Media playback is not supported on this device Coe, 59, became boss of the body that governs world athletics last August after eight years as a vice-president. Since then, the IAAF has come in for heavy criticism, accused of helping cover up systematic doping in Russia. But Dick Pound, whose report damns IAAF governance, insists he "can't think of anyone better" than Coe to lead it. "I think it's a fabulous responsibility for the IAAF to seize this opportunity and, under strong leadership, to move forward," said Pound, chairman of the independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) panel which wrote the report. "There's an enormous amount of reputational recovery that needs to occur here and I can't think of anyone better than Lord Coe to lead that." Media playback is not supported on this device Pound's 89-page report concluded that corruption within the IAAF "cannot be blamed on a small number of miscreants". It was also particularly scathing of former IAAF president Lamine Diack, who stood down and was replaced by Coe after 16 years in charge. It concluded the Senegalese was "responsible for organising and enabling the conspiracy and corruption that took place in the IAAF". The report also claimed the IAAF Council, which included Coe, "could not have been unaware of the extent of doping in athletics". Coe, a former British MP, was present at Pound's news conference, having insisted on Wednesday there had been no cover-up. He also said he had no intention of standing down. Following the report's publication, Coe admitted: "I know how serious this is. We are a failed organisation. "I'm sorry if my language has in any way demonstrated a sort of a lack of understanding about the depth of this." He told BBC Sport that the IAAF - the International Association of Athletics Federations - would "redouble our efforts, to be clear to people we are not in denial". And Coe re-emphasised: "My responsibility is to absorb the lessons of the past and to shape the future. The changes I am making will do that. The road back to trust is going to be a long one." Diack is firmly in the line of fire. The report also concluded he: This section of the report is particularly scathing: "The corruption that occurred within the IAAF was not at the level of some foreign currency trader in a bank carrying out unauthorised transactions, without the knowledge or permission of the responsible bank officers. "Here it started with the president of the organisation. It involved the treasurer of the organisation. It involved the personal counsel of the president, acting on instructions of the president. It involved two of the sons of the president. It involved the director of the medical and anti-doping department of the IAAF. "The corruption was embedded in the organisation. It cannot be ignored or dismissed as attributable to the odd renegade acting on his own. "The IAAF allowed the conduct to occur and must accept its responsibility. Continued denial will simply make it more difficult to make genuine progress." BBC sports editor Dan

Summary: Lord Coe is the right man to lead the crisis-hit IAAF, according to the author of a report claiming "corruption was embedded" within the organisation.


Media playback is not supported on this device The former England boss won just six of 28 Premier League games in charge of the Magpies, who are just one place off the foot of the table. McClaren and his team were booed off following Saturday's 3-1 loss to Bournemouth at St James' Park - their third successive league defeat. However, in a statement McClaren said: "I remain confident that we would have stayed in the Premier League." He added: "I am obviously disappointed with the decision. "Whilst there has been a lot of intense speculation surrounding my position over recent days, my sole priority has been to maintain my professionalism and carry on with my work to best prepare the team. "For every supporter of Newcastle, I genuinely hope the club can produce the results I believe they are capable of to maintain their Premier League status." McClaren's future has been a source of almost constant speculation since the defeat by the Cherries. Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker tweeted: "Newcastle have finally put Steve McClaren out of his misery. "The running of that great football club is beyond shambolic." Ian Dennis, BBC Radio 5 live's senior football reporter, said Benitez had been identified as a replacement for McClaren at a board meeting on Monday. Media playback is not supported on this device "Rafa in the driving seat to replace McClaren," tweeted former Magpies striker Michael Owen. "Whoever takes over, I still expect Newcastle to stay up." McClaren, 54, signed a three-year contract with the Magpies in June after the club avoided relegation on the final day of last season. Newcastle's next game is at leaders Leicester City on Monday. "After the defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday, the club has spent some time considering its position and has today concluded that Steve McClaren's employment with the club will end with immediate effect. "We acknowledge that reaching this decision has taken a number of days and that this has caused uncertainty for everyone involved, in particular for Steve and the players, for which we apologise. "However, we felt that this time was necessary to ensure the right decisions were reached with the best interests of the club at heart. "Managing director Lee Charnley added: 'I would like to thank Steve personally for his services to Newcastle United. "'He is a man of integrity and class and he has conducted himself with great dignity during this difficult time. "'Steve worked tirelessly to try and bring success to Newcastle United. "'He has the utmost respect of all the players, staff and management and he leaves with our very best wishes and sincere thanks. "'We feel that a change is now needed in order to give the club the best possible chance of securing its Premier League future. A further announcement on a successor to Steve will be made in due course.'" Former Newcastle defender Steve Howey agreed with Lineker that the club's handling of McClaren's sacking had been "pretty shambolic". He added: "That seems to sum Newcastle up at the moment. "Everyone thought after

Summary: Newcastle United have sacked head coach Steve McClaren.


Connor Smith, 19, "turned" on work colleague Anil Jnagal during a night out on Birmingham's Broad Street, the city's crown court heard. He was drunk and had cannabis before attacking Mr Jnagal, who had been trying to calm him down. Smith admitted wounding and his barrister said he was remorseful but added "nothing is going to bring the complainant's ear back". More updates on this and other stories in Birmingham and the Black Country Prosecutor Tariq Shakoor said Smith, of Summerlee Road, worked with Mr Jnagal, 25, at a branch of Harvester in Birmingham's Star City leisure complex. He told the court the victim remembered Smith "turning on him" and the pair fell to the floor, where the defendant bit his ear. The court heard reconstructive surgery was unlikely due to the nature of the injury. Jonathan Barker, defending, said Smith was in an emotional state at the time of the attack due to the recent death of his aunt. Sentencing, Judge Richard Bond, said: "All the victim did was to try and stop you being aggressive towards others. "It ended up with you quite deliberately using your teeth as a weapon and you bit off a really large chunk. About half of his ear has completely disappeared. "This is not something that happens in a millisecond - to bite through somebody's ear takes real determination and a real effort."

Summary: A man who bit off half his friend's ear has been jailed for two years.


The attacker made the devices print a warning urging their owners to cut off remote access. Large printers in offices, domestic devices and tiny receipt printers in restaurants were all caught up in the hack. The attack came soon after a German academic study found vulnerabilities in a wide range of printers. Over the weekend, a hacker using the alias Stackoverflowin ran an automated program that scoured the internet for printers that did not have basic security controls switched on. Once it discovered a vulnerable device, the program made them print a page announcing the invasion and telling the owner to close the "port" used to hijack it. "For the love of God, please close this port, skid [script kiddie, ie novice coder]," said the message. Early versions of the program also added ASCII art depicting different robots or a computer. Also included were an email address and a Twitter handle for Stackoverflowin. Many people posted pictures of the printed messages to social media and asked questions about what was happening on technical support forums and social networks such as Reddit. Printers made by HP, Brother, Epson, Canon, Lexmark, Minolta and many others were hit by Stackoverflowin's program. The hacker said he did not intend to abuse the access he had gained to the printers. "I'm about helping people to fix their problem, but having a bit of fun at the same time," he told the Bleeping Computer tech news website. "Everyone's been cool about it and thanked me to be honest." Last week, computer security researchers Jens Muller, Vladislav Mladenov and Juraj Somorovsky, from the Ruhr University, in Germany, released an academic paper summarising work they had done on printer security. The trio tested 20 separate printers and found that all of them were vulnerable to at least one type of attack. They found ways to put the printers in to an endless loop so they were never available to users, or to hijack the devices so they could be used as an entry point to the computer networks on which they sat.

Summary: A hacker has briefly hijacked more than 150,000 printers accidentally left accessible via the web.


However, 43% of the people asked said they did believe in the resurrection - although many did not think it happened as described in the Bible. The figures found while 57% classified themselves as Christian, fewer than 10% read the Bible and prayed regularly, or go to church at least once a month. The Church of England's General Synod will discuss the survey in November. The survey of more than 4,000 people was commissioned by the Church, Hope - which represents churches of all denominations - and the Evangelical Alliance - which represents evangelical Christians in the UK. Many scholars agree that Jesus was a real man, who lived in Galilee more than 2,000 years ago, although many details surrounding his life are still debated. But, the Church of England survey found that four in 10 people did not believe Jesus was a real person, with a quarter of 18 to 34 year olds believing he was a mythical or fictional character. The poll was part of a wider research project looking at both practising Christians and the wider population. After Christians, the second biggest group identified in the poll - 12% - were atheists, while 9% were agnostics, Muslims represented 3%, with Hindus and Jews both making up 2%. English Christians are more likely than the average English adult to work in education, or professional jobs, but less likely to work in finance or insurance, the survey concluded.

Summary: Forty percent of people in England do not believe Jesus was a real person, a Church of England survey suggests.


