1913 - Britain and the Ottoman government sign a treaty recognising the independence of Bahrain but the country remains under British administration. Manama is a major port city, commercial centre 1931 - The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), a subsidiary of the Standard Oil Company of California (Socal), discovers oil at Jabal al-Dukhan and production begins the following year. 1939 - Britain decides that the Hawar Islands which lie in the Gulf of Bahrain between Bahrain and Qatar belong to Bahrain not Qatar. 1961 - Sheikh Isa Bin-Salman Al Khalifah becomes ruler of Bahrain. 1967 - Britain moves its main regional naval base from Aden to Bahrain. 1968 - Britain announces it will close its bases east of Suez by 1971. 1970 - The Administrative Council becomes a 12-member Council of State, headed by a president, the ruler's brother, Sheikh Khalifah Bin-Salman Al Khalifah. 1970 May - Iran renounces its claim to sovereignty over Bahrain after a United Nations report shows that Bahrainis want to remain independent. 1971 - Bahrain declares independence and signs a new treaty of friendship with Britain. Sheikh Isa becomes the first Emir and the Council of State becomes a cabinet. 1971 - Bahrain gains formal independence from Britain. 1971 - Bahrain and the US sign an agreement which permits the US to rent naval and military facilities. 1972 December - Elections are held for a Constituent Assembly. Only Bahraini males over 20 can vote. 1973 December - After the constitution comes into force on 6 December, elections are held on 7 December for a National Assembly, an advisory legislative body, with 44 members (14 cabinet members and 30 elected by male voters) . 1975 August - Following claims by prime minister Sheikh Khalifah Bin-Salman Al Khalifah that the National Assembly is impeding the work of the government, the Emir dissolves the assembly and rules by decree. 1981 May - Bahrain joins the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, more usually known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which also includes Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 1981 December - Seventy-three people, said to be members of the Tehran-based Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain, headed by Iranian cleric, Hojjat ol-Eslam Hadi al-Mudarrisi, are arrested and accused of conspiring to overthrow the government on 16 December, Bahrain's National Day. 1986 - In April, Qatari troops occupy Fasht al-Dibal Island but withdraw in June after mediation by Saudi Arabia. 1986 November - Opening of the King Fahd causeway which links Bahrain to the mainland of Saudi Arabia. 1991 January/February - As part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Peninsula Shield Force, Bahrain participates in the coalition "Operation Desert Storm" against Iraq (the Gulf War) 1991 July - Qatar takes its territorial claim to the Hawar Islands, Fasht al-Dibal and Qitat Jaradah before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague but Bahrain rejects the claims. 1991 October - Bahrain signs a defence cooperation agreement with the United States providing for port facilities and joint military exercises. 1992 December - The establishment

Summary: A chronology of key events:


Visitors from boats have also built bonfires and cleared vegetation on Les Minquiers - a group of islands and rocks to the south of Jersey. The States is urging boat owners and visitors to respect Jersey's wildlife laws and the "fragile environment". Dozens of people from France and Jersey visit the reefs each summer. Dr Paul Chambers from the Environment Department said the reefs were "ecologically important". The States said that between March and August the main islands were home to nesting seabirds and it was an offence to disturb them. Then in autumn large numbers of migrating birds are dependent on the vegetation on the reefs for shelter and food.

Summary: Birds' nests have been deliberately destroyed and seals and dolphins disturbed around Jersey's offshore reefs, the States has said.


Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US would consider working with Russia in some areas but would stand up for its own interests. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary James Mattis said Washington was not ready to collaborate militarily with Moscow. US President Donald Trump has called for improved ties with Moscow. But the new administration's diplomatic initiative comes as questions are raised about the Trump team's dealings with Russia dating back to last year's election campaign. US intelligence services have concluded that Moscow hacked into emails of President Donald Trump's Democratic opponents during the election. Rex Tillerson may be on a steep learning curve in the transition from oil executive to top diplomat. But the State Department press corps is also adjusting. We'd become accustomed to the garrulous John Kerry, now we have his opposite: The Quiet Man. So far Mr Tillerson has spared only a few words for us, a "Good Morning, y'all" as we boarded the plane in Washington. And he diligently refused to respond to questions shouted out during brief moments of press access at the beginning of his meetings in Bonn, Germany. So we gleaned what we could: he chatted about his flight with the Saudi foreign minister and about jetlag with the Turkish foreign minister. Boris Johnson, the British Foreign Secretary, made him laugh with a joke about the Commonwealth. "Good try," Mr Johnson muttered as we lobbed another question, prompting more laughter but no answer. We were heartened when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made opening remarks, and perplexed when we were ushered out just as Mr Tillerson began to respond. He did give us a 43-second statement on Russia afterwards. And eventually a few spontaneous words as the questions continued. All in a hard day's work And three of Mr Trump's aides have been forced out over allegations about their links with Russia, including National Security Adviser Mike Flynn earlier this week. Mr Tillerson met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Germany as part of his first foreign trip in his new job. He said the US was willing to co-operate with Russia if Moscow lived up to its commitments. "As I made clear at my Senate confirmation hearing, the United States will consider working with Russia when we can find areas of practical co-operation that will benefit the American people," he said. "Where we do not see eye to eye, the United States will stand up for the interests and values of America and her allies. The secretary of state added that he expected Russia to honour its commitment to the Minsk agreements aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine, and to work to stabilise the region. Russia's role in backing separatists in the east of the country has soured relations with the West since the conflict began in 2014. Mr Lavrov said the two sides had agreed to co-operate in areas where their interests coincided, particularly in the fight against terrorism, over Syria and in other countries in the Middle East where "terrorism has put down

Summary: Senior US officials have been setting out their position on Russia, in some of the new administration's first diplomatic moves.


He spoke to the Pathe Gazette about his idea of the "national minimum". Sir William explained that it meant no-one was to fall below a certain standard of living. He said: "It preserves the maximum of individual freedom and responsibility which is consistent with the abolition of want." The concepts which he developed laid the foundation for the welfare state. But 73 years on, want has not been abolished. Much discussion over welfare at Stormont has focused on the "most vulnerable" and how they would be affected by changes to benefits. What policies would be for the best is a matter of debate. But among people who currently receive benefits, the uncertainty is a common concern. West Belfast has some of the highest levels of deprivation in the UK. The Falls Women's Centre runs services aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty. These include education, advice, counselling and much else. But staff and users say recent cuts have hit the centre hard, and the doubt over welfare is causing more anxiety in the community. Aisling White is a single parent with three children. "No-one knows what's coming in," she told the BBC's The View programme. "It's 2015 - you feel like we're going back a number of years rather than moving back into the future." She is training for counselling qualification at the centre, but funding cuts are threatening that. "I want to have a good job for myself and my children," she said. "But I'm struggling, and find it very hard to find the money to go and do the diploma." Angie Creighton is also worried about the combined effect of cuts to grants to community organisation and the continuing uncertainty over welfare. "It's frightening for people - the elderly, people with disabilities, people with children with learning difficulties." "I feel the local representatives should go door-to-door and tell people what's happening." "There are a lot of repercussions from the Troubles - the suicide rate is high among young men in particular." Eilidh Fleming, who is 70, worries about the lack of jobs for young people. "Companies come in to Northern Ireland, then all of a sudden they're away. We have to get proper jobs." The pensioner said it was organisations like the women's centre that make all the difference to people in need. "This place is why I get up in the morning and go out to face the world. Otherwise I'd stay in my flat and not come out." Another backstop to the welfare state is the network of food banks. The first in Northern Ireland was at Newtownards, County Down, in 2011. Now there are more than a dozen, with several more in development. In the last year, almost 17,500 food parcels were handed out to people to help them through a crisis in the short term. The volunteers at Newtownards Foodbank told The View that there were a range of reasons why someone would not be able to afford food. Debt, a delay in the payment of benefits and redundancy are three of the most common. They

Summary: In 1942, the economist Sir William Beveridge set out a vision which was to shape the times.


The projection from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows a far-reaching shift in the balance of graduate numbers, with the rising Asian economies accelerating ahead of the United States and western Europe. The forecasts for the shape of the "global talent pool" in 2020 show China as rapidly expanding its graduate numbers - set to account for 29% of the world's graduates aged between 25 and 34. The biggest faller is going to be the United States - down to 11% - and for the first time pushed into third place, behind India. The US and the countries of the European Union combined are expected to account for little more than a quarter of young graduates. Russia is also set to decline - its share of the world's graduates almost falling by half since the beginning of the century. Indonesia, according to the OECD's projections, will rise into fifth place. Is this an end-of-empire moment? Higher education has become the mirror and magnifier of economic performance - and in the post-World-War-II era, universities in the US, western Europe, Japan and Russia have dominated. The US in particular has been the university superpower - in wealth, influence and until recently in raw numbers. Up until 2000, the US still had a share of young graduates similar to China. And Japan had as big a proportion of young graduates as India. Now China and India are the biggest players. Their rise in graduate numbers reflects their changing ambitions - wanting to compete against advanced economies for high-skill, high-income employment. Instead of offering low-cost manufacture, they are targeting the hi-tech professional jobs that have become the preserve of the Westernised middle classes. As the OECD figures show, this is not simply a case of countries such as China expanding while others stand still. Across the industrialised world, graduate numbers are increasing - just not as quickly as China, where they have risen fivefold in a decade. The OECD notes that by 2020, China's young graduate population will be about the same as the total US population between the ages of 25 and 64. This changing world map will see Brazil having a bigger share of graduates than Germany, Turkey more than Spain, Indonesia three times more than France. The UK is bucking the trend, projected to increase its share from 3% in 2010 to 4% in 2020. This push for more graduates has a clear economic purpose, says the OECD's analysis. Shifting from "mass production to knowledge economy occupations" means improved employment rates and earnings - so there are "strong incentives" for countries to expand higher education. But will there be enough graduate jobs to go round? The OECD has tried to analyse this by looking at one aspect of the jobs market - science and technology-related occupations. These jobs have grown rapidly - and the report suggests it is an example of how expanding higher education can generate new types of employment. These science and technology jobs - for professionals and technicians - account for about four in every 10 jobs

Summary: By the end of this decade, four out of every 10 of the world's young graduates are going to come from just two countries - China and India.


