The company was due to release results on 10 March and hold its shareholders' meeting towards the end of April. It has not said by how much these events will be delayed. It says results will be about the same as in 2014, although the cost of the crisis will eat into those. It said it was working on "valuation calculations". Sales in VW-branded cars dipped last year after the scandal - which affected 11 million cars - came to light in September. Deliveries fell 5.3% in October, 2.4% in November and 7.9% in December compared with those months in 2014. It was its first drop in VW-branded sales in 11 years as the company continues to cope with the emissions scandal. VW has promised it will have a fix in the coming weeks for the millions of US cars with defeat devices that disguised emission levels in diesel cars. Sales of VW-brand cars fell 4.8% in 2015 to 5.82 million cars from 6.12 million a year earlier. The US Environmental Protection Agency is suing the company over what it says were 600,000 affected vehicles and a US law firm is conducting an investigation into who made the decisions to cheat. Volkswagen says it is sticking to its plan to publish the findings of its investigation into the scandal in the second half of April. Results from Porsche, which is owned by Volkswagen, are also being delayed.

Summary: Volkswagen says it will not release its results nor hold its shareholders' meeting on time, as it needs more time to work out its accounts as a result of last year's emissions crisis.


From game reserves to Table Mountain; Durban's Golden Mile to the country's stunning wine regions, there's much to capture the imagination. But how about a trip around Cape Town's intriguing examples of graffiti art? Or a cycle tour around Soweto instead? These are just a couple of examples of alternative holidays being offered by a new breed of tech-led travel company keen to expand South Africa's tourism beyond traditional beaches and safaris. The prevalence of smartphones and high-speed internet has opened up a wealth of new sightseeing options, as local trip organisers reach out to a wider audience. For example, South African company Gummie operates an online platform advertising dozens of unique experiences - from "foodie tours" and township visits, to swimming with sharks - a non-aggressive variety. Founder Ksenia Mardina says the majority of her users browse the platform regularly on their mobile phones, and return to make bookings via desktop. "Africa in general, and South Africa in particular, has an incredibly diverse tourism market," Ms Mardina says. But finding the activities was not always so easy. "The change [from offline to online] has started from the supplier side," she says. New tech has allowed people to identify market niches and target tourists looking for something different. "More and more passionate and knowledgeable people can become guides and earn an income, thanks to platforms like ours," says Ms Mardina. "It adds a lot of value to the offering and improves the customer experience. I'm a huge believer in improving life through technology, and am very excited to be a part of the revolution," she says. Two of the most popular offers on Gummie are a walking tour focusing on graffiti in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, and a similar activity, but by bicycle, in Johannesburg. "I believe it reflects a trend of growing interest for African urban culture and street art," Ms Mardina says. Cape Town-based VoiceMap is moving tour-guiding into the digital space. The company's app combines map technology with podcasts. It doesn't just guide tourists around South Africa. Some 72 city tours worldwide are available. Users can auto-publish tours on the platform, so anyone in the world can create a personal, niche audio tour of their town. A number of celebrities have also recorded tours of specific areas. According to VoiceMap's founder Iain Manley, it's changing the way people experience travel. "GPS audio tours change the whole experience. You can move at your own pace, stopping for as many photos as you like. You also have access to storytellers who don't do tours," he says. Neither are you traipsing behind a guide clutching a flag. "This allows you to blend in and have a much more natural experience," Mr Manley says. Technology is creating the "invisible guest", with many tourism providers, such as hotels, finding they have very little interaction with guests who have a new independence thanks to their mobile devices, he says. "People are more interested in doing things the same ways locals would, and blending in where they can," Mr Manley concludes. South Africa's Cape

Summary: South Africa is the stuff of dreams for the intrepid traveller.


The Portuguese side went ahead early on through a Ricardo Quaresma penalty, after Manuel Neuer tripped striker Jackson Martinez in the box. Winger Quaresma then dispossessed Dante before running through on goal and calmly slotting a second into the net. Thiago pulled a goal back for Bayern, but Martinez grabbed a brilliant third. The return leg takes place on 21 April. Porto hold a significant advantage in the tie as they aim to reach their first semi-final since winning the competition in 2004 under Jose Mourinho. Their performance was built on hard work and pressure, before moving the ball quickly to the front, but they were helped by shambolic defending from Bayern. The Germans - who boasted an 11-game unbeaten run in Portugal - managed to claim an away goal, but missed key players including wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, as well as midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger. Porto boss Julen Lopetegui and Bayern's Pep Guardiola played together at Barcelona in the 1990s, and 48-year-old Lopetegui's tactics were spot on at Estadio do Dragao. The ex-Real Madrid Castilla man deployed a high-intensity pressing game, giving his former team-mate's side little time on the ball. And it worked instantly as Bayern went behind after three minutes. Midfielder Xabi Alonso was caught in possession by the returning Martinez - playing after six weeks out with a groin injury - who attempted to round goalkeeper Neuer but was brought down. The German received only a yellow card, as the Colombian front man had been running away from goal, and Quaresma dispatched the penalty. Minutes later, former Barcelona and Inter Milan man Quaresma doubled the lead after nicking the ball from Dante, before keeping his composure to stroke home. The visitors reduced the deficit through Thiago, who swept home Jerome Boateng's cross, but Martinez's beautifully taken third with instant control and cool finish - after the ball sailed over Boateng's head - leaves the five-time winners with much to do in the second leg. Porto manager Julen Lopetegui: "It was fundamental that we tried our best to impose ourselves on Bayern and not give them a chance to settle. "We are facing one of the strongest Bayern teams in history. The hardest part will be in Munich. "We will need to produce a perfect performance in Germany next week to progress." Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola: "There's still another leg. We're a bit upset but we have six days to analyse it. "We have players who were out a long time with injuries - their legs don't last very long," "It's a tough result to take into the second leg, but we'll give it a go."

Summary: Porto shocked Bayern Munich to take a first-leg lead in an entertaining Champions League quarter-final tie.


David Sole, 33, of no fixed address, had denied murdering Jonathan Ellison but was found guilty at Lewes Crown Court of beating him to death. Denise Antonia, 33, of Appledore Road, Brighton, was cleared of murder but found guilty of assisting an offender. She was jailed for five years. Mr Ellison was found dead in his flat in Gloucester Street on 8 April 2011. Sole and Antonia were arrested in Winchester, Hampshire, on 16 April following an investigation by Sussex Police's major crime branch. Following the two-week trial, Sole was told he would serve a minimum term of 18 years. Det Ch Insp Trevor Bowles said: "Jon Ellison was killed by a man who had befriended him and who he trusted. "His trust led to his death, as the result of a motiveless but brutal drug and drink-fuelled assault, which caused some of the worst injuries any of us have ever seen." Mr Bowles said Mr Ellison was a "vulnerable man with many health and personal problems" but he was regarded as "a kind and trusted person". In a statement issued through Sussex Police, Mr Ellison's brothers said: "He did not deserve to be taken in such a brutal way. "It was completely at odds with his kind and gentle spirit."

Summary: A man has been jailed for life for the "motiveless and brutal" murder of a Brighton man in his city centre flat.


The Dons have planning permission for a site at Loirston Loch. However, the move was put on hold when plans for an adjacent training academy were turned down. Speaking after the club's AGM on Monday, Mr Milne said the new stadium remained on the agenda. The AGM heard an annual report which showed a Â£1.4m loss for the year to June, a drop in turnover, and rising wages. Mr Mile said: "I think we have the club in a fairly sound position. "It has been a very challenging period for Scottish football, in a very difficult environment."

Summary: Fresh negotiations have taken place with the city council to end the impasse over Aberdeen FC's proposed new stadium, club chairman Stewart Milne has said.


Joe Murphy's scrambled early goal was the ideal start for Down and they led 1-8 to 0-6 at half-time. With Caolan Mooney starring, the Mournemen extended their advantage to six midway through the second half. Meath reduced Down's lead but they home side held on after a nervous finish. Down went into the game propping up Division Two after disappointing opening defeats by Fermanagh and Clare. County secretary Sean Og McAteer felt compelled to release a length statement on Thursday night denying reports of unrest within Eamonn Burns' squad and Saturday's win will be a huge boost for the management. After hammering Derry at Navan two weeks ago, Meath were favourites heading into the Pairc Esler contest but the Mournemen produced a performance of grit and determination to chisel out the vital Division Two victory. Murphy's goal, as he flicked a mishit Darragh O'Hanlon free past Paddy O'Rourke, was the perfect start for the home side as they were never headed in the contest. With midfielder Peter Turley putting himself about and former under-age star Mooney producing his best game in the Down senior jersey, the home side pushed on from leading only 1-1 to 0-3 to move five ahead by the interval. O'Hanlon slotted three first-half frees while the impressive Conor Maginn, Barry O'Hagan (two), Ryan Johnston and Aidan Carr also got on the scoresheet for Down in the opening period. Fresh from his Sigerson Cup heroics with St Mary's, Kevin McKernan also excelled in the opening period for the Mournement as Meath laboured, with free-taker Donal Lenihan hitting three of their points. A McKernan point extended Down's lead to 1-11 to 0-8 by the 52nd minute after a great block at the other end by Carr had prevented Brian Menton for netting a Meath goal. After their struggles in recent times, it was not a surprise to see Down attempting to hold on to their lead in the closing stages and Meath, helped by the introduction of the speedy Eamonn Wallace, reduced the margin to three by the time the game entered injury time. Inevitably, there was a late scare for Down as Lenihan aimed for goal from his last-gasp 13-metre free and the ball skimmed off the crossbar over for a point before the final whistle was blown seconds later. ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE FIXTURES/RESULTS SATURDAY Division One Mayo 1-19 0-14 Roscommon Division Two Down 1-13 0-14 Meath Division Three Laois 1-10 1-16 Tipperary Division Four Carlow 1-10 0-10 Limerick, Dr Cullen Park SUNDAY - 14:00 GMT unless stated Division One Donegal v Dublin, Ballybofey Kerry v Monaghan, Killarney Tyrone v Cavan, Healy Park, 14:30 Division Two Cork v Fermanagh, Pairc Ui Rinn, 13:00 Derry v Kildare, Celtic Park Galway v Clare, Salthill Division Three Antrim v Sligo, Corrigan Park Longford v Armagh, Pearse Park Offaly v Louth, Tullamore Division Four Wicklow v London, Aughrim, 13:00 Wexford v Waterford, Wexford Park, 13:00 Westmeath v Leitrim, Mullingar

Summary: Down ended a run of 14 straight defeats in competitive games stretching back to April 2015 as they earned a 1-13 to 0-14 win over Meath in Division Two of the Football League.