Education select committee chairman Neil Carmichael said parents would be "wondering what to do" after Friday's ruling, and would need clarity. The High Court concluded Jon Platt had no case to answer because his daughter had attended school regularly overall. The government has said it will now consider making alterations to the law. Term-time holidays: Your stories What are the rules on holidays? What might change now? The Isle of Wight Council had asked the High Court to clarify whether a seven-day absence amounted to a child failing to attend regularly after Mr Platt, 44, took his daughter on holiday, despite her school refusing permission for the trip. The court backed magistrates who had ruled Mr Platt, had no case to answer. Speaking to BBC Radio Four's Today programme, Mr Carmichael said: "I certainly think we need a period of reflection on this matter because this ruling causes a huge amount of confusion. "Instead of confusion we need clarity - clarity for parents and clarity for the schools, because people will be wondering what to do next given the scale of the change." Since 2013, tougher government regulations have meant head teachers can grant leave of absence to pupils during term time only in "exceptional circumstances". Shadow schools minister Nic Dakin told Today the previous rules, which allowed head teachers to grant leave for up to 10 days under "special circumstances", had been "working effectively". But Mr Carmichael said the problem with that policy was in defining what counted as "special circumstances". "You'd have to be very careful about defining what you think is a special circumstance," he said. "The government will have to think very carefully about this because what we don't want is the special circumstance happens to be 'There's a cheap holiday and we'd like to go'." Rather than reverting to the previous system, which he argued could lead to classroom disruption because of families taking children on cheaper holidays, Mr Carmichael suggested that term times could be "more flexible". He said this was a suggestion he would be making to the education select committee when it considers the issue. Mr Dakin said the ruling was the "worst of both worlds" because it left uncertainty for both teachers and parents. He criticised the decision to change the rules around term-time holidays and called on the government to look at the issue again. "I think it was a foolish move and I think it's led to where we are today," he added. Sal Davies was fined in 2008 for taking her children, aged six and seven, out of school for 10 days to see their grandparents in Asia. She told BBC Radio 5 live: "I really don't think those 10 days out of school damaged my children, changed their educational potential. "I think they've done really well. They met family members. It was where I was born. It was a wonderful trip." But Patsy Kane, an executive head teacher of Whalley Range and Levenshulme high schools in Manchester, said parents needed to take the "really long term view" on their

Summary: A High Court ruling backing a parent who refused to pay a fine for taking his child on holiday in term time will cause "huge confusion", an MP has said.


2 December 2016 Last updated at 14:06 GMT Asked by the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire about a survey that showed many myths about HIV endure in the UK, Sir Elton said he was not surprised considering the DUP's Trevor Clarke said this week he did not know until recently that heterosexual people could contract HIV.

Summary: Sir Elton John has criticised comments by a DUP MLA on HIV.


The ancient berry is from the same family of plants as potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. On the fossil, you can see the lines of the papery wrapping that grew around the fruit, which turned into coal during fossilisation. It was found in the Patagonia area of Argentina and researchers are hoping to find lots more plant fossils there. That's not the only place where old food can been found. We'd recommend you didn't eat these examples, which are all definitely way past their sell-by date! This huge 2,000-year-old lump of butter was found in a bog near Drakerath in Ireland last year. It probably wouldn't fit inside your fridge - it weighs as much as 10 large bags of sugar. Conditions in bogs are good for preserving things so the butter is in a good state, even though it's so old. It does, however, smell like strong cheese. We're not sure which would smell worse, this butter, or... Last year, divers were exploring a shipwreck buried deep under the sea near Sweden when they found this jar. They didn't know there was cheese inside until the journey to the surface caused some of the contents to leak, releasing a very strong smell. The stinky discovery was made when the team were investigating the wreck of the Kronan, a warship that sank 340 years ago. Now that's taking mature cheddar to the extreme! In 2015, an American couple revealed they were still eating their wedding cake, 60 years after it was first baked in 1955. Ann and Ken Fredericks, from Florida, decided to eat one piece of the fruit cake every year to celebrate the day they got married. They said their children were horrified at them eating such old food but insist that it still tastes as good as ever! We're wondering how long it'll take them to finish the whole cake...

Summary: A 52 million-year-old fruit fossil has been discovered in South America.


Some fans and politicians were angry that poppies were not worn by players. In a statement, Ulster Rugby said several other Pro12 clubs had not worn a poppy during games at the weekend. It said its players had observed a minute's silence and it would hold a memorial service on Tuesday. The Belfast Telegraph reported that some fans had described the absence as "shameful". Robert McCartney, a former soldier who runs the Beyond the Battlefield charity, told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme it was "an insult". "I honestly believe they did cause an insult yesterday," he said. "It is a mark of respect, the reason they are able to play the sport themselves is because of the freedom these men gave them and if they can't put the poppy on their shirt for one day and show that respect, then they really did disgrace themselves yesterday. "We lost an awful lot of people in the wars and probably members of their family as well and for them not to wear it was a complete insult to the country." Doug Beattie, an Ulster Unionist councillor and former army captain, said he believed remembrance was a "personal thing". "The Ulster Rugby team had a remembrance service on that day, they had a minute's silence before the match and everybody is complaining about the symbolism of wearing a poppy, well I just don't get it," he added. "I don't like the word poppy fascism or poppy Stalinism, there are people who are passionate about the poppy and remembrance and me and Robert have got more in common than we don't, but on this issue I feel that people should wear the poppy if they want to wear the poppy if they don't then they should not. "I would rather stand beside somebody who is wearing it for a reason than somebody who is wearing it because somebody has told them if you don't you are unpatriotic." The Ulster Rugby statement said "players and supporters respectfully observed a minute's silence prior to the fixture against Newport Gwent Dragons on Sunday". "Kingspan Stadium has a permanent War Memorial Arch, which pays respect to those fallen during WW1 and WW2," it added. "Each year, Ulster Rugby pays respect in its usual and traditional manner with a memorial service at the arch, during which a wreath is laid by the Ulster Rugby President." The statement added that Newport Gwent Dragons and Cardiff Blues were the only Pro12 clubs who wore a poppy on their sleeves at the weekend.

Summary: Ulster Rugby has responded to criticism after poppies were absent from players' jerseys during their Pro12 game against Newport Gwent Dragons on Remembrance Sunday.


Thirty-two people died when the cruise ship hit rocks off the Tuscan island of Giglio in January 2012 and tipped on to its side. Capt Schettino was also convicted of causing the shipwreck and abandoning ship before his passengers, earning him the title "Captain Coward" in the Italian media. He has accepted some responsibility but denies the criminal charges, arguing that he has been made a scapegoat for the tragedy. While a prosecutor condemned him as a "careless idiot", Capt Schettino has long maintained his actions after the ship ran aground prevented a much greater loss of life. Born in 1960 in the southern coastal town of Castellammare di Stabia, near Naples, Capt Schettino has lived a life dominated by the sea. He attended a nautical institute in the nearby town of Piano di Sorrento and then joined Costa Cruises in 2002, initially as an official in charge of security. In 2006, he was promoted from second-in-command to captain. Costa Concordia: What happened Eyewitness accounts Salvaging the Costa Concordia Capt Schettino was singled out for blame by the official report into the sinking of the Costa Concordia, almost a floating city with its 4,300 passengers and crew members. It alleged he deliberately changed course to perform a risky night-time sail-past salute to people on the tiny island of Giglio. He told his trial he "wanted to kill three birds with one stone": to please the passengers, salute a retired captain on Giglio and do a favour to the vessel's head waiter, who was from the island. He has rejected rumours that he had wanted to impress his lover, Domnica Cemortan, with him at the helm. As details of the unplanned change of course emerged, ship owner Costa Cruises distanced itself from the captain who, it said, had made "serious errors of judgement" and carried out a manoeuvre "unauthorised, unapproved and unknown to Costa". The captain told the court that he had been been sacrificed to safeguard "economic interests", arguing that the court should be considering an entire organisation rather than one man. In a TV interview given hours after the ship ran aground, Mr Schettino's shock and disbelief was clear as he told reporters the rocks had not been shown on his charts. "We were about 300 metres from the rocks, more or less, we shouldn't have hit anything." Widely vilified in Italy for leaving his ship while passengers were still on board, Capt Schettino's reputation was further damaged when transcripts suggested he had not told the coastguard initially of the gravity of the damage to the ship. "Listen Schettino, perhaps you have saved yourself from the sea, but I will make you look very bad. I will make you pay for this. Dammit, go back on board!" says Coastguard Capt Gregorio De Falco, repeatedly ordering him to return to the ship. Speaking by radio from a lifeboat, Capt Schettino said he was co-ordinating the rescue from there, pleading at one point: "Do you realise that it is dark and we can't see anything?" The coastguard shouts back: "So, what do you

Summary: Capt Francesco Schettino has been found guilty of multiple manslaughter in Italy and sentenced to 16 years in jail for his role in one of the country's worst maritime disasters.


They were followed by announcements from skin care firm Syneron-Candela and Japanese mattress maker Airweave. It comes after Lochte lied about being robbed at gunpoint by a policeman after a night out during the Rio Olympics. Lochte, a 12-time Olympic medalist, has earned millions of dollars through endorsements. Speedo, the biggest sponsor of the four, said: "We cannot condone behaviour that is counter to the values this brand has long stood for." Lochte, aged 32, said he respected Speedo's decision, and thanked the company. "I am grateful for the opportunities that our partnership has afforded me over the years,'' he said. Speaking on US talk show Today, Lochte said: "I made a mistake and I definitely learned from this. They put on a great Games... and my immature, intoxicated behaviour tarnished that a little." Ralph Lauren, which has removed some of Lochte's images from its website, said its sponsorship of the swimmer had been only for the Rio Olympics and would not be renewed. Ralph Lauren and Airweave both stressed that they would continue their support of the US Olympic and Paralympic teams. Syneron-Candela said: "We hold our employees to high standards, and we expect the same of our business partners.'' Speedo said it would donate a $50,000 portion of Lochte's sponsorship fee to the charity Save The Children's Brazilian operation. The value of Lochte's Speedo sponsorship has not been disclosed. The contract reportedly expires this year after 10 years. The US business magazine Forbes calculated that in the year of the 2012 London Olympics, Lochte earned about $2m in sponsorships from companies such as Gillette, Nissan, AT&T and Gatorade. Lochte's performance at Rio did not reach the heights of his London triumph, but Forbes estimated his endorsements would still have been between $1m-$2m. The saga started when Lochte and three team-mates returned to the Olympic village after a late night out in Rio. They tried, unsuccessfully, to use the locked toilet at a garage and urinated outside instead. After first claiming that he and his three team-mates had been robbed by bogus policemen, Lochte back-tracked and admitted he had, while still drunk, "left details out" and "over-exaggerated some parts of the story". Despite the evidence against him, including CCTV footage, he has however denied that he actually lied in his initial account to Brazilian police. Lochte's behaviour has been met with disdain in the US and he has been widely pilloried in the US media. On 19 August the New York Post carried a front-page headline describing him as the "Ugly American", along with the slogan "Liar, Liar, Speedo on fire". Lochte is one of the most successful swimmers in history, with 12 Olympic medals, and he once had his own reality television show in the US. In Rio, he swam in two events, winning a gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay along with team-mate Jack Conger. "We appreciate his many achievements and hope he moves forward and learns from this experience," Speedo said of Lochte.