Media playback is not supported on this device Root, a winner alongside women's captain Charlotte Edwards, averaged almost 95 in Test cricket under Moores, who was dismissed on 9 May. "A lot of credit for that has to go to Peter Moores," said the 24-year-old. "Over the past year, he has definitely got the best out of me - along with the rest of the coaching department." Root was left out of the England team for the final Test of the Ashes whitewash in January 2014, but was recalled after Moores was appointed coach for the second time a year ago. The Yorkshire right-hander has since amassed 1,135 Test runs. "When I came back from Australia, I realised a lot of the time out there I was trying to work on things I wasn't too good at - and putting all my energy into that, rather than spending more time strengthening the stuff I am good at," added Root "Peter saw that - and I simplified things as well." Root, named player of the year for the men's side after a vote of cricket media, was last week appointed Test vice-captain by new director of cricket Andrew Strauss. "I was delighted, so I accepted straight away," said Root. "I don't think things will change much - just a bit more responsibility on my part. "If Alastair Cook wants to come up to me for ideas, I will make sure I have something to help him out." As well as being named as the women's player of the year, Edwards was presented with a silver cap to mark her 200th game as England captain against New Zealand in February. In addition to leading England to four series wins, Edwards averaged more than 75 in one-day internationals and almost 60 in Twenty20s.

Summary: Batsman Joe Root has credited sacked coach Peter Moores with the form that resulted in him being named England's player of the year.


Administrators of the ACT test took the decision just hours before some 5,500 students were due to sit it. The ACT is one of two entrance exams available to international and domestic students wanting to go to a US college. This is not the first cheating scandal to hit the tests in East Asia. The other entrance exam - the SAT - was cancelled in South Korea in 2013 because some of the questions were leaked. The ACT test was due to be held at 56 test centres in both South Korea and Hong Kong on Saturday morning. The Associated Press said teachers at some of Seoul's private "cram schools" said they were not notified until about an hour before the students were due to sit the test. ACT Inc, an Iowa-based non-profit organisation that was operating the test, said it took the decision after receiving "credible evidence that test materials intended for administration in these regions have been compromised". The organisation said in a statement that all students would get a refund but would only be able to resit when the tests are held again in September.

Summary: An examination for students in South Korea and Hong Kong hoping to study at US colleges has been cancelled after "credible evidence" emerged that it had been leaked in advance.


Sir Harry Burns is to chair the study, which will consult NHS staff and patients to ensure targets and performance indicators are producing the best results for patients. An initial report and recommendations are expected in spring 2017. Mr Burns, who stepped down as chief medical officer in 2014, said it was vital that staff felt "empowered". The review of targets was announced by Health Secretary Shona Robison in June. She said she was "delighted" to welcome Mr Burns to the job, adding: "We want to ensure we have a national measurement framework across the whole health and social care system. "As I have said before, targets have an important place in our NHS and there are certain standards, such as those in emergency care and cancer, which patients have the right to expect. "We need to ensure that we also understand how our caring services are performing in a way that takes account of people's experience of different kinds of care, and the extent to which their care is well joined-up." Sir Harry stepped down as Scotland's top doctor after nine years in the job to focus on fighting health inequalities, taking up a post as professor of global public health at Strathclyde University. He said: "Ministers are rightly clear that health and social care services must deliver the best possible outcomes for Scotland's people. "I believe also that health and social care staff want to provide effective and compassionate care to those they serve. It is vital that the information we gather allows those working in health and social care to feel empowered to improve outcomes. "I am looking forward to engaging positively with people on this important review." The Scottish government is also planning on reviewing the number, structure and roles of health boards, and wants GP practices to become more of a community service, involving teams of health professionals and others working together under the guidance of a GP.

Summary: A former chief medical officer has been appointed to lead a review of the approach to targets in Scotland's NHS.


The Immigration Bill would force private landlords to quiz tenants about their immigration status and restrict access to bank accounts for people in the country without permission. It also aims to streamline the appeals process in immigration cases. Labour said the bill did nothing about bigger problems like the "shambolic" state of UK border controls. The bill, which is expected to become law in spring 2014, subject to approval by MPs, will include measures to allow the UK to "deport foreign criminals first and hear their appeal later" when there is "no risk of serious irreversible harm". BBC home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani says this could lead to an increase in air fare costs for the Home Office, if it has to fly back migrants who are successful in their appeal. A requirement is also included for temporary migrants, such as overseas students, to make a contribution to the National Health Service to prevent so-called "health tourism". Other new measures in the bill include: Immigration minister Mark Harper said: "The Immigration Bill will stop migrants using public services to which they are not entitled, reduce the pull factors which encourage people to come to the UK and make it easier to remove people who should not be here. By Dominic CascianiHome affairs correspondent, BBC News When you average them out, there's been one immigration bill roughly every two years since 1997 and the system apparently still needs fixing. Each bill has seen a minister take legislation to Parliament and tell MPs that this is the one that will make the system firmer, faster and fairer - or words to that effect. So what makes this latest attempt any different? This bill is almost entirely about enforcement: it focuses on people the government wants to control or keep out. Critics say much of it may prove challenging to implement: landlords will need to become experts in forged passports, there will be new court battles over the appeals process and, undoubtedly, complaints of poor and unfair decisions will remain. The ultimate goal is increased public confidence in the system. Whatever measures are in this bill, that remains the most challenging aim of them all. "We will continue to welcome the brightest and best migrants who want to contribute to our economy and society and play by the rules. But the law must be on the side of people who respect it, not those who break it." Mrs May said the measures were about "making it harder for people who are here illegally to stay here". She said it was a "point of principle" that people who used public services should be expected to contribute to them, but she would not comment on the cost to the country of "health tourism". She denied claims that forcing private landlords to check the immigration status of prospective tenants would be unworkable, saying they would just be "required to ask some simple questions" in the same way that employers have to do when interviewing workers. But an organisation representing private and public sector landlords said the measures would

Summary: Illegal immigrants will find it harder to set up home in the UK under planned laws, says Home Secretary Theresa May.


It is the first time that a non-premium brand has come first in the annual study by consultancy J.D. Power. The survey of more than 80,000 car buyers found that Kia had the fewest problems in the first 90 days, followed by Porsche, Hyundai, Toyota and BMW. Worst performers were Daimler's Smart, Fiat, Volvo, Land Rover and Mini. In the ranking of 33 cars brands, 21 saw an improvement over the past year. The study also showed that for only the second time in the past 30 years, US brands received better marks collectively than foreign cars. J.D. Power said that in past years, electronic features such as Bluetooth, voice recognition and touch screens had often been prone to glitches dragging down the results and that this year carmakers had managed to improve their reliability. Together with its affiliate Hyundai Motor, Kia is the world's fifth largest automaker by sales.

Summary: South Korean car maker Kia has come top in a closely watched US car quality ranking, edging out the luxury brands that usually claim the crown.


Mr Tillerson, former head of Exxon Mobil with no previous political experience, said in an interview he was "stunned" with the invitation. "I didn't want this job. I didn't seek this job," he told the conservative website Independent Journal Review (IJR) during his recent visit to Asia. "My wife told me I'm supposed to do this." In the wide-ranging interview, Mr Tillerson said he had been due to retire this month after spending more than 40 years at oil giant Exxon Mobil. He turns 65 on Thursday. "I was going to go to the ranch to be with my grandkids," he added in the interview, as he returned to the US from Beijing. Mr Tillerson said he had never met Donald Trump before his election in November. When he was invited for a conversation with the then president-elect, he thought they would talk "about the world" given his experiences at the oil company, he added. "When he asked me at the end of that conversation to be secretary of state, I was stunned." Mr Tillerson then gave the news to his wife, Renda St Clair, who said: "I told you God's not through with you." He added: "My wife convinced me. She was right. I'm supposed to do this." It was Mr Tillerson's first interview since he took office and correspondents say he has so far kept a low profile at the state department. He came under criticism after the state department press corps was not taken along with him on his trip to Asia. The IJR's Erin McPike was the only reporter allowed to travel with him. The state department said this was because of the size of the plane. But in the interview Mr Tillerson said: "I'm not a big media press access person. I personally don't need it. "I understand it's important to get the message of what we're doing out, but I also think there's only a purpose in getting the message out when there's something to be done." Mr Tillerson has also been criticised for his close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But when the subject came up in the interview, the IJR said: "He was so cagey when Russia came up, for example, that his answer wasn't even worthy of inclusion."

Summary: The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said he only accepted the job after being convinced by his wife.