The research was carried out by scientists from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University College Dublin, the University of Edinburgh and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. They say it shows the divergence may have began 360 years ago. It also suggests Travellers are closely connected to Irish settled people. The researchers found that any genetic disparities between Travellers and settled people in the Republic are largely due to them remaining genetically isolated for several centuries and their numbers decreasing. It is thought there are about 30,000 people living in the Republic of Ireland who are members of the Travelling community, representing 0.6% of the total population. Previously it had been thought that Travellers had become displaced between 1845 and 1852 as a result of the Great Famine. "The findings confirm that the Irish Traveller population has an Irish ancestry and this comes at a time where the ethnicity of Travellers is being considered by the Irish state," the Royal College of Surgeons' Prof Gianpiero Cavalleri said. "It is important to emphasise that although Irish Travellers show clear features of a genetic isolate, they are genetically very close to settled people in Ireland. "It is also interesting to observe that the isolation of Travellers from settled people predates the Great Famine. "However it's important to emphasise that our research estimates the beginning of the social divergence of the Travelling community, rather than their origin." DNA samples from 42 Irish Travellers were compared with that of 143 European Roma, 2,232 settled Irish, 2,039 British, 5,964 European and 931 individuals from the rest of the world for the study. Several genetic dating methods were also used to estimate the period when the travelling community began to split genetically from the settled population in Ireland.

Summary: A study of Irish Traveller genetics has suggested that they split socially from the settled population much earlier than thought.


Howard suffered the injury in a collision with Posh striker Shaquile Coulthirst in Sunday's 1-0 defeat. The 30-year-old joined Bolton in the summer from Sheffield United and had started every league game so far. "To lose someone of his quality is a blow for us," manager Phil Parkinson told the club website. "But it is also an opportunity for Ben Alnwick to stake his claim for a place in the team."

Summary: Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Mark Howard could be out for 12 weeks with a broken thumb and ligament damage suffered in their League One loss at Peterborough.


Craig Hughes, 33, of Flint, was arrested by North Wales Police in August after he chatted online with the Hope Line Crisis Centre in Tennessee. Fears were raised over a planned murder bid involving police being ambushed after reports of a non-existent crime. Hughes admitted two charges at Mold Crown Court on Friday. He will be sentenced next week. Hughes said he was planning to make a false report to the police so that officers would come to the scene, prosecutors said while outlining the case earlier in the proceedings. He said he would then shoot them on the Dee Estuary. The threats were made on two occasions, late at night, while Hughes was drunk. Judge Niclas Parry, who was told the defendant had a previous conviction for possessing a firearm in 2009, remanded him in custody pending sentence. During a previous hearing, Hughes's legal team said he had not intended to kill himself and would not have carried out any threat to kill police officers. The court heard at the time, North Wales Police was particularly concerned because the defendant was on bail, awaiting trial for firearms offences, of which he was subsequently cleared. The Hope Line centre offers confidential support and counselling to people experiencing difficulty.

Summary: A Flintshire man has admitted telling an American crisis line he was planning to kill himself and take as many police with him as he could.


The US star has called off an event at the London Palladium on 20 September, when she was to have been interviewed on stage by Sir Bruce Forsyth. Minnelli was also booked to give a similar talk at Sheffield City Hall on 22 September. According to reports, the events were cancelled due to a dispute over money with their promoter, Rocco Buonvino. The promoter has previously organised celebrity appearances in the UK by Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta and others. "We have been advised by the promoters of An Evening with Liza Minnelli that the performance has been cancelled," the London Palladium said in a statement. "All tickets will be refunded." Rocco Buonvino Productions and Minnelli's representatives have not responded to a request for a comment. Minnelli, the daughter of Hollywood legend Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli, won an Academy Award for her role in 1972 film Cabaret. She is one of a handful of stars to have won the so-called Egot - an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. In March, the 69-year-old was admitted to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation unit for treatment of substance abuse. In promotional material issued when the shows were announced, Minnelli said she considered the UK to be "a second home".

Summary: Singer and actress Liza Minnelli has cancelled two upcoming appearances in London and Sheffield.


6 May 2016 Last updated at 17:44 BST Mr Dundar's wife can be seen restraining the gunman along with an unnamed man, before armed plain-clothed police arrive and order the attacker to get down. The journalist and a colleague from Cumhuriyet face charges of revealing state secrets. Witnesses said the assailant fired several shots. Mr Dundar escaped unharmed but a reporter was injured.

Summary: Footage from Istanbul shows the aftermath of an attacker opening fire on journalist Can Dundar, outside the court where he is on trial.


The Confederation of African Football (Caf) are inviting new bidders for the tournament. Caf say that countries wishing to host the tournament have until 30 September to express their interest. A decision on Libya's replacement will be made next year. African football's ruling body also state that because of the limited time left to organise the 2017 Nations Cup, the Caf Executive Committee will select a host country who can guarantee that accommodation, transportation and hotel facilities, as well as training sites and stadiums already exist. Libya has endured weeks of recent chaos as the government struggles to control former rebel groups who helped topple former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Libya were originally scheduled to hold the Nations Cup in 2013 but because of the civil war swapped with 2017 hosts South Africa. The north African country had been planning to build 11 stadiums at a cost of $314 million, including a showpiece new 60,000-seater Austrian-built stadium on the site of a former military camp in Tripoli. Benghazi and Misrata were also set to have new major stadiums. Libya's government said last year it hoped the hosting of the Nations Cup would allow it to demonstrate that life had returned to normal in the country and encourage investors. Former World Cup winner Franz Beckenbauer had accepted a role as an "ambassador" to help promote the tournament and the country and the former Spain coach Javier Clemente was hired to prepare their team for the tournament. Caf's decision follows the visit of a delegation from the Libyan FA to Caf's headquarters in Cairo this week. Libya also delayed the scheduled start of their new league season earlier this month because of the fighting while teams competing in international competitions in recent months have been holding home matches in neighbouring Tunisia. In February, Libya claimed their first senior African title, winning the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN), a tournament they were originally set to host. The civil unrest in the country meant that the event ended up taking place in South Africa instead. Caf are due to decide the host countries for the 2019 and 2021 Nations Cup finals at a meeting in Addis Ababa on 20 September. Algeria, Cameroon, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Zambia are bidding.

Summary: Libya have withdrawn as hosts of the 2017 African Nations Cup finals as ongoing fighting in the country delays plans to build new stadiums for the 16-team tournament.


The 24-year-old had signed to play for Somerset in the second half of the T20 Blast, but will not now do so, and will miss New Zealand's remaining one-day internationals in England. Anderson was hurt during the first Test defeat by England at Lord's last month. The all-rounder had been receiving treatment from the New Zealand medical staff in the UK. "Obviously this is a blow for both Somerset and Corey but injuries happen in sport," said Somerset director of cricket Matt Maynard. "We wish Corey a speedy recovery and I can assure all members and supporters that we are actively seeking a suitable replacement."

Summary: New Zealand's Corey Anderson is to fly home from their current tour of England for treatment on a back injury.


The trees swayed, the rain battered the domed roof of the headquarters building and, given the lecture he'd just delivered to African leaders from their own pulpit, it might well have been the ghosts of dictators past rattling the rafters. He talked about democracy and the "cancer of corruption," but the words which reverberated across the continent were an off-script put-down of leaders who "refuse to step aside when their terms end". The audience cheered, but not surprisingly the assembly's seats weren't filled by the continent's presidents. Instead it was the AU's commission he addressed - its secretariat. That was always the plan according to the White House. Journalists and commentators had been salivating at the prospect of America's first black president meeting Africa's oldest. Robert Mugabe, who's 91, is the AU chairman, and the speech would have rattled the rafters from the inside if the heads of state had been present. "I love my work, but under our constitution I can't run again," President Obama said. "I actually think I'm a pretty good president - I think if I ran again I could win." That's probably not true - given he's only half as popular back in the US as he is in Kenya, the first stop on a trip hailed as a homecoming. "I don't understand why people want to stay so long, especially when they've got a lot of money," he mocked, to the loudest cheer of the day. Third-termism is catching. It's already made a comeback in Burundi, caused a government to collapse in Burkina Faso, and appears on the cards in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of the Congo. And the three elder statesmen of the AU have racked up a hundred years in power between them. Presidents Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea (36), Mugabe of Zimbabwe (35), and Paul Biya of Cameroon (33) are the longest standing of those leaders on the continent who aren't so keen on giving up the trappings of office. "Sometimes you will hear a leader say 'I'm the only person who can keep the nation together'. If that's true that leader has failed to truly build the nation," President Obama said in the last speech of his Africa trip, and arguably his best. He emphasised the defining themes of his visit - the significance of security, particularly the fight against extremism; trade replacing aid; the importance of youth and women, human rights and democracy; and the battle against corruption. They were points you could tick off from every speech from his very first in Kenya, where he opened the Global Entrepreneurship Summit emphasising trade and promising investment. With him on the trip were American businessmen and at least one billionaire. He made sure to visit successful start-up companies, among them one developing a solar lighting system to bring power to the remotest of villages. Power Africa is one of his headline programmes, but has so far failed to achieve much. Big slow-burning fuses in infrastructure, agriculture, trade and young leadership are what he's staking his legacy on.