Summary: Four sponsors have dropped disgraced US Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, including swimwear manufacturer Speedo and fashion label Ralph Lauren.


Memphis Depay put the visitors ahead in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie, but Pione Sisto and Paul Onuachu gave the hosts victory. Van Gaal, already without 13 players, lost David de Gea during the warm-up and used an adage that means anything that can go wrong will go wrong. "It is the law of Murphy I think," the Dutchman told BT Sport. "A lot of things are happening in the heads of the players and in the first 10 or 15 minutes we were not so good." Van Gaal felt his side improved as the first half went on and could have scored more goals. But he added: "In the second half we didn't win any duels, any second balls. You cannot afford a second goal, but we could have scored also. "Jesse Lingard had two remarkable chances." At the end of the game, United fans in the MCH Arena made it clear they were not impressed with their side's display. Van Gaal accepted the second-half performance was not good enough, but defended the attitude of his players. "The fans can criticise," he said. "They can do it because when you see the second half, maybe they are right. We have to improve and then the fans shall support us again. "All the players want to perform in an excellent way. It is not a case of attitude. We were not winning the second balls - that is my analysis." United's next game sees them face League One side Shrewsbury in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday night at New Meadow, looking to avoid an upset and a third consecutive defeat in all competitions. The Manchester Evening News called for Van Gaal to be sacked immediately in an article written by their United reporter Stuart Mathieson. "I wrote 'enough is enough' after the dire display against Southampton less than a month ago believing it couldn't get any worse and that it shouldn't be allowed to," he wrote. "But then this came this Joke in Jutland." Chief football writer for the Times, Henry Winter, told BBC Radio 5 live that the performance was appalling. "It's definitely tick-tock time," he said. "The press box there is very close to where the Manchester United power brokers were sitting. There was just a look of complete shock and horror on the face of Ed Woodward, the executive vice chairman, who will effectively be the person along with the Glazers who make the decision." Former England captain Alan Shearer told BBC Radio 5 live that United have been "pretty awful to watch" this season. He added: "They're not very good, that's the problem - they haven't entertained their fans, which of course at that football club you have to do and Van Gaal hasn't. "The lack of leadership in that team is alarming - I know Rooney is in there and he missed out last night but there's no screaming and shouting at other team-mates to tell them what to do. "With the injuries now with De Gea pulling out in the

Summary: Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal put his side's 2-1 defeat by FC Midtjylland down to Murphy's law.


Madihah Taheer, Ummariyat Mirza and Zainub Mirza appeared at the Old Bailey in London on 28 April. Mrs Taheer, 21, has been charged with assisting another to commit acts of terrorism by providing her bank details to purchase a knife. Mr Mirza, the husband of Mrs Taheer, 21, is charged with preparing for a terrorist attack in the UK by buying a knife and other items. Zainub Mirza from Eastfield Road, Bordesley Green, is charged with sending Islamic State propaganda videos to others. Brother and sister Ummariyat Mirza, 21, and Zainub Mirza, 23, were remanded in custody until their next court appearance. More stories from Birmingham and the Black Country Mrs Taheer, of St Agathas Road, Birmingham, was granted bail with strict conditions imposed. The trio will next appear before Woolwich Crown Court on 4 September. West Midlands Police said the charges were not linked to March's Westminster attack.

Summary: Three people have appeared in court charged with terrorism offences.


Scott Carson was at full stretch to tip a header from Brentford's John Egan behind, while Tom Ince saw his free-kick turned over by visiting keeper Daniel Bentley. The visitors almost scored when Scott Hogan rounded Carson, but he could only find the side netting. Derby, who have just seven goals in 13 games, are three points off relegation. Johnny Russell and Ince had the Rams' best second-half chances, while Romaine Sawyers had a penalty shout waved away for Brentford. Despite the lack of goals, Steve McClaren's Derby side are now on a four-game unbeaten run, conceding just once in the process. Their lack of attacking impetus was compounded by James Wilson's knee injury in training, and they also lost Will Hughes, who limped off midway through the first half. Brentford, winless in three games, are just a point outside the top six and rarely looked in trouble against their hosts. The clean sheet was their first against Derby in 11 attempts, going back to 1953, and they have not won an away game against the Rams since 1939. Derby County manager Steve McClaren: "The first half was too slow, no tempo and a little too safe. "But we've got to play football with these players, they are football players, we can't play long ball. "At times they are making mistakes but that will progress and will get better and I had no faults apart from in the final third where we needed that bit of magic. "A draw was probably a fair result, we huffed and puffed without blowing the house down." Brentford head coach Dean Smith: "I don't know if we deserved to win but we certainly deserved a penalty. "It was a double whammy and how it's not given I don't know. I think their bench was embarrassed it wasn't given as well. "I thought our performance was very good, very disciplined and the intensity of pressing in our half was very good. "Derby have got very good players but had very few clear-cut chances and I think our goalkeeper was rarely troubled. Match ends, Derby County 0, Brentford 0. Second Half ends, Derby County 0, Brentford 0. Craig Bryson (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Ryan Woods (Brentford). Attempt missed. Josh Clarke (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Romaine Sawyers. Foul by Craig Bryson (Derby County). Lewis MacLeod (Brentford) wins a free kick on the left wing. Substitution, Brentford. Lewis MacLeod replaces Sullay Kaikai. Attempt missed. Romaine Sawyers (Brentford) right footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Sullay Kaikai. Substitution, Brentford. Josh McEachran replaces Nico Yennaris. Substitution, Derby County. Darren Bent replaces Matej Vydra. Cyrus Christie (Derby County) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Sullay Kaikai (Brentford). Attempt missed. Craig Bryson (Derby County) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Tom Ince with a headed pass. Tom Ince

Summary: Derby's struggle for goals continued as they were held to a frustrating stalemate by Brentford.


At least 100 others were wounded in the strike, which reportedly struck a warehouse containing weapons. The commando unit is allied with Houthi rebels whose military capabilities the coalition has been trying to destroy. Casualties were also reported after air strikes in the northern province of Hajjah, near the Saudi border. Residents of the Bakeel al-Meer area told the Reuters news agency that at least 40 people had been killed, mostly civilians. "Houthi gunmen were attacking Saudi border positions from this area but the coalition's planes failed to hit the fighters and bombed civilians [instead]," one resident alleged. Hours after the air strikes in Hajjah, coalition warplanes targeted the headquarters of the Special Security Forces in the southern Sabaain district of Sanaa. Officials from the rebel-controlled health ministry said that 36 soldiers and officers had been killed. However, a commando who survived the attack suggested that civilians might also have been among the victims. "There were many people at the entrance to the warehouse, getting their weapons, farmers, cooks [and also soldiers]; these poor people were standing at the entrance to the warehouse," he told Reuters. Other air strikes on Wednesday severely damaged a rebel-controlled naval base in the western province of Hudaydah, on Yemen's Red Sea coast. A rebel-held military base outside Dhalea was also hit, a day after militiamen allied to the exiled government were reported to have taken control of the southern city. The World Health Organization's director general, Dr Margaret Chan, said on Wednesday that two months of air strikes and fighting on the ground had left up to 2,000 people dead and 8,000 wounded, including hundreds of women and children. Almost 7.5 million people are in urgent need of medical help. "Hospitals around the country are closing down their emergency operations rooms and intensive care units due to shortages in staff and fuel for generators," Dr Chan warned. "The health and lives of millions of people are at risk." The UN has been trying to reschedule peace talks in Geneva that were planned for this week, but the government has insisted the Houthis recognise its authority, withdraw from cities they control and disarm before being allowed to participate.

Summary: Saudi-led coalition warplanes have bombed a special forces camp in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, killing at least 36 people, officials and witnesses say.


Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, both 14, were last seen on Friday afternoon buying $110 worth of fuel near Jupiter, before setting off on a 19-foot boat. Their capsized boat was found on Sunday morning more than 180 miles from where they set off two days before. "I just want him home. I know he's coming home," said Austin's mother Carly Black on NBC's Today programme. Pamela Cohen, mother of Perry, told NBC that she believes her son and his friend "are doing everything they can to stay afloat". She said the two boys have worked with boats their whole lives and that it is natural for them to be on the water. The two mothers said the boys went fishing offshore when the weather turned and "something went amiss". The US Coast Guard expanded its search on Tuesday morning, searching up to Georgia and down to Cape Canaveral in Florida through the day and night. A spokesman said they were still optimistic they can be found alive. They were last seen buying petrol and authorities said they may have been headed toward the Bahamas. Nick Korniloff says his stepson, Perry, and Austin were were supposed to stay on a nearby river and waterway when they set out to go fishing on Friday, but they ended up in dangerous waters. Former American football player Joe Namath, Ms Cohen's neighbour, has offered a $100,000 (Â£64,100) reward for information on the missing boys. Mr Namath said during a press conference "We've got to believe in their wherewithal".

Summary: Authorities are continuing to search for two teenagers who went missing while fishing off the Florida coast.