Media playback is not supported on this device The Scot, 29, dismantled the Raonic serve in a 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) victory to repeat his triumph of 2013 and claim a third Grand Slam title. Murray is the first British man to win multiple Wimbledon singles titles since Fred Perry in 1935. "I'm proud to have my hands on the trophy again," said Murray. Media playback is not supported on this device Murray gave a famously tearful speech after losing his first Wimbledon final against Roger Federer in 2012. Twelve months later, he finally ended Britain's 77-year wait for a male champion - and the chance to see him repeat the feat attracted huge attention. Spectators queued overnight just to grab a spot on Henman Hill, while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and former champions Bjorn Borg, Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker were among those watching from the Royal Box. "This is the most important tournament for me every year," added an emotional Murray. "I've had some great moments here, but also some tough losses. The win feels extra special because of the tough losses." Media playback is not supported on this device Murray was playing his 11th Grand Slam final and for the first time he was the favourite, having faced either Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer in the previous 10 finals. He appeared to relish the role, ignoring the magnitude of the occasion to claim a sixth successive win over Raonic. The 25-year-old Canadian was making his Grand Slam final debut, helped along the way by John McEnroe, who was in the opposite coaching corner to his old rival Ivan Lendl. Whatever insights those two legends were able to pass on, the final came down, as expected, to a contest between serve and return, with the latter coming out on top. Raonic went into the match with 137 aces, but it took him five games to add a 138th as Murray dialled in early on the return, just as he had in winning their Queen's Club final three weeks ago. A blustery wind on Centre Court was not helping the Raonic serve and he was under pressure early on, seeing off two break points before Murray converted a third to lead 4-3. That was enough to give the Scot the set and he continued to press in the second, earning four chances to break again but finding the net each time. Raonic was unable to respond, failing to conjure up a single break point, but a tie-break offered the Canadian a chance to serve his way back to level terms. Murray was having none of it, taking advantage of a slightly fortuitous early break to surge ahead with some magnificent defence and a rasping backhand winner. At 6-1 down, there was no way back for Raonic - and when Murray clinched his third set point even the implacable Lendl was moved to applaud. An unexpectedly routine contest came to life at the start of the third set when Raonic finally had two break points, only for a fired-up

Summary: Britain's Andy Murray became Wimbledon champion for the second time with a superb performance against Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic in the final.


The development could be the starting point for breeding a strain of ash to replace thousands expected to succumb to ash die-back in the next few years. Ash die-back is now established and spreading within Britain Researchers are hoping that genetics might yield the knowledge to fight back. A joint project by the John Innes Centre, the Genome Analysis Centre and the Sainsbury Laboratory - all based in Norwich - has reached this milestone just two months after receiving the samples. Dr Mario Caccamo of the Genome Analysis Centre said: "Speed is important to the research so that all those studying the epidemic can start to look for clues to tackle it." And they do mean everyone. All the data is being put on a crowd sourcing website OpenAshDieBack to enable experts from around the world to help identify genes that might be connected to the trees' ability to withstand the fungus. These genes could then be part of a breeding programme for resistant trees. The samples for the latest research came from so-called "tree 35", a strain of ash from Denmark originally bred nearly 100 years ago, which has shown an ability to tolerate the fungal disease, when virtually all its Danish relatives were wiped out. But just planting this variety in the UK would leave us with a narrow genetic base vulnerable to future diseases and not ideally suited to British growing conditions. Prof Allan Downie of the John Innes Centre believes this genetic understanding of both the lethal fungal infection and the surviving strain could help fill the impending gap in the canopy. "We're trying to give nature a bit of a helping hand by identifying the right kind of (native) trees to do the appropriate crosses," he said. "It would be wonderful to be part of the solution but the problem is enormous and the breeding is going to take a long time." In March, a related team sequenced the genome of the fungus that causes die-back. The firm grip of this disease is evident in many of East Anglia's woodlands. While filming with Countryfile in Suffolk, Paul Beales from Fera, the government's Food and Environment Research Agency, set up a search for the Chalara fraxinea fungus itself. The symptoms of the disease were plain to see in scars on the trunk and skeletal canopies, but the source of the infection - the sporulating fungus - had not been found in Britain. After half an hour on hands and knees in the leaf litter and some identification first by magnifying glass and then by genetic analyser, that all changed. Paul Beales said: "We've just got the sporing stage of this particular fungus picked up from the ground which has never been found in the UK before. "This is a first. It's here to stay." If that is true, breeding a tree which can survive alongside it is more crucial than ever. Countryfile is broadcast at 1900 BST on BBC One.

Summary: Scientists have sequenced the genome of a type of ash tree with resistance to the deadly fungal disease sweeping the UK.


On Thursday, an investment manager and hairdresser will challenge the right of the government to start the process of withdrawing the UK from the EU without a vote in Parliament. Lawyers will question whether Prime Minister Theresa May is entitled to act unilaterally, using powers left over from the days of medieval monarchs. It could end up - in theory - with Parliament being given a means to stop Brexit. So as constitutional rows go, it is box office stuff. Or as professor of public law at Cambridge University, Mark Elliott, puts it: "I don't rule out the possibility of the government losing the case." Leading the fight against the government is Gina Miller, who runs an investment firm in London, SCM Private. She argues that only Parliament can make a decision that leads to the loss of her "rights" under EU law. She is confident she has a strong case and is undaunted by criticism. "I do not back away from a fight," she says. "I'm very vocal about things and I'm no stranger to making enemies." She is joined by London-based Spanish hairdresser Deir Dos Santos and the People's Challenge group, set up by Grahame Pigney and backed by a crowd-funding campaign. Also weighing into the case against the government is the group, Fair Deal for Expats. Around two million British citizens are believed to live and work in other EU countries. The Brexit terms have not been decided but expats - some of whom were barred from voting in the referendum - fear potential repatriation and are worried about the impact on their jobs and homes as well as the ramifications for healthcare, their children's schooling and pensions. Three London law firms - Mishcon de Reya, Edwin Coe and Bindmans - have agreed to take up the case. Croft Solicitors is representing the expats. Superstar of the bar" Lord Pannick QC - also an independent member of the House of Lords - will be arguing Gina Miller's case while the government is turning to an old favourite, James Eadie QC. Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC, the government's legal adviser, will also play a big role. He said: "There must be no attempts to remain inside the EU, no attempts to re-join it through the back door, and no second referendum. "We do not believe this case has legal merit. The result should be respected and the government intends to do just that." In political terms, the UK is on course for departure from the EU. But as far as the law goes, nothing has changed. The UK remains a fully paid-up member of the EU until it triggers Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon 2007. The question at the heart of the row is: who should activate Article 50? The prime minister or Parliament? During the referendum campaign, the then prime minister, David Cameron, said that in the event of a Leave vote he would activate Article 50 immediately. The government maintains that his successor Theresa May has the authority to do so, without a vote by MPs.

Summary: Arguments over Brexit have been raging in Parliament and the country since June's Leave vote and this week they move to the High Court.


Joan Ostojic's daughters Katherine, 21, and Alice, 19, were on a boat carrying 25 people that went down between Lombok and the Komodo Islands on Saturday. They sat on the semi-submerged vessel's roof for 10 hours before embarking on their swim, their mother said. Mrs Ostojic, from Stevenage, said: "It's a relief that they are safe." She added: "They are fine, carrying on with their travels, and will be home shortly." Travellers from New Zealand, Spain, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands were among those rescued after the boat hit a reef near Sangeang Api, a volcanic island off Sumbawa, in bad weather during the three-day journey. Mrs Ostojic said the girls sent an email to her and her husband Peter saying they had heard everyone had been found. They also revealed that after the boat sank in the middle of the night, they swam for eight hours to the shore before seeing the lights of some fishermen and being rescued, their mother said. The Foreign Office said Alice Ostojic had been been travelling through Australia and south-east Asia as part of her gap year. Katherine, who is at Bristol University studying aerospace engineering, had joined her for a month in Indonesia. After being rescued, the girls spent the night on the nearby uninhabited volcanic island, where they were given food and water by fishermen, before they were taken to Bima in Sumbawa. The girls lost everything in the accident apart from their passports, debit cards and cash.

Summary: A mother whose two daughters swam for eight hours to safety when their boat sank in rough seas in Indonesia has spoken of their ordeal.


Casper Read, 15, was travelling alone to grandparents in France when he was asked to leave the plane after a man was allocated the same seat. Stephanie Portal, from Worthing, West Sussex, said her son felt "he had been kicked off and cheated". EasyJet has apologised, offered compensation and is investigating. "There was him and an adult for one seat and the adult was getting very angry about it all," Miss Portal said. "I don't know if it was a random selection, or if they thought Casper would be the easier option to get off the plane, but it's wrong. "He was asked to go to the cockpit - thinking he would be allocated another seat - but before he knew it, was taken outside the plane and told to go to the information desk. "He was left to make his own way through the airport, nobody in departures to meet or help him, and despite there being three more flights that day was put on the latest one and had a 10 hour wait." Miss Portal said a manager at EasyJet told her the airline overbooks its flights by up to five seats due to people often not showing up, and that it was the last people to check-in, not the last to buy their tickets, who were in danger of not getting a seat. "The whole system needs an overhaul and the attitude of the attendants was irresponsible," she said. "Children should never be pulled off a flight and the people who are should be given priority on the next one. "Airlines cannot gamble on the probability of people not turning up." "Casper is quite laid back but he really felt he had been kicked off and cheated," she added. A spokesman for the airline said: "EasyJet is sorry that Casper Read's flight from London Gatwick to Toulouse was overbooked on 20 July. "We are investigating why he was able to board the aircraft as he should have been informed at the gate. "EasyJet has a procedure to protect unaccompanied minors but unfortunately this was not followed on this occasion."

Summary: The mother of a boy taken off a plane at Gatwick due to a lack of seats is demanding EasyJet overhaul its ticketing process.


Monitor said the probe into the Christie NHS Foundation Trust was over concerns about governance and was not over allegations relating to suspended chief executive Caroline Shaw. Chairman Lord Bradley announced he was resigning from the trust on Friday. The Christie Hospital said in a statement: "There will be no further comment or interviews." Monitor said it was examining whether the trust had breached its licence to provide healthcare services by failing "the principles of good governance". It said there were concerns the board of the trust had "not adhered to the required corporate governance standards". John Leech, Liberal Democrat MP for Manchester Withington, described the management situation at the hospital as "a mess" following Lord Bradley's resignation. Lord Bradley said he would leave the trust as soon as a replacement could be found. Ms Shaw was suspended in November as part of a disciplinary investigation. Monitor said it will announce the outcome of its regulatory investigation "in due course". The Christie in Withington said it is the largest cancer centre in Europe and treats more than 40,000 patients a year.

