azeez departed for Cambridge United. With Aberdeen, holders Celtic, Rangers and St Johnstone not featuring until the next round because they were in European competition, Hamilton Academical are the other top-flight side in action on

Summary: Hibernian's Neil Lennon hopes pre-season results are a prelude to Scottish League Cup success while Motherwell's Stephen Robinson will look to improve on results over the summer.


The Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (Garc) is protesting against an agreement aimed at resolving a long-running dispute in the area. They are planning to stage a protest on Friday night. However, a community advert placed in the Irish News said the protest would not help ease tensions. Among the signatories are politicians, academics and sporting organisations as well as the Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor, Noel Treanor, and the Church of Ireland Bishop of Connor, Alan Abernethy. It stated: "We believe this is the best opportunity we have had in 15 years to resolve an issue, which has divided our community for many years. "It is our view the introduction of another evening parade, no matter what part of the community it comes from, would inevitably and regrettably, whether intentional or otherwise raise tensions, damage community relations, and has the potential to end in confrontation and undermine a long sought after resolution." The agreement to which Garc is opposed was announced last week between the Orange Order and the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association (Cara). The group is billing its protest as a "march and rally to oppose ongoing sectarian parades and SF/UVF deal (Sinn FÃ©in/Ulster Volunteer Force)." The SDLP has not added its name to the advert. However, in a statement SDLP North Belfast MLA Nichola Mallon said: "There are genuine frustrations and fears in this community as the weekend approaches. "However, it is also important that people express their views and feelings in a responsible manner. "Our advice to Garc is to reconsider their planned parade this Friday, to take a step back and act in the interests of peace in our community." The Parades Commission has granted permission for Garc to hold their parade on Friday evening subject to a number of conditions - including directing it away from "part of the notified route between Ardoyne Road or Crumlin Road". Permission has also been granted for Garc to hold a protest parade on Saturday morning. Garc spokesperson Damien 'Dee' Fennell attended the launch of dissident republican party Saoradh on Saturday 24 September, and Garc has been consistently highly critical of Sinn FÃ©in.

Summary: Church leaders have appealed to a nationalist residents' group to call off a protest against an Orange Order parade in north Belfast.


Deliveries of the double-decker will now fall from 15 this year to 12 in 2018 and eight in 2019, Airbus said. Chief Executive Tom Enders said that prospects of further sales of the A380 in the short-term were not "necessarily high". Airbus, which has not had an A380 order for two years, makes the wings at its factory at Broughton, north Wales. The company said on Thursdays that production of the A380 continued to operate at a marginal loss. In June, Airbus unveiled an upgraded version of the world's largest passenger jet, promising greater fuel efficiency and room for more seats. Airbus hopes it will be the catalyst for more orders from airlines. Also on Thursday, Airbus posted second-quarter operating profits which fell 27% to 859m euros (Â£765m) on revenues of 15.27bn euros. That fell short of the 910m euro profit expected by analysts polled by Reuters. On Wednesday, shares in rival Boeing hit a record high after its second-quarter profit and cashflow came in well ahead of Wall Street estimates. Production at Airbus has been hit by delays in delivery of US engine-maker Pratt & Whitney's engines for the A320neo aircraft. The fuel-saving Geared Turbofan engine has suffered reliability problems. On Thursday, Airbus chief executive Tom Enders said Pratt & Whitney had to "work harder" to fix the problems. "It should be a winning engine but they need to fix it," he told reporters. "Pratt & Whitney has introduced some fixes but we are still waiting for these improvements to come through." He also said that Airbus was in "constructive talks" with Qatar Airways over a recent cancellation of four A350 aircraft, adding, "I think we will find a way out" of the issue.

Summary: European aircraft maker Airbus has cut production of its A380 superjumbo for the second time in a year.