Summary: As President Obama finished his speech to the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa last month and stepped off the stage, a tempest whipped up outside.


Kenneth Dymond, 37, also made contact with a 15-year-old girl over the internet. Lincoln Crown Court heard that more than 500 images were recovered from Dymond's computers and phones after a raid on his home in August 2015. He was also placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years. More on this and other Lincolnshire stories. Dymond of Magna Mile, Ludford, Lincolnshire, was serving as an detective constable in the Met's Specialist Crime and Operations Command at the time of the offences. Stephen Kemp, prosecuting told the court that the internet search history on Dymond's computers "identified various terms which indicated searches for material of a paedophilic nature". Mr Kemp added: "There were extracts of a Skype conversation recovered from a laptop which appeared to be from a 15-year-old girl's brother calling the defendant a paedophile. "That person threatened he would go to the police if the defendant did not delete his sister's profile." Reka Hollos, defending, said Dymond suffered from chronic depression and had undergone counselling for his addiction to pornography. "He is very remorseful for what he has done," she said. Judge Michael Heath, passing sentence, told him: "As a serving police officer you ought to know that children are grievously abused so that this material, this utter filth, can be put out there on the internet for people to view it. "I cannot suspend the sentence in a case such as this."

Summary: A detective serving with the Metropolitan Police has been jailed after admitting downloading hundreds of pornographic images of children.


Trees for Life said a mother and at least two kits have been observed on a river near Beauly. It has asked that the mammals be allowed to remain where they are or be relocated. The government has instructed that the beavers be trapped and then kept in captivity. Trees for Life believes the animals have been in the area for at least five years. The presence of beavers has been found previously in the Highlands. In 2008, one was found dead on a beach at Eathie on the Black Isle after suffering what police described as a "cruel" death after ingesting a large quantity of sea water. Police suspected the animal was linked to illegal releases of beavers in other parts of Scotland. Native Scottish beavers were hunted to extinction in the 16th century. Last year, the Scottish government announced that beavers reintroduced to Scotland could remain and were given protected status. Eurasian beavers taken from Norway were released at Knapdale in Argyll in 2009. An illegally-released population has also been discovered in Tayside. Both groups will be allowed to expand naturally but will be managed to protect farmers and land owners. But in the case of the Beauly beavers, Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said the animals had been released illegally and must be removed. She said: "We have been clear that we are minded that beavers can remain in Scotland and that their range can expand naturally. "But the unauthorised release of beavers is a criminal offence and will damage the beaver reintroduction project. "That is why I am asking Scottish Natural Heritage to take swift action in the Beauly area. We must avoid a repeat of the experience on Tayside." Alan McDonnell, conservation projects manager at Trees for Life, said the government's decision was "disappointing". He said: "Whilst we understand that the minister wants to address the concerns of landowners in Tayside, the situation here is very different and we think it is possible to consult and negotiate with landowners in the immediate vicinity of the family and upstream to find an alternative outcome for the animals. "We think these beavers have been active at this site for at least five years without any local concerns being raised. Which just goes to show that in the right location, beavers and other land use interests can co-exist successfully."

Summary: A conservation charity has asked the Scottish government to protect a family of beavers found to have been released illegally in a part of the Highlands.


In securing the top spot in Super League they ended their 91-year wait for a top-flight title. First-half tries from Zak Hardaker, Mike McMeeken and Jake Webster set them on their way despite scores from Ben Jones-Bishop and Mason Caton-Brown. Greg Eden ran in, Webster scored a second-half hat-trick and Hardaker went over again as Cas cruised to victory. The Tigers have been in scintillating form all season, recording 22 wins from their 26 league games so far to secure top spot with four games to play. Daryl Powell's side have scored almost 200 points more than anyone else in the league as well as having the tightest defence. The visitors set out at a ferocious pace and had the hosts rattled in the first few minutes, with Liam Finn putting the first points of the day on the board with a penalty. Hardaker went over for the Tigers' first score after a neat pass from Luke Gale before Jones-Bishop levelled the scores with Trinity's first try. Parity was short-lived as McMeeken showed super handling to touch down before Webster extended the lead after a superb break by Hardaker. Wakefield secured the final points of the half when Caton-Brown charged over to get his side back in the game. Danny Kirmond's try for Chris Chester's side stunned the hosts at the start of the second half as Wakefield moved within two, but they responded quickly through Greg Eden's 38th try of the season and Webster's second of the game after Max Jowitt had kicked out on the full. Webster went over twice more either side of Gale landing a drop-goal to put the match firmly out of Trinity's reach with just over 10 minutes to play. Jowitt went over for the visitors but, fittingly, Castleford had the final say as Hardaker touched down after a quick breakaway. BBC Sport's Matt Newsum There will have been a sense of double sweetness for Cas as the triumph came against local rivals Wakefield, who twice relegated them in late-season encounters in 2004 and 2006. The silverware they lifted under the Jungle lights, cruelly dubbed 'The Hubcap' by some league fans, might not rival the big Grand Final prize but it is a reward for consistency - a hallmark of Castleford's play throughout 2017 with 22 wins and four defeats from their 26 Super League games so far. Cas have had 't'lane' rocking this season, with a team honed by head coach Daryl Powell scoring an impressive 142 tries with an open, attacking brand of rugby league befitting the old nickname 'Classy Cas'. Free-scoring winger Greg Eden and England half-back Luke Gale are the more obvious stand-out names, but the success has equally been built on largely unsung aspects such as Paul McShane's dynamic dummy-half play and the pack of ball-handling, hard-tackling forwards such as Grant Millington, Adam Milner and Mike McMeeken. The big challenge for Cas now is to achieve their full potential, taking their week-to-week consistency and applying it to the knock-out football that the play-off semi-finals will bring - in the race for

Summary: Castleford Tigers beat local rivals Wakefield Trinity to clinch the League Leaders' Shield.


More than 350 Roma people had lived in the camp on La Petite Ceinture since mid-2015. Activists said many left early ahead of the police action. The site belongs to the national rail authority SNCF. France has one of Europe's toughest policies towards Roma. Most live in camps that are regularly demolished and every year thousands are deported. Amnesty International urged city authorities to find a lasting housing solution for those evicted in Paris - saying they would become homeless in mid-winter. Hundreds of thousands of Roma - mostly from Romania and Bulgaria - have moved to western Europe since the 1990s. The Council of Europe, the region's main human rights body, warned that evictions were "counter-productive" because they disrupted education and healthcare for Roma children. Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland said it was crucial for French authorities to provide "adequate, alternative accommodation" for those evicted, "particularly as they have decided to take this action during winter". France's unwanted Roma

Summary: Police have cleared hundreds of Roma people from a slum-like camp built on a disused rail line in north Paris.


The original film saw Tom Hanks play a man saved from drowning as a boy by a mermaid, whom he meets 20 years later. Tatum - who will presumably be a merman - is set to co-star with Jillian Bell, according to Hollywood Reporter. They starred in 2014's undercover cop comedy film 22 Jump Street, which topped the box office on its release. The original film's director Ron Howard is set to produce the film, along with Tatum. The film, a rom-com about whether the man will choose to remain on land or join the mermaid in the sea, was nominated for an Oscar for best original screenplay. This version will be written by Maris Lewis-Ryan and follows on from Ghostbusters, which was remade this year with an all-female lead cast. Tatum recently starred in Hail Caesar! with George Clooney and Josh Brolin, while Bell is to appear in Office Christmas Party later this year.

Summary: Magic Mike star Channing Tatum is to play the mermaid in a remake of 1984's film Splash, taking the role played by Darryl Hannah, according to reports.


If you have eaten a handful of spicy chicken wings in Angola recently or perhaps polished off a lemony "yassa poulet" in Senegal, there is a good chance your chicken travelled some distance before finding its way on to your plate. It depends where you live in Africa, but chickens are increasingly migrating - in freezers - from Brazil, Germany or other European Union countries to the continent. Imports of chicken to sub-Saharan Africa tripled between 2004 and 2014, according to figures from the US Department of Agriculture. Here's a look at reasons behind the huge increase and what can be done to help fatten up the continent's poultry industry - in four points: 1) Why chickens not cows? Africa has a growing population, which is projected to double to 2.5 billion by 2050, and with that has come an increased demand for the consumption of meat, of one variety in particular. "Chicken is the first choice of meat for most Africans," says Kevin Lovell, chief executive of the South Africa Poultry Association. The higher cost of beef and some of the religious restrictions around pork in parts of Africa help explain the preference for chicken, he says. As more people move to the city, their dietary patterns begin to change and they are more likely to choose meat from a local fast food joint, or one of the global chains that have proliferated across the continent in recent years. The fast-food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken now has more than 700 outlets in Africa, operating in 13 countries. "The production of meat has not caught up with the demand... driven both by the rise in the population but also by the urbanisation phenomenon," explains Calestous Juma, a professor of International Development at Harvard University. And the growth really is phenomenal. By 2030, 50% of Africans, numbering more than half a billion, are expected to be living in cities, up from 36% in 2010, according to World Bank estimates. 2) Hungry birds Many Africans will be familiar with the "road runner" chicken, which can often be found in the backyard roaming freely. These birds tend to feed themselves and are known for being tough but tasty. As a means to feed the family or make a small income these low-input birds tend to do the job. However, when it comes to intensive farming, a steady supply of chicken feed which is made up of maize and soya is vital. But weak agricultural systems in Africa mean that feed often has to be imported at a high cost, hampering farmers' efforts to ramp up their grain production. Napoleon Oduro, is a Ghanaian poultry and egg farmer with a 500-bird farm, a few hours outside of the capital Accra. He tells me that the imported feed he relies on costs him $25 (Â£20) for a bag of 50kg (110 lb). And with each bird eating about 2.5kg of feed per month, he says costs can quickly become prohibitive. 3) Breeding a "super chicken" It is not just the high cost of feed, but the fact

Summary: With a growing appetite for chicken in Africa, BBC Africa's Kim Chakanetsa investigates why the continent does not produce enough birds to feed itself.