Dr Imran Farooq, a leader of Karachi's influential MQM party, was stabbed to death near his home in Edgware, north London in September 2010. Khalid Shamim and Mohsin Ali were detained near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman, Balochistan province. They are to be handed to Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency. The BBC's Shahzeb Jillani in Pakistan says the murder was widely seen as a politically-motivated killing because Dr Farooq was reportedly planning to break away from the MQM leadership in London and start a new party. The arrested suspects and a third man named Mohammed Kashif Khan Kamran worked for the MQM party, officials said. In a statement, the MQM party denied any association with the suspects or involvement in the murder of Dr Farooq and accused the Pakistani government of political victimisation. Dr Farooq was parliamentary leader in the Pakistani National Assembly when he went into hiding during a military operation against the MQM (Muttahida Quami Movement party) in 1992.

Summary: Pakistan authorities have detained two men suspected of being involved in the killing of an exiled politician in London five years ago, officials say.


Alun Davies told AMs they had received 7,000 responses to a consultation containing "strongly held" views. He said he would now look at the 125 existing marine protected areas to see if further improvements could be made. The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) described it as an "embarrassing U-turn" for the Welsh government, and has called for better protection of seas. Creating the zones would mean a ban on fishing and anchoring in some areas and had brought opposition. The Welsh Fishermen's Association said previously that existing conservation networks for Welsh waters are adequate. The Welsh government proposed the zones last year with the backing of the Countryside Council of Wales and the Marine Conservation Society. The minister for natural resources said the decision had been made after the thousands of responses to the consultation brought "divergent and strongly held views". Mr Davies said to "avoid any continuing uncertainty over the options presented in the 2012 consultation, I am also withdrawing all the proposed sites". His comments come after the findings were published of a task and finish team which reviewed the feedback. Now, he will concentrate on the existing 125 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that cover 36% of Welsh seas to see if any changes can be made rather than creating additional zones. "We are now in a stronger position to assess our current contribution to the network's ecological coherence," he said. "I have, therefore, commissioned an assessment of our current MPAs to identify if there are any gaps and what the options might be to fill those gaps. "If any measures are required, I believe they should be simple, proportionate and fit for purpose." Dr Peter Richardson, biodiversity programme manager for MCS, said the Welsh government "spent an awful lot of time and money and encouraged other people to put effort into this consultation response". He said: "70% of the consultation responses were in favour of designating these sites and yet today the minister has announced he's scrapping the whole thing... bit of an embarrassing U-turn for the government I think." He added: "I think there are plenty of people in the fishing industry... that understand that in order to get the best yields from the marine habitats on which they depend, they have to be managed properly."

Summary: Controversial plans for 10 marine conservation zones have been withdrawn by a Welsh government minister.


It's also making an impact on education, with plans to put 3D printers into schools in the United Kingdom and the United States. These technologies hold massive potential for young people both in and out of school. Schools are getting interested in this "rapid prototyping" technology. But there are still the usual barriers - access, funding, teacher awareness and confidence. However, many learners are getting 3D design whether or not their schools are ready. One of the most illuminating advocates is a 14-year-old schoolgirl from Manchester in the UK. Amy Mather won the European Commission's first European Digital Girl of the Year Award last year. The schoolgirl has presented her ideas in front of expert audiences, including Campus Party at London's O2 Arena, Wired Next Generation and the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts (RSA). Amy got involved in coding and later 3D design after attending the Manchester Science Festival when she was 11. But the key inspiration for her work has been what is loosely termed the "digital maker" movement, a global drive to encourage young people to be creative with technology. This includes support from Fab Lab in Manchester. "Fab lab" stands for a "fabrication laboratory", where digital ideas are turned into products and prototypes. The Fab Lab holds open days for the public and these allowed Amy to use software and hardware not available in her school, such as 3D printers and laser cutters. She uses 3D design and manufacturing techniques for her school GCSE product design coursework. "There are people always on hand with experience, people who live and breathe it," she says. "And there is a great community spirit so it's really, really easy to learn there and to go at your own pace and experiment." Manchester's Fab Lab was the first of nine in the UK, with the number expected to rise to 30 within three years. They are part of a global project which started in the US, growing from a university course, "How To Make (Almost) Anything", created by Professor Neil Gershenfeld, director of the Centre for Bits and Atoms at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US. Within eight years of publishing his seminal book, Fab: The Coming Revolution on Your Desktop - from Personal Computers to Personal Fabrication, there are now around 200 Fab Labs in more than 40 countries. Prof Gershenfeld's view is that the digital revolution has already happened and that we are in process of seeing it put into practice. The challenge for Fab Labs, he says, is to harness the "inventive power of the world" and to apply it to "design and produce solutions to local problems". The Fab Labs serve both education and business as places where interested parties can come together to work with the technology. And Prof Gershenfeld is vocal in resisting the media's hyping of 3D printing. Amy Mather reflects that "get on with it" attitude. It's also a phrase that comes up regularly in conversation with her. She's also not the kind of person to wait until she can get

Summary: There have been dramatic headlines about 3D technology, encompassing ideas to use 3D printers to make clothes, food, firearms and the parts of a house.


The 14-year-old from Blackpool disappeared on 1 November 2003. Her body has never been found. Karen Downes said she is taking legal action over a 13-year gap in releasing CCTV images of the teenager's last day alive. Lancashire Police has declined to comment. She said the footage that detectives released in 2016, 13 years after she went missing, could have helped solve the case had it been available earlier. "They had [the CCTV] for 13 years," said Mrs Downes. "It shows Charlene in the town that afternoon in the same clothes she disappeared in. "If they'd have shown it before... who knows? "We have suffered all these years not knowing where she is." She said police "need teaching a lesson". "It is not about the money. I want to force the police to do their job," she said. "If I got money I would get something for Charlene like a memorial." Charlene is shown in the CCTV with her sister Rebecca on Bank Hey Street walking towards the Coral Island amusement arcade. She went home but returned to Blackpool town centre later that evening - the last time she was seen. A judge cleared a man of Charlene's murder in 2008 after "grave doubts" were raised about evidence during his second trial. The jury in his first trial failed to reach a verdict. In 2009, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said police evidence-gathering errors contributed to the retrial's collapse. The IPCC found strategic and tactical failure in the management of the material and several officers were disciplined, one forced to resign in 2011. But this resignation order was overturned by a 2012 Police Arbitration Tribunal.

Summary: The mother of missing teenager Charlene Downes said she is going to sue police over mishandling her murder case.


Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Sunderland means United remain six points adrift of the Premier League top four. Asked afterwards if United can still make the Champions League places, Van Gaal said: "It will be very difficult. "After this match, the Europa League is our best route but it will not be easy because there are so many good teams." Since last season, the winners of the Europa League have been rewarded with a place in either the Champions League final qualifying stage or the group stage. United play the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie against Danish side FC Midtjylland on Thursday. They play Shrewsbury in the FA Cup next weekend and do not return to Premier League action until 28 February when they play third-placed Arsenal at Old Trafford. Van Gaal says he has not given up hope of matching United's fourth-place finish from his first campaign in charge, but has warned his squad that it now looks unlikely. "We have given five points away against Chelsea and now Sunderland, so it is too much at this time," he added. "I have said that also to the players, because you cannot close your eyes to it. It is still possible but the Europa League is easier I think. "It is also not so easy, because there is also a fantastic level in that competition, so we will have to fight for it."

Summary: Winning the Europa League is now Manchester United's "easiest route" into next season's Champions League, according to manager Louis van Gaal.


The list, compiled by a panel of 144 DJs, critics and writers, highlights 15 rising acts for the coming year. It includes Canadian R&B sensation Alessia Cara, singer-songwriter Frances and witty rap collective Section Boyz. Last year's victors were pop trio Years and Years, with previous winners including Adele, Sam Smith and Haim. After topping the list, Years and Years' debut album, Communion, entered the charts at number one and the band recently announced their first headline show at Wembley Arena. 2015's runner-up, singer-songwriter James Bay, also scored the year's biggest-selling debut album, Chaos and the Calm. "The fact that people think I can have the same potential as these huge artists is incredible," said Cara, whose debut single, Here, has just entered the US top 10. Find out more and watch videos on the Sound Of 2016 site What happened to the previous winners? As with previous years, young solo artists feature prominently on the 2016 list, including soul diva Izzy Bizu and British-Kosovan pop singer Dua Lipa, who was talent-spotted by Lana Del Rey's managers. But the front-runner is bound to be Jack Garratt - a soulful multi-instrumentalist who has been compared to Ed Sheeran and James Blake. The 24-year-old, from Buckinghamshire, has already won the Brits Critics' Choice award, and will receive the Introducing prize at next month's BBC Music Awards. Guitars are notably absent from the longlist, with Stockport psych-rock quintet Blossoms and indie upstart Ratboy the only traditional rock acts to make the cut. "We are delighted to be a part of the BBC's Sound Of 2016," said Blossoms. "To discover we're one of the only guitar acts on the list this year is exciting for all of us. Viva Stockport!" As with last year, rap and grime make a strong showing, with Londoners J Hus, Loyle Carner, WSTRN and Section Boyz all featured. Most of them reached the longlist without traditional music industry support. J Hus has racked up six million streams of his Afrobeat-inspired party track Lean and Bop without a record deal; while Section Boyz saw their independently-released mixtape, Don't Panic, enter the top 40 earlier this year. "I am so excited to hear that I am in the longlist," said J Hus. "It's a massive honour to be recognised and makes me want to continue for the fans." As the daughter of pop legend Neneh Cherry and Massive Attack producer Cameron McVey, Stockholm-born Mabel was raised around music - but held back from her own career until recently. "It's so unoriginal of me. Why didn't I just go and be an astronaut?" she joked in an interview with The Beat Juice. Similarly, London-born NAO was reluctant to share her music, despite a degree in jazz from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. She worked as a backing singer for the likes of Jarvis Cocker and Pulp before gathering the courage to upload some of her music to SoundCloud. Shortly afterwards, she found her first single, So Good, being championed by Zane Lowe. The list is rounded off by electronic producer Muru Masa

Summary: Neneh Cherry's daughter, an unsigned rapper and a former backing singer for Pulp have all made the longlist for the BBC Music Sound Of 2016.