Summary: A cancer treatment hospital in Greater Manchester is being investigated by the health regulator.


Shortly after his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the elections, Mr Modi tweeted, in a mix of Hindi and English, that "India has won! Good days are coming". The tweet sparked excitement among his followers and some of his opponents also congratulated him on the microblogging site. The response was only expected because Mr Modi and his team had used social media in innovative ways to maximise their reach among the young voters during the campaign. Many publications around the world said that 2014 marked "India's first social media elections". A year later, the Indian PM appears to have strengthened his social media outreach with new accounts on Instagram, China's Twitter-like service Weibo and Viber chat forum. He even replied to a recent Dubmash video on one of his speeches. Mr Modi is among the five most followed politicians on Twitter with 12.5 million followers. Others in the top-five club are US President Barack Obama and Pope Francis. Looking back at his "social year", it appears that Mr Modi prefers social media over TV, print interviews or press conferences. Analysts say he did not share good relations with the media during his long tenure as the chief minister of Gujarat state and "his current strategy reflects that". When opposition parties criticised his government's land acquisition bill, he used Twitter to hit back. On foreign policy matters, the PM appears to have forged "good personal relations" with world leaders through Twitter diplomacy. He congratulated British PM David Cameron after he won the elections, tagged US President Barack Obama in tweets and held "Twitter conversations" with Australian PM Tony Abbot and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. During his visit to Japan, Mr Modi used Twitter to highlight his close friendship with PM Shinzo Abe. The CNBC called it "Twitter bromance". He chose Twitter to thank Mr Obama for writing his short profile for Time magazine. Mr Modi and his team also carefully selected different languages to tweet, often depending on his travel itinerary. He tweeted in Japanese during his visit to Tokyo, used French when in Paris and wrote in Mandarin while travelling in China. And it's no secret that he loves selfies. He even convinced an "often rigid" Chinese Premier Li Keqiang for a selfie. The jury is out on the impact of Mr Modi's global Twitter outreach, but most pundits agree that he has certainly made a mark on "social media diplomacy". Dr Athar Zafar of the Indian Council of World Affairs, a Delhi-based think tank, says "it's too soon to judge Mr Modi's overall foreign policy". "His Twitter exchanges with world leaders have certainly established that the Indian PM is modern and social media-savvy. Twitter is great as a 'soft diplomatic tool' but real deals are made on the talking table," he says. Back at home, he reaches out to millions almost every day. He uses Twitter to wish people on festivals, exchanges messages with celebrities and even with his cabinet colleagues. Dr Zafar says Mr Modi and his team keep his social media accounts ticking 24/7 and that allows people to

Summary: When Narendra Modi won the general elections a year ago, the UK's Financial Times called him "India's first social media prime minister".


The Portuguese defender's quick-fire brace put the Bees in control at Brisbane Road before Curtis Weston sealed the points in added time after Paul McCallum had halved the deficit. Santos, a recent signing from Peterborough, seized on a fumble by O's goalkeeper Alex Cisak to break the deadlock from close range in the 63rd minute and he doubled the advantage three minutes later following good work from Nana Kyei. McCallum gave the O's a lifeline when he powerfully headed in a Callum Kennedy corner with 10 minutes remaining but Weston guaranteed the three points when he crashed the ball into an empty net after a lob from substitute Jamal Campbell-Ryce rebounded off the crossbar. Although the teams went into the interval all-square, the visitors should have been well ahead having missed five clear chances, and leading scorer John Akinde was the main culprit for their profligacy. His best chance came after just four minutes when he stabbed wide from close range with the goal at his mercy. Fellow striker Simeon Akinola spurned two straight-forward chances set up by Akinde as the home side struggled to contain the Bees' attacking threat. However, an incisive display after the break deservedly earned the visitors their sixth victory in eight matches. Report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Leyton Orient 1, Barnet 3. Second Half ends, Leyton Orient 1, Barnet 3. Foul by Michael Collins (Leyton Orient). John Akinde (Barnet) wins a free kick on the left wing. Nicky Hunt (Leyton Orient) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Nicky Hunt (Leyton Orient). Mauro Vilhete (Barnet) wins a free kick on the left wing. Goal! Leyton Orient 1, Barnet 3. Curtis Weston (Barnet) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Jamal Campbell-Ryce (Barnet) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Ricardo Santos (Barnet) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Ollie Palmer (Leyton Orient). Michael Collins (Leyton Orient) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Mauro Vilhete (Barnet). Attempt missed. Elliot Johnson (Barnet) left footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick. Foul by Nigel Atangana (Leyton Orient). Jack Taylor (Barnet) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Ollie Palmer (Leyton Orient). Ricardo Santos (Barnet) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Goal! Leyton Orient 1, Barnet 2. Paul McCallum (Leyton Orient) header from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Callum Kennedy with a cross following a corner. Corner, Leyton Orient. Conceded by Ricardo Santos. Attempt blocked. Ollie Palmer (Leyton Orient) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Corner, Barnet. Conceded by Nigel Atangana. Attempt blocked. Mauro Vilhete (Barnet) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Attempt missed. Gavin Massey (Leyton Orient) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Substitution, Leyton Orient. Ulrich N'Nomo replaces Josh Koroma. Substitution,

Summary: Ricardo Santos scored his first Barnet goals as they moved into the League Two play-off places with victory at Leyton Orient.


Brazil succeeded Philippe Montanier following the Frenchman's sacking on 14 January. The 54-year-old's only game in charge to date saw him oversee the 1-0 victory over Bristol City on Saturday. "I've been here five years. I love the football club and will do whatever they ask me to do," Brazil said. Despite the win over the Robins, Forest are 19th in Championship table and just five points above the relegation zone. Brazil added: "At this moment in time, I'm not aware of where the club is in terms of looking for a new manager. "From our point of view, we're very focused on making sure we do our jobs properly. You can tell when a group of players are on board with you, and they're on board with us. "I've been speaking to the owner about a number of things, and from my point of view he's been very supportive. We're trying very hard to bring some players in, and I'm getting very well supported by the chairman with that." Ben Osborn, who scored the winner against Bristol City, said: "It feels like a new manager has come in and taken over."

Summary: Interim boss Gary Brazil says he would take any role at Nottingham Forest and has not ruled out accepting the manager's job on a longer-term basis.


The review, carried out by the Federal Reserve, gauges whether the biggest banks operating in the US have the "ability to lend to households and businesses even in times of stress". Another institution, Bank of America, has been asked to revise its financial plans due to "certain weaknesses". A further 28 banks passed the tests. Officially known as the Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review, the tests were implemented in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, in which some lenders needed bailouts from the US central bank. All banks with more than $50bn (Â£33.5bn) in assets are subject to the annual examinations, which assess the corporations' ability to deal with "doomsday" scenarios, such as rising unemployment and plummeting house prices. The 31 lenders tested this year - which together account for roughly 80% of the banking sector - were all deemed to have enough reserve cash to deal with a shock, but the Fed found fault with Santander and Deutsche Bank's financial plans. In previous years, banks that failed the tests were forced to suspend dividend payments to shareholders, and international lenders can be prevented from sending their earnings back to their parent companies. In a statement reacting to the Fed's announcement, Germany's Deutsche Bank said it had hired 1,800 employees "dedicated to ensuring that its systems and controls are best in class". Santander's US chief executive, Scott Powell, said the bank, which failed some of the Fed's tests for the second year in a row, still had "meaningful work to do to meet our regulator's expectations and our own standards of excellence". However, the Spanish bank added that it had not been prevented from paying dividends. Following news that they had passed the Fed's tests, several large US banks announced share buybacks - signalling long-anticipated paydays for investors. Citigroup, which failed the tests last year, will buy back $7.8bn and strongly increase its dividend, while American Express will buy back $6.6bn in stock. Bank of America said it intended to buy back $4bn worth of shares, but only once it had addressed what the Fed called "deficiencies in its capital planning process". The bank has to submit revised plans to the Fed by 30 September. "We are committed to meeting the requirements in the time frame the Fed has established," said Bank of America boss Brian Moynihan, in a statement.

Summary: Santander and Deutsche Bank have failed a US "stress test" designed to assess whether lenders can withstand another financial crisis.


The 30-year-old made 245 appearances for the Royals and was part of Australia's 2010 World Cup squad. "It was difficult to leave Reading - I had been there an extremely long time," he told Bournemouth's website. Federici was a free agent after the expiry of his contract, and now joins Bournemouth ahead of their first Premier League season. "I feel like I'm joining something special and I'm looking forward to working with the manager and the boys. I can't wait to get started," he added. "I had a lot of success at Reading and the fans were great for me, but I thought it was time I moved on." Federici is the second goalkeeper signed by the Cherries this week after Artur Boruc, joined from Southampton on a one-year deal. He played 49 games for Reading this season, including the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal, but let Alexis Sanchez's shot slip through his hands as they were defeated at Wembley. But a career highlight was his injury-time goal for Reading in a 1-1 draw with Cardiff at the Madejski Stadium in 2008.

Summary: AFC Bournemouth have signed Australia international goalkeeper Adam Federici from Reading on a three-year deal.