Wilson was airlifted to hospital from the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania after Sage Karam's car spun and crashed in front of him on lap 179 of 200. Debris from Karam's car hit ex-Formula 1 driver Wilson, 37, and the Andretti Autosport driver crashed into a wall. IndyCar officials said his death was a "monumentally sad day". Mark Miles, chief executive of IndyCar parent company Hulman & Co, said: "Justin's elite ability to drive a race car was matched by his unwavering kindness, character and humility - which is what made him one of the most respected members of the paddock. "As we know, the racing industry is one big family, and our efforts moving forward will be focused on rallying around Justin's family to ensure they get the support they need during this unbelievably difficult time." A seven-time IndyCar race winner, Wilson, from Sheffield, is survived by his wife, Julia, and two daughters. In a statement his family said he was a "loving father and devoted husband, as well as a highly competitive racing driver who was respected by his peers". His brother Stefan, also a racing driver, paid tribute on social media, saying: "Can't even begin to describe the loss I feel right now. He was my brother, my best friend, my role model and mentor. He was a champion. "He lived for this sport, he loved it. The only comfort I feel is that he lived a life he loved." An Andretti Autosport team statement said: "He was a tremendous racer, a valuable member of the team and respected representative to our sport. While Justin was only part of the Andretti line-up for a short time, it only took a second for him to forever become part of the Andretti family. "His life and racing career is a story of class and passion surpassed by none." Wilson was making his 174th IndyCar start in Sunday's race, but his major motorsport breakthrough came in F1. He won the Formula 3000 series in 2001, and two years later raised £1.2m to finance his F1 entry after setting up a company in his own name. Standing at 6ft 4in, Wilson was unusually tall for F1 - drivers over six feet are a rarity - and he scored his only point from 16 races with Minardi and Jaguar during 2003 at the United States Grand Prix. He moved to the United States in 2004 and enjoyed greater success in Champ Car, finishing as series runner-up in 2006 and 2007 before switching to IndyCar racing in 2008, after Champ Car merged with the Indy Racing League. He finished second in the previous IndyCar race in Mid-Ohio on 2 August, his first podium finish since 2013, while his final victory came at the Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway in June 2012. His appearance at the triangle-shaped Pocono Raceway was only his sixth of this season as he struggled to find a full-time seat. In the past 20 years there have been seven deaths during race meetings in IndyCar, including in the series' previous incarnations as

Summary: British driver Justin Wilson has died after being struck by flying debris and suffering a serious head injury in Sunday's Pocono IndyCar 500 race.


McGuigan and father Barry, the former world champion, signed Taylor to their Cyclone Promotions company when he won 2014 Commonwealth gold and turned pro. "I thought you saw the complete article," said Shane McGuigan of the man from Prestonpans in East Lothian. "He looked like he could punch - now he can really punch since changing the technique a bit." In addition, the trainer said he was keen to work with Taylor because "he has a great personality, he's a good-looking lad, he's fast and he can really fight - he ticked a lot of boxes". He added: "Also, I felt dad, with his background, a hall of famer, being a Celt himself, can appeal to a lot of the public in Scotland." Taylor left Edinburgh's Lochend club, where he worked under Terry McCormack, and now trains for his pro fights at the McGuigans' gym in Wandsworth, south London. He is aiming for a 10th consecutive win when he defends his Commonwealth super-lightweight title against Hackney's WBC Silver champion Ohara Davies at Glasgow's Braehead Arena on 8 July. "Josh is a phenomenal talent, a phenomenal force," added McGuigan junior. "He's been pro for a short time and he's already the Commonwealth champion and within six to 10 months he will be knocking on the door of a world title. "We've been working together for nearly two years now and he has excelled so quickly. "He has come out of the elite level amateur system and he is still progressing. "He has shown me so much in the gym and now it is our chance to really showcase that talent on the main stage in front of big audiences on television and at Braehead." Cyclone Promotions hopes Taylor will generate the same level of appeal as his stablemate, Belfast's Carl Frampton, a two-weight world champion. "With Carl, we built him up at home and then we took him to America and then to Manchester for a unification fight," said Shane McGuigan. "That's the same sort of platform we would like to set up for Josh Taylor. "We'd like to make him a star back home in Scotland and then filter him out to London, Manchester and the bigger arenas and then eventually go to the States. That is where he is inevitably going to end up, that's where the money is. "It is very rare that you have the Errol Spencers coming to fight for world titles over here. If you build loyalty with your fans they will go anywhere." The McGuigans have already had Taylor on the road, with three of his nine fights being in El Paso, New York and Las Vegas. "The American public loved his crowd-pleasing style, just like they loved Ricky Hatton," said the trainer. "People want to see a good fighter go to work and they will get that with Josh Taylor." Shane McGuigan is anticipating a "tricky" fight against undefeated Davies next month, expecting it to go to the later rounds. However, he believes the home fighter will prevail and take over the mantle of Ricky

Summary: Scotland's Josh Taylor has all the elements it takes to make it to the top in boxing, says trainer Shane McGuigan.


Australia are in a commanding position after two days of the second Test at Lord's as they look to square the series after England's win in Cardiff. Johnson, 33, was named man of the series following Australia's Ashes win in 2013-14 when he took 37 wickets. "I hope so. That'd be nice, to have those scars come back out," he said. Left-arm paceman Johnson had a chastening time at the first Test in Cardiff as he finished with match figures of 2-180. But he looked back to something like his best at Lord's with 2-16 from a six-over spell as England recovered from 30-4 to reach 85-4 after Australia had declared on 566-8. "Nothing's changed for me. It's always nice to go out there and perform and to bowl at good pace," Johnson added. "The ball's been swinging over here too and I've really enjoyed that. When the ball swings at good pace it makes it a little more difficult." He also appeared to make light of England's talk of playing a more attacking style of cricket under new coach Trevor Bayliss. "We were hoping they would come out and play the aggressive brand they've been talking about," he said. "We hope they come out in the morning and do the same thing." And he added: "I guess Ben Stokes is a very aggressive player anyway so we'd like to see him play some shots and hopefully get a couple of quick wickets in the morning. "I can't decide for them, if they want to play aggressive cricket or if they want to go the other way." England paceman Stuart Broad, who took four for 83 in Australia's first innings, accepted his side had succumbed to the pressure of the tourists' huge total. "It's always a tricky period when you've conceded a lot of runs to then go out and bat for 30 overs," he said. "It's always a big test for you and I think mentally we didn't switch on for 20 minutes - and lost four wickets. "We'll have a few batsmen in that changing room wishing they could face their balls again and play them pretty differently, I think."

Summary: Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson says Australia's attack can reopen the scars of England's batting struggles from their 5-0 Ashes whitewash down under.


The £127m, four-year arts programme began in 2008 and climaxed with the London 2012 Festival last summer. The festival included a nationwide bell-ringing event, a bouncy Stonehenge and a string quartet in helicopters. By September 2012, the report said, 29% of the UK population was aware of the Olympiad and the festival. This figure rose to over 40% in London, it continued, adding the four years were believed to have seen 37.4 million attendances. The Liverpool University study, published on Thursday, also said the Olympiad helped enhance the perception of Britain abroad. But one arts expert has questioned how effectively the message about the London 2012 Festival came across. "The numbers do not lie," said Marc Sands, the Tate's director of audiences and media. "Vast swathes of the UK population and tourists visiting the UK for that incredible summer in some way experienced the London 2012 Festival. "However, much as they may have enjoyed the event they were attending, my lasting impression is that they were unaware they were participating in a festival. "Six months on from the end of London 2012, many people look at you blankly when you ask them about the London 2012 Festival," he went on. "They remember the Olympics clearly, but are a little fuzzier about the cultural festival. "When you ask about the cultural events that comprised the festival, they remember them well and with much affection. "Therein lay the marketing dilemma, a gap for the festival's communications and a challenge that marketing should have solved." Sands was commissioned by the London 2012 Festival organisers to give his personal reflection on the 12-week event. His essay was published on Thursday alongside the official evaluation of the Cultural Olympiad, by the University of Liverpool's Institute of Cultural Capital. The report said the size of the Olympiad audience - including participants and volunteers - was estimated at 43.4 million, with an additional 204.4 million reached through broadcasts and online viewings. It said the millions of free tickets - the festival claimed 15.4 million "free audiences or participants" - enabled new audiences, especially young people, to attend festival events. Research showed that 19% of the population and 84% of London 2012 Festival attendees believed the festival made a "positive contribution" to the games. In his introduction to the report, Tony Hall, chair of the Cultural Olympiad Board, said festival organisers had hoped the cultural programme would be "a game changer". The intention, he wrote in his introduction to the report, had been "putting art at the heart of the Games themselves, showcasing UK world-class excellence with high economic stakes to play for cultural tourism and creative industries". "Communities all over the UK participated with enthusiasm, and the majority have been inspired to carry on enjoying culture and creativity," he continued. Formerly chief executive of the Royal Opera House and now director general of the BBC, Lord Hall took over the running of the Cultural Olympiad in 2009. Highlights of the London 2012 Festival programme included the World Shakespeare Festival, Mark Rylance's sonnets on the London Underground, and Deborah Warner's

Summary: An official report into the impact of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad says it achieved a "huge" level of public engagement.