He made the pledge to the UN General Assembly in New York in 2012, saying Myanmar (also known as Burma) was on a path from which it would not backtrack. His visit to the United States was the first by a Burmese leader in 46 years. Thein Sein, 67, took office in March 2011, after the country's first election in 20 years in November 2010. Since then, he has led a process of reform in Myanmar, ruled for decades by a military junta of which he was a key member. Under his administration the government has freed hundreds of prisoners, including political detainees, embarked on peace deals with ethnic minority groups and relaxed media censorship. He has been welcomed cautiously onto the world stage, despite warnings from critics that many key tests remain for Myanmar's reform process. This warning was echoed in November 2014 by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who said that the pace of reform had stalled. Born in a small village in the delta of the Irrawaddy river, in an area now known as Ngapudaw township, Thein Sein was from a humble background. His parents were farmers, he said. He graduated with an arts degree from Burma's military academy in 1968 and rose steadily through the ranks in his 40-year career. He reached the leadership circle in the 1990s when he became a member of the State Peace and Development Council, as the junta called itself at the time. He was made first secretary of the council after the downfall of former intelligence chief General Khin Nyunt in 2004. Thein Sein also chaired the National Convention, which drafted the country's new constitution. When the previous prime minister, Soe Win, fell ill, Thein Sein was made acting prime minister in May 2007. Confirmed in the post in October that year, he became the public face of the regime, representing it at Asean and UN meetings. He served as prime minister for four years. In April 2010, like many other top junta officials, he swapped military uniform for civilian garb to form a political party. It was Thein Sein who applied to register the United Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which dominated the elections in November 2010 and has sweeping control of the parliament. Analysts said at the time that his appointment was orchestrated by junta leader Than Shwe, who needed an acceptable face to front the country's transition. "He won't rock the boat," said Aung Zaw, editor of the Thailand-based Irrawaddy magazine, speaking when he took office. "He is not a fire-breathing dragon, so he doesn't pose any threat to Than Shwe, who will continue to exercise absolute power." But once he took office, Thein Sein's government began a process of change that surprised his critics. He met freed pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who subsequently chose to bring her NLD party back into the political process, having boycotted the November polls. The NLD contested by-elections which were deemed by observers to be largely free and fair. Over the years since her release Thein Sein appears to have

Summary: Myanmar's President Thein Sein, a former general, may go down in history as the man who led "irreversible change".


But in tourism-dependent Antigua, a deadly disease has wiped out almost half of the island's majestic coconut palms - leaving unsightly headless trunks littering the landscape. Lethal yellowing, the same condition that devastated the iconic trees in Florida and Jamaica, also strikes at the heart of this 280sq km (108sq mile) island's culture and economy. Here, coconut products are used in everything from food and drink to beauty treatments and traditional medicine. Around 45% of Antigua's thousands of coconut palms have been lost to date, estimates Barbara Japal, president of the island's Horticultural Society. Street vendor Julian Rose is one of those affected. He has been selling coconut water for $3.70 (Â£2.40) a bottle for four years, but says the last 12 months have seen supplies nosedive by half - as has his income. "I've kept my prices the same - people won't pay more," he says. The official advice states that palms showing signs of the contagious disease, characterised by premature shedding of fruit and yellowing fronds that eventually drop off, should immediately be cut down and burned to prevent the disease spreading. But the cash-strapped government's lack of resources has enabled it to run rampant, with the trees dying in droves since lethal yellowing was first identified in 2012. "It affects tourism because, as we say, the 'palm is the charm' and it really diminishes what the seascape looks like," Mrs Japal tells the BBC. "It's devastating to see them standing there looking like beheaded soldiers. It's shocking, it feels irreverent. "Coconuts are used in so many aspects of daily life here too; people cook with them, put the oil on their skin and hair. And while it may not be part of conventional medicine, it's part of our tradition to use the oil to heal the skin and cleanse the body." Lethal yellowing is spread by a plant-hopping insect that Mrs Japal believes was probably brought into the country with imported trees. A ban on importing palms has been in place since 2012. "We had so many plants brought in some years ago," Mrs Japal continues. "We have a plant protection unit but when you have a container with 3,000 trees, who's going to inspect every one?" She says underfunding had left staff's hands tied. "There's no proper disposal or systematic removal of affected palms unless private individuals take action." There is currently no cure for lethal yellowing, although trees can be treated with quarterly injections of the antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC). "Local people are not using OTC; it's just too expensive," Mrs Japal adds. "The resorts are the only ones that can afford it." John Murphy, maintenance manager at the Carlisle Bay luxury resort, says bosses had decided to "be proactive rather than reactive" to protect the venue's hundred palms. The cost of treating each one with OTC every three to four months is around $450, he says. "It's not cheap and a side effect is that it's not recommended to consume the coconut milk or jelly for a year after a tree's been treated," Mr Murphy says. "Personally

Summary: White sand beaches fringed by lofty palm trees - it is the image of a tropical paradise that has lured holidaymakers to the Caribbean for decades.


She has bled herself, when she was injured in an IRA attack on the Ulster Polytechnic in 1977. Baroness O'Loan, a former police ombudsman, argues that it's only by confronting the past that people in Northern Ireland will drag themselves clear of it. "If you don't deal with the past," she told me on The World This Weekend, "then the trauma, the disability, the pain, everything continues; and as that continues in society it leaves a sense of injustice. "And if you leave a sense of injustice, you leave a gap into which paramilitarism of either kind, loyalist or republican, can move." Last weekend alone, 140 parades were held. It's the height of the marching season, when Unionists and Nationalists alike celebrate their heritage. Historical events loom large, but at least one march commemorated a more recent controversy: Internment, or detention without trial, which existed for a few years in the 1970s. The number of strategically parked police vans illustrated police fears that the situation might kick off. The cost can be considerable. One dispute alone, in North Belfast, has cost Â£23m so far. Between the beginning of April 2014 and the end of March this year, three people died due to the deteriorating security situation. There were 94 shootings by paramilitaries (48 loyalist, 46 republican) and 26 bomb attacks; 58 firearms were found as well as 23kg of explosives and nearly 5,000 rounds of ammunition. "We cannot really claim to have peace," Baroness O'Loan says. The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, George Hamilton, says failure to tackle the causes of sectarianism leaves his officers to pick up the pieces. "It feels to me like broader society places all the responsibility, wrongly, at the police service's door," he told a public meeting last week. "I know we have a critical part to play, but the legislative framework and the budget allocation comes from another arena, called politics." There might be less strain in the police budget if the Â£150m for measures to tackle the past, which was pledged by the British government had been delivered. The Stormont House Agreement, signed by the political parties in Northern Ireland at the end of last year, said the government would provide the money only if local politicians agreed on welfare reform. Baroness O'Loan is scathing: "It's immoral that they managed to tie up welfare reform with dealing with the past. They're two separate issues and they should be negotiated and dealt with separately." For now, then, the mechanisms for tackling Northern Ireland's bloody past exist only on paper. Susan Mackay, who has written extensively about Northern Ireland's politics, says the summer marching season suggests peace has not yet planted deep roots. "What we see playing out in the streets is symptomatic of that absence of agreement; it's a way of saying that we don't agree with the Good Friday Agreement, we don't agree with the institutions at Stormont." Money doesn't solve problems, but in Northern Ireland's case, the absence of it appears to make them that much harder to resolve.

Summary: Baroness Nuala O'Loan cannot be dismissed as a "bleeding heart liberal" when she attacks the political establishment in Stormont and Westminster for putting Northern Ireland's peace process at risk.


More than 12,600 cases were discontinued from 2014 to 2015 - one in every eight Crown Court cases. At the same time, the proportion of Crown Court cases resulting in a conviction fell below the 80% mark for the first time since 2010-11. The CPS said cases were kept under "constant review". A study of the data suggested the principal reason for the fall in the proportion of cases resulting in conviction was because of the rise in the number that were dropped by the CPS after charges had been brought. The total number of cases dropped at that point was 12,615 last year - an increase of nearly 1,700 on the year before. BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said: "In 70% of the dropped prosecutions, the CPS offered 'no evidence'. "In other words the case was discontinued at a late stage, after the defendant had pleaded not guilty, and often after many months awaiting trial." He added the figures "are likely to fuel claims that the criminal justice pendulum has swung too far in favour of victims and away from the accused". A CPS spokesman said: "All cases are kept under constant review as they progress through the criminal justice system. "If new evidence comes to light, a witness decides to no longer support a prosecution or a co-defendant pleads guilty to the offence, the CPS will then review the case. "If there is no longer sufficient evidence or if it is no longer in the public interest, the CPS will stop a prosecution." He added: "In 2014-15 the CPS offered no evidence in 8.8% per cent of cases. This compares to 8.3% the previous year and 9.4% the year before that." Nazir Afzal, former chief Crown prosecutor of the CPS for north west England, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We have to ensure that we don't have the baying crowd mentality. "There are lots of people who are desperate for cases to be brought for all sorts of reasons. "A prosecutor must look at it in the cold light of day, professionally, ensure that they recognise any issues about the credibility of the allegation and make the decision that stands up." He added: "The accused person needs to have as much information given to him about what happened. That would not necessarily make life any better for him but certainly give an understanding that maybe, just maybe, the decision was right at the outset and something has changed."