Fiona Hyslop had been accused of "cronyism" after Â£150,000 of public funds were given to DF Concerts. It emerged that former SNP aide had set up a meeting between Ms Hyslop and the festival organisers. But Audit Scotland has now concluded there was a "clear rationale for the grant". It said clear conditions had been attached to the money. The grant was made to help DF Concerts with operational costs related to the change of venue for the annual music festival. In a letter to an unnamed MSP, the watchdog said the Scottish government had the legal authority to make the grant. And it said the decision to award the grant to DF Concerts had been a "legitimate policy decision" for Ms Hyslop, and was consistent with advice she received from Scottish government officials. There was also budget provision for the grant within the Culture and European Affairs budget for major events and themed years, the letter stated. It added: "There is evidence that the DF Concerts consultants' costs associated with gaining planning consent incurred in 2014 and 2015 for the 2015 event, together with the increase in venue costs, exceeded the grant Scottish government provided. "There is also evidence that Scottish government has taken steps to confirm that the money was spent in line with the grant conditions through its review of the final report provided by DF Concerts and related invoices." But Audit Scotland also said there was a need for "enhanced internal clarity and evidence to support decision-making" when similar decisions were made in the future. It concluded: "We understand that Scottish government requires flexibility to react promptly to circumstances as they arise, but in our view this needs to be balanced with enhanced internal clarity and evidence to support decision-making. "The Scottish government has work ongoing in this area." Opposition politicians had questioned why money was given to the festival, which they said brought in huge profits for its organiser. They also questioned the involvement of Jennifer Dempsie, a former aide to Alex Salmond, was working on a contract for DF Concerts as a festival project manager at the time of a meeting between Ms Hyslop and DF Concerts. Ms Dempsie had planned to run as a list MSP for the SNP in the Highlands and Islands constituency in the 2016 elections, but decided not to take forward her nomination. When she appeared before Holyrood's education and culture committee last year, Ms Hyslop insisted the funding was appropriate, transparent and in line with amounts given to other events. Ms Hyslop told the committee that festival bosses had "expressed concern" about the "long term future" of the event, due to the seven-figure cost of moving from Balado to Strathallan, and said there was a risk the festival could have moved away from Scotland. The Scottish government published more than 600 pages of emails and documents related to the grant.

Summary: A public spending watchdog has cleared Scotland's culture secretary of any wrongdoing over a government grant to the organiser of T in the Park.


The ex-Cabinet Minister lost his Yeovil seat in May's general election after 14 years as the constituency member. Mr Laws, 49, will serve as executive chairman of Centre Forum but is still considering various job opportunities two months on from his defeat. He described himself as not suited to "navel gazing and endless holidays". In his first full interview since the election, the former Minster for the Cabinet Office, Minister for Schools and Chief Secretary to the Treasury described his dismay at the "tsunami sweeping away lots of Lib Dem MPs" on 8 May. "I was extremely disappointed and upset for people like my staff who've worked in my office for years and years. I was very sorry on their behalf," he said. "I suppose it [the scale of the defeat] meant that it didn't feel quite as personalâ€¦ when you see all of your colleagues being knocked over like ninepins then it feels something that it's much more difficult to do anything about." But the disappointment was clear to see as the former investment banker shunned the media scrum and left the count with barely a word to reporters. Having been integral to the negotiations that led to the formation of the coalition government in 2010, he had been "hoping and expecting" to do the same again. Instead, he went home to sleep. His new job for Centre Forum, a liberal policy think-tank, will take up two days a week but he hopes to have a full-time plan by the end of the summer. "I've already got one role as chairman which I'm very pleased about as it will allow me to take forward my interest in education and education policy, and I've been talking to other people about other work I may do next," he said. But that plan will not include standing for election again. "I'd already got the view that serving four terms in parliament, had I been re-elected in May this year, would have been about the right amount of time to do," he said. "I don't think that MPs should go on forever and I think it's not therefore likely that I would stand again as a member of parliament." Despite the loss of the Yeovil seat to the Conservatives, he remains optimistic of the seat being recaptured by his party. "In areas like Yeovil where we have had big and strong base at the local government level and a national presence for many years I would think that there's every chance we can win back the Yeovil constituency at the next general election in 2020 and I'll do everything I can to support our new candidate to become the next MP."

Summary: Former Liberal Democrat MP David Laws has confirmed he will not stand for Parliament again after taking a new role with an education think-tank.


The Transocean Winner rig ran aground at Dalmore on Lewis in a storm while being towed to the Mediterranean. It was later refloated and anchored at Broad Bay before being put on board the heavy lift ship Hawk nearly three weeks ago. The rig will be repaired and stripped of fittings in Malta before being taken to Turkey to be scrapped. The rig's grounding on 8 August sparked pollution fears due to the 280 tonnes of diesel on board. Investigations found two of its four fuel tanks were damaged in the incident which resulted in the loss of 53,000 litres of fuel, most of which is thought to have evaporated with no damage to the environment. Three weeks later it was towed to the safer anchorage at Broad Bay before being floated on to the deck of the Hawk, a semi-submersible ship used for transporting large maritime structures over long distances.

Summary: A 17,000-tonne oil rig which ran aground on the Western Isles in early August has arrived in Malta.


Felicitas Rohrer, is seeking â‚¬200,000 (Â£145,000; $220,000) in damages following the life-threatening illness. The case is the first of its kind in Germany, Bayer's home country. The firm has already faced a series of law suits in the US and elsewhere. Bayer insists that its contraceptive pills are safe when taken correctly. Ms Rohrer, 31, says she would never have taken Yasminelle if the increased risks of blood clots had been made clearer by Bayer. She launched her lawsuit in 2011 and the civil case opens in the south-western city of Waldshut-Tiengen on Thursday. In 2009, as a healthy 25-year-old, she collapsed and her heart stopped for 20 minutes. Doctors found massive clots blocking the main artery to her lung and suggested the contraceptive pill could be to blame. Ms Rohrer must now take an anti-coagulant, which reduces her chances of conceiving a child. She studied to become a vet but now works as a journalist as she cannot stand for long periods or lift heavy weights. She accusing Bayer of failing to sufficiently warn women of the increased risks of thrombosis with its Yasmin range of contraceptive pill, which contains the progestin drospirenone. Bayer rejects the accusations it concealed the dangers as "unjustified", according to AFP news agency. The company has already paid out some $1.9bn to thousands of women in the US over the alleged side effects. Source: NHS Choices, MHRA Is my contraceptive pill safe? How the contraceptive pill changed Britain Medical notes: Pulmonary embolism Ms Rohrer is suing Bayer for â‚¬200,000 but told AFP: "The money cannot compensate for what I and other women have gone through." She said: "What I really hope for is justice," adding that she hoped to see Yasminelle withdrawn from the market. In 2013, France temporarily banned the sale of Bayer's Diane-35, an oral acne treatment often used as birth control, after four deaths were linked to its use. Bayer is also the target of a growing number of lawsuits in the US over the contraceptive implant Essure, which women complain has caused them pain and severe bleeding.

Summary: A German woman is suing pharmaceuticals giant Bayer, claiming its contraceptive pill Yasminelle caused her to suffer a pulmonary embolism.


Donald "Chip" Pugh texted police a photo of himself and wrote: "Here is a better photo that one is terrible". Police in Lima, Ohio, posted the photos to their Facebook page and asked for help in locating Mr Pugh. "This photo was sent to us by Mr Pugh himself," Lima Police Department wrote in a post. "We thank him for being helpful, but now we would appreciate it if he would come to speak to us at the [Lima Police Department] about his charges." Police said he is a person of interest in several cases and his warrant is for his failure to appear as directed in a summons. "Man, they just did me wrong," Mr Pugh told an Ohio radio station about why he sent the selfie. "They put a picture out that made me look like I was a Thundercat... or James Brown on the run. I can't do that." A Facebook page called "Free Chip Pugh" pokes fun at the situation.

Summary: A man suspected of arson and vandalism has sent a selfie to police because he found the photo in his arrest warrant to be unflattering.


Let's call it Alice in Financial Wonderland. On Thursday the European Central Bank took additional steps to stimulate the eurozone economy, including a further cut in an interest rate that is already below zero. Why is this so odd? Think about what interest is. The lender gets paid interest for allowing someone else to use their money. But when the rate goes below zero the relationship is turned on its head. The lender is now paying the borrower. Why would anyone do that? Some reasons below. Of course, this situation only applies to a limited number of financial relationships. No-one will pay you to spend on your credit card. But this unusual state of affairs does exist. The ECB's deposit rate, which applies to money parked overnight by commercial banks, is now minus 0.4%. Does that make the ECB president Mario Draghi the white rabbit - the one who led Alice into Lewis Carroll's subterranean fantasy world? Or perhaps there is a whole family with fluffy tails whose warrens extend to the central banks of Japan and several European countries, which have similar policies. These negative rates are the policy decisions taken by a handful of central banks. But the phenomenon has also affected the bond market, where investors buy and sell the bonds or debts of governments and large companies. The cost of borrowing is set when the bonds are issued. It depends on how much the financial firms who buy the bonds pay for them - what they are buying is a promise to make a series of payments in the future. If the price is high enough, the borrowing cost, in effect the interest rate, can be zero or even negative. Last week the bond market took a new step down the financial rabbit hole. Japan is the first government among the G20 major economies to borrow money by issuing bonds for 10 years at an interest rate of less than zero. It's true that several other countries have done it for shorter periods and Switzerland (which is not a G20 member) has already done it for 10-year borrowing. But Japan being paid to borrow money for 10 years is nonetheless a remarkable development. It's a much bigger economy than Switzerland, with a much larger government debt - much larger even in relation to its economy. The usual pattern with borrowing costs is the longer you borrow for the more you have to pay. So a negative 10-year cost is a striking thing. It's worth emphasising the distinction between the two contexts in which we have negative rates. One is central banks making a judgement about what is best for economic growth employment and inflation. The other is private investors accepting a negative return on an asset, which is arguably much the stranger of the two. So why do they? Accepting a pitifully low positive rate is one thing: it is better than nothing. But if the rate on offer is negative, then zero, or just sitting on the cash looks preferable. With the latest government debt sale in

Summary: The global financial system is venturing further into the bizarre world of negative interest rates.