The members of the FSB, the Russian intelligence agency, conspired with criminal hackers, according to DOJ officials announcing the charges. Previously, Yahoo said "state-sponsored" hackers were behind the 2014 breach affecting 500 million accounts. The suspects are also alleged to have targeted Google accounts. Hacking was directed at Russian and US government officials, including security, diplomatic and military personnel, according to the DOJ. The indictment also alleged that 30 million Yahoo accounts were commandeered without authorisation for use in a spam campaign. "We will not allow individuals, groups, nation states, or a combination of them to compromise the privacy of our citizens, the economic interests of our companies, or the security of our country," said acting attorney general Mary McCord, announcing the charges. The suspects were named in a DOJ press release as: Baratov was arrested on 14 March in Canada. One of the alleged hackers has been on of the FBI's most wanted cyber criminals for more than three years, according to acting Att Gen McCord. The suspect in question, Alexsey Belan, was aided by the FSB who - according to the DOJ - provided him with "sensitive FSB law enforcement and intelligence information that would have helped him avoid detection by US and other law enforcement agencies outside Russia". "We would hope [Russia] would respect our criminal justice system and respect these charges," said acting Att Gen McCord, acknowledging the fact that the US does not have an extradition treaty with Russia. "The United Kingdom's MI5 made substantial contributions to the advancement of this investigation," added FBI executive assistant director Paul Abbate. Yahoo was criticised for the delay in informing users about the 2014 breach. The stolen data included names, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth and encrypted passwords, but not credit card data, according to Yahoo. Last year, users were advised to change their passwords. Around eight million UK accounts were believed to have been affected - including some users of BT and Sky email services. "The indictment unequivocally shows the attacks on Yahoo were state-sponsored," Yahoo said in a statement, responding to the DOJ announcement. "We are deeply grateful to the FBI for investigating these crimes and the DOJ for bringing charges against those responsible." The DOJ said that the charges have no connection to the hack on the Democratic National Convention last year.

Summary: Two Russian spies are among four individuals indicted by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) over a huge theft of Yahoo user accounts.


He is accused along with his son, Bello Abba Mohammed, of diverting $1.5m (Â£1m) that was meant to buy arms for soldiers fighting Islamist Boko Haram militants. The two men have pleaded not guilty. President Muhammadu Buhari, who took office in May, set up an investigation into the procurement of weapons for the military which found that phantom contracts worth $2bn had been awarded. Last month, former national security adviser Sambu Dasuki was arrested and charged with 19 counts of fraud, money laundering and criminal breach of trust in connection to the case. Mr Dasuki, who oversaw the fight against Boko Haram while Goodluck Jonathan was president, denied the charges. Bello Haliru Mohammed served as Mr Jonathan's defence minister from 2011 to 2012 and still holds a senior position in the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP). He appeared at the Abuja High Court on Tuesday in a wheelchair and was transferred to a hospital when the case was adjourned, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said. His son was remanded in prison until a bail hearing on Thursday. Boko Haram has killed thousands in north-eastern Nigeria in its six-year campaign to create an Islamic state. Soldiers had complained that despite the military's huge budget, they were ill-equipped to fight. The soldiers have reported that they are better equipped since President Buhari came into office, but the previous president's supporters say this is because those weapons were ordered while Mr Jonathan was in power, says the BBC's Abuja editor BBC's Bashir Sa'ad Abdullahi.

Summary: Former Nigerian defence minister Bello Haliru Mohammed has been charged with money laundering.