Summary: The number and proportion of prosecutions dropped at Crown Courts in England and Wales has risen to its highest level in five years.


Lyndon Gooch's long-range dipping effort caused Fleetwood keeper Chris Maxwell to make a fingertip save. Amari'i Bell fired into the side-netting for the hosts, while Richard Chaplow scuffed a chance for Rovers. Jimmy Ryan's 25-yard effort almost won the game for the hosts but the ball struck the crossbar.

Summary: Fleetwood Town dropped into the League One relegation places as they had to settle for a point after a stalemate with Doncaster.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 4 May 2015 Last updated at 16:22 BST It's a big deal for people across the country, but everyone's watching Scotland in particular. This is because the election result could have a huge impact on who runs the next UK government. Jenny went to a youth club in Glasgow to find out more.

Summary: The UK's biggest vote - the general election - takes place on 7 May.


Evans recorded a time of 55 minutes 40 seconds to take the yellow jersey from Andy Schleck before Sunday's largely ceremonial final stage in Paris. Germany's Tony Martin won the time-trial from Evans, who moved 1:34 ahead of Schleck in the overall standings. Schleck began the day with a 53-second lead in the general classification. The Luxembourger is destined for a third consecutive second place in the Tour after the aggression that secured his stage win over the Galibier on Thursday appeared to catch up with him. Evans, a general classification runner-up in 2008 and 2009, was visibly emotional as he was presented with the yellow jersey. In the absence of Alberto Contador in 2008, the Australian was widely expected to land his first Grand Tour title but was foiled by Carlos Sastre. "Fortunately this year, we're close to Paris", Evans added after Saturday's dramatic stage. "This is the result of a lot of planning and experience. This is my seventh Tour de France and not having bad luck has been good to me. "In 2008 I suffered so much with my injuries it was the hardest Tour." Evans last wore yellow after stage eight of last year's tour, but his time at the front of the field lasted only a day as Schleck took over in the mountains. Back on the flat in this year's decisive stage, the time-trial specialist, took revenge in ruthless style. The 34-year-old soon eliminated the four-second gap that had separated him from Schleck's older brother Frank before powering away to register a stage time 2:31 superior to Andy. The Schlecks will have the small consolation of being the first set of brothers to feature in the same Tour de France podium after Frank successfully defended his third place in the overall standings. But barring a freak accident or illness Evans, the road race world champion in 2009, will be crowned Tour de France winner on Sunday. The final 95km run into Paris is traditionally not contested by the general classification contenders as the sprinters take centre stage on the Champs-Elysees. "I really can't quite believe it right now. I have been concentrating on this one event for so long," said Evans, who came within seven seconds of decorating his success with a stage win. Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme added: "This is the victory of a complete rider. It is the consecration of a career." Thomas Voeckler, who held yellow for 10 days before Friday, is fourth in the overall standings after coming 13th on the day with a typically gritty ride. The Frenchman is 37 seconds ahead of Contador, who came third on the day, 1:06 off Tony Martin's winning stage time. After starting in damp conditions earlier in the day, Fabian Cancellara, the world and Olympic time-trial champion and many people's favourite for the stage, was eighth fastest. STAGE 20 RESULT: 1. Tony Martin (Germany / HTC - Highroad) 55 minutes 33 seconds 2. Cadel Evans (Australia / BMC Racing) +7" 3. Alberto Contador (Spain / Saxo Bank) +1:06" 4. Thomas De Gendt

Summary: Cadel Evans is all but certain to become Australia's first Tour de France winner after a stunning time trial-victory in the suburbs of Grenoble.


French striker Moussa Dembele, 20, has made an instant impact this season with 12 goals for the Scottish champions. But the latest Dembele - no relation - came on for the final nine minutes of Celtic Under-20s' win against Hearts. He replaced Jack Aitchison, 16, who became Celtic's youngest-ever player in the final game of last season. Aitchison scored with his first touch after coming on as a substitute aged 16 years and 71 days in their 7-0 rout of Motherwell in May. But Ivorian Dembele could challenge that record after appearing for the club's reserve team, which is seven years above his age group. Dembele went viral with a series of tricks playing for Celtic's U13s at the St Kevin's Boys Academy Cup tournament in Dublin this summer. Celtic's website said Dembele "didn't look out of place" after being given his chance on Monday at Greenock Morton's Cappielow ground, with six of their usual squad away on Scotland U19s duty. The 15-year-old Kieran McGrath also played. Celtic's head of youth, Chris McCart, added: "We were all delighted to see Karamoko make his debut for the development squad against Hearts in what proved to be an entertaining game. "The fact that he was playing against other players seven years his senior gives an indication of the quality this young boy possesses and it was also fitting that he came on for Jack Aitchison, the club's youngest-ever goalscorer. "What we need to remember, though, is that Karamoko is just 13 years old. He was given a chance to play last night on merit, as was Kieran, but it is very important that we continue their development at a measured pace. "Karamoko is still a young boy and has a lot of growing to do, both physically and mentally. "The coaches at our under-13 and 14 levels have been fantastic in nurturing his potential, but it is crucial that we do not push him too far, too soon. "He has a lot of hard work ahead of him to make it to the top and we won't rush that, but we also know Karamoko, and the other talented young players we have here, is at the perfect place to continue his progress and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for this young player."

Summary: Celtic fans may soon have a new Dembele to savour after 13-year-old Karamoko Dembele made his debut for the club's development team on Monday.


Residents living around the Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield have said cars are being illegally parked on local streets by staff and patients. Paul Quinsey, head of technical services, said the hospital is looking at demountable parking decks above existing car parks as one solution. He said there are currently 626 staff waiting for a parking space. Roger Bayliss, who had an appointment for an X-ray at the hospital, said he spent more than an hour looking for a parking space. He said: "I would have abandoned my appointment had I been able to turn around and get out of the hospital, but the traffic was so gridlocked all across the site there was absolutely no option but to sit and wait." Conservative councillor David Pears, who represents the Sutton Trinity Ward which covers the Good Hope hospital, said residents had put up with parking problems for "far too long". He said: "We've met with the hospital, we've got the MP involved, but it just seems the hospital is unwilling to spend money on a scheme that will make life easier for the residents." Mr Quinsey said the hospital is working alongside its publicly elected governors and staff to see how it can address the current issues around parking. He said a plan to set up a park-and-ride scheme had been rejected because of its affordability and long transfer times.

Summary: More than 600 staff are on a waiting list for parking, according to the trust running a West Midlands hospital.


The Labour leader has also said he is "very angry" that so many lives were lost in a deadly tower block fire. PM Theresa May said the residents were "in our thoughts and prayers" and has ordered a public inquiry into the fire. But she was criticised by a senior Labour MP for failing to meet residents when she visited the scene on Thursday. At least 17 people died in the disaster at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington, west London in the early hours of Wednesday. Mr Corbyn, who earlier released a statement saying he was "very angry that it was possible for the fire to spread in the way it did," said people living in high-rise flats would be frightened following the Grenfell Tower disaster and needed answers to give them "peace of mind". And he told MPs on Thursday: "The south part of Kensington is incredibly wealthy, it's the wealthiest part of the country. "The ward where this fire took place is, I think the poorest ward in the whole country. "And properties must be found, requisitioned if necessary, in order to make sure those residents do get re-housed locally. "It cannot be acceptable that in London you have luxury buildings and luxury flats kept as land banking for the future while the homeless and the poor look for somewhere to live." Mrs May met police and firefighters at a private visit to the site but was not seen speaking to residents who survived the attack. Mr Corbyn was pictured speaking to local people. Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was heckled by some angry residents at the scene when he visited. Mr Khan praised the local community spirit but added: "People are angry and I share that anger." Downing Street said that Mrs May's visit was made to get a briefing from the emergency services to ensure that they had the resources they needed. But Labour's former deputy leader Harriet Harman wrote on Twitter: "Theresa May should have met Grenfell fire residents. She should have been prepared to listen to them Not OK to speak at them via TV." The prime minister has praised the way the local community had supported the residents and praised the "professionalism and bravery" of the emergency services. She pledged that the government "stands ready to provide every assistance" to the council and emergency services. "I want to reassure the residents of Grenfell Tower - all of whom are in our thoughts and prayers - that the government will make every effort to make sure that they are re-housed in London and as close as possible to home." She has ordered a judge-led public inquiry into the disaster. Ministers have also made emergency funding available to local authorities to support people affected. But MPs demanded answers in a specially-arranged session in Westminster Hall on Thursday, while Parliament is still suspended. At the start of the special meeting in Westminster's Grand Committee Room, Fire Minister Nick Hurd said: "What we are dealing with here is a national tragedy." He said the "exceptionally complex" investigation would

Summary: Properties in North Kensington should be "requisitioned if necessary" for people left homeless after the Grenfell Tower fire, Jeremy Corbyn says.