Mr Smith played a central role in the ceasefire of loyalist paramilitary groups in 1994. The announcement came six weeks after the IRA announced its own ceasefire. Mr Smith spent ten years in prison for his role in the shooting of a Catholic in 1972. After his released from prison, Mr Smith became a member of the PUP. In 1994, Mr Smith chaired a press conference in which a statement on behalf of the Combined Loyalist Military Command was read out by Gusty Spence, a founding member of the UVF. He later served as the chairman of the PUP and was part of the party's negotiating team around the Good Friday Agreement. The Deputy First Minister, Sinn FÃ©in's Martin McGuinness, tweeted: "Sorry to hear that William (Plum) Smith has died. "I valued his commitment and contribution to peace. My sympathy to his wife and family." The former PUP leader Brian Ervine told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme: "It's very, very sad that Plum has passed on. "Plum was in the forefront of negotiating and bringing loyalist paramilitaries into the peace process and politicising the UVF and Red Hand Commando. "He was a very intelligent fellow, he educated himself in Long Kesh. "He also took Irish lessons there as well, he called the Irish language his own language. "I'm just very, very sorry, I found him a very decent human being, and I found him a very forward thinking human being and he will be a loss, certainly to the Progressive Unionist Party and the loyalist community. "He was a clear thinker, he was left of centre politically, he had a heart for ordinary people, for working class people, he tried to provide a voice, a voice which had been neglected. "He was also happy enough to stretch over the fence and do business with traditional enemies."

Summary: Former loyalist paramilitary and Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) chairman William 'Plum' Smith has died.


While $50m is the starting point for serious wealth, "in reality your spending power and investing power really gets to the next level when you get to around $100m", says Catherine Tillotson. Ms Tillotson is joint managing partner of Scorpio Partnership, a London-based firm which advises the super-rich on how to manage their assets, and she says there is a reason for this dividing line between the wealthy elite and the rest of us. "This is the point at which families will start to think about employing people purely to help them manage their financial affairs," she says. There may now be more multi-millionaires and billionaires than ever before in the world, but since the 2008 global financial crisis the wealth gap between the world's top 1% and the rest of us has grown. This increasingly stark division between haves and have-nots is leading to increasing rancour towards the very wealthy, say many social commentators. Robert Kuhn is better placed than many to understand this hostility - a former investment banker and corporate strategist, he is himself among the world's wealthy elite. The world is getting wealthier - we live longer, eat better, are better educated and fewer people live in extreme poverty. But with the gap between rich and poor feeling bigger than ever, the BBC is investigating the winners and losers of this richer world in 2015. A Richer World 2015 "I think much of it is justified," he says, perhaps surprisingly, "and I think we should describe why that's the case." One of the main reasons for this, he says, is the web. "We have a very highly wired world with the internet, people are more aware of things - and I think that's a good thing." Mr Kuhn is coy about his own net worth. When asked if it is "tens of millions" of dollars, he replies, "I would not like to be too specific, but I wouldn't contradict what you just said." Trained as a neuroscientist, Mr Kuhn became an investment banker and then in the early 1990s sold his mergers and acquisitions firm "at the right time". He says he worked hard, "but if I don't acknowledge there was a lot of luck involved I would be fooling myself". He wants to encourage more and more people to become wealthy, but also to place limits on the amount of wealth that can be passed on to the next generation. "That gives each generation a chance to have higher social mobility." But given that the gap between rich and poor has reached its widest level for 30 years in most developed countries, according to says the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) group of developed nations - that social mobility is getting harder for many. In the 1980s, the richest 10% had incomes seven times greater than the poorest 10% in the average industrialised country. Now, in those same countries, the richest have incomes nine-and-a half times greater than the poorest, on average. The actual figures vary widely across the 34 OECD's member states. In Denmark

Summary: These days it is not enough just to be a millionaire to count yourself as one of the super-rich - you need to be worth between $50-100m (£33m-£66m).


It's understood 29-year-old Craig Church died after falling down several flights of stairs in the apartment block where he lived in eastern China. He had been working as an English language teacher at a primary school in Rui'an for the past two years. His sister, Carrie Church, told BBC Radio Foyle he was a "fun-loving man". "He was a friend to everyone," she said. Ms Church said the family was working closely with the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust to have her brother's body returned home. "It's all very raw for us," she said. "He was amazing and loved his job. People adored him in China." "Craig was your friend if you were young or old," his sister added. "We are just devastated. He was the best brother, son and friend."

Summary: The sister of a Portstewart man who died in a tragic accident in China on Tuesday, has said the family is "shocked and heartbroken".


The match will be played at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Tuesday, 21 November 2017 and will see the Giants play a Colin Shields All Star select. Glaswegian Shields, 37, first signed for the Giants in 2005 but had brief spells with Sheffield Steelers and the now defunct Newcastle Vipers. The Great Britain international is Belfast's all-time leading goal scorer. He has netted 208 goals in 517 games for the Giants. Shields was selected 195th overall in the 2000 NHL draft by the Philadelphia Flyers and the Team GB regular has won two Elite League titles, the Challenge Cup and Play-offs with Belfast. Last season Shields was named by the Elite League as the Best British Player thanks to 29 goals and 27 assists in 67 games played. "Colin has played a part of some of the most famous moments in Giants history, including the 2010 Playoff championship as well as the Elite League titles in 2006 and 2014," said Steve Thornton, Head of Hockey Operations at the Belfast Giants. Meanwhile the Giants have moved up 10 places from last year in the International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) annual attendance study of European league ice hockey. The Giants' average home gate was 4603 this season and they have now moved up to 70th in Europe, joining two other Elite League teams, the Nottingham Panthers (38th) and Sheffield Steelers (64th), in the top 100 of home gates for European clubs. The Elite League (uk) has also moved up to the seventh best attended league in Europe, overtaking the Austrian EBEL.

Summary: The Belfast Giants have awarded a testimonial game to long-serving forward Colin Shields.


The 26-year-old, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, fractured his right ankle while on international duty with Belgium on Sunday. Chelsea said the operation on Monday was "successful", but that Hazard will not return to training for approximately three months. The new Premier League season is due to begin on 12 August. Hazard will also miss pre-season games against Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in Singapore from 22-29 July, and the Community Shield against Arsenal on 6 August. Hazard was instrumental as Chelsea won the Premier League last season, scoring 16 goals in 36 games.

Summary: Chelsea forward Eden Hazard will miss the start of the Premier League season after having surgery on a broken ankle.


Vithiya Alphons, 24, has acute myeloid leukaemia but her Sri Lankan background makes the search hard as not many South Asian people are on donor registers. She launched a social media campaign to help find a match. Charity Anthony Nolan said 5,600 have signed up in the last week. "The impact of Vithiya's appeal has been nothing short of incredible," said Ann O'Leary, head of register development, at the charity. "But Vithiya still needs to find her stem cell match and there are people just like her all across the world who are still waiting. "We need to continue to diversify the register so we can find a match for all." Miss Alphons was diagnosed with the aggressive form of blood cancer after falling ill just days after returning for her final year as an optometry student at Cardiff University. She started feeling unwell with severe sickness and a fever, while she had a pain in her leg, so she went to her doctor for tests. She underwent chemotherapy in Cardiff before being well enough to be transferred to a hospital in London, where she is from. After her third course of chemotherapy, Miss Alphons felt better and thought she had beaten her illness. But further tests showed the leukaemia was still in her blood and doctors told her the best option was a stem cell transplant from a donor, which is needed in the next two months. Speaking to BBC's Asian Network Miss Alphons said she is grateful for all the support. "I would just like to say thank you so much to everyone who has registered so far and please, please do carry on registering because you can save my life and you can also save so many other's lives. "Please spread the word and help me to save my life."

Summary: Thousands of people have come forward following a worldwide appeal to find a stem cell donor for a Cardiff University student who needs a match in the next two months.


John and Elizabeth Knott from Bosbury, in Herefordshire, were found dead at their home in August. Each had died from a single shotgun wound. A shotgun registered to Mr Knott, 71, was recovered by police at the scene. Assistant Coroner Roland Wooderson recorded a verdict of unlawful killing for Mrs Knott, while finding Mr Knott intentionally took his own life. The couple's daughter Elizabeth Conway said she was shocked, but not surprised. "Mum didn't want to continue to live like that and Dad couldn't see a life without Mum," she said in a statement. The inquest, sitting at Hereford Town Hall, heard Mrs Knott, 70, had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease and anxiety. Friends described how Mr Knott had been devoted to his wife, known as Anne, and had been upset when she attended a nearby respite care home. A couple of days after arriving at the care home, the inquest was told Mr Knott arranged for his wife to return home and two days later the couple were found dead. Relatives alerted police after becoming concerned about them. They were found in a workshop at the back of their garage. The door had been locked from the inside and the handle removed. Giving evidence, Det Sgt Tim Powell said there was no sign of any third-party involvement. The inquest also heard Mr Knott had been concerned by plans by travellers to move on to land next to their home.

Summary: A man shot his ill wife before killing himself in a suicide pact, an inquest has heard.