With three defeats in his previous six bouts, the Scottish boxer's career seemed to be on the wane. But his power, timing and focus returned in a supremely confident display at Glasgow's Hydro on Saturday night as he clinched the vacant WBA World Super-Lightweight title - and entered the record books as the first Scot to win world titles at three weights. Italy's Michele Di Rocco, at 34 a year older than Burns, hadn't lost a fight since September 2007. He arrived with a record of 40 wins and a draw from 42 bouts. He left a lesser figure. The referee deemed the man from Assisi to be in no state to continue in the eighth round, the result of a welter of blows to his head and body and made all the more unbearable by the hostile acoustic energy generated by 8,000 Scottish fans. Surely, for Burns, this was time to shout about his record, the ideal moment to counter all those who had written him off and questioned the wisdom of him leaving trainer Billy Nelson two years ago to work with Tony Sim in Essex? No. Instead, the champion spoke of his disbelief at the ease of his victory, his gratitude that he was safe, of his thanks to promoter Eddie Hearn, manager Alex Morrison and coach Sim for believing in him, and of his desire to celebrate with a fast-food burger and 20 chicken nuggets. "When I got in the ring after the fight, I said, 'You've done it! You've done it!'," reported a beaming Hearn at the post-fight media conference. "And you know what Ricky said? 'Can you get a picture with me and Michael Buffer [the legendary American boxing ring announcer]?'" When he has time to reflect during a well-earned holiday, Burns will take immense satisfaction at being only the third British-born fighter, after Bob Fitzsimmons and Duke McKenzie, to be a three-weight world champion. In Scottish terms, his achievements must mean that he is in the very top tier of boxing greats, comfortably mentioned in the same breath as former world champions Benny Lynch, Walter McGowan, Jackie Paterson, Ken Buchanan and Jim Watt, for example. Burns' record stands at 40 wins from 46 bouts. Remarkably, 11 of those have been world title fights. Buchanan's exploits in the United States add lustre to his legacy, but while Burns may never have fought someone like Roberto Duran, should Hearn manage to set up a bout against Cincinnati's Adrien Broner, the four-time world champion stripped of the WBA title because he could not make the weight, then Burns could achieve little more in the sport. "There are some big fights out there for me," said Burns. "I want to fight the top names. I will fight anybody. I do super-lightweight comfortably and lightweight is still an option. I would fight Terence Crawford again if it came down to it. "That's nearly two years I have been with Tony and things have just started clicking. "I had a bit of a bad run in the last year with stuff.

Summary: In a sport beset by tiresome braggadocio, Ricky Burns seems like an impostor.


The Department for Transport said up to 60 trains, capable of speeds of about 225mph, were needed. The contract, which will also involve maintaining the fleet, will be awarded in 2019. The trains are for the first phase of the project, due to open in 2026 and run between London and Birmingham. Construction will begin later this year and it is expected to reduce rail times between Birmingham and London by 32 minutes. A second Y-shaped phase of HS2 will open in two stages. The line from Birmingham to Crewe will launch in 2027, with the remaining construction - which includes a spur taking HS2 to a new station at Manchester Airport - due to finish six years later. There will be separate contracts in the future to supply trains for this phase. Transport secretary Chris Grayling said the new railway would carry more than 300,000 people a day. "Hundreds of jobs will be created in building and maintaining these trains, representing a great opportunity for British-based businesses and suppliers. "In total 25,000 jobs and 2,000 apprenticeships will be created during HS2 construction and we have held discussions with UK suppliers to make sure they are in the best possible position to win contracts," he added. Friday's launch comes ahead of a formal start of the process in spring 2017, when companies interested in bidding can learn more about the process. Formal invitations to tender will be made in 2018. Hitachi Rail Europe said it will bid for the contract to build the HS2 trains. The rail manufacturer is headquartered in London and builds trains at its plant in Newton Aycliffe in County Durham. Its sales director, Nick Hughes, said: "Our HS2 trains would be built in Britain, for Britain, and combine world-leading Japanese Shinkansen technology with British manufacturing know-how." Gordon Wakeford, managing director of Siemens Mobility, said a manufacturing contract of this scale was "exciting news" for the rail industry and would have a "positive impact on the wider UK supply chain". The company had recently "ramped up" its HS2 activity with the appointment of two executives to lead the HS2 rolling stock bid team, he added. HS2 has been dogged by controversy, with critics saying the scheme poses a threat to swathes of English countryside.

Summary: The search for a company to take on the £2.75bn contract to build high speed trains for the HS2 rail network got underway on Friday.


Media playback is not supported on this device Scottish full-back Stuart Hogg ran in the opening try but Leigh Halfpenny's three penalties and a slick Rhys Webb score put Wales 16-10 up by half-time. A disallowed Liam Williams effort and a missed Halfpenny penalty gave Scotland hope that they could recover. But Jon Welsh's late try was not enough after Jonathan Davies had powered over. Wales are now back on track to mount a championship challenge, but despite the Scots' improvement, they still seem a little short of the Six Nations heavyweights. Warren Gatland's side arrived in Edinburgh reeling from that loss to a patchwork England side. Scotland also began the tournament with a defeat, to France in Paris, but there was enough in their display to give their fans hope they could beat Wales for the first time in the Gatland era. The Scots had spoken of keeping the penalty count down, but they conceded three in the first five minutes, one of which was kicked by Halfpenny to give Wales the lead. As the Welsh began to build pressure, they were hit by a breakaway try. Alex Cuthbert lost possession and Richie Gray shipped the ball wide to Hogg, who showed great speed to race past the cover defence and score under the posts. Laidlaw's conversion and a subsequent penalty put the Scots 10-3 up before Halfpenny responded with a three-pointer of his own. Scotland lost fly-half Finn Russell to the sin-bin on the half-hour when he was judged to have taken out opposite number Dan Biggar with a dangerous tackle in the air. Halfpenny brought the score to 10-9 with the resultant penalty. Wales did not take long to make their one-man advantage count, a sweeping move from inside their own half stretching the Scots' defence to breaking point, and scrum-half Webb diving over in the corner. Halfpenny added the extras to put Wales 16-10 up at the break. Two Laidlaw penalties either side of a successful Halfpenny kick kept the Scots within three early in the second-half. Wales had a Liam Williams try ruled out for an off-the-ball infringement by Alun Wyn Jones, but the referee could not save Scotland 15 minutes from the end when Davies scored Wales' second try. The British and Irish Lion came on to a Biggar pass at pace and, after powering through some soft midfield tackling, the centre coasted under the posts to leave Halfpenny with the simplest of conversions to give Wales a 10-point lead. That looked to have ended the match as a contest, but the Scots refused to buckle, with Mark Bennett and Hogg making searing line breaks. They did force a try in the dying seconds when Welsh ploughed over from close range, but it was too late and once again the home side had to be content with the 'gallant losers' tag. Scotland: Hogg; Lamont, Bennett, Dunbar, Visser; Russell, Laidlaw; Dickinson, Ford, Cross, R Gray, J Gray, Harley, Cowan, Beattie. Replacements: Scott for Dunbar (58), Hidalgo-Clyne for Laidlaw (71), Reid for Dickinson (61), F Brown for Ford

Summary: Wales recovered from their opening Six Nations defeat by England to secure a hard-fought win at Murrayfield that leaves Scotland without a point.


The Uefa general secretary has included the plan in his manifesto for the Fifa election on 26 February. His idea follows European football's governing body Uefa's decision to play Euro 2020 in 13 different countries. "Each confederation shall have to wait at least two editions before being able to host the World Cup again," he said. "This will ensure a more equitable rotation, while giving every confederation the opportunity to organise this unique event. "Furthermore, Fifa should investigate the possibility of organising the World Cup not only in one or two countries but in a whole region, so enabling several countries to enjoy the honour and benefits of hosting the World Cup." Infantino is one of five candidates standing for the presidency of world football's governing body, which is in crisis following a series of corruption claims. He is up against Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, the Bahraini head of the Asian football confederation (AFC), Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, South Africa's Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne, a former Fifa deputy secretary general from France. Current Fifa president Sepp Blatter has been banned for eight years from all football-related activities for breaching ethics rules.

Summary: Fifa presidential candidate Gianni Infantino says he would press for the World Cup to be held in a whole region rather than one or two countries.


The left-handed opener, 36, who played six Tests for England, last appeared for his county in July 2016 before he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour. He immediately started treatment and had a successful operation. Carberry scored exactly 100 off 121 balls in Hampshire's game against Cardiff MCCU at the Ageas Bowl. Having resumed pre-season training in January and going on a tour of Barbados with the county, Carberry released a statement on Tuesday thanking people for their support and urging the media to continue "respecting my privacy in dealing with my illness". Hampshire begin their County Championship Division One season against Yorkshire at Headingley on Friday.

Summary: Michael Carberry scored a century in his first competitive outing for Hampshire since returning to cricket after undergoing treatment for cancer.


Robin Li was in the passenger seat when he made a video call to an artificial-intelligence developers conference in the Chinese capital. But while autonomous vehicles are tipped as the future of motoring, they are banned from China's public roads. Police began an investigation after the video went viral. The footage shows another Baidu executive in the driver's seat, but with his hands off the steering wheel. Mr Li reportedly told his audience the vehicle was on autopilot and that the journey was smooth. Baidu, which has not commented on the incident, is one of many firms developing prototypes of self-driving vehicles that will use mapping and artificial intelligence technology. At the conference, Baidu announced that it had built an alliance with 50 partners to develop and promote self-driving cars. They include Ford, Daimler, five Chinese car manufacturers, mapping firm TomTom, and chipmakers Intel and Nvidia. Baidu said it hoped to have autonomous cars on China's roads by 2019 - so long as the law allowed it - before expanding to other markets including the US. Earlier this year Baidu also opened up its self-driving car codes to software developers via the 'Apollo' open-source platform in the hope it would spur innovation. Two of its autonomous vehicles using Apollo version 1.0 were on display at the developers conference, the Wall Street Journal said. Google parent company Alphabet, Ford and GM have also built and are among those testing self-driving cars.