He is among thousands of Burmese Tamils living in the north-eastern Indian town of Moreh in Manipur state, which borders Myanmar, also known as Burma. Mr Sarlan and other Indian-origin people were forced to leave the country following a military coup in the 1960s. Their businesses were nationalised and Mr Sarlan, who used to live in Rangoon (now called Yangon), and others became penniless refugees overnight. It is estimated that nearly 300,000 Indians fled the country following the coup. "After we reached India, for the first three months we were living in a refugee camp in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Though Tamil Nadu was the land of our forefathers, it was difficult to live there without any support," recalls Mr Sarlan, 74, who is now a social activist. 'Mini-India' Indians lived in Burma for centuries, but large-scale migration took place during British-colonial rule, when the country was part of British India, during the 19th and early 20th centuries. They were used as civil servants, traders, farmers, labourers and artisans - and came to be considered the backbone of the economy. Burmese nationalists always viewed them with suspicion and there were a series of anti-Indian riots in the 1930s. Once the British left in 1948, Indian-origin people became increasingly vulnerable and they were swiftly forced to leave following the 1962 coup. They found it difficult to settle in India, so many decided to return to Burma by land. They vaguely knew that India's north-eastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh shared a border with Burma. After weeks of travelling by train and bus a small group managed to reach Moreh, around 3,200km (2,000 miles) by road from Tamil Nadu. When they reached the border crossing, Burmese soldiers prevented them from entering the country. The Tamils settled in Moreh hoping one day to return to their homeland - but those dreams have never been fulfilled. "Moreh was a tribal village when we first came here. There was hardly any infrastructure at that point. But many Burmese people came to Moreh looking for Indian goods like automobile parts, clothing and cosmetics. Since we knew the Burmese language it was easy for us to start businesses," Mr Sarlan recalls. Soon, the Tamils in Moreh invited their relatives and friends from camps in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere to join them. Many went on to become Indian citizens. By the 1990s the number of Burmese Tamils in Moreh had increased to about 15,000, almost half of the town's population. They had set up their own schools, temples, churches and mosques - and celebrated their cultural festivals with fervour. Moreh was described as a "mini-India". "We still retain lots of cultural and social links with Tamil Nadu state. For our important temple festivals we bring priests and music performers from there. Many parents in Moreh also send their children to schools in Tamil Nadu," says K Balasubramaniam, who is the principal of a local secondary school. Chinese goods At one point, Burmese Tamils dominated local border trade and that led to resentment from the Kuki

Summary: Every day Mohamed Eusoof Sarlan looks at his beloved homeland, a few hundred metres away from where he lives - but Myanmar's soldiers will not allow him to return to his country.


The Northern Ireland international, 28, was charged on 29 July with breaching FA rule E8, which bars professional players from betting on football-related matters. The offence took place on 20 February. Lafferty made one league appearance for Norwich last season, and played six times for Birmingham City on loan. He was an unused substitute as Norwich started their Championship season with a 4-1 win over Blackburn on Saturday. Rule E8 prevents professional players not only from betting on matches in which they are involved or have an influence, but also on any other football-related matter anywhere in the world - including matches, the transfer of players, employment of managers, team selection or disciplinary matters.

Summary: Norwich City striker Kyle Lafferty has been fined £23,000 and warned as to his future conduct after accepting a Football Association betting charge.


A 25-year-old woman testified that Larry Nassar molested her from the age of six until 12 during family visits to his Michigan home. Mr Nassar, 53, is accused by more than 60 former patients and athletes of sexual abuse during pelvic procedures. He is facing separate federal charges for possession of child pornography. After testimony at a court in Mason, Michigan, Judge Donald Allen ordered Mr Nassar to stand trial on three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13 years old. The accused, a sports doctor who treated US Olympic gymnasts, faces up to life in prison if convicted. He was stripped of his medical licence last month, amid at least six criminal and civil lawsuits. The unnamed woman, who was neither a patient nor an athlete, testified against him for more than two hours on Friday. She detailed how Mr Nassar allegedly molested her during family visits to his home in Holt, Michigan, from 1998 to 2005. "Almost every time I was there for a couple of years, something occurred," she told the court. Some of the abuse happened under a blanket as he sat next to her on the sofa, while her unwitting older brother sat nearby, she said. When she tried to tell her parents about the molestation, they did not believe her. "They made me feel like I had done something terrible," she said, adding that they told her to apologise to the doctor. She refused. When the woman left home for university, she again told her parents about her experience with Mr Nassar. Her father, who committed suicide in March 2016, "crumpled" when she repeated her claims. Mr Nassar was fired in September after working for decades as a doctor for gymnasts at Michigan State University, as well as USA Gymnastics - the sport's governing body. Allegations of sexual assault were first revealed by the Indianapolis Star newspaper in September 2016 when he was accused by two former gymnasts. Since then, more than 60 women have accused him, and at least 40 have filed lawsuits. Several of those suits name USA Gymnastics as a co-defendent, claiming they had not done enough to prevent the abuse. MSU gymnasts coach Kathie Klages quit abruptly this week after being named in several legal actions. She had worked as a coach for nearly 30 years, before she was suspended by the university, leading to her surprise departure.

Summary: A judge has ordered a former USA Gymnastics doctor to be tried on sex assault charges, as an accuser said he abused her during hide-and-seek.


The keynote MacTaggart Lecture will be given by the director general of the BBC, Mark Thompson, at what is a crucial time for the corporation. Last year during the keynote Edinburgh speech, one of the BBC's biggest competitors, James Murdoch, launched an outspoken attack on the corporation. He called its "dominant" scale "chilling" and said that it should be "far, far smaller". The BSkyB chairman - who also runs much of News Corporation, the publisher of The Times, Sunday Times, Sun and the News of the World - expressed particular concern over the public funding of the BBC's news output, which he called "state-sponsored journalism". He claimed it was a "threat to the plurality and independence of news provision", because it made it hard for commercial publishers to earn money from their own news websites. To some of his audience, the idea of "state-sponsored journalism" was over the top. But, worryingly for the BBC, Murdoch's general point that the corporation was too big and was harming its commercial rivals, drew murmurs of agreement from other media owners and politicians. Since then, the BBC has found itself under almost constant fire, not least in the newspapers which now compete with it, as they extend their businesses onto the internet. In this year's MacTaggart Lecture, Mr Thompson must try to win round the corporation's critics, including some of those commercial rivals and politicians. But he must also set out his vision for the BBC, as a publicly-funded news and cultural organisation in a world of rapidly changing technology and behaviour - and tighter public finances. The BBC has been widely criticised for the large sums of licence fee money it pays to its stars and top managers. In the new age of public austerity, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt says much needs changing at the BBC. He has given notice that the next licence fee negotiations - when they begin in a year's time - will be very tough. Viewers, he says, can expect to pay less. Belatedly, the BBC has responded to some of the criticisms. Senior executives' pay has been published, then frozen, and bonuses withdrawn. The highest-paid managers are giving up a month's pay for the next two years and will be asked to withdraw from a scheme which tops up their pensions. The BBC is to publish the names of its highest-paid presenters and performers and it has proposed radical cuts to its staff pension scheme, to cope with a large deficit. But that in turn has alienated many BBC employees, who are less highly paid. Unions are balloting their members for strike action. Other staff are unhappy because their jobs are moving to the north of England, while executives leading the move are keeping their own homes in the south. Mark Thompson must address all of these different concerns and audiences. Yet he is also expected to point out that the BBC has much to be proud of. It still has high support from the public, and large and appreciative audiences for its television, radio and online services. Innovations such

Summary: Broadcasting executives are gathering in Edinburgh for the start of the annual international television festival.


Joseph Smith was not in a booster seat and suffered multiple injuries when the car he was in smashed into oncoming traffic on Cardiff's Western Avenue. Dean Collins was found guilty of causing death and causing serious injury by dangerous driving on Tuesday. The 24-year-old, from St Mellons, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court. He was also handed a three-year sentence for the serious injury charges, which will run concurrently, and has been banned from driving for eight years. The Recorder of Cardiff, Eleri Rees QC, told Collins: "You have never acknowledged any fault despite overwhelming evidence it was entirely your fault. "The obvious inference is that you allowed yourself to become distracted. "The general manner of your driving was impatient and a general disregard for road safety." She said he also showed a "blatant disregard" for the safety of his four passengers, had shown arrogance and an aggressive manner of driving immediately before the crash. The judge criticised his "cavalier attitude" to both his own safety and that if others, adding the lack of a car booster seat had contributed to Joseph's injuries. The trial heard Collins - who had denied all the charges - was driving a borrowed Ford Focus carrying his partner Laura Bright, 23, her mother Michelle Holmes, Joseph, and the couple's two-year-old daughter at the time of the crash. The car crossed a central reservation on Western Avenue and slammed into a white Seat Ibiza heading in the opposite direction. Collins' driving before the collision had been erratic, with the car weaving in and out of traffic and undertaking other vehicles. Blood samples taken from Collins after the collision contained traces of cocaine. But the quantity was too small to accurately measure and a toxicologist said it was not possible to say how the drug would have affected Collins' actions. Collins, who had passed his driving test just three months before, said he had no memory of the crash and insisted it was a "tragic accident". Four others suffered injuries in the crash, including fractures to the spine, arms, legs, ribs, memory loss and blindness in one eye. Joseph's mother Laura Bright, who has since married Collins, was unconscious for five days after the crash. She was cleared at a previous hearing of causing the death of a child in her care. The court heard she was now pregnant with his third child. South Wales Police investigating officer PC Tony Farr, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said the crash had had a "devastating impact on so many lives". "I cannot stress enough how dangerous vehicles can be when they are in the hands of the wrong people," he said. "Collins was inexperienced and evidence presented to the court showed he had taken drugs in the days or hours before the collision. Tragically, that proved to be a lethal combination. "Collins also failed to ensure Joseph was seated securely in the vehicle - again a huge error in judgement that he will now have to live with for the rest of his life." Speaking after the hearing,

Summary: A driver whose car hit another in a head-on crash, killing his five-year-old stepson, has been jailed for six years.