The 51-year-old had been negotiating a release from his contract following a rift with the board over his budget. Hughes has been with the Highlanders since December 2013 and won the Scottish Cup last year, the club's first major honour. "John will be remembered as a member of a great winning team," read a brief statement from Inverness CT. Hughes had become increasingly frustrated at the loss of key squad members and spoke of his disappointment when an approach from Dundee United was blocked earlier this season. Having previously managed at Falkirk, Hibernian, Hartlepool and Livingston, he replaced Terry Butcher at the Caledonian Stadium. As well as lifting the Scottish Cup, Hughes steered Inverness to a third place finish in the Premiership last season, with this campaign opening with their first taste of European football. In March 2014, Inverness reached the League Cup final, losing on penalties to Aberdeen. The Inverness statement contained a message on behalf of Hughes, saying: "I will look back on my time in the Highlands with a genuine fondness and warm affection for the club, the area and the community. "The welcome I received from the fans and the response I got from the players throughout my two-and-a-half years there will live long in the memory as will everything else we shared in some of the ground-breaking successes we all enjoyed together during that period. "I can readily assure my successor that they will inherit an excellent group of players and to each and every one of them could I also say a huge thanks for making my time with them so successful and so memorable - I wish them and the club every success in the future."

Summary: Inverness Caledonian Thistle have confirmed the departure of manager John Hughes.


Scotland face Afghanistan in Nagpur on the opening day, while Ireland begin their campaign against Oman in Dharamsala on Wednesday. The winners of each of the two groups will book a place in the Super 10 phase, beginning on 15 March. England play Sri Lanka in Mumbai in their first match on 16 March. In total, 58 matches will be played across eight venues over four weeks, in the sixth edition of the tournament since its inception nine years ago. England - winners of the competition in 2010 - have been drawn in the same group as defending champions Sri Lanka, 2012 winners West Indies and South Africa, who are second in the International Cricket Council T20 rankings. Australia are chasing a fourth successive triumph in the women's event, which starts on 15 March and features 10 teams. England, who won the inaugural Women's World T20 in 2009, are in a group containing India, West Indies, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The women's final will be played before the men's final in Mumbai on 3 April. BBC Test Match Special will provide live ball-by-ball commentary on 20 matches, including all England fixtures, plus selected other men's fixtures and England women's games. The BBC Sport website will show video highlights during all men's matches. There will be live text commentary on all Scotland and Ireland games in the initial group stage, and on all matches from the Super 10 stage onwards. And do not forget you can sign up for free wicket, end-of-innings and result alerts on all major nations plus Scotland and Ireland via the BBC Sport app. It may feature the lower-ranked nations, but there are plenty of reasons to follow this week's action. Watch the man who invented the 'scoop' shot Ryan Campbell, 14 years after playing two one-day internationals for Australia, will line up for Hong Kong at the age of 44. He is credited with being the first exponent of the 'scoop' shot, which was made famous by Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan and has since become commonplace in the modern game. Ryan Campbell talks to Stumped about his comeback. Afghanistan's running could be interesting While Inzamam-ul-Haq is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in Pakistan history, he is almost as famous for his dodgy running between the wickets. The man who once tried to fight a spectator during an ODI and also refused to bring his side back on the pitch after they were accused of ball-tampering against England is now Afghanistan coach. Fasten your seat belts. Oman have their own versions of Gayle and Malinga Zeeshan Maqsood and Munis Ansari may not be familiar to most people. In left-handed Maqsood, Oman are blessed with a player who "can strike it like Chris Gayle", according to former England all-rounder Derek Pringle, who acted as a consultant during the World T20 qualifier last year. Ansari, meanwhile, bowls with a round-arm action that could have been modelled on Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga. There could be controversy Oman, playing in their first major tournament, have left-arm spinner Aamir Kaleem in their ranks.

Summary: The World Twenty20 starts in India on Tuesday, with Scotland and Ireland among eight teams aiming to qualify for the main stage of the competition.


Concerns from English Institute of Sport (EIS) medical staff over coaches' practices led to a review in 2015. The EIS has queried the review panel's independence and findings, although both UK Sport and GB Taekwondo say the review was carried out appropriately. Taekwondo is the latest sport to be involved in a welfare controversy after cycling, swimming and canoeing. Medical staff working with GB Taekwondo raised concerns to UK Sport with regard to concussion, weight loss and training loads, including claims that athletes were asked to train in saunas, reported City AM. This led to GB Taekwondo commissioning an independent review, although the organisation was allowed to select its own panel. They chose not to interview any of the complainants or athletes, according to the paper, but had access to written submissions and medical notes. The report published last year found no evidence to support the complaints or of poor practice. A statement from the EIS said it had concerns over the independence of the panel - which was set up with funding agency UK Sport's help - the management of the review process and did not wholly agree with the findings of the final report. "The EIS has continued to have a dialogue with UK Sport around these issues," it added. The GB Taekwondo team enjoyed its best Olympic medal haul last year, when Jade Jones, Lutalo Muhammad and Bianca Walkden won gold, silver and bronze respectively in Rio. GB Taekwondo says it "has no greater priority" than the health and wellbeing of athletes on its world-class programme. "They are given an individualised training and competition plan as well as a bespoke nutrition and hydration programme which is underpinned by a robust weight management policy to ensure they are among the best prepared athletes in the world," it said. "They travel with medical support at all times to ensure they are fully fit to compete in this demanding sport." GB Taekwondo no longer uses EIS medical staff but says this change was planned before the claims were made, adding that improvements had been made to support athletes. A UK Sport spokesperson said it took "appropriate and timely" action and there was not sufficient evidence to stand up the claims. "That said we have asked our internal teams within UK Sport (performance and governance) to provide an extra emphasis in their monitoring in terms of both the world-class programme and GB Taekwondo's internal processes on athlete welfare/safeguarding," it said. "We are also exploring how we can involve athletes more directly in providing their views on a confidential basis about both performance and services provided by practitioners." The latest claims come amid concern over the culture of high-performance programmes in British sports.

Summary: UK Sport is under further scrutiny after its treatment of complaints about GB Taekwondo was questioned.


Marks, from Kenfig Hill, Bridgend county, announced last year he had been diagnosed with inoperable bowel cancer. Jailed in the US in 1990 after being convicted of smuggling cannabis, he recalled his exploits in a best-selling autobiography, Mr Nice, which was later made into a film starring Rhys Ifans. The father of four stood for election to Parliament in 1997 on a single-issue ticket of reforming cannabis laws. Marks also regularly toured a one-man show in which he recounted stories about drug smuggling and his time in prison. The life of 'Mr Nice' Howard Marks No regrets as Marks lives with cancer A statement said: "In the early hours of 10th April 2016, Howard Marks died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his four loving children. "He fought the illness with grace and humour. "His death was 21 years to the day since his release from prison in the United States, his second bout of imprisonment for cannabis smuggling since his miraculous acquittal at the Old Bailey in 1980. "One of his last acts was to set up the Mr Nice foundation, to ensure the causes dear to him continue to receive his support." Revealing his illness in January 2015, Marks said he had "no regrets" about his life. His drug smuggling began in the 1970s after he graduated from Oxford University with a degree in physics. In 1988, he was arrested in Spain as part of a US Drug Enforcement Agency-led operation and extradited to Florida. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison and released on parole in 1995 for good behaviour. As well as the film version of Mr Nice, Marks had cameo roles in the movie Human Traffic and appeared on TV including on the BBC quiz show Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He also collaborated on songs with the Super Furry Animals and made appearances at the Glastonbury festival. A sequel to Mr Nice, Senor Nice, came out in 2006, and five years later Marks published a crime novel, Sympathy for the Devil.

Summary: Former drug smuggler turned author Howard Marks has died at the age of 70.


The 24-year-old, who has played for Greece at junior level, joins on a free transfer from Olympiacos - also owned by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis. Bouchalakis had been expected to sign a loan deal with Forest. But he impressed in training and in friendlies with Notts County and Mansfield and has signed until 2020. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

Summary: Nottingham Forest have signed Andreas Bouchalakis on a three-year contract after the midfielder impressed during pre-season with the Championship side.


Deputy Education Minister Mduduzi Manana appeared in court last week to face the assault charge. He is accused of hitting the woman during an argument at the venue. On Saturday, a brief statement from President Jacob Zuma's office said he had accepted Mr Manana's resignation, and thanked him for "his contribution to the work of government". Mr Manana has previously apologised for what he called a "shameful incident". He claimed he was provoked, but "should have exercised restraint". His political party, the African National Congress, welcomed his resignation and also thanked him for his service. When the allegations first emerged, the ANC said "such behaviour is unacceptable ... violence against women is the shame of our times". The allegations caused widespread outrage in South Africa, where violence against women is not uncommon. During his initial court hearing, he was brought into the courtroom through a separate entrance, and journalists were not permitted inside. But Police Minister Fikile Mbalula insisted that Mr Manana would not receive any special treatment. "The deputy minister will not be treated with special kid gloves but will face the full wrath of the law. The state fully supports the victim," he said. He was released on bail of $375 (Â£290) pending further investigation.

Summary: A South African minister has resigned amid accusations he assaulted a woman in a nightclub earlier this month.