Summary: The head of Chinese online search giant Baidu is being investigated, after riding in one of the firm's driverless cars on a Beijing ring-road.


School staff should also watch for signs of FGM, such as frequent toilet trips and girls in pain. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) says teachers need more training to help them identity and protect girls at risk. At least 66,000 girls and women in the UK are believed to be victims of FGM. Campaigners say girls are most at risk of undergoing the procedure during the long summer holidays. The ATL, at its annual conference in Manchester, passed a resolution to lobby politicians to eliminate the practice and to develop resources to advise teachers and support staff on how to tackle the problem. Proposing the motion, Helen Porter, from Berkshire, said school staff should openly discuss the issue with parents. "Schools and education staff can help by opening discussion with parents, and scrutinising holiday requests and summer holiday plans from members of communities that practise FGM. "They should be vigilant for the signs of FGM such as frequent toilet visits and pain whilst sitting down. Schools should publicise the NSPCC's FGM helpline to pupils, parents and staff. "We must aim to empower girls by discussion in age-appropriate PSHE [personal, social and health education] lessons delivered by trained teachers. "We must equally empower boys to challenge this practice. Do they want this for their sisters, daughters, girlfriends or wives?" Ms Porter said the practice of FGM should never be described as female circumcision, as there was no medical benefit and rarely any anaesthetic used. She said the term female circumcision was "equivalent to describing deforestation as rainforest topiary". Ms Porter said: "FGM is child abuse. It is a violation of a child's human rights, and according to the United Nations is a cruel, inhumane and degrading torture that should be eliminated." Tendai Mashapure, from Cambridgeshire, said: "We need to commit ourselves to the creation of an enabling environment where individuals are empowered to make decisions based on the best interest of their children. "FGM will not end only by targeting those who practise FGM, but rather by engaging with all families, focusing on youth who will be future parents and targeting the leaders who have influence over community members. "In other words, by reducing the demand for the practice, it will eventually become obsolete." ATL general secretary Dr Mary Bousted said: "Teachers have been put in a position of great responsibility. What they need now is clear guidance on how to fulfil those responsibilities. "They need a clear system for reporting their concerns." Dr Bousted welcomed the letter that Education Secretary Michael Gove sent to schools last term, urging them to protect girls at risk from what he described as "this very serious form of child abuse". FGM includes procedures that remove or injure female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Dangers include severe bleeding, problems urinating, infections, infertility, mental health problems, complications in childbirth and increased risk of death for newborns. Two men were charged last month, in connection with performing FGM, under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. They were the first people in Britain to face such charges. The

Summary: Teachers should scrutinise the holiday plans of families from communities that practise female genital mutilation (FGM), a conference has heard.


Slow-motion footage revealed the spiders used their silk draglines to stabilise their bodies and to brake, enabling them to land poised and ready to pounce on prey. The discovery, the scientists say, could inspire new robot design. It is published in the Royal Society journal Interface. Kai-jung Chi, from National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan, and her colleagues investigated the jumping ability of Adanson's house spider, a common arachnid that jumps when it hunts, in order to surprise its prey. Ultimately, Dr Chi and her team hope to learn exactly how these creatures fine-tune and control their jumping manoeuvres, to aid the design of miniature robots able to move in similar ways. Dr Chi's colleague, PhD student Yung-Kang Chen, filmed the spiders at 1,000 frames per second, and slowed down the resulting footage. They compared the movements of the Adanson's spider with those of a species of jumping spider that does not use a silk dragline. "We analysed the motion and body orientation throughout the jumps," Dr Chi told BBC News. This revealed that the Adanson's spider used its dragline to control the orientation of its body mid-air and to brake as it landed. The non-silk jumping spider would often lose balance - tipping forward and onto its back upon landing. "[The silk means that the spiders] can land in the optimal position to rapidly initiate prey capture," Dr Chi said. The results, she said, suggested that the spiders were taking up the slack in their silk dragline by using the valve in their spinning system. These super-fast adjustments mean that silk provides more than just a safety line for a jumping spider. Dr Chi said that the "adjustable silk tension" could provide "biological inspiration" for future manoeuvrable robot design.

Summary: High-speed cameras have revealed how jumping spiders use a dragline of silk to stabilise themselves mid-air and control their landings.


Shopkeeper Alice Wheeldon was found guilty of a poison plot against David Lloyd George in 1917. Since her death in 1919, a campaign has emerged to clear her name. Her former home at 12 Pear Tree Road, Normanton, is being marked with a plaque in a ceremony organised by Derby Civic Society and the city council. Keith Venables, from the Derby People's History group, which campaigned for justice for the family, said: "It's wonderful to celebrate the contribution of Alice Wheeldon and her family. Their name was vilified." Mrs Wheeldon, a mother of four, supported the suffragette movement and was a conscientious objector to World War I. Mr Venables believes she was framed by the authorities who were anxious about opposition to the war. The radical women who fought for the vote The family claimed an MI5 agent, posing as an objector, embroiled Mrs Wheeldon in a plot to poison dogs guarding prisoners against the war. However, the family were accused of plotting to murder the prime minister by shooting him with poisoned darts. On 31 January 1917, Mrs Wheeldon, her daughters Hetty and Winnie and son-in-law Alfred Mason were arrested and charged. Mrs Wheeldon was sentenced to 10 years, Alfred seven years and Winnie five years. Hetty was acquitted. Mrs Wheeldon went on a hunger strike and was released after nine months but died shortly afterwards. Historian Dr Nicholas Hiley, who researched the family's story, said: "The whole thing was a travesty. "The truth about Alice Wheeldon deserves to be publicised and the blue plaque is the beginning of that. The Wheeldons should be honoured and remembered for the stand they took during the war." Mrs Wheeldon's descendents moved to Australia, but her great-granddaughters, Deirdre and Chloe Mason, are visiting Derby for the ceremony. They hope to prepare a miscarriage of justice application to go before the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Summary: A Derby suffragette, who was convicted of attempting to murder a prime minister, is being honoured with a blue plaque.


The Tiangong-1 or "Heavenly Palace" laboratory was launched in 2011 as part of an ambitious Chinese plan to catch up with other space powers. However, a senior space official has said the lab had "comprehensively fulfilled its historical mission". The lab is currently intact and orbiting at 370km above ground. Speaking at a press conference last week, Wu Ping, deputy director of the manned space engineering office, said: "Based on our calculation and analysis, most parts of the space lab will burn up during falling." She added that it was unlikely to affect aviation activities or cause damage to the ground. But in comments reported by the Guardian newspaper, Dr Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at Harvard University, suggested China might have lost control of the station. "You really can't steer these things," he said. "Even a couple of days before it re-enters we probably won't know better than six or seven hours, plus or minus, when it's going to come down. "Not knowing when it's going to come down translates as not knowing where its going to come down." Most of the 8.5-tonne station would melt as it passed through the atmosphere, Dr McDowell commented, but some parts such as the rocket engines, were so dense they might not burn up completely. Earlier this month, China launched its second trial space station, called Tiangong-2, in a bid to operate a crewed outpost in orbit by 2022.

Summary: China's first space station is expected to fall back to Earth in the second half of 2017, amid speculation authorities have lost control of it.


British Transport Police said there had been a 19% rise, from 108 incidents in 2014 to 128 last year. The organisation said longer evenings and the summer holidays "spell danger" for young people, who are twice as likely to trespass this time of year than in winter. Almost 170 young people have died in 10 years in the UK after trespassing. Lynsey Slawson's sister Victoria Swift was killed by a train in Wrexham when she was 14. She told BBC News: "I think a lot more needs doing because you're seeing it all the time. "Kids need to realise it's not a place to be playing, at all. "They think 'we've got time', they don't realise it's not like a car. They can't slam the brakes on like a car, it takes time for the train to stop. "On that patch [where Victoria was killed] there's a bend, trains come round there, she's gone to run but it's too late. By the time she's realised it's there, it's there." Tracey Young, of Network Rail Wales, said: "We are urging parents to remind their children that if they are on the railway, they are on dangerous ground. "It may seem like a good idea to take a shortcut, or like fun to play on the tracks, but this is not only illegal, it is also dangerous. Of those who died in the past decade, 72% were hit by a train, 17% were electrocuted and others fell from structures or trains.

Summary: A warning has been issued after figures showed rail trespass incidents in Wales have risen.


Joe Storey, 27, had denied murdering Kerri McAuley, 32, who was found dead at Southalls Way, Norwich, on 8 January, but admitted manslaughter. Storey was high on cocaine when he punched mother-of-two Ms McAuley after a row about an ex-girlfriend. The jury at Norwich Crown Court took less than an hour to find Storey guilty. He will be sentenced on Friday. The court had heard friends describe a history of domestic violence which left Ms McAuley "disfigured" and fearing for her life. In her texts Ms McAuley described Mr Storey's behaviour as "not normal". She wrote: "you are not ready to care for anyone but yourself". "You were trying to kill me, you were suffocating me until I nearly passed out", adding that if he stays away "hopefully you won't go to prison for beating me to a pulp". Later Mr Storey and Ms McAuley agreed to meet up again. Pathologist Dr Benjamin Swift said in the fatal attack Ms McAuley sustained multiple facial lacerations and one of her ears was torn. Dr Swift said some of the injuries were caused by "blunt force impact". Storey, of Murrells Court, Norwich, had admitted the pair had a turbulent relationship. He said he was staying at Ms McAuley's home when she confronted him about his ex-girlfriend who she thought was back in contact with him. Storey said he struck her five or six times and had a phone in his hand at the time but insisted he had "not to hit her with it". Prosecutor Simon Spence said Storey behaved like an animal and if "he'd had a scrap of humanity" Storey would have called an ambulance after the attack instead of leaving Ms McAuley to die in the flat.