Many of the new pieces are inspired by the migrant crisis on the Greek island, which is the main European entry point for Iraqi and Syrian refugees. Speaking about his time there, Weiwei said he could "never have imagined conditions like this". The Chinese artist's exhibition, Ai Weiwei at Cycladic, will remain open until October. The exhibition, at the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, includes an huge collage of 12,030 small pictures taken on the artist's camera phone, documenting his time in Lesbos. "It is such a beautiful island - blue water, sunshine, tourists - and to see the boats come in with desperate children, pregnant women and elderly people, and they all have fear and they all have it in their eyesâ€¦ You think, how could this happen? I got completely emotionally involved," he said. Ai Weiwei, who is 59 years old, became well known in 2011 when he was detained by the Chinese authorities for 81 days during a crackdown on political activists. The artist is also planning a feature-length documentary about the refugee crisis. "I want it to be a historic account of the tragedy which years, decades, later people will watch and see how we behaved in this moment," he said. Ai Weiwei at Cylcadic is the artist's first ever exhibition to be displayed in Greece, and closes on 30 October.

Summary: Artworks by Ai Weiwei made during his stay in Lesbos have gone on public display for the first time in Athens.


The 22-year-old was an unused squad member during the 2017 Six Nations, as well as the 2016 autumn internationals. "It's been building as I've been in a few camps now, but to finally get my name called out on that team sheet was an awesome feeling," he said. "I've been champing at the bit these last few camps, training hard." The Ospreys player comes in to replace Cory Hill, who was called up by the British and Irish Lions following Wales' 24-6 win over Tonga. Coach Robin McBryde has made seven changes in all to the side that started that game at Eden Park last Friday Another two uncapped players - scrum-half Tomos Williams and lock Adam Beard - are also on the bench. Media playback is not supported on this device Thornton made 25 appearances for Ospreys in the 2016-17 campaign, but expects a big transition to international rugby. "I've been playing a lot for the Ospreys this year and being involved in the Pro12 and the [European] Challenge Cup has given me quite a bit of experience," the former Wales Under-20s captain told BBC Wales Sport. "But Test rugby is a completely different animal, so I'm really looking forward to the challenge on Friday against a strong Samoan team. "Like every young Welsh boy I want to play for Wales, but when it actually comes round you get that sensation of pride." Thornton is part of an inexperienced Wales side, with the forwards having won just 31 caps between them. "Samoa have a big experienced pack and we have a couple of young guys here looking to blood themselves on the international stage, so I think it'll be a good challenge overall," Thornton added. Media playback is not supported on this device

Summary: Lock Rory Thornton says he is "champing at the bit" ahead of winning his first Wales cap against Samoa in Apia on Friday, 23 June.


Sports Minister Carál Nί Chuilίn said they stood down just before she was due to meet board representatives. They were there to discuss a report by the Head of Internal Audit at the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Department of Education. Ms Nί Chuilίn said she advised the remaining members at the meeting "of my deep concerns at the issues raised by their staff" with the internal auditor. On Friday, the minister called for the meeting to consider the findings of the report into "serious allegations" about the "leadership, management and the overall culture" of the organisation. After Monday's meeting, she said she had accepted the board members' resignations, and thanked them "for their efforts in promoting and fostering sport during their time in office". In a statement, she said: "Given the ongoing challenges in Sport NI, I am taking steps to intervene directly to support both staff and the remaining board members. "I also wish to advise staff that their concerns are being taken seriously and that they will be fully addressed." Chair of the culture committee Nelson McCausland said the situation was "shocking and unprecedented". "That is why we need to get Carál Nί Chuilίn in front of the committee as soon as possible," he said. "It tells us something about the department and the way that the minister has been running the department," Mr McCausland told BBC NI's Good Morning Ulster. "We also want to talk to the people who resigned, they have a story as well. "It is a whole quagmire, we need to get to the bottom of it. The minister owes that to the public, to Sport NI and to the committee." Ms Nί Chuilίn said she would meet the remaining board members later this week. No-one from Sport NI was available for comment.

Summary: Nine members of the Sport NI board have resigned with immediate effect.


Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) figures show medics spent 32,000 hours waiting at A&E departments in 2015-16 compared with 16,000 in 2014-15. YAS said waiting time "was one of the most significant issues" it faced. A shortage of available hospital beds has been given as one of the problems causing knock-on delays at A&E. Dr David Macklin, Executive Director of Operations at YAS, said handover waiting times were "a system problem" for the NHS, not just in Yorkshire, and said blame could not be attached to individual hospitals. "We have numerous occasions where we have multiple vehicles queued at hospitals," he said. "Emergency departments across Yorkshire are working incredibly hard to manage their demand and that means sometimes ambulances are queuing. "Patients who are not seriously injured may need to wait." Professor Keith Willett from NHS England said the increase in waiting times was "concerning" and added there were "a multitude of reasons" for the rise. "One of the biggest problems is the pressure on the beds in the hospital," he said. "That's because the hospitals are finding it increasingly difficult to move patients and their care back into the community." The figures were supplied after a Freedom of Information request by the BBC. Just five hospitals - one each in East, South and West Yorkshire and two in North Yorkshire - accounted for about 70% of the total waiting time. The handover time is counted only after 15 minutes have elapsed at A&E. The number of hours spent by the YAS to handover patients was about 12,000 In 2013-14 and about 16,000 in 2014-15. Hull Royal Infirmary (East Yorkshire) 6,436 Northern General (Sheffield, South Yorkshire) 4,329 Pinderfields (Wakefield, West Yorkshire) 3,954 Scarborough District General 3,831 York District Hospital 3,384

Summary: The length of time ambulance crews spend waiting to hand over patients at hospital accident and emergency units in Yorkshire has doubled in a year.


Prices rose 0.8% in the month compared with 0.1% in November. Overall in 2015 house prices rose by 4.5%, with the average price of a property in the UK now at Â£196,999. Separately the Land Registry for England and Wales reported that prices rose by 5.6% in the year to November. It said the average price of a house or flat was Â£186,325. Nationwide said the growth in house prices broadly matched growth in average salaries, adding that it expected to see a similar pace of growth next year. Rival lender Halifax calculates that prices are rising twice as fast. Its most recent survey suggested that prices went up by 9% in the year to November. London remained the strongest performing region for the fifth year running, with average prices up 12% compared with a year ago, according to Nationwide. But it did not expect house prices in the capital to continue to see above average growth next year, pointing to the fact that property was becoming unaffordable for many in the city. Average prices in the London are now 50% above their pre-crisis peak in 2007, while in contrast property values in Northern Ireland remain 44% below their pre-crisis peak, despite rising by 6.5% in the last three months of the year. Across the UK as a whole, prices are around 7% higher, Nationwide added. Scotland was the only part of the UK that saw a fall in average house prices, with values down 1.9% in the three months to the end of December compared with the same period a year ago. Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, forecast average house prices would accelerate at a modest pace, despite the likelihood of interest rate rises from the middle of next year. "Further healthy gains in employment and rising wages are likely to bolster buyer sentiment, while borrowing costs are expected to rise only gradually. However, the main concern is that construction activity will lag behind strengthening demand, putting upward pressure on house prices and eventually reducing affordability," he added. Overall, Mr Gardner forecast average house price growth of between 3% and 6% nationally in 2016. He also raised concerns about regional variations in house prices, linking strong house price growth in some regions to higher rates of employment growth. "The gain in employment in London is particularly striking, with the number of people in employment up 14% compared to the pre-crisis period," he added. Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight forecast house price growth of 6% in 2016 supported by continued buyer interest and shortage of available properties as well as healthy wage growth and levels of employment, relatively high consumer confidence and still very low mortgage interest rates. But he warned that average house prices would "be constrained by more stretched house prices to earnings ratios, tighter checking of prospective mortgage borrowers by lenders and the probability that interest rates will start rising gradually during 2016".

Summary: Average house prices grew strongly in December according to the latest survey from building society Nationwide.


Owens' team suffered a record European defeat as they conceded nine tries in a 64-14 Champions Cup hammering in Paris. With New Zealand's World Rugby player of the year Dan Carter kicking six goals and organising the demolition, Wales international Owens believes Racing will be hard to beat. "It's difficult to stop a side like Racing - they've got the complete package," said Owens. "They are the best team in Europe. "Saracens in England are up there, playing very good stuff. But I think Racing, with the squad they've got, the calibre of player and the different variations in their game, have the edge." Racing beat Scarlets 29-12 in Llanelli in November, before World Cup winner Carter made his debut for the French club. "They had a different mindset when we played them before - they were happy to live off our mistakes," Owens continued. "But today they upped the tempo and brought the game to us and they have definitely improved. "Carter coming in, plenty of experience, a ball-player, really organising the backs - he's made a big difference to their back line. "He allows players to play off him and his organisation - you could just hear him talking - he's a huge asset to any team. He's the best player in the world and it shows." However, head coach Wayne Pivac was not happy with his team's discipline at Stade Yves du Manoir. Scarlets were under pressure, but had stood up to Racing's power before the Welsh region's second row Maselino Paulino was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Yannick Nyanga deep in Racing territory. And within five minutes, Scarlets wing DTH van der Merwe followed the Samoan into the sin-bin for a tip tackle. At that point the score was 10-0, but by the time Van der Merwe returned, Scarlets trailed 31-0. "Twenty-one points came pretty quickly," Pivac said. "Look, they are a class side when it's 15 on 15, let alone taking one and then two players off, so that did hurt us. "So I was disappointed with our discipline in that early part of the game." Scarlets have now lost all five of their European Champions Cup matches this season - with the visit of Northampton Saints still to come.

Summary: Racing 92 are the best team in Europe, says Scarlets captain Ken Owens.


Police said the last thing the man remembered was leaving a bar in Manchester city centre at 01:00 GMT. He apparently woke up in a confused state before contacting Greater Manchester Police at about 15:00 GMT. Thousands of people are expected to celebrate the festive season in what has come to be known as Mad Friday. GMP tweeted about the man's nightclub ordeal, and said officers were searching for people with access to the building in order to free him.

Summary: A man dialled 999 after waking up locked in an empty nightclub dressed only in his underpants following a Christmas party.