More than 100 people are still missing and feared dead after a hillside collapsed on Sunday, following the heaviest rains in the country for decades. Local residents initially used their bare hands to dig into tonnes of mud that engulfed some 30 houses. Seven people have been saved so far. Thousands of people have fled the area. The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Medellin says many of the bodies being pulled from the mud are those of children who were playing in the streets when the landslide hit. The scar of the collapsed hillside can be seen from miles away, he adds. The landslide hit the La Gabriela district of Bello, Antioquia province, at about 1900 GMT on Sunday. In pictures: Colombia landslide Officials originally feared that 145 people may have been buried. But the mayor of Bello, Oscar Andres Perez, told Colombian radio 123 people had been trapped. He said the hill had become increasingly saturated with water over the past few days and that there had been a "high risk of landslides". Mr Perez said the authorities had warned residents of the danger. Orfanely Madrigal, a Bello resident, told a local radio station she had been aware of the risk: "I foresaw this tragedy. I told my mother this was a high-risk area but nobody believed me." "I've lost half my family - my mother, four brothers, nephews and my 13- and 10-year-old daughters," she said. Several hundred people, including Red Cross rescue workers, soldiers and police, are digging through the deep mud in an effort to find survivors. More than 20 sniffer dogs have also been brought in. However, teams are moving cautiously for fear that heavy machinery will crush homes buried in the mud. Red Cross officials say that 174 people have died as a result of the heavy rains in Colombia, 225 have been injured and 19 are missing, without counting the victims of the Bello landslide. Tens of thousands have been left homeless after most major rivers have burst their banks as a result of the heavy rain. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has announced he is flying to Bello to personally assess the situation there. Mr Santos has said recovering from the torrential rains and the damage they have caused is going to be very expensive, and that he is considering calling a national state of emergency if the rains continue. "Unfortunately, this tragedy has just kept growing," he said. Neighbouring Venezuela is also experiencing heavy flooding. Some 70,000 people have been driven from their homes there. President Hugo Chavez has said his government plans to seize private land to house some of those forced to abandon their homes. The May-November rainy season in Mexico, Central America and the northern part of South America has been severe this year. The extreme weather is attributed to the La Nina climatic phenomenon, which is caused by colder than usual water currents along the Pacific coast.

Summary: Rescuers say they have recovered 24 bodies following a landslide near the Colombian city of Medellin.


It said it had taken a £235m charge after it agreed a deferred prosecution with the Serious Fraud Office and the Financial Conduct Authority in March. However, Tesco said it exceeded its full-year operating profit target. Like-for-like sales, which strip out the impact of new store openings, grew 1% in the year to 28 February. UK like-for-like sales were up 0.9%, their first reported growth since 2009-10. However, Tesco shares closed down 5.7%, making it the biggest faller on the FTSE 100. The stock has now declined more than 10% this year. Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis said the results showed "another solid year of progress" at the supermarket giant. "The very pleasing thing is that on every dimension of customer service we've had positive feedback from customers of the service that we're giving, and that's allowed us to drive an improvement in both sales and indeed profitability," he told the BBC's Emma Simpson. Full year pre-tax profit, which includes one-off charges such as legal costs, fell from £202m to £145m. But Tesco's operating profit figure, which strips out exceptional items and reflects the performance of the business, was £1.28bn, exceeding Tesco's £1.2bn target. By 2020, Mr Lewis wants Tesco to make between 3.5p and 4p of operating profit for every £1 spent by shoppers, up from 2.3p in 2016-17. The company is banking on rising sales, allowing it to cut £1.5bn of costs. The supermarket also needs strong results to help it persuade shareholders to back its attempt to buy wholesaler Booker. Last month, one of its biggest shareholders said it had "major concerns" about the £3.7bn bid, saying it was overpaying. Tesco said the deal would improve its recovery plans. The supermarket giant's pension deficit more than doubled from £2.6bn to £5.5bn after higher inflation, said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Laith Kalaf. "The supermarket is facing the prospect of a rise in pension contributions because its scheme valuation is rather inconveniently taking place now, when interest rates are low and inflation is rising, both of which will serve to magnify the deficit," he said. Kantar Retail analyst Ray Gaul said Tesco can "successfully put the accounting scandals of the past behind them having settled legal affairs". "Now, Tesco will begin to fight all of its battles on the front foot," he said. Upcoming "battles" include regulatory battles over the proposed Booker deal. Suppliers raising prices to cope with increased costs will be another test, Mr Gaul said. The pound has substantially weakened since the UK's vote to leave the European Union in June, pushing up the cost of imports. The rate of grocery price inflation is expected to rise to 2.3%, with higher rises on the horizon, he added. Dave Lewis told the BBC that Tesco "want to do everything we can to stop prices rising ... but the fact is, they are, and there is some pressure in terms of pricing". He said customers were starting to shift spending to "fresh food" and "everyday essentials" rather than "luxuries". Supermarkets have been contending with factors including rising costs, the devaluation of

Summary: Supermarket giant Tesco has reported a fall in full-year pre-tax profit after it was fined for overstating its profits in 2014.


The Gaia satellite will be sent far from Earth to map the positions of more than a billion stars in our galaxy. Remarkable sensitivity should also enable the observatory to see hundreds of thousands of new celestial objects, including previously unknown planets. The main structure of the spacecraft was moved this week from the UK factory where it has been for a year to undergo tests on its propulsion system. EADS Astrium in Stevenage transported Gaia by road to Ampac-ISP at Aylesbury for checks on its cold gas micro-thrusters. Once this work is complete, the structure will then go to Astrium's Toulouse, France, facility for final preparations. The European Space Agency (Esa) satellite is due for launch in 2012 on a Soyuz rocket from the new Sinnamary spaceport in French Guiana. Gaia is a successor to Europe's Hipparcos space astrometry mission which ran in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It catalogued more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy. The new mission is a step change in capability, however. Its billion-pixel camera system will give scientists an unprecedented 3D map of the sky. Over a five-year period, it will chart the precise positions, distances, movements, luminosities, and changes in brightness of stars. These details will unlock new information about the structure, origin and evolution of our Milky Way Galaxy. And because Gaia will track anything that passes across its field of vision, it is likely also to see countless objects that had hitherto gone unrecorded - such as asteroids, planets beyond our Solar System, and tepid stars that never quite fired into life. What you see in the image at the top of this page is Gaia's electrical and service module. This is the part of the satellite that will do all of the "housekeeping" in space. It contains elements such as the attitude and orbit control system, the avionics, the computer and data handling subsystems. A large antenna will go underneath the structure to allow Gaia to talk to Earth. What you do not see here is the payload module that will eventually go on top. This will be the unit that contains Gaia's telescopes and camera system. Nor do you see the thermal shield which will open - petal-like - from the underside of the service module to give protection to Gaia's sensitive optics. "Gaia came to Stevenage about a year ago as a bare structure," said the Astrium UK Gaia project manager, Andy Whitehouse. "Since then we've integrated the propulsion system. We've built all of that offline and then put it on the structure. There's a lot of pipework that runs around inside, and the tanks are also inside as well." Mark Tomlin, the assembly and integration test manager, added: "There wasn't much time to bring all this together. We've done almost 500 welds on the mechanical service module and that's taken us on the order of six months to achieve. It's been a monumental task. Each weld has to be X-rayed and cleaned." As a lead member state of the European Space Agency, the UK is playing a

Summary: It should be one of the great space ventures of the decade.


The Australian, 21, beat world number 29 Querrey 6-4 6-4 in 53 minutes to progress to the second round. Kyrgios, ranked a career-high 12th in the world, won the Japan Open on Sunday and is closing in on the top 10. "I was just a bit bored at times," said Kyrgios, when asked why he was not his usual vocal self against Querrey. "I was feeling very tired. It was just tough. I'm just tired so maybe I just wanted to get the job done." Kyrgios said his success in Japan, and the travelling involved in playing at the Qi Zhong Stadium, an hour from Shanghai city centre, had taken its toll. "I didn't have the greatest sleep last night and obviously got in late the day before," he said. "The ride to the courts isn't great either." It was at the Shanghai Masters last year that Kyrgios was fined $1,500 (£984) for a foul-mouthed outburst, describing the tournament a "circus".

Summary: Nick Kyrgios said he was "bored" as he extended his unbeaten run to six matches with victory over Sam Querrey at the Shanghai Masters.


Lewis-Francis took up the sport four months ago with the aim of competing at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. He won 4x100m relay gold at the 2004 Summer Games. GB performance director Gary Anderson said it was a "tough call" to leave the 33-year-old out. Instead, Britain have gone for a mixture of youth and experience in their squad. Lamin Deen, fifth in the World Championships in Winterberg last time out, pilots GB1 in the four-man alongside John Baines, Joel Fearon and Andy Matthews. Double Olympian John Jackson pilots GB2 with Bruce Tasker, Ben Simons and new recruit Tremayne Gilling. Winter Youth Olympics silver medallist Mica McNeil leads the British challenge in the women's competition alongside Natalie DeRatt. The World Championships take place on 12-21 February. World Championship squad GB1 4-man: Lamin Deen, John Baines, Joel Fearon, Andy Matthews GB2 4-man: John Jackson, Bruce Tasker, Ben Simons, Tremayne Gilling GB1 2-man: Bruce Tasker and Tremayne Gilling GB2 2-man: Brad Hall and Ben Simons or Ben Simons and John Baines Women's: Mica McNeil and Natalie DeRatt

Summary: Olympic sprinting gold medallist Mark Lewis-Francis has been named on standby for Great Britain's provisional bobsleigh squad for next month's World Championships in Austria.


South Wales Police said it was called to near Llantwit Major beach shortly after 20:30 BST on Tuesday. A force helicopter was used during the search with help from the coastguard. Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and the coroner has been informed.

Summary: A man's body has been recovered near a beach in the Vale of Glamorgan.


The 24-year-old joined the Bantams on a three-year deal last summer after being released by Blackburn and scored once in 16 appearances. He previously played under Iron boss Graham Alexander when the duo were at Fleetwood. "We're really pleased because I think he will bring a lot to the team," Alexander told the club website.

Summary: Scunthorpe United have signed Bradford City winger Josh Morris for free on a three-year deal.


Media playback is unsupported on your device 27 July 2015 Last updated at 17:08 BST Ian Drake is British Cycling's chief executive officer, and here he gives his top tips for how you can get involved in the sport.

Summary: With Chris Froome's triumph for Britain in the Tour de France, cycling is in the spotlight.