Summary: A man has been found guilty of murdering his "on-off partner" by bludgeoning her to death.


Ashton dived over with his signature swallow celebration in a dominant second half from the home side, where Shalk Brits, Brad Barritt and Billy Vunipola also crossed. That added to first-half tries by Jamie George, Alex Goode and Sean Maitland. Bath could only manage a single try through Anthony Watson as they suffered their third straight defeat. Having been competitive in the opening 40 minutes, Bath were overwhelmed in the second period and now sit three points behind fourth-placed Leicester, whom they meet in two weeks' time at Twickenham. Saracens kept up their pursuit of a home semi-final and now lie just a point behind Exeter in second. After George had driven over a rolling maul inside four minutes, Goode began and finished the try of the afternoon. He freed Ashton, whose inside break sent Saracens into the 22, the move flowed towards the left-hand touchline and Goode dived over in the corner. Ashton, who is joining Toulon in the summer, scored his two tries in the final 10 minutes as the Bath defence tired. Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall: "Chris was really good, you could see what a clever rugby player he is. He did a lot of things in the game that people don't give him credit for in terms of the attacking kicks used and where he pops up. "Sean Maitland on our other wing was also good and the two of them gave performances that Warren Gatland might be interested in. "It was a really good performance. It was a bit mixed in the first 50 minutes - we started well into a strong wind. "The bench came on and did a fantastic job and we just took our game to a different level in that last half hour. We are going to need that against Glasgow." Bath director of rugby Todd Blackadder: "That was really disappointing and it's a low, but I believe we're a better team than that, we just need to show it. "I think we're mentally strong enough, but you might look at the second half and say no at times. It didn't look like we had a lot of fight when we were going backwards. "The answers are always within the room. We're not panicking or throwing any playbooks out, but we can't afford any more slip ups. "Our season isn't over, although this was one of our worst performances. Destiny is still in our hands." Saracens: Goode; Ashton, Bosch, Barritt, Maitland; Farrell, Wigglesworth; M Vunipola, George, Figallo, Itoje, Hamilton, Rhodes, Wray, B Vunipola. Replacements: Brits, Lamositele, Koch, Brown, Conlon, H Taylor, Lozowski, D Taylor. Bath: Watson; Rokoduguni, Joseph, Tapuai, Banahan; Ford, Fotuali'i; Catt, Batty, Lahiff, Ewels, Charteris, Ellis, Louw, Faletau. Replacements: Brooker, Obano, Palmer-Newport, Stooke, Grant, Cook, Hastings, Homer. Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU) For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.

Summary: Chris Ashton scored twice as champions Saracens ran in eight tries to hammer Bath at Allianz Park.


Ian Stephens, of Cumbria Tourism, said there was a need to "reassure" travel firms and "get the message out businesses are operating as usual". He said the reopening of the A591 was a "massive priority" after a four-mile section between Keswick and Grasmere was closed by a landslide. Some areas were hit by flooding three times in as many weeks in December. Mr Stephens said the impact on visitor numbers was "still unfolding". "We've seen a collapse in forward bookings, which is a very worrying trend," he said. "Accommodation held up reasonably well over the Christmas period. "As you'd expect there were fewer day trippers around and fewer people in the towns and villages, which has an economic impact, and there's an urgent need to get a positive campaign on the road." Storm Desmond saw a record amount of rainfall in the county over the weekend of 5 and 6 December, followed by more in the rest of the month. Carlisle, Keswick, Appleby and Glenridding were badly affected, with water deluging homes and shops. Cumbria Tourism launched a social media campaign before Christmas and is continuing to work with Visit Britain and Visit England. "It's a big job to do," Mr Stephens said. "We're talking to coach and travel operators so they don't change their itineraries. "There's a big danger of them saying, 'We'll wait and go somewhere else in the UK until things are better in Cumbria,' and we then lose a huge number of bookings across the year." Keswick Tourism boss Linda Furniss, said last week that local businesses had "suffered".

Summary: Flooding in Cumbria has led to a "collapse" in bookings in the county, a tourism chief has said.


What were initially thought to be just a couple of brilliant, closely spaced features at one location now turn out to be a clutch of many smaller dots. The latest pictures were acquired by the US space agency's Dawn spacecraft on its first full science orbit since arriving at Ceres on 6 March. The spots were seen from a distance of 13,600km. Researchers on the mission concede they still have much to learn about the dots' true nature, but the new data is hardening their ideas. "Dawn scientists can now conclude that the intense brightness of these spots is due to the reflection of sunlight by highly reflective material on the surface, possibly ice," said Chris Russell, who is the principal investigator on the mission. With a diameter of 950km, Ceres is the largest object in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Dawn will spend the coming months studying its geology and surface chemistry with a suite of cameras and remote-sensing instruments. The intention is to get some insights into the processes that have sculpted the dwarf since its formation with the rest of the Solar System some 4.5 billion years year ago. Having completed its first science orbit, Dawn is now heading downwards to get even closer to the body. This second mapping campaign, which will commence on 6 June, will see Dawn moving just 4,400km from the surface. Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos

Summary: The fascinating bright spots on the surface of the dwarf planet Ceres have come into sharper view.


But the inspiration for this scheme to improve health services in Zambia began in very low-tech and unhappy circumstances. Huw Jones, working in Zambia as a safari guide, was driving a Land Rover along a road in a remote part of the country. He saw a trail of blood in the road, and his first reaction was that it might have come from an animal killed by a lion. But he came across a couple on a bike - the man riding and the woman carried on the handlebars. She was pregnant and bleeding heavily and they had been cycling for hours with the aim of reaching the nearest hospital, almost 60 miles away. The woman was in a great deal of pain and her husband seemed to be in a state of shock, says Mr Jones. "In the heat and that terrain, they were desperate," he says. Mr Jones stopped to pick them up and drive them. But the woman was already weak and died in the back of the Land Rover before they could reach anyone who could give them medical help. "It affected me quite deeply. I wondered if I could do anything," says Mr Jones. It was an awful example of the lack of medical provision for rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa - and, he says, he has come across too many deaths that could have been avoided with better care. Zambia has about 1,600 doctors for a population of 14 million, and two-thirds of these are working in towns and cities, while most of the country's population is in the countryside. It means access to good quality health care is often difficult if not impossible. When Mr Jones returned to the UK, he began to develop a project to fill some of these gaps. He set up the Virtual Doctors charity, based in Brighton, which uses the expertise of volunteer doctors in the UK to provide direct and individual support for health workers in Zambia. For many communities, it is not practical to expect sick and frail people to walk or cycle for hours to hospital. So families depend on rural health centres, which have health workers but no qualified doctors. The virtual doctors project means that these isolated health centres can be supported by doctors thousands of miles away. Health workers and clinical officers on the ground use an app on a smartphone or tablet computer to take notes on a patient's symptoms and photographs. This information is sent to a volunteer doctor in the UK who helps with a diagnosis and recommends treatment. More stories from the BBC's Global education series looking at education from an international perspective and how to get in touch Cases are directed towards doctors with a relevant specialism, whether it is skin diseases or HIV and Aids-related problems. The doctor in the UK will have a list of the drugs and equipment kept in the health centre in Zambia and can suggest treatment or further tests based on what is practical and available. "For instance, there's no point calling for

Summary: The idea of a "virtual doctor" project might sound rather futuristic.


SABMiller said it had agreed "in principle" a £44-a-share offer, after four previous attempts from AB InBev. AB InBev's brands include Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona, while SABMiller produces Peroni and Grolsch. If the deal, worth about £70bn, goes ahead, the newly-created firm will make about 30% of the world's beer. SABMiller has a workforce of close to 70,000 people in more than 80 countries, and global annual sales of more than $26bn. AB InBev has a workforce of 155,000 and global revenues of more than $47bn. What deal means for drinkers Anheuser-Busch InBev - 20.8% SABMiller - 9.7% Heineken - 9.1% Carlsberg - 6.1% China Resources Enterprise - 6% Source: Euromonitor, based on 2014 figures AB InBev had made four previous bid approaches for SABMiller - at £38, £40, £42.15, and £43.50 per share - but they had been rejected by SABMiller, which argued they undervalued the company. In a statement, the boards of the two firms said they had now "reached agreement in principle on the key terms of a possible recommended offer". The two companies have not yet formally finalised the terms of an offer, but the latest development means they have extended the City deadline for a firm offer until 28 October. Analysis: Matthew Davies, business reporter, Johannesburg SABMiller's African brands are actually one of the main reasons AB InBev is so thirsty for this merger. Carlos Brito, the chief executive of AB InBev, has said that Africa is a "key piece" of the deal. SABMiller, of course, has its roots in Africa - South African Breweries was founded around the time of gold rush in Johannesburg in the late 19th Century. As it stands, and if this deal goes through, it would mean that the merged entity would control 31% of global beer sales. AB InBev's brands are largely concentrated in the Americas and Europe; SABMIller has about 40 brands in Africa. It was the growth of SABMiller's African brands that really attracted AB InBev. What makes these brands so tasty is the growing African middle class, an army of consumers that all the major brewing companies have been eyeing up in recent years. As African beer drinkers have become more prosperous over the past 20 years, they have moved out of the informal home-brewing market and started to buy branded beer. The latest proposal comes a day before the original deadline, by which AB InBev had to make a formal bid for SABMiller or walk away for six months. The offer represents a premium of about 50% over and above SABMiller's share price in mid-September, before the bid battle started. In morning trade in London, SABMiller's share price rose 9% to £39.48, while shares in AB InBev were 2.85% higher at €101.15 in trading in Brussels.

Summary: The world's two biggest beer producers are set to merge after SABMiller accepted an increased takeover offer from rival Anheuser-Busch InBev.