Poor weather conditions are forcing the Solar Impulse craft to head to Japan to land. The pilot was 36 hours into what was expected to be a six-day journey from China to Hawaii. The team will now wait in Japan for clearer skies before attempting to continue. Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg, who is flying solo, tweeted that he was disappointed but looking forward to the next attempt. Project co-founder Bertrand Piccard, who has been watching the flight from mission control, in Monaco, said: "We are not daredevils, we are explorers. "We have to put safety at the top of all of our priorities. "Everyone is very happy with the plane - but the weather does not fit. "We land in Nagoya and we wait for better conditions to continue." The plane should arrive at the Komaki airfield in Nagoya at approximately 23:00 local time (14:00 GMT) and its progress can be tracked on the Solar Impulse website. A spokesperson for the team said the batteries were currently fully charged. This is the seventh leg in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe using just the energy of the Sun. LEG 1: 9 March. Abu Dhabi (UAE) to Muscat (Oman) - 441km; in 13 hours and 1 minute LEG 2: 10 March. Muscat (Oman) to Ahmedabad (India) - 1,468km; in 15 hours and 20 minutes LEG 3: 18 March. Ahmedabad (India) to Varanasi (India) - 1,215km; in 13 hours and 15 minutes LEG 4: 19 March. Varanasi (India) to Mandalay (Myanmar) - 1,398km; in 13 hours and 29 minutes LEG 5: 29 March. Mandalay (Myanmar) to Chongqing (China) - 1,459km; in 20 hours and 29 minutes LEG 6: 21 April. Chongqing (China) to Nanjing China - 1,241km; in 17 hours and 22 minutes LEG 7: 31 May. Nanjing (China) to Kalaeloa, Hawaii (USA) - 8,200km; journey aborted, plane diverted to Nagoya, Japan The experimental craft, which is covered in 17,000 solar cells, took off from Abu Dhabi in March. The Pacific crossing, however, was always going to be the most challenging part of this epic journey. Solar Impulse had already waited more than a month in Nanjing for the right weather conditions to open up over the Pacific. It needs not only favourable winds to push forward, but also cloud-free skies during the day to soak up enough energy from the Sun to enable nighttime flying on its batteries. The team's meteorologists thought they had identified a suitable weather window - and the plane set off at 18:39 GMT on Saturday. Mr Borschberg had been making good progress. However, in the early hours of Monday morning (GMT), the Solar Impulse team announced it was putting the plane in a holding pattern. The pilot was asked to circle over the Sea of Japan while meteorologists assessed whether they could find their way through a worsening weather front close to Hawaii. Mr Borschberg was just hours away from the point of no return - the stage in the flight where, if something were to go wrong, the plane would be too far from land to turn

Summary: A record-breaking attempt to cross the Pacific Ocean using a solar-powered plane has been aborted.


Catherine Seeley was subjected to the abuse after she was co-opted as a Sinn Féin councillor in Craigavon, County Armagh. She thanked pupils at the Boys' Model School in the loyalist Ballysillan area for their "full support". Ms Seeley was speaking at Sinn Fein's annual conference in Wexford. She said: "In the past few weeks, in my role as a teacher, I have been subjected to a campaign of sectarian intimidation. "I have already expressed my warm thanks to all who have offered me support, including family, friends, colleagues, educationalists and politicians from various parties. "I want to take this opportunity to publicly send a message of gratitude to those pupils of the Boys' Model School in north Belfast who have courageously offered me their full support. "They are a testimony to the values that should permeate not just education but every aspect of society. They inspire hope and confidence in me for the future." She added that her recent experience had shown "that students can be much wiser, more mature, more responsible and more respectful than some who claim to speak on their behalf". Ms Seeley's decision to leave her post was announced on Friday in a joint statement by the school's board of governors and the Belfast Education and Library Board. She is to move to another education board area. The Protestant Coalition group had objected to her employment at the school. It said her role at the school should be looked at because of her political views. During his speech, the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness contrasted the response of Miss Seeley's pupils to that of some unionist politicians. "If this situation was reversed and a young Protestant teacher who was also a member of the DUP was being forced from her job in a Catholic school, I would be at the door accompanying her to her work," he said. Mr McGuinness also called on those he described as "sensible people within unionism" to use their influence to secure a deal on flags, parades and the past. Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams told delegates during his address on Saturday evening that the issue of contentious Orange parades still needed to be resolved. "While there may be obstacles, be sure of one thing - change will not be stopped," he said. "I am happy to meet with the Orange Order at any time to discuss these matters. "I want to see the Orange treating its Catholic neighbours with respect. "I want to see it upholding law and order. "The Orange Order of Ireland is one of our national traditions. "And Sinn Féin wants all our traditions freed up from sectarianism from any quarter, to live together in peace and respect and with tolerance from everyone for everyone."

Summary: The teacher who quit her job at a north Belfast school after being targeted by online sectarian abuse has spoken publicly for the first time.