Corrie Mckeague, based at RAF Honington in Suffolk, was last seen in Bury St Edmunds following a night out. CCTV images show the 23-year-old, believed to be from Dunfermline, Fife, walking through the streets of the town after he left friends. His uncle Tony Wringe said his nephew kept in close contact with his family. "He is a real fun guy. He is so close to his family and friends so this is out of character. He has a strong family support network," said Mr Wringe. He added the family was finding it "hard to deal with the uncertainty. That is the most difficult thing". Officers, supported by the RAF, Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue and the National Police Air Service helicopter, have been continuing to look for Mr Mckeague. He has not been seen since about 03:20 BST last Saturday. On Friday officers continued the search between Bury St Edmunds and Honington and said that over the weekend these ground searches will be expanded. Officers are also continuing to go through CCTV footage in a bid to find any sightings that may take the investigation forward. Anyone with information is asked to call Suffolk Police.

Summary: The uncle of an RAF serviceman who went missing a week ago has said his disappearance is "entirely out of character".


Emergency services were called to a blaze at a croft house in Kilmuir on Saturday. Due to the level of damage caused, police and fire officers were unable to enter the premises until it could be confirmed as structurally safe. When a search was later carried out a body was found. The incident was not being treated as suspicious. Inquiries are ongoing to identity the deceased person.

Summary: A body has been found at a house on the Isle of Skye following a fire on Boxing Day.


The move is just one of several waste and recycling options considered by the council on Thursday. Black bags are currently collected fortnightly. The council's head of environment, Richard Brown said there will be "high public interest" whatever they come up with. A report before the policy scrutiny committee outlined the challenges faced by the council's waste service as a result of funding pressures. It said Â£1.2m needed to be saved over the next four years. This is in addition to potential fines for missing statutory performance targets. Five options were presented to the committee. They looked at what was being collected, how often and by what means. Options for black bin bag collection were weekly, fortnightly and three-weekly, while limiting the number of customer-provided sacks to two or three. Pembrokeshire council stopped supplying residents with free black bags in 2016. The report also outlined an opportunity to save money by working with Ceredigion council, which faces "many of the same challenges". The committee's comments will be reported to Pembrokeshire council's cabinet before a decision is made. Mr Brown said waste services "was the one service we all have a vested interest in" and that they have to "do the best they can" and "look at future change".

Summary: Black bin bags could be collected every three weeks in Pembrokeshire as the council looks to meet "severe budget cuts" and performance targets.


A statement announced the formation of a joint operations room following what it said was an increase in attacks on residential areas and displaced people. Rebels were said to have subsequently launched attacks in the province of Latakia and in neighbouring Hama. Meanwhile, the Syrian opposition delegation in Geneva said it intended to suspend formal peace talks. The cessation of hostilities brokered by the US and Russia to make way for the talks has resulted in a significant reduction in violence since it took effect on 27 February. But escalating fighting in recent days, particularly around the divided northern city of Aleppo, has left it on the verge of collapse. "After the increase of violations by regime forces that included targeting displaced people and continuous bombing of residential neighbourhoods, we declare the start of the battle in response," said the rebel statement issued on Monday morning. The text was signed by the powerful Islamist groups Ahrar al-Sham and Jaysh al-Islam, as well as several groups that fight under the banner of the Free Syrian Army. Later in the day, the Syrian opposition negotiating team, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said it "intended to postpone formal participation" in the peace talks, UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura said. Ever since Syria's truce came into force in late February, there have been repeated violations. But these new attacks are the most significant yet - rebel forces are attacking key front lines, and there have been repeated air strikes by the Syrian military. This upsurge in fighting is putting new pressure on fragile peace talks. Opposition delegates are now discussing if the time has come to leave Geneva - they are reported to have received a letter from rebel forces on the ground, urging them to exert more pressure on the UN envoy Staffan de Mistura who has been mediating in these indirect negotiations between the warring sides. The opposition is now accusing the UN of bias after Mr de Mistura floated a proposal to allow Syria's President Assad to remain in office, in a ceremonial role. I've heard that idea in recent months from Russian and Iranian sources. But Syrian opposition groups have flatly rejected it - their Western backers are urging them not to walk out but it is becoming increasingly clear that these talks are not going anywhere. The HNC wanted to express its disappointment at the deterioration in the humanitarian situation and in the cessation of hostilities, Mr de Mistura said. But the envoy added that the HNC would remain in Geneva and informal discussions with the two sides would continue with a view to "taking stock" on Friday. The US on Monday called on Russia to use its influence on the Syrian government to stop attacks that threatened the seven-week cessation of hostilities as well as the Geneva peace talks, a State Department official said. Separately, President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held an "intense conversation" on Monday that covered Syria, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. Meanwhile, four Syrians including three children in the

Summary: Rebels say they have begun a new battle in north-western Syria in response to alleged truce violations by the army.


How about £54,000? If that seems high for a three-year degree, that's how much a think tank has calculated a student could have to pay back with interest. And that wouldn't be the full size of the debt. There could be another £40,000 still outstanding when fee loans are written off after 30 years. When fees start increasing from this autumn, it will mean borrowing about £28,600 for three years, with the amount then rising with inflation each year. But while students have battled for years over the headline figure of £9,000 and now £9,250, the Intergenerational Foundation says they're missing the much bigger picture of what it will really cost in repayments. And it's going to publish its findings in a report called The Packhorse Generation. These extra costs start to rack up while a student is still at university, because interest is charged as soon as students start their courses, adding thousands to the debt before students have even graduated. Students start paying back their fee loans once they earn more than £21,000 per year - and the more they earn the more they pay each month, until the debt, plus interest, is cleared. So this means total repayments can vary widely. The think tank, which campaigns for fairness between generations, forecasts that: A more likely scenario is that a graduate would start on a lower salary and gradually progress upwards. And the think tank gives an example of someone starting out on £22,000 and then rising over the years to £41,000, with the projection that they would pay back about £31,000 and leave a further £69,000 unpaid. These are not necessarily bad deals for students if it helps them into a good career. But Estelle Clarke, a former City lawyer on the advisory board of the Intergenerational Foundation, argues that we're failing to understand the "stranglehold" of debt that we're building up for young people. She also warns we should be looking nervously at the vast scale of write-offs in the current system. At present the taxpayer picks up the tab for unpaid loans after 30 years, allowing graduates to walk away from tens of thousands of pounds of debt and interest charges. "Taxpayers end up paying for this system twice over. Firstly, they will shoulder the burden of an economy deprived of cash as millions of graduates' incomes are diverted to loan repayments," says Ms Clarke. "And secondly, they shoulder the burden of the non-repayment of most loans due to the extortionate ratcheting up of interest in spite of regular payments made." But the government has long considered selling off more of the student loan book to the private financial sector. Would a private operator, looking hungrily at monthly repayments from millions of graduates, want more favourable terms and a bigger slice of that unpaid debt? Ms Clarke warns that there is not nearly enough protection for students against future changes to repayment arrangements to "extract even more cash from graduates' pockets". "No other lending has so little protection," she says. By international standards, the only real comparison

Summary: How much will it cost to get a degree in England when tuition fees increase to £9,250 in the autumn?


The French visitors led 16-6 at half-time thanks to Francois van der Merwe's try and the kicking of Johan Goosen. Fly-half Dan Biggar kept Ospreys in touch by kicking four penalties, but when Goosen dropped a goal it seemed to have clinched a Racing win. However Justin Tipuric's late blistering break let centre Matavesi go under the posts and Biggar converted. The draw means Ospreys are just three points behind Racing and Northampton, who won 38-15 in Treviso, with both the English and French clubs sitting on 10 points at the top of Pool 5. But the Welsh region must realistically win the return game with Racing in Le Mans next week to keep their qualification hopes alive. Racing took an early grip on the game and Goosen converted that pressure into two penalties for the visiting side, although Biggar replied with one for the home side. Ospreys had international front rows Ryan Bevington, Duncan Jones and Nicky Smith all on a lengthy injury list and Racing had the home scrum creaking. But the Welsh region did have Wales half-backs Biggar and Rhys Webb, plus forwards Scott Baldwin, Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric available after the autumn Tests. Racing started with just one of the four Welsh players on their books, Mike Phillips lining up opposite Webb, the man who took his Wales scrum-half berth during November. Lock Luke Charteris was on the bench while Jamie Roberts and Dan Lydiate - whose return to play in Wales is expected soon - were not included in the match-day squad. Goosen was controlling things wonderfully from fly-half for Racing and along with his South African compatriot Van der Merwe they were having the biggest impact on the game. The No.10 hit a half-gap in the Ospreys line, sucking in defenders and creating space on the right for Van der Merwe to score, with the huge lock carrying Dan Evans and Dmitri Arhip over the line with him for a converted try. The struggling Ospreys were put under further pressure when James King was sin-binned for pulling down a maul, allowing Goosen to add a third penalty. Ospreys' scoring chances were few and far between but Biggar made the most of a rare opportunity with his second penalty kick to trim Racing's lead to 16-6 at half-time. But the fly-half's accuracy deserted him after the restart as he hit the post with what for the Wales star was a comfortable penalty kick after good work from the Ospreys scrum. Another scoring chance went begging when Webb made a trademark break around the fringe and chipped ahead, only for Racing wing Adrien Planté to reach the ball just ahead of Eli Walker. Ospreys kept Racing pinned in their 22 though, earning another penalty that Biggar this time converted. That sparked Ospreys' best spell of the game but despite the home side's raised tempo, each attack was met by resolute Racing tackling. A fourth Biggar penalty brought Ospreys back to 12-16, but Goosen then kicked a drop-goal with seven minutes remaining after failing with an ambitious

Summary: Josh Matavesi's late try rescued a draw for Ospreys in their European Champions Cup game at home to Racing Metro.